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Protector #1
Protector
Anna-Marie has spent almost her whole life in love with the boy across the creek. From the age of five they have been in each others lives, so when Anna-Marie’s boyfriend, Dylan, dies under mysterious circumstances it drives her into a deep depression. She desperately clings to his memories for solace. After reports come out of a another mysterious death, Anna-Marie climbs her way out of despair as she throws herself into a search for the assailant, who is callously tearing so many lives apart. During Anna-Marie’s search, she has a chance encounter with a mysterious man who flips her world upside down once again. Alessandro Pierre, the deadly son of the vampire leader of the Brotherhood Order, appears to be just as normal as the next guy, but he is far from it. The further Anna-Marie digs into Dylan's death she is plunged into a world she isn’t quite prepared for. She gets caught up in a deadly game from her worst nightmares, and eventually learns that it is her own world as well.
286 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2011
31 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 21, 2013
I'm just going to get this out of the way. I liked the premise of Protector. I was drawn in by Dylan's sweet thoughts and then BAM-tragedy. Total shock to the system. And now we're stuck with Anna-Marie's grief. She is of course devastated. But while I sympathized with her I didn't feel the empathy I normally would when reading of someone else's heartache. I was really detached. Was it me? Anna-Marie's voice? Not really. It was the author's narrative style. It didn't grab me. It didn't feel like I was "there". Like I was going through this with Anna-Marie. It felt... more like a recounting of events, going through the motions (and of course Anna- Marie is- she's in shock and utterly heartbroken, hell she's barely functioning), but I was looking on the outside looking in, not really feeling those emotions. I couldn't quite figure out why I was feeling this way, but I was interested enough in the story to keep going. And I'm glad I did.
While I still struggled with the emotional detachment, and unfortunately that lasted for most of the book, Anna-Marie and her desperation to find out what happened to her lifelong love kept wanting to discover the truth of her situation as well.
Her world is now dark and frightening and yet her need for discovery and comfort drives her to take life threatening risks. She is caught again and again in fear for her life. Is she following trouble or is trouble following her?
And though what she can and can't see scares her, she feels at once protected, safe and more driven to discover the truth.
We see glimpses of a guardian angel. Someone keeps saving her from the monsters that haunt her in her sleep and seem to seek her out as she seeks answers. But is he really an angel or a threat?
We finally meet Alessandro. He's a reluctant hero. He doesn't understand why Anna-Marie appears to be targeted and why she keeps putting herself in danger. So he approaches her under some pretense- you'll have to discover that for yourself and continue to watch over her.
We go back and forth following Anna-Marie and Alessandro. We listen as they both question their pull toward each other. And the danger increases. Because of the narrative we're able to see a lot of what Anna-Marie cannot. This doesn't take away from the mystery and intrigue. The need to find out along with Anna-Marie what has really happened to Dylan and what's happening in her beloved town is strong- as is the speculation.
The growing relationship between Anna-Marie and her protector leads to both making grave mistakes, and what was somewhat frightening becomes downright terrifying.
What holds this story together is the undeniable attraction between these two. They both want and need each other and they find that they can't bear to be apart. And what transpires is a natural progression. Two people brought together seemingly by chance and misfortune. Anna-Marie and Alessandro are both wonderful characters. I really liked what they brought out in each other. But it's not easy and there are lot of unanswered questions.
As I got further and further into this tangled web that Anna-Marie's life has become I found I couldn't pull away. I, like Anna-Marie, had to know the truth- the whole truth.
Tressa Messenger does a wonderful job keeping you on pins and needles. Constantly in fear of what may happen and what will be discovered. And just when we think we've made it through the worst she leaves us with the most fantastic cliffhanger.
All in all I really enjoyed this very eventful journey with both Anna-Marie and Alessandro. And while we've gathered some important information and grown comfortable in their love, there is so much more to discover and endure. Their story will not end quickly- and that's a good thing. I'm prepared to go along for the wild ride.
