Second chance romances are iffy for me anymore, but this one was really quite good. Both parties had moved on to be with other people. It was low angst. No OW or OM drama. A great cast of secondary characters. Two likable main characters. The mystery aspect was great as well and kept me guessing until the end. Last, it was wrapped up in an OK happy for now ending.

There is something very electrifying about Cynthia Eden's stories and "Guarding Gwen" is no exception as well. Her narration is so intense and her characters have a sizzle that seems to make every love story of hers an amazing piece of writing.

With a stalker shadowing her life, Gwen Solomon has no choice but reach out to the one guy who has her heart, Simon Forrester, former NAVY Seal and now with Wilde Securities. A blast from the past throws Simon into a whirlwind of danger and passion and he is not about to lose this second chance of keeping Gwen in his life forever.

Another worthy and passionate read from Cynthia Eden!!!

Received an ARC from Hocus Pocus Publishing LLC, via NetGalley

Book 2 of this series but is a stand a lone; second chance romantic suspense. Simon and Gwen where high school lovers but both went there own way and live lives separate from each others. Simon as a Seal -now Security expert with Wilde Securities and Gwen now a Hollywood Star. But Gwen has a stalker that her security cant catch and Simon is the expert she needs. He owes her and he’s ready to claim his girl and protect her in this exciting book. Another amazing book by Cynthia Eden . Looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Lisa

The love between Simon and Gwen was epic. This book pulled me in full throttle and didn't let up until the last word. I had a little bit of a book hangover by the time i was done it was that good.

Guarding Gwen is a second chance romance with a really intense alpha hero. Simon and Gwen fell in love when they were kids but Simon refused to hold Gwen back and let her go, thinking she was off to college while he joined the Navy.

I'm not the biggest fan of when a character lets another character go because they think they are better off without them. Simon does redeem himself when it didn't take him long to try to reclaim Gwen back. Unfortunately, she had already moved on. Or so he thought.

Jump forward a few more years and fate finally reconnects this couple. The past has come back to haunt Gwen and she knows there is only one man who can help her even though she is still hurt by him letting her go.

I'm pleased that while the couple was separated, the heroine was not left a virgin pining away for the hero. I always think it's unfair when the guy can move on to other women even when he's still in love with the heroine and the heroine undoubtably saves herself for the hero. Besides, he left her so he should have to suffer the consequences of that.

I like that Simon didn't pretend to be over Gwen when she shows back up in his life. He loves her just as intensely as he did when he walked away from her and he isn't afraid to show it. Simon is a very intense alpha who is forceful when it comes to Gwen. She is his and he will let everyone know it. He'll guard her with his life and make sure no one hurts one hair on her head.

I truly love Cynthia Eden's heroes. The fierce intensity that she can bring into their characters gets me every time! I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Gwen Solomon is the world's biggest movie star, and when she has a stalker who becomes increasingly threatening, she turns to the best security team in the business. Only, that mean seeing the boy who left her and broke her heart, Simon Forrest. Simon never forgot Gwen, or the instant regret he had at leaving her, and now that she needs help, he will be there for her. This is the second book in the series, and while it was well written, I didn't like it as well as the first. Personally, I don't like second chance stories--they usually don't have a very good reason why they split up or stayed apart--which is what I found with this story. The rest was really well written, the mystery was great, but I didn't care as much for the romance aspect. I would still recommend reading it though, because the author is great.

Simon and Gwen were young and in love. Living in a small town, they both wanted out. As much as Simon loved Gwen, he felt he had nothing to offer her. He wanted to be able to protect her, to provide for her, and be all she could ever want. So... he joined the Navy. What he couldn't understand was that all Gwen wanted was him. He leaves, both of their hearts were broken, and they never could let go. Fast forward some odd years and Gwen is in trouble. Now a famous Hollywood actress, she's got a stalker who's preying on her about her past. She turns to the one man she could always trust to take care of her... Simon. Will these two find their way back to each other for good while getting rid of the bad guy?

