Hannah Brooks and her ex are in competition for a London promotion within their executive protection agency, and much as she wants to turn down the new assignment, she can’t.

Mega- movie star, Jack Stapleton is in Houston to support his mother, who is going through a cancer scare. He doesn’t want or need a bodyguard, but his contract says he has no choice- enter unassuming Hannah Brooks.

Forced into close contact, Hannah learns there’s a lot more to Jack than his washboard abs, and Jack finds himself fascinated by the bodyguard. Much as she appears confidant and assured, Hannah has a soft inner shell that Jack is drawn to, and she makes him laugh.

A surprise ending adds a delightful twist to this funny, heartwarming read. Katherine Center is at the top of my list of favorite authors and this book will make her a top read for you, as well!

HOLY COW I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Katherine Center writes the best characters. I loved the whole ensemble of Glenn’s crew and Jack’s family. Jack and Hannah were both just wonderful. This book was laugh out loud funny, sweet, and touching. I didn’t want it to end!

Huge thank you to st martins for the ARC!

Thank you netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is one of my new go-to authors for fun, lighthearted romances about adults falling in love. I love how unique each of the protagonists in her books are. No cookie-cutter females here. And the dynamic between the two main characters in this novel, a bodyguard and a celebrity client, is so charming and swoon worthy. Definitely would recommend this to my friends and anyone looking for a sweet and passionate summer romance with a lot of heart.

This was the perfect slow burn I have been searching for forever! The character development was so real and refreshing. I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this book because I just couldn’t put it down. Katherine Center scores again! I absolutely love her books.

I have loved all of Kathleen Center’s novels, and her latest work - “The Bodyguard”, is no exception! I really enjoyed the “gender swapped roles” with the female protagonist, Hannah, portraying the bodyguard to celebrity hottie, Jack. The “fake romance” angle is also a familiar trope & one I also enjoy reading. The female lead is a strong woman in a male-dominated profession - something that Ms. Center has done before, but it works again very well - the story is tender & charming. Recommend to all rom-com lovers. My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher & author for the complimentary DRC, which did not affect my review or opinions.

Hannah recently lost her mother, and her boyfriend dumped her immediately thereafter. for her best friend. She needs a change of venue to put her troubles behind her, which shouldn't be a problem since her job has provided many foreign assignments. You wouldn't know it to look at her--Hannah admits she is the "least lethal-looking person in the world"--but she is a seasoned bodyguard.

Jack is a charismatic, wildly attractive movie star who has been hiding out in North Dakota ever since he and his younger brother, Drew, were in an automobile accident that ended in Drew's death. Now he needs to return to Texas when his mother is scheduled for cancer surgery, but recent death threats from a persistent stalker call for extra protection from this rabid fan.

Hannah's personal security company insists that she take the assignment. Unfortunately for her, it will not provide her with a change of venue from her home state. What follows is a contemporary romance with the "faux romance" trope. Hanna and Jack must pretend to be in a relationship while she keeps him from harm. Fans of this type of romance will enjoy the over-the-top story since we know it will end happily. Personally, I would have liked a bit more depth and nuance to the main characters.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and honestly review this book.

I could not put this hook down. I thought it was a little Nicholas Sparks and a little JoJo Moyes but most importantly it was all Katherine Center. Well put together. It will give you all the feels. Do not waste time. Preorder this wonderful book today.

Oh how I love Katherine Center's books. The Bodyguard is a great rom com that has so much heart and depth that you will fall in love with Hannah and Jack. Both Hannah and Jack are a bit broken from issues in their past, but they are resilient in spirit. A joy to read. Uplifting and hopeful. A fabulous read. On a personal note, I was thrilled to read about a town that I lived in, Katy, TX, and I could picture the lay of the land.

What a heart-warming book this was!

If somebody is looking to create a movie adaptation of a book, this one would make a GREAT choice. I went in blind reading this book I just knew there was a bodyguard included (duh! It’s obvious) but I ended up pleasantly surprised and feeling so happy after reading this book.

