Publisher: Garrett Publishing
Date of publication: January 14th, 2022
Genre: Romance, Suspense
Series: Mind Stalkers
Silent Depths—Book 1 (review here)
Shadow Guard—Book 2
Whispers After Death—Book 3
Mind Hunters—Book 4
Purchase Links: Amazon
Goodreads Synopsis:
If you could read someone’s mind, what would you do with the truth?
Hunted by both the military and her own personal stalker, Dani conceals her psychic abilities and hides in plain sight. Within her mind is the ability to change the landscape of nations. For that, a branch of the government would lock her away—to ensure her safety.
Marc Crofton left his black-ops unit to join his brothers’ private investigative after discharge. A chance meeting with the quiet, unassuming spitfire in his veterinarian’s office sends his world in a tail spin involving spies, both domestic and international.
Each must rely on the other to survive a world where betrayal and deception, desire and trust, weave a fabric that transcends time.
Perfect for fans of for fans of CM Sutter, Dale Mayer, Dean Koontz, LT Ryan, and Fiona Quinn.
First Line:
Demi watched as Dr. Carari breezed through the reception area with purse and keys in hand, smiling at the last client preparing to check out.
Shadow Guard by Reily Garrett
When Reily emailed me with a request to review Shadow Guard, it was an immediate yes. I had read (and enjoyed) Silent Depths and knew that book 2 in this series was coming up. I am so glad that I did say yes because I enjoyed this book a lot.
Shadow Guard is Demi and Marc’s story. Demi is a powerful clairvoyant who is on the run from several criminal organizations, including the one that imprisoned Callie in Silent Depths. Figuring that hiding in plain sight would be the best, she settles and works at a veterinarian’s office. That is where she meets Marc. Marc is part owner of Ambrosia and works at his brothers’ PI firm after being discharged from the military. He also trains guard dogs as a side gig, where he meets Demi. Marc and Demi’s paths merge when she is attacked at a dog show, and Marc brings her home for protection. Marc realizes that there is something different, something special about Demi, but he can’t exactly pinpoint what it is. But, Demi is hiding secrets, and those secrets can kill. Can Marc protect the woman he is coming to love and prove that he loves her and her gifts? Or will she fall into the hands of evil?
Shadow Guard is a fast-paced book. Because of everything that happens and the time frame in which it occurs (within a couple of weeks of the opening scene), I felt the pacing fit the book. If the book had gone any slower, I think that the slower pace would have ruined it.
I loved Demi’s character. She had overcome so much in her life. I do have to say that I am happy that she had good role models growing up because I feel that she could have been easily turned into a criminal as a teenager (when the criminals were fostering her). She had a strong sense of right and wrong. I mean, she was instrumental in getting Callie out of The Institute!! Plus, she loves animals and formed an attachment with Darius (the Schutzhund that Marc was training) almost right away.
Marc was a boss in Shadow Guard. He knew what he wanted (Demi), and he was going to get it. He wasn’t surprised when he figured out that she was a clairvoyant. He suspected it when he brought Demi back to his house after the dog show. There was a gap between him figuring things out and her telling him. So he was left to think things and wait for her reactions, which was pretty funny. His black ops training also came into play during the last part of the book, when they were tracking down Ray and the Tuckers.
The romance angle of the book was well written. I liked that the author built the romance up and let it simmer before Marc and Demi had sex. That leads to some super-charged sexual tension between the two of them. Once they did have sex, it was amazing and one of the better sex scenes I have read in a while. They were so connected on so many levels, and I loved it!!!
The suspense angle was great. I loved that the author kept dragging out critical points of the plotline (Demi’s abilities, Ray’s evil plans, the Tucker families plans) until I almost couldn’t take it anymore. I had to keep on reading; I needed to know what would happen. And man, I was glad that I did.
There was no big twist to the plotline. Instead, the author threw something very unexpected out and let it sit there. She didn’t resolve that little tidbit of information, and I wonder how it will play into the upcoming books. I can’t (and won’t) let you guys know what I am talking about, but it was exciting, and I have several theories about how the girls are connected. I am very interested in seeing which one is right!!
The end of Shadow Guard was a little bittersweet. I liked that the author wrapped Demi’s storyline up, for the most part. The author left enough unanswered for me to be interested in book 3.
I would recommend Shadow Guard for anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sex/sexual situations.
