Broken Guard: The Code Rite Series

by Renn Wells

Evelyn

Life was easy and uncomplicated. A loving boyfriend, a great job, and good friends.
But my boyfriend confessed he’s married.
The job became dangerous.
And then I found a new friend. Hired by my overprotective uncle, I found myself with a shadow named Marcus.
Can he protect me? And can I protect my heart?

Marcus
My boss offers me an opportunity. Protect a twenty-eight-year-old lawyer from a maniac co-worker.
Imagine my surprise when I meet my client and it’s Evelyn DeBrough, the woman who lives below me, and whose apartment I accidentally raided.
The woman who claimed my heart a year ago.
Now I have to make sure she is safe from the man coming after her, my feelings, and my past.
Because it’s never good to fall for your client, even if you are already obsessed with her.

Genres: Contemporary Romance

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2024

Reviews

[Smutty Books Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Kiss me until I fall asleep in the safety of your arms and never let me be afraid again.”

ARC Review: Evelyn is a lawyer working at her uncle’s firm. She has a good job and long-term boyfriend. Things are going well for her…until they aren’t. She finds out her boyfriend is married. Then she has a break-in scare from a male neighbor who lives upstairs, who was concerned when he heard her screaming and crying in her apartment post-breakup. Then her job becomes complicated and dangerous due to a disgruntled coworker who wouldn’t accept her ‘no’ to going out on a date with him.

Marcus works at a protection / security agency but has been just given his final chance to correct himself with his superior before losing his job. Marcus has a rough past with his family, the military and a looming drug addiction and is trying to get on a better path. His final chance is to protect a lawyer from a maniac co-worker. Evelyn and Marcus are both surprised when they see each other and discover she’s his client and he is her new bodyguard. The man who gave her a break-in scare the previous week and the woman he’s been in love with for over a year but was too scared to tell her to let her know he even existed.

“When I see you naked for the first time, it won’t be from some incident in the hallway. It’s going to be with you splayed out on the bed being worshiped while I make you moan my name.”

Book Rating: 4/5
Steam/Spice: 2/5
Tropes:
- contemporary romance
- bodyguard / protector
- he falls first
- forced proximity
- neighbors to lovers
- hobby bonding
- no 3rd act breakup
- touch her and I’ll unalive you

“I would have burned it down, leveled the goddamn town until I saw your blue eyes again. Nothing except death itself would have stopped me from finding you, protecting you.”

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed Marcus and Evelyn’s story and I love the bodyguard trope so much! There were a couple of times throughout the story where I wished we had seen more behind the scenes of their relationship. When a couple of things were mentioned that happened earlier in the week or the previous week, where it would’ve been great to be present in the moment of the situation happening i.e. Evelyn having nightmares early on and Marcus helping her through that. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, curious how it was going to end and if there was other evil after them both. What a wonderful debut novel and I cannot wait for the next one to come out following Evelyn’s bestie/roommate who is a total firecracker!

[Kelsey Benz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly I am extremely grateful to have been asked to read an e-ARC of Broken Guard.

I give this book a 3.5 - I wish Goodreads and other platforms would let you give half stars. As a debut novel this book is a 4 stars. However for my own personal tastes I give it a 3 stars. Which is how we meet in the middle with a 3.5 star review.

Tropes
- bodyguard
- he falls first
- found family
- golden retriever MMC

This book is not a dark romance, it definitely falls under romance with some more serious topics of SA and substance abuse. I am more of a dark romance reader, I rarely venture into the strictly romance genre, so I really enjoyed the darker aspects of this book. I enjoy the hard hitting topics of abuse. It makes the stakes higher and the emotions feel much more real. The ending of this book was great, the emotions you feel when both Marcus and Evelyn are risking themselves for each other and ultimately it seems like they'll both die. loved that. I'm a happy endings girly but I LOVED the high stakes and how real it felt. I was very much invested in this ending.

I loved Evelyns Lego hobby and I enjoyed watching her overcome her fears. The reasons I gave it a 3 stars rather than 4, I feel has to do with what I mentioned before. I like dark romance rather than romance. So the middle of this book, when everyone's happy and life was better (I say better, not good. Evelyns life is definitely not happy go lucky)- was cute - but the stakes didn't feel high enough. Marcus is also a golden retriever MMC which is not my personal favorite. I also couldn't get behind the pet name 'darling'.

So again, 4 stars for a debut novel but a personal 3 stars which is completely based on vibes. If you love the things I'm mentioning then this would definitely be a book you should pick up and read.

[Mari Mankle]

👀 review to come later.

[Jacklyn B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great debut by the author! This story has a good mix of romance and suspense with some twists and turns. I really liked Evelyn and Marcus - they had great chemistry and I loved their banter. Their meet-cute had me laughing - him coming through her window as she throws pillows at him.

My heart also broke for both of these two characters. No spoilers but there are some heavy topics in this story so be sure and read the TWs. They both ended up really helping one another.

I loved Evelyn’s inner dialogue and it made her so relatable. Marcus was so sweet to her and I loved how they bonded over LEGOs.

I really liked the side characters too and I low key loved that this took place in a city in the Midwest. Typically books in the Midwest are in small towns (which I love!) but it was nice to see some variety. I am excited to see where this series goes!

“I would have burned it down, leveled the goddamn town until I saw your blue eyes again. Nothing except death itself would have stopped me from finding you, protecting you.”

✨What to Except:
🥀Bodyguard Romance
🖤Romantic Suspense
❤️‍🔥He Falls First
♥️Protective MMC
🌺Found Family
🔥Forced Proximity
💜Addiction/PTSD/Mental Health
🧱LEGO sets

[neeshreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5 (rounded up for rating)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

This was my first ever read of Renn Wells' and I was SMITTEN with the dynamic between Marcus & Evelyn from the start!

🖤Bodyguard Romance
🧱He Falls First
🖤Forced Proximity
🧱Neighbors to Friends to Lovers
🖤Touch Her & 💀
🧱Hobby-Bonding (LEGO)
🖤Found Family
🧱Mental Health Rep

Evelyn lives an easy and uncomplicated life. She’s in a committed relationship with her boyfriend, her career is in a great place at her uncle’s law firm, and she’s got a fab bestie. Things are going great, until suddenly…they aren’t. Turns out her boyfriend is married and when she’s really into her feelings and screaming and crying, her upstairs neighbor ends up coming through her window through her fire escape to make sure she’s okay (they’ve never had a conversation before…talk about a meet-cute 🤭). Fast forward a bit, and when a coworker finds out that she’s single, he brings about unwanted advances and becomes dangerous.

Now, Evelyn is in need of protection. Her new protective detail? Just so happens to be her upstairs neighbor.

*Enter Marcus*

Marcus, an ex-marine, is struggling with maintaining his sobriety and it’s affecting his job. Marcus is given one last chance: protect a twenty-eight-year-old lawyer from her maniac co-worker who hasn’t been caught by the police.

Marcus should’ve asked more questions after seeing the police report, because his newest job is to protect Evelyn, who he hasn’t seen since he accidentally raided her apartment from the fire escape. Little does Evelyn know that he’s been in love with her since the first time he saw her in their building. Now, Marcus has to ensure that she’s safe from the man coming after Evelyn, his feelings, and his past.

When the lines blur between professionalism and friendship, will Marcus be able to protect Evelyn? Will either of them be able to protect their hearts? Or, will their pasts tear them from one another?

If you’re looking for a bodyguard romance that focuses on the connection between the MCs, some angst (you’re not supposed to be a cliché, right?), and so many sweet and tender moments amidst a story with suspense, then give this a try! Wells does a phenomenal job addressing how both individuals struggle with their past trauma and the realities of living with PTSD, while also highlighting coping skills and how relationships can form against the odds.

[Brigid Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an early look at this book and am already excitedly awaiting the next book in the series!

This book will be an amazing debut for Wells as a first-time author. Wells tells the story of Evelyn, who is being stalked in a dangerous by an ex-coworker and Marcus the body guard hired to protect her who also happens to be Evelyn’s upstairs neighbor who has had a crush on her for the better part of a year.

I am often very critical of the way that trauma is portrayed in books but Wells handles Evelyn and Marcus’s separate past trauma with delicacy while also not avoiding the harsh realities of living with PTSD. This is the first book where I have seen an author write coping skills and grounding techniques into the story which I loved because too often the little steps of trauma recovery are forgotten in the stories of recovery when they are often the most important.

The one thing I do wish that Wells had done is talk a bit more about is the physical side of addiction and given a bit of a more realistic detox timeline but I do also understand that addiction is a complex and multifaceted which makes it difficult to capture on paper and of course it’s all more flexible when it comes to fiction.

There were so many things that I absolutely adored about this book from the found family aspects which I am a total softie for to the unexpected plot twists that threw me off guard multiple times.

We got so many sweet and heartwarming moments between Evelyn and Marcus even inside a story of such suspense. I love it so much when a couple bonds over a shared hobby and Evelyn and Marcus together were too cute. Anyway I need to shut up before I spoil the whole book for you. I highly recommend that everyone who is reading this go get a copy as soon as they are available! I am impatiently awaiting the next book I’m so excited to read more about Tessa cause I love her already and I can’t wait to see this author’s writing evolve as she gives us more amazing stories. I hope this review isn’t too much rambling thanks to those who stuck around til the end. 🤣🖤

[celestialpixels_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🛡 Hot Bodyguards, Badass Heroines, and My New Favorite Obsession ❤️‍🔥

Indie author Renn Wells reached out to me at the beginning of October to see if I wanted an early peek at "Forbidden Guard", the newest book in her "Code RITE" series. I said yes, fully expecting to read a single chapter before bed. Instead, I was dragged headfirst into a 48-hour reading vortex. I devoured "Forbidden Guard", immediately sprinted back to "Broken Guard", and then marathoned my way through "Wrecked Guard". These books didn’t just hook me - they staged a full-blown emotional abduction.

These romances have bite but still manage to be deeply tender. The heroines are everything I love in an FMC: sharp, independent, strong-willed, emotionally layered, and unapologetically themselves. And the men? Steady, intuitive, a little bruised in all the right ways, and absolutely the type to throw themselves between the ones they love and the dangers that threaten them. Every pairing in this series feels like two storms colliding back into balance.

There’s humor threaded through both the havoc and the peace. The banter was perfect and the emotional punches hit harder than expected. Some crept up on me and made my chest go a little achey. I laughed, I cried, and I yelled internally at more than one fictional man. My entire emotional bandwidth was basically hijacked.

Finishing this trilogy reminded me of the quintessential ’90s bodyguard classic starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Naturally, I had to rewatch it. There’s just something about ending a series steeped in “emotionally tortured man willing to take a bullet for his woman” energy and then diving straight into that movie. It felt like the perfect cinematic encore.

[Dea Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn thought she had the perfect boyfriend until she learned that he was married. That same night, her upstairs neighbor broke in through her window to comfort her as she was crying. As if things couldn't get worse, the next day, she was attacked by a crazy co-worker. Her uncle hires a bodyguard to protect her, who's, you guessed it, none other than her upstairs neighbor, Marcus. Marcus, who happens to have had a crush on Evelyn for the past year. Now she's his client, and he has to protect her. But when you're protecting a client, feelings can absolutely not get involved. That's easier said than done when you're already more than a little obsessed by her.