The romance aspect in this book was just chefs kiss, not too much not too little and every moment was worth it! We see a lot of personal growth of the main character through out the book which I always love and to be honest it had me, screaming, laughing and smiling because of how good this books was

ALL THE FEELS with this book. Katherine Center is one of my very most favorite authors and her latest is hand down, my favorite book by her. This could quite possibly be my favorite book of the year. I loved every second, the story, the characters, the plot and the setting. Highly recommend!

Thank. you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Five amazing, spectacular stars!!

The Bodyguard is the feel-good story I didn’t know I was needing! I loved EVERY WORD.

When an invitation to read Katherine Center’s newest novel showed up in my inbox, I was overjoyed! Friends, there might have even been bouncing, squeals, and tears. When I eventually calmed down and noticed I had a newsletter from the author announcing the book, as well as mentioning it was set around Thanksgiving, I knew I had to read it immediately—even though the publishing date wasn’t for another six months. I’m happy to report I made the right choice. I had so much fun reading this one. It quickly moved to my top three favorite books by Center (don’t ask me to pick just one!), as well as one of my favorite books for the year.

I always know when I pick up a book by Katherine Center, I’ll find unforgettable characters: a strong female lead, a swoon-worthy love interest, and fleshed-out supporting characters that only enhance the story. Her storytelling is always joyful, even when it’s serious, and she always has something new and refreshing to say.

I love the fake-dating trope (and the bonus one-bed trope it leads to here), and The Bodyguard twists the expected by making the bodyguard our female lead, Hannah. She’s tiny but mighty, fully capable of taking care of herself and her subject. But her personal life has taken a beating lately, forcing her to place all her energy and focus on her job.

And while I am a fan of the fake-dating trope, I’m not always a fan of the famous love interest angle. I had every faith in this author to execute it well, though. Jack isn’t the typical Hollywood star most books portray. He’s kind, open, and loves his family very much. I quickly grew to love his laid-back charm. But he is hiding a heart-breaking secret.

As Hannah grows closer to Jack and his family, she finds herself opening up, confused about what’s real and what’s work. And watching these two fight their feelings for each other, leads to plenty of humorous and heartwarming and romantic moments.

I hope The Bodyguard ends up on the big screen. I would love to see this one adapted. And it’s definitely one I’ll be picking up a physical copy of to add to my bookshelf. I’m already excited about rereading it!

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martins Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.

Katherine Center is a fantastic author who is known for crafting thoughtful yet fun romantic novels. I was very excited to see that she had a new book out, and eagerly dove into "The Bodyguard." In this novel, Hannah Brooks is the titular bodyguard who has just lost her mother and is dumped by her boyfriend. Diving headfirst into work is the only way she knows how to keep her sanity. However, her assignment is the ultra-rich, ultra-handsome actor Jack Stapleton.

Not only does Hannah have to be his bodyguard, but she also has to be his pretend girlfriend at his family's ranch for an extended period of time. Along the way, she learns what a healthy, loving family acts like and discovers that she is worthy of being loved after all. Jack, plagued by his own tumultuous past, has to learn that he is worthy of accepting what others see in him.

I enjoyed the following sentiment from Center: "It doesn't hurt to spend your life with people who see what's great about you -- in a way that you maybe never would have on your own. The people we love help teach us who we are. The best versions of who we are, if we're lucky."

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How freakin fun was this book?! 😁 I would give it six stars if I could! Hannah Brooks is a Executive Protection Agent a.k.a. bodyguard. Her job is to protect the rich and famous whilst going about it undetected. Her day consists of vigilance, patterns, reading the room, predicting and eliminating threats. Her newest client is not her typical client. He’s an A-lister celebrity and he just happens to be A+ attractive. What could possibly go wrong? Or right? 😉
This book checked all the boxes for me. I could not put it down!
✔️funny
✔️loveable characters
✔️page turner
✔️action
✔️life lessons on self acceptance
✔️romance
I will definitely be buying this book for my personal library and lending it out to everyone I know! 😁
Well done @katherinecenter 💜
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC.
Now go pre-order this book and thank me later!
#bookstagram #canadianbookstagram #thebodyguard #katherinecenter #katherinecenterbooks #netgalley #stmartinspress

