Enchanted Guardian

Camelot Reborn #2

by Sharon Ashwood

A LOVE OF LEGENDARY PROPORTION

In another time, in a place once known as Camelot, they had been lovers. Torn apart by betrayal and lies, Lancelot Du Lac and Nimueh, the Lady of the Lake, had each suffered greatly. But the magic of the fae had reawakened a man once trapped in stone, and Lancelot was determined to find his long lost love. Only, Nim was desperate to hide her fae soul, as she was marked for death by their mutual enemy.

Though centuries apart had not diminished their passion, they would once again face a dangerous test to prove each was the other's destiny.

Genres: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Paranormal, Arthurian

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2016

About the author

Sharon Ashwood is a free-lance journalist, novelist, desk jockey and enthusiast for the weird and spooky. She has an English literature degree but works as a finance geek. Interests include growing her to-be-read pile and playing with the toy graveyard on her desk. As a vegetarian, she freely admits the whole vampire/werewolf lifestyle fantasy would never work out, so she writes paranormal romances instead.

Sharon lives in the Pacific Northwest and is owned by the Demon Lord of Kitty Badness.

Reviews

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rightwise king of? So apart from my large plot stumbling point this wasn't bad.
 
My large plot stumble is the entire rightwise king of Britain and that if he returned at this time he would go to the USA? If ever Britain needed a leader to sort things out I'm sure a lot of British people would say it's now with Brexit and all the messes going on (brain wanders off on a plotbunny maze, takes a break from writing review to scribble notes) you would expect at least a passing reference to Britain and British Issues.  Still I'm going to park that quibble somewhat and move onto the story.
 
This is the second story in the series and I haven't read volume one.  Apparently Merlin did a spell that saved the fae and the mortal realms and in doing so turned the fae into soul-sucking emotionless monsters and drained the world of magic.  Now magic has returned to the world and the Knights of the Round Table are resurrected (and doing medieval reinactment, and wow did that tickle my funny bone) and they're finding the modern world interesting.
 
This is the story of Lancelot du Lac - calling himself Dulac at the moment and Nimueh who has always loved him, somehow she retained some of her soul and this means she can love but they had huge issues last time around.
 
Yeay for heros who respect boundries, (mostly and better than the last two I read from Nocturne) but the story seemed unsure of it's direction and purpose, characters seemed to just drift from one scene to another and honestly Arthur didn't come across as a great leader.
 
It's not a bad read but it didn't make me want to read the next in the series, I didn't really care for or about the characters and wasn't unhappy when I finished it.  Some of it was very good but it wasn't a good whole book.
 
Could use Paranormal, Vampire, Romantic Suspense, witches, demons and monsters, I'm going to go with Demons.  I liked the demon, he was nicely sarky.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are knights of the Round Table, King Arthur, Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, and the evil Morgan LaFaye, who have ended up in the United States in modern times. Nimueh, the Lady of the Lake, is now the owner of a book store, and is laying low and on the run from Morgan LaFaye, the Queen of the Fae and the enemy of King Arthur, as well as all mortals. Since Excalibur is the the only weapon that can kill her, she’s determined to get her hands on it, which the king and the few knights that have been found and released from stone are just as determined to prevent. Sir Lancelot and Nimueh were in love once, and he’s determined to win her back, although there’s a lot of distrust and misunderstandings to clear up between them. With the king and his knights making Medievaland their base, there are performances of jousting and sword fighting, which keeps them ready for the real thing when they must fight the soulless fae who attack mortals to steal their souls. The story has lots of angst between Lancelot and Nim, intrigue, betrayal, evil magical attacks, sacrifice and love. I enjoyed every minute of it and look forward to reading the next story in the series soon.

[Morally_Gray_Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, to have a never ending love like Lancelot Dulac’s for his Nim. He is willing to fight to the death for her. What he goes through for her … What Nim goes through for Lancelot … Their story is as terrifying as it is beautiful.

Author Sharon Ashwood gifts us a glorious love story in ‘Enchanted Guardian’—with its epic battles, gripping drama, heart wrenching past misunderstandings, steamy love scenes, and raw emotional confessions. Good stuff. King Arther and Queen Gwen look like they’re going to have quite the story to tell in the ‘Camelot Reborn’ series’ book 3, ‘Royal Enchantment’. Can’t. Hardly. Wait!

