Guarding the Heiress by Meg Kentman

 

This book is a Romantic Suspense 

Other genres: Fake Relationship, Protector Hero, Strong Woman, Protective Man 

Trigger Warning: Violence, Murder, Loss, Betrayal, and Sexual Content. 

Alexa Frost is not a damsel in distress, and Scott Sterling is about to find that out.

When tech mogul Marcus Frost passes away, his daughter Alexa is distraught. He was a perfectly healthy man, and magically, he just dropped dead. It already seems suspicious when, suddenly, a mysterious man shows up at his funeral. Who is he? Alexa isn't sure, but she knows that she has never met the man before. 

Alexa Frost, the boss's daughter, is the woman he vowed to protect. Scott Sterling, a former elite agent, has been working for Marcus Frost for years. He got close to the man, who was like a second father, and his job after Marcus's death was simple: protect Alexa at all costs. 

But Alexa is no damsel in distress. And she will not back down, not until she finds the people who killed her father and who are trying to quiet her for good. 

The Review

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. I thought it would be cliché and like a Harlequin romance novel (not that there's anything wrong with that). But it actually surprised me. Alexa is a badass, and I love that she wasn't some damsel just waiting for Scott to save the day. She could have curled up in a ball and depended on Scott for everything, but instead, she found her voice. She demanded to be partners, not a protector and client. And to Scott's credit, that is how he treated her. Not that Alexa gave him much choice. Their love story seems messy and simple and perfect and complicated and beautiful all at once. What a terrible time to fall in love, and yet it couldn't wait. 

SPOILER ALERT

I continued to be impressed as the story went on. How quickly Scott realised that Alexa was not his typical protection detail. And it seems more and more as the story goes, Scott really lets his walls fall and embraces their partnership. I love that he teaches her more self-protection and trusts her even in some small way to protect herself as the bad guys draw near. 

I also love that Alexa contributes. She has tech skills, and she is relaying information to help out. She really is part of the team and not just doing busy work. The way she handles herself with Mathews is impressive. And it really cements that she is not fooling around. She isn't about to take the situation lying down. She is there to fight. 

I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I don't think I would buy the paperback version of this book. But I would definitely pick up the ebook. 

Since it was an Advanced Reader Copy, I read this as an ebook on my Kindle Scribe

Rating and Recommendation

I didn't feel this book was "spicy" it did have some sex scenes but I felt they were very quick and not very detailed. Those scenes fell flat for me, and that's partly why I only gave the book 3.5 stars. I think in romance stories such as these, one of the "hooks" is the sex scenes. And they weren't there. I also would have like a little more of a slow-burn for their story. I think character development and relationship development would have benefited more from a longer give-and-take. Going from just an assignment to having feelings to making out and sleeping together semed very rushed.

That being said, I did enjoy the story it was a little anti-climatic but still a good, quick read. If you enjoy protective men, and strong women, you will enjoy this book. 

Conclusion

Give it a chance. I think if this type of novel is usually your thing, you will like it. Don't go in expecting heated sex scenes and Romeo and Juliet-type romance. But recognise that it is a balance of Romance, Drama, Thriller, and Action all rolled into a close-proximity love story. I think if you keep that in mind, you will enjoy Guarding the Heiress as much as I did. 

And if you do enjoy the book, there was one previous to this called Protecting the Heiress, with a similar concept but all new characters. 

You can find Guarding the Heiress in its respective mediums below: 

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