About this title: Nicholas Sparks's first suspense novel features Julie Barenson, a young widow who finds comfort after her husband's death in the Great Dane who has become her favorite companion--a legacy from her late husband. When she makes her way back into the world after her first grief, she gets romantically involved with Richard, a mysterious man who hides a devastating secret--one that Julie comes close to finding out, the hard way, as her lover threatens to become her destroyer....
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Warner Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 494 p. Audience: General/trade. Paperback, good condition; ships from St. Louis, MO read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Warner Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. slight creasing and edge wear. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 494 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Very good. Pages unmarked, no creases on spine, light wear on corners and edges. Ships within 24 hours, Satisfaction Guaranteed. read more
Binding: MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Good. 0446613436 100% guaranteed. Good condition overall. Clean pages. Some creased pages. Bumped corners. Creased spine. Creased cover. Shelf Wear. We work hard to make you happy. read more
Binding: MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Good. 0446613436 Good Condition paperback book, clean pages, no writing in book, Some creases to spine, some edge wear rubs, this book is Good! Shop & Save With US. read more
Description: Pages are clean and in good condition, average wear to cover, writing on inside front cover, no writing or highlighting inside book. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Warner Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Very Good. No Jacket. Light wear to corners and edges, spine has some creasing. text appears unmarked, binding is tight. overall very copy. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Good. 0446613436 Mass market paperback, previously read used book in good condition, varying degrees of shelf wear, some spine creases, m..._ read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Very Good. 0446613436 Mass market paperback, previously read used book in very good condition, may have slight worn corners and varying degre..._ read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Good. 0446613436 Mass market paperback, previously read used book in good condition, varying degrees of shelf wear, some spine creases, m..._ read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780446613439ISBN:0446613436
Description: Fair. 0446613436 Mass Market Paperback, previously read used book in acceptable condition, great reading copy, fair amount of shelf wear..._ read more
"I will have to begin my review by saying that this was my first Nicholas Sparks book. The romance genre never attracted me, but I wanted to expand my horizons and figured that, if that's the genre I want to try next, this man is supposedly the best at it. I chose The Guardian because it seemed the best transition from the murder mysteries that I was so fond of. Well, I have to give Mr. Sparks that he knows how to write romance. I did not dislike the main character, and was actually quite fond of both her love interests. However, mystery was clearly not intended to be the focus of this novel, and it is understandable then that that was where I was disappointed. It was predictable and not very thrilling. I do not suggest this book. I got a glimpse of Mr. Sparks' writing talents and believe that he may shine in a romance novel, but needs to hone his skills in this new genre."
"One of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books. The main character falls in love with her long time friend after losing her husband at a very young age. I love the romance concept of the book and the slow realization of Julie as she comes to love Mike. It is also a nice concept of her lost husband watching over her and letting go when he sees she is finally at peace without him.
*SUMMARY*
In Swansboro, North Carolina four months after her cherished husband Jim passed away, Julie Barenson receives the puppy and note from beyond. Knowing he was dying, Jim's only regret was how lonely his beloved Jules would be, as she had no one to turn to for solace. Jim arranged for Jules to have the puppy and vows to watch over her. Because she knows that Jim would want her to sing Christmas carols she names her puppy Singer.
Four year later, Julie nearing her thirtieth birthday feels ready to start dating. Two men court Julie. Richard Franklin seems perfect, yet Singer detests him and Julie has doubts though the dates have been quite extravagant. Jim's best friend, Mike Harris, has been there especially since her beloved died and Singer adores him. Julie is much more comfortable with Mike than Richard, but should she risk her best friendship for a second chance at love or should she go for the more exciting Richard? As Julie decides her future, a stalker threatens her."
"Sometimes, belonging to a book club (or two, or in my case, three) means that you are introduced to something that you would have never read on your own, that turns out to stretch your mind and lead to interesting discoveries...and other times, you are so aghast by someone's favorite that you avoid the discussion of the book so as not to hurt the person's feelings who suggested it. Here on Goodreads, I will pull no punches. This book reads like a Hallmark card, or a serial in a woman's magazine, or worse yet--a Lifetime movie. The premise is lame and unbelievable...how many dying husbands make pre-death arrangements for a dirty puppy to be delivered to the grieving widow on Christmas--in a cardboard box, no less? Why was the pup in such sad shape? Was the husband so ill that he ordered the pup from a substandard puppy mill? Ah, but with the wisdom that people about to die seem to have, he has chosen well, and she is thrilled to have the responsibility of training and caring for an enormous dog instead of being able to choose for herself if she wants to take this on, or perhaps choose a nice low maintenance goldfish instead. The rest of the story is so much like others of this genre that you may feel like you've already read it. The charming, handsome man who turns out to be psychotic, the man she thinks of as a "friend" who is really in love with her (and, of course, ends up being her savior at the end and she loves him too...yawn.) In stories like this, good people rarely die, even after being beaten to a pulp and left for dead in a ditch for two days (slutty hairdresser who isn't very bright); a cop found shot in the head, lying face-down with his head in a pool of blood near the end of the story is out of the hospital in a few days instead of being six feet under; a dog who has been poisoned with enough rat poison to kill six dogs, who moments before was gasping his last breath on the ground and unable to stand, suddenly flies through the air and attacks psycho dude, saving his owner, only to finally die of gunshot wounds inflicted by psycho dude. Weepy dog death scene follows, but psycho dude is dead and doggie has fulfilled being her guardian as in the book title, and everyone else goes off happily into the sunset. This is basically the song "My Life Will Go On" by Celine Dion mixed with a touch of "Old Yeller.""
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