The Bodyguard was a quick read., this is one I finished in one weekend. What I liked: the atypical job of the main character made the story fun. I didn't think the story was actually believable or actually very relatable but it was fun and that was enough for me to really like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for an arc of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center.

Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than a bodyguard. Hannah is down on her luck, when movie star Jack Stapleton comes to Texas to visit his mom. Hannah ends up being his bodyguard, to protect him against a corgi loving stalker. Jack doesn't want his family to know that he has a bodyguard, so Hannah ends up moving in with them pretending to be Jack's girlfriend. This job should be easy for Hannah, but the more time they spend together the more feelings they have.

I loved this book. I devoured it on a plane ride and stayed up late to finish it. I was rooting for Hannah the book. I was also rooting for Jack. The storyline these two characters have as individuals and then together is amazing. Their chemistry! Overall a fantastic read. 4.5 stars.

Ok seriously. I loved this book. I couldn't put it down when I started it.

This was my second Katherine Center book, I had previously read "Things You Save In a Fire" and honestly didn't overly love it, so I was unsure about how I would receive this book.

I tend to be a bit stingy with my 5 star reviews. Most books site between a 3-4 starts for me - good, but not great. This book was great.

I loved the humor, the protagonists voice, the character development, and the primary love interest *swoon*. This is a book I could see myself reading again (and I rarely do that!).

My only wish was that there was more detail/narrative within the romance scenes. There was lots of build up, and seriously the characters themselves are great, so I wish I could have had more opportunity to just relish in their expression of their feelings for each other.

The Bodyguard comes out July 19th and can be pre-ordered now!

Thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

While the premise was certainly interesting, this unfortunately fell flat for me.
The romantic pairing lacked the appropriate amount of chemistry for me to be completely convinced, and it just had me wanting more.

Much lighter than Center's last few novels, <I>The Bodyguard</I> is a charming palate cleanser of a rom-com about two unlikely people falling in love. Hannah, who has just lost her mother and been dumped by her vile coworker boyfriend, works for an elite personal protection agency. When a reclusive actor needs their services to protect him from a stalker, Hannah is assigned as his bodyguard, a role that quickly morphs into posing as his girlfriend at his family's Texas ranch. I thought Center did a great job writing both leads. Hannah is a complicated mix of confidence and insecurity, and I found her very likable even when I was frustrated with her. There are some great laugh-out-loud moments in the novel, but also a good amount of real issues and character development despite some preposterous plot points. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for a digital review copy.

Katherine Center is back! Ya’ll know KC is an auto-buy author for me, so when I got the chance to read her newest release The Bodyguard last fall, I put all my other reading plans on hold. It's definitely a feel good rom-com with little steam.

Hannah Brooks is little, feisty, and going through some serious heartbreak after her mother died and her boyfriend/coworker broke up with her. As an Executive Protection Agent, it’s her job to make sure her clients stay safe and even though her life isn’t exactly as she planned, she’s excellent at her job. Her newest client, superstar Jack Stapleton is heading back home to Texas and really doesn’t think he needs a bodyguard to protect him from his middle-aged, corgi-loving stalker. Wanting to hide his need for a bodyguard from his family, Hannah get’s roped in to pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend. Should be an easy job, except for the more time Jack and Hannah spend together, the more they start to fall for each other.

Holy cuteness! This book was great and I might say it’s my favorite Katherine Center so far.

One of the things I love about Center’s books is their Texas setting. As a Texan girl myself, I love that Center sets her books in the Lonestar state. I always feel she captures the essence of the different regions of the state, because a lot of folks don’t know how diverse the state of Texas is.

Character wise, I loved all of our main characters, except Robby who gave off slight creep vibes. Even though Hannah can kill a man with a pen, her emotional range is pretty limited but I think we see enough growth throughout the story. I felt that the chemistry between Jack and Hannah felt believable and really enjoyed reading about their relationship. Jack’s family though is by far the best. He’s parents are adorable and I loved they way Hannah fell in step with the family.

