If you were just as impressed as I was with Nalini Singh's world building in her Guild Hunter Series, you will be even more fascinated by her Psy-Changling Trinity. I love how she is able to integrate so many races (changling, Psy and, humans) with ease and effortlessness.

The romance between Canto and Payal is one of those of a star-crossed lover variety. Their first interaction as children is so profound it is no wonder both gravitated towards each other as adults no matter how many years have passed. These characters are powerhouses on their own accord but when they are together - they are a force of nature.

I loved seeing how their partnership affects their world and the PsyNet as a whole. Again, seeing how the characters in previous books interact and the new characters is magnificent.

This series is truly a work of art. A story within a story.

I always look forward to reading Nalini Singh's books and this one was no exception. Last Guard was a great story. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.

It took me a while to get into this story, partly because it’s been too long since I read the previous book. But also any time all the action and conflict in a story takes place inside someone’s head, or on a metaphysical plane, it seems to drag for me. Because so much of this story happens inside the PsyNet, it just wasn’t my favorite. It seems to be setting up the next conflict to take place there too so I’m going to take a little break before continuing the series.

Last Guard is the story of 2 Psy characters who knew each other as children before being separated and then being brought up very differently by their respective families. Payal Rao works under a ruthless psychotic father and is the current CEO of the family firm, always on guard, never knowing who will be coming for her next, including her family members. In contrast, Canto Mercant belongs to the Mercant clan for whom family comes first. But at one time he was in a rehabilitation center for Psy children, which is where he met Payal. Now, Payal and Canto have a unique bond, not just because of their experience as children but also because they are Anchors in the Psy Net, critical infrastructure required to keep the Psy Net alive and functioning. And with enemies all around them their function has never been so important. As with all the Psy stories, the worldbuilding is stellar and constantly expanding, encompassing new characters, designations, and couples. I loved seeing Payal and Canto find a way to have a relationship in their chaotic world. The story has lots of twists and turns and emotional upheaval as it works its way to a happy ending for the couple, all while the worldbuilding continues to show upheaval and disaster just one step away from happening. It definitely keeps the reader wanting more!

Nalini Singh is just a master at world building. She's also one of the best at juggling multiple character pairings at once and making me equally invested in them all.

Four strong stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

I was not sure how interested I would be in this one based on the characters featured but it was so good! Plus any one of her books that feature the bears is always a good time.

Last Guard (Psy/Changeling Trinity #5) by Nalini Singh follows Payal and Canto, two Psy with a heavy burden to bear.

The PsyNet is failing, and without the biofeedback it provides the entire Psy race will die. Psy Designation A, the Anchors, have been quietly working in the background of the PsyNet for centuries, until Canto Mercant, a Hub-Anchor, realizes they have to come together and gain a seat in the Ruling Coalition if there is any chance of saving the PsyNet. When he reaches out to Payal Rao, he has no idea she’s also his friend/savior from childhood – a brave, smart girl who stood up for him, and who he has been searching for ever since.

Payal can’t show her true face to anyone. There’s a manic, angry girl inside her she barely keeps leashed, and in her family, showing weakness is a death sentence. She’s shocked when she comes to face-to-face with Canto and realizes he’s the boy she never forgot..and apparently he never forgot her either.

As they’re forced to work together, they both realize the connection they had as children is growing into something new and solid as adults. But Payal can’t let her guard down, or she risks losing all control….

This is one of the better books in the Trinity series. I enjoyed Payal and Canto, their friendship from childhood and the way they reconnected as adults. I also enjoyed learning more about the Anchors, and seeing them work through the problems association with the decline of the PsyNet. Canto is paralyzed from waist down and Payal is neurodivergent. I loved the strong message about being different, not deficient.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

I’ve seen a lot of comparisons between Last Guard and Heart of Obsidian and I get it, at first glance it does have a similar dynamic, only with the gender roles reversed. Instead of Kaleb Krychek you have Payal Rao, both are widely known to be ruthless and powerful; the embodiment of Silence. Then as a foil to that hard robotic edge we have Sahara Kyriakus and Canto Mercant. Neither of whom have ever been Silent. But, I think digging any further into the similarities between Kaleb and Sahara and Payal and Canto does Last Guard a disservice. No one will ever be Kaleb. Before the reader had even started Heart of Obsidian his character had been carefully crafted; we’d been with him on that wibbly wobbly edge of morality waiting to see which way he would fall. Luckily for the world, he fell in love. But, in Last Guard we are introduced to two completely new characters. There’s no build up to them, we are going in cold.

