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The Ardent Protector
She was the only survivor of a tragic plane crash, a promising young artist who had lost her entire family in a cruel twist of fate.
But when Gillian Montgomery awoke from a seven-week coma, Jed Dawson was waiting to claim her. Who was this compelling stranger and shy was he with her now? He said she had a grandmother she had never known about. He hinted that he alone could open the door to her hidden past -- if only she would give him trust and time. He attracted her, alarmed her, and made her yearn for more. Could she obey the urging of her hasty heart? Was she ready to face the truth?
But when Gillian Montgomery awoke from a seven-week coma, Jed Dawson was waiting to claim her. Who was this compelling stranger and shy was he with her now? He said she had a grandmother she had never known about. He hinted that he alone could open the door to her hidden past -- if only she would give him trust and time. He attracted her, alarmed her, and made her yearn for more. Could she obey the urging of her hasty heart? Was she ready to face the truth?
- GenresRomance
219 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1982
61 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Drake
5 books4 followersA pseudonym used by Barbara Delinsky
Barbara Ruth Greenberg was born on August 9, 1945, in Newton, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, where she raised in a family of lawyers. Her mother died of breast cancer, when she was eight, it was the defining event of a childhood that was otherwise ordinary. She took piano lessons and flute lessons. She took ballroom dancing lessons. She went to summer camp through her fifteenth year (in Maine, which explains the setting of so many of her stories), then spent her sixteenth summer learning to type and to drive (two skills that have served her better than all of her other high school courses combined). In 1967, she earned a B.A. in psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in sociology at Boston College in 1969. The motivation behind the M.A. was sheer greed. Her husband, Steve Delinsky, was just starting law school and they needed the money.
Following graduate school, she was a researcher for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. After the birth of her first child, Andrew, she took a job as a photographer and reporter for the Belmont Herald newspaper, and later for the Boston Herald. She also filled her time doing volunteer work at hospitals, and serving on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and their Women's Cancer Advisory Board.
Barbara's career in writing began in 1980, after having a pair of twins, Eric and Jeremy, when she read a newspaper article about romance fiction. She researched the field, read 40 to 50 category romances and sat down to begin her own. She found that her background in psychology was helpful in "planning the emotional entanglements of (her) characters," and claims that she has "pulled on virtually every aspect of (her) background and of (her) life experience in general (in her writing)."
Barbara Delinsky is nothing if not prolific. Since 1980, she has written well over 80 novels, and shows no sign of slowing down. She began signing her novels as Billie Douglass and as Bonnie Drake, now she signs her novels with her married name: Barbara Delinsky. More than 20 million copies of her books are in print worldwide, translated into over a dozen foreign languages. From Romantic Times Magazine, she's received the Special Achievement Award (twice), the Reviewer's Choice Award and the Best Contemporary Romance Award. She's also received the Romance Writers of America Golden Medallion and Golden Leaf awards.
In 1994, Barbara was diagnosed breast cancer, like her mother. But it had surgery and treatment. And in 2001 she published the non-fiction Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors.
Now, the Delinsky family resides in Needham, Massachusetts, where Barbara's husband is a prominent local lawyer.
Barbara Ruth Greenberg was born on August 9, 1945, in Newton, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, where she raised in a family of lawyers. Her mother died of breast cancer, when she was eight, it was the defining event of a childhood that was otherwise ordinary. She took piano lessons and flute lessons. She took ballroom dancing lessons. She went to summer camp through her fifteenth year (in Maine, which explains the setting of so many of her stories), then spent her sixteenth summer learning to type and to drive (two skills that have served her better than all of her other high school courses combined). In 1967, she earned a B.A. in psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in sociology at Boston College in 1969. The motivation behind the M.A. was sheer greed. Her husband, Steve Delinsky, was just starting law school and they needed the money.
Following graduate school, she was a researcher for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. After the birth of her first child, Andrew, she took a job as a photographer and reporter for the Belmont Herald newspaper, and later for the Boston Herald. She also filled her time doing volunteer work at hospitals, and serving on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and their Women's Cancer Advisory Board.
Barbara's career in writing began in 1980, after having a pair of twins, Eric and Jeremy, when she read a newspaper article about romance fiction. She researched the field, read 40 to 50 category romances and sat down to begin her own. She found that her background in psychology was helpful in "planning the emotional entanglements of (her) characters," and claims that she has "pulled on virtually every aspect of (her) background and of (her) life experience in general (in her writing)."
Barbara Delinsky is nothing if not prolific. Since 1980, she has written well over 80 novels, and shows no sign of slowing down. She began signing her novels as Billie Douglass and as Bonnie Drake, now she signs her novels with her married name: Barbara Delinsky. More than 20 million copies of her books are in print worldwide, translated into over a dozen foreign languages. From Romantic Times Magazine, she's received the Special Achievement Award (twice), the Reviewer's Choice Award and the Best Contemporary Romance Award. She's also received the Romance Writers of America Golden Medallion and Golden Leaf awards.
