This was my first Katherine Center book on the recommendation of many friends, and it did not disappoint! I can confidently say it won't be my last either.

Hannah Brooks is a female bodyguard who finds all things in her life crashing and burning at the same time. While she is super capable when it comes to work and protecting her clients, she's not as good when it comes to things in her personal life. Her mother just passed away, and as if that is not enough, she loses the two closest relationships she has shortly after.

Wanting to escape on assignment like she always does, Hannah is not happy when she must stay in Texas and is assigned as the principle to the famous Jack Stapleton. In order to be around Jack's family while his mother seeks treatment for her cancer, Hannah and Jack must pretend to fake date.

As the two are forced together, they start to relax and open up to one another. Hannah has never known what real love is, or what a real loving family is like. Being around Jack and his family start to break away at the closed off parts of herself, and she starts to realize maybe how she's been living isn't really what she wants after all.

Jack was fun and goofy and I liked the view into seeing all the silly human parts to him even though he was this huge famous movie star. There are some heavy topics dealt with around physical abuse, death of a loved one, and trauma from a deadly car accident. I think that these topics were handled very well, and made you understand the characters so much more. Uncovering their traumas and pasts with one another, built such a huge trust between Jack and Hannah. It was lovely to see two people find that person they can rely on for support.

I also loved the found family for Hannah. She really bonded with Jack's family and came from a past that didn't show her what a family was like. I enjoyed seeing how as an adult you can still get the love you deserve.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another great rom com by Katherine Center! The Romance is hot and the comedy is laugh out loud funny! Bad ass bodyguard meets handsome movie star and sit back and watch the fireworks! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I enjoyed the audio, very well done!

I loved this book. It was my first KC book, but it's not my last! It was fun summer read. Hannah's life is falling apart and she isn't getting her way. She wants to escape, but life isn't letting her. I fell in love with every character in this book. It was so sweet and funny. Come for Hannah and Jack, stay for Mrs Stapleton! And to see if Robby gets what's coming to him.

This is my new favorite Katherine Center book. The comedy in this is top notch, and I loved the characters. The perfect summer read!

💛Review💛
Title: The Bodyguard
Author: Katherine Center
Release Date: July 19, 2022
•
Thank you to @st for a netgalley! And thanks to @a for putting this on my radar with her summer reading guide.

It’s been awhile since I’ve finished a KC book (HTWA to be exact) and I’m happy about that. Because this one was fun. Predictable— of course— but that didn’t stop me from turning the pages of this one. It has its unique rom com moments, especially the end. This truly was a book that just made me feel good and smile… a lot. I enjoyed our protagonists and felt their dialogue was well written.

Pick up this summer read when it comes out on July 19!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love Katherine Center and am thrilled to report I loved this book. It's funny, it's heartfelt, it's got romance and action (like, a lot of action) and a kind of ridiculous plot. I mean, bodyguard has to fake-date a movie star and they fall in love? My dream.

4.5 stars.

This was my first Katherine Center novel and I will DEF👏IN👏ITE👏LY👏 be reading the rest. I’m so glad that I already have one – Things You Save in a Fire – on my shelf waiting to be read. I finished The Bodyguard before I went to sleep, the next morning saw that it was a BOTM option and immediately bought it because I want the physical copy. The Bodyguard was such a sweet, easy to read story, that I was able to finish in just over a day. The banter between Hannah and Jack made me laugh more than once. If you are looking for a feel good, smile inducing, romance that you can devour in one sitting, this is it. Why four stars and not five, the ending I thought was a little out there, it could have been kept simpler (in my opinion) and worked just as well.

#brandysreads

Thank you so much @stmartinspress @netgalley for the complimentary ARC

Katherine Center has become one of my annual summer beach reads and this one did not disappoint. Was this super sweet and a little cheesy? Yes. Did I eat it up? Yes. Sometimes life gets hard/sad and you just need to read something that makes you feel better and The Bodyguard came at the perfect time for me. I loved the characters. They made me laugh and smile and all around just feel good. Perfect one to grab for the beach bags this summer.

*Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!

SHE'S a bodyguard, HE's a superstar, they fake date?! What could go wrong!?!
Anyway I LOVED IT! Super cute, super fun! Fell in love with both main characters. Any romcom fan needs to add this to their TBR immediately!

