Was this story predictable? Yes. Was it fun though? Yes. With all the tropes of a netflix or hallmark movie, this was a quick and easy read that left me smiling from start to finish

When Hannah Brooks is assigned as Jack Stapleton's Executive Protection Agent (aka bodyguard) it is not a match made in heaven. One, she doesn't want the job, and two, he doesn't feel like he needs a bodyguard, let alone one who looks about as intimidating as a kitten. Predictably, sparks fly, appearances are not as they seem, and readers are in for a heart-throbbing, rollicking good time.

If you are looking for shocking plot-twists, this is not the book for you even though there are a couple of small surprises in store. If, however, you love a romantic comedy in which you fall in love with both of the main characters (and the rest of the cast, as well), laugh a little and cry tears of happiness, this one should be next on your TBR.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for the ARC of The Bodyguard. The opinions in this review are my own.

I chose this book because of the author. I have also rated those 5 stars. Katherine Center makes her characters so deeply human and relatable. There's so much heart in her books. I loved The Bodyguard. It was kind of a slow start but I was hooked half way through. I love the play on character names she chose for the book like Jack and Kennedy as well as Wilbur and Charlotte. This book was the perfect summer read! There were so many twists and turns. It had me so emotionally involved. Highly recommend!

A fantastic novel! Katherine Center does it again. The Bodyguard will easily be one of my favorite books of 2022. The fake dating and celebrity/bodyguard tropes are delightful. I adored Jack and Hannah's interactions, their backstories and emotional character arcs. The author takes us deep into Hannah's POV and I'm here for it. She and Jack both have issues and the tension created by the fake dating scenario kept me swiping the pages. The Bodyguard is filled with plenty of laugh-out-loud situations as well as poignant moments, making for a balanced, engaging story. Secondary characters are well-written, unique and really help Jack and Hannah shine. In case you can't tell, I highly recommend The Bodyguard.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

The Bodyguard is a really fun romcom about a famous movie star and the executive protection agent assigned to him while in town to spend time with his sick mother. There are some laugh out loud moments, but there are also some feels on both Jack and Hannah's side even before they start to realize that there are feelings between them.

Read if you love:
- Closed door romance
- Tiny but fierce FMC
- Fake dating

Content Warnings:
- Sick parent/death of a parent
- Previous death of a sibling
- Stalking/abduction of a main character

What a cute romcom! I could see this being adapted to a Netflix film. I was not disappointed with this read, it was a page turner. Was this read a little far fetched? Yes. Was it super cute and fun? Yes! I would recommend this as a sweet summer read.

I really enjoyed Katherine Center’s previous books so I was really excited to read ‘The Bodyguard’. In this book a bodyguard (Hannah) was put on a movie star’s (Jack Stapleton) detail. Jack doesn’t want his family to worry about the threats, so he introduces Hannah as his girlfriend. Only their fake relationship started to seem real. I loved this book! Katherine does have the ability to write fun, entertaining and relatable books. It was such a comfort read, like all other Katherine’s novels. You will enjoy this heartwarming, sweet rom-com! Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Read if you like:
*sweet, closed door rom-coms
*prior Katherine Center books
*books with a Hollywood storyline


I liked this book! I did find it to be different than most of the author’s previous work and I can’t quite put my finger on what the difference is. The premise was fun and interesting and I found Hannah’s job being a bodyguard to be different than anything else I’ve read, which was refreshing. I definitely laughed out loud a few times and generally just enjoyed the storyline. There were a few times while reading that I found some characters’ actions to be very mean and I wasn’t expecting that given the typical sweetness of the author’s other books. Overall though, I did enjoy The Bodyguard. Hannah showed a lot of personal growth over the course of the story, and the romance piece was enjoyable.

This is a fun, sweet, and entertaining book. I love Katherine Center’s writing and will always pick up one of her books. They are typically sweet rom-coms but with some depth. You really feel for the characters, root for the protagonist, and cheer on the love interest.

In The Bodyguard, Hannah Brooks seems too sweet and petite to be a bodyguard, and yet she’s one of the best and assigned to Jack Stapleton, a mega movie star. I enjoyed their journey together, as client / hired service… to awkward fake romance… to possibly more?! I did find the secondary characters - the ex, the best friend, and the boss - more caricature than character.

I have read and rated three of Katherine Center’s other books as five star reads.(Things You Save in a Fire, How to Walk Away, What You Wish For) I would say this book is a solid 4 star. I absolutely recommend reading it! As I was getting near the end, I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t love it as much as those other books, but it was still a fun and worthwhile read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital advanced copy of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Centers previous novels and while I enjoyed them, this one blew those 2 out of the water, by far! I loved this one!! Bodyguard, Hannah, meets superstar, Jack Stapleton. The relationship between Jack and Hannah melted my heart, it was so fun and playful! Their interactions felts genuine. They were both going dealing with difficult situations in their lives and they helped heal each other and it was the sweetest thing. I feel in love with Doc and Connie too, and found myself dreaming of being on the ranch in Texas hanging out with them. This was the perfect read and exactly what I needed right now. This book left me smiling!! Highly recommend this one!

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in return for my honest review.

