When everyone's existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn't come easy. Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he's a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product... moreWhen everyone's existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn't come easy. Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he's a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses. For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself. Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead. *A sexy urban fantasy wrapped around multiple mysteries that'll keep you guessing.* Warning: Jenny K. says, "The most divisive book we've read in my book group. Some loved the unpredictability, others hated the haphazard story line. I couldn't put it down."
Interview with the author:
Why is Guarded so divisive? I think it's because it has no subplots, but three (and a half) main plots running side by side. Organizing the story in this way has allowed me to hide clues and offer great twists, but some readers are not used to being overwhelmed with story threads. As a result, Guarded seems to jump from one scene to the next, even though the scenes are deeply interwoven. A little like old-style detective noir stories? Exactly, but with vampires, werewolves, and a dash of sexiness. Is Guarded a romance? Not in the traditional sense, no. Some moments are incredibly sweet, but don't expect fated lovers pining for each other. What makes Ivy, your heroine, so relatable? She's flawed. That put me in dangerous territory, because while we say we want our heroes to be real, often we mean "perfect." Ivy is quite selfish, but she tries to put others first. It's this aspiration to be better than she is that so endeared her to me. She runs into danger not because she's stupid, but because she doesn't want to ask for help. Who wants to be a burden, right? She fights her own battles. Literally. I made sure that every time she's in danger, no one else was in a position to do it for her. What's next for you and the residents of Silverton? Guarded is book one of a projected series of five books. Number two will be more of a romance, and number three a paranormal thriller. Those who enjoyed Guarded's unpredictability will not be disappointed, even though I've dialed the number of main plots back to two. less
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