The Fallen Guardian: Paranormal Romance

by Dawn Chartier

Gracyn James has made vengeance her life's mission. Haunted by the brutal murder of her family, she survives on the streets with The Inciters, a vigilante group that delivers justice to society's worst. But her ultimate goal remains finding her father and uncovering why he destroyed her world. When a deadly encounter with the seductive and powerful Angel of Death, leaves her faction annihilated, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance.

Lucien Ward, a fallen Guardian with a shadowed past, is on a mission of his own. Stripped of his former glory, he hunts for the truth behind his family's downfall while fulfilling his grim duties as the Angel of Death. Gracyn’s fiery spirit—and an uncontrollable power she doesn’t yet understand—may be the key to his redemption. Or, she could bring about the end of both their worlds.

In a battle where loyalties blur and fate twists, can they uncover the truth before their destinies ignite chaos?

330 pages, Paperback

Published March 14, 2025

About the author

Dawn Chartier is a romance author known for crafting captivating tales of love, danger, and the supernatural. With a passion for weaving complex characters and heart-pounding adventures, she brings readers into worlds where passion collides with peril, and unexpected heroes rise from the shadows.
Inspired by her Louisiana roots, Dawn’s writing often reflects her love of Southern charm, rich culture, and the unique magic of the bayou. Her Guardian-Hunter series and other works blend steamy romance, thrilling suspense, and unforgettable characters who grow through adversity.
When she’s not writing, Dawn enjoys spending time with family, chilling on the beach, and over-indulging in her love of chicory coffee, dark chocolate and Gilmore Girls.
Stay connected with Dawn for upcoming releases, events and behind-the-scenes glimpses into her writing journey at www.dawnchartierbooks.com or follower her on FB and IG.

COMING MARCH 14, 2025:
THE FALLEN GUARDIAN, A Guardian-Hunter Novel (Paranormal Romance)

Enjoy reading #Witches #Warlocks #CEO's #Paladins #Shifters #NewOrleans #Louisiana #Seraphs #Sadaras #Inciters #Batonrouge #Bayou you can find my other books at iTunes, Amazon, B&N, Kobo, etc.

Contemporary Romance novels:
Masquerading With the CEO (Entangled Publishing)

Paranormal Romance novels: (These books are currently unavailable. Requested rights back from publisher. Stay turned.)
Bewitching the Enemy #1
His Wicked Desire #2
Forever Charmed #3

Not An Angel (Vampire romance)

Reviews

[Iqra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw a lot of potential with this book but it fell flat for me.

The main characters had very bland personalities and just no connection. The dialogue and chemistry felt forced, it happened too quick for it to be believable.

The world building needed a lot more detail and depth but it was interesting enough to keep my attention till the end. There was one plot twist that had me genuinely surprised and I would maybe tune into book two just to see how it plays out.

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC ♥︎

[sashenka 🖤 · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐

I think, like many other readers, we saw a lot of potential, but it fell flat for most of us. It could have used more world-building, nothing made much sense to me at the point where it felt too superficial. I know we can't expect too much from a first book of a series, but I just wish it was a little more focused on the world-building. I couldn't get invested with the characters and their relationship to be honest. The dialogues felt weird and awkward.
So yeah, I wasn't expecting much and I'm mostly disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dawn Chartier for the ARC copy.

[♡Molly♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3.5/5 Stars
(Rounded Up)

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🪽 Insta Lust
⚔️ Hidden Identity
🪽 Forced Proximity
⚔️ Tragic Backstory
🪽 Multiple POV

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･”’You can’t think that I stay in your good graces or that I’m a virtue from God.
He kissed her cheek. ‘Definitely not the first one.’
She narrowed her gaze. ‘I’m not a virtue either.’
He tilted his head. ‘Maybe you are.’
‘How so?’ No one ever saw her like that before, especially not her.
He shifted her on his lap. ‘Maybe you are my saving grace’”°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

💭 Thoughts-
To start, I thought this book was definitely a pretty solid book and a good read, I just had some problems with it that made it difficult to read and enjoy. First off the pet name… I literally could not and will not ever like it. It was literally “little bull” like what is that?!? Like what is it with authors nowadays just coming up with pet names by doing little ___ insert random animal like I get that in ouabh they had little fox, but that had a whole purpose and reason and everything this was just like no just no. There are so many cute little pet names a book can have, but few can even pull it off that well, and this one definitely did not pull it off. I also just wanted some more explanation and world building going on because I felt that was definitely lacking with the overall book. All in all though, a good book that could be better, but I did enjoy and would recommend.

