Jana Petken

I picked up this book expecting a fantastic story, and I was not disappointed. The story is so rich in detail and imaginary, I felt as though I was experiencing everything the characters were. The most vivid part was in the trenches, amid the muck and blood, with rotten bodies sticking up through the mire. And when Kevin was reading his letters, I kept praying, please don’t let him get shot. Of course, I’m not going to tell you what happened.

There are a lot of historical events in this show more story, and they appear to be well researched. I never thought about the fact the women’s suffrage movement started due to WWI. But it makes sense. After earning money for themselves, and making their own decisions how could woman handle being relegated back into their homes, with no say so, and under their husband’s thumbs again? Once a mind-set as changed, it cannot be undone.

On those lines, that is why Jenny is my favorite character in this story, so far. Kevin and Danny come in tied for second. Jenny goes through the most adversity and learns to grow, instead of succumbing to them.

The beginning of the book wasn’t very fast-paced, but it built and built, until I kept checking to see how far I was into the book, as I didn’t want the story to end. But end it must, and now I have to buy the next book, when available. I hope Patrick has more interaction in the next installment, as I really want to see where his life will lead. And then there’s Danny and the Irish Republican Party. How far will he go to chase England out of Ireland?

I really wantedo give this book 5 feathers, but there are just too many proofreading errors, missing words, and duplicate sentences that distracted me from the story. Also, the writing could’ve been a bit tighter as it’s full of filler words like ‘that’ and ‘had’.

This is a book I highly recommend for readers who love WWI historical novels and love –struck romance. I give it 4 feathers. show less

If I could give this emotionally charged, extraordinarily well-written book ten stars, I would. Although The Guardian of Secrets is over six hundred pages, I devoured it in just a few sittings. This book captured my interest from the very first page. I couldn't even stop reading The Guardian of Secrets while attending an outdoor play. "Seriously?" I heard my husband say while he glanced at my iPhone. The book is unputdownable. You’re going to love it.

The story begins in Kent, England with show more Celia Merrill Dobbs, a beautiful married woman who is depressed and alone on her family’s farm. Her loneliness though turns into terror when her husband, Joseph Dobbs begins to show his true colors. Celia flees to Spain with her newborn son. Her husband is a sociopath, vile and evil to the core. You’re going to detest him, but you’ll love Celia.

While in Spain, Ernesto Martinez takes Celia under his wing. Celia falls deeply in love with Ernesto and is ecstatically happy until the Spanish Civil War breaks out.

Jan Petken’s writing is so realistic and painted with so many authentic details that I felt as if I was in the war, fleeing bullets, caring for the wounded and crying over the dead. This compelling book alternates between England and Spain with many intricately woven subplots that add depth and intrigue.

It’s a story about the power of love, the agony of betrayal, and the tragedies of war. I will not give any more details away. I will only say that The Guardian of Secrets will send you on an emotional roller coaster. Get ready to read a quality book with well-drawn characters, meticulously written plots, and prose that just flows until you no longer read the words, but live them. This is the first book I have read by this talented writer, but it will not be my last.

~5 out of 5 stars~ Review by Peg Glover show less

This was by far one of the best books I have read in a long time. Jana Petken's saga begins in England in 1912. We are introduced to Celia Merrill, daughter of landed gentry who has married Joseph Dobbs, one of the vilest villains to ever grace the printed page. The horrors of this marriage are myriad and painfully depicted in Petken's prose. I'll say no more at this point and let the reader discover as I did. Soon, the story takes us from England to Spain and. eventually, through that show more country's bloody civil war.

Throughout, Ms. Petken engages the reader with her well-drawn characters, who are rich and complex, and her penetrating narrative. This is a beautifully crafted story that will keep the reader enthralled and may actually teach him/her something about history during the ride. I enthusiastically endorse this novel - you will not be disappointed! show less

Not my cup of tea!

It was very hard for me to like this book. And yet the idea of writing a WWII story from a German point of view is worthwhile. Faced with the pressures put on families the decisions various members of the family made ring true.
Though the Vogels are hardly your typical German family, the everyday person caught up in the storm of Hitler and the SS. The children of this family are privileged, half English and well educated. Privileges that make it possible for some of them to show more chart a course that others in the family and the society could not. English enough to confront and acknowledge what they see happening, that Hitler is not the savior of the German people and that something shocking is happening. Although it seems Wilfred and Dieter have some way to go.
One can't help but admire the research behind Petkin's novel.
A novel you either are drawn to or not.

A NetGalley ARC show less