Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Jarmal has been the Guardian of Scryer’s Well for three decades. Romantic liaisons with the warriors and wizards who come to the Well for mystical insight no longer satisfy a man who has grown old alone. His forty-seventh birthday is a hard reminder that he has not yet chosen a successor, and he’s never been granted a vision by the Well he’s spent his life guarding.

Fortunately, Jarmal receives a distraction in the form of the handsome foreign magician Tariq. Though Tariq’s beautiful body stirs Jarmal’s lust, his inexperience and tender affections move Jarmal’s heart. But Tariq is seeking the Well’s guidance as part of a quest to free his homeland from evil, and although Jarmal thinks he’s finally found someone he’d like to spend his life with, he can no more ask Tariq to stay with him than he can leave the Well to be with Tariq. The Well offers him a glimpse of his destiny, but no easy answers.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Daily Dose package "Never Too Late."

 

Book Review

Some books just grab my attention, and anything to do with magic, lonely guardians, and warriors and wizards who fight epic battles has me grabbing the book and diving in. ‘The Guardian’s Destiny’ ticks all those boxes, and I knew I was in for a treat within the first few pages. Jarmal’s determination to be the best guardian of Scryer’s Well he can be despite the fact that means giving up a normal life is admirable, and had me rooting for him to somehow find a way to be happy. Tariq, the mysterious wizard who comes for a glimpse at his destiny, had my sympathies because he acted to protect his sister despite his order’s restrictions. As I read, I got very involved in the characters’ issues and plight, and with all the lovely detail of a well developed world it was easy to remain fascinated.
 
Jarmal is one of those admirable men who do what has to be done, never mind their own priorities. He never wanted to be a guardian of anything, in fact he wanted to become a hero, but when the old guardian died in an attack, he stepped in and took over. Thirty years later he is still there, and has no idea how to find a successor. But he knows his job is important, and he never complains. Tariq makes him ask a few questions, and Jarmal is tempted to leave with the wizard who has stole his heart, but duty wins out and he stays.

Tariq is desperate to find a way to slay the evil djinn who is terrorizing his home, and the Well is his last hope for finding help. His vision tells him what to do, but it is hard for him to walk away from Jarmal – even after only one shared night. But Tariq is a man of conscience as well and he does his duty before figuring out a way to get what he wants on a personal level. I was very relieved to see him come up with a perfect solution for both Jarmal and him.

If you like mystical stories with magic and seemingly impossible tasks ahead, if you want to know more about two men who are pulled apart by their separate duties no matter how well they get along, and if you’re looking for a read that is as suspenseful and fantastical as it is romantic and heartwarming, then you will probably like this novella as much as I did. I’m ready to read it all over again!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 48 pges/17487 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-June-2015
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-guardians-destiny-by-fil-preis-5802-b