The Guard: The Guard Trilogy, Book 1

The Guard Trilogy #1

by N.L. Westaway

NEW UPDATED VERSION NOW AVAILABLE
A Three-Part Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Mystery ~ Now an Extended Series

A flash of something in the pages caught my eye, and I stopped. Thumbing back through the pages again, slower this time, I found it. It was about an inch thickness in… Mom’s handwriting… pages of it.

When a woman linked to the supernatural, discovers her adoptive mother’s journal holds a cryptic mystery, she and her closest friends race to uncover a secret matriarchal society safeguarded by mystical unseen forces.
What if Cancer wasn’t just an illness or evil sickness that took our loved ones? What if it’s something bigger—a sacrifice or choice to keep humanity safe—to keep the balance?

Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is considered the 3rd cleanest city in the world and rated the 2nd highest quality of living of any big city in the Americas, but unless you’re Canadian you probably wouldn’t know any of that stuff. And it’s all very nice and well, but boring as hell....  That’s what four unsuspecting girlfriends thought, until their good friend Lynn Westlake came home to visit, and they found themselves in the biggest mystery and adventure of their normal boring lives.

The Guard is the first book in the N. L. Westaway urban fantasy/paranormal mystery trilogy. If you appreciate brilliant urban fantasy or paranormal mysteries involving everyday people, you’ll love this entertaining three-part trilogy.

Buy the first book in the trilogy to start the adventure today!  
it is recommended that you read the books in order as the mystery is in three parts, and not individual stories per book.

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

355 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2019

About the author

N. L. Westaway is the author of the urban fantasy/paranormal mystery, The Guard Trilogy, and The Guard Trilogy Extended Series. Audiobook Versions Now Available

Also check out LETTERS from RACHEL, where N. L. Westaway switches gears to bring you a new standalone Murder Mystery Thriller!

Nancy’s path to her passion for writing novels was a convoluted path, and her love of reading didn’t arrive until her late 30's, despite her mother and siblings being voracious readers. Canadian born in the 60s, she was raised in a large extended family of boys where she learned to keep her head and her elbows up and to give as good as she took. She currently lives in a beautiful house on the beach in South Florida with her husband and their lab-pit mix rescue, Kinney. She learned to downhill ski at the fresh age of 3, she loves a good cup of coffee, adores red-wine, and enjoys pizza and tacos every chance she gets. She also has several tattoos and is always thinking about her next.

Her life’s diversity—as you can further read on her website, has given her in-depth knowledge and understanding into the wondrous and often emotional world of human beings and their environments.


Learn more about the author here; www.NLWestaway.com

Follow me on:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nlwestaway/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NLWESTAWAY
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-l-w...

Reviews

[Jülie ☼♄  · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cliffhanger at the end!! WoW

Straight up…this series brought me out of a reading slump that had me concerned!

Last year I started this series in ebook format and loved them so much that I bought and read all (six so far) in this extended series back to back! That’s how good these books are.
If you read my reviews of the books you will see that after a quickly fixed editing issue with book one, I couldn’t get enough…they really are that good!
Since then I have been suffering withdrawal symptoms whilst waiting for book #7 to get its *wings and come into the world. *If you know, you know.
In the meantime I noticed that the audiobook version was available, so to satisfy my cravings I got audiobook #1 to listen to in the car…it does not disappoint!…
I have fallen in love all over again, and am now the proud owner of ALL the available audiobooks as well as the ebooks!
I will be listening to my heart’s content until #7 arrives.

So much praise and respect for N.L. Westaway and her talent, these books are so well crafted with intrigue and anticipation, the reader is kept fully absorbed.
The attention to detail is such that you feel transported…exactly the kind of reading experience you want from an urban fantasy/paranormal mystery thriller!

Highly recommended

A compelling read!
5⭐️s

*I have since started listening to the audio version of this series (whilst waiting for book #7) and am impressed all over again! Listening gives it another perspective and I noticed things I had forgotten in the book version. I am really enjoying this revisit of The Guard.

[Sandra Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this entire series ... waiting on #6 ... and am enjoying each book. This is not my regular genre of books but I found myself pulled into the story and the lives of the characters. The author provides great descriptions of the locations and provides the reader with characters to care about. It's fast paced enough for those of us who tend to wander but not so fast that you loose track of the plot. It's exciting for me to be reading and see a location that is familiar. I live in Ottawa and have travelled to a number of the locations in the books. Can't wait to see where the story line goes next!

[Cathy Quigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explores the paranormal through special characters (I don't want to give it away just yet) that are each assigned a unique woman to fulfill a larger destiny. Each of the women in the book are everyday normal friends of the main character and it's easy to relate to their lives and the directions they have all come from to be part of this excellent adventure that had me racing to turn the page and find out what was going to happen next. The book is well-written, has true-to-life characters who gather together to partake of an exciting hunt to find out what they would be facing next. Every event was very plausible, the dialogue is realistic among a group of girlfriends, and I couldn't wait to read the next two books to find out what happened next.

[TXBRITGAL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theology, mysticism, angels and mystery galore!!!

I'm all in with this series!!! I found it utterly fascinating.... so original and multi layered. Epic world building and complex.character development bring the reader along on this quest. It started a little slow, but truly hit its stride and maintained momentum the rest of the way. Female characters are paramount in this....a family of friends bound through love, grief, and quirky humor. I can't wait to see what's up next in this mystery/quest in book two. Especially as things are truly heating up! Angels, world religions, good vs evil, and the women/families at the center of it all are learning their way. Join in this unique and fascinating journey.

