I love Katherine Center books. Are they a bit cheesy sometimes? Yes. But mostly they are broken characters who find a new chance at love. Perfect for when you want a sweet and light romance.
The Bodyguard features Hannah, who works as a bodyguard, hired to protect swoon worthy movie star Jack Stapleton. Jack has his own set of complex trauma and family pain to sort out two years after his brothers death, and along the way Hannah discovers he’s a real person, not just a movie star. Hannah has to confront some of her own demons, while trying to ignore the fact that maybe, just maybe, she’s falling for Jack. Is there anything better than a movie star and his bodyguard falling in love? With some fake dating trope thrown in? Predictable, but perfect. My perfect read for a sick day.

This is the best book!! Laugh out loud funny. The perfect summer read that you can recommend to ALL of your friends! This will be on my top 10 of the year for sure.

Thank you so much @StMartinsPress & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 19 July 2022)

SYNOPSIS | Hannah is an Executive Protection Agent aka a bodyguard. Her latest client is a well known movie star (Jack) except this assignment is a little unusual as she needs to pretend to be his girlfriend so his family doesn't find out that he is being stalked.

WHAT I LIKED:
- that the female MC was a bodyguard
- perfectly bingeable writing

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- overall it was a bit too lighthearted & romcom feel good vibes for me
- the "bad ex" was over-the-top & a cliché villain
- Hannah's actions (eg screaming at being licked by a cow) just didn't match up with how she was portrayed as this badass experienced bodyguard
- I was definitely missing the dual POV
- There is slow-burn & then there is kissing at the 85% mark...

My first book by this author and surely not my last!

If you are a romance reader you have read this trope before - superstar falls in love with their bodyguard but Katherine Center did it a little differently and it's probably why I enjoyed this so much!

Hannah is the Executive Protection Agent (bodyguard) and Jack Stapelton is the superstar!  Hannah's character is strong, determined, and a bit of a badass.  She's had a tough time personally but she's up for the challenge.  She had no idea that by agreeing to be Jack's bodyguard that she would also have to be the pretend girlfriend.  But hey, pretending to be in love with a hot movie star can't be that awful right?

The banter between Jack and Hannah was sweet and flirty and Jack is one swoony guy.  As much as Hannah tries to keep it professional, it's hard when Jack is a genuinely nice guy!

Watching these two characters. become friends and more was a delight!

This narrator was new to me but I feel as though she did a great job of bringing the characters to life!

This was one of the most easily enjoyable books I've read in a long time. It sucked me in right away and had me smiling until the last page.

Was the plot realistic? Not really. In fact, I found it very far-fetched, especially the workplace shenanigans. But honestly, I didn't care because this book was SO DAMN CUTE

This book was such fun. From the premise (aka tiny is tasked with protecting big and could probably take anyone), to the characters and the situations they all found themselves in.

Jack was a swoony hero and I loved all the references to his previous work (iykyk) and I just love the heck out of the man, okay? I too, would go to unparalleled lengths to protect him. Hannah was also very funny, though not in the way you think, and she was a blast to read about. My only wish i regards to their relationship would be that we had gotten to see them together in page some more, you know?

That being said, this is a prefect light and funny read that is sure to keep you entertained. It is perfect for summer or if you’re looking for a little bit of outrageous fun.

“I felt his gaze like a physical sensation-like sun rays on my skin”

The Bodyguard was a lighthearted, funny, and charming read! It’s a fake dating/forced proximity trope but with all sweetness, very little spice. It was lovely. I definitely recommend. I wish it wasn’t a stand alone - I wish I got more of Jack and Hannah! They’re both so genuine.

Hannah is reeling from recent losses in her life and gets stuck protecting famous, superstar actor Jack Stapleton. She tried to be immune to his charms but failed because Jack is actually a really sweet, charming, and down to earth gentleman. Jack has been hiding away from his famous life after a personal tragedy. Hannah was exactly what he needed to bring him back to life. He laughed so much with her. They’re so good for each other!!

Jack and Hannah’s relationship was a slow burn and yet I could tell they were smitten with each other from day one. They each put the other first. That was my favorite part of this book, their actions spoke louder than their words. They showed their love long before they spoke it. I loved their banter and the dialogue. They took such good care of each other.

“Maybe love isn’t a judgement you render - but a chance you take. Maybe it’s something you choose to do - over and over.”

I will read whatever Katherine Center puts out and I'm so glad I was able to read this one.

Like with all of her books you are torn between laughing and crying for a lot of the book. She tackles such heavy topics with such grace.

Definitely recommend.

Thank you so much NetGalley for the eARC!

RATING: 4/5 stars
PUB. DATE: July 19, 2022

Wow y’all. I did not expect to love this one as much as I did. This was the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center and it certainly will not be my last.

If you’re looking for a super fun, summer read look no further! I loved Hannah and Jack’s relationship so much. If you love the fake dating trope like I do, you will enjoy this one!

