Status
Available
Genres
Collection
Publication
Warner Books (2004), Edition: Reissue, 494 pages
Description
Fiction. Romance. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:After her husband's death, a young widow with a faithful Great Dane must decide between two men â?? but as new love blossoms, jealousy turns deadly in this suspenseful New York Times bestseller. 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… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member punxsygal
A young widow finds her husband has left her a friend--a young Great Dane puppy along with a letter encouraging to find love again. Dating brings a mixed bag of results--Richard seems perfect, too perfect as his dark side begins to be revealed. But it is the hometown man that catches her heart.
LibraryThing member tinkerbellkk
Light book with fairly predictable outcome. Basic love story. Easy read.
LibraryThing member Abbigail4
This is probably my favorite Nicolas sparks book. It's a love story that isn't just between a man and and woman, but also a love between a woman and her dog, Singer. The great dane she recieved from her husband after his death. This book was really suspenseful and hard to put down towards the end
Show More
of the book. An easy and quick read! Show Less
LibraryThing member Irenes
Fantastic book because it shows the loyaty of a Great Dane
LibraryThing member BookJoy17
I like this book, there isn't too much romance, And there is some suspense, which kept me really interested. This work of fiction could almost be mistaken for a biography, it seems so real. This is the first of the Sparks books that I've read, and I can't wait to read some of his other ones!
LibraryThing member Amazon_books
The first 200 pages or so were very slow. If it wasn't Nicholas Sparks, I would have given it up, but as it was, I kept on and am glad I did. The last half of the book was edge-of-your-seat suspense.
LibraryThing member sportsbybj
This book is another great one by Nicholas Sparks. You will not want to put it down.
LibraryThing member rachelann
By far the best N.S. book I've read, and the best book I've read in a while. It had romance, suspense, a crazy dude and a dog. It was really hard to put down and full of twists and turns, although a bit predictable at times. Def worth a read, if you only have one of his books to pick I'd go with
Show More
this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member silverwing2332
I make it a general rule to never read romance novels, unfortunately this was sitting on my sisters shelf (she's a big romance novel reader, other than that she never reads) and I was bored so I picked it up. Surprisingly, this story wasn't so bad. It never got too predictable and the plot did get
Show More
very interesting. Overall it was a quick read, and had a touching message. Show Less
LibraryThing member jacketscoversread
Famous for A Walk to Remember and The Notebook, Sparks is clearly a love-story writer. However, The Guardian has a different spin on it. his book starts off sounding like a typical love story about making the decision between the “down to earth” friend or the handsome “travel the world”
This book really made you care about the characters, even the villain(s). It wasn’t slow either, the story keeps moving at a very good pace, and when you near the end during all the excitement you don’t want to put the book down. I have to say that this book was one of my favorites of Sparks’. I couldn’t put it down and it had a more suspenseful twist with an unsuspecting hero than most of his others.
Show More
man. However all of that changes when jealousy and anger comes into play, threatening the life of Julie and all the things important to her.This book really made you care about the characters, even the villain(s). It wasn’t slow either, the story keeps moving at a very good pace, and when you near the end during all the excitement you don’t want to put the book down. I have to say that this book was one of my favorites of Sparks’. I couldn’t put it down and it had a more suspenseful twist with an unsuspecting hero than most of his others.
Show Less
LibraryThing member shellyb
As with all his books, this one is a "can't put down book".
LibraryThing member sarahjanesandra
Not as sappy as other works by Nicholas Sparks
LibraryThing member shirl888
This is the first book that I've read by this author and I have to say I really enjoyed reading his book, it's a story about love, obbession and has a lovely ending! Definitely a recommended read.
LibraryThing member dbhutch
Nicholas Spark's novels have really down to earth characters and his writing style pulls me in by the first chapter of his books .. The Guardian did just this .. with a twist of fear and suspense. Reading about how she came to have Singer was a wonderful start, the letter form Jim ... the pure love
I always have loved the "falling for the best friend" in the love stories too, and this was great how everyone knew that Mike loved Julie, and how she discovered it was Mike she was in love with.
I was also engulfed by the mystery of Richard and all the secrets slowly emerging.
Nicholas Sparks' novels are truly books that you have to make time to read because you can not put them down. He pulls you to North Carolina so much that even after you are finished reading the books you want to go there, and the more of them you read the more you want to visit the areas he writes about.
Show More
left in the letter.. the moving on and living, and the way he shows the uncanny ways the pets in our lives become part of us and our being. I always have loved the "falling for the best friend" in the love stories too, and this was great how everyone knew that Mike loved Julie, and how she discovered it was Mike she was in love with.
I was also engulfed by the mystery of Richard and all the secrets slowly emerging.
Nicholas Sparks' novels are truly books that you have to make time to read because you can not put them down. He pulls you to North Carolina so much that even after you are finished reading the books you want to go there, and the more of them you read the more you want to visit the areas he writes about.
Show Less
LibraryThing member grandmakatie
One of my all time favorites. If I could I would rate it 10 stars instead of 5.
LibraryThing member love2rdinNH
I keep telling myself that I won't read any more of his books. This was a great read... I didn't want to put it down and read it in 2 days. However, I was balling hysterically in the end which reinforces thought: 'I hate Nicholas Sparks'. But I keep going back for more.... darn it.