This will easily transfer to the screen and I don’t doubt we’ll be seeing this coming to theaters soon, or at least I hope we do. While there isn’t much steam, this book really left me in such a good mood, and honestly I needed that when I read this. If you’re looking for something fun, lighthearted, that is going to leave you with the warm fuzzies, than this book is it!

My ranking/rating of other Katherine Center Books

Things You Save in a Fire
The Bodyguard
How to Walk Away
What You Wish For | REVIEW
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The Body Guard is out July 19, 2022! Huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

I absolutely loved this book WOW. It was cute, and it had me laughing out loud. I was lucky enough to recieve an arc of the ebook as well as the audiobook so I read it both ways. This plot was unlike anything I have read before, and we love a badass female MC. I loved their story and I also loved that this book was so much more than a romance. There was loss, grief, and action in this book. It was a fast paced book and I would recommend it to everyone.

Hannah does not look like she could take you down, but don’t underestimate her. She is a bodyguard and a damn good one at that! When her boss makes her the main point person to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton, she is not thrilled. She is even less thrilled when jack drops that she will have to be his fake girlfriend with his family. Her time on their farm however, shows her what a loving family looks like, and she gets closer to Jack and his family than she would normally get with a client.

Love this years trend of celebrity and normal people relationships! It’s seriously such a great one and I’ve loved all the books I’ve read with that storyline. One of my favorite things about Centers novels is that the women are badasses. Firefighters, fighting a horrible trauma, a bodyguard. I just love the strong and fantastic females she writes! Jack was such a heartthrob from the very start, I loved him! This one had the typical charm we find in Centers books, and I can totally see it being turned into a movie! This was a truly enjoyable and quick read!

I always have high expectations when it comes to Katherine Center books, and this absolutely lived up to the hype. Romances are tough for me because I often find them to be predictable, and too many authors don't build in a strong enough plot to back up the romance, making them drag on and on. This book was unique, funny, and spiced up the genre with a little bit of action/thriller added in at the end. It was awesome that Hannah is such a developed, interesting character from the start - I was fascinated by her background and could have read an entire book on her alone.

I LOVED that The Bodyguard created such a strong plot/foundation for Hannah and Jack to build chemistry and develop their relationship, and found that I was incredibly invested in seeing how they grew throughout the book. Despite this being a "fake dating" trope, the storyline seemed fresh and interesting. Even though I knew they would ultimately end up together, I was still drawn in to every page and wanted to know HOW it would happen. This was absolutely, 100% a 5-star read!

3.5 rounded up

Katherine Center always writes about a FMC who’s got some life lessons to learn and I always want to go along on the ride because there’s undoubtedly going to be a unique plot, fabulous side characters, and a bit of romance all rolled into easy reading you’re sucked into from the get go..

The Bodyguard is no exception to this formula.

Hannah must be the bodyguard for a famous star but it turns out her heart is the one needing protection.

And as with every Katherine Center novel, I’ve come to expect a dose of eye rolling dramatics or just some element of a reminder that “this is so not real life”. But I will always come back for more because her writing and stories are just a perfect escape.

Thank you for the gifted eARC!

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an arc of The Bodyguard by Katherine Centre.
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I love Centre’s writing. I’ve been finding it hard to get into a book lately but I was immediately drawn into and invested in this story. This is only the second book by her I have read and I really need to pick up more of her backlist . I loved Hannah and Jack and was rooting for them both from the start of this novel. I’ll definitely be reading this one in the future!

Content and inclusions: drinking/alcoholism, drowning, drowning discussion and scare , add dyslexia dysgraphia , domestic abuse, father leaving, stalking, held up at gunpoint, gunshot wound , car accident off of bridge, death of a sibling

3.5 out of 5.