*** Recommended ***

MMC:
✨Lancelot Dulac
FMC:
✨ Nimueh ’Nim’
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA,
Series:
✨ Book 2 of Camelot Reborn
Epilogue:
✨
Tropes:
👉fairytale romance
👉knight hero x fae heroine
👉second chance romance
Triggers:
💥18+
💥Sex
💥profanity
💥violence
💥death
Burn Speed:
✨medium
Spice Level:
✨🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chere Gruver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time around, we’re with Nimueh and Lancelot.

I really do adore stories about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. From the medieval tales to urban fantasies and this series is no exception to that. Of course, there is a bit of a different spin to this tale. In this version, Lancelot, or Dulac as he prefers to be called now, left Nimueh, or Nim as she goes by in the current time, to go with Arthur and restore his family’s fortunes. However, as the tale goes, he betrayed her with Guinevere. This broke Nim’s heart. Now that the fae no longer have souls, thanks to Merlin, will she be able to forgive him for leaving her? Once again, there is more than enough action to keep anyone’s interest, the plot moves smoothly along and we have the heartfelt sigh at the end. What could be better?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an ARC, I am leaving my honest review. Beautifully written and fast paced, I was absolutely spellbound as this story unfolded. To learn that Lancelot had been released from Merlin’s spell, and starts a life in the present day, only to rescue a woman who turns out to be his past love from King Author’s time which quickly became a journey I could not put down. The feelings and emotions are tense, deep and magical all at the same time as Lancelot sets his heart on winning her back. But plans are in action that will keep your attention on the danger as Nim’s past is revealed and along with it, the cruel ways of Queen LaFaye. As the plot moves forward the bonds of the other awoken knights become critical, while evil plots are thwarted. A surprise return will have you cheering as his help is extremely crucial for the epic ending of this truly amazing tale. I can’t wait to read more!.

[Cathy Beckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second installment of Ashwood’s Camelot Reborn series we get to meet Lancelot du Lac and his love interest Nimuah, the Lady of the Lake. Nim has spent centuries as Morgan LaFaye’s assassin but now she is the hunted for her assistance to Gawain in killing Prince Mordred. Nim bends her magical powers so that she can’t be tracked by LaFaye and her henchmen. Before binding her powers she finds Lancelot’s stone effigy so that he can be awakened from the stone sleep. Lancelot and Nim become attached once again and in order to keep the new Camelot and mortals safe Nim must awaken her magic. The problem with this is once again she will lose all feelings and emotions. What will happen to the lovers and how will they find each other again? Read the book to find out.

[Linda Collister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in hiding in the modern world Nimeuh is suddenly confronted by Lancelot, her only love. Cursed to lose all feelings, she tries to push him away. Arthur and some of the Knights are trying to protect the world and find the missing Knights and now she must make a decision -follow the light or remain in the dark. Lancelot is sure he can help her regain her feelings and now they will be reunited if he succeeds. A romantic tale. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The legendary knight Lancelot Du Lac is resurrected in the modern world, driven by a mystical bond to find Nimueh, the elusive Lady of the Lake. Once torn apart by betrayal in Camelot’s fall, their reunion is shadowed by ancient enemies and dangerous secrets. Nimueh, hiding her fae identity, must decide whether to trust Lancelot again as they face a deadly threat that could destroy them both. Blending romance, magic, and Arthurian lore, the story explores themes of redemption, destiny, and the enduring power of love.

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !! love this series !! a new twist on Camelot... love Nim and Dulac... this is their story... Nim is Nimueh, the lady of the lakes.. and is cursed by Morgan LaFaye... she now, owns a bookstore and is in hiding... Dulac is Lancelot and has finally awoken in modern times... his love for Nim is driving him to find her ... and win her love back... but, betrayals and the past stand in the way... and the evil is growing... love the twists....so good !!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like fairytale retellings, I am drawn to retellings based on legends, and what better legend is King Arthur, Camelot and his knights. Set in present day, we now focus on Nimueh and Lancelot's tale. Newly awoken from Merlin's spell, Lancelot is on the search for his lost love Nim, who was the Lady of the Lake. We learn more about Queen LaFaye's evil and more about the other knights still under the spell. This is a fantastic addition to this unique and expansive addition to the legend of Camelot and King Arthur's knights.

[meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I jumped into this series with book two. And while I did not feel behind or lost doing so, it definitely made me want to go back and read the first book. This was such an interesting premise. Knights of the round table thrust into modern times. Fae losing their souls and becoming monsters. There was so much at stake, and I did not want to put this down. I loved the ending and am excited to see where this series goes as I fell in love with all of the characters we got to know in this.

[Adena Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very different take on the Lancelot-Nimue Arthurian romance. I like! I particularly like how Lancelot applies what Tamsin tells him about muscle memory to the re-awakening of Nimueh's emotions - so steamy, so seductive .... Definitely not a sweet rendition of the Arthurian legend, so this is NOT for young adults. Now to see what the author has in mind for Arthur ....

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camelot is starting to be recreated with more knights and King Arthur being awakened from their forced sleep. This time we basically follow Lancelot and his love Nim. Again great world building, and more interesting characters being introduced. I could have done with half the sex descriptions, but otherwise a good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janice Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting take on the theme of Camalot, with Arthur and his knights frozen in time and brought back to fight the evil fae. Lancelot and Nimueh were lovers but now on opposite sides. The story moved along well and I didn't need to read the first book to catch up in this one. Some things are partially resolved but it will take the rest of the books to finish the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of Camelot Reborn Series. This is Nimueh and Lancelot story. I enjoyed this book. We get a lot of answers of what is happening to the fae, and what really happened between Lancelot and Gwen. The relationship between the two is one I never considered, but you can tell how genuine Lancelot is about it all, even when Nim’s feelings are blocked. I can’t wait for the next book about Arthur and Gwen.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nim is on the run from the wicked Fae queen Morgan LaFaye while being cursed as all of the Fae are. Lancelot reconnects with Nim his long-lost lover in the modern world he has been awaken to. Despite their stormy past they fight to save the Fae, mortals and the magical world. An exciting captivating steamy retelling of Camelot.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rohayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, we have Lancelot as the main character, and it's amazing. Lancelot, in mythology, is noted for being both loyal and yet somehow the cause of betrayal between Arthur and Guinevere, so I really love the take here on him.

I adored his love story with Nimeuh. Would absolutely read the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[L KQ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reunion and Mistrust

Lancelot and Nim have been separated by magic meant to save them from evil. While they are reunited there is a lot of mistrust and hesitation that keeps them from fully accepting their love. It was an unexpected retelling with added details that made it a unique and entertaining read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Praline NZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed going back to the world Sharon created. The characters are easy to root for and stakes are high.
I'm usually not a fan of second chance romance but it was well done. The longing between Nimueh and Lancelot was everything.
Highly recommend this series if you like Urban Fantasy and magical Camelot retelling.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiffany V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be an easy and enjoyable read. I love the characters and the store flows well. Looking forward to the next in this series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this continuation to this series as a modern day camelot. A must read about king Arthur and the knights of the round table.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of the predicaments that arose in the first book of the Camelot Reborn miniseries are still causing mayhem in the next installment. A long ago spell cast by Merlin had terrible consequences, making enemies who now want to be compensated in appalling ways. Though some of their malicious intentions are aimed at individuals who lived in the medieval period and have begun waking up from a lengthy sleep, any human could also be harmed by their destructive behavior. I was totally captivated by every gripping event in the previous book, and the paranormal elements are once again remarkably convincing. Sharon Ashwood has conceived a story about what might happen if the Knights of the Round Table existed in our current world, and each situation is creatively realistic with vivid imaginings. While I may not want the evil fae to actually be real, I definitely would love to meet the brave knights who have come back to life and the women standing by their side. ENCHANTED GUARDIAN is innovative and absolutely believable.

At the same time the Knights of the Round Table were fighting battles in Camelot, a female faery named Nimeuh was being affected by difficulties which still plague her. The warriors are now rising from a forced sleep in preparation of stopping the annihilation of humanity. Since Nim defied their enemy that is ready to overtake mankind, she is presently being hunted for her disobedience. But she does make sure a certain knight is found because his skills will be invaluable during physical clashes.

