"Those women from my past-- they're the 'befores' and you... you're the after."

OMG I loved this book sooo much !! This is my second book from Katherine Center and I want to go back and read all her backlist !! This is such a cute book and I loved every page !!

lets talk about some of my favorite things !!
🔹 I loved the characters !! Hannah was so fun and I thought it was great that Katherine normalized a female having a job that is usually considered to be "male" Job. She was a fun character to read about and watch her grow as a person. and JACK !! He was just so sweet and down to earth and I really loved how Hannah and Jack brought out the best in each other !!
🔹 This book was super funny and I laughed many times!! STUMPY!! OMG !! I died... ( you have to read it now just so you can figure out what that is)
🔹I also loved the family dynamics of this book and the small, farm town atmosphere!! It was just so cute !!!
🔹 Fake dating is always so fun !! You know they are gonna fall in love.. duh but its fun to read about it happening !!!

This was definitely a favorite of the month and cant wait to read more from her!!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for an ARC of this book !!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc.

This was the first book I've read by this author, and I have to say, I feel hesitant now to pick up another book by her. The MC in this was just so juvenile, I felt like this was a debut, not written by a seasoned author. I wanted to love this so bad after reading all the glowing reviews, but unfortunately, this just didn't work for me.

DNF at 40%

Another 5-star read from Katherine Center. Center has a magical way with words and characters, and creates realistic situations, with events and people that you can believe in, and root for. I have a soft-spot for the "fake relationship" trope, and this one delivers in spades. Hannah is strong and confident in every way that matters, and I appreciated that her role as a bodyguard is portrayed in a believable manner. Can't wait for the next book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought that this book was fantastic! This is only the second Katherine Center book that I have read but I am convinced that I need to get busy reading the rest of her books after finishing this one. I was hooked by this story! Once I started listening to this book, I did not want to put it down because I was hooked. This book was the perfect combination of funny, romantic, and exciting, and I loved all of it.

Hannah and Jack were perfect together. This story is told from Hannah’s point of view and I felt for her at the start because she was really having a hard time. She was pushed into taking the lead in protecting Jack Stapleton, who is a famous movie star. Jack is in town because of his mother’s health and doesn’t want to worry his mom so he convinces Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend instead of his bodyguard.

I fell in love with these characters and finished the book with a giant smile on my face. Hannah and Jack were perfectly matched and I really enjoyed their banter. It was great seeing them spend time with each other and start to fall for one another. This book had some great moments that I know will stay with me for a long time.

This is the first time that I have listened to Patti Murin’s narration and I think that she has earned a spot on the list of narrators that I will look for. She did such a great job in bringing these characters to life and I thought that she delivered the humor in the story expertly. I am convinced that her narration added to my enjoyment of this delightful story. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen and hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.

I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and purchased a copy of the audiobook.

There were raving reviews about this book early on, so I was so ready to read this when I received the eARC. And I was not disappointed at all. If you ever watched Miss Congeniality, then you are going to love The Bodyguard as I did. It gives out the same vibes.

I just loved it that the main female character, Hannah, is a badass bodyguard expert. You would think she is an average character with her 9-5 job, but nope. She can kill you in many ways before you expect it. And that’s what comes in handy when she has to fake date her client, Jack, when he visits his hometown.

They are totally opposite from each other since she is a bodyguard and he is a famous actor. But the chemistry that they have for each other is off the charts. They are truly meant to be with each other. Who cares if they are the total opposite of each other? It works either way. That’s why they call it the opposite attracts romance trope.

This is a sweet and clean romance that takes what many assume about being a bodyguard and turns it on its head. Our main character, Hannah, is hired to protect a mega-star, Jack, which he thinks is laughable considering her size and lack of scary features. She quickly dispels his assumption and shows him exactly what he's capable of. And though the premise is about her protecting him, it's really about how they both grapple with loss. Each of them is dealing with the loss of a loved one that's left them reeling and trying to cope. He's hidden from the world and her instinct is to run. Because of the job and Jack's family obligation, both of them are given an opportunity to work through some problems and find some happiness, which both do,

Predictable, funny, and easy to read.

Another heartfelt and swoony novel by one of my favorite traditionally published authors. This one is a fake dating bodyguard romance where the female is the security detail and the male is the famous actor. Full of forced proximity situations and the trials that come with being famous, Center adds a unique spin to the bodyguard trope giving us a look inside what it’s like to be a female security guard in predominantly male world. A spirited and wholesome romcom that I would love to see on the big screen!

