Adelia Burke isn’t new to writing. In fact, she has several books available, but after a terrible car accident, her writing was put on hold. Now, three years later, Burke releases A Guarded Love, a rewrite of the Perfect Match. This Christian sweet romance makes relaxing easy.

My Thoughts About A Guarded Love

Have you ever given thought to what it would be like to catch the eye of a famous country singer? Would paparazzi swarm your house and keep you from living the life you chose for yourself?

In A Guarded Love, Burke explores this very idea. The main character, Kristen, isn’t looking to date anyone, not after her most recent dating disaster. And, as a lover of classical music working on her masters in piano performance, she certainly has no interest in country music–let alone a country singer. But the paparazzi have different ideas, and Kristen soon finds herself surrounded by Landon Ross’ security detail.

I like to read sweet romances when I need a break. They provide a quick way for me to escape without the worry of missing an important part of the story line in heavier literature or of the world-building found in fantasy.

And that’s exactly what A Guarded Love is. A sweet love story without inappropriate scenes that sneak up on you in typical romances. Burke takes the idea of wholesome fiction a step further and builds a relationship with common interests and heart-warming healing. Trust plays a main part in the story, as does selflessness. These characteristics, along with Grandma and Grandpa’s adherence to prayer, make this a truly Christian work of art.

The Good

I enjoyed this story line. Having studied music myself, the idea of a music student who doesn’t like country music brought a smile to my face. Classically trained vocalists are taught to “leave the country at home” in order to learn correct vowel sounds. Not that there’s anything actually wrong with country.

The characters made sense. One with a large family. One with a broken family. And two that make family a priority. I liked that. They aren’t polar opposites and they don’t have everything in common. But they do want the same thing.

Burke didn’t spend and innate amount of time discussing how hot her characters are. A pet peeve of mine, this made me soo happy. Instead, she wove most of the descriptions into the story naturally. She also did a great job of showing that love isn’t something immediately born, but something that comes when two people decide to put in the time.

The Okay

While there were occasional physical-reaction descriptors, I found the book mostly lacking when it came to how the characters reacted to their environment. The suspenseful sections (and there are plenty) have few sentences where the racing hearts and rolling drops of sweat are the focus–the subject of a short sentence, an incomplete thought. A way to help the reader focus on physical reactions as well as the story line. These are important in storytelling.

When I read, I want my physical reactions to mimic those written in the book. I may not sweat and my heart rate may not spike, but I might read faster. My eyes might widen. I might wrinkle my nose in disgust. But Burke’s writing did not bring those reactions. And there was so much possibility for it, it kind of made me sad.

There were a few spots with minor typos–missing words and a couple of other spots with extra words, but I easily recognized what Burke meant, and compared to some books, these typos were minor. Overall, her writing is good.

The Official Blurb of A Guarded Love

An unsuspecting college student is inadvertently thrust into the paparazzi spotlight when a country music star mingles at a local karaoke club. After an unexpected photo surfaces online, the power of clickbait media sends two people from different worlds on a collision course with destiny.

A break from touring proves to be anything but relaxing, as Landon Ross navigates a whirlwind of tabloid manipulation, crazed fans and heightened security protocol. Each detail of his life is carefully structured and scheduled. But the unexpected arrival of a talented local music major makes him re-evaluate everything.

More info

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A Guarded Love Blog Tour

Visit these websites to read more reviews of A Guarded Love and receive more entries in the giveaway listed below!

June 1st Crossroad Reviews
June 2nd Community Bookstop
June 3rd TBA
June 4th Bibilo Leviosa
June 5th Bonnie Gets a Say
June 6th Fire and Ice
June 7th TBA
June 8th My Book a Day
June 9th Baroness’ Book Trove
June 10th Movie Review Mom
June 11th Kameo Monson
June 12th LUW Romance Writers
June 13th Book.Amour
June 14th The Phantom Paragrapher

Giveaway Information

Win prizes by leaving comments on A Guarded Love review posts throughout the blog tour (follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter square below) and by visiting Adelia Burke’s Facebook group (use the link provided in the Rafflecopter square). Prizes include free online courses and eBooks. KameoMonson.com is not running said contest and is unaware of the rules. Please contact Trina Boice with questions at [email protected]

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review and participation in the blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.