The Glass Guardian by Linda Gillard

Ebook:  Kindle edition 439 KB

Genre:  Fiction, Romance, Paranormal

Publisher:  Amazon Media

Source: From the author in return for an unbiased review.

First Sentence: Love, loss and loneliness...Ruth Travers knows all about them.

My opinion: Once again Linda Gillard has surprised me.

With temps of up to 40C this summer I have enjoyed the excuse of the weather to spend time reading during the heat of the day. I have read some great novels this summer and with The Glass Guardian, once again Linda Gillard had me engrossed in her writing. In fact this time her writing, which I have always enjoyed finding all her previous novels to be five star reads, actually exceeded my expectations as I was unsure about the paranormal aspect. I need not have worried this is another five star read, an unconventional romance maybe but it still had me captivated.  

An imaginative storyline but surrounded by reality with similarities to Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, although I enjoyed The Glass Guardian more. It was possibly an unusual choice to read on a hot summer afternoon but on the other hand how cooling it was to be transported to the wintry scenes of Skye and the fantastic cover really worked well for me, making Tigh-na-Linne the house where the story unfolds come to life in my imagination. The paranormal genre is a new departure for the author although if you have read her earlier novels you will know it is a subject she has touched on before with characters that play ghost like roles. However her characters are portrayed they are always very believable and realistic with women that are normal as the heroines and some gorgeous sounding heroes, the ones in The Glass Guardian are no exception. Once again she has written an enthralling story about friendship, family, love and music recurring themes in her novels.

To say too much about the storyline here would be entirely wrong as the reader needs to discover how everything connects for themselves in this very sensitive and emotional love story.

The Author's Website Synopsis is just enough to tempt you to read without spoilers, so I am précising it here, with just a few added comments of my own. The protagonist of the story Ruth Travers has lost a lover, both parents and her job. When death strikes again she finds herself the owner of a beautiful but dilapidated home on the Isle of Skye, where she used to spend her summer holidays as a child. Ruth prepares to put the house on the market, but discovers that she is not the only one to consider in this sale, plus she begins to think she might be going mad as she suspects that she might be falling in love. Ruth's  research into her family history and in particular the musical career of her aunt are what in my opinion tie this novel's narrative together.

Once again Linda Gillard has surprised me with her talent for making each new novel different from the previous one, if you have not yet read any of her books I urge you to do so. In my opinion it is better although not necessary to read them in the order of publication as I feel by doing this I have appreciated her development as an author. I am already eagerly awaiting what ever novel she has planned for us next even if it is a paranormal one!

Author Profile

I have featured Linda Gillard on this blog more than once and reviewed her earlier novels, although the earlier ones just on Bookcrossing as it was before I started LindyLouMac's Book Reviews.  Please click on the title links below to read my earlier reviews. 

The information used today is courtesy of her Goodreads Author Profile

Linda Gillard graduated from Bristol University, and then trained as an actress at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Whilst under-employed at the National Theatre, Linda developed a sideline as a freelance journalist. She ran two careers concurrently for a while, then gave up acting to raise a family and write from home. 
Twelve years later, she re-trained as a primary teacher and taught in Norfolk for some years. She moved to the Isle of Skye where she lived for six years in a house on a hill overlooking the Cuillin mountain range, featured in her first novel. She now lives with her husband on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands. 

Emotional Geology, was short-listed for the 2006 Waverton Good Read Award.  
A Lifetime Burning, was published by Transita in 2006. 
Stargazing, set partly on Skye, for which film rights have been sold, was published by Piatkus in 2008. 
It was short-listed for Romantic Novel of the Year 2009 and the Robin Jenkins Literary Award, the UK's first environmental book award.
House of Silence, her 4th novel, was published as a Kindle e-book in April 2011 and sold 12,000 copies in just 5 months.
Untying the Knot, was published as a Kindle e-book in August 2011. 
The Glass Guardian,was published as a Kindle e-book  in June 2012.

The biographical information and photo used in this post are with thanks to the following websites, where you can also find more information about the author and her writing.

Goodreads Author Profile - Linda Gillard     Author's Official Website       Linda Gillard - Facebook Page

Linking to Literary Friday