A novel that daringly explores a darker realm of the heart in an explosive and emotional tale of betrayal and obsession....

THE GUARDIAN

Julie Barenson's young husband left her two unexpected gifts before he died -- a puppy named Singer and the promise that he would always be watching over her. Now, four years later, twenty-nine-year-old Julie is far too young to have given up on love. She may be ready to risk caring for someone again. But who?

Should it be Richard Franklin, the sophisticated, handsome engineer who treats her like a queen? Or Mike Harris, the down-to-earth nice guy who was her husband's best friend? Choosing one of them should bring her more happiness that she's had in years. Instead, Julie is soon fighting for her life in a nightmare spawned by a chilling deception and jealousy so poisonous that it has become a murderous desire....

THE GUARDIAN contains all the qualities readers expect from Nicholas Sparks: a plot filled with emotion, scenes that touch our hearts, and characters who become part of our lives. But here he adds a new electrifying intensity -- and page after page of riveting suspense.

This book will become a bookray. If you would like to participate, please PM me with your location and shipping preferences (whether or not you are willing to ship internationally). Please check back often as the shipping order may change as more people respond with their preferences. The name highlighted in green has possession of the book.

1. sharalsbooks - Arizona
2. Cyber-librarian – IL
3. Sdkelley – MO
4. Jarrett622 – VA
5. Krissa – Canada
6. dawnmomoffour - Canada asked to be skipped
7. Thelydia – FL
8. Sissyrun – CA
9. Moraelyn - CA no response to PM's; skipped
Bookray has gotten lost somewhere between CA and IL
10. Shall1252 – IL – enroute to

Bookray Rules

1. Reading has to be relaxing, I find. So I'm not going to set a rule that you have to finish the book within one month or within three weeks. But, of course it's not preferable that the book will stall somewhere. Please keep in mind others are waiting to read the book so keeping it for two months is not appropriate either. If you don’t think you will be able to read the book in a timely manner, please let me know. I can move you further down the list, if necessary.

2. When the book arrives, please let us know that you received it, by making a journal entry.

3. Start reading :-) When you're more than halfway through the book, PM the next person for their address.

4. When you've finished the book, make another journal entry with your thoughts.

5. Release the book to the next person on the list.

6. The last person on the list may release the book in the manner of their choosing!

7. Have Fun & Happy Reading!

Released on Friday, April 30, 2004 at BOOKRAY in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.

Book is enroute to Cyber-Librarian.

I received this in the mail today from sharalsbooks in AZ ... as part of the bookray. I have been swamped with quite a few in my possession this past month ... and I'm reading them and passing them on as quickly as I can. You can check for updates on my profile. Thank you for your patience.

c. 2003 -- 494 pages -- Paperback -- NY Times Bestseller -- 8 weeks on the USA Today top 10 Bestseller list:
#2 (4/13/03)
#4 (4/20/03)
#5 (4/27/03, 2/29/04 + 3/7/04)
#6 (3/14)
#7 (3/21)
#9 (3/28)
A young widow feels she is too young to have given up on love

UPDATE: Started Reading (7/30/04).

I finished reading this today. I really enjoyed the romance love story combined with suspence thriller of a stalker.

RELEASE NOTES:

I'm mailing this to sdkelley in MO ... as part of the bookray.
Delivery Confirmation reports this was delivered on 9/9/04.

I got this in the mail on the ninth and plan on starting it as soon as I finish my current read. It looks like a really good one!

This was a fantastic book, it drew me in right from the start. I will be passing it on to the next person in the ray shortly.

I'm mailing this to the next person in the ray tomorrow.

This was at the PO this morning. I'll be starting this book in just a few minutes.

Oct 7. Finished this a couple of hours ago. This book was a bit hard to get in to. Slow to draw me in. But when I hit the halfway mark I couldn't put it down.

Mailing tomorrow morning to Krissa in Canada.

pretty good read. not what i expect from nicholas sparks, but good none the less. sending on to dawnmomoffour as soon as i get an address :D

*dawnmomoffour has aswked tobe skipped so I am sending it to Thelydia as soon as I get the address*

Caught this today in the mail as part of this Bookray.....thanks SO much!
Will read and pass along this week.

Released on Friday, December 03, 2004 at about 6:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at NS Mayport Post Office in Mayport, Florida USA.

RELEASE NOTES:

On it's way to Sissyrun as part of a bookray. Enjoy!

Received this yesterday and started reading it. Will add more when I finish the book.

This book was quite different from other Nicholas Sparks books that I've read. Richard is such a bad guy and I think we all know an Andrea. I love that the dog is a Great Dane. I know only one person that has owned one (or is that "owned by one"). Once the "thriller" story took off, it was hard to put down and I finished this book late at night in bed. Ohhhh, and I loved the ending. We should all be so lucky.

I PM'd moraelyn on 12/14 for her address.....waiting. After 2 attempts I've moved on to shall1252

Released on Friday, December 24, 2004 at about 11:00:00 AM at N/A in Mailed via media mailes.

RELEASE NOTES:

Finally mailed off to the next in line....shall1252. Happy trails and Merry Christmas.

It appears this bookray has died. I have sent a couple of PMs to the next person with no reply so I am unable to determine if the book was ever received. I don't know when the bookray will resume its journey...

I have acquired another copy of this book so I will be reviving the bookray. You can see the new copies travels at:

www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3686870