Hannah Brooks loves her job as a protection agent and even though she doesn't look much like a bodyguard she is great at her job. Her life was going great until her boyfriend broke up with her and she finds out he's been sleeping with her best friend. To make matters worse her boss thinks she's to emotional for a job that she looked forward to doing. He soon sets her up to watch over Jack Stapleton a famous actor who has come to town to spend some time with his sick mother. Jack doesn't want a bodyguard but the powers that be thinks he needs one so he comes up with the perfect solution. Hannah will pretend to be his girlfriend that way hos family won't worry and Hannah can still do her job. The more time the two actually spend together the closer they become. Hannah can't help but fall but she's afraid she'll be hurt in the end. Follow along and let your heart strings be tugged at. This was a wonderfully romantic rollercoaster ride that had me laughing and crying all the way through.

I adored this book!! It is one of the cutest romances I’ve read al far this year. This one may be lacking on the spice, but it is such a wholesome hallmark-esque novel. Falling for the hottest celebrity? Every girls dream!!

This book has been one laugh after another and I am kicking myself for never reading anything by this author before.

When I say I’ve been laughing into my pillow for the last couple nights as I’ve read one funny occurrence after the other, I am not kidding. I would so have finished this book last night if my eyes had stayed open for one more minute past 3AM.

Not only are these characters so perfect for each other but the character growth is beyond amazing. I cannot wait to see what the last couple chapters are like & whether or not Jack & Hannah will get that so above and beyond happily ever after.

Auto read author at this point and I really loved this one. The pretend to be lovers is one of my favorite tropes and it worked so well here. And SO funny!

The Bodyguard, by Katherine Center, made me laugh, tear-up, and cheer. Center is one of my favorite authors, partly because her protagonists are smart and very funny, and partly because they fret continuously, like most people I know. Amidst the bright dialogue and brisk pace, Center manages to include some insightful life lessons that benefit most of us. Her characters think like real people. but are so much wittier! Katherine Center’s books remind me of Nora Ephron’s movies. When you reach the last page/scene, you feel both satisfied and good about life’s possibilities.

This novel is a quick and enjoyable read…less than 24 hours from start to finish. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. It was a pleasure.

This was a cute fake dating story about an unassuming bodyguard and a celebrity with a mysterious past. The story is told from Hannah’s perspective but was written almost as though she were writing in her journal. It felt very personal and therefore relatable.

There was pretty much no spice but it wasn’t necessary because Jack and Hannahs chemistry was perfect! Their friendship really was the most important aspect of their relationship.

I have to be honest, while I enjoyed Hannah’s character I did find some aspects unrealistic. For example, she is an executive protective agent but makes some questionable choices, is emotional at times, and is actually scared of a few mundane things throughout the book.

And I must note the ending!! The last few chapters had me almost throwing my book across the room😨 This author knows how to shock the reader that’s for sure! I did not see any of that coming but it was perfect.

If you like any of the following you will enjoy this book:
➖fake dating
➖forced proximity
➖slow burn

I devoured this book in one sitting and could not put it down! THE BODYGUARD was just as fun as the set-up: he’s a swoony famous movie star and SHE’s his uptight, workaholic bodyguard. This novel was packed with tropey deliciousness, as the pair have to fake date to keep his family from knowing he needs protection .

I LOVED Jack. Hannah was a great narrator too, but Jack was so incredibly sweet and irresistible. I enjoyed the dynamic between our leads, and strongly recommend this book to fellow grumpy/sunshine lovers.

On top of the fun set-up, THE BODYGUARD successfully balanced swoon-worthy moments with more poignant scenes. The end of this novel was a little ridiculous, but I was hooked all the way through. Between this and loving THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE, I strongly recommend Katherine Center’s work to those interested in romance/women’s fic crossover titles.



Content Warnings: stalking, death of a parent, death of a sibling, car accidents, drowning, cancer, domestic violence (in a flashback), guns, blood

If you love rom com movies and novels, The Bodyguard should be your next read. This story (while a little far fetched) pulls on your heart strings, has you rooting for the characters and keeps you guessing-even when you think you have it all figured out. You'll laugh out loud at the banter that begins when Hannah, a private duty bodyguard is assigned to protect a movie star, Jack. The characters are well developed and by the end you'll feel like a part of a the family. The Bodyguard if the perfect summer read with hints of Miss Congeniality. I hope to see this story on the big screen one day.