The Bodyguard was the feel-good story that I needed to read. Hannah is an independent, fiery woman who knows what she likes, and that is working. Her job is her life and she doesn't have time for much else. She is entrusted to protect world-famous actor Jack Stapleton, which was not part of Hannah's plan. I loved Hannah. You can tell that she had been through a lot in her life, and she was strong, yet vulnerable. And Jack was a great counterpart for her. Jack was famous, yet somehow his actions seemed authentic, especially in regards to Hannah and the dynamics with his family. This book had so many things I enjoy....great characters, interesting setting, and one of my favorite tropes, fake dating. The development of Hannah and Jack's characters was great throughout the book and I enjoyed their banter back and forth.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book!

I am hopelessly in love with the way Katherine Center writes! I just am. I can tell you that I am not a fan of rom-coms until I’m blue in the face, but I will melt for a Katherine Center book every. single. time!!

I think it’s because she writes life the way it actually FEELS. Like a roller coaster. Something happens that’s SO GOOD!! And then it isn’t. And then it gets worse, but then there’s hope, and everything is better again - over and over.

This one was such a roller coaster. And… I’m going out on a limb to say that it’s probably the story of every woman’s secret celebrity fantasy (I’ll be the ordinary girl who stands out amongst the beautiful Hollywood creatures vying for this super famous heartthrob’s attention). Because I know we’ve all thought it.

In Hannah’s case, she has so many opportunities to stand out, but is Jack serious, or is he just acting? That’s what you have to decide in this super sweet, annoyingly confusing, and tear-jerking story.

God, I loved it. I DID NOT WANT TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN AT ANY POINT! I also kept trying to figure out who Jack Stapleton would be in real life - Chris Hemsworth, maybe? 🤷🏼‍♀️ It was a struggle!

The only bad part is that it’s over. 😭😭😭

4.75 stars!! I absolutely adored this book!! I could not wait to pick it up at the end of the day once I finished working to read it and wish I had a day off just so I could have devoured it in one sitting. It was sweet, witty, and laugh out loud funny and it will be a perfect summer/beach read. If you need a palate cleanser or just wanting a warm, light hearted book, this is definitely one I would recommend!

With this rom com, you get the bodyguard and the fake dating tropes, but the bodyguard is a role reversal with Hannah being the executive protection agent hired to protect Jack, the swoony Hollywood movie actor. I loved how original that felt. And added bonus for me! This book is based in Houston. I get absolutely giddy when I read a book based in Houston, especially since the one of the characters lived in the Museum District, where we lived.

The writing style for this book was phenomenal with the banter between Jack and Hannah, and Hannah's overall personality and inner monologue, which made the book a quick read, because it flowed so perfectly.

I think this would be a great Netflix movie and I pictured it as such while reading. I really hope it gets picked up to be made into a film. With a great cast this book would do so well as a movie!

I couldn't give a full perfect 5 stars, even though I really wanted to, because the scene with the ex-girlfriend at the dinner party felt a little cheesy and over the top, and honestly, it felt silly and unbelievable to me. It was one blemish on the entire book for me and when it happened I was so disappointed, because this book was perfect until that point. I think Jack could have stood up for Hannah and declared his feelings in a better way without the author doing that grandiose display from Kennedy. But despite that moment I still would recommend this book to everyone and I see it being a top favorite romance of mine this year.

This is my second book by the author, but I can't wait to read more by her and I've already added The Lost Husband to my TBR list, especially since it's been circulating on my Netflix 'suggested for you' list and I had no idea she was the author. I can't wait to start that book soon!

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Loved it!! Katharine Center is one of my favorite authors and I was excited to read this book. It definitely didn't disappoint. This book was everything and perfect for the summer. I loved the relationship between Jack and Hannah. The back and forth was hilarious. The book had me at show corgi stalker. I was waiting for the stalker to storm Jack's house with all her cute, little, stumpy corgis following behind. She sent a nude self portrait with her corgis, she doesn't seem menacing, just a bit crazy. The cow scene as hilarious. Hannah was afraid the cow because it licked her!!!! She's a bodyguard who can take down men 2-3 times her size, but is afraid of sweet cows!!!!! Who wouldn't fall in love with Jack? Not only was he handsome, but he was an all around good guy. jack was exactly what Hannah needed after Robby. Robby was the exact opposite of Jack. Loved Glenn's managing skills for his employees. He was always straight to the point. I was sad to see it end.

