What a wonderful book! Imagine your job is to protect a hot actor and to do so you need to pretend to be his girlfriend. This is what you will find in this book. I loved the characters and how they intertwined with several subplots. Katherine Center had an amazing writing style that makes it hard to put the book down. It’s funny, sweet, and relaxing at the same time.

This is a very cute rom-com book just begging to be read this summer! I appreciated they the characters had personality traits and struggles beyond just those that a relationship would solve. I always like a book that’s set in Texas…especially around the Brazos river (as someone who went to Texas A&M). I liked Hannah, I liked Jack. I loved Jack’s family- how they were written and how Hannah fell in love with the family (honestly more than she fell in love with anyone else). Some things I wish were in this book were: 1. I wish we saw Hannah on an assignment at the beginning of the book so we could see how competent and good she was at her job. I had a hard time believing that Hannah was the best at her job when the first assignment that we saw her on, all she talked about was how unprofessional she was being. Also, I wish that we were given time for Hannah to grieve the death of her mother… While they weren’t close, I found it hard to believe that she never really processed nor grieved her mother’s passing- or the fact that her mom was lying to her about her drinking. I think the book could have been even better with like 50 more pages. However, it definitely is a book for people who like fake dating, one bed, forced proximity tropes.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy of The Bodyguard. This one is out now, it came out this week.

At first I didn’t really enjoy this book. I didn’t like the main character and I almost gave up on reading this one. I think mostly because this book felt very predictable and that’s why I didn’t enjoy it more. I feel like in the first 20 or so pages I could’ve summarized the whole book before finishing it. But, I enjoyed reading it and I enjoyed the mental break it provided so I’d say that’s a win in the end. This is the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center so if you have any other recommendations from her backlist let me know!

"You don't have to be perfect to be lovable."

Katherine Center is a gem. Her books are full of comfort, heart and happiness and this one is no exception. Hannah just wants to get out of town. She'll go anywhere to get away from thinking about losing her mom and her boyfriend in the same week. However, her next assignment as an Executive Protection Agent is located in her hometown of Houston. Despite her grumbling about not wanting to take it, Hannah finds herself working the job anyway protecting Hollywood star Jack Stapleton. While Hannah can't help but admit that he is gorgeous, she really doesn't appreciate having to act as his fake girlfriend and live on his family's ranch in order to protect him.

Jack is struggling. While life looks like perfection on the outside, inside he is tormented by the death of his one brother and the falling out with his other. He doesn't feel the need to be protected but a stalker is his reality and his studio isn't taking any chances while he's under contract for the sequel of his latest film. This book has forced proximity, only one bed, fake dating and forbidden romance to it. I loved the relationship that Jack and Hannah form while spending time on the ranch. You can't but help but love his family and Jack is that perfect blend of kind, vulnerable, and likable. I felt for Hannah and wanted her to find her joy again. Seeing these two fall in love was so satisfying. I had a hard time putting this book down and smiled throughout. Center has been a long time favorite author of mine and this book is a perfect example of why. The heart and soul in it is exactly what we need in our lives today. Pick this one up ASAP. You will not be sorry you did!

Katherine Center can do no wrong in my eyes. She is one of the most consistent, quality writers out there. I knew I would read The Bodyguard just because it was by her- but not recommend it because it was incredible. I loved the change-up of gender roles, the family dynamics, and the will-they/wont-they. I was hooked from the first page and read it in one sitting. Katherine brings her characters to life - you can see them as you read along. This book moves fast but in the best possible way where there is no good time to put it down! It's a rom-com at its best- but the characters and plot have the depth that makes this a home run. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The entire time I was reading this, I kept thinking to myself how this book was is just so fluffing delightful! It’s my first Katherine Center, but it definitely won’t be my last.

Hannah who works as a executive protection agent, is having a rough go of it. The day after her mother’s funeral her boyfriend breaks up with her and not in a particularly gentle way. Then, rather than being assigned to a client in a far away country like she’d prefer, she’s assigned to someone local. That someone just happens to be Jack Stapleton, famous A-list actor who has been out of the spotlight for the past couple years after the death of his brother. Jack’s back in town to see his mother who’s sick. The catch? Jack doesn’t want his mom to know he needs a bodyguard and asks Hannah to play the part as his girlfriend.