But, this is Nalini Singh, so we don’t stay cold for long. Canto Mercant may not have shown up in the books before, but as the influential Mercant’s head of intelligence it’s clear that he’s a lynchpin of the family. If you want to know the brand of cereal your enemy is having for breakfast he’s your guy. Payal Rao is CEO of a powerful conglomerate, but despite her Silent front and the power she seemingly wields, she’s been in one cage or another her entire life. Despite their differences Canto and Payal have two things in common, their shared horror-filled childhood and their designation: they’re both Anchors and without them the PsyNet is going to die.

I was a little wary starting this book, Canto and Payal were unfamiliar characters so I had no idea what to expect. But, as usual Singh seduced me. She cleverly switched between two time frames, the present with Canto and Payal as adults and the past, showing their horrific shared history as children. This seemed to lend a depth to their relationship you wouldn’t have had without seeing what they went through together. The chemistry between them was almost immediate without falling too hard into that “insta-love” category.

The romance is the central focus of this book, but what had me really intrigued was how Singh brought the Anchors into the spot light. They’ve been their since the beginning and we’ve been told how important they are since the beginning. But, much like Psy leadership we’ve taken them for granted and never looked further into it. This book goes into the mechanics of the Anchors and gives us one more puzzle piece in regard to the deterioration of the PsyNet. It makes you feel hope and hopeless all at once as you realise how broken the PsyNet is, even as Canto and Payal come up with a solution to fix it.

Lastly…let’s talk about bears. Ever since Silver Silence, book one in the series, was released and introduced us to bear changelings I feel like I am on bear watch in every Singh book I read. Last Guard is rife with sightings. Canto has become close friends with some of the bears, including Pavel, who is dating Arwen Mercant – and I need a book or atleast a novella on those two, they’re adorable.

This was a great read, I enjoyed the romance and the development of the storyline if you’re already reading the series then you definitely need to read the latest. If you’re not, then don’t read this yet, go back to Slave to Sensation and start at the beginning, don’t let the length of the series put you off you’re in for a treat.

<b>3.5 Stars</b>

This sat on my kindle for <i>far</i> too long...especially when you consider the fact that I had the ARC on my kindle WAAAAAAY before the release date.

I genuinely have no excuse.

I'll be honest though, having been on the Psy-Changeling/Trinity train for many moons now, I already know that I personally prefer the installments where the main couple involves a changeling. (I go more into my reasons for that in my review of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/923659014">Shield of Winter</a> review.) And, outside of the unicorn that was <i>Heart of Obsidian</i>, I just don't see that changing anytime soon. So that might have played into why it took me so long to pick this up.

That said, I definitely enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I might. I really liked Canto and Payal. An I <i>really</i> liked the whole Designation A angle. Just when you think Nalini Singh has perfected the onion, she adds yet another layer.

I think the machinations and mystery surrounding the Scarab Queen is also going to be exciting. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one, which I am lucky enough to already have (and which I definitely plan get to a lot sooner than I got to this one).

***ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

I really enjoyed the deeper look into the Anchor designation. Prior to LAST GUARD, they were much of a mystery, and it was really nice to see the curtain pulled back a bit. With each new book in this series, the world only expands further, and I love every moment. I also really enjoyed that this book featured a Mercant, expanding on that family dynamic as well. There's nothing better than a tight knit, but cutthroat family, and the Mercants truly fit that bill.

