Kelly Bancroft is a twenty-five-year-old physical education teacher in Piedmont High School in Phoenix. On the weekends she coaches the girl’s track and field team for the local community. She goes to the sentry camp of Star Mother to try and convince her eighteen-year-old brother, Jake, to leave the religious cult. Sam Reed, known as the Arrow, is there on request of her father, to rescue her and her brother from the camp. Sam knows all to well, how deadly the Star Mother cult is and not to mention the ruthless games they play upon their victims. Kelly refuses to leave until Jake returns from his recruiting mission. Sam believes that is just a ploy to keep Kelly there. She still refuses to leave without Jake which prompts Jake to use desperate measures to take her from the camp. Star Mother is someone no one wishes to tangle with, and Sam has his own revenge to enact on her. Star Mother believes Jake and Kelly are reincarnations of starship crewmembers from two thousand years ago, and it is Kelly‘s destiny to stay with the cult. Upon hearing that The Arrow has infiltrated their camp and taken off with Kelly, Star Mother sets out to show Sam, the Arrow, who will win this quest. She and Sam have bad blood between them that goes back in years, and now it is time to bring him down for good.

Desert Guardian is a fast-paced story that kept me glued from the first page. Wow, what a ride! I loved this book so much. The dialogue is excellent, the banter between Kelly and Sam top-notch, and the roles they play are absolutely outstanding. I love the visualization of the whole setting and all the characters that come into play, along with Star Mother and her crew, all the way down to the bony fingers. When Sam and Kelly were out in the empty desert taking the wrong turn, I loved how he had to stay focused, especially after sharing darting words with Kelly. Karen Duvall crafts a great plot, awesome characters and a story that grabs, while leaving the reader with a good deal of thought. She creates tension with Kelly and Sam, making the story even more enjoyable. This is one compelling read that leaves a lasting impression!

Reviewed by: Linda L.