I adored Simon! He was unapologetic when it came to how he felt and what he wanted. He came off as rude and abrasive, yet this growling beast of a man was so tender with Gwen. And while I wasn't her biggest fan, I could appreciate the hurt Gwen lived with when Simon walked away. I don't like when characters play games, so she definitely lost some points with me. However, the way that Simon loved her, the ways in which he opened up his heart to her, and the unwasted opportunities he grabbed to show the depth of his feelings for her made this story a must-read for me. I'm a sucker for second chances and I believe that Simon more than deserved his.

I received an advanced reader copy to leave an honest review of this book. I am a big fan of Cynthia Eden's and have read most of her other series. She has an excellent writing style that keeps the reader engaged. I love both her paranormal romances and her thriller/suspense romance. This book falls more along the line of suspense but is intense with the relationship/bond of the main characters.

This book follows Simon, an ex navy seal who now works in private security, and Gwen, a famous actress who is being stalked. Gwen and Simon have an intense past; they had a serious relationship back in high school but Simon left to join the Navy and make something of himself. When he went back for Gwen, she was a famous actress and "out of his league". Fast forward years later and Gwen is being threatened with a ghost from the past; naturally she seeks out the best and the one person who she knows can protect her...Simon.

No one is more stunned than Simon when Gwen walks into his place of business. But when he learns about the threats to Gwen and the attempts made against her, he goes complete alpha. Throughout all of this, Gwen and Simon start to reconnect and work through the hurt of the past. As things begin to escalate with the stalker, they need to learn to trust each other. Can they overcome the past? And can they survive the threats?

An excellent book and easy read. Definitely would recommend.

This Romantic Suspense continues on from Protecting Piper, and this time the hero is former SEAL and CEO of Wilde Security Simon Forrest.

Simon was also Gwen’s first love.

Gwen is Hollywood’s favorite darling. At the moment she’s shooting the latest superhero movie, but something sinister is going on behind the scenes. She’s being blackmailed. Her desire to get out of her small town meant leaving behind some skeletons and her blackmailer seems to know all about them. She’s worried that the guy blackmailing her won’t leave her alone if she pays him. She goes to Wilde Security and both hopes Simon will take her case, but doesn’t know what she’ll do if he does. Maybe this is her chance to show him what he’s been missing? Maybe she’ll finally be able to close the door on the past?

Or maybe they’ll wind up burning hotter than ever before…

The scene where she sits down and tells Eric (of Protecting Piper) that she will have Simon and no one else is just the best. Eric is trying to explain to a Hollywood actress just why his CEO won’t become her personal bodyguard when Simon walks in and demands no one go near Gwen but him because he’s now her personal bodyguard was one of my favorites.

These two had off-the-charts chemistry, which is something I think Cynthia Eden always excels at. The story was fresh and kept me on my toes. And I really enjoyed the characters.

I reached out to her on Twitter to ask her if this would be a series, or not, and it is but it isn’t. Basically each book can stand alone. Even if you see previous characters in passing, you won’t feel lost or confused. I feel like Protecting Piper was one of my favorites of the year, so I highly recommend starting there, but you absolutely do not need to read in order.

I look forward to the next book Before Ben, out April 30, 2019.

This is the 2nd book in this series and I loved it. Ms. Eden is a go to author for me and she did it again. Just an awesome job! This is the 2nd book in this series and I loved it. Ms. Eden is a go to author for me and she did it again. Just an awesome job!
Gwen and Simon were in love with each other many years ago but he left her, thinking he didn't have anything to offer her and off to the military he went. Gwen becomes a famous actress. Years later, Gwen is in trouble and she goes to Simon for help. Simon is the only person she trusts and despite how much she still loves him, needs his help. Simon realizes seeing Gwen again he made a serious mistake when he left her. Now....the angst was just a bit too much, just admit you are STILL IN LOVE AND FORGIVE. Sometimes I just can't stand the back and forth, lol. It is very apparent they are still in love with each other. They were both virgins when they had sex and fell in love. Sometimes it's hard to forget your first, even if they hurt you. Filled with suspense, murder, hot alpha loving and sexy fun times, Simon and Gwen finally get their act together and a HEA. 4.5 stars****
Gwen and Simon were in love with each other many years ago but he left her, thinking he didn't have anything to offer her and off to the military he went. Gwen becomes a famous actress. Years later, Gwen is in trouble and she goes to Simon for help. Simon is the only person she trusts and despite how much she still loves him, needs his help. Simon realizes seeing Gwen again he made a serious mistake when he left her. Now....the angst was just a bit too much, just admit you are STILL IN LOVE AND FORGIVE. Sometimes I just can't stand the back and forth, lol. It is very apparent they are still in love with each other. They were both virgins when they had sex and fell in love. Sometimes it's hard to forget your first, even if they hurt you. Filled with suspense, murder, hot alpha loving and sexy fun times, Simon and Gwen finally get their act together and a HEA. 4.5 stars****

