Official Review: Guardian of Paradise by W.E. Lawrence
Posted: 20 Oct 2016, 23:15
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Guardian of Paradise" by W.E. Lawrence.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Guardian of Paradise by W.E. Lawrence is a story of Love, Loyalty, Protection and Perseverance. The title of the book describes the protagonist (Kira Wall) perfectly. Ever since she arrived at the Island as a child, she has called it home. With its stunning landscapes and rare flora, the island is frequently visited by outsiders. Kira takes up the responsibility of protecting the village and its people, hence becoming the Guardian of ‘Paradise’. When an Australian merchant ship arrives at the Island, Kira senses trouble. The Captain of the ship offers extravagant gifts and successfully sways the locals in his favour. With Kira’s suspicions rising and her support (from the locals) falling, she has an uphill battle to fight. Will she successfully discover the captain’s real motives? Even if she does, will she be able to convince the locals? Above all, will Kira be able to protect the Island that she has grown to love?
Trevor’s aim in life is to create medicines that will make a breakthrough in the field of science. To search for rare herbs and other natural substances with healing powers, Trevor joins the crew of the Australian merchant ship. When he arrives at the Island, he is spellbound by its beauty and diversity. To explore the land and identify its herbs, he seeks Kira’s help. As they spend time together, one thing becomes obvious - they’re both attracted to each other. He is also one of the few people to believe Kira’s instincts about the Captain. However, there’s one major problem. Trevor will have to leave the island if he has to achieve his dreams. Kira, on the other hand, cannot leave the land that she so fiercely protects. Will they find their ‘Happily Ever After’?
The book has elements of romance, mystery and humor. Being a romance fan myself, I loved Kira and Trevor’s storyline. Although it was simple and wasn’t exactly original, I thought it was written very well. The storyline seemed realistic and moved at a reasonable pace. I was rooting for the couple throughout the book. However, given that the book belongs to the romance genre, I was expecting their relationship to be given more prominence. In contrast, the main plot of the book seemed to be about the Captain’s motives. The romantic aspect of the book seemed like a sub-plot. While I was happy with Kira and Trevor’s story, I was left wishing that it was explored further.
The mystery element of the book made me extremely curious. The author managed to hold my attention throughout the book. There were instances when I was so engrossed in the book that I lost track of time. The plot was interesting enough to make me want to finish reading the book in one sitting. There is also some amount of humor in the book and I truly enjoyed reading those scenes.
While the plot was good, the characters were even better. Kira was a strong, clever and loyal character. She wouldn’t think twice before protecting the island or its people, even if it could put her in danger. I like strong female characters and I absolutely loved Kira. Trevor, on the other hand, was a likable character. He was one of Kira’s biggest support systems and I adored how he looked after her. There were numerous secondary characters in the book. Each character contributed to the main plot. Overall, I think the author described and handled the secondary characters well.
In terms of language, I think that the author has written the book well. It is easy to read and understand. The author has provided sufficient descriptions of characters and locations, while ensuring that the plot moves at a good pace. Further, the book seems to be professionally edited and I did not find any obvious grammatical errors. Most scenes in the book are told from Kira’s perspective, which helped me connect with her. Overall, I liked the author’s writing style and found the book very easy to follow.
What I liked best about the book was Kira’s character. She was determined and courageous. I liked the fact that she was the protector of the island and that she made some very difficult decisions. What I liked least about the book was that Kira and Trevor’s story wasn’t explored as much as I would have liked. Since the book belongs to the romance genre, I was expecting much more from that storyline.
Without giving away any spoilers, I would have to say that I loved the ending. It made me feel happy to have read the book. Overall, I would rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. While I would have liked to read more about Kira and Trevor’s relationship, I thought that the author wrote the book extremely well. While reading the book, I had a feeling that the author had spent considerable time in planning the plot and the narration. Furthermore, the plot was interesting and the characters were strong.
The book has some mature content. I would recommend the book to anyone who is a fan of romance and mystery stories. However, the book is rather long (350+ pages). Hence, I would not recommend the book to someone who is looking for a quick and light hearted read.
