Fake dating is one of my favourite book tropes so naturally I applied for this on Netgalley right away especially where I loved one of Center's other books, How to Walk Away. Hannah Brooks is an accomplished Executive Protection Agent who is tasked with being the bodyguard for Jack, an A-list Hollywood star. Jack asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend so as to not worry his family when they stay at his family ranch in rural Texas. This book was a cute little rom-com that is sure to please many.
Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced reader copy of this wonderful novel in exchange for an unbiased review.

Katherine Center has done it again! This book is absolutely delightful, but then I am a sucker for strong female leads. With gentle nudges around personal growth & some awesome sentiments about love & life & gratitude, this book is funny & charming & those nudges hit home for me as well as the characters. I love that it sort of has that city slicker / country trope, but it's different too. And if you haven't seen Katherine Center's instagram with photographs of the farm ..... you're missing out!

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a laugh-out-loud romantic adventure.

Hannah Brooks is having a hard week. Her mother just died, her boyfriend/co-worker has ended their relationship, and her boss is making her take (unnecessary!) time off from her job as an Executive Protection Agent. The only thing keeping her afloat is the hope of heading up the agency's London office. The sticking point? She needs to protect the stunningly handsome, out of her league, extremely stubborn, Hollywood superstarJack Stapleton from a stalker.

Jack does not need an EPA; it's just a middle-aged woman who is slightly obsessed with him! As Hannah deal with the ins and outs of personal security, crazy stalker activity, and family illness & misunderstanding, she realizes that maybe their leagues are not as far apart as she originally thought.

I LOVED this book! I devoured it in less than 2 days. I laughed out loud, I cried, and I even got goosebumps. It was fun and sad and uplifting and awesome. It's everything I ever want in a story. I've only read one other book by the author (Things We Save in a Fire), but now I'm going to binge everything she's ever written.

3.5/5 stars

TW/CW: death, car accident, drowning, grief, cheating, alcoholism, abuse

If you’re in the mood for a cute romance, this fits the bill.

An executive protection agent, Hannah Brooks, who has been hired to protect actor Jack Stapleton while he returns to his family's ranch in Texas. The two end up falling in love and both grow throughout the book.

I enjoyed the role reversal and cute moments. However, I was put off by the language regarding Hannah’s body/body image and some of the dialogue was cringey. Also, the topics surrounding grief needed some more fleshing out in terms of coming to terms with grief.

Overall, look no further if you want a light quick easy rom com.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : contemporary romance
Block out your day when you pick this one up, because you won’t be able to put it down.
It’s so stinkin’ cute!
I absolutely loved the role reversal from other romances, as Hannah is the one working to protect Jack.
Hannah, a 5’5” “executive protection agent” otherwise known as a bodyguard, may be small in stature and look less than intimidating - but she holds her own in every sense of the word & could kill you with a ballpoint pen.
Jack, a world famous actor coming out of seclusion after dropping off the map when his brother died is back in Texas to help his mom out when she finds out she’s sick. To keep him safe from his crazy fan-stalkers, his team hires the company Hannah works for to do the job and Hannah soon finds herself in the role of undercover bodyguard/pretend girlfriend to one of the most famous actors out there.
This one is so fun & keeps you hooked until the very end. Perfect summer read.
Pre-order this one now, so you don’t forget when it comes out on July 19th!
Thanks @Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Bodyguard!

WOW WOW WOW!!! I’ve always loved Katherine Center and devoured her books. This book was no different! I started and finished this book in one sitting, staying up til 2am when I needed to wake up at 5am for work. This book was so engaging and easy to read that I didn’t even realize it was 2am when I finished. I was invested in all the characters whether it was loving or hating them. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster and I will ride this roller coaster over and over if Katherine is in charge of it. I really enjoyed Hannah’s journey and how she handled everything from beginning to end. I liked that we got to see Hannah’s relationship with everyone from her mom, to Robby, to Taylor, to Jack and his family, and even her relationship with Glenn. All the stars

I will be recommending this book to everyone while laughing about cows and nightgowns

3.5

This was a cute rom-com type of book. I really enjoyed the gender reversal of the bodyguard trope. It made it refreshing and fun to read. I also loved the slow burn between Hannah and Jack. The story was not very realistic, and certain parts of the dialogue were cringe-worthy, but if you're looking for a fun and lighthearted reading experience, this one is for you.