In regards to the romance, the characters individually were fantastic, and they were easy to care about. Both of them stood out in their own right, and their uniqueness really added to the story. However, the two of them paired together just didn't have quite that spark of previous couples. I can't quite put my finger on why, but the two of them together just didn't quite wow like others. Luckily this series is so more than just the romance, so it didn't really detract, just worth a mention.

All in all, LAST GUARD is another enjoyable installment in the Psy-Changling world that is sure to please fans of the series.

This fifth installment in the Psy-Changeling Trinity follows Canto Mercant and Payal Rao, both Anchors in the failing Psy-Net as they reconnect and attempt to save their world. Both Canto, who is paralyzed, and Payal, who is neurodivergent, face numerous struggles and violence as they strive to create the future they envision. Not only are they important Hub-Anchors in the Net, they are “anchors” during the upheavals to each other. The repeated message that their disabilities are only differences, not deficiencies is beautiful and heart warming.

3.5/5

It’s strange having to wait for the next few books in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series after having binge-read the books during the pandemic. I’m not quite sure Nalini Singh does it, even after 20-something books, she keeps me excited for the next book. By no means was Last Guard my favorite of the series. In all honesty, it’s probably one that sits closer to the bottom of the list, but that’s not saying much given how even the lowest rated in this series for me is a solid 3 stars read.

Anyways, I think the reason I wasn’t as enamored with Last Guard was because the romance takes the back-burner and the focus is more on the world-building. It makes perfect sense why: the series is at the cusp of a major event, so the author is taking every opportunity to build on the world. I remain in awe of all the fine details that go into crafting such a complex world. It’s truly all fascinating.

That being said, I do want the romance to also be a focal point of the series. Payal and Canto are two great characters, with dark and traumatizing pasts. They were both Psy kids who were experimented on and have a shared history. So, there’s this intensity to their burgeoning romance as they work together to help stabilize the net. They care deeply for one another and there’s never a moment that the author makes you doubt that. So what you’ve got is a tender romance between two characters who were perfect for each other. I only wanted to see more of them.

I’ve mentioned before that I personally prefer reading books with Changelings as main characters (they are more playful and fun), but here, I didn’t miss them much because Nalini delighted us with so much bear content! I love how they basically embraced Canto and declared him of one of their own and had no qualms invading his space. The bear cub moments with Canto were ADORABLE. I was screaming!!

Lastly, I want to mention how much I liked how Nalini Singh dove into the topic of neurodivergence and disability here. She did so with care and respect for the characters and I’ll always be grateful to authors who don’t turn their characters into caricatures.

While Last Guard wasn’t my favorite of this series from Nalini Singh, it’s still an important story and I acknowledge that. It ends such an interesting note (what will happen to the Psy Net??) that I’m really excited to check out the next book whenever it releases.

FINAL DECISION: Singh does "damaged" heroes and heroines better than almost anyone. How two people who to the world (and themselves) appear different find the person who brings wholeness and acceptance to one another. Combining the ongoing drama of the overarching storyline with the deeply personal connection between these two made this an immensely satisfying read.

THE STORY: Canto Mercant, mysterious and fiercely loyal, approaches the cold and dangerous Payal Rao about the collapse of the PsyNet. In joining forces, the two also confront their own pasts and the weaknesses of mind and body. Canto has remained a hidden part of the Mercant family, rejected by his own father, as his spinal injury communicated imperfection and weakness during Silence. Now that Silence has fallen, the "imperfect" must be brought out of the shadows.

OPINION: The inclusiveness of Singh's Psy-Changeling world always takes my breath away -- optimistic and never heavy-handed, the world is deeply imperfect but there are good people working to correct the flaws. (At the same time, there are plenty of evil forces out to create chaos).

I loved the sweet and fierce relationship between Canto and Payal. The deep acceptance between them. While there have been similar relationships between "broken" people, this one has its own unique qualities that have echoes of other stories but is also quite different. Different challenges, different personalities. Each couple approaches their challenges in different ways which keep these stories fresh and interesting.