******
Guardian of Paradise
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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Guardian of Paradise by W.E. Lawrence is a story of Love, Loyalty, Protection and Perseverance. The title of the book describes the protagonist (Kira Wall) perfectly. Ever since she arrived at the Island as a child, she has called it home. With its stunning landscapes and rare flora, the island is frequently visited by outsiders. Kira takes up the responsibility of protecting the village and its people, hence becoming the Guardian of ‘Paradise’. When an Australian merchant ship arrives at the Island, Kira senses trouble. The Captain of the ship offers extravagant gifts and successfully sways the locals in his favour. With Kira’s suspicions rising and her support (from the locals) falling, she has an uphill battle to fight. Will she successfully discover the captain’s real motives? Even if she does, will she be able to convince the locals? Above all, will Kira be able to protect the Island that she has grown to love?
Trevor’s aim in life is to create medicines that will make a breakthrough in the field of science. To search for rare herbs and other natural substances with healing powers, Trevor joins the crew of the Australian merchant ship. When he arrives at the Island, he is spellbound by its beauty and diversity. To explore the land and identify its herbs, he seeks Kira’s help. As they spend time together, one thing becomes obvious - they’re both attracted to each other. He is also one of the few people to believe Kira’s instincts about the Captain. However, there’s one major problem. Trevor will have to leave the island if he has to achieve his dreams. Kira, on the other hand, cannot leave the land that she so fiercely protects. Will they find their ‘Happily Ever After’?
The book has elements of romance, mystery and humor. Being a romance fan myself, I loved Kira and Trevor’s storyline. Although it was simple and wasn’t exactly original, I thought it was written very well. The storyline seemed realistic and moved at a reasonable pace. I was rooting for the couple throughout the book. However, given that the book belongs to the romance genre, I was expecting their relationship to be given more prominence. In contrast, the main plot of the book seemed to be about the Captain’s motives. The romantic aspect of the book seemed like a sub-plot. While I was happy with Kira and Trevor’s story, I was left wishing that it was explored further.
The mystery element of the book made me extremely curious. The author managed to hold my attention throughout the book. There were instances when I was so engrossed in the book that I lost track of time. The plot was interesting enough to make me want to finish reading the book in one sitting. There is also some amount of humor in the book and I truly enjoyed reading those scenes.
While the plot was good, the characters were even better. Kira was a strong, clever and loyal character. She wouldn’t think twice before protecting the island or its people, even if it could put her in danger. I like strong female characters and I absolutely loved Kira. Trevor, on the other hand, was a likable character. He was one of Kira’s biggest support systems and I adored how he looked after her. There were numerous secondary characters in the book. Each character contributed to the main plot. Overall, I think the author described and handled the secondary characters well.
In terms of language, I think that the author has written the book well. It is easy to read and understand. The author has provided sufficient descriptions of characters and locations, while ensuring that the plot moves at a good pace. Further, the book seems to be professionally edited and I did not find any obvious grammatical errors. Most scenes in the book are told from Kira’s perspective, which helped me connect with her. Overall, I liked the author’s writing style and found the book very easy to follow.
What I liked best about the book was Kira’s character. She was determined and courageous. I liked the fact that she was the protector of the island and that she made some very difficult decisions. What I liked least about the book was that Kira and Trevor’s story wasn’t explored as much as I would have liked. Since the book belongs to the romance genre, I was expecting much more from that storyline.
Without giving away any spoilers, I would have to say that I loved the ending. It made me feel happy to have read the book. Overall, I would rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. While I would have liked to read more about Kira and Trevor’s relationship, I thought that the author wrote the book extremely well. While reading the book, I had a feeling that the author had spent considerable time in planning the plot and the narration. Furthermore, the plot was interesting and the characters were strong.
The book has some mature content. I would recommend the book to anyone who is a fan of romance and mystery stories. However, the book is rather long (350+ pages). Hence, I would not recommend the book to someone who is looking for a quick and light hearted read.
******
Guardian of Paradise
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like AA1495's review? Post a comment saying so!
This book seems like it will be an enjoyable read!