While I still struggled with the emotional detachment, and unfortunately that lasted for most of the book, Anna-Marie and her desperation to find out what happened to her lifelong love kept wanting to discover the truth of her situation as well.
Her world is now dark and frightening and yet her need for discovery and comfort drives her to take life threatening risks. She is caught again and again in fear for her life. Is she following trouble or is trouble following her?
And though what she can and can't see scares her, she feels at once protected, safe and more driven to discover the truth.
We see glimpses of a guardian angel. Someone keeps saving her from the monsters that haunt her in her sleep and seem to seek her out as she seeks answers. But is he really an angel or a threat?
We finally meet Alessandro. He's a reluctant hero. He doesn't understand why Anna-Marie appears to be targeted and why she keeps putting herself in danger. So he approaches her under some pretense- you'll have to discover that for yourself and continue to watch over her.
We go back and forth following Anna-Marie and Alessandro. We listen as they both question their pull toward each other. And the danger increases. Because of the narrative we're able to see a lot of what Anna-Marie cannot. This doesn't take away from the mystery and intrigue. The need to find out along with Anna-Marie what has really happened to Dylan and what's happening in her beloved town is strong- as is the speculation.
The growing relationship between Anna-Marie and her protector leads to both making grave mistakes, and what was somewhat frightening becomes downright terrifying.
What holds this story together is the undeniable attraction between these two. They both want and need each other and they find that they can't bear to be apart. And what transpires is a natural progression. Two people brought together seemingly by chance and misfortune. Anna-Marie and Alessandro are both wonderful characters. I really liked what they brought out in each other. But it's not easy and there are lot of unanswered questions.
As I got further and further into this tangled web that Anna-Marie's life has become I found I couldn't pull away. I, like Anna-Marie, had to know the truth- the whole truth.
Tressa Messenger does a wonderful job keeping you on pins and needles. Constantly in fear of what may happen and what will be discovered. And just when we think we've made it through the worst she leaves us with the most fantastic cliffhanger.
All in all I really enjoyed this very eventful journey with both Anna-Marie and Alessandro. And while we've gathered some important information and grown comfortable in their love, there is so much more to discover and endure. Their story will not end quickly- and that's a good thing. I'm prepared to go along for the wild ride.
July 30, 2012
Protector is a paranormal romance written by Tressa Messenger. I read this as a “request to review” by the author.
☆☆☆☆
Great story with an exciting edge!
The Rundown:
Anna-Marie and Dylan have been best friends since they were five years old and in love since they were sixteen. Going off to college and then moving in together, they are the love of each other’s lives with a happy future planned. That is, until one gruesome night when Dylan is attacked by what everyone thinks is a rabid animal, leaving Anna-Marie alone and without her soul mate. Depression sets in and the only time she feels comforted is when she visits Dylan’s grave, even running out in the middle of the night to sleep by his side when the loneliness becomes too much. On one such night her peaceful visit is interrupted by a large man with shining yellow eyes and ghastly features. Fearing for her life she runs away only to learn the next day that other attacks like the one Dylan endured, have been happening around her once peaceful city and she vows to find the cause of these horrific events and maybe even justice for Dylan.
Alessandro has lived his whole life with the knowledge there are vile things in the dark that prey on humanities weakness. He knows these things because he is part of that world, being half human and half vampire. His Brotherhood protects society while the Rogue tries to destroy it. He’s seen what tragedy can do to a person and has chosen to ignore his human side only getting involved long enough to do his job and protect them. But fate has other plans for Alessandro while throwing Anna-Marie in his path on more than one occasion.
Now Alessandro must put his Protector training to its full use because dangers lay everywhere, people are disappearing and someone is stalking Anna-Marie. With secrets hiding behind her past, her present in upheaval and her future unsure, Anna-Marie is in for the fight of her life!
