From USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez comes a hot-new series of alpha bodyguards. She was my nightmare. Every time I closed my eyes, I watched her fall into that inferno. Over and over, I failed to save her.I hadn’t been able to reach her, and the guilt only burned hotter over time. Four years later, I was the unreachable one.Heroes aren’t always saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more … saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more than jaded sinners driven by sleepless nights and hearts full of darkness.
And then I met her. She was a dreamer who managed to soothe my scars and heal my wounds.
But, as the flames closed in around us, I feared I wasn’t the right man to save her. That is until I realized she was the one woman I’d burn the world down to protect.
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4.5 stars
These aren’t tears, I got smoke in my eyes. What smoke hurts, hence crying. Not tears. Just something in my eye…
Okay, so let me start with the comment that the blurb itself is hot in the absolute protective vibe it exudes. I got giddy with anticipated alpha hotness just reading the blurb. So let me tell you my post-read reaction: Smokin’. Jude is a smokin’ hot, broody alpha. The man’s heart is wrapped in a cloak of darkness and terror. One night changed his world and his nightmares constantly remind him of his flaws. His failure.
But the saying is: one man’s failure is another’s hero, right? No, well it should be. But heroes are for fairy tales right, real life doesn’t happen that way…
If you ask Rhion, real life is stranger than fiction. But she finds fiction far more entertaining because her life is a sad tale. Rhion lives in an unconventional way. She would tell you her life started and stopped that night. She would tell you that Jude is Jude. She would mean every word of her story too. Does that make it true?
One side blames, one side honors. Which side of the story is true?
I have to say that Aly Martinez throws a wicked fast curveball. And she throws it while your facing a different direction. I was caught off guard and unaware. I knew shady stuff was probably going down, but wow was that out of left field. Singe just made me love her more. I may have started stalking the author once I read Retrieval. (Harmless Facebook stalking. I haven’t upgraded/escalated yet. No police involvement. Guardian has not yet been hired.) So I may not be the best judge of character, but writing that I can judge. This woman has talent in spades. Her characters and story line suck you in faster that a car accident on the highway (don’t even pretend you don’t watch the clean up whether in horror or sympathy). Just like that car wreck, you are helpless to stop and nothing you do will change the outcome but you are still praying for a happy ending. So my twisted metaphor aside, this is a book to read. Just watch your back, Apollo is lurking there somewhere.
reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
What a different read! I thoroughly loved this book!
Rhion was such a strong character, and I felt as if Jude was flawed in such an honest way. The plot had a unique twist that kept me thinking and revising predictions, while still maintaining a romance feel.
Ok, and the biggest perk was that many characters from Ms. Martinez’s other books were side characters or made cameos. I loved that!!
I highly recommend!
Singe is the first book in her new Guardian Protection series, but there are some ties with Wrecked and Ruined series. I’m interested in reading the other instalments for every member of the Guardians.
This first one is for Jude and Rhion. First they crossed paths when he was an off duty police officer told to go to the site for assistance on a site where a building was burning. He saw her there, trying to save her life from that inferno. They are both “kissed” from the fire. Few years later his life is ruined, he is no longer in the police force and just starting to work for Guardian protection agency. He still has his nightmares about that woman from the burning building. She is a writer, quirky and funny with her guardians from the agency who became friends and a kind of family. Her visible scars are masked with tattoos but her internal ones need to heal too. She is scared for her life and rarely almost never leaves her apartment.
After 5 years they are both reunited at a group gathering in a bar across the building where the agency and Rhions apartment are and from that moment, perception of everything is key.
It is complex love story where both “chipped” people finds their missing piece to feel complete again. There are few twists and turns, one or two surprises and we have a chance to meet the other members of the team where I believe we will have a chance to read about their stories in separate book. Can’t wait for that.
Aly Martinez is ridiculously talented, the story itself is great and this book is very well written. I enjoyed reading it throughout from start to finish.
Read: 2/9/17
Singe is the first book in the new series, Guardian Protection, by Aly Martinez. I had forgotten how much I loved Martinez’s style of writing.
Singe was well written, with the storyline, characters and supporting cast of characters all well developed. I was captivated from the first page to the last word. It was a serious plot built around a tragedy that also had tons of humor.
Jude Levitt. Sexy, gorgeous, intense, and scarred – both physically and emotionally. The once cop, now body guard, remembers the night in his nightmares that changed his life. He remembers his butterfly. It made him who he is today.
Rhion Park. Gorgeous, fun loving, quirky, creative. Yet also isolated, lives in fear, and is a hermit. She’s a contrast, living the only way she knows how after the terrible tragedy that almost took her life. He not only saved her but he’s in her dreams every night.
Martinez did a great job unveiling pieces of the puzzle throughout the story, keeping it interesting and intriguing. She also threw in some plot twists so everything wasn’t predictable.
