Publication Date: 08/05/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Sensation
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 320
ISBN-10: 0425268624
ISBN-13: 978-0425268629
(Received for an honest review from Berkley Sensation)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Indiebound
Mary Behre on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads
Books in the series:
Tidewater
1. Spirited
2. Guarded
Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from, Guarded, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature
Synopsis:
She’s given up on finding love…
Veterinarian Shelley Morgan has always preferred animals to humans, and not simply because she can communicate with them psychically. Unlike most people she’s known, animals have never broken her heart. But after six months in her new town, some of her favorite four-legged companions begin disappearing from the local zoo. Determined to track down the animals and their thief, the telepathic vet decides to investigate, unknowingly delving into a deadly mystery…
He’s ready to make her heart go wild…
Although his bear-like physique has been an advantage in the Tidewater Police Department, Dev Jones’s size often intimidates people. Only Shelley has seen past his massive build to the intelligent man inside, but that was years ago. So when she contacts him requesting his help to solve a series of animal kidnappings, he’s eager to reconnect with her. But the thefts escalate to murder and all the evidence points to Shelley as the killer, and Dev faces a devastating choice: forsake his career or risk losing the woman he’s grown to love…
Thoughts:
Guarded is the second book in the Tidewater series by Mary Behre. This series focuses on three sisters separated after the death of their parents. Each girl with a special supernatural gift/curse. Behre combines the paranormal with romantic suspense and a touch of humor to give readers a unique reading experience. With fast paced action and plenty of passion in and out of the bedroom, Guarded is an excellent addition to the series.
What I liked:
After reading Spirited, the first book in the Tidewater series, I was excited when Guarded came along. In Spirited readers got their first taste of three sisters that drive the series. Jules coined the phrase 'crift' when describing her supernatural give/curse of being able to communicate with the dead. Now in Guarded readers get to learn about another one of the lost sisters, Shelley, who is a veterinarian with the ability to communicate with animals. One of the things that I find intriguing about this series, is the originality of the idea behind it. Readers who have been reading paranormal books for awhile have probably seen 'ghost' and 'animal' whisperers before, but not quite in this manner. Having three separated sisters who are trying to find each other, and who can combine their gifts and use them together is something new and different. I think Behre is really on to something here.
I actually liked several things about Guarded a little more than I did Spirited. I liked the idea of the heroine being able to talk and understand the animals around her. I am an advocate for animal rights and fair treatment and I felt that Behre actually used this story as a platform for causes dealing with animals, whether she meant to or not. Shelley had such a great heart for the animals she worked with and it made her a believable and endearing character.
Dev was a great hero. I enjoyed reading about him a lot. He just seemed like such a good guy. Big hearted and built like a bear. He had connected with Shelley in the past and wanted to help re-unite her with her sister, as well as, solve the mystery surrounding the theft of the zoo animals. The more the clues pointed toward Shelley, the more I felt like he was determined to see the good in her and knew that she could not be the culprit. I loved his faith in her and his romantic and loving way of dealing with her.
There is quite a bit of romance in this book and some hot love scenes, for sure. But Behre really knows how to write suspense. The action starts out slow and starts to build until it is almost at a frenzied pace at the end and readers will find it hard to put down even to eat or sleep. It has some very intense scenes, tempered with moments of levity, like the meeting of the two sisters after so long. It was a good balance, but did lean a little toward the suspenseful side to drive the story.
What I didn't like:
Toward the end, as the mystery started to wind up, things got a bit chaotic. I understood the need to wrap things up, but it seemed like there was an inordinate amount of changing directions and dead ends, and backtracking and all of that. It got a little confusing right before the big reveal at the end. I also has a few issues with Shelley's inability to let the people around into her heart. I was glad when she finally started to drop the walls, it just should have been a little sooner.
Bottom Line:
Guarded is a great addition to the Tidewater series. I can't wait to read Hannah, the final lost sisters, story. I think Behre did a great job of writing a book that incorporated the paranormal and romantic suspense into it seamlessly. The story was tilted toward the suspenseful side, but that didn't seem to take anything away from my enjoyment of it. Shelley was a good heroine, with a great 'crift' and readers are sure to love her.
Guarded is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Daily, she can be found in her office. With her Pomeranian at her feet and her hands on the keyboard, she spends her time plotting new ways to torture her characters before they find their happily ever afters.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Guarded by Mary Behre.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, September 2nd.
1. Please leave a comment about whether or not you think it's possible that animals really understand us?
2. Please fill out the FORM.
10 comments:
I do think it's possible that animals can understand humans. I think they can sense many human emotions.
Oh yeah, they understand us!! Mine know exactly what I'm saying to them.
Animals understand and are sensitive. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
Yes, they understand us.
CABWNANA1@bellsouth.net
I agree, animals obviously understand us. I don't think it's in the same way that we communicate though. Perhaps they sense emotion or something like that. All I know is that my dog knows when I'm sick, when I'm happy, mad, sad or otherwise and she's always there for me!
oh i definately believe that some animals can understand us. they can read our moods and body movements just like people.
it could be possible
Judging from the way my dogs act, I have to say yes.
I think they do to a degree. But probably not completely! Then again maybe they do and sit around making fun of us!
I do think that animals understand us. Our dog always knew what we were talking about. Thanks for having this giveaway.
ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com
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