After joining forces with several other knights, Lancelot Du Lac secretly watches over the humans in the Pacific Norwest where the fae are becoming bolder. By working at the Medievaland Theme Park, he can dress the part and be ready for any conflict. When Nim and Lancelot accidently come in contact, both remember what was once between them. They had been lovers but his abandonment changed everything. Though he does not plan to leave her this time, she fears being discovered by those hunting her and does not want to be noticed. As the threats become more widespread, Lancelot and Nim find their lives are unexpectedly intertwined once more.

ENCHANTED GUARDIAN is an engaging story because of visual descriptions and lively characters. Sharon Ashwood certainly knows how to make scenes riveting with attention-grabbing imagery, and every depiction seemed so precise. I always felt as though I was right in the heart of a battle or an emotion-filled encounter, because reactions are genuine plus each detail is fully explained. How dilemmas play out kept me engrossed from the first hint of trouble until all concludes.

Nim, who is the Lady of the Lake from the medieval legend, is a wonderful heroine. She has lots of problems to overcome, and very few of them are easily worked out. When her whole future was riding on one choice, I suffered along with her. Lancelot has always been someone whose actions made him seem larger than life, but Ms. Ashwood makes him come across as a man with sincere feelings and heartfelt wishes. Though the relationship of Nim and Lancelot did not end well back in Camelot, neither has forgotten the other. Several of their scenes are intense with profound emotions, while others are heatedly steamy. There are also moments where some humor is evident, especially when Lancelot and Gawain have a conversation. I really enjoy the Camelot Reborn miniseries, and I hope there are more books to come.

Copy received for Always Reviewing blog

[H.A. Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a nut for modern Camelot re-tellings for some reason. I love reading how the ladies of the realm and their knights might live in this world, especially with steamy romantic and paranormal elements.

I had a feeling I was going to like this book just by the blurb in the first few pages…then even more when I saw Ms. Ashwood dedicated the novel to her very sharply named cat, thusly: “Demon Lord of Kitty Badness, conqueror of fuzzy slippers and bane of the computer mouse. Long may your reign of terror continue.”

My kind of writer.

It was a signal of good things to come.

I should say, up front, that I dislike Morgan Le Faye as villain. I realize it is the classic telling, but I cut my teeth on THE MYSTS OF AVALON (controversy about the Bradleys aside in this context), and because of that, and my affinity for The Morrigan as a goddess, I have a weirdly hard time swallowing her in her classic wicked witch role. It was also weird to see Merlin as an arrogant jackass who basically sunk Camelot, and the whole world with it. Even in the TV show, when young Merlin was anything but smooth and practiced, he didn’t pull off anything quite this bad.

BUT this is Sharon Ashwood’s sandbox, not mine, so I just got on the ride and stayed there.

SO much going for this story. It’s a squishy, angsty, steamy romance, it’s full of action, passion and magick. The combination of modern suspense and classic mythology is irresistible. It’s also a different tone when the Fae are the enemy. I really enjoyed how Lancelot is still a knight, if his armor might be a little tarnished, who spends his life defending the innocent as he was always meant to. Nimueh (now mostly known as Nim–which kept making me think of Nim’s Island, but no matter) has become a shell of her former self, without emotion or investment in much of anything in the mortal world…except Lance, of course.

Ms. Ashwood has a terrific way with words, painting pictures, dragging you into the action, the scene, and even the emotion in this story. It was full of everything I love about paranormal romance, not least of all a ton of warm fuzzies with a side of angst. Definitely recommended

[Payton (Payton's Book Thoughts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Overall Thoughts

I just want to start by reminding everyone that Sharon Ashwood reached out to me and asked if I would review both of her novels in the Camelot Reborn series (Enchanted Guardian in particular). I was given this book for free in exchange for my completely honest review.