The story builds upon the prior stories in the Psy-Changeling universe in new ways raising new challenges to the world. At this point in the series, I wonder how Singh will possibly be able to resolve all these issues, but I have faith because Singh so beautifully gathered the strands in the first "season" of the Psy-Changeling world.

Canto is one of my favorite heroes now. He's got his own quirks, but his intense loyalty to Payal and his willingness to serve as Payal's "knight" and let her shine may be a precursor of the female "alphas" whose stories are yet to be told.

WORTH MENTIONING: Lots of cameos from characters from the Psy-Changeling & Trinity series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: LAST GUARD is the fifth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. The Trinity series is a direct spin-off of the Psy-Changeling series and thus this book can also be considered the twentieth book in that series. The romance here is self-contained, but the overarching plot is a continuation of the story in the Trinity series and is much better when read at least as part of the Trinity series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

Veena’s review of The Last Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity, Book 5) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 20 Jul 21

She was a powerful TK, the face of the Rao corporation out of India. He was a shadow behind the powerful Mercant family, grandson to THE Mercant. They’ve survived a brutal childhood, their bond forged in blood and tears where they only knew each other as a number. Together they have the power to change their world. What an exciting new chapter in the series where we get to catch up with some of our favorite characters, enjoy a few laughs with the bears, and welcome a new dawn in the Psy-Changeling world.

Payal definitely knows how to maintain the icy façade of the silent, but inside she is a screaming mess that only one person can calm. The treacherous Rao family is the stuff of nightmares, and it’s a wonder that Payal has survived them with her inner sweetness intact. She’s a powerful anchor, and it’s a pleasure to see her hold her own against the likes of Nikita and Kaleb. Her façade is perfect that even the formidable Ena Mercant cannot penetrate it.

Canto has never been silent, but, hidden as a shadow within the folds of the powerful Mercant family, his secrets are safe. He seeks out Payal to be the Anchor spokesperson, little realizing that she is the 3K whom he has been searching for all his life after they were brutally separated. Living on the periphery of bear territory, readers get the benefit of the bear visits, especially the lost little baby bear. If you hadn’t fallen in love with the bears already, you’ll definitely succumb this time around.

All of the books in this series are compellingly different, making one wonder where Ms. Singh finds her characters and plot lines, but this one is probably one of the best. The Psynet is crumbling and the fate of the Psy people is in jeopardy, plus you have the scarab weaving her own plot to take control of what would be left of the Psynet. When all seems lost, can Payal and Canto help bring hope of a brighter future?

Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Grade: A+

If you’ve read this series then you’re getting another classic with Last Guard. This was an interesting take where one of the main characters were paralyzed and I haven’t read a romance book where the hero was in a wheel chair. It was new and fresh.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly July New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

The 4-star rating is comparative — Psy/Changeling is my favorite series of all time, so naturally I devoured LAST GUARD and the anchor storyline to save the PsyNet. I just don’t love it as much as the top faves! My main issue: Last Guard has something that my other lower-ranked books (MINE TO POSSESS and HEART OF OBSIDIAN) also possess: reuniting childhood friends who suffered unimaginable trauma in their youth and then were violently separated against their will. Not my favorite storyline! Clearly this is a me-thing because every single time Nalini revisits this trope, the romantic arc doesn’t grip me as much.

The eugenics storyline is very sad and brutal. The other books haven’t shied away from the topic, but I definitely felt the darker tone in LAST GUARD. I really liked the disability/neurodivergence discussions, too. Re: the PsyNet in crisis, I continue to question how any of this mess will be resolved in the next twenty books. In forty years, I’ll still be gasping about some new revelation in a fictional Psy Council meeting. 😂

Last Guard by Nalini Singh is the next story in the Psy-Changeling world. This book revolves around a Canto and Payal. Canto is a powerful Psy which is why he is still alive because he has a spinal injury and is unable to walk. Payal is the daughter stopping her psychopathic brother from taking over. Will these two come together to save the Net?

So that was a short synopsis because I read this book back in July and I have a hard time remembering anything. I do remember enjoying the book but this was not the strongest Singh book. I will say I enjoyed that there was a main character in a chair and the focus was not on his inability to walk or that it made him weak.

