I was really feeling in the mood for something fun and light. Katherine Center is always a good author for that and her latest, The Bodyguard, fits the bill perfectly. Hannah is an Executive Protection Agent, a bodyguard. She looks like she couldn't harm a fly, but as she says, her job is to make sure she stops a threat before it ever comes to physical fighting. And yet, she can still toss a fully grown man to the ground before he can blink. She's just had the worst few weeks of her life: her mother has died, her boyfriend has broken up with her, and her best friend is on the other side of the world. The worst part of it is that she can't distract herself the way she normally does- work. Happy to call herself a workaholic, Hannah feels fulfilled by her job. When her boss finally gives her another assignment, it isn't what she's expecting. She has to pretend to be the girlfriend of a gorgeous movie star. He doesn't want his family to know that he needs protection. But how good are their respective acting skills?

This book was super cute. It was sweet and romantic while not being saccharine. I really liked it, and I can't wait to listen to the audio version. Add this one to your list. It will definitely make you smile.

This book is adorable, and as always, Katherine Center has written a strong and three-dimensional main character in Hannah and a swoon-worthy love interest in Jack. I love how the toxic masculinity that sometimes gets idealized in romance has zero place in any of her novels--her men are sweet, charming, respectful, believably imperfect, and yes, still incredibly sexy. At just over 300 pages, I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed. But overall a cute and quick read that I would easily recommend.

I have read Katherine Center before but nothing was as good as this one. I loved the story, the setting, and the characters wholeheartedly. This was easily a 5/5 star read for me and I have been recommending it to all my fellow rom com readers non-stop!
When I finished this book, I hugged it. I was utterly in love! 10/10 cutest rom-com! 10/10 build up to that first kiss! 10/10 witty banter! 10/10 character development! I am just here for it!!! Go read it!

Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is a lighthearted, playful swap on the typical stereotype of "male bodyguard protects female protagonist in danger." We have Hannah, an undercover agent hired to watch over Jack, a popular actor who's received some concerning threats but doesn't want to bother his close-knit family or worry his ailing mother. Jack only agrees to the detail as long as Hannah will pretend to be his girlfriend and no one need know of the arrangement.

Though on its surface it's a predictable plot and a quick read, there's some depth as Hannah processes the death of her mother and the end of a relationship ("Does anybody ever know a relationship isn't working? Is that something you can know? Or do all relationships require a certain amount of unreasonable optimism just to survive?"). In her friendship with Jack and his family, she begins to heal from past griefs and past hurts.

In what could have fallen flat and felt formulaic, Center has instead written an enjoyable book with heart, with themes of self-acceptance and self-worth, family, and mourning.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Another delightful romance from Katherine Center. I loved the characters and the sweet world they inhabited on the ranch. A bit of a clunky start but totally hooked by the end.

I will read anything Katherine Center writes. I love all her books, and this one was exactly what I expected. I cannot recommend this one enough. I have purchased an additional copy to pass around book club.

A fun twist on the bodyguard trope but this romance was too surface level for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters enough and didn’t feel like I knew them.

I’m sorry, but I just did not vibe with this book very much. After reading about the tough girl character in Things You Save in a Fire, this book felt like a carbon copy of the same person.

The MC’s previous romantic relationship was a mess, her friendships were a mess, and this bodyguard job was wholly unbelievable. And I’m expected to feel swoony over this celebrity romance? I’m sorry but the chemistry was not there for me.

I did enjoy some of the deeper lessons taught throughout the story. What the celebrity guy went through (I can’t even remember their names and I just finished this dang book) was emotional and there was a little twist there. But the rest felt quite predictable.

Was it an easy read? Sure. Was it a rom com? Definitely not. But I didn’t even feel like it was a god romance either, so it’s pretty hard to recommend this one to others.

I’m giving it 3-stars for just an “okay” read.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review

This is the first book I have read by Katherine Center, and it definitely won’t be the last. I am quite picky about chick-lit, rom-com novels. Many tend to be too sappy or silly for my taste. But I had heard good things about Katherine Center’s Things You Save In a Fire, so when the opportunity arose to read an ARC of The Bodyguard, I thought I’d give it a go. And I’m glad I did.

Hannah Brooks is dealing with a lot of disappointment in both her personal and professional life. Her mother has died. And after she is dumped by her boyfriend, she discovers that he has taken up with her best friend. On the work front as an Executive Protection Agent (basically an elite bodyguard), Hannah is pulled from an expected assignment in Madrid and is told there are no open foreign assignments. To make matters worse, she discovers that she now has direct competition for a coveted two-year stint in London. Could things get any worse? When she finally does get an assignment, it is not at any of the glamorous locales, but in her own backyard of Houston, Texas, where she will be guarding actor Jack Stapleton from a corgi-loving stalker. Hiding his bodyguard from his family is a problem for Jack, who proposes Hannah act as his girlfriend. They play their roles to perfection, and Hannah falls for him despite her knowledge of the pretense. But when the stalker plotline comes to the forefront, Hannah must put it all on the line to protect Jack.

Katherine Center’s approach to the story is fresh and light. The fake-boyfriend plot is done a lot in romances, but this time it has a genuine ring to it. I immediately felt sorry for Hannah. Everything seemed to go wrong at once, falling down around her like an ill-constructed house of cards. But through it all, her spunk and spirit shown, and I was happy to see a successful woman taking on a generally male profession and handling it competently. While the emphasis was definitely on the romance, it could be classified as “clean.” This to me is a selling point – no need to bog down the plot with ridiculous sex scenes or steamy displays meant solely to convince the reader that two people are in love (or lust). Much better to let the relationship speak for itself. There are several familiar tropes – especially concerning the way Jack’s mother welcomes Hannah into her home – but they work well together here. The reader really becomes invested in Jack and Hannah’s love story.

The Bodyguard is a sweet, humorous, feel-good rom-com that will keep you entertained for hours. I think Katherine Center has found a new fan.

Note: I received an ARC of The Bodyguard from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. The above is my honest review.

Review will be posted on 11/11/2022

Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard, although at only five foot five inches, she looks anything but. She finds herself at a crossroads. Her mother has died, her boyfriend has dumped her, and just when she needs an overseas assignment to escape it all, her boss tells her to take time off at home. That is until she gets offered a local case. Jack Stapleton, a famous actor, is home in Texas taking care of his ailing mother. While at home, he needs a bodyguard and that's where Hannah comes in. Except Hannah doesn't really want this job, but her boss tells her Jack has a stalker, so there's a definite need. Hannah moves into Jack Stapleton's family ranch to protect him and in turn learns more about Jack, who has been hiding from the spotlight since his brother's tragic death. He doesn't tell his mother about his bodyguard, Hannah, because he doesn't want her to worry, so instead he presents Hannah as his girlfriend. Cue the drama! Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is a delightful romance for fans of the fake dating trope.

I really enjoyed Hannah from the start of The Bodyguard. Who doesn't love a tough woman? I like how Center turned the tables and made Hannah the bodyguard despite her outward appearance. I didn't quite understand her complex relationship with her mother - that was sort of glossed over - but she doesn't really mourn the loss of her mother. Instead, she wants to jump into work and her boss knows that isn't the best idea. Instead of giving her an overseas case, she will work close to home covering extremely famous (and extremely good looking) Jack Stapleton. Hannah, although she is one tough woman, lacks confidence regarding dating, has low self-esteem, and accepts behavior (at least form her ex) that she shouldn't. Her ex-boyfriend, another bodyguard, dumps her for her friend, so Hannah isn't in a great place when she sets out to protect Jack. But once she is at Jack's family's ranch, she starts to heal in ways she didn't know possible. She gets to know Jack and realizes he is much more than what she thought. She also enjoys his family and even though they have their own problems, she likes getting to know his parents and experience a relationship she never had.

Center's main story is focusing around a fake dating trope in The Bodyguard. I enjoy a good fake dating trope, but I didn't entirely believe the premise surrounding this one. I understand his mother doesn't want to be stressed as she is undergoing cancer treatment, but a famous actor having a bodyguard wouldn't be out of the norm. So, presenting Hannah as a girlfriend I feel like would do more damage to the mother when she finds out the truth, because how long can you fake date your bodyguard? Well, in this case, their fake dating turns into something more.