So let’s get to the reviewing! As you can see, I gave Enchanted Guardian 5 out of 5 stars and it deserves every single one of them! The second book in the series was WAY better than the first (by far). This one had me interested from the very, very beginning! Just like the first book, it was told in 2 points of view. However, I was expecting to be reading about Tamsin and Gawain again. To my surprise (and a very welcome one at that), it was told through the eyes of Nimueh and Sir Lancelot! I really, really enjoy the change in perspective and it was a very clever move in my opinion. I don’t think the book would have had the same effect had it been told by Tamsin and Gawain.

To go into a little bit more detail, I was not crazy about the time jump between chapters 1 and 2. This is because I didn’t get to read Sir Lancelot be reunited with King Arthur and Gawain. I was really looking forward to that, but it didn’t deter me in the slightest. I also found it extremely amusing that I didn’t see any fault in these “battles” taking place in modern times, even though it was completely unrealistic. During every single one of these battle scenes, I found myself holding me breath until the events unfolded. To say the least, I was completely engrossed in the storyline of this book. However, there was a very unexpected turn of events that really broke my heart (for a second or two).

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enchanted Guardian is the tale of two names that are familiar to anyone who has even the faintest inkling of the King Arthur legends - Lancelot du Lac and Nimueh. We last saw Nimueh in Enchanted Warrior when she helped Tamsin and Gawain. Subsequently, she is on the run from Morgan LaFaye. Even considering binding her magic to stop from being found, she nevertheless does one last discreet service to Arthur and finds Lancelot's statue. Nimueh is planning on disappearing, but fate wants her and Lancelot to have a second chance, so the timing is always 'wrong'.

I love the mythology of Camelot, and putting it into a modern setting, with the twist of the Fae losing their emotions, is simply wonderful reading! The story weaves itself around you, drawing you into a feud that is centuries old, but with fresh hurts.

It is incredibly well written, with a smooth and flowing pace. There are 'hot spots' where Lancelot and Nimueh spend time exploring each other again, but nothing too descriptive. With no editing or grammatical issues to contend with, I can definitely recommend this book to all fans of the legends of Camelot, or Fantasy/Romance fans.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 14, 2016

[Misty Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this e-book in return for an honest review. Enchanted Guardian is book 2 in the Camelot Reborn series. I really enjoyed reading this installment of the Camelot Reborn series. Sharon Ashwood knows how to captivate her readers to the pages of her stories. I couldn't put the book down till I reached the end of the book.
Enchanted Guardian is the story of Lancelot Du Lac and Nim. Lancelot is another one of King Arthur's knights and Nim also known as the Lady of the Lake is a fae. In Camelot Lancelot and Nim were lovers, but they drift apart. When Lancelot awoken from the sleep he was put in he went looking for Nim and the other knights.
Lancelot finds Nim and they realized that they were still in love with each other. So they fight the evil along side the other knights.
To find out what happens go grab your copy of Enchanted Guardian.
I give Enchanted Guardian 5 stars and would recommend this series to anyone who is into paranormal romances and King Arthur. Sharon Ashwood is an awesome writer. Her telling of King Arthur and his knights is awesome and I can't wait for the next installment to the Camelot Reborn series.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5*

It was the mythology of Camelot that attracted me to this read. Combining the well loved mythology with the modern world took incredible skill to blend it all together seamlessly. Sharon Ashwood did a superb job.

With centuries old grudges and rivalries still holding strong, the new Camelot is under threat from the devious Morgan Le Fay. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants: Nim, Camelot and Excalibur. The Knights of the Round Table, who have traveled through time as statues, are being awaken when they are discovered. The Fae have become outcasts. Nim and Lancelot have a past together but time and events drove them apart. Nim, Lady of the Lake and a Fae, is running from Morgan and Lancelot is newly awoken. The strength of their love has stood the test of time but they may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Camelot once again.

This was an interesting combination of magic, old traditions and modern life. Seeing the iconic characters in a modern setting was certainly interesting and at times unexpected. This was brilliantly done and I felt completely immersed in the story, the setting and the characters.

***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***

[Renay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this story to has a wonderful vivid imagination. It has great creative with realistic viewpoint. A heroine who is hunted for disobeying and a hero who is a knight and works at Medievaland Theme Park to blend in...Priceless.

Fans will be very engaged because this tale has illustrative descriptions and refreshing characters. I enjoyed the emotion of all entertainers and the humor.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

NCT #237

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Camelot Reborn