This is, hands-down, the best book I have read in a while. There are so many things about it that I enjoyed that it would be impossible to describe them all. Essentially, it is a romantic comedy about Hannah, an Executive Protection Agent (aka Bodyguard), who is assigned to the protection of Jack Stapleton, mega movie star, while he is in Texas to help with his mother’s illness. The characters are so likable and relatable, the plot is total perfection in the many things that ensue, the interactions between all the characters feels like watching all of your favorite movies combined into one perfect setup….but my favorite thing about this book is the incredible writing style of Katherine Center. It is perfection to the point that I savored every page and read them each with my whole heart. I was so invested and entertained that I didn’t want it to ever end. This would be the perfect light-hearted, feel good movie. Please add this to your reading lists! It comes out in July 2022 and I can promise you it will be a huge success! Bravo!!!!

I love Katherine Center. I have read almost all of them and they are totally my “type”. She her book “the lost husband” was made in a movie where the male character was played by Josh Duhamel, I have envisioned all of her male characters to be Josh Duhamel. Turns out he and the main character of this story have some things in common- famous actor, from North Dakota, heart throb!
Anyway, this book was a quick read and we got to learn about a woman in a field that isn’t dominated by women. I couldn’t wait to pick it back up every time I had to put it down.
I will forever always compare her books to my favorite one of hers: Things You Save In A Fire so because of this I am rating the book 4/5 stars.

The Anatomy of Love: the Prequel, the Main Event, and the rollicking Epilogue... Katherine Center has delivered the full package!
Star Wars - move over!
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Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit here, but we do see Hannah emerge from the chrysalis that she has been frozen in ever since her father left and her mother retreated into drugs and alcohol to escape the wreckage of her life.

Hannah has no room for romance: she stays busy so that she doesn't have time to dwell on how empty - how devoid - her life is of that four letter word: LOVE. (along with companionship and true friends.)

Hell literally breaks loose in the very first chapter of this novel. My advice? Hold on tight because you are in for a very bumpy ride: Hannah Brooks and Jack Stapleton are a match made in.... well, TEXAS!

I roared with laughter as these two irrepressible lunatics were forced to masquerade as lovers while staying at the Stapleton family ranch - in an effort to pull the wool over the eyes of Jack's seriously ill mother. I loved the entire Stapleton clan, as well as the corral of rescued circus horses. There were so many fascinating side stories that you never had time to catch your breath or get bored.

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At some point, the lines get blurred and these two madcaps often forget that the relationship isn't real.
Meryl Streep makes a cameo appearance, along with a set of steak knives and a precocious four year old!

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And that BIG KISSING SCENE..... IT WAS SO WORTH THE WAIT!!!

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I truly needed with wonderful, hilarious, hopelessly romantic birds' eye view of the epic love story between a much stalked and beleaguered movie star and his pint-sized bodyguard. I loved it and never wanted their story to end. 5out of 5 well-deserved stars! Highly, highly recommended if you need a good laugh.... or ten!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley and Katherine Center for the ARC.

This was really cute! I really liked both of the main characters, Jack and Hannah, and the concept of fake dating as a bodyguard/movie star was really fun. I have read some Katherine Center books in the past and found them incredibly cheesy, but this one was different! There was a lot more substance, and the real "romance" part didn't come in until more towards the end, so it didn't feel cheesy at all.

All in all, I really liked this one as a cute romance, and would definitely recommend for a light, fun read!

This is not your typical fake relationship book. It was is refreshing to read a different style of a fake relationship book. Hannah is a bodyguard and was hired to protect a famous actor, Jack, from a stalker. The story takes a turn when Hannah needs to pretend to be Jack's girlfriend and was invited to stay with him and his family for a whole month. There were a lot of cute moments throughout the book and I couldn't put this book down. When the threat of the stalker is over, Jack goes back to his normal life but more danger hits and Hannah is there to save him.

I went into this book blind- I requested it on NetGalley just because it was Catherine Center. Nothing else mattered. I loved it. When I realized the “bodyguard” was a female… I thought “hell yes!” This was such a quick read read that had a little bit of everything in it! Loved all the characters so much! Highly recommend this one!

So here’s what Katherine Center does. She gives you a strong woman, romance, comedy, and life lessons all in one. It’s impossible to read one of her books without having smiled, laughed, and learned something. And she does this effortlessly.