The first book I read by this author, How to Walk Away, moved me and was so impressive I immediately read all of her previous books only to be disappointed. I hoped her later books would match the magic she is capable of with her writing but unfortunately I keep finding myself disappointed. This book starts off slowly with a slightly annoying heroine in Hannah who is a workaholic with no life or personality. The concept is obviously cliched but I hoped there would be something different about it to set it apart, but unfortunately it’s pretty much what you think it will be but maybe worse. Jack is a great guy who makes a great character but he needs a better match than lackluster Hannah. Worst of all the author lets the book fall apart at the end, which seems to be for political reasons so she can go off on gun control out of nowhere. She does something similar in having Jack’s father, a Texan on a ranch make a toast to gods and goddesses which is completely out of character and just weird and takes you out of the scene. I wish the author would stop bringing her political agenda into books and just go back to writing well but it looks unlikely so I think I will stop hoping her books will improve. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Oh Hannah and Jack. Oh goodness, my heart ❤️. Katherine Center knows how to give us a STORY!

Hannah is an executive protection assistant and she ROCKS it.

Quite a few hurdles present themselves in her personal life though, and it's interfering with her work life.

Her newest assignment is forcing her out of some comfort zones, and into the arms of a very handsome celebrity, Jack.

Also, please note this beaded safety pin. It's important for the story. 😉

The Bodyguard covers grief, trauma, and new love in such a cohesive beautiful way!

Thank you so much @stmartinspress for the advanced copy! I just had to get the @bookofthemonth so I could have this wonderful book on my shelves!

This is the first Katherine Center book that I’ve read and it was so good! I can’t wait to read her other books.

The Bodyguard was so much fun! I loved the characters and that the bodyguard was a woman and not a man. The story was so fun and the cover is one of my favorites that I’ve seen recently.

I love Katherine Center books and this one is another hit with a very fun premise. Hannah is a female body guard and she is assigned to protect the famous and handsome actor Jack Stapleton. Reeling from her mother’s death and a fresh breakup from her boyfriend, Hannah commits to the assignment to go to Texas and live with Jack’s family at his parent’s ranch in Texas. Jack is there staying with his parents while his mom is recovering from cancer surgery. I love both the setting and the characters in this book. This is a delightful read from start to finish! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

Ok, this was cute.

First, I ❤️❤️❤️ the bright, beautiful cover!

This book made me laugh out loud and although romantic comedies are not generally my favorite, I really enjoyed this one.

I found myself smiling through most of the book and although this is my first Katherine Center book, it definitely will not be my last.

Picture it - Jack, a Hollywood movie star, hires a protection agency to keep him from getting killed by a stalking corgi breeder. Huh? Not a typo. Go with me.

Hannah, the bodyguard, is assigned to protect the "principal" and in doing so, must pretend to be Jack's girlfriend. Not a bad gig right?!?!

Except a recent loss and betrayal has Hannah questioning whether she can even do this job, or whether her personal struggles are going to circumvent her career.

The flow of this book was fantastic. It's a quick read that will make you laugh and cry.

A great summer pick.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Katherine Center is one of my auto-read and auto-buy authors. If she has a book, I'm reading it! And The Bodyguard did not disappoint!! I loved that Hannah was the Bodyguard. She was such a strong and mutii-faceted character. Jack was the perfect cinnamon roll and foil for Hannah. And their meet-cute was absolutely perfect. This book swept me away and I could not put it down. I did have a moment briefly where I wanted to throw the book (you will know it, when you read it.) But just trust the author! The Bodyguard is on shelves July 19. Pre-order this one asap!!


She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

Ah I LOOOVED this. It has everything I love in a book: fake dating, found family, picturing Chris Evans as Jack, BANTER. Oh the banter. I love how annoying Jack was but Hannah and the audience just ate it up with hearts in their eyes.

I would absolutely loooove to see this adapted. It was such a fun time. Definitely recommend if you’re on the look out for a light-hearted and hilarious romance to read, especially makes a great beach read!

Thank you to the pub for gifting me a earc free to review!

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/07/14/%f0%9f%8e%a7-the-bodyguard-by-katherine-center/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
&nbsp;

<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

<strong>The Bodyguard</strong> is only the third book I have read by Katherine Center but I have been trying to get to more of her backlist.  I had so much fun with Hannah and Jack.  Hannah is a consumate and talented professional.  Personally, she's a mess.  It's not the same old story of a career woman not devoting enough time to her personal life but that does play into her situation.