I read a lot of romance books, which I think has messed with my expectations. This book was fine. I liked the trope of having the female be the bodyguard for the male actor. But I only bought their romance a little bit, the 3rd act breakup was unnecessary and ultimately, I'm a little tired of the actor/everyman trope.

Holy wow I loved this! Very much All The Feels by Olivia Dade vibes plus forced proximity. This gave me all the feels, two people growing together and being so freaking cute

A very fun summer rom-com, featuring a fresh and strong protagonist. Our leading lady works security and protection detail, and she is very good at her job. Fresh off the death of her mother, her boyfriend also breaks up with her, takes her assignment, and makes moves on her best friend. As if all that betrayal wasn't enough, her next job keeps her in Texas as she protects a Hollywood actor while he's in town visiting his mom. I'm sure you can work out what's next. The story is fun, exciting, and a little cringe in the best way. Not quite predictable and very enjoyable.

I always enjoy Katherine Center's charming books and this one is no different! So far she always pairs good light-hearted fun with some more serious subject matter, and if you enjoyed her other books, you'll have a good time reading this one as well. If you haven't read any of her stories yet, it's time to dive in.

While I have to say it was a little sappy and unrealistic at times, that wasn't a bad thing at all. It's nice to escape into a book where you can pretend to be the girlfriend of a yummy and lovely actor, and then fall in love and get the happily ever after especially when dealing with other sad issues in your life.

The story is well written and made me laugh and smile many times while reading. Once I started reading didn't want to put it down. It is a perfect summer read or if your weather is like mine, a great read while cozy in bed on a rainy day.

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

Sigh. I absolutely adored the first couple Katherine Center books I read, but after the last couple, I think this may be the end of the road for me with this author. This is completely a personal preference - I understand why so many people love her stories. However, especially with The Bodyguard, I was left really disappointed and wishing I had set the book down before the end.

The premise - female bodyguard and fake dating - had me super excited for this book. Unfortunately, I found myself rolling my eyes constantly and couldn't get invested in the relationship and characters at all. I especially did not buy the feelings between our two love interests - I kept being told how they were feeling, but it wasn't really coming through well to me as the reader.

There were some other things that rubbed me the wrong way, but ultimately, this was a major bummer for me. I do feel like most who have loved Center's previous books will love this one as well.

2.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY GOSH!!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! The Bodyguard written by Katherine Center is such a fun, romantic rom-com. This book is so lovable with it's warmth, heart felt, and all around hilarious story line, but it also has it's serious moments. This book had so much action going on I felt like I was there actually witnessing it. The characters grab your heart, the setting grabs your heart, but also the story line grabs your heart. I loved the story so much I never wanted it to end. I was so excited when I found out this book was coming out, I've read other books by Katherine Center before, so I knew I had to read this one!!! This is the type of book that deserves so much hype, and an infinity star rating!!! I was hooked from the very first page and knew from that moment on that I was going to love this story. I went into this book completely blind, which I highly recommend doing because it will give you all the laughs and heartfelt moments without being spoiled. THANK YOU NETGALLEY and ST. MARTIN'S PRESS FOR THIS ARC!!!!! "So, all those times I called you and cried over my broken heart... you were dating the person who broke it?" Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent, aka The Bodyguard. Hannah looks more like a kindergarten teacher than someone who could kill you with a wine bottle opener, a ballpoint pen, a dinner napkin, but don't let her fool you, she's one tough woman. The Bodyguard started off a little bit sad with the death of Hannah's mother, following her funeral. But a few days after that, Hannah's boyfriend Robby broke up with her. Even though Hannah is not your average bodyguard standing at five feet tall, she refuses to let that be in the way of being the most knowledgeable in the business. Hannah's boss, Glenn, won't let Hannah back at work until she takes some time off and clear her head. I love how authors incorporate woman to be the tough one sometimes, woman who can kick some butt. Hannah was awkward in all the best ways possible, she had her flaws, but she was one of the coolest. Hannah most definitely didn't have the best self confidence, but she was such a good person. As soon as Robby broke up with Hannah, he made a list of Hannah's three deal breaker flaws. Hannah's working all the time. Hannah's not fun, she's always serious every minute. Hannah's a bad kisser. While Hannah had to stay back in Texas to grieve the loss of her mother and clear her head space, Robby and Taylor, Hannah's best friend went to Madrid to complete an assignment. Taylor is now Hannah's ex-best friend because in Madrid her and Robby started dating. Now, Hannah just got hired to protect superstar actor, Jack Stapleton, from his middle-aged, corgi breeding stalker. Jack is a household name. He's famous for plenty roles. But a few years back, after a family tragedy, Jack dropped back from the public eye and went off the grid. When Jack's mom gets diagnosed with cancer, he comes back home to the family's ranch in Texas to help out. Hank, Jack's brother wants nothing to do with him because of the cause of their family's tragedy. Jack doesn't want his family to know about his stalker, or the whole bodyguard thing. So, Hannah against her will finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover, so his family doesn't know she's a bodyguard. Even though Hannah's ex boyfriend, Robby doesn't believe that Hannah's going to be Jack's girlfriend, Hannah can hardly believe it herself. The more time that Hannah spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. As Hannah is Jack's girlfriend for cover, she actually feels herself falling for Jack. The time that Jack and Hannah spend together at the ranch they make each other laugh, but Jack annoys Hannah when he leaves his dirty clothes on the bathroom floor. It's so easy for Hannah to be the one protecting Jack, but protecting her own, long neglected heart? That's the hardest thing Hannah's ever had to do in her life. I absolutely loved the banter between Jack and Hannah, they were honestly so sweet and adorable together. Robby just annoyed me like crazy. If I was Hannah, I would have just drop kicked Taylor.

