First Watch (The Guardians Book 1) by Declan Rhodes

A famous boyband, an idol that needs protection, and the bodyguard that instantly becomes more invested than he should. Griffin and Rune are under the gun to find the person sabotaging the tour as things escalate in and out of bed.


From the blurb:

The job is high-profile.
The danger is real.
The attachment is the one thing neither of them can afford.

Griffin Hale is elite close protection—trained to read danger before it explodes and stop threats before they reach his principal. One catastrophic failure cost him his career, his confidence, and his place in the industry. When he’s offered a high-visibility assignment protecting Rune, the lead vocalist of one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world, Griffin takes it knowing the margin for error is razor-thin.

Rune lives under constant surveillance. Every movement scheduled. Every interaction managed. Fame has taught him how to disappear in plain sight—and how dangerous it is to want anything unscripted. Griffin is supposed to be another professional barrier between Rune and the world.

Instead, protection becomes physical from the start. Redirecting through crowds. Shared rooms. Hands at Rune’s back when things turn wrong. Trust forms fast under pressure, and the attraction that follows is impossible to separate from the job.

Then the danger turns real. A lighting failure leaves people seriously injured. An encounter among a crowd of ardent fans nearly turns deadly. Someone is testing access, timing, and control—and Griffin is certain this isn’t coincidence.

As the tour escalates toward Seattle, Griffin believes the threat is violent—and he may be right. The deeper he digs, the clearer it becomes that the greatest danger may be coming from inside the system meant to keep Rune safe.

Protecting Rune means confronting the failure that destroyed Griffin’s career.
Loving him means refusing to let him be managed into silence.

First Watch is a suspense-filled bodyguard romance. It’s the first book in The Guardians, a series about elite protection, public lives under siege, and the cost of choosing each other when the whole world is watching.


SNik's review:

First in series (The Guardians). Bodyguard. POC representation. Instalove. Slow burn. Dual POV.

 Assigned to protect one of the members of a famous kpop boyband, Griffin is trying to maintain his reputation after a problematic detail months ago. Rune is highly aware of Griffin immediately and knows that any connection could ruin his band’s fame. 

This story was interesting but very security detailed and focussed on the stalker/danger side of the story and less on the romance. The writing was good, and the connection between Griffin and Rune was instant - feeling almost fated to be they meshed so well. I appreciated that Rune’s fellow band members were supportive, and the security discussion at times seemed pretty realistic. There were some flaws, and I would have liked more background on Griffin and Rune and development of their relationship, but overall it was an interesting read.


First Watch is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription