**Spoiler Free**
The majority of PNR written have variations of similar type themes and storylines; some type of good fighting evil, and the prodding desire for a HEA and all the drama attached to this need. So why then do we continue to read them? To continue to search out PNR when we know, usually, what the very basic premise of the story will most likely be? Well for me, at the top of my criteria for the continual need for my favorite genre, PNR, I look to the characters for enrichment of these relatively similar plots. And Stone Guardian delivers on this front.
Ms. Monsch has spun a usual tale in the sense of the "good" guys fighting the "bad" guys - again, this is with most PNR. We also have the pursuit of the HEA - what most of us look for in our romance stories after all. But what sets Stone Guardian as a stand out book in my opinion are three things:
1) We have a gargoyle as the main male protagonist. I have not come across a PNR that has a gargoyle in the lead male role before. In fact, werecreatures and vampires dominate this genre. So, this was very refreshing. I enjoyed the description of the gargoyle species and how they fit and meld into the world Monsch created.
2) And in my opinion, most importantly, we have the characters themselves that truly brought this story together. The primary, secondary, and even tertiary characters were fully, robustly flushed out. I have not come across a story from an indie author in a long while where every single character has a defined personality, specific traits, dedicated characteristics, and a clear purpose in a single, stand alone book. After about half way through the story, after you have picked up on the personality of each character, you truly feel connected to them - all of them, not just the main H and h. This brings great perspective and dimension to the story, one that I feel Ms. Monsch should be applauded for. After all, this is not an easy task. She provided a rich and balanced blend of dialogue and narrations. She handled each character as a necessity, not filler. She weaved the characters flawlessly into the world she created. Well done.
3) There was absolutely no repetition or "filler" in this book. Ms. Monsch played on the readers' ability to draw conclusions based on the information given - she counted on the audiences' intelligence to help move the story forward. I loved this. I get bored when some authors spell it all out for me, multiple times, or use internal musings of characters to beat a point to death. I liked that I was allowed to have my brain engaged in trying to figure out was going on in some places of this story, and then later, it was given to me, once. Now please do not mistake this comment to mean that the entire story was some mysterious enigma. No, no. What I mean by this comment is that information was provided and I was not treated like a middle/high school student in its explanations.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a refreshing take on the PNR genre. I do not think anyone who truly enjoys the intricacies of PNR would be disappointed in Stone Guradian.
SIDE NOTE: I noticed that some reviewers here referenced this book as Urban Fantasy (UF) and/or Sci-Fi Romance (SFR). I would make a strong argument that Stone Guardian is indeed Paranormal (PNR). It contains some UF characteristics, but it is heavy-handed on love and the Happily Ever After - the hallmark of PNR. And I saw absolutely no association to SFR other than the fact that the main story occurred 26 years in the future of the opening scene. As with UF and SFR, love and the happily ever after are usually secondary subplots and not guaranteed.
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