What happens when you take a sexy bodyguard, a woman who needs protection, then you throw them together into her apartment and add a bunch of sexual chemistry? You get Broken Guard. This book was so good! Despite being neighbors, Marcus and Evelyn had only met once before, then after Evelyn was attacked, Marcus's security firm was hired to protect her, and he's assigned as her bodyguard. Little did they know that both of them would find their broken pieces healing the more time they spent together. Marcus may be a big, bad bodyguard, but he's also such a kind, sweet, tender man. Just when you think things are going perfectly for Marcus and Evelyn, a huge bombshell drops. I'm not going to give anything away because things get so good!! Like on the edge of your seat, biting your nails good! If you like some action and suspense with your romance, make sure to add this one to your tbr.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evelyn, a lawyer for a civil law firm, whose relationship has just ended due to him being married. But one a certain person a work find out she is single; a bodyguard is hired in order to keep her safe. Marcus, an ex-marine turned bodyguard, who is fighting his own battle of sobriety. But a laps to his addiction, he is given one last chance in order to turn his life around. That chance is woman in need of protection, who also happens to live in his building, who he has a massive crush on.

Before and during the book these two both have/ develop some deep-seated trauma and struggles in which they are both dealing with separately. However, over the course of their story they have really good communication, and they learn to deal with the together, understand each other and make the journey easier on them both.

Due to his employment as Evelyn bodyguard, he is actively trying to get her to be more comfortable outside and overcome her trauma. Whereas Evelyn doesn’t know about his and unintentionally just by being with him is helping overcome his difficulties. Marcus is head over heels in love with Evelyn from moment one of the book, Evelyn however thinks he’s a bit of a weirdo. However throughout the book and due to the forced proximity you see their relationship develop from both sides.

[Frederyque Koetsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Reminds me of this girl I found. She was a little drunk, very pissed off at an ex-boyfriend and me, and dangerously unaware of how beautiful she is.”

"Be better and save the world, nugget"

"I can feel you hating me over here. It's almost a superpower"

Evelyn our FMC is a young lawyer working at her uncles law firm. She is in a relationship with Beaumont a sexy Frenchman. But he has secrets a really big secret...... like a wife in a different country. Enter Marcus her neighbor who witnesses the fallout of her in post breakup. But things continue to spiral for Evelyn, her coworker finds out she is now single and decides he deserves her in every sense of the word.

Marcus our bodyguard who works for ditello security, ex marine, with a looking drug addiction that he's been trying to fight for years is given one last chance to prove himself. Show he can be trusted once again. He is given the task to protect Evelyn his neighbor whom he's been in love with for a year. but what he didn't expect was his past to rear it's ugly head and be the major source of danger for them both.

This book has spice, banter, affection, love, and more all wrapped up in a bow. I can't wait for book two!

Please be sure to check trigger warnings ❤️

[Caylee T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus & Evelyn’s story was such a heartbreaking tale of a broken man & woman just trying to heal from past wounds.

Marcus more so, that poor man had one heck of a life & went through so much. I was so happy he found his sunshine & reason for staying sober. He needed that shot of happiness in his life.

Evelyn was sunshine & despite their awkward if not funny ‘first’ meeting, fighting their feelings for one another would be a battle they knew they weren’t going to win.

I really enjoyed watching the two of them open up & become more trusting with each other as well as learn to accept help, even if Evelyn gives Marcus a run for his money 😂

I was also hoping for more of a peek into their future because I could just see so much happiness.

I’m a sucker for a story about military men, grumps, or men dealing with hard pasts finding their sunshine’s that bring them back to life and this book did not disappoint.

I was so happy to read this story & so very happy to have met Marcus & Evelyn.

Amazing job! ❤️

[Holly Rife · Rating 5 out of 5]

In ‘Broken Guard', we are able to see a truly flawed character, a character who swims in his own guilt, his own failures and he drowns in them… He doesn't feel worthy of love. This book is about hope, love, found family, and the knowledge that we can change. Loving ourselves is the hardest part.

Marcus has messed up way too many times and this is his last chance to save his job (and everything). Evelyn is being stalked and someone is trying to hurt her. Marcus is on the case! This is the woman in the apartment below him and he has been watching her from afar. ❤️ I love them together. They weave such a beautiful tapestry… Evelyn and Marcus believe in each other and help one another through the twists and turns. Their found family is amazing and I can't wait to read more about the supporting cast, because they are awesome sauce!