LibraryThing member bellamia
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! I have read a few other of his books and I love the romance. In the first couple of chapters this appeared to be like the others I had read, I thought it was going to be a story about a love triangle.
It took an very interesting turn. I stayed up late many nights because I just
It took an very interesting turn. I stayed up late many nights because I just
Show More
had to know what was going to happen next. I LOVED IT!!!! Show Less
LibraryThing member traciragas
I'd gotten away from Nicholas Sparks' books, but I received this from my MIL for Christmas and read it during our visit there and on the plane ride back. Quick read, a little suspenseful, a little predictable, but still a nice, feel-good read.
LibraryThing member juilet9565
Nicholas Sparks is absolutely my favorite author of all time and once again he gets me all wrapped up in this book 2 o'clock in the morning. The Guardian was full of romance, relatable characters, North Carolina charm, and all that good stuff he always throws at the readers. I'm still getting
Show More
around to all his books and The Guardian is the first one that was full of suspence. He wrote the story in a way that had me screaming at the cops what I knew about "Richard" and that he was coming after Julie. The ending had me floored, but all the parts talking about the police business had my eyes flickering towards the next paragraph; I was more drawn towards "Richard", Julie, and Mike's point-of-view. I especially loved Singer, bless his heart. I loved what Singer's role in the story was and how human he seemed. After reading the book, I looked at my dog Milo and was wishing HE was like Singer. Overall, The Guardian earned a place on my favorite list. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member jodang67
Very light-hearted and different from many of other Sparks books as it's not too much of a tearjerker. But it's definitely one of my favorites, as I'm such a huge dog lover. I must've read this 10 times already but each time feels like it's brand new.
LibraryThing member Jessica5
Though not one of the best from Nicholas Sparks, The Guardian is still a captivating read that made me want to keep on reading all night. The story is thrilling and engaging and the characters are likable. The romance between Mike and Julie isn't as passionate as some of the other couples Nicholas
Show More
Sparks has written about, but it is still a romance nonetheless. I have found that it impossible to hate anything written by this man and I cannot wait to get my hands on another one of Sparks' books. Show Less
LibraryThing member LivelyLady
This started as a usual love story with a Great Dane puppy delivered to a young widow as her husband's last wishes. I will admit that I was surprised by the thrilling last 20% of the book. But I just find the rest of the writing too predictable.
LibraryThing member KatKealy
I would have rated this higher, but it was even more predictable than most and though I enjoyed the book that aspect of it really bothered me. SO many things were known from the second you read the first few paragraphs that it was almost like it wasn't worth reading the whole story. I still did, of
Show More
course, and it got to me at points.... Show Less
LibraryThing member iamhis1
I am ready this now. So far so good
LibraryThing member ctmsmamo
I read the book, The Guardian, by Nicholas Sparks. It was an amazing, shocking, mystery, sad, but most of all, love story. The book had me mad at some times, then happy, then at the end, crying very hard. Not only was it one of the best books iv read. But it was the best book I have read so far.
After Julies husband, Jim's death she discovers a gift to her, from Jim. It ends up being something she thought was gross, mean, and ugly... a Great Dane puppy. As much as she hates it at first, she keeps him and names it singer. They grow together getting closer and closer until singer never leaves her side. Julie eventually decides to move on to dating again. She ends up going out with a man named Richard. He seems nice at first, but theres many things about his past that he did not tell Julie. After Julie sees that it doesn't seem right she goes out with one of her best friends Mike. Her and Mike were pretty much made for each other. But little do they no that Richard is watching them. Stalking there every move. Tragic things happen and mike and Julie figure out not so good things about Richards past. They have no other choice but to call the cops. Julie and Mike end up hiding in an old beach house with singer. They think they are safe until Richard comes back and tries getting back into Julies life again. He ends up killing and getting one thing that he wants from it all. But everything els didn't go as he planed.
This was an amazing, heart warming, but sad book. I rate it a five out of five start book. I give this book this rate because there was something about the way it was written that had you hooked. Having a big dog myself really helped me connect and feel how close Julie did to singer. It is definitely a book everyone, boys and girls, should read.
Show More
After Julies husband, Jim's death she discovers a gift to her, from Jim. It ends up being something she thought was gross, mean, and ugly... a Great Dane puppy. As much as she hates it at first, she keeps him and names it singer. They grow together getting closer and closer until singer never leaves her side. Julie eventually decides to move on to dating again. She ends up going out with a man named Richard. He seems nice at first, but theres many things about his past that he did not tell Julie. After Julie sees that it doesn't seem right she goes out with one of her best friends Mike. Her and Mike were pretty much made for each other. But little do they no that Richard is watching them. Stalking there every move. Tragic things happen and mike and Julie figure out not so good things about Richards past. They have no other choice but to call the cops. Julie and Mike end up hiding in an old beach house with singer. They think they are safe until Richard comes back and tries getting back into Julies life again. He ends up killing and getting one thing that he wants from it all. But everything els didn't go as he planed.
This was an amazing, heart warming, but sad book. I rate it a five out of five start book. I give this book this rate because there was something about the way it was written that had you hooked. Having a big dog myself really helped me connect and feel how close Julie did to singer. It is definitely a book everyone, boys and girls, should read.
Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2003
Physical description
494 p.; 4.25 inches
ISBN
0446613436 / 9780446613439