Now Playing:

⊹ ࣪ ˖Vigilante Sh*t By Taylor Swift˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅ 85%

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Bach.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

This was a really good plot and I like how it has multiple story lines going on at once.

I just wish there was more to the world building. There was a lot of information missing that I feel like could’ve been helpful to the reader. For example, the different types of angels and their powers.

Instead, there’s a lot of information that’s not yet explained which is fine but it leaves things a bit confusing.

As for the romance it needed more as well. I didn’t feel any chemistry. I thought they were being manipulated because of the “stimulant” they said Lucian gives off. So I didn’t buy into them actually having feelings for each other.

This was a good premise. It just needs more.

*Thank You to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to get this ARC from NetGalley!
The Fallen Guardian has a cool angels-and-demons concept.

But honestly, this one just didn’t click for me. It had a lot of potential, but it felt underdeveloped. There was basically no world-building. The dialogue felt choppy and awkward, mostly one-liners that didn’t flow naturally. And the romance side of thing!?!?
Super rushed. I wish there had been more showing instead of just telling.

That said, the story did have some unexpected twists that kept things interesting, and since it’s the first in a series, I’m curious to see where it goes. I just wish it had a little more depth to really pull me in!

Thanks to Netgalley and Dawn Chartier!

[Rachel Sizer]

I was really excited to receive this ARC from NetGalley. I am a massive Paranormal Romance fan, it is my top genre and I love to find new books to explore. The Fallen Guardian offers a take on Angels and Demons. This book immediately made me think of Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series. They share a lot of similarities but that's a compliment! There are some issues with dialogue throughout, generally awkward and a little off. The story takes some interesting turns, providing plenty of surprises. I think the romance and bloodline plotlines could use some more attention (development and explanation) and maybe more showing instead of telling. They both seem very rushed, and not entirely laid out. This is the first book in a series and leaves off on a bit of a cliff hanger so I can't wait to see what will happen next!!

[Jo ♡︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

From its gritty street-level action to its soaring cosmic stakes, The Fallen Guardian wastes no time immersing the reader in a world where justice blurs with vengeance.

If you enjoyed Angelfall by Susan Ee for its dark angelic mythos and gritty romance, or Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas for its deadly heroine and layered trauma, The Fallen Guardian will be right up your alley. Fans of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick will appreciate the angel-human chemistry and hidden truths, while lovers of Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas will be drawn to the celestial politics and high emotional stakes.

[Emilia · Rating 1 out of 5]

To start off, i'd like to say that the plot idea for this book was really good. I read the blurb and really enjoyed the idea for the book.
The book started off quite well, there was a good introduction into the characters and the main dilemma was solidly explained, however, after that, it just felt like the book was getting more and more rushed. There was little to no world building, very little character building, and i feel like the character development was not all that good.
This is also a more personal thing, but I didn't really enjoy the fact that the characters stayed in one place for most of the book. The plot didn't really expand much and i felt like that really limited the book's potential.
Unfortunately, i really did not enjoy this book.

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cool world, and an enjoyable read. I enjoyed all the plot twists and the romance. My only critique is that this book had too much dialogue that felt unnecessary or distracted me from what was going on. At times, it felt more like a pure romance than a fantasy romance.

[Chapter Chirp (Jessica) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fallen Guardian sets its focus on FMC Gracyn (Grace/Cyn) James, a young woman whose mother and sister were murdered at the hands of her father, or so she believes. In order to keep her promise to them she sets out to avenge them and bring them justice. To assist in the hunt for her murderous father, she begins running with the Incitors faction, a group that serves to take out bad people. When her faction runs into the Angel of Death and Arch Serif Guardian Lucien (MMC), he obliterates them and takes Grace as his prisoner. While under his guard, feelings as well as life as Grace knows it begins to unravel in ways she never could have imagined.

I really enjoyed the MC’s and many of the secondary characters. I found myself wrapped up in their individual backstories as much as the main plot. The world building as a whole threw me off a bit in the beginning, but as the story continued I began gaining footing on this. There were many of unexpected twists and turns that kept the narrative really interesting and I will definitely be reading/listening to book two, spatter that cliffhanger ending. Overall story: 4⭐️

The narration of this story by Tiffany Vanlandingham was powerful! She skillfully brought each character to life individually and then wove them together with a heightened attention to detail thus creating a compelling, immersive, and emotionally charged auditory experience. I will be seeking out more audiobooks from this narrator and I would recommend her work to others who enjoy audiobooks! Overall narration: 5⭐️

[stephanie cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fallen Guardian had a lot of potential, and I really wanted to love it, but there were a few things that held it back from being a full five-star read for me. Gracyn James is a fierce, determined character, driven by vengeance and haunted by the loss of her family. Her partnership with Lucien Ward, the fallen Guardian with his own troubled past, sets up an intriguing dynamic. The stakes are high, and the premise of these two forces coming together in a battle that could save or destroy their world is definitely engaging.