Jack is a nice guy who has stepped back since his brother's death a few years ago.  He's estranged from his other brother.  Yet, he's the sexiest man alive and the fans and filmmakers want him back.  When he comes to Houston, the studios make sure he has protection because there have been a few threats.

Hannah is in charge of his protection team and when his parents want him to live at the ranch, then Hannah as his bodyguard needs to be there too.  So begins my favorite troupe of fake relationship.   It gives them plenty of time to get to know each other and spend time together.

I was really emotionally attached to this story. I was there with all Hannah's feels.  I was mad; I laughed; I shed a few tears.   While the movie star part was a bit over the top, Jack is a regular guy. So everything seems realistic.   I loved it and recommend it highly.

Katherine Center never disappoints, The Bodyguard was loads of fun. Who doesn’t pine for the absolute stunning movie star with the heart of gold. Workaholic Hannah whose heart has just been broken gets the opportunity to safeguard this handsome man and sparks begin to fly. Although we must suspend belief, it is so much better than reality. Kudos for making this so enjoyable. Thank you to netgalley and St Martins for the preview.

Katherine Center excels at creating fascinating women as lead characters and placing then in challenging, unusual situations. In The Bodyguard, there’s quite a bit of humor, and yet the heart and emotions really ground the story and make this much more than a light summer romance.

This is your typical, cute, predictable romcom - with a few twists! It was nice to see the gender roles reversed and have a female bodyguard protecting a man. But Hannah did seem a little immature to be a professional bodyguard. The romance was adorable and I loved Jack and Hannah together. There is a great twist at the end, and I also loved the epilogue and seeing how it all played out.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is my first book and I am delighted that I discovered her books. I can see why so many people are talking about her and her books.

I absolutely loved all the characters except for one, but I did enjoy her and could not wait to see what she would do next. This book is full of emotions. It had me laughing and crying at the same time. The characters are fully developed and believable. I felt all their emotions and could relate to each character. It is full of anger, resentment, love, sympathy, jealousy, etc. throughout the story. Not only are the characters believable, they are written exactly how I envisioned them.

Being a girl who spent weekends and summers on a farm, I totally loved Hannah’s reaction to seeing a cow up close and personal. Her scream is legendary. It brought me so much joy and stirred up found memories.

Patti Martin does a phenomenal job narrating this audiobook and giving Hannah a voice. I am a fan of audiobooks and believe this one elevated the story for me, it made me enjoy this book even more. I recommend this book if you are a fan of audiobooks.

4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a complementary electronic copy of this book. Thank you to MacMillan Audio for providing me the audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving this review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a fun read— it was sweet and very unexpected. It was unexpected that she would be his body guard, and do well at it, being that she was less than half his size, and also, that the Hollywood hunk would be so darn sweet.

Jack is a movie star staying in Houston to be close to his family while his mom is sick and Hanna is on his security detail. I love that @katherinecenter is also from Houston, because I knew of all the places she wrote about. I thought this was a fun, out of the box romance, and anyone that loves romcoms should definitely read it. The banter and writing were fun to read and the conflict was unexpected, keeping you on your toes.

Ok this book was so cute!!

First of all her being the bodyguard and not him was fantastic. I also loved how she showed him who she really was. That was hilarious.

I loved Jack he was high quality cinnamon roll material! As much as I love my possessive alpha males, a cinnamon roll still makes me swoon! But seriously he was sweet and so funny.

Hannah was adorably insecure and relatable. We all want to run away from our problems sometimes. I loved how she didn't change herself though to fit what she thought a man might want....despite the douche canoe known as Robby hitting her in the self-esteem.

That being said... I do feel like Hannah should have figured out the logistics of the accident sooner... (it was kind of obvious, especially after the bridge thing). But evn though that bugged me and caused a rant to my book besties....it wasn't enough for me to not like this book. It was funny, entertaining, and cute and the characters were relatable and likable.

Review posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram. Amazon review is pending. Links included for Goodreads and Instagram.

The feel-good summer reading continues.

Another famous male actor main character in a contemporary romance (I recently read Nora Goes Off Script), but the female protagonist in The Bodyguard and her career make this one different. Hannah is an executive protection agent–a bodyguard.

If you love the fake dating trope, closed door romance, and feel-good moments and messages, The Bodyguard is for you.

Some serious topics are in the main characters’ pasts including alcoholic parent and loss of parent and sibling, so grief plays a key role in the novel.

The setting on Jack’s family ranch in Texas was my favorite part of the reading experience. Loved spending time there with Jack’s family.

I could have done without the epilogue, but to each their own.

If you are looking for a very quick and light read with moments that will make you smile, read The Bodyguard.

