“Everyone comes with faults and weaknesses. Love isn’t blind to those things; love persists nonetheless. You choose to love regardless of the weaknesses. You choose to love because you’re better together.”
Now, I don’t know what I was expecting from a cozy, feel-good fantasy book pitched as “Virgin River meets The Hobbit”, but safe to say that Z.S. Diamanti absolutely knocked it out of the park (or should I say garden?) with Guard in the Garden. This is more than just a feel-good cozy fantasy; it’s a soul-stirring tale of trauma, grief, healing, self-discovery, love and found family that will make you cry tears from both sorrow and joy.
What do you do when your entire life comes crumbling down in one single moment? That’s the question elite dwarven warrior Felton Holdum is brutally faced with when his leg gets injured in battle, forcing him to retreat and recover at his quirky aunts’ home in the quiet Garome District. He is dead set on getting back in the air on a new Garhawk to defend his country as soon as possible, but try as he might, he can’t deny and resist the charm of the quaint town and its lovely inhabitants. And when his heart gets captured by an alluring sunshine woman, he starts to wonder if there might be more to life than war after all.
If all that didn’t give it away, you don’t have to come looking for epic bloody action in Guard of the Garden, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t battles to be fought. The inner turmoil, the grief over losing your past self, the trauma flashbacks, the all-consuming loneliness, the scary feeling that you have lost your entire identity in purpose in life; it is all explored so beautifully and organically through Felton’s authentic emotional journey. Even without reading the touching author’s note (which I highly recommend you do afterwards btw), it’s clear from the very first page that this story is extremely personal to Diamanti, and I guarantee that you don’t have to be an ex-veteran for this tale to hit and resonate on a deep emotional level.
But as heavy and weighty as that all sounds, Guard in the Garden never felt like an emotionally draining read to me. Especially from part 2 (titled Fall) onwards, there’s so much heart, hope, and wonder infused into this narrative, and with every new chapter I found myself smiling and swooning more and more. From all the lush nature descriptions, to all the mouthwatering baked goodies (we’ve got a pie contest!), to the forging of new friendships, and of course to all the adorable romantic shenanigans between Felton and Tilli; who knew this grumpy dwarf could be such a suave prince charming?! Seeing how they connect on a soul-deep level and help each other heal was just entirely too wholesome, and then add to that the sweet dynamic between him and Tilli’s bubbly daughter Lili… no notes, just perfection!
To me, Guard in the Garden almost feels like Legends and Lattes as if written by Robin Hobb, and somehow it just absolutely works. This is simply everything a cozy fantasy is supposed to be, and I would highly recommend it if you want to escape into a breathtakingly epic classic fantasy world to go an intimate, quiet adventure that will soothe your soul and warm your heart. Just make sure you bring some snacks and some tissues, you are going to need them.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Guard in the Garden is scheduled for release on March 4th, 2025.
