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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the guardian.

Nicholas Sparks's new novel, THE GUARDIAN, clearly challenges the time honored maxim "man's best friend". While Sparks is known for writing sappy love stories that pull on the reader's heartstrings, THE GUARDIAN is undoubtedly his finest work.

The novel's main character, a widow named Julie Barenson, receives a puppy that her husband arranged before his untimely death. Although Singer, a Great Dane, challenges Julie's patience on more than one occasion, her beloved four-legged friend is at the right place when she needs him the most.

Although THE GUARDIAN at first appears to be another tearjerker from Sparks, whose seventh novel will surely be atop the bestseller lists within no time, it is completely different from his debut novel, THE NOTEBOOK, or NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, which comes out in paperback in June.

Don't worry Sparks fans. THE GUARDIAN takes place in another small southern town, Swansboro, N.C. And, of course, it contains a deep-rooted love story, the kind that has catapulted Sparks into literary stardom. But what's different about THE GUARDIAN from his other six novels is that this novel is extremely chilling at times. It is pulse pounding, breathtaking, suspenseful and intriguing.

Without giving too much of the plot away, the book starts out when Julie receives a surprise gift on Christmas Eve in 1998 -- an adorable puppy. The animal is exactly what she needs to help her deal with the recent loss of her husband, Jim. Fast forward to 2002. Singer and Julie have become best friends, but Julie yearns to start a new relationship --- but with whom? Well, there's Mike Harris, who works as a mechanic and was her husband's best friend and best man in her wedding. Then there's Richard Franklin, a strikingly handsome transplant to the area. Julie dates Richard for a while but decides there's just nothing there and starts to see Mike.

Unfortunately, the rejection is too much for Richard to handle and he just can't cut his losses and be friends with her. This is where the pace of the book really gains momentum. Instead of being a gentleman about the whole thing, Richard turns into a menacing creep and calling Julie over and over and hanging up the phone when she answers. He then pops up when she's out walking Singer and when she's shopping for groceries.

Richard shows up at a nightclub where Julie and Mike happen to be and Mike loses his cool and brawls with Richard. Wow! Violence in a Nicholas Sparks book? This has got to be a first. Besides being a well-crafted love story, THE GUARDIAN is also a compelling police drama complete with guns, of course.

Although Sparks's work isn't as gritty or dogged as the work of a James Patterson or Michael Connelly, he does fine in developing tightly written fiction relating to police work. He furthers his story line with Pete Gandy and Jennifer Romanello, two of the town's cops on complete opposite ends of criminal justice. Gandy is a townie who thinks he is a super cop and has Richard all figured out; he tells Jennifer the case is closed. Meanwhile, Jennifer, a Bronx native whose father was a member of the NYPD, doesn't think too highly of Gandy and clearly believes Richard is up to no good.

Despite being a surprising thriller from Sparks, the copyediting could have been a little tighter. Near the end of the novel, Sparks mentions a 1994 Pontiac Trans Am, but then refers to the car as being a 1984 Trans Am. Which is it? Even though it can be considered a minor error, inaccurate details like this can sometimes ruin a perfectly written novel. In the Author's Note, Sparks says the manuscript was a challenge for him and went through eight revisions. After eight revisions, there is no excuse for the aforementioned miscue.

Reviewed by David Exum on November 16, 2011

The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

• Publication Date: November 30, -0001
• Genres: Fiction
• Hardcover: 494 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning
• ISBN-10: 0756957559
• ISBN-13: 9780756957551

Book Review: The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

“You know me better than anyone, and you're my best friend. I don't think there's anything you could say to me that would lead me to believe that you're doing it just to hurt me. If there's one thing I've come to know about you, it's that you're not even capable of something like that. Why do you think I like spending time with you so much? Because you're a good guy. A nice guy.” ― Nicholas Sparks, The Guardian

Nicholas Sparks' seventh novel is The Guardian. A widow called Julie is hoping to find a new life partner when she adopts a Great Dane named Singer as her pet. Mike, a longtime friend of hers, and Richard, a successful manager, are a couple of the people she gives some thought to.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Julie Barenson’s young husband left her two unexpected gifts before he died – a Great Dane puppy named Singer and the promise that he would always be watching over her. Now four years have passed. Still living in the small town of Swansboro, North Carolina, twenty-nine-year-old Julie is emotionally ready to make a commitment to someone again. But who?

Should it be Richard Franklin, the handsome, sophisticated engineer who treats her like a queen? Or Mike Harris, the down-to-earth nice guy who was her husband’s best friend? Choosing one of them should bring her more happiness than she’s had in years. Instead, Julie is soon fighting for her life in a nightmare spawned by a chilling deception and jealousy so poisonous that it has become a murderous desire.

