Emily and Darlene are best friends who work together, Darlene is a Hollywood singer and Emily a dancer who used to have aspirations of stardom. These were trampled by her possessive ex-boyfriend, Vince. After years of putting up with his crazy act, Emily walked away.
She thinks she’s free of him, but soon it becomes obvious that he’s not giving her up so easily. Darlene hires Carter Kincaid, an ex-cop to detail their protection.
Sparks flew from the moment they met, in a particularly unusual way. So, even though he was meant to be guarding Darlene, it’s Emily who needs him the most. It made a relationship even harder to avoid as they spent so much time together.
Carter has a lot of baggage and other responsibilities taking up his time, making him difficult for Emily to understand at times. He knew he shouldn’t allow himself to be attracted to her, for her safety if nothing else, but he just couldn’t keep away.
The chemistry between these two is enough to melt two kindles, not just one. It’s off the charts hot and whew!!! I’m getting steamed up just thinking about it again, lol.
So, will Carter catch the bad guy?
Will he get the girl as a reward?
One-Click today and make Carter your Bodyguard.

Je suis de très près la plume de CD Reiss et j'avais lu le premier tome de cette saga Hollywood A List, Bombshell. A noter que chaque roman de cette saga peut se lire de manière indépendante donc vous pouvez commencer par ce roman si vous le souhaitez. Le point commun de cette saga entre les divers personnages réside dans le fait que les héros et héroïnes évoluent dans la sphère de la célébrité et d'Hollywood. Vous pouvez retrouver mon avis en cliquant ci dessous

Bombshell

Dans ce nouveau tome , nous découvrons donc Emily , une jeune femme qui va très tôt se lier d'amitié avec Darlene McKenna , la star de la chanson. Emily en plus d'être son amie est sa chorégraphe. Elle aurait pu avoir la carrière qu'a Darlene mais la vie en a décidé autrement car elle a mis un obstacle de taille sur son chemin. Ce que j'ai adoré dans leur relation est le fait qu'il n'y a aucune animosité ni rancoeur entre les deux jeunes femmes. Darlene est une grande star mais qui n'est ni une diva ni une peste qui exige qu'on se prosterne à ses pieds. J'ai donc adoré cet aspect de l'histoire car dès le début , nous sentons qu'une réelle amitié les unit et qu'elles peuvent compter l'une sur l'autre. Emily est talentueuse dans son domaine et elle pourrait l'être aussi dans la chanson si un événement n'avait pas fait prendre une nouvelle tournure à sa carrière. Elle est donc à la tête d'un groupe de danse qui officie pendant les concerts de Darlene et son talent est incontesté mais elle a aussi le respect de ses danseurs.

Mais Emily a une faille ou un souci de taille et pas des moindres. Même si elle n'est pas sur le devant de la scène, elle a croisé le chemin d'un harceleur qui n'a toujours pas accepté leur rupture. Vince sera donc clairement l'élément perturbateur de l'intrigue et j'aurais sans doute aimé qu'on développe un peu son aspect psychologique mais ce n'est pas le point central de l'intrigue. Il interviendra de manière régulière ce qui engendra une tension narrative importante. Sa folie justifiera aussi l'entrée dans sa vie de Carter, le nouveau bodyguard dans le groupe de sécurité de Darlene et leur rapprochement se fera plus vite que prévu. Mais peut elle s'ouvrir à lui en prenant le risque de l'exposer au danger que représente Vince? Pourra t-elle faire confiance à un homme qui semble cacher des secrets ou du moins la tenir éloignée d'une certaine partie de sa vie? Aura t-elle la force de se confronter une bonne fois pour toute à son harceleur? Victime ou pas, elle devra faire un choix qui pourrait avoir un réel impact sur sa vie.

