I have never met a Katherine Center book that I didn't love and The Bodyguard did not disappoint! This was a fake dating trope, and I feel like it was one that seemed unique.

Hannah is an "Executive Protection Agent" (aka a bodyguard) and after going through some tough personal things is looking forward to her next assignment which will hopefully take her away and give her a much needed distraction and escape.

Only to her dismay her assignment keeps her in town and the person she is set to protect is a super famous actor who has been keeping out of the public eye for a few years after going through his own personal things.

In order for his family to not be suspicious, Hannah needs to act as his girlfriend and not his bodyguard.
There were some great twists and turns in this book. I loved a lot of the characters and HATED a few - lookin at you Bobby - you're horrible. This was a super cute read, and while it seemed a bit predictable, going along for the ride was the best part. Thank you Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy. Katherine Center is and will continue to be an auto read for me.

Hannah Brooks is the job. Detail-oriented, driven and structured, Hannah is an EPA-Executive Protection Agent or a bodyguard if you will. After suffering severe personal trauma-the death of her mother and a nasty break-up with her boyfriend/coworker (the day after her mother’s funeral), Hannah wants nothing more than to get back to work. The farther away her assignment the better. Her boss has another idea. Her next assignment is local and quite different than any she has ever had-a movie star visiting his hometown in Texas. Jack Stapleton is an a-lister who needs to be at his mother’s side as she is ill but he is under the threat of a stalker. A Corgi owning, middle-aged woman who is quite persistent and daring. Jack needs Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend to stay close and not alarm or stress his mother. Adventures ensue!
This story has suspense, family drama and a little romance. It is a fun, light and enjoyable read. The banter between Jack and Hannah is witty and entertaining. This my first Katherine Center novel and it won’t be my last!

I absolutely adored this. I didn't find the writing perfect by any means, but I love a romance with some complexity, and I appreciate that this one had characters really worth rooting for. I definitely wept a few times!

5/5⭐️. Going into this book hearing it was a retelling of the movie I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it, especially since the movie is one of my all time favorite. I can say from the first page until the last page, the bodyguard kept my attention. It had everything that I liked in romance books, a forbidden romance that shouldn’t happen to the happy ending and all of the difficult paths along the way. One of My new favorites!!

Well written fun times com book!the characters were so well developed and made you feel like you were right there .

I loved this book so much! Katherine Center never disappoints, but this might be my new favorite of hers!

Another great book by Katherine Center. I loved the dynamic between Jack & Hannah. It is such a sweet book about Hannah, the female executive protection agent, assigned to the famous actor, Jack Stapleton. Jack has a stalker and comes out of hiding to help care for his mom who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer at their family ranch in Texas. You know I am sucker for banter and chemistry and these two have it from the moment he mistakes her as his cleaning person to the time she is dressed like a Victorian doll in her nightgown.

Jack and Hannah were an excellent rom-com duo! From their first interaction, the banter between the two of them was natural and hilarious and I found myself cheering on their relationship immediately. I loved the depth that was added to Jack's character, and how his career as a famous actor was almost secondary to the internal struggles he was facing and the dynamic within his family. I would have liked Hannah's character to have carried the same substance - she seemed to always be flailing or enduing mishap after mishap, even though she seemed to constantly assert how she was the best at what she does. Overall it was a really cute read and enjoyable!

4.5⭐️ rounded up

Center is one of those great authors that I will always auto-read. This book was just as great as her others and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

What I loved:

1. The banter and wit in this one was great!

2. I loved all the well developed characters (and side characters) of this book and how much dimension they added to this one.

3. This fake relationship was done so well and had me feeling all the feels.

Definitely give this one a read!

I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this Ebook for an honest review.

Probably one of the best books I've read this year. I loved that Hannah was a female body guard. I loved how Hannah grew into herself in this book. She was all about the job and really didn't show a lot of emotion. I found this book to be funny, at times heart wrenching, and I loved the twist at the end that I was not expecting.

All the stars!

I really, really loved this book. It was hilarious. Center had me literally laughing out loud with her vibrant dialogue and quirky sense of humor. This book was the perfect mixture of funny, serious, heartfelt, and as stated by many before, pure sunshine.

For my romance junkies, there’s plenty of things we love. Fame trope (my personal fave)? Check. Only one bed? Check. Fake dating? Check. WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK FOR?

Jack Stapleton is my new obsession. Y’all go read this book!

Hannah Brooks is married to her career as a bodyguard. She is fully dedicated to protecting her clients and has no time for fun or love. All that changes when she is assigned to protect her former teen heartthrob Jack Stapleton. Jack has a stalker and a secret. To keep Jack safe Hannah is forced to pretend to be in a relationship with him and from there sparks fly.

In this book Center develops two flawed characters who together let their guards down and find a way to be who they truly are by facing their demons in order to move into their happily ever after. This book really resonated with me because I saw a lot of myself in Hannah (no fun all work!).