After losing her mom and getting dumped by her boyfriend, Hannah Brooks will stop at nothing to get a security assignment as far away from her ex as possible. But much to her dismay, Hannah’s boss gives her an assignment in town with famous actor Jack Stapleton. Hannah is forced into a fake dating relationship with Jack in order to hide her job from Jack’s mom. The two quickly build a relationship that feels authentic, so when the assignment is done Hannah can’t tell if Jack is acting.......or not.

The best part of this book was watching the forced contact between Hannah and her ex and Hannah and her fake famous boyfriend. There’s always underlying tension that builds slowly resulting in an explosion of confrontations and spilled feelings. There’s little to no steam in this book, but Center gave me enough sexual chemistry to satisfy my romance loving heart. This was a fun and easy read with a lot of heart.

Hannah Brooks can’t seem to catch a break. Her mother has passed away, her boyfriend dumped her, and she’s being forced to compete against him for a permanent spot at a new office in London. When an opportunity to provide protection (aka be a bodyguard) for a world famous actor comes up, Hannah is less than thrilled to be put on the job. But to get the escape she needs she must complete the mission, even if it means pretending to fall in love with Jack Stapleton. But at what point do you stop pretending? In a fun, quick, yet predictable read, “The Bodyguard” allows the reader to fall in love with the characters and root for them the entire time.

I absolutely loved this sweet romcom! MC Hannah, who is the last thing you'd think of when thinking of a body guard, is assigned to protect a well known rock star, Jack. The assignment comes because Jack is being stalked by a fan and needs protection. Fast forward to the pair having to "act" like they are involved for Jack's family and sparks start to fly. I loved the characters and the realness of them. This book had me feeling SO much and that's hard to do in a romantic comedy for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Definitely a 5-star read and highly recommend.

This book was so fun and sweet! Hannah is the bodyguard in this story and she protects a handsome movie star. This was different than most stories I read where a bodyguard is involved and I loved it. I laughed out loud more times than I can count and swooned a few times. This was such a great story!

Thank you #Netgalley for providing me an early read of #TheBodyguard

I love every book I've read by Katherine Center. There are not many authors I can say that about. She immediately pulled me in with Hannah's sense of humor, even while terrible things were happening to her. I love that Hannah's profession is one you wouldn't expect for a young petite woman. I love the big scene toward the end of the book where Hannah is so kind and so wise even after what she's been through. I finished this book in two days, which is saying a lot with how busy work has been. Center continues to be a "go to" and "autobuy" author for me. While her books are so easy to read, they are not simplistic. They are delightful reads which make me teary and laugh out loud. There is a lot of heart and wisdom in her writing which definitely comes across to this reader. I highly recommend this book as well as Katherine Center's backlist. You won't be disappointed. Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Omg this was so cute, so manny emotions , love it , amazing story, strong characters , totally will recommend

Jack Stapleton is a famous actor who has returned to his Texas home to be with his family as his mother recovers from cancer. There’s a tiny issue though—Jack has a little bit of a stalker issue and he doesn’t want his family to know. His agent has insisted he have a security team while there, and Hannah is assigned as his primary bodyguard. How will Jack explain this interloper to his family while not sharing that he may be in danger? Why, she’ll have to keep her cover by playing Jack’s new girlfriend of course!

This is my second book by Katherine Center. I recently read Things You Save In A Fire this past year, and noticed there are some similarities between the stories. Both feature a strong female protagonist who work in male dominated fields. And both stories had the main character in forced physical proximity to an unlikely love match.

Since both books had such similar formulas, I’m wondering now if all of her titles follow this same kind of storyline. I did enjoy this one (as I did her previous). It was a light, feel-good kind of romance, and I do like that the women are written as strong, independent characters. I’d recommend this if you’re in the mood for something light, and especially if you are a fan of this type of romance trope.

Hannah’s alcoholic mother has just died which seems to her boyfriend, Robby, to be an ideal time to not only dump her but to humiliate her in the process. And instead of being sent to London for work, she is instead assigned to protect Hollywood heartthrob Jack Stapleton from a middle-aged stalker.

Sure, Jack’s good looking with perfect abs but it’s not really the career building assignment she needs. When her ex returns from Madrid with a new lover—Hannah’s former best friend—and she has to go under cover to Jack’s parents’ ranch, Hannah is near despair.

But Jack’s parents are adorable, Jack is charming, and even older brother Hank has some redeeming qualities.

