The Guardian Duke Review and GIVE AWAY!!

I am always on the lookout for good books.  No, not just good books but uplifting ones that I can pass down to my daughters and not worry about what they are reading.  I enjoy sharing the experience of losing yourself in the world of the book and talking about it.

I love to read!

So, when I was given the opportunity to review The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie I jumped on it. I love a good book and I love telling others about them.

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.

About the Author:

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 herhead 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!”

Now for what I thought about the book...

I really enjoyed this book.  It took a chapter to two to get into it because it was a little confusing at first.  I'm not sure if that was me or not but once I got past Chapter 2, I was good.  I fell in love with the characters and found myself laughing out loud at some of the conversations they had or the things they did.  I enjoyed Jamie Carie's writing style, it was easy to read and very engaging.  I can usually predict a books outcome early on but this one surprised me a few times!  Some parts were predictable, but they weren't cheesey.

I finished The Guardian Duke in about two days.  I couldn't put it down until I finished it.  But then I was bitterly disappointed because it doesn't end and the next book isn't due out next week.  I actually have to wait to see what happens to these characters.  Ugh!  I have to wait until July to meet these characters again.  How many months is that?  Too many, that's how many!

I gave The Guardian Duke to my 14yo to read, I'll let you know what she thinks when she puts it down!!

This is a great book with wonderful characters.  Of course the fact that it is set in a part of the world that I adore makes it that much better.  I know you will fall in love with these characters as much as I did.

Wanna hear what's even better?  I have a copy of The Guardian Duke to give away to one lucky reader!!!  To enter leave a comment telling me about one place you would love to visit that you haven't already.  Mine would be Ireland or Scotland.  


I will draw a winner on Thursday the 8th. 






Here are some links to check out this great book for yourself:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ForgottenCastles

Live Action Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyTk2MQw04s

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Duke-Forgotten-Castles-Novel/dp/1433673223/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328570148&sr=8-1

One Sheet: http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/books/products.asp?p=9781433673221

USA Today Review: http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-02-04/review-the-guardian-duke-by-jamie-carie/620195/1

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or

services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it 

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally 

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance 

with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the 

Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”