However, the world-building felt almost nonexistent. I wanted to get a better sense of the universe they were navigating—what exactly the Guardian faction is, the nature of the powers they wield, or even more about the factions that shape this world. Without this context, it was hard to become fully immersed in the story.

The dialogue was also a bit awkward at times—lots of one-liners that didn’t always flow naturally. And the romance... well, it felt incredibly rushed. I think there was potential for a slow-burn chemistry, but it just didn’t have the depth to make it believable or satisfying. A little more "showing" and less "telling" would have gone a long way in making their relationship more meaningful.

That said, the action is intense, and Gracyn’s struggle with her growing powers kept things interesting. There’s definitely a lot of potential for this to become something bigger, and I’m curious to see how the series develops. I’d love to see more exploration of the world and these characters in the future!

[Murph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: 4/5
Spice: 3/4
Tropes/Themes: Forced Proximity, hidden identity, tragic backstory, Multiple POVs, Angels & Other Supernatural Beings.

"Why did he care what the hell she was? Was it her outrageous will to fight? Her soft yet firm curves beneath his hands? Or the way her wavy hair reminded him of autumn leaves? He wasn’t sure about any of it..."

Okayyyy, I see you, Lucien 👀! This was such a fun read! Once I started, I had a hard time putting it down.

The main character, Gracyn, grew up on the streets with one goal in mind: vengeance for her murdered family. Running with a vigilante group, she’s determined to find her father and uncover why he did what he did. Lucien, the "Angel of Death," is a seraphim. Haunted by his own past, he’s hunting down this vigilante group. Eventually, their paths cross, and things aren’t what they seem. They end up working together toward a shared goal.

I really enjoyed the side characters, too. I was rooting for two of them—hopefully, they figure things out soon, lol. The magic system was easy to follow, and I’m curious to see how things unfold, especially with everything that was revealed towards the end. Plus, I need to learn more about the "Wings" because the foreshadowing was definitely suspicious, and no one seems to know what they’re really about 🤔.

Thank you Dawn Chartier for the eARC!

[Diane LL · Rating 4 out of 5]

took me a bit to catch on to the terminology in this story and to understand the class system of Seraph, Sadara, Wings, and Inciters and to gather that they were all varieties of Angels with different abilities. Aside from the world building kind of lacking the story was well written and had me in the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. Gracyn ""Cyn" or "Grace" all the same person by the way is the FMC who at the start of the story was a lost soul trying to belong to a group of anarchists called the Inciters. Before long she would be found by MMM Lucien, a Seraph who couldn't immediately tell what Gracyn was with his special Seraph abilities so he took her back to their headquarters. The chemistry between these two was almost instantaneous despite Gracelyn initially being Lucien's captive and gawd is it HOTT. If you enjoy found family, touch her and die jealousy, exhibitionism, enemies to lovers this is definitely an amazing read. You won't be able to put it down. Warning-the cliffhanger is absolutely excruciating! I cannot wait for the second book and you won't be able to either.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️




Gracyn forma parte de un grupo de incitadores y está en busca de su padre para matarlo y vengar la muerte de su madre y su hermana. Para ello, utiliza sus poderes, de los cuales nadie sabe nada.

Lucien es un serafin cuyo trabajo es acabar con los incitadores. Sin embargo, cuando se encuentra con Gracyn, se da cuenta de que ella es diferente y que existe la posibilidad de que sea un serafín o tenga sangre de serafín.

Durante el tiempo que pasan juntos, Gracyn descubre que los incitadores no son lo que parecen. Se da cuenta de que todos los reclutados han sido manipulados para creer que están matando a personas malvadas, cuando en realidad no es así. Con la ayuda de Lucien, intentará destruirlos.


~

La historia me pareció entretenida. Es una lectura juvenil, ágil y con romance. Sin embargo, debo admitir que la historia de Kirisha y Rome me resultó más interesante que la de las trillizas.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Margo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story premise caught my attention from the start and so did the cover; but it felt like the story itself either lacked depth or forced depth. The FMC, Cyn, was very independent and seemed to loose that when she meet her fallen angel, Lucien; she became more flat and dependent on the actions he took in the book.
There were many times during this reading journey that I had to stop a take a moment. The character "profile" and the actions didn't always line up and it often had me frustrated. (example: Lucien claiming doesn't need or think about his needs being met often while also claiming he needs his needs satisfied every hour like every other man).

