Book 25, 2022

[chez_jae]

Guardian's Keep by Lori Devoti

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I finished reading Guardian's Keep at lunch today. It's a paranormal romance by author Lori Devoti. The two main characters were witch Kelly Shane and shape-shifter (called a garm) Kol Hildr.

Kol's job is to guard the portal that is located in his bar, Guardian's Keep. It's a position he's held for a century, and nothing and no one will take it from him, not even a beautiful, feisty witch. Kelly has been approached by a female garm who has asked her to travel through the portal at Guardian's Keep to rescue her kidnapped son. Something about Aesa seems off to Kelly, but the thought of a child in danger tugs at her heartstrings. She's willing to do anything she can to save him, even if she has to go through Kol to do so.

Having two opposing goals was not the most auspicious start for a relationship. Indeed, Kelly and Kol spent about half the book in a battle of wills...which lasted until they had sex. Because sex solves everything. Blah. I did not enjoy this story, and I swear my IQ dropped ten points just from reading it.


- To begin with, this is apparently the second book in an arc. That's fine. What isn't fine is that I didn't read the first one, and I felt lost trying to navigate this one. Do not assume your readers have read the other book(s) in a series. Provide some backstory as you go to keep new readers up to speed.
- Kelly was a monumental disappointment. She's said to be a very powerful witch, but she came across as a teary-eyed damsel in distress. Repeatedly. If she's such a magical powerhouse, she should have conjured a spine for herself. I just cannot with books that state the heroine is a badass but then portray her as a simpering twit.
- Kelly's brain fell into her vagina any time she was in Kol's vicinity. Really? She simply could not control her baser urges when he was near, which was gag-worthy all on its own. I don't mind that she was all "Hubba hubba!" around him, but I would have liked to see her maintaining her self-control and some restraint.
- For being one of the most powerful witches in the world, Kelly sure got her ass handed to her often enough. Badass heroines should not get their asses kicked on a regular basis. Now and then, sure, to keep them humble, but not over and over again ad nauseam.
- Why didn't Aesa go through the portal herself? If someone I loved was trapped on the other side, I'd have been the first one through to get to that person. Sheesh.
- Kol was an asshole. I don't care that he was handsome and buff. He was an asshole. Being handsome doesn't give you carte blanche to be an asshole.

Favorite lines:
♣ Why did she have to do something as stupid as have sex with the enemy?
Because you're stupid, Kelly!
♣ "Thought you might be in a bit of a pickle."

I could literally feel my lip curl while reading this book. Would certainly not recommend it unless you're a fan of bullying men and insipid women. It redeemed itself marginally at the end, thus earning two stars instead of one.

EDITING to add the first line of someone else's review:
I kept hoping Kelly would get hit by a bus.
Ha ha! Yes! Thank you!