Goodreads blurb:

Survival on the prairies of 1850s Texas is full of hardship and tragedy. Felicia “Felix” Taylor would know. Raising her sisters, running the farm, and connecting with her neighboring friends keeps her grounded. But when the providential and the coincidental occur, how will she respond? Will she acknowledge that it may be the God she turned her back on? Will she let Him in? Or will she steel her heart against the faith that betrayed her?

My Thoughts: 4 Stars

Okay, where was this during my preteen/ teenage years?! For all you Christian Historical Fiction lovers out there, the Guardian is not something you want to miss. It's one of those books that doesn't have an intense plot but it's still every bit enjoyable. I'm so glad I read this while it's spring, ‘cause it is the perfect cosy-comfort read.

 After losing her parents to murder, Felix is left alone to take care of her two sisters Stacey and Millie, becoming the head or guardian. Understandably, she carries immense grief that later seeps into other facets of her life, including her faith. She no longer wanted to do anything with God, because, after all, He was the One who took her parents away from her. Stacey, Millie and Felix's best friend Jack try to make her understand that God's will for our lives need not be what we had in mind but she refuses to listen to their advice. Time and time again, she voices her rebellion but God plants a few things in her life to get her to see what He's trying to show her. Super relatable right? If that doesn't sum up my early twenties, I don't know what does! Far too often, we find ourselves questioning our purpose when we fail to see God's hand during that particular season in our lives. I love that the themes of redemption, grace, healing, trusting God and growing faith are prominent throughout the book.

You’ve completely shut out God because His will was different from ours. Yes, it hurts. But He is still God and He is still on the throne. We have to trust that what He did was for good. It’s hard to see it, but something good will come from it—it probably already has.

Witnessing Felix's change of heart was so special to me. It just goes to show that no one is “too far gone” and God can change the hardest of hearts. I can't help but appreciate the way the other characters didn't give up on her. Jack especially! Abbigail is a gifted writer and I can see her becoming a modern-day Louisa May Alcott, Lord willing! I particularly enjoyed the horse analogy that summed up the importance of trusting God, Abbigail's research and hard work are evident. 

Horses think they know better, but in some cases, they need humans to help them. When the horse is stuck, hurt, and in trouble, he needs to trust his master and rider to take care of him and guide him; to follow the rider’s lead even when he doesn’t understand what’s going on or what’s up ahead. He needs to have faith in his master to do what’s best for him, even if it’s uncomfortable or painful at the moment. Because once he’s through the obstacle, he comes out stronger in the end.

One critique, however: we know that the story is set in the 1800s but there is little to show for it. I do wish there were more historical elements included. The language used too, seemed fairly modern except for a few words here and there. But seeing as this is a debut, I'm hopeful that future books will only be better. 

Overall, I really liked The Guardian! It contains beautiful themes and lessons that are so special to us as Christians. Felix's journey is a stark reminder to let go and let God. I highly recommend picking The Guardian up if you're going through a trial! I guarantee it will leave you feeling changed. 

Age rating: 10+ 

The content is super clean, making it perfect for young readers! 

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.