[Alyssasaturley · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT’S NOT OVER YET...
I haven’t been so happy to see these words in a long time. There’s a lot of feeling behind this main character - you get a sense that the book unfolded through many personal journeys coming together like the perfect storm. It’s as though the author brought it about to express our deepest and sometimes darkest… in the way that only artists can. This is what makes it feels authentic.
Mothers and daughters face like long games of push-me-pull-me. This book isn’t afraid to take you there and allows you to live in that space for awhile. I found myself putting it down more than once to reflect on my own maternal tug of war.
Can’t wait for Book 2.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guard

After the death of her adopted mother Lynn tried to find her birth mother. What she finds is a mystery that involves her four best friends.
I so loved this book. It was well written and the characters are totally life like and all likeable. Of all the books I've read this year this is the best so far and I can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens next.
Highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the puzzle of the book and finding all sign and symbols and I appreciated the development of the characters and their roles. I had figured out the arch angels more than half way thru the book. So persevered to the end . I enjoyed the book and now reading on to the second book , to see how the storey will develop, the classic good verses evil. The book was dragging in the beginning , but then the stage is set. Good read.

[Andrea Chiossone · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Facebook recommended this book in my feed, the concept really intrigued me and well what can I say, I loved it 😊 I loved the characters and their individual stories, I loved the build up and beautiful story. I also felt like there was a ‘National Treasure’ (the film!) vibe to it in the second half of the book. I’ll be reading the second book for sure.

[Marlene Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guard was my first read in the Urban Paranormal/Fantasy genre. I didn't know what to expect but after reading a few pages I knew I was hooked. I loved the storyline and the engaging characters who captured my attention from the start. This was an awesome book. A page turner to the end. I am delighted that there are 2 more books in the series. On to Book 2, The Unseen!

[Beth-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I DNF this book. I was really into the story, and I was excited to read it, however I found there to be just too much detail in the everyday things which don't actually move the plot along. It became work to wade through all this information, and long conversations between characters. And the story itself, at 50% of the book finished, felt like it had barely gotten off the ground.

[Tristan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Starting the year off bold with a DNF. Unfortunately I got 25% through this book and was not feeling it. It's twice as long as it needs to be, the first chapter is really confusing, and I'm not emotionally attached to any characters nor do I really care what's going on. The sentences are pretty stilted as well. This was a giveaway book.

[Lisa Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. It was excellent very fun to read, but the first book out of five now I need to buy the rest of the series which is a very smart strategic move on the giveaway. If you like to read about the battle of good and evil angels and witchcraft, this is your book I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Guard was an engaging and enjoyable read, filled with compelling characters and a story that kept me hooked from start to finish. The writing was immersive, and I loved the way it made me feel completely transported into its world!

[Glenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

This is a terrific book with lots of twists and turns as five friends find out a secret that has been a part of their families for generations! Where does this secret lead? I'll never tell, you'll just have to read on to find out.

[Lynn Leach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the plot but found the reading a bit of a slog sometimes. I should have made my own spreadsheet to keep up with who was who and which charge went with which angel. Still, I found it intriguing and the subject matter fairly fresh so I will probably continue with the series.

[nickiknackinoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read

Great book,easy to read and become absorbed in but was a bit long winded!!. I will recommend this book and am going to read the other two to see what happens because I'm intrigued!!

[Penny Holt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Painfully boring. Kept waiting for some intense action, instead I got chit chat. The characters were quite flat so their dialogue came off as stilted. There was one other annoying feature. What's with all the italics?

[Linzi Osburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

I absolutely loved this book. Who doesn’t love the idea of angels, and a mystery spanning centuries, that brings together 5 friends for a reason they have no idea about…yet. Starting book 2 now. Heck, I couldn’t put this down, so another late night for me I think.

[Pete Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great start to the series and sets the foundation for the other books and characters within.

[Deborah thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was angelic book story It was good

[Roisin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great concept that didn't deliver.Shame.

[Anne Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super Spooky

Really enjoyed this book. Took a bit of warming up but once it got going found it a real exciting page turner . Can't wait to read book 2

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storyline and read

[N.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Day Only!
Saturday, December 4th, THE GUARD, BOOK 1 of THE GUARD TRILOGY IS available for FREE Download on AMAZON!
GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!

[Kim Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Full of intrigue. Going right to the next one!

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great beginning...

I so loved this book that I purchased Book 2 before I was even halfway done. This was intriguing and entertaining and I can't wait to dive into the next book.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the book awhile ago but somehow missed reviewing in. Well written, complex story that starts the series. Currently rereading it on Audio!

[Crystal Lockwich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads for this ebook!

This was an engaging paranormal mystery that I can't wait to read the second in the trilogy.

[Cassey Forck · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not entirely sure what it was, but I just could not get into this at all. I thought the premise was interesting, but it just felt like it was 300+ pages of the same information repeated over and over, making the story move super slow.

[Mary Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to make of this book. Dense text tells much of the story from the lead character’s perspective. There is something vital to be maintained (‘the balance’) but no clear explanation of what that is. Much toing and frowing solving riddles but by the end (????) still not clear what the real goal is and not sure if I care.

29/09/23
Don’t you hate it when a book seems vaguely familiar but you’ve read TWENTY chapters before you check it out on Goodreads……