A gruesome murder. A sickening crime scene. A treacherous betrayal.
All things I never thought I’d experience as a small town police chief. Instead of policing teenagers and bar fights, I’m walking through bloody crime scenes hoping one of my neighbors isn’t killed next.
My saving grace? The beautiful blue-eyed newcomer, Quinn Lawson. She’s the light that burns away the heavy darkness on my shoulders, making it so I can do my job—protect my town…
Until I fail to protect the one person who means the most to me.
Taken by someone I never believed would betray me, getting her back becomes my sole focus.
But with betrayal burning deep in my soul, I may cause her death before I can save her from it.
Wow!! This little mystery, romance was SO GOOD!! I immediately fell in love with the characters and it was like I’d already known them my whole life! Shelby, you nailed it with this debut and I CANNOT wait to read the second book!! 🔥😍
As a romantic thriller, it did lean more to romance. But I did enjoy the anonymous third POV. I thought the story was very good, but a bit slow moving. I liked the relationship between Quinn and Cooper. I thought both characters were so sweet.
Probably a 3.5 stars because it was a bit slow in some parts. But I'm looking forward to reading the series.
First of all, I feel the need to put a disclaimer that I don't usually read romance novels (at least, not those set in present day!) so this was definitely a refreshing read for someone like me. Furthermore, I did receive an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review, so here it is!
I'm going to begin with the things I really liked about Shelby Gunter's book. It was a very clear plot and was easy to follow (for the most part - see below for what I might change personally) and I never was unsure who a character was or what their part in the story was, which is something I almost always struggle with at the beginning of books. Also this book had VERY few grammatical or spelling errors, something that is rare even in tenth editions of some works, so hats off to whoever edited this, or to the author for being really good at English! It's a shorter book, and a quick read, which I appreciate it because I didn't ever feeling like things were dragging or like I was getting bored. Moving on to some more important things that I liked, I LOVED the characters. One thing I struggle with is finding characters in realistic-fiction books kind of insufferable, but I really loved Shelby's character development and the positive outlook on humanity overall that she included in this story. The writing in this story got my emotions going, especially the most exciting part near the end, and I think Shelby has a really good natural talent for writing and manipulating the readers' emotions (in a good way, lol). The twist (I won't say what it was but there is one!) made me feel so vindicated because I was questioning the particular character whenever they were in other scenes because I thought their reactions to conversations and other moments were kind of suspect. I appreciate the subtleness of the hints towards the twist especially after some best-selling works I've recently read that were sooo obvious as to what the ending would be (*coughcough* Where the Crawdads Sing).
As for things I would improve, I have a couple of suggestions. First of all, I wish the "climax" of the story was a little bit longer. I think the easy resolution was nice (and my anxiety definitely appreciated it!!) but I do wish there had been a wee bit more of a struggle. Additionally, I found the timeline of the story to be a bit confusing. Everything moved very quickly (of course, that's not unusual in romance novels) but I think a little more time between some events or moments would have added to that clarity I mentioned above.
Overall, I am definitely looking forward to Shelby's next book (apparently coming out in November - P.S. I loved the subtle plug in this book for the next one!) and will be signing up for an ARC again when the time comes. In conclusion, if you like romance novels, you will enjoy this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’ll be honest, the prologue immediately drew me in and had my interest piqued. But then I struggled to get into the story with the first few chapters and was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to connect with the story. Then Cooper and Quinn met, and I was hooked. Their chemistry was 🔥🔥🔥 and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for that first kiss.
Their love story mixed in with the mystery of “who did it?” Kept my interest from their first meeting until the very last page. I had more fun trying to guess who the “unknown” was than I’ve had reading a book in a long time. And when everything came to a peak, I was thrown. I finished this book in one day because I seriously couldn’t put it down until I knew who was behind the B&Es and murders.
The mystery was well done, the suspense was top notch, and the love was swoon worthy. The side characters were just as fun and interesting as the MCs. It was beautifully written, and I never would have guessed this was a brand new author. Once I got past chapter two, I was all in. I seriously can’t wait for book two and all of Tucker’s 🔥🔥🔥.
Oh my... where to even start... Everything about this book had me wanting to live in Sonoma (except for maybe the murders...?). The friendships, the love, the atmosphere, it was all so well written and it made me feel like I was part of it all. I am normally pretty good with seeing the twist coming, but this one took me completely by surprise. I haven't read many romance novels with mysteries, but OH am I hooked! Read the epilogue right after finishing the book, which I did in one day might I add (it was too addicting to put down), and now I will be waiting in suspense for book #2 to come out!
Small town romance is my jam. Suspense? Not so much. But the way Shelby Gunter weaves mystery into her love story including the creepy taunts from the villain had me captivated and wanting more. Quinn and Cooper have a great, relatable meet-cute at a backyard BBQ, and amazing friends who nudge them along. Ms. Gunter nails the small-town gossip dynamics that bring the story home. I love how these two fit together and so glad they found their HEA. Can't wait to see who is next in Sonoma to find theirs!
Guarding her Love is awesome! This book is not just romance, there is also mystery and suspense. This book follows Quinn who quit her job as a Lawyer and moved to the Small town of Sonoma and she meets police chief Cooper is lust at first sight and chief Cooper must solve a crime spree that is wreaking havoc in his small town. I was glued to this book in wondering what happens next, this book is intense and can’t wait for the next book of the series and this book is a must read.
Very good book! It had me turning the pages, but I'm only giving it 4 stars because I figured out the villain pretty much right away, but I loved the mix of romance and suspense.
Guarding Her Love by Shelby Gunter is book one in the Sonoma series. I'm heading to the Violet Crown Author Event in Austin this September, and since Shelby is one of the attending authors, I wanted to read one of her books beforehand—something I always try to do before signings! I absolutely love small-town romantic suspense, and this one was no exception.
What can you expect? 🏡 Small-town romantic suspense 👮♂️ Police Chief MMC 💘 Insta Love 🎨 Aspiring Artist FMC 👨👩👧👦 Found Family 🧠 Third POV Villain 🐶 Dog Dad MMC
4 ⭐️ | 2 🌶️
Synopsis: A small-town police chief faces a brutal murder and a shocking betrayal. When the woman he loves is taken, saving her becomes his only mission—but his own darkness might destroy them both.
My thoughts: Quinn isn’t happy with her life as a lawyer in New York, and after her grandparents pass away and leave her their home in Sonoma, North Carolina, she returns to the place she once loved for a fresh start. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Cooper—Sonoma’s police chief—during her first week there. The attraction is instant, and while insta-love isn’t always my favorite trope, this was one of the exceptions.
From the moment they meet, Quinn and Cooper have a strong connection. Their first date felt natural, filled with comfort and honesty, and their relationship progressed quickly in a way that still felt believable. Cooper is the ultimate protector—someone who makes Quinn feel seen, safe, and deeply cared for. I really appreciated the communication between them—it was refreshing and mature, and it made their bond feel even more real.
One of my favorite parts? Cooper being a total dog dad to Piper! 🐾 It was such a sweet touch and made me love his character even more.
Beyond falling in love, Quinn also found a true sense of belonging in Sonoma. She built meaningful friendships, found a found family that welcomed her with open arms, and even began to repair her relationship with her own parents. Watching her heal emotionally and embrace this new chapter in life was such a beautiful part of the story.
The suspense was on point! The mystery kept me on edge, and the third POV from the villain added a chilling element I really enjoyed. I didn’t see the twist coming at all, which made the reveal even better.
This was a strong and heartfelt start to the series, and I can’t wait to read more from Shelby Gunter. If you’re into emotional small-town romance with suspense and heart, this one’s definitely worth checking out!
Fed up with the life she had built for herself as a lawyer in New York City, Quinn knew it was time for a change. Her grandparents had died years ago leaving their home in a small town to her. It was all there for her. The house was just as she remembered with a few updates shed’d had done over the years. There was a room she could set up to paint. She’d loved painting in spite of the fact that her parents were belief that it was simply a hobby.