4.5 Very entertaining.

Imagine you are a petite woman bodyguard for high profile clients, you get dumped by you boyfriend (who is also your coworker) and you happen to be assigned protect a leading actor, but instead of protect, you have to pretend to be his girlfriend. Falls within the fake dating to lovers troupe, but written in a very cheeky way. The whole premise was pretty far fetched, but thats okay, I don't read fiction for every story to feel believable, but entertained and The Bodyguard delivered. This book had me laughing out loud at so many parts, which I always consider a big positive. I could VERY easily see this adapted into a Netflix movie, one that I would happily watch.

Katherine Center is an auto-buy for me. She writes the exact combination of drama and romance that a reader will tear through the story and then be destroyed that the book has come to an end. The Bodyguard was excellent and I will recommend it to patrons and friends.

“The Bodyguard” synopsis drew me in with its refreshing premise but I soon came to realize it was too good to be true (like everything else in my life). The read felt juvenile, the storyline/plot was a snoozefest, the characters were awkward AF, and based on their behavior—I kept forgetting they were adults. I had to re-read the synopsis to make sure I didn’t pick up a YA/NA romance novel.

Additionally—the characters were very one-dimensional and I struggled to connect with either Hannah or Jack. As a bodyguard, Hannah did a whole lot of standing around and being walked all over by her boss, ex-boyfriend, ex-best friend, and hell—even Jack. Where was the ‘tough guy’ exterior that is supposed to come with being a bodyguard? Poor girl wasn’t born with a backbone. Honestly, I was far more intrigued by the corgi stalker than anything else.

And I can’t fail to mention that the ‘romance’ left much to be desired. This bland Wattpad wannabe Hallmark movie was altogether a waste of time but if you’re a masochist like myself—10/10 would highly recommend it!

I loved this book! The chemistry, the twists, the way Katherine Center pulls you into the story are all reasons you NEED to read this book. This book makes you laugh, cry, and never want to put it down. I also loved how the characters didn't "fit" the typical stereotype of their professions. I can't wait until her next book :)

I love Katherine Center’s books and this might be my new favorite. I loved the gender reversal and Hannah Brooks’ whole vibe. Loved the family dynamic and how it wasn’t perfect. There was just enough mystery and thrill, too! Overall, it warmed my heart and I would definitely reread this one. I listened to the audiobook too and it was perfect!

Katherine Center is an auto-read author for me. She has a way of writing characters that are so real and authentic. The reader can’t help but root for them, even side characters. I am emotionally attached to her stories the same way I am with CoHo books.

Hannah is hired to be Jack’s bodyguard. When she signs up for the job, she doesn’t know she will end up having to move in with his family on their Texas ranch. Center blends a romance storyline with personal growth (for both our MCs) so well. Hannah and Jack are both fighting against their public personas.


Recommended if you like:
-fake dating
-bodyguard trope (duh!) but gender-norm flipped
-Texas ranch setting
-forced proximity
-one bed
-closed-door romance
-slow burn/tension to the max
-badass FMC
-banter
-family healing


TW: car accident, drowning, alcohol abuse, family death, grief, cancer, family estrangement

So far my experience with this author is that she writes sickly sweet and a tad dramatic romance but I adore it. I loved the fake dating scene in here and Hanaah is a BOSS at her job. The two of them really balance each other out and I had so much fun reading about them getting to knwo each other. I do have a review up on youtube for more thoughts, but this one was a top romance for me and gave me all the butterflies!

Rating 5/5
Plot 5/5
Spice 1/5
Writing 5/5
Character Development 5/5

[I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book]

“The Bodyguard” by Katherine Center is a contemporary women’s fiction novel that centers around Hannah Brooks and Jack Stapleton. Hannah is a bodyguard and works for an agency team that takes on wealthy clients that need security. The story begins with a series of unfortunate events (from Hannah’s mom passing away to her boyfriend who happens to also be her coworker breaking up with her). Hannah’s boss tells her that she should take a break and when she returns a month later Hannah is given a new job in Texas protecting Jack Stapleton, a popular movie star, who has a stalker. Jack has returned home as his mother is ill. Jack has a bad history with his brother and doesn’t want his mom worrying about his stalker situation so he doesn’t inform his family that he has a bodyguard. In order to keep Hannah around without being questioned, Jack poses that the two pretend they are a couple. As they work together and put on this act, they begin to have feelings for one another.

THIS BOOK!!! The fake dating trope is easily 12/10! I love the plot and thought it was super unique! I loved the characters and enjoyed reading about their growth throughout the novel. I loved how Jack was written because even though he’s famous, he still remained humbled and just like a “regular person”. There aren’t spicy moments or spicy chemistry in this book that's why I said it's 1/5 on the spice meter. That being said, the book is still a light and fun rom-com! Overall I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from Katherine Center.