Carter Kindcaid est donc bodyguard et dès le début le charme opère rapidement. On sent qu'il a à coeur de faire son métier et il veut le faire correctement. Même s'il semble troublé par sa "minuscule danseuse" comme il la surnomme de manière affectueuse, il se doit de garder la tête froide. L'équipe sécurité est rodée et approcher Emily c'est prendre le risque de se brûler les ailes. On se pose donc des questions à son égard car on sent cette tension sensuelle qui l'habite tout en sachant qu'il nous cache des choses. Nous avons une partie du secret et nous cherchons à comprendre pourquoi il protège tant Phinneas qui a une place vitale dans sa vie. Il va devoir choisir sa mission et se fixer un objectif car à jouer à la girouette, il pourrait faire plus que tourner les têtes . J'ai bien aimé ce personnage car il est droit dans ses bottes et protège clairement ceux qu'ils aiment. Que ce soit Phin ou Emily , il va toujours agir dans l'optique de les protéger et de les aimer passionnément mais ce jeu pourrait mal se terminer et il devra apprendre à s'ouvrir aux autres s'il veut avancer dans sa vie. Cet ancien membre de la LAPD va devoir accepter de laisser son passé derrière lui s'il veut espère avoir un futur empli de bonheur, de joie, de plénitude et d'amour .

Bref si vous êtes à la recherche d'une romance sympathique et sensuelle, Bodyguard saura combler toutes vos attentes. CD Reiss nous offre une romance teintée de sensualité, avec quelques rebondissements suffisants pour maintenir la tension narrative. Emily et Carter vous feront passer de bons moments dans l'univers plus ou moins doré d'Hollywood.

Every time I read a CD Reiss book I’m pulled right in and her words keep me glued to the pages. She grabs my heart and my head and makes me want to be in this world, with these characters. Her stellar writing and heart-tugging storyline keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you there for the journey.

My heart was in my stomach for so much of this book and my eyes got a bit watery. Carter Kincaid has to be the most eligible bachelor in the universe, hands down. Fills out a suit, check. Insanely handsome, check. Emotional scars, check. Knows how to protect his woman, check. Bring on the swooning, ladies. This is your book.

Emily took me a little bit longer to love. I mean, the love was there, but there were some flaws in her character that bugged me and drew me out of the story a bit. But, not enough to fall out of love with the story or the characters. What did bring this story home for me was Phin. He was everything this story needed to be complete and the reason for my almost tears.

Another brilliant story from CD Reiss and I cannot wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.

A hot read.
Carter, the bodyguard of the title is strong, protective and solid.
I found Emily more difficult to warm to. She seemed passive and then unnecessarily stubborn.
There was an excellent suspense element I enjoyed very much.
Not quite 5 star read but not very far off.

Bodyguard by C.D. Reiss is the second standalone novel in the author’s delightful Hollywood-A-list Series. It has a little bit of everything: great girlfriends, a hunky hero with baggage, a creepy stalker, and a sweet, sexy heroine.

Childhood friends, Darlene and Emily, leave home in search of fame and fortune in Los Angeles. One of them gets the fame, and one gets a loser boyfriend. When Emily rids herself of the loser, he becomes a really sick stalker who is set on getting her back or making sure no one else gets her love. Enter one white knight in the form of Darlene’s bodyguard. Carter Kincaid is extraordinarily well suited to be a bodyguard, and he is total eye candy to boot. Between Darlene’s devotion to her best pal and Carter’s professional attention, Emily can’t help but be safe, right?

Emily, Carter, and Darlene are each fantastic characters. I loved Darlene and Emily’s friendship. They are the embodiment of sister-friends. Carter, who remains an enigma to Emily for much of the book, carries a lot of personal baggage. His dedication to his job and his devotion to his family make him a yummy book boyfriend. The ex-boyfriend, Kyle, is equal parts distasteful and creepy. They all make the story gripping.

Ms. Reiss delivers her usual well-written story; her plots are crisp, her descriptions evocative without being flowery, and her characters are more real than your next-door neighbors. The Bodyguard’s ending is perfect. It is hopeful and promising without a trite ride-into-the-sunset HEA.

I love when I don’t know where a book is going to take me. Bodyguard was not at all what I was expecting. These two have so much baggage in their life. This book was all about seeing them struggle to be normal when neither of their situations were, all the while trying to act on the attraction they have for each other. This is one of those books that will make you laugh, cringe and maybe even cry a little. It was life.

Hero: Carter is the bodyguard to the heroines best friend and then becomes heroines bodyguard. He’s ex-LAPD. Lives with his mom and son. Carter was instantly drawn to heroine but kept her at arms length due to home life. His character is an Alpha but comes off Beta as he tries to stay away from heroine.