P.S. I have to say I cannot wait for Ben's book. I totally adore that dude!!!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

I always enjoy Cynthia Eden’s intriguing stories. She knows how to write suspense with romance and I especially love her alpha heroes. Guarding Gwen is a fast paced, second chance romance filled with passion and heart pounding action.

Simon and Gwen were in love in high school but Simon knew he had nothing to offer Gwen and he left her to join the navy and became a Navy Seal. Simon and Gwen meet again years later when Simon is working for Wilde Security. Over the years, Gwen has become a rich and famous actress but now she has a stalker who is terrorizing her. Gwen goes to Wilde Securities to seek Simon’s help because she knows she can trust him.

Simon is a big, tough, protective guy and he will do anything for Gwen. His feelings for Gwen have never changed. He cares about Gwen and he is willing to protect her with his life. Simon doesn’t realize that underneath all the glamour, Gwen is still the same small town girl. She still cares about Simon but worries his feelings have changed. They have scorching heat simmering between them but are afraid of getting hurt again.

Passion. Tension. Crazy stalkers. Childhood sweethearts. A great plot and exciting conflict and a plot twist. Who really is the stalker and what is the real motive? Can they pretend the past didn’t happen and keep things professional?  Absolutely not. Second chances don’t come around that often and Simon walked away from the love of his life thinking he had nothing to offer her, but when she walks back into his life and is in danger, he won’t stop until she is safe and his once again. I loved it. It was fast paced, steamy, explosive and had great characters and a great development of the relationship between the two. I loved it. So good. Excited to see what else is in store for this series; books 1 and 2 ended up being majorly explosive and I hope book three with Ben turns out to be just as great.

Such a great read. I love a book that keeps you in suspense all the way to the end. I am normally good at figuring out who did it quickly, but I did not see this one coming! I don’t normally enjoy second chance books, but I couldn’t put this one down. This book has everything I look for; great characters, great plot and great steamy/suspenseful scenes.

The spotlights are shining brightly on this thrilling second chance romance as Simon and Gwen struggle with their past while trying to unmask Gwen’s stalker. The hero and the heroine of this story are strong, vibrant and easily steal the show as readers become enthralled by their rocky relationship that burns hot enough to singe readers. Simon and Gwen have an undeniable chemistry but due to some past events this romance is in no way a sure thing which keeps emotions high throughout and readers experience the whole gauntlet from heated passion, to hurt filled rage to tentative hope and of course they also experience the terror of not knowing who to trust.

This fast paced plot keeps readers on the edge with some hair raising suspense and adrenaline pumping action. The suspense builds throughout the story as the stalker grows more bold and unstable and surprising twists ensure that have no clue who the culprit is until the very end. The story is also packed full of entertaining events that stem from Gwen and Simon’s relationship and a couple of explosions, betrayals, secrets and revelations ramp up the excitement even more throughout this page turning romantic suspense.

A solidly written second-chance at love romance. I really enjoyed reading Simon and Gwen's story. Ms. Eden never fails to delight. Mix in some suspense and it's a winner. HEA

This is the next installment of the Wilde Security series. And it is as heart wrenching and suspenseful as the first one. We met Simon in Protecting Piper as one of the bodyguards and it was great to get his story. His past is not something he wants to share but the one girl who is his past has suddenly become his present and more importantly, his future. But they have to find out who is trying to stop her and no one is going to hurt Gwen again.

You don’t have to have read the earlier book but this looks to be an exciting and addicting series so I would encourage you to follow each story.

