Review ~ The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie

About the Book

The Guardian Duke is award-winning novelist Jamie Carie’s most exciting story yet, a uniquely arranged Regency-era romantic adventure where hero and heroine know each other through written letters but have yet to meet.

Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, is ordered by the King to take guardianship over Lady Alexandria Featherstone whose parents are presumed dead after failing to return from a high profile treasure hunt. But Alexandria ignores this royal reassignment, believing her parents are still alive and duly following clues that may lead to their whereabouts. Gabriel, pressured by what are actually the King’s ulterior motives, pursues her across windswept England and the rolling green hills of Ireland but is always one step behind.

When they do meet, the search for earthly treasure will pale in comparison to what God has planned for both of them.

My Review

I love Regency-era stories. Hands down they are my favorite. The clothing, the etiquette, the castles, and most of all the intrigue! After much anticipation, I can say that The Guardian Duke met every expectation I had, and then some!

Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, has never met his newly appointed ward and begins writing her letters. Alexandria has the ability to irritate the Duke with the written word but as time goes on she also beguiles him. Love begins to blossom. He wants to be her protector, thinking she is in need of one. Little does he know how resourceful she has had to be. He fears for her and sets out to bring her back to London. There's something that makes this kind of tricky but I don't want to spoil the story so I will not say anymore about him.

Alexandria has spent most of her life alone on Holy Island, with only a few house staff to keep her company, while her parents travel the globe. Suspected dead by some, Alexandria is not convinced that this is true. She devises a plan to find them but needs funds. She writes to the Duke of St Easton, pleading for money. She's not exactly honest with him, but of course he doesn't know this. What ensues over the course of time, through the letters, is quite amusing.

I enjoyed watching Gabriel fall in love with Alexandria through the letters. Usually you get the heroine's POV more than the hero. Not this time! Plus it held a special place in my heart as my husband and I corresponded the first 6 months of our courtship through letters while he was living in a foreign country!

If you're a fan of Regency fiction, you don't want to miss this introduction to Gabriel and Alexandria. I couldn't believe I had reached the end of the book. It is a brilliant cliffhanger!

There's so much more to this story but you know I tend to be conservative with my reviews because I dislike spoilers. I hope you'll purchase your own copy. The book comes out in February and is available for pre-order at several online retailers. All of Ms. Carie's books have stunningly beautiful covers. This one is no exception and I think it is the best she has written yet!

An Advance Reader's Edition from B&H Publishing Group was provided through NetGalley. I was under no obligation to write a positive review, just my honest opinion.

After Thought:

I'll tell you the main reason I enjoyed this book so much was because the chapters alternated from the Duke to Alexandria, and so much focus was on the Duke. His character was really developing when the cliffhanger came but knowing there's another story coming just makes me anticipate The Forgiven Duke even more!!!

Author Bio ( from website)

A Preacher’s Daughter

When she was six, Jamie’s parents met Jesus and soon after started a church. It changed everything. Road trips with her dad—to and from Bible studies across Indiana—were filled with talks of things beyond earth’s  bounds – creation and the fall, God and Jesus and the rapture, the earthly walk compared to the spiritual walk,  and how we are born for more than what we can see or touch.

The highlight of those nights was stopping at a truck stop in the middle of the night where her dad would spend a  little of the offering basket on two slices of pie and a couple of Cokes. Nothing ever felt so special as a middle of the  night slice of pie with her dad. And nothing could stop the writing pouring out of her.

As Jamie’s relationship with God grew, she discovered her heart was filled with songs and poetry. During high  school she wrote lyrics for her brother’s band. (And she sang them too!) After college, Jamie married, had two sons and decided to stay home with them. While she homeschooled she wrote skits, poems, plays and short stories for school and church. When her eldest son turned five she dove into the world of novels. She’d read romance novels for years, but couldn’t relate to the flawless, saintly heroines in Christian romance novels. So she decided to write her own.

Snow Angel was born on a frosty night in an old farmhouse in Fishers, Indiana, where the cold floor gave plenty of motivation for the snow scene. Jamie loves to write late at night when the house is quiet and the darkness seems alive. Elizabeth and Noah had been playacting in her head for a long time, so the story went fast. Ten years later Snow Angel was published and won the ForeWord magazine Romance Book of the Year winner, was a National “Best Books 2007” Awards winner, and a 2008 RITA Awards® Best First Book finalist. It was the beginning of her dream career.

Jamie and her husband Tony have been married for twenty-one years and live in Indianapolis with their three sons and a giant of a dog named Leo.

If she could only say one thing to her readers it would be, “Live the dreams God has destined you for!”

Visit Jamie on the web at: www.jamiecarie.com

Pre-order @ Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD.