Gabriela Navarro believed she and Eli Wolverton would always be together…until he abandoned her.Years later, Gaby has made a new life in the big city. Her future is bright, and Eli is her past. When she returns to bury her father and learns that Eli is accused of his murder, she is stunned, but she no longer knows the man who’s replaced the boy she loved. Then their paths cross again, and though … loved.
Then their paths cross again, and though the longing between them is more powerful than ever, Eli refuses to defend himself and pushes her to go. Does Gaby believe the charges against him, or the urgings of her heart?
There is so much more at stake than Gaby can imagine. With his freedom and his life on the line, only one thing would draw Eli away from his search for the truth: Gaby’s safety.
Even if that means he’ll lose her forever.
“Jean Brashear’s distinctive storytelling voice instantly draws in the reader. She writes with warmth and emotional truth.” ~ #1 NY Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
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Jean Brashear’s distinctive storytelling voice instantly draws in the reader. She writes with warmth and emotional truth.
When Gaby’s estranged father dies in Texas, she leaves New York to go home to bury him and settle his affairs. Chad, an ex-boyfriend and current sheriff meets her plane, with the hope of rekindling their high school romance, but another ex, Eli, still has a hold on her heart.
Chad tells Gaby that her father was murdered and Eli is his prime suspect. Of course, Gaby does not believe Eli would ever do any such thing.
This book is different from all of the Jean Brashear books I have read, and I’ve read a lot (okay all). There is a love story, but it seems secondary to the action and the plot. I was drawn in and found it hard to put the book down until I finished.
As this is book one in a new series, I am sure I will enjoy all the rest of the series as much as I did Guarding Gaby.
A story well worth reading and very well written. So true to life. It make you feel like you are there and part of it somehow. It has excitement, drama, suspense, so many emotions and so much more. The characters and the story flow so well together. I hated to see it end. I highly recommend it. I received a review copy and voluntarily review it.
ARC for honest review with no compensation
Guarding Gaby is book 1 in the new Second Chances series by Jean Brashear and a great start!
The story is about Gabriela “Gaby” Navarro and Eli Wolverton, young love, lost love and second chances…
Gaby returns home to bury her father and learns that her lost love, Eli is accused of his death, but she doesn’t believe he is capable of doing that but who knows if he is the same guy she once loved…
Suspense, intrigue, emotional, family ties and love will keep you reading and rooting for Gaby and Eli to find their HEA….
This well written story packs so much emotion and action. It’s a very well paced story of a second chance romance for Gabi and Eli. Gabi left her Texas hometown after a very big battle with her father. Eli left town and the US after being accused of setting fire to his mothers house and murdering her. Gabi went on to college and her career had taken her to New York City. She worked at a magazine and received a promotion right before getting called about her fathers death. He died in a fire at his ranch. Gabi had difficulty reconciling her fathers death. They never communicated after her leaving home after high school. And to add more emotional turmoil the Sheriff, Chad told her Eli, (her first true love) murdered her father by setting a fire. Gabi told Chad she didn’t think Eli could be a murderer. Although Gabi and Eli each town earlier in their life, they did so with quite a big misunderstanding. When they finally crossed paths again, it was very evident their chemistry was alive! Eli was working to clear his name. Both Eli and Gabi worked to gain the truth, despite personal danger. Guarding Gabi will draw you in and you’ll be immersed in an emotional, suspenseful story.
I received an ARC and have chosen to provide my honest review.
One night Gaby was out with her friend Chad when they found a young boy named Eli nearly beaten to death. They got him to the hospital and Gaby visited him as often as she could. Gaby began to have strong feelings for Eli and he for her but Gaby’s father didn’t approve of her relationship with the wild boy that Eli was, he wanted her to marry Chad the sheriff’s son. When her father discovered that Gaby was spending so much time with Eli he prevented her from seeing him before Eli fled town which caused a huge rift between Gaby and her father. Fast forward several years to Gaby now in New York and just having received a promotion she worked hard for. Then she receives a phone call telling her that her father has died and she has to return home to bury him. Eli has also returned he was summoned by Gaby’s father before his death he asked Eli to keep Gaby safe as he no longer trusted how things were going around his ranch and the town. Eli struggles to keep Gaby safe and to prove himself innocent of the murder of both his mother and Gaby’s father. The sparks are still strong between them and flames up as they work together to resolve things. I have never read a book by Ms. Brashear that I didn’t love and devour and this one was no exception. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I was given an ARC and am happily giving my honest review.
