4.5 stars
Remy Blake is a male/female author duo that I just recently discovered. I knew that Jacob Chance was the male author involved, and I wanted to try his writing, so I thought this quick read would be the perfect opportunity to do that. Guardian is a forbidden romance, but don’t worry if that really isn’t your thing. The story didn’t feel that taboo to me, and there is absolutely no kink involved. It's one of the best short stories that I have ever read in the romance genre. I usually find it hard to rate books of this length, because I feel like there isn’t a complete story there. In my experience, short erotic reads are usually just a string of sex scenes with a few lines of dialogue in between. That was not the case here at all. Yes, there is plenty of steam, but by the end, I felt like I had read a complete, albeit short, story.
Brock, a 35 year old detective, was shocked to find out that his oldest friend had passed away. He was even more shocked to discover that his friend requested that he take guardianship of his daughter. Brock hadn’t seen his friend in years, and he wasn’t aware that he even had a child. He knows absolutely nothing about taking care of a child, least of all a little girl.
When his new charge, Ivy, arrives, she isn’t at all what he expected. Instead of being a sweet little girl, she is a full grown woman. Ivy is almost 19 and wearing clothes that leave little to the imagination. He knows that he is in for trouble when she looks him in the eye and asks if he is her new daddy.
Ivy doesn’t want to live with this strange man that she has never met, but she does want her inheritance. The only way for her to receive it is for her to stay with Brock for 6 months. At first, she tries and succeeds to get under his skin, but eventually she realizes that it is best to play nice.
Brock agrees to try to stay out of Ivy’s way, and she agrees to do the same. They have a strong attraction toward one another, but neither one of them think it’s a good idea to give into it. Not only is Ivy his best friend’s daughter, but she is young and has her whole life ahead of her. Ivy has big dreams to travel the world, and she doesn’t need anyone holding her back.
Living together and not interacting doesn’t last long. Having a regular friendship isn’t an option for them, because the sexual tension between them is too strong to resist. It isn’t just the sexual tension either. They have actual feelings for each other. However, that doesn’t change Ivy’s plan for her life. As much as she cares about Brock, she isn’t going to let a man come in between her and the life she’s always wanted.
I always say that the characters are what can make or break a story for me. In this case, they definitely made it. Brock and Ivy made the story seem more realistic, because they were. Ivy was mature and strong minded for her age. She didn’t act like a love struck teenager. Her goals and plans for her future mattered to her, and she wasn’t willing to let anything cloud her judgement. Brock was sweet, thoughtful, and understanding when it came to what was best for her. He wanted her to have everything she wanted, and never wanted to interfere with that.
Guardian is a quick, sexy read that you won’t be able to put down. The writing is addictive, the sex is hot, and the story is perfectly paced and entertaining. If I didn’t know this book was written by two authors, I would have never guessed, because everything flowed exceptionally well from beginning to end. Honestly, I think that whoever the mystery female author is, she is Jacob Chance’s perfect match.
I enjoyed this story immensely, and I will be reading everything written by Remy Blake that I can get my hands on in the future. It is exactly the kind of short, steamy read I always hoped to find. If the blurb peaks your interest, you are a fan of forbidden romance, or are looking for a short, hot read with more substance than most, this one is for you!
*If you have any issues with OW or OM kissing or having sexual contact with the MCs before they officially get together this probably won't be for you*
ARC generously provided for an honest review.