Overall the experience was okay. I don't believe I personally will dive into the next book. However, the narration experience was everything! The characters were really individually brought to life and could be both distinctive and uniquely their own while also contributing to the story.

[Miss LeiLei · Rating 1 out of 5]

It had potential but fell sooo flat. The concept was decent but the overall story and characters felt under developed. There was no world building. I couldn’t pinpoint the date/era until it was mentioned. The dialog consisted of one sentence conversations and felt superficial, awkward and juvenile. There was no flow. “His phone started ringing on the coffee table. He walked over and picked it up.” 👀 OK The FMC was going through it. I mean she was all over the place and when a new life altering event happens or new information came about it was “I can’t think about that now” and then on to the next scene. Character development was poor and there were randoms. Collin? Just randomly popping up every now and then. Drake? I didn’t have feelings about it because I didn’t know him well enough. I think we were supposed to be sad but there was just too much going on and not enough detail or time spent with each character to form attachments.
I was just all over the place and not great.

Thank you to NetGallery for the arc.

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fallen Guardian kept me intrigued till the end. Following the FMC Gracyn as she discovers who she really is, and the power she possesses. Lucien, the MMC, is the fierce Seraph Guardian who will pull at your heartstrings and can’t help but be protective of Gracyn.

I am excited to see what’s next as the series continues! I hope that we get more of the side characters stories, and of course Lucien and Gracyn.

Overall this book was a fun fantasy read. I do wish that there had been more backstory and world-building though. The main plot was interesting and I definitely wanted to know more. Hopefully as the series continues there’s some more development of the overall world and what’s really happening.

[Jolie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of The Fallen Guardian from NetGalley.

This was a very enjoyable paranormal romance, I'm a huge sucker for anything with angels and demons. The chemistry between Lucien and Gracyn (Grace) was palpable and written well. There are a few cliffhangers at the end that really piqued my interest and I appreciated the foreshadowing of why certain Seraphs had families even though they're "married to the job".

Post epilogue, I'm wondering if we've met the third yet, since we've had hints of the second throughout the book, and if there's something up with Collin. I also need to know more about the Sadaras role in the world!

[April More · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a chance to listen to this book. I really enjoyed it. Tiffany did an excellent job narrating. I am now invested and I need the second book.

This is a paranormal romance with spice. Our FMC Gracyon is looking for her adopted father who she thinks killed her adopted mother and sister. She is working for a gang who ☠️ bad people, so she thinks. Our MMC Lucien a fallen guardian tracks her down and takes her and is ordered to kill her at first, but then is ordered to find out who and what she is. With Gracyon being adopted, she has no idea where she comes from or who her real parents are. I find this book to be really good and I enjoyed it.

I need book 2.

[Brianda Quiroz · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to books for me I mostly have to be in the mood for them and when i read this book I instantly fell in love with it. But can we take a moment to talk about the cover? It's beautiful. From the very beginning I was drawn to the world building and character development of each character. Dawn did such a beautiful job with this story that I was beyond excited when I found out it had a audiobook with it. The book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time with the unexpected twists and I definitely would recommend this book regardless of other reviews.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts are my own.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the audiobook version of this book. It took me a couple chapters to like these characters - but once they were established and their story unfolded, I really was invested. Spice level was perfect without being gratuitous. Narration was great! Character voicing was top notch without sounding over done or fake. Can't wait to listen Book 2!

[Angela L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the narration for this book. Tiffany did all the characters in different voices and made the story come alive. The story itself was super interesting and I really enjoyed the plot and characters. It does end on a cliffhanger so I can't wait to pick up book 2 to find out what is going to happen next.

[Rachel Durazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I find the lore fascinating and would read multiple stories set in this universe. I definitely would read a prequel. I enjoy that the male lead, Lucien has a past. There’s still the typical age difference between Lucien and Gracyn which is unfortunate but I’m used to it. I can’t wait to read more. I also like how it takes place in a version of the “real” world.

[Deani Inkdrinker8962 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of the story with the twists and turns. However, I feel the middle of the book dragged. This ends on a cliffhanger, so I am hoping that all the missing elements will come together in the second book.
Tiffany’s narration was perfect. I highly recommend the audiobook.

[Katie Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible! I can’t wait for the second book in the series!

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I didn’t make it past the first chapter. The cover is gorgeous but the writing was not.