The Review:
I really enjoyed this book. The story was well thought out, had enough action to keep you interested and the paranormal aspects were fascinating. I liked the differences between the Brotherhood/Protectors and Rogue/Hybrids. The Brotherhood society and its history were well written and I loved the play on their origins.
The characters were likable and well developed. Anna-Marie was down to earth and though she spent the majority of the book in a deep depression, she didn’t let it keep her from searching for Dylan’s killer or keep her from exploring the new world she was thrust into. I was completely taken with Alessandro, his past and what made him the way he was. I loved his friendship with Michael and hope there is a resolution to their fall out in the next book.
Personal Note:
The author is from my home town and thus writes about the beautiful and scenic parts of east coast North Carolina. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about places and experiences I’ve had the pleasure of seeing and living in personally. Vampires in Wilmington! I can totally see that ;) I always find it fascinating when I can relate to the areas described inside the pages of a book. It makes it more personal and special in some ways.
Dislikes:
As much as I liked the story and the overall theme of the book, I had a hard time with the writing style. It was written in third-person narrative, present tense, while sometimes switching to past tense. It was a bit confusing and a little difficult to start with, but once I really got into the story, it wasn’t that big of a distraction any more. I also had trouble with some of the dialogue. At times it seemed a bit unrefined and weak for the age of the characters. For example, I kept imagining Alessandro and Michael as young men, perhaps in their early twenties, when in fact Alessandro was close to fifty of his extended life span. But those things were minor in comparison to the overall story, which was fun and exciting.
The Wrap Up:
This was the authors first published book and I think she did a great job! The story was moving, the characters were engaging and the history well thought out. It also leaves off with a huge cliffhanger that immediately had me wanting the next book in the series to see how this story plays out. I’ll definitely be getting the next book!
☆☆☆☆
Great story with an exciting edge!
The Rundown:
Anna-Marie and Dylan have been best friends since they were five years old and in love since they were sixteen. Going off to college and then moving in together, they are the love of each other’s lives with a happy future planned. That is, until one gruesome night when Dylan is attacked by what everyone thinks is a rabid animal, leaving Anna-Marie alone and without her soul mate. Depression sets in and the only time she feels comforted is when she visits Dylan’s grave, even running out in the middle of the night to sleep by his side when the loneliness becomes too much. On one such night her peaceful visit is interrupted by a large man with shining yellow eyes and ghastly features. Fearing for her life she runs away only to learn the next day that other attacks like the one Dylan endured, have been happening around her once peaceful city and she vows to find the cause of these horrific events and maybe even justice for Dylan.
Alessandro has lived his whole life with the knowledge there are vile things in the dark that prey on humanities weakness. He knows these things because he is part of that world, being half human and half vampire. His Brotherhood protects society while the Rogue tries to destroy it. He’s seen what tragedy can do to a person and has chosen to ignore his human side only getting involved long enough to do his job and protect them. But fate has other plans for Alessandro while throwing Anna-Marie in his path on more than one occasion.
Now Alessandro must put his Protector training to its full use because dangers lay everywhere, people are disappearing and someone is stalking Anna-Marie. With secrets hiding behind her past, her present in upheaval and her future unsure, Anna-Marie is in for the fight of her life!
The Review:
I really enjoyed this book. The story was well thought out, had enough action to keep you interested and the paranormal aspects were fascinating. I liked the differences between the Brotherhood/Protectors and Rogue/Hybrids. The Brotherhood society and its history were well written and I loved the play on their origins.
The characters were likable and well developed. Anna-Marie was down to earth and though she spent the majority of the book in a deep depression, she didn’t let it keep her from searching for Dylan’s killer or keep her from exploring the new world she was thrust into. I was completely taken with Alessandro, his past and what made him the way he was. I loved his friendship with Michael and hope there is a resolution to their fall out in the next book.
Personal Note:
The author is from my home town and thus writes about the beautiful and scenic parts of east coast North Carolina. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about places and experiences I’ve had the pleasure of seeing and living in personally. Vampires in Wilmington! I can totally see that ;) I always find it fascinating when I can relate to the areas described inside the pages of a book. It makes it more personal and special in some ways.