Heroine: Emily is a dancer and singer. She blew out her knee but attempted to reach fame with her best friend, Darlene. Due to a bad relationship that turned into a stalker, Emily stopped trying for fame and became Darlene’s choreographer. Emily is hiding from life because of her stalker. She’s instantly drawn to Carter. She seems shy at first but starts to show a backbone. She calls Carter on his wish washy behavior.

Heat Factor: starts off low and builds with the story
Safety: heroine has a stalker, but it doesn’t get too violent
Predictability: unpredictable.
Angst Level: mid level

3.5 Stars. 2nd book in this series. It can be read as a stand-alone. I thought we’d have more interaction with the characters from book one Bombshell but there was a little mention of Brad in this book. Carter and Emily come together by Emily’s friend and superstar Darlene. Emily has the perks of Hollywood thanks to Darlene. But Emily also has the stalker. Carter is hired to protect Emily but they become more. The book was enjoyable.

There were things I liked about this book and things that I didn’t.

Firstly, the undeniable attraction between Emily and Carter. The angst, the intensity, they were so hot for each other you could feel their chemistry and heat coming off the pages.

Sadly I thought at times the story was all over the place and find myself getting lost and my attention waning.

Reviewed by: Phyl

Emily and Darlene have been friends since they were in 3rd grade and have always had a shared love of dancing and singing. This is what led them to LA, where Darlene is now a very successful pop star. Emily is her choreographer but tends to shy away from the limelight after an awful relationship break up with a possessive guy who has now morphed into her crazy personal stalker.

Darlene is about to go on tour so they are really busy preparing the for the shows and because of the stalker issues seem to be getting worse they have employed another security guy, Carter Kincaid who will pretty much be looking after Emily, keeping her safe from her crazy ex.

‘He appeared like a white knight, unshaven, unshowered, ready to do battle for the people he loved. He exuded manliness and safety, like a king swearing to protect the realm.’

Carter is ex-police and has a bit of mystery about him. However, his attractiveness is not lost on Emily, OMG the man is gorgeous! Carter has also noticed how beautiful Emily is too, in fact he hasn’t really been interested in anyone the way he seems to be with Emily, who he has now nick named Tiny Dancer. The lines between protecting her in a professional capacity and wanting to look after her and keep her safe are a bit blurred.

'I hadn’t kissed a woman in a long time. I wanted to eat her alive. Put my hands on every inch of her. Take her body on the hardwood. Everything.'

Carter is very aware that crossing this line with her could lead her into danger, if his mind is on her and not on the job then he won’t be able to do what he has been employed for. Resisting each other seems futile though and pretty soon things change to a more intimate relationship between them.

'My body overrode my common sense. I had to have her. I’d never been addicted to anything, so I was unprepared for what an addiction did to a guy.’

Carter feels sad and angry that the stalker has affected Emily’s life so much. She is always fearful of her safety and looking over her shoulder. Her light has been dimmed by this fear.

Carter has his own stuff going on to, he has a gorgeous son, Phin, who I absolutely loved! He balances taking care of him, being a ‘present’ father, working and sneaking in time with Emily. His focus has been on Phin for so long that he is reluctant to overlap his home life with his relationship with Emily. It is important to him that Phin is not affected by anything he does outside their home.

I think he completely underestimates how clever and intuitive kids can be and this is proven when Phin meets finally Emily.

However, let’s not forget that there is a crazy dude out there lurking and looking for an opportunity to get closer to Emily. There is also a stray cat called Gray and a massive secret in Carter’s household that, when revealed, will shock everyone. This story had a bit of everything really, suspense, romance, mystery, ansgt, sexiness and a whole lot of love ☺

I was instantly intrigued by this story the moment I saw the cover of this book and once I started reading this story I instantly devoured it. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. I loved the way that this story was emotional and had plenty of angst to keep me captivated throughout the story.



I really felt for Emily with the way that her crazy ex-boyfriend was making her life so difficult and how much of an effect it has had on her life. I loved the way that Emily grows throughout the book and the amount of strength that she has.



I absolutely love the sexy Carter and the protective way he is towards Emily. Carter was a protective character whose storyline I really loved reading about.