Additionally, Martinez dove deep into the support characters, providing numerous teasers for promising stories in future books.
I loved everything about Singe. It was a great start to the new series and I can’t wait for more.
Oooooh Boy, Alpha Hunks of Guardian Security can guard my body Annnytime!!
Aly has created so many sexy bodyguards, Jude being the prime rib…I mean prime hunk and I wanna be his butterfly.
I loved the story full of danger, intrigue, thrill, sexy times..oh sexy times.
One best thing about this was Aly makes men talk like men, not all hearts and flowers, but real locker talk banter
4 stars for Butterfly And Superhero
I so wanted to love this book but felt it fell short at the end. At times the storyline was dragged out with some content i felt wasn’t needed but the ending felt rushed. I won’t add any spoilers but the action felt it was only in the last 5%. Love this author but this book wasn’t for me.
A suspenseful, intriguing, entertaining, and beautiful story. This was an outstanding story about two people who are broken, but meeting again after one heartbreaking night they start to repair those broken pieces. Like the author wrote, they are beautifully flawed. I absolutely loved this story.
I’m not sure how Aly Martinez gets better with every book I read, but she always does. Singe was a great story of two damaged people who found their way back to each other and overcame the turmoil of their past to find their forever happy ending. I loved the characters and the storyline. Everything about this book was fresh and unique. Martinez’s stories have a way of wrapping around my heart and twisting my stomach in knots waiting for the twist that she is a master at creating. I can’t wait to tell everyone about this book!
I was a happy reader when I found out that this series was about Leo James Guardian Protection Agency. Being a fan of this author and her Wrecked and Ruined series I was ecstatic to see we would get the stories of the men working for him.
If you ever read this author before you know she writes gut wrenching stories and Singe was no exception. Jude Levitt and Rhion were two souls that fate had thrown together one night during a house fire where both survived but were burned physically and their souls singed.
Four years later and they are still dealing with the effects of that night. Jude lost his job as a police officer over that night and has now moved to Chicago to start a new job with the Guardian Protection Agency. Every night he suffers from nightmares about that night and Rhion and cannot believe it when it turns out she is one of their clients.
The angst between these two is pretty high along with a strong sexual attraction. But between her fear of leaving her apartment and his guilt they have a lot of demons to put to rest before being able to start a relationship.
The author keeps you turning the pages to find out about what really happened that night and throws one heck of a twist at the end.
Throughout this book we get to meet quite of few of the other guys working for Leo and boy are their stories going to be whoppers when we get them.
Loved this story. Aly has come up with an original concept that was both intriguing and a pleasure to read.
“We can be beautifully flawed together.”
I am a fan of Aly Martinez’ books, so I was excited to read this book. I am a picky reader and the ordinary contemporary romance books usually don’t do it for me any more. Nowadays, I look for something extras in books, and that may be the amazing writing style, very intriguing characters, awesome plot, crazy plot twists etc. I didn’t know what to expect when I started Singe, but I did know that I trusted Aly’s writing ability and that she was more than capable of delivering a great story. She didn’t disappoint.
Singe is the first book in the Guardian Protection series and I am already looking forward to all the upcoming books. The writing was great and it also made it very easy to connect with the characters. I liked the characters from the start. I am a pretty difficult reader and get annoyed pretty fast, but all the characters in this book had a very unique personality and it fit them perfectly.
“Not a man, a woman, or a natural disaster could get past me when it comes to you.”
This book is about Jude and Rhion. Jude is a man with demons, he lives with such guilt and doesn’t know what to do to get rid of it. Rhion is a very out-spoken, outgoing, fun and sweet woman but who also has a very traumatic past. Jude gets hired at the Guardian Protection Agency and comes face to face with Rhion. The moment these two came together, the sparks flew off. I loved the plot a lot, I also loved the way Rhion reacted to Jude. These two were made for each other and I loved how everything fit together. It isn’t easy for both of them to put their issues aside, but I think Aly handled it really well. There was no unnecessary drama that had me rolling my eyes, I also loved that they communicated well with each other. Rhion becomes a rambling mess around Jude, which was pretty cute. But they brought the best out of each other. They healed and put together their broken pieces. I also loved the suspense the author added to the story, I think that could’ve played a much bigger role in the book. But she did hit me with a plot twist that I didn’t see coming.
This book was written really well, but I didn’t expect anything less from Aly. I loved the plot and all the characters. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next for this series. The side characters are awesome and I can’t wait to see them falling in love. Also Leo James from Broken Course (Wrecked and Ruined #3) is in Singe, I haven’t read that book yet but I am definitely adding it to my TBR list.
What an incredible start to a new series! I Love every single one of these men and cannot wait to read ALL their stories!