Dislikes:
As much as I liked the story and the overall theme of the book, I had a hard time with the writing style. It was written in third-person narrative, present tense, while sometimes switching to past tense. It was a bit confusing and a little difficult to start with, but once I really got into the story, it wasn’t that big of a distraction any more. I also had trouble with some of the dialogue. At times it seemed a bit unrefined and weak for the age of the characters. For example, I kept imagining Alessandro and Michael as young men, perhaps in their early twenties, when in fact Alessandro was close to fifty of his extended life span. But those things were minor in comparison to the overall story, which was fun and exciting.
The Wrap Up:
This was the authors first published book and I think she did a great job! The story was moving, the characters were engaging and the history well thought out. It also leaves off with a huge cliffhanger that immediately had me wanting the next book in the series to see how this story plays out. I’ll definitely be getting the next book!
May 21, 2013
I just finished reading Protector by Tressa Messenger, and I really did like it. This crime novel has the main character Anna-Marie who has found her true love and then one night she finds his body dead, and she starts to look into what could have killed her true love Dylan. While Anna-Marie was mourning Dylan's death, I felt like I was mourning right with her. The author did a very good job describing everything that Anna-Marie was going through. Anna-Marie does meet a good looking guy and he is not what he seems but she is drawn to him. This book does have a twist that I was not expecting and I like that in a book. The only thing I really didn't care for was the ending but that is my opinion. Overall I will keep this book and re-read it again.
October 26, 2012
Great book with lots of action! I couldn't put it down. I loved the cliff hanger ending so I downloaded book 2 as soon as I was done reading this, which was equally as good!
February 12, 2013
I have been so disconnected for so long and I was content to live that way. I have been living my life in a blur. I can't tell you anything about this past year, other than how I have felt. Then you came along. You didn't know me or Dylan. It allowed me to get out of my head and start over. Then you went away and I felt lost all over again.
Anna-Marie and Dylan have been best friends since they were small children. Over the years their friendship turned to love and they had been dating since they were sixteen. WIth the expectation of spending the rest of their lives together, Anna-Marie falls into a deep and dark depression when she finds Dylan after he has been attacked on the doorstep of their apartment. The only time she seems to find peace is when she is visiting Dylan's grave where she sits and talks to him and tells him about her days. After there is another similar attack to Dylan's, Anna-Marie decides to investigate. It's during her investigations that she meets Alessandro Pierre and a friendship between the two develops.
Alessandro has always maintained that he doesn't need or want love. It only causes pain, so he has lived without it for many years. But he didn't count on Anna-Marie finding her way into his heart. But Alessandro hasn't been completely honest with Anna-Marie. When his secrets are revealed will she be able to get past what he tells her?
First off Protector was given to me for review and slated as Young Adult. I just want to clarify that there isn't anyone in the YA age group featured throughout the book. I think all of the characters are over the age of thirty. That being said there is nothing that doesn't make it suitable for an under 18 audience. It does contain sex but there is nothing overly descriptive about those particular scenes.
Protector had all the elements that makes a great read... Great writing, likeable characters, an engaging storyline, action, romance and enough surprises to keep you invested in the story. I loved the history and backstory that was woven throughout. I loved the relationship between Alessandro and Michael. And I loved the ending which will have you heading straight for the next book in the series. I know I'll definitely be checking that out!!!
Anna-Marie and Dylan have been best friends since they were small children. Over the years their friendship turned to love and they had been dating since they were sixteen. WIth the expectation of spending the rest of their lives together, Anna-Marie falls into a deep and dark depression when she finds Dylan after he has been attacked on the doorstep of their apartment. The only time she seems to find peace is when she is visiting Dylan's grave where she sits and talks to him and tells him about her days. After there is another similar attack to Dylan's, Anna-Marie decides to investigate. It's during her investigations that she meets Alessandro Pierre and a friendship between the two develops.