Thank you so much to Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

CW for this book: death of a parent, cancer, alcohol, substance abuse, car accident

Hannah Brooks' life implodes when her mother dies, her boyfriend breaks up with her, and all she wants to do is escape to something she knows best- being an elite bodyguard. She's used to globetrotting and protecting high-risk clients. So, when her latest assignment is Hollywood action hero turned recluse Jack Stapleton.... well, things get messy. Especially when she plays the role of Jack's girlfriend and they get to know each other much more intimately.

The Bodyguard has a "will they won't they?" quality that makes it a fun and light slow burn story. When I dove into the book, I immediately felt like this would be a Netflix movie (as some of the author's previous works have become). Katherine Center knew precisely the audience she was writing towards, and I felt like she wanted to give them the next great summer read/Netflix hit. But I don't think I'm her target audience. I found the book very predictable and, while it did have some very real moments discussing grief and loss, they felt glazed over. Like those moments weren't really the point of the story, even though they defined it. This book definitely had parts where I laughed and aww-ed, and it seems like it will tick the boxes for a lot of women. As a queer femme who loves a good fluffy romance as much as the next person, the hetero vibes and stereotypes were just a little too much for me. I wanted Hannah's badass bodyguard skills and the gender role reversal to really shine.
3 out of 5 stars for a fun quick read with endearing moments.

I absolutely loved this novel! I liked the main characters, and I related to the emotions Hannah felt. The plot kept me intrigued; there were some laugh out loud moments. I would love to see this as a rom com movie.

BOOK REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
2022 Publication Date: July 19

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Contemporary Romance
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2022

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
When you are being underestimated, get inspired... And prove them wrong... ✨😎✨

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
Katherine Center has become an automatic add to the top of my TBR List toot suite! Taking my speedy "reading car" tight around any corner to get to the bookstore super-fast and pick up my latest copy...

So, when I heard KC had a new book in the works earlier this year, I made sure my car was filled with gas and my TBR List had an open spot reserved for this upcoming book release!

As always, Katherine Center's books feature strong female characters in roles that are not typically inhabited by women. Within this book, our protagonist is a female bodyguard... And this pairing is even more interesting by employing "dynamite comes in small packages" with our female lead vs her "protection target" as an action hero male movie mega-star.

Also, another feature with Katherine Center's books are a focus on Contemporary Romance without steamy or explicit content. You will still experience a romantic thrill but without any worries that you are being drawn into a virtual "threesome" with the characters.

So, think of this author as an option for readers looking for a book featuring strong female character storylines who are experiencing strong contemporary romance storylines with a "closed door" perspective by keeping steamy details private... ✨😎✨

Pages: 320
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sub-Genre: Workplace Romance
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Katy (Texas)

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center
Movie: Black Widow (with Scarlett Johansson & Florence Pugh)

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Hannah Brooks looks like a kindergarten teacher, but she's actually an Executive Protection Agent, or "bodyguard". And her next assignment? She's just been hired to protect megastar actor Jack Stapleton.

Jack is too gorgeous for words, famous, and probably used to getting whatever he wants. But Hannah's job is to make sure he doesn't get hurt -- no matter what he thinks and no matter how distracting he looks.

But as they begin to work together, Hannah quickly realizes that Jack isn't a spoiled Hollywood prince. Plus, he's hiding a painful secret, and he's in more danger than anyone knows.

As they race to uncover the truth and stay one step ahead of a determined stalker, Hannah and Jack will have to confront their pasts -- and decide if their fake relationship, originally designed to throw off the stalker, is turning into something real.

Filled with humor, heart, and a whole lot of suspense, The Bodyguard is a story about protecting the ones you love...and learning to take a chance on yourself.

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION:
• Family is everything, and sometimes we have to protect them at all costs.
• Sometimes the people who need protection the most are the ones who seem like they don't.
• Taking risks is scary, but sometimes it's worth it if it means finding happiness.

BOOK QUOTE:
“Every chance you take is a choice. A choice to decide who you are." - The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
• What do you think the author is trying to say with this quote? And how does this quote relate to the story in The Bodyguard?

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

As soon as I read the synopsis for this I was sold. Female bodyguard protecting a famous actor? Fake dating? Family ranch? Sign me up!

This was my first Katherine Center novel and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her because I absolutely loved this. Hannah and Jack were both such fun and believable characters and watching their slow burn relationship as they bonded and supported each other was such a delight. The banter and dialogue were so good: so many laugh out moments! It balanced out the more serious themes very well.