This review is also posted on FB and IG @beginandendwithbooks and Michelle Beginandendwithbooks on Goodreads.

Such a cool concept, amazing characters, and an almost thrilling plot! I love that Hannah's job is the typically active and robust role and Jack's is the typically softer and easier role. The fake dating trope works brilliantly in this story, and the romance develops at a wonderful pace. Although it's an unrealistic story, it's so easy to fall in love with the characters you could very easily convince yourself it's a true story. I'd love to see this on screen one day!

One of my favorite books released this year!

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a stunning book with the distinctive style of the author’s previous works. It’s emotional and yet funny and tear-jerking at times. It has a satisfying depth to it despite the cliché fake-dating trope and leaves you with fuzzy feelings after. I can’t stop thinking about this book.

Hannah Brooks is a fantastic character. I love her to bits. I love a competent heroine! I like that she’s good at her job, acknowledges her proficiency as matter-of-fact information, and never downplays it. And yet, with her perfect badass bodyguard skills, she’s still flawed, just like the rest of us. And really, could we fault her for the issues she has - given the neglect she had endured growing up? I enjoyed reading her thoughts and how she started understanding her feelings the more she spent time with Jack Stapleton and his family.

Jack, our main superstar character, has his baggage as well. I feel for him and what he’s going through. I understand why he made his decisions (despite it frustrating me!) because I grasp his character enough that his actions are on par with his personality.

Hannah and Jack, as a couple, work for me. Their banter is funny, silly, and sometimes makes me weep. They are such flawed but kind persons that you can’t help but root for them individually and together.

I LOVE so many of the side characters in this book! Jack's family (I adore his wonderful Mom), Hannah's colleagues (well, most of them). They add so much humor and warmth to this story.

I highly recommend this book! I will re-read again and listen to the audiobook once it's out as well. Patti Murin as narrator!!

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for the advance eARC.

4.5 stars

This is such a sweet, heartwarming, and uplifting book. Is it a bit sappy and predictable, and are the characters all a bit too perfect? Yes, but that doesn't detract from the book for me at all. If you're looking for a delightfully funny yet poignant book, then look no further than Center's latest.

Hannah Brooks is a protection agent, otherwise known as a bodyguard. She may look petite and unassuming, but she can bring a large man down before he knows what's hit him. She is reluctantly assigned to protect movie star Jack Stapleton while he is in Houston visiting his family. He's just the kind of vapid, self-absorbed person she dislikes, and now she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. To her surprise, she falls for his family, and for Jack as well.

This book is just an utter joy to read. I listened to it as an audiobook and the narrator, Patti Murin, does a fantastic job of giving Hannah a voice and spirit. I urge you to pick this one up today, you'll be glad you did.

This is the first time I have read a book by Katherine Center. I loved the cover and premise of the book and couldn't wait to read it.

The Bodyguard is a fake-dating/forced proximity trope. I like the fake dating troupe and enjoyed the story line. I appreciated the deviation from the "typical" gender roles and really felt what the protagonist felt as we got everything from her point of view.

Hannah talked so much about Jack Stapleton and his movie The Destroyer that I actually went and looked it up to see if he was a real person! That is a sign of good writing. There were hilarious moments, mixed in with some serious elements, and a few instances where reality was suspended. There were tender moments and cringe-worthy moments. I appreciated that while the kissing got steamy, it was overall, a closed-door romance.

I wanted to love this book and give it all the stars. However, I didn't love the epilogue. There were parts that were fine and other parts that were simply not needed. I also didn't feel like the stalker situation was handled very realistically. The thing that got me most was the cursing. I do not like it in the books I read, at all. I find it completely unnecessary and at times it got excessive in this book. That was a huge turn-off to me. I know I am in the minority with my opinions on this, however, it is a huge deal to me, and I avoid it where I can.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5/5

Hannah is an Executive Protection Agent AKA bodyguard. She's just buried her mother, her douchecanoe boyfriend/co-worker just dumped her, her best friend/co-worker slept with said douche, and she has no choice but to protect Jack Stapleton, reclusive celebrity who fell off the face of the earth three years ago. When Jack's stalker discovers where he lives in town, they have no choice but to pull up stakes and relocate to his family's ranch...and pretend they're dating! Nothing but love for those Stapletons! The animosity between Jack and his brother Hank was so palpable, but when Jack finally reveals what happened the night of their brother's death there was nothing but shock all around. The banter between Hannah and Jack was so good! And that KISS! Sigh... If you're looking for a fun romcom-y summer read, this book is for you.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.