In 1994, Barbara was diagnosed breast cancer, like her mother. But it had surgery and treatment. And in 2001 she published the non-fiction Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors.
Now, the Delinsky family resides in Needham, Massachusetts, where Barbara's husband is a prominent local lawyer.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 28, 2018
Jill is the perfect submissive heroine. Yes, she’s had tragedies in her life, but wake up, girl! I didn’t like any of the characters very much, but . . . It did have a happy ending.
May 6, 2025
I liked both the H and h, and I loved the Appalachian background, but what kept me from giving this another star was some of the other characters. Both the h's mother and grandmother were wrong to stay away from each other so many years and only communicate through letters. Despite how their husbands' felt, they were mother and daughter and should NOT have let anything (or anyone) keep them apart!
The h's father, though he loved both his wife and daughter, was too possessive and over-protective, as well as selfish (though he didn't see it that way). He thought he had his reasons, but he was still wrong.
And why the h's parents decide to wait until a tragic accident tom tell their daughter a truth she should have been told years ago is beyond me! Just so ridiculous!!
I also think more time should have been devoted to the h and her grandmother getting to know each other, there wasn't enough of them together.
One thing I really liked, was the h returning after less than a week when she was upset and needed time to think. She realized she was being selfish running off and worrying her grandmother and then H. Too few h's think like that when they pull their disappearing act.
I also, liked the h's artistic career, being an amateur artist myself.
Despite its flaws, this was a good story, worth checking out.
The h's father, though he loved both his wife and daughter, was too possessive and over-protective, as well as selfish (though he didn't see it that way). He thought he had his reasons, but he was still wrong.
And why the h's parents decide to wait until a tragic accident tom tell their daughter a truth she should have been told years ago is beyond me! Just so ridiculous!!
I also think more time should have been devoted to the h and her grandmother getting to know each other, there wasn't enough of them together.
One thing I really liked, was the h returning after less than a week when she was upset and needed time to think. She realized she was being selfish running off and worrying her grandmother and then H. Too few h's think like that when they pull their disappearing act.
I also, liked the h's artistic career, being an amateur artist myself.
Despite its flaws, this was a good story, worth checking out.
January 12, 2025
not convinced.
After reading a few books where stalkers assert their right to follow or confine someone, I struggled with the lockup mentality of the male lead. Turns out ok in the end but was a stretch.
After reading a few books where stalkers assert their right to follow or confine someone, I struggled with the lockup mentality of the male lead. Turns out ok in the end but was a stretch.
June 28, 2015
Creo que ya lo he dicho en muchas ocasiones, pero va de nuevo: Me molestan muchísimo esas autoras que confunden la violencia con la pasión y el amor con la obsesión, y aquí tenemos un clarísimo ejemplo y lo peor del caso es que aún, en estos tiempos hay mujeres que también lo ven de la misma manera.
Nunca he podido ni podré comprender como, si es que una persona realmente te ama, puede hacerte semejante daño.
Un típico macho multimillonario que se cree con el estúpido derecho de hacer lo que e plazca con la mujer en la que pone el ojo.
Y la otra imbécil que cae rendida a sus pies, haciendo todo lo posible por complacerlo.
Nunca he podido ni podré comprender como, si es que una persona realmente te ama, puede hacerte semejante daño.
Un típico macho multimillonario que se cree con el estúpido derecho de hacer lo que e plazca con la mujer en la que pone el ojo.
Y la otra imbécil que cae rendida a sus pies, haciendo todo lo posible por complacerlo.
May 23, 2015
A woman with a story... one of many
Awesome writing, I never fail to be intrigued by Barbara's stories. She writes of life;it's ups and downs,yet manages to find the beauty in each tapestry she has woven. Life is like that when you choose to focus on the golden lining rather than stark cloud. We all have them. Her writing s always manage to inspire the hope and faith that the current storm will somehow serve a greater purpose.
Awesome writing, I never fail to be intrigued by Barbara's stories. She writes of life;it's ups and downs,yet manages to find the beauty in each tapestry she has woven. Life is like that when you choose to focus on the golden lining rather than stark cloud. We all have them. Her writing s always manage to inspire the hope and faith that the current storm will somehow serve a greater purpose.
December 7, 2012
not a really accurate rating cuz i really don't know how to rate this
April 6, 2013
it was okay - I had a hard time getting into the story
November 19, 2013
Simple summer reading.
March 25, 2016
THE BEST!
So far, this is the best book that Barbara has written.( And I have read most of them)
Can't wait to read another
So far, this is the best book that Barbara has written.( And I have read most of them)
Can't wait to read another
March 28, 2017
DNF - I've decided I just can't do older books from authors I like now. I've tried to read several older books by several authors I generally like and I just can't deal with the jerky main male characters and the annoying female characters who lose all control the minute the jerky main male character walks into the room. I find the stories to be annoying, not romantic.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews