The Guardian

Joan Wolf is a great writer. All of her books are interesting. This one is no exception. The story begins after the heroine's husband dies and leaves his brother as the guardian of their son. The first person perspective really lets you in on what the heroine is feeling, especially since much of the story is told in flashbacks. The secondary characters are also entertaining. It has romance, suspense, and plenty of her trademark horses.

I am a fan of regency novels in general but have become somewhat disenchanted with them recently. I find I am bored with missish females and overdone plots. A friend suggested I try a Joan Wolf book. I found this book to be a really good read. Annabelle, widowed with a small son named Giles, finds out at the reading of the will of her now dead husband that he has named his banished brother, Stephen, as the guardian to their son, Giles. Annabelle hates Stephen (or so she tries to tell herself) as they were lovers 5 years earlier. Stephen, however, was caught smuggling and was sent to Jamaica and left without a word to Annabelle. Ms. Wolf writes nicely and descriptively about how the relationship becomes rekindled between them, even though Annabelle still has feelings of hurt. I did not have to wade through 200 pages to have the romance resolved. What was resolved by the end of the book with who was trying to murder Stephen. A great read. My only complaint would be that I never got a firm image of what Stephen or Annabelle looked like. Apparently Annabelle was a beauty but not sure about Stephen.

No one does first person voice in Regency historical fiction better than Joan Wolf. She is an original! Annabelle tells her story here, and readers will be enthralled by this tale of lovers cruelly parted by their families who reconcile at last, after a passage of years. Stephen is a noble hero, much maligned, but true, and he deserves a second chance. Lovely characterization, flowing plot. Check out Wolf's other first-person Regency historicals, too. They are a treat!

Not even thirty years old and Gerald Grandville, the Earl of Weston, is dead from a lung infection. Since his heir is a minor, Gerald named his estranged brother, Stephen, as his four year old son's guardian, an action that shocks Gerald's widow, Annabelle. Five years ago, Stephen was run out of England because he was nearly arrested for smuggling. He has lived in Jamaica, running the family's sugar plantation on the island. Annabelle loved Stephen before he was disgraced, but settled for Gerald. When Stephen arrives back in England, sparks fly between him and Annabelle. However, there is suddenly plenty of chicanery going on with the estate. Stephen quickly realizes that someone, most likely their beloved Uncle Adam, has embezzled money from the estate. This revelation does not help his already nebulous position with his family, especially Annabelle. Danger also surfaces when someone wants to keep Stephen and Annabelle apart rather than allow them to rekindle their love for each other. That unknown assailant will do anything, including murder, to stop any relationship from developing between Stephen and Annabelle. Before this couple can find the time to regain what they temporarily lost five years ago, they must uncover the identity of the would be assassin who has failed twice to kill Stephen. Joan Wolf may be considered Ms. Regency Romance, but with this novel she changes her format by placing a strong emphasis on the mystery, a circumstance that brings a freshness to the sub-genre. Stephen and Annabelle make a charming couple as they struggle to take advantage of a second chance at love. However, it is the who-done-it aspects of the tale that turns THE GUARDIAN from another run of the mill historical romance into a Regency romantic suspense. Harriet Klausner