Guarding Gwen by Cynthia Eden follows Protecting Piper where we met Simon Forrest, VP of Wilde Securities. Simon entered the SEALS at age nineteen, leaving behind the love of his life, Gwen. So when Gwenevere Solomon enters Wilde Securities asking for him, he's shocked that she's there asking for protection against a stalker. While he can see the fear in her eyes, he can also tell that she's hiding something, but he's determined to help her and give his personal attention to the job.

“Who are you?”
“I’m the guy that you come to when you need shit taken care of. You want a body hidden? I’ll bury it. You want me to take down the bastard hurting you? I’ll destroy him. Ride or fucking die, that’s what I am to you. I will never choose anyone over you. And I won’t make the same mistakes again this time. You can count on it.”

Gwen was burned badly when Simon left. His leaving left her broken but as time passed, she dusted herself off and became Gwenevere Solomon, Hollywood It-Girl and everyone wants her. Including the stalker that has become increasingly more terrifying as his threats become personal and the only thing she can think of doing is contacting a ghost from her past to protect her.

"Believe this… you will come first for me.”
“Because I’m your client?”
“No, because you’re everything. And one day, you’ll realize you always were.”

Simon left, believing that he wasn't good enough and had nothing to offer Gwen, quickly realizing that he had made a huge mistake but what's done is done and he can't rewind the past. Now he has a chance to make it up to her, and remind her that what they had is still just as strong.

”That’s the thing about you. Always wanting to be the hero. The protector. No one in my life wanted to protect me, not until you. And you’re still doing it, aren’t you? The first time I have trouble, I came running to you.”

A second chance romance with lots of suspense that will keep you guessing, I didn't put this one down until I turned to the last page. Cynthia Eden is always an automatic one-click author for me and I always look forward to reading everything she writes. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I received and ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Simon and Gwen's book was amazing. This book was face paced, romantic, steamy and tons of drama. Also this is a second chance love story and those are my favorite.

Holden was an extreme alpha who never stopped loving Gwen. She became famous and thought she was out of his reach. Gwen never stopped loving Holden either. When danger lurks he is there to save her and help figure out what is going on.

This book was really good. It sucks you in from the beginning.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Hocus Pocus Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series but reads well as a stand alone. I enjoyed this book. It had romance,and suspense. I was surprised at the bad guy! Always makes it more fun. Gwen was interesting as she's an actress. So what's real and what's acting? Simon was the typical over the top alpha! 2nd chance romance. I rate this 4 stars! I think most romantic suspense readers will enjoy!

GUARDING GWEN is the follow-up to PROTECTING PIPER. This is a perfect story for romance fans who love a "second chance romance" storyline with a little danger thrown in. When movie star Gwen Solomon is threatened with extortion and more by a stalker, she turns to her ex for security. Simon Forrest wounded Gwen deeply when he left her to join the military. Now, as the Vice President of Wilde Securities, Simon has the perfect opportunity to atone for the past and win back the woman he has always loved. Although characters from the previous book show up in this story, GUARDING GWEN works as a standalone romance.

Cynthia Eden is a master of suspense and this particular story puts an unusual spin on the "stalker" trope. When the stalker demands money from Gwen in addition to wanting her, threatening to reveal her secret, something doesn't quite add up. Some of Simon's colleagues express doubts about Gwen and her story, but he trusts her implicitly since he's known and loved her since they were teenagers. It's nice that even though their feelings for each other are a teeny bit conflicted at times, Gwen and Simon never distrust each other. Gwen just has trouble getting past how Simon left her so suddenly, right before she got into one of the most terrifying situations of her life. Although snarky for about a minute when they first reunite, Simon proves himself and his love for Gwen as the story progresses. Trying to figure out what the stalker's motivation is and what he wants proves to be equally as elusive as figuring out his identity.

GUARDING GWEN is as sexy and entertaining as it is packed full of surprises. Cynthia Eden does a fantastic job of telling a story about two lovers reconnecting after a long separation and learning to trust each other again in a short span of time. I look forward to reading Cynthia Eden's next adrenaline-fueled romance.