I adore a good reversal of traditional roles kind of tale, and Katherine Center is a favorite of mine. I went in with great expectations. I was not disappointed.

Hannah and Jack are in an unusual relationship. She looks like a schoolteacher but knows 6 ways to kill you with a page-a-day calendar. He has the body of a Greek god and is being stalked by a middle-aged corgi-enthusiast. Hannah's job? Protecting Jack.

Of course, when Jack shakes the paparazzi long enough to visit his family and check in on his ailing mom, he can't worry them with his ridiculous stalker. Or his bodyguard. He manages to convince Hannah to keep his secrets during his visit...by acting in the very unlikely role of girlfriend.

Only, the role is all too easy to slip right into and here, things get personally complicated for Hannah. Can she manage to stay alert when Jack is so distracting? And how can she convince her stupid heart that this is just business?

I loved this book! Such a lovely Sunday spring/summer read. It was one of those books that just transports the reader into the setting, and I loved experiencing the Stapleton ranch and Texas alongside Hannah. Soft romance instead of spicy, that has a bit of fake dating along with a great cast of characters. Jack was swoon worthy and sweet and Hannah was the real main that was super enjoyable to read from. Would definitely read more from this author, and am looking forward to what comes next!

I am not usually a romcom kind of girl, but this book was a delightful read. Katherine Center has done it again. Lighthearted, entertaining, easy reading with some poignant insight on dealing with pain, imperfection, betrayal, self love, and risking love. I look forward to this author's next book!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: July 19, 2022

The witty banter in this is unmatched and I was intrigued from the start and hooked soon after. Workaholic “personal protection agent” Hannah is in for a wild readjustment to her routine when she meets her latest protection asset.

Jack Stapleton—Hollywood heartthrob—is back home in Texas for an extended visit with his sick mother and instead of stressing her out with the fact that he needs professional security, Hannah pretends to be his lovely girlfriend instead. Add in an estranged brother and the awkward fake dating trope is well on its way!

This made me feel all the feels—I laughed out loud, gasped out loud, and even shed some tears.

Unfortunately had to take off one ⭐️ for all the vitriolic digs at Hannah’s looks. It was completely unnecessary for them to be as harsh and frequent as they were and it was off-putting throughout the book.

I enjoyed this book up,until the last quarter. In fact, I was planning to give it a 4.5. Unfortunately, the last part when the date goes awry just didn’t fit and the romance lost some momentum. Otherwise, I loved the story of Jack and Hannah. Center can write a leading man! Jack was an absolute doll. The way he laughed at Hannah was precious.He and Hannah were adorable and had a believable emotional connection. As a Texan living near Houston I especially enjoyed the setting and felt it added to the story. I always enjoy a found family story so that was nice too. Overall, this was a good read and I give it a 3.5. Can’t wait her next book. Thanks for the ARC.

I know Katherine Center is slow burn but I wish there was a little more legit romance before the very end (I mean, I saw the one bed and thought for sure).

*3.75/5

wow. this book was definitely a surprise! it started out slower than i thought it would be, but once hannah and jack met it started to speed up, and it kept getting better! i loved the concept of the book and how it was executed, but i what i loved the most was reading about hannah and jack, their interactions, their banter, their domestic content (!!!), not to mention that love confession! i really loved them as a couple. at one point, everything was going too well and i was afraid of the third act conflict until that twist! of course, there are some clichés in it but i really didn't mind them. this book just flew by, and i really recommend it if you're a fan of the bodyguard trope!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book (out in July)! I have been enjoying Katherine Center’s books for a while now, ever since someone at a book signing told me about her.