Definitely recommend the book. I loved the characters, writing style and story. It was a fun read that had me smiling and throughout the whole book. I could see it made into a movie, it's the perfect rom-com (especially if it's full of corgis.) Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I fully expected to love this book going into it and it did not disappoint one bit. I was engaged from the first page and found myself laughing throughout the whole book. Hannah and Jake were adorable in their “fake” relationship from the very beginning and I definitely agree with his mom with them being perfect for each other. This was such a a sweet story and romance, I also loved the bodyguard element.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
A special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the arc of this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this title all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hannah Brooks is a 5’5” protection agent who looks more like a kindergarten teacher than a bodyguard. She never gets attached to her principal and she will take any job that takes her away from Texas.
Jack Stapleton is a movie star who disappeared from public life after his brother died in a car accident and he lived.
When Jack’s management team and his next movie producers decide he needs protection Hannah is the best choice to pretend to be his girlfriend and move into his family‘s home with him while his mother is getting cancer treatments.
Everything is going well until Jack and his family start to fall for Hannah and it’s her policy not to get attached.
If you’ve enjoyed other Katherine Center books you’ll love this new one.
It reminds me of the movie The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner from the 90’s only the roles are reversed with the woman being the protector. This book comes out July 19th 2022.

Oh, how I loved reading this book! This is definitely my favorite book by Katherine Center….so far! Being a bodyguard is a challenging thing to do, and Hannah is up for the challenge. But when she is assigned to a handsome movie star, she will face the most difficult journey of her life! Loved every character in this story! I can’t believe I read it in one day. I just couldn’t put it down.

I love Katherine Center. Her books are the type I like to read when I'm feeling too much in the world - great storylines, good characters, and generally there is a happy ending.

The week I chose this book to read, there was definitely TOO much happening and I needed a good story that would provide an escape. Coincidentally, that is exactly what Hannah Brooks is looking for after the death of her mother. They "weren't close," but her death rocked Hannah - likely more than she expected. On top of that, her superslick boyfriend, Robby broke up with her the day after the funeral.

All Hannah wants is to get on a plane and go far, far away and protect people. She's a bodyguard by the way - also known as an Executive Protection Agent. Instead, her slightly sadistic boss assigns her to a job in Houston guarding a celebrity who has a Corgi obsessed stalker. The woman can apparently knit a great sweater though.

So, stuck in Houston and forced to work with Robby, Hannah soon realizes that love doesn't feel like she thought it did. But, could a super hot celebrity ever fall for an "ordinary" woman? Pick up a copy of The Bodyguard and find out!

I guarantee you'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll have your own escape - even if it's just for a few hours.

If I could give six stars I would. This is a wonderful book to read that had tons of moments that I laughed out loud and I loved the romance. Hannah is a bodyguard that might just full in love with the one she it to protect. Something that shocks Hannah herself... I highly recommend getting to know Hannah in this nicely written book by Katherine Center. I will mostly buy every book she has. Thank you Netgalley for the advance read.

"When you're not around, even for a little while, I feel like I have to go find out. I just feel this pull to be near you. I want to know what you're thinking, what you're up to, and how you feel."

Jack and Hannah. Goodness me oh my. *sighs* I ADORE THIS STORY! Jack and Hannah just about killed me. Like, I almost died from delight. My favorite Katherine Center! Jack is the ultimate cinnamon roll hero. THE kindest. Tender. Something precious. SWOON.


Romance readers are going to have to peel themselves off the floor. GOO. I have a million highlights and notes. The Bodyguard is a MUST read. A necessity. A book to annotate. BUY IT!!


the only answer is YES.

THINGS AND STUFF
-reverse executive protection agent
-famous actor
-fake dating (!!!)
-forced proximity
-nightgowns a la Victoria child
-oh no, you're wounded! (hurt/comfort)
-fake crying & staring contests
-beaded safety pins
-dancing in the kitchen
-piggy back rides
-cinnamon gum & cinnamon rolls
-#IsThisAKissingBook: closed door. "A good kiss eclipses everything else. Everything except touch and longing and each other. And this was one hell of a good kiss."

Thank you SMP Romance for an advanced copy.

Song: Dream a Little Dream of Me by Anne Reburn

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC ebook and audiobook! This was a cute, although somewhat predictable, fake-dating story. I liked the characters for the most part and was definitely surprised by certain events (no spoilers!) and the story kept me engaged.