As this story does include substance abuse and some other difficult topics, please read the content warnings before reading, dear ones.

This romance has so much. It really gave me all the feels. I am enamored by this story. ❤️

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Renn's storyline for this book, Evelyn is given a bodyguard as her ex colleague has decided that he wants her for himself and will do anything to get her. Marcus is assigned to look after her but Marcus and Evelyn get into more than they bargained for.

Marcus lives in the flat above Evelyn and he's seen her around the apartment block from time to time. He has to move into her apartment to do his job but he has demons he needs to control. Marcus is ex-military but also a recovering dr*g addict who needs to prove himself to his employer. He's clean and wants to stay that way.

Feelings start flying around for Marcus and Evelyn but he's torn, he has a job to do, to protect her but he's also falling for her. What follows is a passionate relationship and Tessa, Evelyn's friend can see how he affects her friend and wants the best for her.

I like the dual writing of this too, chapters from both Evelyn and Marcus's perspective always add different angles which I enjoy.
Good writing, good storyline and looking forward to starting book two!

[Madd Soapy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We were lucky enough to read this book before it was released and we couldn't put it down!!
Renn Wells' debut novel, Broken Guard, is a beautiful story full of action, suspense, drama, spice, and emotions. Evelyn and Marcus stole our hearts from the second they met and started arguing. Their love for each other really shines through the pages and their chemistry is on point. Both characters have traumatic pasts but together they overcome any obstacle or problem that is thrown their way. We love when two characters can help each other heal and become stronger as individuals and a couple. Another great addition to the world of bodyguard romance.
We love a girl who loves her legos and a man who understands that.
(side note, um, when's the next book coming out because if we don't hear about Julian and Tessa soon I think we will combust)

[Rutuja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything!! 🖤

Broken Guard completely pulled me in. Renn Wells writes such an emotional and powerful story that I couldn’t stop reading. My heart broke for Marcus and Evelyn. They’ve both been through so much, and watching them slowly open up and trust each other was both painful and beautiful.

The chemistry between them? So hot. 🔥 Every little touch, look, or moment between them had me hooked. You could feel how strong their connection was, and it made my heart race more than once.

I tried so hard not to cry, but that letter at the end? It broke me. That scene hit so hard and made me feel everything all over again and cry a lotta happy tears.

Renn’s writing is full of heart. If you love strong but broken characters, deep emotions, and a love that feels real, Broken Guard is a must-read.

It made me hurt, swoon, and hope and I loved every page. 💔🔥

[Anshul (stories.buddy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one emotional ride with its own ups and downs to give us a good bodyguard romance experience. Fate is a bigger thing than we thought. Marcus is the neighbour who admires Evelyn a lot but doesn’t dare to go and talk to her and for her, he is non-existent then something happens and they both come face to face.

The journey is not easy, it’s sad, it’s about finding their normal, it’s about the past, it’s about the struggles and more importantly it’s about the healing and finding the peace and love a person wants. I applaud Evelyn and her determination to get back on track and I highly appreciate Marcus for what he does throughout the book. I am really excited to meet them again and find a lot of Tessa and Julian now.

It’s a 3.75⭐️ for me.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐ Evelyn is a lawyer, but things take a turn when her safety is at risk. Her hired protector? None other than her nosey neighbor. Marcus has been working up the courage to talk to his beautiful neighbor, but when she becomes a client, he'll have to keep it professional. And protecting her is the only thing that matters.

This was so good! There were so many good steamy moments and tension between Evelyn and Marcus. The drama and mystery made this hard to put down until I could get some answers!

The Kindle version of this book had several typos which normally I can overlook, but there were enough to get in the way of truly immersing myself in the book. Book 2 is much better, but something to note!

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was graciously given the opportunity to read this early and I absolutely loved this story! It was heartbreaking, steamy, and well written. As someone who has family that has struggled with addiction, it was nice to see it portrayed so well. As the detail of Evelyn’s PTSD had me feeling like I was experiencing it with her. One thing that bothered me a bit was near the end when Marcus was asked what his reason for staying sober was and he answered, “her”. Again, as someone that has family who struggle with addiction, you should be your reason for staying sober. Which was pointed out to him so that made up for it. Anyway! I can’t wait for the next book!