The Bodyguard has some suspenseful moments that I was able to predict, but Center did a good job keeping me glued to the pages. Trigger warning: there is a cancer subplot that was portrayed with some toxic positivity, which I didn't really appreciate, but other than that, I thought it was a cute romance. I will definitely check out Center's work in the future. So, are you a fan of Katherine Center? Have you read The Bodyguard? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

This book was really fun and enjoyable! I was hooked from the start! I got attached to the protagonist so quick, i just love her! She was funny and quirky.

the mmc was hooot. If you give me a man that only laughs with the fmc, I will fall in love with him every.single.time!!

The plot was different from what I’ve seen before, I mean SHE is his bodyguard and HE begs on his knees in front of her coworkers to be his fake girlfriend!!!

However, I would have loved to read his pov and more spice😌

This was a great book, too. It was a fun summer read with some romance and family stories. Right up my alley!

This story made me forgive Katherine Center for that horrible library mess.

This one was fun. It was heavy hearted but light too. The high profile hottie and the messy, workaholic bodyguard. Totally fun pair. Great light and funny read.

I enjoyed this story and found it rather unique, but it was slightly slow-moving. It was different from other stories in that the Bodyguard was a female guarding a male star. It included some mystery and intrigue which added to the book. I would like to read more of Katherine Center's books as this was my first.

Review of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Stuck working with her ex, Hannah is forced into a job that she has no desire working. She wants the promotion and to get as far away from her ex as possible but instead, she’s stuck having to prove that she deserves the promotion more than her ex. Enter Jack Stapleton. Everyone knows who Jack Stapleton is and everyone wants to be near him. Everyone except for Hannah. Problem is - her job is to protect him from a stalker. What better bodyguard than someone who can blend in and act as his girlfriend? But it’s only a matter of time before the acting turns into real feelings.

The Bodyguard is literally a Hallmark movie waiting to be made. Fake dating, stuck working with your ex, crazed stalker, closed-door romance, and a tragic accident all rolled up into a few hundred pages. The gender role reversal was a refreshing element and the world that Katherine Center built around Jack and Hannah was so easy to fall into. That said, I could have done with a little more smut sprinkled in. The little details that circle back to make a well-rounded story just top it off.

I enjoyed the beginning but got lost about halfway through. I love Katherine Center’s writing style but this one just wasn’t for me.

I can always count on Katherine Center for an addictive & engrossing read. I devour her books and I don’t know why I haven’t picked something up off her backlist (they’re on my shelf) because I have loved her 4 most recent books. Emotional, heartwarming, and just what I needed. I loooved the characters & storyline and just getting to know escape for a bit.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a heartwarming book that has lots of humour and a great message. If you enjoy a fake dating trope, then this book is definitely one to add to your list. It is jam-packed with enjoyable characters and warm fuzzies.

Books that are upbeat fun to read have been the ones that I veer towards these days, and Katherine Center has knack for writing laugh out loud stories. Even thought this book has an emotional aspect to it, the plot has a positive style that really balances things out nicely. The banter between Hannah and Jack is just perfect and provides most of the funny elements in the book.

❀ UNIQUE MAIN CHARACTER

Hannah’s character is really unique, and I don’t think that I have read about a female bodyguard before. She is a strong and resilient character who is getting over a recent breakup and coming to terms with the death of her estranged mother. Jack, on the other hand, is an interesting and enjoyable character that has a lot of issues that he is struggling with since the death of his younger brother. These two characters work really well together and I really enjoyed watching them fall for each other.

❀ STRONG FAMILY THEME

Another wonderful aspect of this book is the strong family theme that resonates throughout. Jack’s family is really close and they seem to easily adopt Hannah right into their world, which is sweet and lovely to read about. The way this family rallies around one another makes for a heart-warming story.

❀ WILL LEAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a perfect read if you enjoy a fake dating story that will leave you with a smile on your face. The characters are enjoyable and the theme of family makes it a heartening read. I look forward to reading the author’s next book.

Katherine Center has become an automatic must-read author for me! The Bodyguard was fun, funny, and full of all the romantic charm I've come to love about her books. I couldn't stop reading, and couldn't get enough of Hannah and Jack's "relationship". Center always builds a really solid and colorful cast of characters - which just makes the whole reading experience so satisfying. I can't wait to read whatever is coming next for her!

This book was the perfect read to get me out of my slump! I was instantly hooked into the storyline and really enjoyed the main characters. I really fell in love with their relationship as the book went on. I thought this was a great romance read that wasn't overly complicated and was decently realistic in regards to the relationship. I have been recommending it to my romance reader friends!