I read this at the perfect time. After a long line of more angsty, very steamy reads, right when I need something lighthearted and wholesome with just the right amount of bonkers. It played out like a romcom in my mind while reading - think Miss Congeniality & Sandra Bullock 🙌🏻

It also packs in a lot of my guiltiest pleasures:

Fake Dating
Bodyguard Romance
Celebrity Romance
Only One Bed
Forced Proximity
Closed Door Romance
Slow Burn
Great Banter

The Bodyguard is Katherine Centre’s latest romance novel, and it’s getting a lot of buzz as a must-have summer read.

I walked into this book with tons of optimism, especially since it’s highly recommended. However, I have to admit I was pretty disappointed by this one. It’s unbelievable, filled with plot holes, and I just found myself not feeling or believing the relationship between “ordinary” bodyguard Hannah and move star heartthrob Jack.

I’m giving it three stars because it certainly had its moments, but unfortunately I think there’s too many summer reads for this to make in on my must read list.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest feedback. I would also like to mention I’m only one person and many fans of Center and romance in general highly recommend this one!

I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!! It was so well written and just a cute storyline! I loved the idea of Hannah being the bodyguard to hotty Jack! There were many moments that I was laughing with the characters and was smiling at the banter between the two!! Connie is probably my favorite character! The epilogue is probably one of my favorites that I have ever read! It gave all the closure I like in these books and doesn’t leave you guessing. Highly recommend and can’t wait to read others by Katherine Center! I think she may just have became one of my new favorite authors:)

Fantastic wholesome romance. Kept me smiling & laughing through the whole thing. Thank you for the advance copy.

I loved this book. It's laugh out loud funny and meltingly romantic and heartbreaking, all at the same time.

The main character is Hannah Brooks, who works for a security company where she is a protection agent, aka bodyguard. She is short and skinny but is so well trained (and underestimated) that she can take down a man much larger than she is. She can also blend into almost any crowd.

Jack Stapleton usually attracts a crowd - he is a famous and highly popular action/romance actor which means he needs excellent protection. He has a dangerous stalker.

Despite her confidence on the job, Hannah has a problem with self-esteem, and doesn't really have friends or close family outside of the agency. This becomes a problem, when two people she works with - who are closest to her - betray her in the worst possible way.

She is assigned to guard Jack while he is staying at his parent's ranch. Jack doesn't want his parents to know that he needs a bodyguard because he doesn't want them to worry, as his mother is not well. Hannah poses as his girlfriend, which allows her to stick close to Jack.

This is a lovely slow-burn romance that made me smile. I received a review copy of this book from publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed her are mine.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Brooks is an executive protection agent or a bodyguard for VIPs. Her mother just passed away and her boyfriend just dumped her for her best friend. She's a workaholic and gets a unique assignment of protecting a very famous movie star. He is in town for his mother's cancer treatments and does not want to alarm her by having a bodyguard, so he lies and pretends that Hannah is his girlfriend.

I found the book very charming and enjoyed the banter between the characters. It reminded me a bit of Nora Goes Off Script that I read earlier this year. I learned a little bit about executive protection agents in the process as well. I have read a few Katherine Center books now and this was definitely a winner.

I've never read from this author before but all the reviews for this book were crazy good so how could I pass that up? and you know what, those reviews were right! they're also a lot more eloquent so I'll keep it short and sweet. This book is so good and so lovely, I would definitely recommend it :) !

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I absolutely loved it!

Some books literally radiate sunshine and this one was one of them. Hannah and Jack were amazing characters, the story flipping the male bodyguard-female charge trope on its axis to have Hannah guard Jack from a crazy stalker.

Becoming Jack's fake girlfriend wasn't part of her contract.

Hannah's biggest strength is that people underestimate her constantly - because that's how she gets to catch them off-guard, and we see her prove her worth to Jack, too, after being mistaken as the cleaning lady. Jack's biggest strength is that he's relentlessly loyal, and goes to the ends of the Earth to protect his family from the news of a stalker - hence the fake dating.

The book's comic timing was on point throughout, even during the climax where Hannah's quick thinking saves Jack yet again.

The book was very enjoyable, and I'd highly recommend it for a light, sugary read!

[Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for providing this book to me in exchange for an honest review!]

My favourite by this author, hands down. And that's saying something because I really liked Things We Save in a Fire and How To Walk Away.

What Katherine Center does right is give you strong female protagonists who discover just how tough they are despite their hardships. They may stumble and fall but they always pick themselves up and dust themselves off to fight another day.

