You can't judge a book by it's cover...

11 Jun 2011

The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks Julie Barenson’s young husband left her two years 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 than she’s had in years. Instead, Julie is soon fighting for her life in a nightmare spawned by a chilling deception and a jealousy so poisonous that it has become a murderous desire… “One night, she dreamed of both Jim and Singer. They were walking together in an open field, their backs to her, as she was running and trying to catch them. In her dream, she called to them both, they stopped and turned around. Jim smiled; Singer barked. She wanted to go to them, but she couldn’t seem to move. They stared at her with the same tilt of their heads, the same looks in their eyes, the same glow behind them. Jim put his hand on Singer’s back, and Singer barked again happily, as if letting her know this was the way it was meant to be. Instead of coming toward her, they turned again and she watched them go, the outlines of their images fading slowly into one. When she woke, she picked up her bedside picture of Singer, missing him. Her heart still ached when she looked at it, though it no longer made her cry. In the back of the frame, she’d tucked the letter that Jim had written, and now she slipped it out. As the morning sun warmed the windows, she read it again, her eyes slowing as she reached the final paragraph. And don’t worry. From wherever I am, I’ll watch out for you. I’ll be your guardian angel, sweetheart. You can count on me to keep you safe. Julie looked up, her eyes moist. Yes, she thought, you did.

The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks

Julie Barenson’s young husband left her two years 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 than she’s had in years. Instead, Julie is soon fighting for her life in a nightmare spawned by a chilling deception and a jealousy so poisonous that it has become a murderous desire…

“One night, she dreamed of both Jim and Singer. They were walking together in an open field, their backs to her, as she was running and trying to catch them. In her dream, she called to them both, they stopped and turned around. Jim smiled; Singer barked. She wanted to go to them, but she couldn’t seem to move. They stared at her with the same tilt of their heads, the same looks in their eyes, the same glow behind them. Jim put his hand on Singer’s back, and Singer barked again happily, as if letting her know this was the way it was meant to be. Instead of coming toward her, they turned again and she watched them go, the outlines of their images fading slowly into one.

When she woke, she picked up her bedside picture of Singer, missing him. Her heart still ached when she looked at it, though it no longer made her cry. In the back of the frame, she’d tucked the letter that Jim had written, and now she slipped it out.

As the morning sun warmed the windows, she read it again, her eyes slowing as she reached the final paragraph.

And don’t worry. From wherever I am, I’ll watch out for you. I’ll be your guardian angel, sweetheart. You can count on me to keep you safe.

Julie looked up, her eyes moist.

Yes, she thought, you did.