Bodyguard is about Hollywood Choreographer Emily’s ex-boyfriend bent on getting her back. But his dangerous ways have made it important for her to be protected at all times by the sexy Carter. But sparks instantly spark between the two

Bodyguard by CD Reiss is the second book in the Hollywood A-List Series.
Book one is Bombshell, Brad and Cara's story. Every book can easily be read as a standalone.
Bodyguard is Emily and Carter's story.
Emily is a successful choreographer for popstars and enjoys the glamourous life. Because a crazy ex thraetens her, she needs a bodyguard. And there he comes into the picture, Carter Kincaid. It takes one look and he knows he wants her. She's off limits, but the heart wants what the heart wants; and he's willing to break the rules. They have this crazy insta-chemistry and could be so good together. Both are good people, but secrets and lies threaten to destroy their realtionship and the lives of innocents. They fight for their happiness.

Bodyguard is a beautiful and touching story. C. D. Reiss blew me away with her writing and the characters. This story has it all—tension, angst, suspense and heartbreak. I've smiled, laughed, cried and was angry at some point. It is not often I feel so connected to the characters, but C.D. Reiss has accomplished just that. I love the story, the characters and the words. I give 5 stars, thank you, C.D. Reiss !

You can never go wrong with CD Reiss, and Bodyguard is another one for the keeper shelf. Carter and Emily are both interesting characters with lives that are perfectly and realistically complicated. Emily is being stalked by her ex, and Carter is assigned to be her bodyguard. They have crazy hot chemistry from he minute they meet, but Carter realizes this is a problem for him to effectively protect her. He is also focused on raising his endearing son, who suffers from ADD, and doesn’t believe he can also have a relationship. (He’s especially swoon-worthy because of his devotion to his son.) But neither Emily and Carter can deny the powerful feelings brewing between them and the sexual tension is intense. They have to figure out a way to make this work, and their path isn’t certain or guaranteed. CD Reiss does an amazing job of delivering an interesting, layered and unpredictable story with a sexy and heartwarming love story, and this Bodyguard riveting from beginning to end. I highly recommend.

Working as a choreographer for her best friend and mega star, Emily Barrett is used to life just outside of the limelight. But with a stalker ex-boyfriend who won't take no for an answer, her own life is starting to get more and more stifling. 

Carter Kincaid has been hired as a bodyguard for a successful singer... but finds her choreographer may need his protection more. He has no problem guarding Emily... until the two can't deny their mutual attraction any longer. And when the lines between work and personal life start to blur... everything starts to get way too complicated.

This was a great read! Emily gave up on becoming a singing star at the behest of a controlling ex-boyfriend. Satisfied with helping her best friend in her own career, she became her choreographer. Carter is very secretive about his personal life. He's hiding a lot... trying to protect the ones he loves... but meeting Emily changes everything.

This story was sexy and suspenseful and is set amidst the inner workings of stardom in Hollywood. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

Great book loved it. Very exciting and fun to read couldn’t put it down

Emily has a complicated life. Ever since she broke up with her ex, her life is ruled by fear of his return. He just will not leave her be!! She has already given up so much! He did not want her to sing, so she stopped singing even though her voice was spectacular. She is always conscious of her clothes and how tight or short they might be. He definitely did not want any other man looking at her. And finally, she has been living like a nun. The last time she tried to move on and date someone else, her ex showed up and beat up the man so badly he had to go to the hospital with a broken nose.

Carter is a bodyguard/protector by choice. His life is ruled and shaped by providing and nurturing his son. Phin has ADHD and so a watchful eye is needed in order to help him grow and mature without risks. Carter has dedicated his life to Phin. But meeting Emily, his life is about to change. The chemistry between them cannot be denied. How can he possibly be her bodyguard and fall for her at the same time? He will not be able to protect her! Can he possibly bring a woman into Phin's life without causing a disruption to their daily routine?

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. Could not put it down. I had to know if her ex (Vince) was going to get punished for all he had done to her. I absolutely adore Carter!

I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thank you to the author for sharing this book with me.