Normally Quinn wasn’t comfortable around people, however the people of Sonoma were openly inviting and after meeting Cooper the Chief of Police, Quinn was certain this was the perfect place to begin living a different life style. Quickly becoming entangled with Cooper, Quinn fell into painting pictures that surprised her by selling in no time at the local art gallery. Life would have been perfect if it weren’t for the break-ins in the next town over. Cooper and the other officers investigating the crimes were stumped at who and why. As the romance between Cooper and Quinn heated up, the murders in Sonoma began.
This romantic suspense with Cooper and Quinn at the center was enhanced with secondary characters and some background tales that kept me entangled in the story. I have to admit one character caught my eye and raised the hair in the back of my neck. But the true bit of villainy came close to the end. I enjoyed the story with a bit of mystery, family dynamics and the romance liberally sprinkled with spice. I can recommend this story to readers who like romance, with murder and mayhem stirring up trouble to round out the storyline.
This was a great debut novel. It was suspenseful and mysterious. It had a great foundational romance. It was pretty insta love but the characters also took time to get to know each other.
Quinn moves to Sonoma for a fresh start. It was the only place she’d felt at home in her life and she was ready to put down some roots. Her parents were well known, traveling, doctors, so she grew up very independent and had never had a community before. All that changed when she moved to Sonoma. She fell quickly for Cooper, the police chief, and with him came his friend group, and the women accepted her readily.
Just as Cooper and Quinn were getting comfortable and happy, a brutal murder rocks the small North Carolina town. Cooper’s days are now filled with finding the murderer, but before he does, they strike again. The suspense and mystery in this book was very well done. I did figure out who the murderer was pretty quickly, but I will say I did not expect the depth of depravity or some of the things that were revealed to be done by the killer.
This was a pretty low angst book. Cooper and Quinn fell quickly and all the drama happened outside their relationship. They both had moments of internal doubt but their communication saved them from any relationship drama. This was a great introduction to Sonoma and had some fantastic secondary characters. It was a great debut novel.
This book had something special about it that I don't get to read all that often: two people who fall in love, and don't miscommunicate about it every other page. They are honest with each other about their feelings, patient with each other's personalities, and fit together so well it was obviously love at first sight. I LOVED it. I wasn't sitting here screaming at them to stop being stupid. No third act break-up, no angsty will-they-won't-they. Loved it!
The murders and attack added a bit of drama to what otherwise would have been a slice of life story, so I appreciated that, but it was such a contrast to the two MCs that it was almost like reading two different stories. And to be honest, I pegged the murderer as soon as I met them. So not a surprise there, but it was ok. I did appreciate that the author took the time to address Quinn's mental health as well as her physical recovery and how the relationship changed and blossomed from there. The ending was short and sweet. I really enjoyed this read.
It's been a long time since I picked up a suspenseful romance but this was the perfect transition from contemporary romance to a romantic 'who done it'.
For her debut, Shelby's writing style is very much her own and it's incredibly well done. The editing is perfection and the characters are likable. The fire between Cooper and Quinn was exactly what I needed and I loved the chemistry. We saw just enough of other characters to get invested in where the series is headed.
Without giving any spoilers, the story moves along very quick and the 'climax' of the story is over before you know it. I just wanted more, but that isn't to say it wasn't a fantastic read. I truly did enjoy this book and I am so excited I got the opportunity to read Guarding Her Love.
If you haven't picked up this book yet, don't wait any longer.
This was an easy, enjoyable read, but there was quite a bit of repetition in the prose and inner and outer dialogue that I felt could've been edited out with some simple rewrites.
I LOVED Cooper. Quinn, not as much. I had a hard time meshing in my mind her extreme anxiety and the fact that she was a super successful lawyer. Her weird obsession with being embarrassed about everything also got a bit annoying. I did love her creativity, and her process and enthusiasm for art was something I felt deeply.
I will say, this story was very light on the suspense, and I knew who the antagonist was right away. This made me feel like the title and blurb were somewhat misleading.
Overall, this was a cute story of instant love followed by the couple getting to know each other and finding reasons to justify their feelings. If that's the kind of story you're looking for, I highly recommend it.