Would I recommend this book? Yes probably. I would not recommend it if it's your first book in the series but do recommend it otherwise. I think was a good addition to the series if a little bit forgettable. I enjoyed reading it at the time and I know that it is a story continuing the overall plot.

Three stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Nalini Singh for the free copy. This was an honest review.

Note: Because Last Guard is the fifth book in this new Trinity arc and the twentieth book in the Psy-Changeling universe as a whole I will try my best not to spoil previous books.

Y'all! Y'ALL. This book was so epic I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it even three reads later. If I wasn't already a diehard Nalini Singh fangirl, this book right here would have been the clincher. I can't stop thinking about the absolute wealth of awesome that Nalini gifted us in this book.

We got a neurodivergent heroine and a disabled hero! Both main characters are anchors! There is a queer side romance! We get more Bears! And more Mercants! Y'all! We were ridiculously blessed by this book!

I just want to live rent free in Nalini Singh's head because it has to be both an awesome and scary place. One of the things I love about this series is that a character or a minor reference in a previous book can become a main character or major plot point later in the series. Case in point, we now have a book where both main characters are anchors which, correct me if I'm wrong, were last mentioned briefly in Tangle of Need (Book 11).

The plot of the overall story arc is advancing at a fast clip with each book and we're learning more and more about the PsyNet and the whole situation with the Scarabs is giving me anxiety. As much as I love the interconnecting plot that links these books together, I absolutely adore the characters in this series! And y'all! I would die for Payal. She is everything! She may have skyrocketed into first place on my favorite heroines in this series. Sorry, Zaira and Memory! She is the classic case of don't judge a book by its cover and I loved learning about her hidden depths as she and Canto fell in love. Also, all of her interactions with a certain cardinal based in Russia were amazing!

Oh! And Canto! He is the classic grumpy, protective hero who will do anything to protect those he claims as his own. It doesn't hurt that he is also the one in charge of the Mercant's network of spies. I loved him so much! He is super protective but he knows when to stand back and let Payal take the lead. He's supportive and irascible and is basically the Psy version of the bears. And speaking of the bears, I loved Canto's interactions with them as part of their family thanks to Silver mating with Valentin. I could read a whole book of the bears working on breaking down Canto's walls.

I loved so much about this book but I'm going to end my raving ramble here. If you haven't read this series, I would urge you to go and pick up the first book! This series is one of my all-time favorites but this new Trinity arc has gifted me with some of my favorite books and characters and I can't wait to see where Nalini takes this series next!

Last Guard builds on the global socio-political scope of the last few books in this series. The Psy are still dying because their mental infrastructure is collapsing; the humans are being allowed a fraction closer to the three other races, and the changelings and the Psy are becoming stronger allies in some places. The Psy also have to deal with the psychopathic individuals who have banded together under the leadership of one who has grand delusions of revolution.

The main characters, Canto Mercant and Payal Rao, are both Psy - and anchors. Anchors are part of a new designation that hasn't been mentioned (much) in the previous books, but they turn out to have a critical role to play in the restoration of the Net. These two met when they were children in one of the ubiquitous torture centers for young Psy who don't fit in, although they haven't seen each other since. They meet again when Canto decides to bring the anchors together so they can play a larger role in the structuring of Psy society and so they can do more to protect the Net. Canto, as a result of his time in the torture center, has been paralyzed. Payal has been through her own struggles, as she's spent her entire life in a sociopathic family running a large cutthroat corporation.

The usual follows: they fall in love, protect each other, work together as the Net splinters. Most of the plot revolves around major catastrophes that damage the substrate and the Net, and Canto, Payal, and other anchors help the Arrows and Kaleb fix things.

It's a good entry into this long-running series, and I enjoyed the characters, the romance, and the plot. If you're hooked on this series, you should absolutely continue with this one.

This was a fun read that was perfect for Romance audiences. I gave it four stars and would recommend. Highly enjoyable