Bodyguard is written with subtlety. A subtlety that gives the reader a sense of ease and comfort. Reiss’ words settle you in--right up until she wants you to realize you’re on the edge of something big, beautiful, and at times scary and new. Carter and Emily are incredibly sexy. Their chemistry is undeniable. Carter is alpha in all the right ways. He is thoughtful, protective, and stalwart. Emily is a heroine I can root for. She is independent, loyal and relatable. I found Carter and Emily, while vastly different, share many important traits. The story twists and turns, and it was those moments that left me feeling a more profound connection not just to Carter and Emily but also to Darlene and Phin.

What I love most about this story is that no one pretends to have all the answers. Their lives and relationships are flawed and at times messy. I found this story to be about showing up—for yourself and for those you love, through the good and bad. When instinct and experience tell you to retreat you find the strength to regroup and advance.

Bodyguard is a powerful seduction, Reiss builds intimacy and connection that is deep and lasting. I adore CD Reiss’ writing and hope to continue to read her for many years. A must read.

Thank you to Montlake for an advanced copy of Bodyguard! A full review will be published shortly.

An excellent read…

This is the second book in the Hollywood A-List series that can be read as a stand-alone.

When she was young Emily Barrett met her best friend Darlene and they stayed together through the things life threw at them and the bad decisions made. They dreamed of becoming famous but an injury to Emily’s knee stopped her dancing career, while injury to her self-esteem stopped her from singing, a possessive, jealous man stole her confidence. Working as the choreographer for her singer best friend is a job she enjoys and it’s all she has, her personal life is a mess. She’s alone with an ex-boyfriend stalker who attacks anyone she goes out with, though she’s tried, the law hasn’t been able to really help. Her friend hired a new bodyguard and she’s highly attracted to the sexy man which is causing her to be distracted during rehearsals. Considering her personal problems is it right to get involved with someone? She’d like to but worries about the man’s well-being if she does so.

Working as a bodyguard allows ex-cop Carter Kincaid the needed flexibility to deal with items in his personnel life. With rehearsals for a new show ramping up he’s assigned to a singer who’s in town but it’s the choreographer friend of his principal who seriously draws his attention. He finds her intriguing and his eyes wander in her direction often, his instincts tell him something is off in her world. When an attack against her occurs on the premises he’s reassigned to her security and she poses a distraction for him as he wants to get to know her in a way that is improper under the circumstances and if he loses his focus she could be harmed. There is also a secret he keeps from the world and even from his colleagues that becoming involved could be made public and that he can’t allow to happen yet he can’t stay away.

This was excellent, there are stories and then there are stories you’ll remember long after reading, this book is definitely the latter, it was better than the first book and for this reader on par with Shuttergirl. The author took an often used trope and made it seem fresh. We were given interesting characters with emotional depth who exhibited much personal growth, their life situations were unique. The story was well written with vivid descriptions, the plot engaged the reader from the onset and provided a sexy romance accompanied by secrets and suspense. The dialogue was real and often amusing, the dual points of view allowed us insight into who the protagonists really were. The hero was an utmost protective man and with good reason, the heroine was stronger than she realized, just needing to bounce back from her ordeals, the attraction between was palpable, their joining inevitable.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

Bodyguard (Hollywood A-List #2)
By: C.D. Reiss
4.5 Stars

If there is one thing about C.D. Reiss books, her words are unlike any other. Something about her writing style, it pulls you in from the get go. Bodyguard is no exception.

Here we have 2 best friends who moved to California to live the dream. The dream that so many head out to California for. While Darlene is a Rockstar, Emily is her choreographer. Being in the spotlight, security is mandatory.

Carter is that bodyguard with baggage. Like bigtime baggage… He chose the security field after leaving the police department so that he could handle his baggage on his terms.

When Carter and Emily meet, they both feel the sparks. But neither one is in the right frame of mind to be in a relationship. As we travel through their back and forth of wanting a relationship, to denying the relationship, the story unfolds and we learn what is included in their baggage.

3.5☆ This was a good story and an enjoyable read. That is full of angst and likable characters. But unfortunately it never really grabbed my attention or held it. As the story was quite slow paced and the relationship between Carter and Emily although sweet was very stop start. And at times the drama in Carter's life seemed to overshadow Emily's stalker. Who for me never posed a serious threat. But did make things more interesting. Especially with all the revelations late on.