This book has no business being 11 and a half hours long.
I'm just going to say it. I started Protector during what was supposed to be a single nap time reading session and ended up rationing it out over nearly two weeks. Two weeks! I normally demolish a paranormal romance in four days, max. But something about the pacing here made me feel like I was wading through honey. Pretty honey, sure. Honey with witches and kingdoms and broody supernatural types. But honey nonetheless.
The Setup That Hooked Me (Eventually)
Okay, so here's the premise: our girl is the last Full-blood Witch, secret royal heir, hiding from literally everyone who wants to use her or kill her. Classic. I'm a sucker for hidden identity tropes, and Serena Nova sets up a genuinely interesting world where witches have power but being the wrong kind of powerful means you're in danger. In a Dark, Dark Wood plays with similar themes of danger lurking beneath pretty surfaces, though in a completely different setting. The dual narrator setup with Kendall Taylor and Troy Duran gives you that he-said-she-said romance experience, which I usually love.
And when it hooks you? It really hooks you. There were moments—usually right when Sophie was waking up from her nap, because of course—where I was genuinely invested in what was happening. The romantic tension builds in that slow, agonizing way that makes you want to shake your phone and yell "JUST KISS ALREADY."
Two Narrators, One Quirk That Bugged Me
So here's where it gets complicated. Troy Duran does solid work with the male POV sections. Nothing groundbreaking, but he's got that low, slightly possessive tone that works for the protective love interest type. Kendall Taylor handles the female perspective and she's engaging—mostly.
But. And this is a real but. There's this thing she does with abbreviated words? Like, she'll say the full word instead of the contraction or shortened version, and it pulled me out of the story every single time. It's hard to explain without examples, but imagine someone saying "I am going to" when the character would clearly say "I'm gonna." It sounds formal in moments that should feel intimate or urgent. I found myself rewinding sometimes just to make sure I heard it right.
Not a dealbreaker. But definitely noticeable.
11 Hours Is a Lot to Ask When You're Listening in 20-Minute Chunks
Look, I listen to audiobooks in stolen moments. School drop-off. Nap time. Those precious 45 minutes in my car before I go inside and become Mom again. I need books that respect my time. Protector does not always respect my time.
There are stretches where the plot just... meanders. World-building that could've been tightened. Internal monologue that repeats the same fears we've already heard. I get it—she's scared, she's hiding, she's attracted to people she shouldn't be attracted to. But by hour 6, I needed something to HAPPEN.
When things do happen, they're good. The romance has heat (definitely mature content here, heads up). The supernatural politics are interesting enough. But getting to those moments sometimes felt like a slog. I had a similar experience with Paris Rose—gorgeous moments buried in pacing that didn't always work for my stolen-minutes listening style.
Who Should Hit Play (And Who Should Keep Scrolling)
If you're a patient reader who likes slow-burn paranormal romance with hidden royalty tropes, this is your jam. Long commutes or dedicated listening time where you can really sink in? You'll probably enjoy the world Serena Nova is building. It's clearly a series setup, and I can see how readers who stick with it might get really invested.
But if you're like me—grabbing 20 minutes here, 15 minutes there, constantly interrupted by someone needing a snack or help finding their shoes—the pacing might test you. Skip this one if you need tight plotting and fast momentum. I finished it, but I'm not rushing to grab book two.
My Nap-Time-Rationed Verdict
Here's my honest take: Protector is a perfectly decent paranormal romance that would've been great at 8 hours instead of 11. The premise is solid, the romance has moments of genuine heat, and when it works, it really works. But it asks for more of your time than it earns, and the narration quirks—while minor—add up over nearly 12 hours.
I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I finished it during a particularly long week of Sophie refusing to nap, which means I was desperate for distraction. It served that purpose. But "served its purpose during a difficult week" isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.
If you've got an Audible credit burning a hole in your account and you love this subgenre, maybe wait for a sale. If you've got a streaming subscription, this is a solid borrow. Just... pace yourself.