I love when the heroine is socially awkward. I can totally relate. And I love that she attractions a man in spite of it. I loved that even though Quinn got tongue-tied at times, Cooper found her charming and gorgeous. She was successful and loving, while he was attentive and caught the bad guys for a living. The two were sweet and spicy together. I loved the suspense aspect to the story and was actually kind of happy that I figured it out. I loved the cast of characters too and definently need to read more of this author/series!
Small town romantic suspense has always been a favorite of mine, so I really enjoyed this. Technically, Quinn and Cooper's relationship moved pretty quickly, but it didn't really feel that way while reading I thought the pacing was really well done and felt natural. I also thought the mystery was well done. As someone who reads quite a bit of romantic suspense and dark romance, sometimes they can be pretty predictable. I was glad I didn't have this one completely figured out after the first 50 pages, and I'm excited to read the rest of the series.
I love discovering new authors. This is my first book by Ms. Gunter and I have already gotten the rest of the series. This is a true love story with suspense built in, not the lust stories that are so prevalent these days. I was able to dive in and retreat to a wonderful small community with engaging characters. The character development was great and the story had you guessing until the end — which I got totally wrong. I’m ready to get lost in book 2.
Die Idee klang ganz gut. Mir fehlte es leider an Tiefe der Charaktere, des Settings und der Geschichte. Die Protagonistin Quinn war mir zu flach, wohin Cooper einige interessante Ecken und Gedanken zeigte. Die Morde hätten gern detaillierter gezeigt werden können, interessant wurde es dann am Ende. Leider war die Aufklärung dann doch schneller zu Ende, als ich angenommen habe. Für Freunde der schnellen Romantik mit leichtem Smut aber sicherlich das Richtige.
Amazing characters and a creepy villain. Cooper and Quinn have their work cut out for them but they manage to fall in love and solve a murder! This book had the right amount of heat and mystery. Top that off with a twist I didn't see coming and bam! This was a great book. I cannot wait for the second one to come out. I'll be ready to head back to Sonoma to see what's happening next.
Romance and mystery done to perfection. I love a good thriller and when you add in a sweet girl and a charming handsome man in uniform, well I’m all in. The chemistry was explosive, their love undeniable, and the action and suspense make this book amazing. New one click author for me. Can’t wait for Natalie and Tucker!
3.5⭐️ Very cute and quick romantic thriller to read. The characters were easy to love, but I almost wish it wasn't insta love. The timelines didn't always add up for me, but I enjoyed the Unknown POV chapters. Kinda wish there were more throughout the book to add to the suspense. I'll definitely be checking out the rest of the series.
A really cute, heart felt, romantic suspense novel. Loved Cooper & Quinn's developing relationship but a little too "insta" love for me - I get you can call in love quick but this was quick quick. I loved the suspense in the novel though - I honestly didn't put it together until I was reading it so that's always good in a book when you can't necessarily guess it right away.
I enjoyed the book, and it was a very quick read, but I just wish there was more to it. I don't think there was much character development and the mystery wasn't very intriguing for me. I thought it was very easy to find out. I had fun while reading this, but unfortunately I think it will be easily forgotten.
I absolutely adored this book. It's just the fluffy cuteness I needed with the small-town feel and then the mysterious danger lurking in the background. Quinn and Cooper are my faves! Love them so much and can't WAIT for the rest of this series!
Wow lots of twist and turns Cooper is the small town Sheriff and Quinn is running from herself
I liked how everything was played out to see everything. I would recommend this book for adults only, that enjoy stories that are funny, steamy, suspenseful, and romantic.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Shelby Gunter. I really loved that there was a romantic suspense feel on top of a nice love story. The characters in this were very captivating, and I was engaged throughout the entire novel.
This is such a Fabulous story!! It has everything I needed in a book. Hot, small- town cop meets beautiful, unhappy lawyer turned artist. Throw in some insta Love and sexytimes, a little B&E, a few murders. I'm so looking forward to reading the next book.
Unhappy with her fast-paced life as a New York lawyer, Quinn returns to her grandparents’ home in Sonoma for a fresh start and quickly finds herself drawn to Cooper, the town’s police chief. Their instant connection and Cooper’s sweet bond with his dog Piper make the romance feel believable. The mystery kept me guessing...This book is a standout for fans of small-town romantic suspense.