My reaction to this novel ...

Every dog lover will like this book. Julie Barenson becomes a widow at the age of 25 when her better half dies of cancer. That first Christmas, she receives a gift: a great dane puppy purchased for her by her significant other with a message written before he died. Her late husband informed her that the dog would soothe and safeguard her; that he (her better half) would always keep an eye out for her from wherever he is; and that she should keep an eye out for the person who will be her adulation for the rest of her life. Still, it takes four years for her to be ready to continue, but during that time, the puppy, whom she calls Singer, transforms into the protector who gives her a sense of security, accompanying her wherever she goes, even to work at the beauty shop. She discovers her significant other’s closest pal is the man she succumbs to after dating a few men. In any event, she ends up with a stalker. Her life will never be the same again.

I had no idea where this book was headed when I first started reading it. I couldn’t put it down, though, as the bend begins and things start to happen. There are a few scary chapters throughout the book. I occasionally became anxious and uneasy. Although the story is amazing, the outcome is heartbreaking. Prepare your box of tissues since the last bit made me cry a lot. Every time I finish reading a Nicholas Sparks book, I usually feel good about myself. Regardless of whether they reached you via the imaginative mind of this accomplished author, it assures me that there are still nice people in the world. He has empathy for both male and female readers, which makes him a fantastic storyteller in and of itself. The nicest element of his composition, in addition, is how productive he has been. Anyone who enjoys having their world turned upside down by a good narrative should read it.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

“You always have a choice. It's just that some people make the wrong one.”

Many of us experience negative effects as a result of our decisions. As humans, we are all aware that our decisions—which are frequently the wrong ones—determine everything that occurs to us. I believe that in order to be led in making decisions for our life, we should put God first because having confidence in him will give us the assurance that whatever we decide will be the finest thing that has ever happened to us.

“It was funny that you know someone for years but still discover something you never noticed before.”

This is actually very accurate. The most of the time, we have this person who is so close to us that we believe we have known them our entire lives, but occasionally, you will be astonished at certain things that we will be able to learn about them each day that we are with them. Like an onion, everyone has layers that are not immediately apparent unless we painstakingly peel them. Most of the time, we will find it unexpectedly since we never anticipated it to be there.

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Review: Grisham’s ‘The Guardians’ is suspenseful thriller

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“The Guardians: a Novel,” published by Doubleday, by John Grisham

In John Grisham’s latest novel, “The Guardians,” a former priest named Cullen Post works for an organization called Guardian Ministries that scours court transcripts and personal letters from convicts to determine if someone is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he or she didn’t commit. If the organization believes without a doubt that the potential client is innocent, it will do everything it can within the boundaries of the law to free an innocent person, investigating and pushing for a new trial.

Quincy Miller has been in prison for 22 years — and still claims his innocence. A young lawyer was murdered, and suspicion quickly turned to Miller pulling the trigger. He says a fellow inmate fabricated a story about Miller confessing, and his ex-wife claimed that he owned several guns, which also wasn’t true. Another witness lied about seeing him flee the scene. Miller swears he never owned a gun, wasn’t anywhere in the area that night and that a key piece of evidence that later disappeared was planted.

It’s a bit much to believe that so many folks would be involved in a miscarriage of justice, but Post believes Miller and begins to dig into what happened that fateful night.

Grisham again delivers a suspenseful thriller mixed with powerful themes such as false incarceration, the death penalty and how the legal system shows prejudice. The Guardian team of characters is first-rate, and Miller’s attitude and mannerisms will have readers questioning what truth means in the world of the legal system.

https://www.jgrisham.com/

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The Guardians: A Novel Hardcover – October 15, 2019

• Print length 384 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Doubleday
• Publication date October 15, 2019
• Dimensions 6.35 x 1.35 x 9.6 inches
• ISBN-10 0385544189
• ISBN-13 978-0385544184
• See all details

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About the author, excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved., product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday; First Edition (October 15, 2019)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385544189
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385544184
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.35 x 1.35 x 9.6 inches
• #211 in Legal Thrillers (Books)
• #1,023 in Political Thrillers (Books)
• #5,504 in Suspense Thrillers

About the author

John grisham.

John Grisham is the author of forty-seven consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include The Boys From Biloxi, The Judge's List, Sooley, and his third Jake Brigance novel, A Time for Mercy, which is being developed by HBO as a limited series.

Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.

When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.