Overall, I highly recommend! Such a good read!

I am struggling writing a review for this book. This may not be fair, but because I have read Katherine Center a few times before , I had high expectations for this book. Parts of this book were very light, unbelievable and almost funny. Other parts were deep issues each of the main characters were dealing with. Some times I felt like I was being yank between a light summer read and a deeper look into two people trying to work through some issues.

There were a few things that I did like - I appreciated the bodyguard was a petite woman ( instead of a large man ), I liked that it was not insta-love and I liked that the physical relationship took time and was behind closed doors. I do enjoy the fake relationship sub-genre.

The epilogue was pretty long and included a lot more information than I felt needed.

So this was a weird one. It's definitely a romance. But I felt like the romance between Hannah and Jack took way too long to get going. I wasn't picking up any he's really into her vibes at all in this until a key point in the book. It also as some have pointed out felt like a very slapstick book. I mean I laughed a lot. Robby was a mess. Taylor could kick rocks. Glenn was a hilarious boss who was tired of everyone dating and breaking up. But the central romance was not the real focus it seemed. I did like how things wrapped up in this one, we kind of jump forward by 5 years at least in the end (you have to read the context clues) but you don't get to really "know" a lot of things that you may have questions about. I definitely liked this one better than "What You Wish For" and by the way, I am still annoyed by that book. 

"The Bodyguard" follows Executive Protection Agent, Hannah Brooks. Hannah is reeling from the sudden death of her mother. Her boss refuses to let her come back to work, so she's left behind while her boyfriend goes off on a client trip. He of course breaks up with her before he goes (because Robby sucks beyond the telling). Hannah is still dealing with this weeks later, but when Glenn gets a new client, he ends up assigning it to Hannah. She's being asked to pretend to be the girlfriend of Hollywood movie star, Jack Stapleton for a few weeks. Jack is in town because his mother is ill, but he has a stalker that is threatening him. Due to this, Hannah is going to have to be up close and personal with him. 

So Hannah. I really liked her. She has a good sense of right and wrong. I also liked that she refused to forgive people who did crappy things towards her. Look, I am not one of those live, laugh, love people. You screw with me I am going to do my level best to 1) never speak to you again and 2) chuckle when karma comes back to slap you in the face. I think that women often are treated as being unreasonable when we cut off people from our lives who do not enhance that. Screw that. Anyway, Hannah has a good sense of boundaries, and I maybe chuckled at the end that you find out that she's still holding a relationship at arms length years later and honestly I don't blame her. I liked her interactions with other characters and just genuinely laughed a lot during many of the scenes we get.

Jack felt a bit paper thin to me for way too much of this book. Things get going with him as I said, at a key point and then you can see "something" there between Hannah and him. I just felt like for a while that there was so much of Hannah's office antics going on, that you didn't get to spend too much time with the central romance. 

The other characters like Robby (needed beat with a hammer), Taylor (needed pushed into the ocean), Glenn, Kelly, and others really do build up this book though. The office side of things had me wishing that this was a comedy show I could watch. Everyone is highly unprofessional with each other I thought and were messes! I would never hire this firm. 

The writing was good and the flow too. I did think things got really draggy in the end though and there's a whole thing that gets tossed out that would have been better left out I thought. It was not needed and it felt like filler. 

The ending was sweet though. I really enjoyed it.

The Bodyguard by Catherine Center

Hannah is a bodyguard. Not your typical bodyguard. And not just because she's a woman.

Hannah is at a low point in her life at the moment. Her mother recently passed and then her boyfriend dumps her. The last thing she wants is to be charged with protecting some famous actor with an inflated ego. But if she wants to have a chance at the new role at her workplace, then she must take this job.

Things do not start out well when her new subject mistakes her for a cleaning lady. Well, that is until she proves him wrong. Jack is only in Texas to be near his ailing mother and so far the public doesn't know he's here. It won't be that difficult to protect him, right?

The Bodyguard tackles some serious subjects and some humorous ones too. I liked both main characters and the secondary ones as well. As their backstories unfold, you can't help but feel their pain. But you also get to feel their joy too.

Catherine Center does not disappoint. I'm looking forward to what she writes next.

Many thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

Wow, just wow! I’ve been a big fan of Katherine Center for quite a while, and this has got to be one of my favorites from her thus far. With another strong female protagonist and a heart-warming plot, she captured my interest from the very beginning—I pretty much read this in one sitting. Beyond the love story, Center delves into discovering one’s self worth and finding one’s true family. 5/5 big stars! I will read anything that Center writes!