Honestly, I would read absolutely anything Katherine Centre writes. She is an auto-read author for me. This book absolutely did not disappoint. I loved everything about it. I loved the concept and the bit of romance. Katherine Centre’s books just leave me feeling so good when I’m finished reading this. Definitely pick this book up this summer. It’s one you will encourage all of your friends to read too.

LOVE!!!! OMG I loved this book! What an enjoyable, fun, hug-in-a-book story! I couldn’t stop picturing Chris Evans as Jack Stapleton. I read this on a beach vacation walking around the pool, and it was exactly what I wanted. I also absolutely loved the ranch setting, and Jack’s mother. She was by far my favorite side character.

Hannah is 5’6” and doesn’t look like she could hurt a fly. The truth of the matter is that she could kill you with her bare hands if she wanted to. She is a trained Executive Protection Agent, otherwise known as a bodyguard. She is good at her job. Actually she lives for her job. When her mom dies and her boyfriend dumps her, all she can think about is getting her next assignment. What she doesn’t see coming is that her next assignment will be right where she lives, in Texas, protecting the Sexiest Man Alive actor, Jack Stapleton. Unlike most women, Hannah is none too thrilled with this assignment. She wants to be as far from Texas as possible. Can Jack win her over? Can she learn what loving herself and allowing someone else to love her actually looks like?

I adored this book. It is the perfect summer read. The writing style is delightful . The characters are fun and enduring. I will definitely be recommending this one to my friends and bookstore customers to choose as their vacation read!

Jack Stapleton is a huge movie star who has been hiding out for the last few years. When his mom falls seriously ill, he needs to come home to the family ranch while avoiding a crazy fan/stalker.

Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard. Her mother has recently passed away and she was dumped by her boyfriend/co-worker the day after her funeral. She isn't fond of the idea of being the primary on Jack's case, and even less thrilled when she has to play his girlfriend in order to stay incognito.

This was a really charming romance with lots of humor and soul searching thrown in. Jack and Hannah are both struggling with demons from their past, and trying to figure out how to get what they want when their professional lives don't make it easy.

This was my first read from Katherine Center, and I enjoyed it a lot. I'm looking forward to going back and reading her other books!

Thank you to St Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC if this book.

This was so cute! I loved the dialogue between the characters and it was the perfect feel good book that brightened my day!


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Bodyguard, as with Katherine Center's other books, reads like a breath of fresh air. I love the way she writes healthy adult relationships and romances that make you swoon. This was no exception, and I loved seeing these characters come together while becoming more authentic versions of themselves through the other's encouragement.
I listened to the audiobook version of this title and thought the narration was great and really kept the story engaging.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This was bizarre and unrealistic but so so fun!

It read just like a good ol' rom-com movie from the 90s-2000s, even the writing was quite cinematic. The transitions on page from scene to scene would easily translate to the big screen.

I wouldn't say this was quick and fiery romance, but more of a sweet, slow progression from EPA and client to friends to lovers. The heroine comes off very abrasive in the beginning but once you acclimate and the book progresses, I think you can feel for her a lot more. The dialogue had me laughing out loud and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story. Highly recommend this for anyone looking for a fun summer read!

I was in the mood for a light, fun read that would make me laugh in parts and feel in others. This book fit just that mood for me and I LOVED it.

Hannah's job is not what you would expect - she is a dedicated, bad*** bodyguard. As her life seemingly is falling apart, she receives the assignment of a lifetime - to protect THE Jack Stapleton. A movie star that all girls swoon over, but with a mysterious drop from the spotlight. We get to see witty banter and steamy chemistry when the two have to pretend to be dating to keep his security detail low-key.

I adored this book. I laughed at parts, and really felt the emotions in others. I felt as though this book was exactly what I was looking for in a rom com. The writing style flowed smoothly, and it was truly a breeze to read through. I also thoroughly enjoyed the character development, from not only the main two characters, but also the families and coworkers that supported the story. I genuinely felt connected to them, and wishing for their success. The twist at the end I loved - I was shocked, but it fit perfectly with the style of the book. If you are looking for a summer read, get this when it comes out mid July!

HUGE thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciate the opportunity, and will publish my review to my IG: @manis.and.manuscripts on 7/2 as well as during pub week!

I"m a big Katherine Center fan and this latest is a fun read, perfect for the beach. Hannah is a personal bodyguard while Jack is a handsome movie star. As you can imagine sparks ensue and Hannah and Jack's relationship has its ups and downs. Though you know where the story is headed it's still great fun to take the ride with these characters. I appreciated the sub-text of her professionalism and the other relationships in her life but at the end of the day this is a love story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center never disappoints! So far I have read the last four books she has written and I loved them all. This newest release is set in Houston and the surrounding area, including the Brazos River.

Hannah, the main character, is a young woman who works for an Executive Protection agency. Her job is to provide personal security and do so in a way that isn’t obvious to other people. When Hannah hits a major bump in the road concerning her personal life, her boss decides to give her an “easy” assignment in the Houston area. This assignment leads Hannah from her lowest point to finding true happiness in the most unexpected way.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I loved the part spent on the Texas ranch. The only thing I found odd was that a girl from Houston had never spent any time around cattle.

All in all, this was an enjoyable and upbeat read that many readers will want to choose as their summer beach read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.