This was such a sweet, silly (in a good way!), and uplifting read; you definitely don’t want to miss this one!

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this book! I may have screamed in excitement a little when I got it. I love, love, love #katherinecenterbooks! This one is my new favorite I think, it was amazing!

Hannah is a bodyguard and her new client is a reclusive Hollywood star. Jack has a stalker in the last before he dropped off the grid. When his mom gets sick, he has to come home and reluctantly agrees to a bodyguard. The catch is he doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker, so Hannah has to pretend to be his girlfriend. What could possibly go wrong. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Buy this book when it comes out on July 19! It was easily a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me. I love Hannah and her thoughts had me cracking up.

This story had completely lovable characters… with the exception of Robby. He’s the actual worst. But everyone else is perfection. I loved Hannah’s quick wit and no BS attitude, which made her first person narrator my favorite aspect of this book. I’m not always the biggest rom-com fan, but this one totally worked for me, and I really enjoyed it!

I’ll preface by saying I adore Katherine Center. I’ve loved every book I’ve read by her and think she’s the queen of feel good romcoms with enough substance to keep it from feeling too frothy. While I enjoyed The Bodyguard it’s probably my least favorite of hers. It was hard for me to get past Hannah’s grumpy whining in the beginning at looking after a celebrity. It didn’t make her relatable or believable. I like grumpy/sunshine but typically from the perspective of the sunshine 😊. And I really didn’t believe Robby’s character and the things he said. Then Hannah has this massive team of experts who research everything but she doesn’t know the river near Jack’s house is dangerous or what to wear to be safe on the property? Again, hard to believe from someone who prides herself on her professionalism and says she finds the danger everywhere. Still, I thought it was an enjoyable story. It wasn’t until we got to Kennedy outlandishly asking the crowd who would pick Hannah over her when I finally checked myself and remembered what I was reading. I’m not here for a literary fiction masterpiece. I’m here for romcom. Where characters are over the top and less believable. Just like romcom movies (though in this case even picturing this dialogue in a movie felt a bit extreme and unbelievable). So that you really hate when the villains do something particularly jerky like Kennedy in this moment or Robby saying “why not?” over and over when Hannah says she won’t take him back. So you applaud when the romantic interest finally swoops in with a grand gesture and the crowd takes a cinematic moment to have Hannah’s back. Yup. Ok. In this moment I was there for the over-the-topness and willing to forgive my earlier complaints. Remember, this is romcom. Then I’m there for it and ready to put aside the eye rolls. Also, I’m personally a big fan of closed door romance but there wasn’t enough banter in this one and it was a disappointment that the romance didn’t really start until the 80% mark. This was a solid 4 stars for me. It’s a fun, mood lifting romcom but I just wish it was a bit more believable.

Katherine Center does it again. I just adore her stories and this one was perfection!!
I didn't want it to end. A feel good rom-com that was clean, romantic and just all around a good read.

From the synopsis:

She’s got his back.
He’s got her heart.
They’ve got a secret.
What could possibly go wrong???

Now I am off to find my rainbow safety pins!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful story of two people who are not ready for the emotions they come to share. It was funny, cozy, romantic, frustrating, but most of all a really fun, good read. This is the first Katherine Center title I have read, but I'm on my way to find her back library.

4.5 stars. This was quite enjoyable. The characters were interesting and nuanced. There was a lot of humor (I laughed out loud at the Rapture joke and Meryl Streep Knives!) The story was substantial, but never got melodramatic or unnecessarily angsty. It didn't follow the typical rom-com pattern of needing a breakup and reunion and that was refreshing!

I would have liked a bit more heat. This was firmly in the PG category and I felt the lack of that spark in their relationship. It's told in first person single POV and while I liked the conversational style of the narration, it did leave a lot unknown. I felt like I got to know Hannah and see how she grew, but I had questions about Jack. Why did he start liking Hannah? Why did he find her so amusing when, by all accounts, he was a pretty dour man?

The fact that I wanted more is a testament to the fact that this was a good story, and well-written. Pick this up for a sweet, enjoyable read!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I absolutely adored this book! This is the first title I have read by Katherine Center, and now I am ready to pick up her others. This book had such fun, sweet characters that sucked me in from the beginning. I highly recommend it!

Fell absolutely in LOVE with this story! Katherine Center does it again! Undoubtedly capturing readers in this modern love story while tackling some heavier issues. Not only does this book provide readers with a lovable story, but also many opportunities to learn important lessons from these characters! Recommending this book to everyone!!