The bodyguard

Another cute but expected romance but I loved the twist of a female bodyguard. Just hated that they called her average, “average” is real and Kennedy Monroe was anything but. Proposing to a man is just gross in my eyes, screams pick me when the man does not want you.
She was the least of anyone’s worries, the Corgi stalker was too easy, too simple. There had to be someone else, using her diversions to get to him.
This was more than a bodyguard falls for her principal but about people who just want to be loved. Who believe that they are unworthy of love, of course the infamous Wilbur getting away with attempted murder and living happily ever after is only something that can happen in a rom com. I must say I expected more from Center. I’ve read a few of her books before and I was left in tears. This book was cute but not something I would pick up again.

The Bodyguard was a feel good, light-hearted rom-com with two likeable main characters. Hannah is the private bodyguard assigned to protect Jack, the handsome, charming, world famous movie star, from a fan who has turned into a stalker. The story is told from Hannah’s viewpoint, using the first person perspective, which I found effective as it really served to let the reader know Hannah. The relationship between Hannah and Jack unfolded at a good pace and there were several funny and adorable moments between them. I also liked that the author did a good job of exploring different aspects of love including parental love, friendship, romantic love, and self-love. The novel was just as much about Hannah and Jack falling in love as it was about Hannah learning about and appreciating herself. An enjoyable read!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book! I loved the reversal in the gender roles, having the woman be the protector of the man, it was such a fun and empowering twist. Hannah is such a powerful leading lady, she doesn’t take crap from the narcissistic and overpowering men she is surrounded by. She is the perfect match for Jack, the troubled Hollywood hotty who is needing protection during a family matter. I loved the push and pull of their relationship, the banter back and forth and the truth in their relationship. It may have been fast attraction but it wasn’t a quick relationship, it took time, trust and a lot of faith. The Bodyguard was such a sweet read, I definitely recommend!

MANY THOUGHTS! Okay, I am giving this a 3.5 but rounding down to 3 because I did not love the writing style of this book. It was easy to read, which I did love, but felt repetitive at times and I just did not like how Hannah spoke to the audience. A lot of the plot felt as though it wasn’t planned out very well because I was confused as to why they felt they needed to do a number of things in this story. HOWEVER, this was a very fun read that covered all the fun romance tropes and gave us the beauty of the bodyguard trope but REVERSED! There were many times that I laughed out loud during this, and I overall enjoyed my time reading it. Overall enjoyability is probably a 4 or 4.5, but the original things I mentioned are what brought it down for me. I still definitely recommend for a quick, by-the-pool read.

Man oh man. Boy oh boy.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Y’all!! It was SOOOO GOOD!! Hilarious, swoony, angsty, and everything in between!!

Read if you enjoy: fake-dating tropes, celebrity romances, cinnamon roll heroes, baddie female heroines (in the best way), satisfying revenge plot lines.

Synopsis:

Hannah Brooks wants to escape. She works for a private security company as a bodyguard, her 5’4” frame helping her seem very innocuous. Carrying a ton of emotional baggage, Hannah desires to be relocated to one of her company’s stations outside of the U.S. Her boss says she can be relocated anywhere, but there’s a catch. She must be the bodyguard for none other than Hollywood’s latest hot-shot, “Jack Stapleton.” Easier said than done. How can you avoid falling in love with a larger-than-life cinematic deity while also having to protect him 24/7?? Read to find out!!

Review:

Jack and Hannah were the absolute most HILARIOUS couple I’ve read in a long time! This was my first Katherine Center book and I had no idea she was so amazing at writing comedy and angst!!! This was such a beautiful novel displaying two humans who truly complete one another. I loved every moment…. And laughed at every moment…. Particularly scenes involving cows & horses LOL!

I had an unadulterated smile plastered to my face the whole time I listened to this book. Definitely a top read of the year!!! I loved getting an in-depth look at the life of a bodyguard and all the training and thought processes that the job entails. Plus, getting to swoon over an A-list actor was pretty okay too :)

This is a closed-door romance with mild language used throughout and a few f-bombs sprinkled in that fit the given contexts.

Trigger Warning: book contains a hostage situation with threats of attempting suicide (not graphic).

3.5 stars

The Bodyguard is the fourth book by Katherine Center that I read. I enjoyed it, but it was not my favorite. I liked the setting of the book. Hannah Brooks is a professional bodyguard hired to protect a famous Hollywood star, Jack Stapleton, who returns to Texas to spend time with his sick mother. Sparks fly between them, but Hannah tries very hard to maintain a professional relationship. There is a lot of humor in the book and some tender and poignant moments that I enjoyed. But there is also woman-on-woman hate and competition over a man, which I find very annoying. I would rather read about women supporting each other. It took away from my enjoyment of the book. Overall, The Bodyguard is a satisfying rom-com/women's fiction book.

This is weirdly and randomly the third celebrity romance book I’ve read recently. I’d really call this more romance-light as there isn’t anything overly *descriptive* if you know what I mean. I’d rate this as “fine” with enough to keep me engaged. The ending was beyond saccharine to a nausea-inducing degree that felt unnecessary - but whatever, the stakes are low. All this to say - read it, or don’t, and you’ll be just fine.