Gaby returned for her Father’s funeral. Only to find her old boyfriend was wanted for murder. She hadn’t seen him since he left town without her. When she finally saw him the feelings were still there. Eli had been hiding out trying to get evidence on a smuggling gang and in the process find out who killed Eli’s mother and Gaby’s father.
Very good story. Had you setting on the edge of your seat.
Jean Brashear has written another great book! It’s a standalone, but there was a connection to her TEXAS HEROES, THE MARSHALLS series. Love it when authors connect series!
It was well written with a great storyline. I became invested in the characters, Eli and Gabby. My heart hurt for them and rooted for them to overcome all the obstacles. Eli was swoon worthy! This was a great second chance book. So looking forward to more form Jean Brashear!
*l recieved an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary review.
Jean has done it again. Another great story. While this story is not part of the Texas Heroes series (best series ever) I love how she manages to tie a small portion of this story to that series. This story has a bit of everything: grief, heartbreak, suspense, disbelief, but ultimately love.
Readers: take a chance on this second chance romance. You won’t be disappointed.
This book has everything and you won’t be able to put it down. You have Gaby Navarro and Eli Wolverton who are first loves, true loves. Ripped apart by circumstances beyond their control. Now they are back where they started from. There is murder, arson and mayhem. Who do you trust? Gaby and Eli do get there HEA. I love that Ms. Brashear brought Rosaria Sandoval, who is a healer back.
Guarding Gaby review
What an emotional story about personal growth, family, and love. The author slowly builds the story to the ending you hope for but really aren’t sure will happen.
It is not always easy to come back to that place where you became an adult and ran from when your dreams led you elsewhere. For Gaby, that wasn’t by choice when her father passed away. Her plans were to attend the funeral, pack things up that she wanted, and then return to her job. New chapter in her life and it didn’t include the ghost from the past. But it doesn’t work out that way when her first love is accused of his murder.
Eli is in hiding, trying to find enough evidence to prove that he didn’t murder his mother or Gaby’s father. But when Gaby sees him and gets involved, it also gets dangerous. He has to save her from herself but his is not her future.
It began as a forbidden young love and it rekindled into passionate adults.
4.5 star read.
I have read pretty much all of Jean Brashear’s Texas Heroes series, and see slight similarities between this book and those, but this book has a really different sense about it.
I think it is because more emphasis is placed on the situation, and the romance isn’t as prominent. The couple is pretty consistently in peril throughout most of the book, and that is not a usual place in which to find the romantic couple.
Yes, it is a second chance love story between Eli and Gaby. There is also a “bad” guy/ “good” guy situation. This is not really a mystery, it is more a suspenseful novel with a good dose of intrigue, heavy on the suspense.
Very early in the book, it was easy to see what type of role Chad was going to play. There was a surprise twist toward the end, but it wasn’t really that much of a surprise.
There was danger and a bit of violence. One thing that really struck me was how sad Eli’s childhood was, and how much it played in the current situation. One of the characters from Texas Hearts made an appearance, and a reference to Rafe and Diana was made.
An entertaining book, where, once I started reading, I just read through to the very end. I would have liked an epilogue, just because I’m a good epilogue kind of woman, but this book ended very nicely with Eli and Gaby’s HEA. I
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Very enjoyable book that is a wonderful second chance romance wrapped up in a great action packed suspense filled story. Gaby and Eli are amazing characters that are well developed and the story has a nice flow to it. Eli’s backstory will break your heart as well as give you hope. This book is the start to a new series from this author and I simply can’t wait for more! I definitely recommend it.