While the story line might sound unoriginal, Katherine Center’s ability to craft incredibly likable (or despicable, in some cases) characters sets her work apart. And the snappy dialogue moves the story along. Katherine Center is the rare writer who creates unputdownable novels that make you feel better about the world. Her books are like giant hugs. #TheBodyguard #NetGalley

Huge thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bodyguard story based a female bodyguard, Hannah, and her principal Jack, a famous movie star arriving back in Houston to attend to his sick mother. Tensions have been high since the loss of his brother Drew and older brother Hank would not let him forget it. As her last request, Mama Stapleton requests all her boys to come stay with her on the ranch leaving Hannah no choice but to tag along and play girlfriend to Jack and the story goes from there.

This was good summer read if you need a break from reality. Some parts of the plot were stretched and exaggerated for action purposes but I was good with it. Hannah could hold her own in fight however I didn’t like the dynamic of her and Jack. He was unnecessarily mean at times but then showered her affection. Hannah is written as insecure and timid when it comes to relationships. This creates an unhealthy dynamic. I didn’t get behind them as a couple so it made it hard for me to root for them. However, I liked the bodyguard trope so that kept me reading. The side characters were interesting and that’s really what kept me engaged.

Overall, I’m giving this 3 stars on account of the side characters. However, I wouldn’t read this again and probably wouldn’t recommend it.

Center has done it again! The Bodyguard is absolutely delightful. I’ll be honest, despite my adoring this author I was a little hesitant because the blurb made the book seem a bit contrived but that was me having little faith.

Hannah is a lovely protagonist. She made me laugh so much, feel so much, I rooted for her so hard and got angry for her. Hannah was this book for me. That’s not to say the other characters aren’t great but there was just something special about her for me.

The pace clips right along at such a solid pace that I’d blazed through one-third of it without even noticing one night. It’s just *fun*. The banter in particular is amazing. Center has such a knack for witty, wry humor voicing and I loved it.

I’d definitely recommend this one, as I always do with her books. It’s enjoyable in every way, especially with the protagonist Hannah who steals the show as one of the most relatable and hilarious characters I’ve read in a long time.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

The Bodyguard was a fun read. Hannah Brooks is a trained bodyguard (LOVE THAT!) and she is a work-a-holic because she doesn't want to face being alone. She is given the job of guarding Jack Stapleton a famous actor through his mothers cancer treatments. There is a pretend GF/BF that moves the story along. I enjoyed the story and banter which kept me moving through this book pretty quickly. The romance is a spice level of 1 and was a very slow burn.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

the bodyguard by katherine center review ✨

“And loving other people really does turn out, in the end, to be a genuine way of loving yourself.”

rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

the bodyguard is about a bodyguard, hannah, who is put on assignment to a celebrity, jack, who has a stalker. hannah has to pretend to be jack’s girlfriend in order to protect him and love is in the air 🫶🏼 lol

tbh I love that hannah is the bodyguard! I wasn’t expecting that when I first read the title/saw the cover of the book and it’s really refreshing to see the roles reversed. this is probably the perfect “rom-com”, not extremely realistic but there were pretty funny aspects to the story (like the way the stalker was described) and it was a fast paced read for me. was definitely hooked throughout the story and I honestly needed something light!

I loved the way jack’s parents were written and just seeing how much they cared about others made the story a lot better. some of the other characters in her little bodyguard agency were a bit much lol but it created the drama. hannah was a bit annoying at times, but her recognition of what love means was relatable and I appreciated that. jack was also surprisingly super sweet and it made me love his character even more ❤️ (there is also like no smut at all so this is a cute romance without the smut)

would definitely recommend if you want to read a cute & funny romance! 🤍 also this book has a special place in my heart because it was my first ever approved arc from netgalley.. thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress !! ✨

What a delightful and fun book! It would definitely make a great beach read. Katherine Center is a great storyteller who never fails to entertain. Yeah maybe there were parts that were predictable, maybe there were some clichés and maybe there were some tropes but none of this prevented it from being a truly fun read.

The Bodyguard tells the story of Hannah Brooks who at 5’ 5” and female, works as a bodyguard. Her boyfriend Robby also works at the same place, which anyone can tell you is a potential recipe for disaster. Hannah’s Mother passed away and the next day Robby dumps her. All Hannah wants is to get an assignment far away so she can escape the pain. But her boss has different ideas and puts her in charge of protecting Jack Stapleton, a successful actor who happens to be ultra handsome.

Center gives such depth to Hannah and Jack that you cannot help but like them and root for them. They are both believable and relatable. Their banter is a lot of fun and they just seem perfect for each other. Hannah’s inner monologue is very entertaining while providing the reader an additional way to understand the character. They each have emotional baggage that they are able to share and ultimately overcome.

Run, don’t walk to read this book. You will smile and laugh and ultimately feel good! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm obsessed. It’s humorous and endearing at the same time. I’m new to @katherinecenter but oh man am I fan now!! This book is an absolute delight. Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.