The latest novel in the Bow Street Runners Trilogy by Michelle Griep was released in June 2019. It is the third book in the series. This particular addition to the collection begins in Southampton, England in 1815. It can be read as a stand alone novel but there are a few references to characters from the previous two. I recommend the first two in the series just because the stories are great.

It starts out with a familiar story… a Cinderella setting is set as Abigail Gilbert is preparing to leave her family to be married to a man she met briefly at a social event. She is the lone child of her widowed father. He remarried when she was young and she inherited two sisters through that marriage. The stepmother and two sisters were, of course, unkind to her over the years.

As Abigail leaves this family she dreams of a better life with someone who will love and treasure her in a way no one ever had before. The journey begins with her, a lone attendant and a driver as she boards her first carriage from home. This trip would be anything but peaceful. Her safety seemed to be threatened at every turn and she would be forced to trust someone, Samuel Thatcher, who might be the least safe person she would encounter.

The story quickly moves from the Cinderella story into a full blown “western” on the Moors of England. There is danger all along the road and some unexpected characters join her journey as she travels from stop to stop. Her biggest surprise might be her intended Prince Charming… God seems to have a different path for her than she had anticipated. She is forced to trust God more and more as she pushes on toward her destination. Would she ever reach her intended husband? Could it be that God’s plan really is the best plan? Could she trust His outcome? ( )

The Why:
Samuel Thatcher's character seized my curiosity when he was first introduced in this series about the "Bow Street Runners," a group of men who have been called London's first professional police force. Thatcher is a quiet one, and the quiet ones intrigue me. His story reveals much simmering beneath the surface.

The Main Characters:
Samuel and Abby are a well-matched leading lady and man. Their strengths bring the other's weaknesses to light, while they challenge one another to become stronger. Abby is a sweet, Cinderella-type character with underlying mettle. She is highly naive to the world and quite the optimist, while Samuel is jaded, world-weary from his wartime in India, and a pessimist without much hope. Baby Emma, the young ward they are charged with delivering to a relative, is simply precious. She charms the reader on every page she graces.

The Faith Element:
Both characters learn to look to God for hope when all seems lost. And the story gives them plenty of occasions to lean on this hope. The hero's unwavering faith in God is refreshing and gives his character a multifaceted depth that shows all Christians need encouragement and reminders of hope. We're all susceptible to the weight of this life, no matter how strong our faith. The heroine goes from a knowledge of God to a dependent love for God and multiple times shares the message of Christ's sacrifice, even though characters sometimes mock her beliefs.

The Romance:
I like the way these characters come to care for each other by recognizing dearly held values played out in the other's actions, whether wielding courage in the face of death, caring for the helpless, or showing generosity. Besides mutual love for baby Emma, Samuel's quiet integrity and Abby's courageous and candid ways draw them to one another. A word to sensitive readers: one kiss between the hero and heroine, when she is days from marrying another man, grows a bit fierce.

The Stakes:
Life and death stakes carry the reader all the way up until around the 3/4 mark, when the focus turns to matters of the heart. I wondered if the fiance might be revealed as the true mastermind behind the earlier villains, which would have carried the stakes even higher until the ending. At this point, the story and characters I'd loved so far grew rather stagey for me, the heroine's motives cloudy. And although the story resolution didn't fully result from the character journey-struggles, I was happy to see Samuel receive a good ending after all he'd been through.

Overall Impression:
Love the characters, the setting, description, beautiful language, and the theme of hope. This is a satisfying glimpse into the character of Samuel Thatcher, whom we meet earlier in the series. I recommend reading the series in order, though it's not necessary. This story transports the reader to a living, breathing 1700s England full of intrigue and danger and love while giving us a deeper look into the lives of men who paved the way for the modern police force.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ( )

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I requested it because a blogger I follow had enthused about it, but I'm afraid I didn't really enjoy it. The heroine travels from Southampton to Penrith to marry a baronet she has met only once. Her evil step-mother sends her off with only an elderly coach driver and a maid who bails on her at the first sign of trouble. (All of this seems extremely unlikely). Then she is beset by highwaymen, thieves and potential rapists, and employs a Bow Street runner as a sort of escort (really?). However, he has enemies of his own, which results in countless episodes of violence on the road. Then there's the baby they have to take with them (don't ask) and the whole thing is just ridiculous and exhausting.

The heroine makes the wrong decision in every situation and misunderstands everything in a surely willfully obtuse way (there's innocent and then there's too stupid to live). I'm only giving it two stars instead of one because I could actually believe they'd be happy together. ( )

"The Noble Guardian" tells the story of the very harrowing trip of a young woman. As she travels to her arranged marriage, the heroine encounters storms, accidents, highwaymen, and illness, among other trials and tribulations. She finds her escort and protector in a police officer who is involved in hunting down a notorious highwayman. In the process of traveling to her destination, Abby also acquires guardianship of a baby girl, whom she comes to adore. Upon reaching her final destination, Abby also finds a surprise is in store when she meets her intended spouse!

This book is filled with adventure, suspense, both evil and good people, fights, and romance. The Christian aspect is covert for most of the book, with a few overt scenes that deal with people who are seeking peace and God's way for their lives. This aspect of the story adds to the plot interest. Readers who enjoy action and suspense along with their romance reading will find this book intriguing.

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

The Noble Guardian is a historical fiction book that I could not put down at times and at other times I found it hard to keep reading. At the start of the book, my heart broke for Abigail because of the cruelty of her stepmother. Having a father who remarried, I can relate to the difficulties that result in family dynamics from that. Thinking she had found true love, she set off to marry a baronet. Rather than being sent off with love, she is sent off with no male guardian and exceptionally harsh words. My heart broke for her. I had to wonder whether her father knew of the change in plans the stepmother had made.

The interactions between Abby and Samuel captured my attention and interest. The addition of Emma (the baby of a friend of Samuel) added to the dynamics of the books. My one reservation about easily recommending this book is the inclusion of violence in a detailed manner. But the violence is a necessary component to the storyline. Their willingness to travel together to safely get Emma to her aunt kept my reading. I was glad to see Samuel was the type of man I expected him to be when he went back for Emma rather than leaving her with an aunt who was dying and an uncle who was a drunk.

When the baronet was finally introduced I could not stand him. He was a true example of evil. His cruel treatment of both Samuel (who was injured), Emma, and Abigail broke my heart.

So if you like reading historical Christian fiction and do not mind reading about violence, check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review. ( )