John lives on a farm in central Virginia.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the content compelling and well-written. They also describe the plot as captivating, wonderful, and frightening. Readers love the characters and find the story hard to put down. Opinions are mixed on entertainment value, pacing, and characterization. Some find it engaging and easy to read, while others say it didn't excite them.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the plot of the book full of surprises, twists, and a great legal thriller. They also say it's an enjoyable, fast-paced read that keeps them guessing. Customers also appreciate the author's knowledge of the law and the criminal justice system.

"...The Guardian” has a great story line about the value of a human life and social injustice and the one black cop he writes about in the story is the..." Read more

"...I could hardly put the book down. The book was not action-packed , but fast paced, and kept me guessing...." Read more

"An enjoyable read with many twists . So glad I read it! Was hard to put down. Thank you John Grisham." Read more

"Overall, good book although a bit of a slow read. Found the ending was weak …..expected the outcome but it wasn’t typical Grisham." Read more

Customers find the writing style very well written, quick, and easy to read. They appreciate the brief descriptions and good description of the struggles. They also say the narrative is clean, with little to no foul language. Readers also mention that the plot is believable, beautifully interwoven, and plausible.

"...Good read for Bookclubs. Very interesting and realistic ." Read more

"...The book was entertaining as well as informative. It is a quick and easy read and continues to show Grisham as a top-notch story teller...." Read more

"... Gresham is an excellent writer and I can tell by his story lines that is well-rounded and can place himself in various individuals shoes...." Read more

"This was another great read by John Grisham! John Grisham is a talented writer ...." Read more

Customers find the content compelling, informative, and easy to read. They also say it has everything they look for in a book, including sorrow, great happiness, amusing characters, and voodoo.

"...Good read for Bookclubs. Very interesting and realistic." Read more

"...The book was entertaining as well as informative . It is a quick and easy read and continues to show Grisham as a top-notch story teller...." Read more

"...A good, solid Grisham legal mystery and informative as well ." Read more

"...The story is both interesting and informative in regards to false imprisonment and the tedious steps that have to be taken to find justice...." Read more

Customers find the characters in the book well developed, likable, and hateable.

"...Review - This is the John Grisham I enjoy - writing about well-fleshed out characters you love, and characters you love to hate...." Read more

"...However, I enjoyed the various characters and their varied backgrounds. For instance, the main character had a background in religion and law...." Read more

" Enjoying his characters and plots !" Read more

"Such an enjoyable read. Great story telling, great characters , beautifully interwoven and wonderfully paced. Hard to put down...." Read more

Customers find the book hard to put down.

"... Hard to put down . Would love to see this one on film." Read more

"...Otherwise, I enjoyed the story and found it hard to put down ." Read more

"I was hooked to the plot from the first 2 pages. Could not put the book down . Will love to see it materialize into a movie. Kudos to John Grisham." Read more

"...the characters are vividly described, and it is very hard to put this book down ...." Read more

Customers find the character flaws compelling, sympathetic, inspiring, and refreshing. They also appreciate the heroic literary piece with an important message about justice. Readers mention the story makes them cry at the end.

"...and the one black cop he writes about in the story is the only kind, caring , and trustworthy police officer in the entire book...." Read more

"...who work for such justice in the book are likeable and hardworking people for a cause for which they get little financial compensation...." Read more

"...It had everything: sorrow , great happiness, amusing characters, voodoo, and violence. I laughed a lot and was shocked by some events...." Read more

"...Grisham does an amazing job of bringing injustice in society and in the legal system to the forefront...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it wonderful and moving, while others say it's a little slow initially.

"...the book is fast paces , but you need not be a law student to enjoy this book...." Read more

"Overall, good book although a bit of a slow read . Found the ending was weak…..expected the outcome but it wasn’t typical Grisham." Read more

"...Great story telling, great characters, beautifully interwoven and wonderfully paced . Hard to put down. Would love to see this one on film." Read more

" This isn't a thrilling fast read , but it is a book well worth reading...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the entertainment value. Some mention that it's entertaining and engaging, refreshing, and never dull. They also say that it grabs them from the start and keeps them reading to see what happens. However, others say that they didn't find it exciting, with no twists or surprises.

"...In this instance, it can all be pretty exciting and enlightening. The novel is a page-turner from the beginning; and it never lets up...." Read more

"... It didn't excite me , the reader, so how would it ever excite the writer...." Read more

"...It grabs you from the start and keeps you reading to see what happens. I highly recommend this book!I" Read more

"...This one had me hooked from the beginning . Compelling reading and highly recommended." Read more

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