The Bodyguard opens with Hannah dealing with the loss of her mother and a breakup with her douchebro boyfriend/co-worker. Hannah is struggling to deal with everything and her boss won’t let her work until she gets herself together. She’s a personal protection agent and she could kick your ass.

Hannah gets assigned to protect THE Jack Stapleton, a movie star, who is staying in Texas at his family’s ranch while his mother recovers from breast cancer treatment. And Hannah is not impressed by Jack’s fame or fortune. She ends up posing as his girlfriend rather than tell his family what’s going on.

Jack and his brother Hank hate each other due to an incident resulting in the death of their younger brother Drew so there’s a lot of fighting. But there are also a lot of really sweet family moments with Connie and Doc Stapleton, (the parents) and Hannah gets to see what a family can be.

Add in Jack having a stalker and there’s a tiny bit of mystery interwoven in the story as well. It’s a cute book. I loved watching Jack and Hannah fall for each other. Fake dating! Only one bed! Gotta love those tropes.

My biggest issue with the book and ultimately the reason I went with three stars over four, is the overemphasis on how plain Hannah is. From the beginning of the book when they are deciding who should guard Jack throughout the entire story, we are constantly barraged with descriptions of just how plain and boring Hannah is and nondescript and ordinary. So much so that I was screaming okay we get it, she’s not special. And yes, of course Jack falls in love with her anyway and loves her because she’s not impressed with him and isn’t famous but it was super repetitive and almost offensive to be honest. I found it to be too much and it annoyed me so much that I had to give the book 3 stars.

The Bodyguard is coming out in July 2022 and is available now for pre-order.

This book was about Hannah, an Executive Protection Agent, who is tasked with protecting a handsome, famous movie star. Like all Katherine Center's books, it was a compulsively readable, feel-good story. However, unlike her other books, this one felt way more rom-commy and less strong- female-lead-grows-and-learns-something-about-herself. I mean, Hannah does, in the end, grow and learn more about herself, and she definitely is a strong female lead, but it really felt that the romance overshadowed Hannah's personal story. That being said, this was still funny, sweet and entertaining. Jack was a pretty delicious male lead, as well. 😁

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Hannah Brooks is the last person you would imagine is a bodyguard. At 5'4, she looks more like a kindergarten teacher than someone who could kill you with a...paper napkin? Meanwhile, Jack Stapleton is a Hollywood movie star who disappeared from the public eye after the death of his younger brother. Now he's going home to Texas to visit family and his team is forcing him to bring some backup. Not wanting to worry his family he asks Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend while a middle-aged corgi breeding stalker is becoming more of a threat. While I wasn't a fan of when the protagonist would reference the reader (it forced me out of the story rather than drawing me in), after the first few chapters the book became hard to put down. This book is very trope-y but in a way that makes it endearing and feels like a rom-com. 'The Bodyguard' is a quick and fun read about trying to heal from the past and learning to fall in love.

*Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This was such a fun read! It gave me the same feelings as when I watch any of my favorite rom-coms, and I think an adaptation of this book would make a wonderful movie.
Hannah Brooks is a workaholic bodyguard who is tasked with protecting Hollywood star Jack Stapleton. Jack does not want to worry his family with the knowledge that he is receiving threats from stalkers, so he has Hannah pretend to be his girlfriend. Soon into their deception, Hannah begins to fall for Jack, but she can't help wondering: is he still pretending?
I found this book to be funny, lighthearted and a little predictable: all the things I want in a romantic comedy. While the plot was a bit far-fetched I enjoyed it immensely and kept my attention the entire time!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book deserves all the hype it is getting. Hannah and Jack are the best! It was easy to love them both as they fell for each other. Center did a wonderful job writing these characters and creating this world. I wish I could read it again for the first time, but it will definitely go on my reread list!