Published in 2005, The Guardian is one of the few books that I've read by beloved romance author Nicholas Sparks. My first "summer read", I wanted something to listen to while walking/running with Pippin, something that would motivate me to work out and make my "sweat time" more enjoyable; The Guardian rose to the occasion. I highly recommend The Guardian to any woman with a bit of free time on her hands who wants some light reading. Definitely an enjoyable read, The Guardian had me captivated by the first chapter. The characters, while cliche, are interesting and vividly described. The villain's character is painstakingly intricate and elaborate. The main character, Julie, is probably the biggest down fall to the story. Julie's character plays the victimized woman extremely well, sickening well. But always a hopeless romantic, it wasn't enough to make me stop reading. Singer, Julie's Great Dane, plays a vital role in the book. While Singer's actions only added to the cliche that is The Guardian, I found myself waiting to find out what Singer was doing and what his reactions were. The side kick characters including Andrea, Mable, Emma, and Henry were delightfully humorous and interesting. They each have their own back story, while small — they are still just as intricate as the main characters. Overall, The Guardian is a great light read that a person won't be able to put down.