Alessandro has always maintained that he doesn't need or want love. It only causes pain, so he has lived without it for many years. But he didn't count on Anna-Marie finding her way into his heart. But Alessandro hasn't been completely honest with Anna-Marie. When his secrets are revealed will she be able to get past what he tells her?
First off Protector was given to me for review and slated as Young Adult. I just want to clarify that there isn't anyone in the YA age group featured throughout the book. I think all of the characters are over the age of thirty. That being said there is nothing that doesn't make it suitable for an under 18 audience. It does contain sex but there is nothing overly descriptive about those particular scenes.
Protector had all the elements that makes a great read... Great writing, likeable characters, an engaging storyline, action, romance and enough surprises to keep you invested in the story. I loved the history and backstory that was woven throughout. I loved the relationship between Alessandro and Michael. And I loved the ending which will have you heading straight for the next book in the series. I know I'll definitely be checking that out!!!
November 10, 2013
I struggled with this book in the beginning, took a break and came back to it. It's about a young couple Dylan and Anna-Marie who have been dating for fourteen years, the book starts with Dylan preparing to propose when he is attacked and killed by what is assumed to be an animal. Anna-Marie falls into an pit of dispair and grief not wanting to continue on without him, her life is just a case of going through the motions until more unexplained animal attacks take place, working at a newspaper already she decides to investigate and this purpose gives her some of her spark back. She then meets Alessandro and a whole new world opens up a world she had no idea existed, what does this mean for her, how will it affect her future and how much does it affect her past.
I found the book very slow in the beginning and I didn't really feel her despair now I don't know if it was me, the writing or I think just the fact that we didn't spend any time with her and Dylan as a couple beforehand, not that we needed to for the story but I found it hard to empathise because of this. Once she met Alessandro it seemed to pick up and I found it difficult to put down.
I found the book very slow in the beginning and I didn't really feel her despair now I don't know if it was me, the writing or I think just the fact that we didn't spend any time with her and Dylan as a couple beforehand, not that we needed to for the story but I found it hard to empathise because of this. Once she met Alessandro it seemed to pick up and I found it difficult to put down.
February 9, 2014
Protector is a pretty good first book in a series. I had no idea that it would be about vampires, or I probably wouldn't have downloaded this free book; having said that, the author did grab my attention. Because I enjoyed the story-telling of Stephanie Meyer so very much, I didn't think that I could go back to totally bloodthirsty, traditional vampires. I was pleasantly surprised that not all vampires were treated as monsters in this book. The story drew me in, but the lack of proofreading has made me unable to give this a 5* review as the story deserves. If typos, lack of punctuation, and allowing auto-correct to be your only proofreader does not drive you crazy, I totally recommend this book because I came to really care about the characters.
January 23, 2014
I really enjoyed this story. A different take on the Vampire Tale and it's origins.
Dylan & Anna Marie have been best friends and now lovers and he had just bought her a ring. Dylan is killed before he can give it to her. Anna Marie is devastated and not doing well with the loss of her best friend.
Alessandro is a Protector, have Vampire and half human. He watches the beautifully broken Anna Marie.
Their story is just beginning, but what happens when they find out her old life isn't over?
Great read!
Dylan & Anna Marie have been best friends and now lovers and he had just bought her a ring. Dylan is killed before he can give it to her. Anna Marie is devastated and not doing well with the loss of her best friend.
Alessandro is a Protector, have Vampire and half human. He watches the beautifully broken Anna Marie.
Their story is just beginning, but what happens when they find out her old life isn't over?
Great read!
December 13, 2012
This book was a dream come true. When I started writing this book I had no clue what to write or even expect. It turned out to be so much more than I could ever dream of. I love the characters so much that I am curious and excited to see where life will take them. I know what your thinking, it's my story so it'll turn out however I want, no always the case. Sometimes I surprise myself.
