Guardian’s Grace (Dark Protectors #12) by Rebecca Zanetti – ARC Review

Duty—or desire?

Vampire soldier Adare O’Cearbhaill’s default setting is cranky. Or irritated. Or down-right hostile. Still, as a Highlander of honor and duty he stepped up to save an enhanced and special human female by mating her—with merely a bite and a brand. The last person he wants in his life is a fragile human, yet he can’t get her out of his mind as she regains her strength before taking off for parts unknown. And when he discovers she is in danger, nothing can stop him from hunting her down—whether she likes it or not.

There’s only one way to find out . . .

Photographer Grace Cooper has had it with vampires, demons, and the rest of an immortal world she was happier not knowing about. She also doesn’t believe she’s destined for some great battle because of an old birthmark. Forget the fact that her mate is the sexiest thing on two stubborn feet, or that her brand is fading along with her health. She’ll handle things on her own—until an old enemy reappears and she learns the only way to stay alive is to actually mate, wild sex and all, with that ripped and dangerous Adare—a powerful, captivating Highlander who demands nothing less than everything . . .

I received this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book or influence the content of my review.

Read: 24^th – 28^th October 2020

What did I like about Guardian’s Grace?

I haven’t read many books by Rebecca Zanetti but I find her writing style very easy to read. As I’ve only read one other Dark Protectors’ book, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I became engaged into the world of vampires, demons, Fae and the various hybrid variations.

I was impressed with our heroine, Grace, from the very first chapter.

I connect to a story more when the lead female character is intelligent, resilient, self-reliant and has plenty of gumption. Grace proved herself time and time again to be a great protagonist! But it’s not just the heroine who has to win me over in a paranormal romance. The hero has too as well. Adare, our hero, was a work-in-progress. My modern sensibilities baulked many a time at his caveman mentality and antics. However, by the end of the book he became totally deserving of Grace in my eyes.

The conflict, action and various threats in this tale felt non-stop which kept me on the edge of my seat.

I enjoyed that the plot in Guardian’s Grace isn’t just focused on our main romantic couple. It’s got a few threads weaving through it. Some were resolved in this book while others were left to continue through the series. It kept me guessing. What would happen next?

Was there anything I didn’t like?

OK, so obviously I really enjoyed this book. However, there were niggles, hence the drop to a 4-star rating.

Firstly, I had a few qualms with the world-building. I often felt a bit lost reading Guardian’s Grace. For example, I couldn’t picture some of the settings and the family connections had me scratching my head. Rebecca weaves certain re-cap information into this book. However, this is a complex world with multiple species. Plus, there are a huge number of characters! As with all long-running series, a lot has happened. 😉

Secondly, putting aside Adare’s caveman mentality which I’ve already mentioned above, I didn’t understand some of the actions of our so-called “good-guys”. I’m sure that as a new reader, my lack of knowledge about the characters, understanding the dynamics of relationships and knowing the story to date has affected my perception of this book. I bet if I’d been reading Dark Protectors from the beginning, I’d have given it 5 stars.

Basically, what I’m saying is…

I really enjoyed Guardian’s Grace. It’s got everything that I look for in a good story. There’s action, romance, humour, a gripping storyline and some well-written passion.

Has my review of Guardian’s Grace encouraged you to find out more? ‘Course it has. 😉 Click on any of my links to check it out yourself.

Keep reading to find out more about the author.

About Rebecca Zanetti

Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over fifty romantic suspense and dark paranormal romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. The New York Times reviews have found that in her books, “humor surfaces in even the tensest moments, giving the high-stakes drama humanity and warmth.”

She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out.

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Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to read my thoughts about Guardian’s Grace. Have you read this one or any others by Rebecca Zanetti? Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

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Bye for now

Flora x