Guardian Angel by Ruchi Singh: A Review

BOOK TITLE: Guardian Angel

AUTHOR: Ruchi Singh

ISBN/ASIN: B07MDHHP27

GENRE: Thriller / Romance

NUMBER OF PAGES: 168

FORMAT: Digital / Kindle

SERIES / STANDALONE: Undercover Series #2

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank the author for a review copy, and DDS Reviews for this chance to review the book.

SUMMARY:

The Man

Security expert Nikhil Mahajan is in mortal danger. Gravely injured and unable to see, he is in the midst of hostile strangers in an unknown place. Any hope of survival is fast fading away.

The Angel

Should an innocent man be left to die just because he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Someone has to intervene.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I have already had the chance to read Bodyguard, the first book in the series, and loved the descriptive narrative and strong characters. I remember reading the book at a stretch, owing to the captivating narrative that never let me pause or go to some other book. Having also read a few other works of Ruchi Singh before, (including a full length novel and a short story) I was very clearly aware of what to expect in this book.

In particular, the summary inrigued me because it focused on someone who was (spoiler alert) supposed to be dead in book 1. And since he was a favourite character of mine, I could not miss this opportunity to read Guardian Angels. The summary works because it says so much in so few words. For people who have read the first book, these few words are enough to make them want to sit up and take notice. The book cover did not reveal much and just gave a visual to imagine what the characters would look like.

REVIEW:

We have all read books that are part of a series, and we have all picked our favourites that are not exactly the lead characters. But have you ever read a book in which you thoroughly loved a character who is not the lead but is equally important, and wished there was more written about him? This was something similar to what I felt with the first book in this series, 'Bodyguard', where I loved the character Nikhil Mahajan - one of the bodyguards of the lead character, Vikram Seth. He was written in such a way that he immediately captured my mind, and become a character who impressed me in the way he was written.

So it was with great interest that I began to read this book, which promised to be one focusing on this character. And I shall begin the review by saying that this book does not disappoint. It is entirely focusing on the dashing Nikhil Mahajan who was thought to be dead but is being nursed back to health by a woman who is apparently a part of the gang of the people who had kidnapped him. Physically weak, Nikhil continues trying to find out more about his predicament from the lovely yet mysterious Ayesha, who is reticent to tell him anything. She is his Guardian Angel, but he wants to know more about why he is where he is.

Ayesha has more to her than what meets the eye and her motives are as much a matter of doubt as her original identity. The suspense is what keeps the reader turning the pages, and there is a lot to read and follow in the story. The plot is taut, and does not lag in any place. It keeps the interest alive by being an absolute page turner. The thrill of capture and that of escape, not to mention the chase between what to believe and whom to trust, keep the book a thoroughly engaging read. For fans of the previous book, Bodyguard, this book is like returning to the lives of one particular character with a microscope, analysing his life. For people who are reading this book first, it works as a standalone and has basic character background information. But it also is written in such a way that the reader would want to go to book 1 and read more, only to understand why Nikhil Mahajan deserves his own book.

I personally loved two major things in this book - the pace that never slackened, and the narrative that was clean and devoid of drama. As usual, the high of the thrill ends a few pages before the End Card but this also leaves some pages for a neat wrap up of loose ends that the reader really craves. A high octane thriller also needs closure to help satiate the reader's curiosity or risk ending in a cliffhanger that does not tell more about what comes next. In that regard, Guardian Angels has an interesting narrative and a nice wrap-up.

Overall an interesting read, a book full of twists and turns that keeps the adrenaline rushing but also does not compromise on the other elements that keep it wholesome. 

VERDICT:

A must read for fans of Bodyguard (the previous book in the series) and even works as a standalone.

RATING: 4/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Winner of TOI WriteIndia Season 1, Ruchi Singh is a novelist, and writes in two genres; romance and romantic thriller. A voracious reader, she loves everything—from classics to memoirs to editorials to chick-lit, but her favourite genre is ‘romantic thriller’. Besides writing and reading, her other interests include dabbling with Indian classical dance forms.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle

PRICE Rs. 99 for Kindle, Free on Kindle Unlimited

BOOK LINKS: Amazon