Hannah is a 5'6" executive protection agent, i.e. a bodyguard. And she's hired to protect Jack Stapleton, a mega celebrity actor who is twice her size, from a determined female stalker. He doesn't think Hannah is capable until he's flat on his back with a sore shoulder looking up at her. Jack's been out of the limelight for a while so when he heads back to Texas to help his sick mom his team is afraid him resurfacing will bring back the danger. In an effort not to worry his mom about being stalked Jack tells her Hannah is his girlfriend, and not his bodyguard.

Hannah's got some skeletons in her closet, and some workaholic issues, but being forced to stay on Jack's family's ranch and interact with her client gives her some much needed perspective on a lot of things.

It's been a long time since I stayed up until 3 am to finish a book. Take that as a sign that this one is worth the lack of sleep.

This was an absolute delight! I loved all of the characters, storyline, and writing. It was lighthearted, funny, just SO MUCH FUN. The conversations about love and self-love were amazing and heartwarming. Also I just love the female bodyguard storyline and I felt that the fact that Jack was a movie star didn't take away from making the story feel real either. It felt so real and fun! I'm definitely recommending it to all of my friends now!

I’m so torn on this review! On one hand, this was a cute romance with so many good tropes (famous/normal person romance; fake dating; one bed). I enjoyed the banter and the relationship development.

On the other hand…I just have so many questions about Hannah’s job as a bodyguard. For some one who was supposed to be “elite” and “one of the best” she came off as weak, clueless, and a little ditzy at times. Why is she not good a playing a role/blending in? Why is she uncomfortable in clothes outside her comfort zone? Why did she do no research into the location she was going to be guarding?

I also have questions about her fake relationship as a plot point. Does she not have social media? Did no one in the family look her up to validate her back story? Are they really they trusting that they believed whatever they were told?

Overall the romance was cute but there were so many plot points that just didn’t add up to me. I was really intrigued by the idea of a female bodyguard but I don’t think this career was given justice in this book at all.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center was a fun and charming read. This was a fake dating bodyboard romance with a female bodyguard and I was all here for it. Hannah was determined and did not let others in easily. So, when she is assigned as Jack’s bodyguard, the very famous Jack, who does not want to worry his family. Hannah pretends to be his girlfriend. Easy right? I loved Jack. He was so caring and likable. I truly enjoyed reading their journey. It was fun and light and what I needed right now. They interactions were witty and delightful and I loved how his family broke down her wall. This one had me smiling all the way through.

Happy reading!

I WANTED to like this book more than I actually did. It was cute -- and there was nothing objectionable about it. I read it pretty fast, enjoyed it, and didn't hate anything. But Jack literally has no flaws and that's just not interesting. Hannah's flaws are all "saying-in-a-job-interview-that-your-big-flaw-is-that-you-are-TOO-detail-oriented" . . . . and she's the only one WITH them. She also just . . . . didn't really seem like a bodyguard for most of the book. Like it was a slapped-on job for a little gender role-reversing but the author couldn't quite make it feel authentic. And your mileage may vary on this one, but it's a clean romance -- or sort of is? The characters do sleep together before marriage but it's COMPLETELY closed-door. There's tension and then it just never has any release and so fizzles out fairly early.

I finally read my first @katherinecenter novel! Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this eARC. The Bodyguard released yesterday and I finished it late last night. This one was soooo cute and I can’t wait to actually read my other two copies of her books!

If you’re in the mood for a cute, rom-com with some depth, pick this one up!

Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent, aka Bodyguard. She is assigned to a famous move star on hiatus due to a family crisis; the death of the brother that was a buffer for the family. Protecting one famous brother while he follows his mother’s wishes is in this recipe for a romantic comedy! Katherine Center, known as the “queen of comfort reads,” blends ingredients of witty banter, inner workings of a protection agency, and Hannah’s goal of remaining professional while in the presence of a handsome movie star with layers of childhood memories and disappointment, betrayal, and grief. The icing on the cake is swirled with Center’s delicious toppings of restoring friendships, the power of kindness, and refusing to give up on hope and optimism. There are plenty of relationship twists and tweaks to the recipe and readers will cheer for Hannah when she discovers that ‘love is something you do.” The Bodyguard is also a treat for the senses: exploring the views of the Brazos River and the ranch in Texas, delving into the harshness of brothers revealing disturbing feelings and tensions, to hugs that prove to Hannah she is lovable. A favorite sprinkle of wisdom: “People loving you for your best qualities is not the same as people loving you despite your worst.” Thanks, Katherine, for whipping up The Bodyguard during the Pandemic; a “satisfying, delectable dessert” for fans of romantic comedy.