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story starts with a massive revelation and it just never stops. Evelyn is such a relatable FMC and I really enjoyed watching her come into her own and learning more about her history. I loved Marcus from the very first interaction. He is haunted by poor decisions in his past and running from his vices and he’s such a possessive, sometimes broody, cinnamon role of a man. I also really loved how living and coping with PTSD was portrayed so realistically and not just glossed over throughout this story. Overall this was a fantastic debut novel and I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

[Alexis C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg…Evelyn and Marcus’ love story is definitely a grumpy/sunshine mixture! This book had the right amount of spice & the right amount of omg! I really love how Evelyn and Marcus were both so in love with each other that they were willing to look past their dark pasts. I also really enjoyed Tessa’s character, she made me laugh out loud a few times! The last few chapters had my heart pounding and ready to scream😩
I’m so glad I got a chance to read this. I can’t wait to read about Tessa and Julian!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good debut story that was filled with suspense, twists and turn and some spicy romance.

Evelyn and Marcus grabbed my attention right from the start. I enjoyed their banter and the connection they developed. There were some heavy ups and downs they needed to go through to get to their happy ending, but it was worth it in the end.

I enjoyed this story and all of the sweet and heartwarming moments between the characters.

I look forward to reading what this new author brings us next.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like a thriller for me. There were so many scenes in the book that were triggering but those moments were what made this book so entertaining to read. In the earlier chapters and near the end of the book I was practically sitting on the edge. I could not put my Kindle down because I wanted to know more about the situation(s). The scenes were just so intense.

As I was reading this book, I noticed there were some chapters where some words were misspelled and there were a few paragraphs that lacked sentence structure. So some parts were hard to grasp but the overall story was still there.

[Brelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS. I haven’t done many bodyguard/client romances but I’m glad I read this one. Both main characters are instantly likable despite their flaws, and the circumstances create a high intensity whirlwind of a romance. I genuinely liked the MMC, despite our odd introduction to him. This book took me on a ride emotionally, and that’s all I can ask for an escape from reality. Really excited to get into Tessa’s story next!!

[Jennifer Leigh (jenjenbookfan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great debut romantic suspense!

Broken Guard was a great debut novel for Renn Wells, featuring intriguing romantic suspense, high emotion, dramatic twists, and some fun banter and spicy chemistry between Evelyn and Marcus throughout! It sets up for a series well with a cast of compelling characters, and I look forward to diving into the next one!! This story definitely hits some deep and sensitive topics, so be sure to check the TWs!

[Gina Burney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was fantastic! I mean, who doesn’t love a good bodyguard crush type trope?!

Though I’m not a fan of how the author ended the story I do love it in its entirety.

Both MCs persevere through so many obstacles! Plus the plot, and twists throughout add a great flair as well!

I definitely look forward to reading more about these characters and their friends/family.

[Mahaila Bland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swoon worthy!!

Amazing from start to finish! The perfect romance book! The story was engaging and had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. I read this book in just 2 days! The suspense was thrilling and the relationship between Marcus and Evelyn is just the cutest most wonderful thing.. whole book is just to die for! Can’t recommend this book enough!

[Parinati Deshmukh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a journey with the characters. I loved the way the author described the incidents as they happened. It was easy to follow along and imagine the incidents as they were happening. Would recommend if you like the Bodyguard romance trope.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Marcus and Evelyn’s story very much. I also enjoyed the authors way of storytelling. The Author definitely drew this reader in. It definitely was a roller coaster ride of emotions. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

[Cristal · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it!

The body guard falls for his client!! It was perfect! Hurt her and you will die! I love these troops! It was a perfect read, I needed a body guard story!

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me a little bit to get into because it felt a little slower paced at the beginning but then it really picked up and gave the high stakes vibe that I would expect from a bodyguard romance