I’m not gonna lie, I was taken completely by surprise by this book. Not because of the suspense portion, more for how Aly Martinez managed to draw out a very suspenseful read laced with a ton of heart. It was as if I was reading a light story, but I really wasn’t. Not in the least. I was quite captivated and impressed. She presented an incredibly raw and emotional story not engulfed in gut-wrenching angst #win
Rhion and Jude have history. History of epic proportions. Some of you might jump to this story being an insta-love, but I don’t think it was. My own first instinct was to say it was until I really delved into the story. Because of their past, they will forever be tied. Even if they had never met in present day, their epic past would have them tied to one another. That isn’t insta anything, that’s kismet 🙂
Anywho, the story …. Incredible, ridiculously well written AND thought out. In true Aly Martinez form, many players to keep you on your toes and many ah ha! moments to keep you guessing as well. And HOLY DELICIOUS MEN! #TRUTH
One night and the lives of two people will forever be connected and never the same. Jude Levitt feels a ton of guilt and Rhion Park a ton of gratitude after the night he saved her from her burning home but 4 years later when they meet again there’s so much more than just those feelings. The attraction, chemistry and emotions ooze off the pages. Jude Levitt is swoon worthy, hot, take charge man. Rhion Park is beautiful inside and out. Singe not only offers one hell of a romance but there’s a bit of mystery too. On top of that add in the Guardian Protection Team and a few other interesting secondary characters and it’s the start of a great new series. The story is so well-written and fluid leaving me satisfied and anxious for more. (less)
I find it a little slow to get into but when I did bam!! The story hits you in all directions.
We meet Rhion and Jude who are both victims of the same fire they have scars from that night that haunts them both. Rhion has a different take on the night and sees Jude as her hero. His take, he’s the loser who couldn’t save her from getting hurt.
They meet up again as he’s the new hire for Guardian Protection, Rhion is one of their client.
This is a different kind of love story their relationship is a little unorthodox. I loved Guardian Protection and how they loved her like brothers, it was beautiful to read how much they cared about her.
This was simply a beautiful story, you just have to look beyond the flaws.
~ 4.5 Stars ~
Oh Aly Martinez, I adore you. There’s just something about your writing that sucks me in. I seriously don’t think I can get enough of your books and Singe is no exception.
This story has just about everything you could want it in. Tears, laughter, angst, and glorious amounts of alphas. And I do mean glorious. I am so happy that this is going to be a series because I definitely want a story from each of the Guardian Protection Agency employees. Especially our seriously brooding man, Johnson (last name.) I was constantly at the edge of my seat wondering what was happening next. And of course, just about every time I thought I had something figured out, I learn that I was completely clueless. The author has a way of doing that to you. Always in suspense and always throwing new twists.
What I loved the most out of everything was the sense of family that the Guardian Protection Agency has not only within itself but with its clients as well. Their banter between each other is fun and exciting and always put a smile on my face. Their loyalty and protectiveness tugged at my heart.
Rhion and Jude are both so broken, each dealing with the same past tragedy in very different ways. Yet, they are exactly the right person to help them move on and live the life they deserve to live. They understand each other and truly are perfect.
“We can be beautifully flawed together”
Their journey is heartbreaking and hopeful. Dark and light. They balance each other out. He’s protective and all alpha bear and she’s fiery and stands up for herself. It seriously is never a dull moment with either the two of them or the rest of the group.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and Aly Martinez delivers us yet another wonderful story. Suspense, angst, love and laughter all rolled up into one wonderful experience. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. I’ll always read anything this author writes and I can’t wait for the next journey.
Singe is the first book in the guardian security series and this one starts with Rhion and Jude, two tormented souls of a fire that happened 4 years earlier that scarred them both inside and out. Now four years later Jude comes to work for the guardian protection agency where unbeknown to him, his broken butterfly Rhion that he was once forced away from lives in the same building as guardian where she’s enjoying being part of the guardian family. I really liked this book, Jude was a sexy. alpha but emotionally wrecked man and Rhion was a sweet quirky woman who longed for the characters she wrote about in her romance stories to be real. The story line was interesting and engaging, the sex was sensual and hot and the emotional angst between the two characters was deep and painful, this was a beautiful story to read.
This book was absolutely AMAZING! Not very many books leave me breathless and captivated but Singe is definitely one of those books. Between the twists and turns I couldn’t put this read down, it had me on the edge of my seat page after page until the very end! I highly recommend this book!!!
Rhion and Jude have burns physically and emotionally from an accident that will tie their thoughts together forever. Neither one of them can shake the night that is singed into their souls.
“she was the only one who could heal me.”
The man that saved her that night has never left her thoughts…or dreams.
The woman that he can’t save is never far from his mind giving him an endless desire to be a better man. Both of them burning in a sea of guilt. When they run into each other years later, the world seems to ignite around them.
When Rhion’s past comes knocking, Jude will do anything to protect her.
“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t burn the world down for you.”
This was a great foundation for what will be a great series full of steam and suspense! I look forward to diving the remaining Guardians!