For me reading has always been a form of escape. It has taken me all over the world, back in time and into the future. Katherine Center’s latest, “The Bodyguard,” was the perfect escape yesterday. (Read date 6/11/22)

From the very beginning I was hooked with the plot and the characters. Usually when I hear the term bodyguard, I automatically imagine the stereotypically tall guy with lots of muscles and a mean mug. Hannah Brooks however is maybe 5’5” but is one of the best EPAs- Executive Protection Agents in the game. Besides remaining anonymous while providing services, Hannah’s favorite part of the job is traveling the world. When she is given a long-term assignment in their homebase of Houston, she is disappointed to say the least. Even if her assigned charge is the Sexiest Man Alive. Enter Jack Stapleton who has been off-grid for awhile and is back in Texas to help care for his mother as she under goes cancer treatment. His goal is to remain low-profile and unguarded, but his movie studio that is focused on him making another installment of his hit thriller series- think James Bond or Mission Impossible style- wants to keep him safe from crazed stalkers.

Jack and Hannah concoct a plan that she will act as his girlfriend to keep his family’s concerns on his mom and not on his safety. While Hannah works towards keeping Jack safe, Jack tries to keep his darkest secret under wraps as well. This book played out like one of the best rom-coms. I lost count how many times I laughed at and with the characters. Like I said, I read it in a day which is some of the highest praise I can give to a novel.

Out in a few weeks this is another good one for the beach!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the chance to read early. I very much needed this distraction and laughter.

This was super cute. Although not as spicy as I would normally read, it was almost refreshing to read something just sweet. Nothing ground breaking, but a nice read regardless.

This book is one of the best summer reads I've read thus far. A rom com that hits so many great witty one liners and a slow burn of a romance that charms you from start to finish. I was cheering on Hannah from the beginning, it opens up with a lot of heartbreak but as the characters develop there's purpose behind the sadness. I think the journey of each of the main characters, Jake and Hannah, pushed this book beyond the general romance. There's family drama, stalkers, and plenty of fun as well. I also loved the push beyond the obvious with making Hannah, the bodyguard and Jake, the celebrity. I now have to dive into the backlist of Katherine Center because I didn't realize how witty and funny her stories are.