May 28, 2013
I received this book via the author thru email and I can tell you, its one of the best books I have read. (and I have read ALOT). its a fast moving, holy cow, cant put in down type book. I finished it in 2 hrs b/c I just could not stop. I had to keep going to see what was going to happen next. cant wait to read her next ones! keep up the great work!!
October 18, 2012
This is a great book! With the story being set in a known area for me, I could almost see the places in my imagination as I was reading. Each chapter left you wanting to know more! A bit of mystery and romance all melted together!
December 11, 2012
Protector is a thought provoking story of Anna-Marie and her journey into depression and mystery. The death of Dylan sends her down a path she wasn't expecting.
I loved the mystery and vibe this book creates.... I loved this book so much that I read the second book immediately.
June 17, 2012
Tressa is a very good friend of mine who is a very brand new author. I enjoyed her first book. If you like love stories with a vampire twist, you will enjoy this one.
Want to read
May 16, 2013Amazon freebie 5/15
November 17, 2013
now that is messed up. i belive anne mary is going to have a baby
July 23, 2014
Not a fan sci fi fan, but it is pretty great story for any age. Liked all the drama and the story worked together well
May 17, 2012
Great story! Interesting twists on supernatural beings! Thoroughly enjoyed.
March 2, 2015
3.5 stars... hmmm
Where to start with this...
Pro's... I like the storyline which is what is compelling me to buy the next one, I really want to know what happens next as it left us on a bit of a cliffhanger... and I totally love Allessandro! He has to be my book crush of the week! And I do read a lot so that's most definitely saying something ha!
Con's... I'm not sure what it is about the writing but there's something not quite right... maybe it's the POV or something but it feels detached and I can't quite connect to how the characters are feeling because it's being described like an observation... Also it feels very stilted and overly structured like when you're writing a formal letter or dissertation... it needs to loosen up, to feel more personal using abbreviations and grammar.
Anyhoo sorry I went off on a tangent there but I hope you get my drift... the story line's a winner for me and if you're not the kind of person to get hung up on writing style I'd definitely give this a bash!
Where to start with this...
Pro's... I like the storyline which is what is compelling me to buy the next one, I really want to know what happens next as it left us on a bit of a cliffhanger... and I totally love Allessandro! He has to be my book crush of the week! And I do read a lot so that's most definitely saying something ha!
Con's... I'm not sure what it is about the writing but there's something not quite right... maybe it's the POV or something but it feels detached and I can't quite connect to how the characters are feeling because it's being described like an observation... Also it feels very stilted and overly structured like when you're writing a formal letter or dissertation... it needs to loosen up, to feel more personal using abbreviations and grammar.
Anyhoo sorry I went off on a tangent there but I hope you get my drift... the story line's a winner for me and if you're not the kind of person to get hung up on writing style I'd definitely give this a bash!
April 11, 2013
I found this book as a Kindle free read today. I desperately tried to get into this book because it seems to have great reviews and I really needed to get lost in a book. I was only able to make it through the first 10% of this book before I threw it in my archive. The grammar was so poor that I wanted to cover it with red pencil and submit it to the writer/editor for a re-write. Not only was the grammar distracting to a fault, but the storyline was stilted and lacked flow. I really wanted to read this book. I can only hope that an update will be sent out so that I can try this book again.
July 23, 2013
I had to give up on this book. I really wanted to like it but it just got to ridiculous for me.
He tells her he doesn't get close to people then in the next breath he's telling her he loves her.
I'm gonna guess she's a protector because she can smell rouges and feels different plus she was adopted.
It was a good plot but just not written out well.
He tells her he doesn't get close to people then in the next breath he's telling her he loves her.
I'm gonna guess she's a protector because she can smell rouges and feels different plus she was adopted.
It was a good plot but just not written out well.
August 16, 2014
3stars is a stretch. Light, and messy. And not that well written. Jumps all over the place. Lots of holes in the story line. But I will read book 2
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 5, 2014
Good idea but badly written.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews