I would describe this as a hallmark channel version of Miss Congeniality. The roots of gruff woman’s forced into a delicate position for her job is clear correlation. Super fun and likeable, but wanted more spice, this was about as spicy as mayo

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

This bad boy doesn't release until July but oh man, what a fun book!!! I may have chuckled like a kindergartner several times. 🎵Nodding my head like yeah! Moving my hips like yeah! Put my hands up! They're playing my song 🎵🤪 It's a party with this book. ( And yeah I know you were singing with me.)

Let me pull out my lollipops because I am such a sucker for fake dating and lucky Hannah gets to fake date superstar Jack Stapleton. (Like who has actually fake dated in real life? Is it possible? * Sits back with this enchantment of a book without caring if it's not real, it feels real in my head. No judgement. 😅)

Anyways.... Like add in personal backstories and exes that need to get smacked down and several adorable moments and strange, weirdos for stalkers, you magically have a story that I need made into a 4 episode series. K, I will grab my popcorn and watch it like my life depends on it. Also, I am requesting Lucy Hale to star and flip some massive man over her shoulder like a ninja.

Just a content claimer: it feels like a PG-13 film. There is language and blushingly passionate kissing. It's a closed door romance. Not so much violence, extremely mild in my opinion.

Thank you #netgalley for my #arc

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This book really worked for me, and made me laugh and cry (always a sign of a great story), so I highly recommend it for a great blend of comedy, sweetness, and poignancy. I kind of debated giving it 5 stars, but decided to give it all the praise for the simple fact that this book is charming, feeling like a warm hug. Hannah is a bodyguard in Texas, who gets put on the case of the movie star Jack, directly after her mom dies and she’s dumped by a coworker for her best friend. But though she’s on shaky emotional ground while protecting him, Jack and her find laughter and love while attempting to fend off a corgi, sweater knitting stalker. This book did a lot of things I like in a romantic comedy, but the things that really stand out to me: how much the main characters laugh together, the realistic portrayal of grief within a comedic setting, and the insecurity and challenge of letting yourself fall in love - but then how beautiful it is when you let go and lean into the beauty of a trusting relationship. Overall, I highly recommend this book for fans of contemporary romantic comedies, adventure, and sweetness.

There isn’t anything that Katherine Center can do wrong. I loved her new book. It was definitely unexpected, but I really did enjoy the characters and the relationships they had!

Loveedddd loved loved this. It was so cute and funny. I loved the banter between Hannah and Jack. Hannah’s view of herself and the question of being lovable really got to me. I think we all kind of ask ourselves that question throughout life, but specifically I know I have. This book is my first of Katherine Centers but definitely not my last. I love her writing style and the TWIST that this took (iykyk) like realllly got me.

Can I give this one fifteen stars? Because I really want to! I mean, I just fell head over heels for this book. Hannah?! ADORABLE. Jack?! SWOON! Doc & Connie?! I mean come onnnn.

Hannah Brooks, Executive Protection Agent, is dumped by her boyfriend the day after her mother’s funeral. He then leaves on an assignment with her best friend (uh huh). And Hannah lands an assignment to protect famous movie star and Sexiest Man Alive Jack Stapleton, whose mom has been diagnosed with cancer and wants him home during her treatments. But how can Hannah blend in at his family’s ranch without alerting his family and causing unnecessary worry?

Whyyy fake dating, of course! I sure love a good fake dating trope. Add in a celebrity/normal person match up and I am SUNK. Especially with these two! Hannah’s inner dialogue is hilarious and she’s so lovable (even if she doesn’t realize it). Jack is down-to-earth, a total gentleman, and loves his mama. The two of them together is just *chef’s kiss* PERFECT! I absolutely love how well written every character was. Could totally see Vince Vaughn as Glenn if this were a movie. Katherine absolutely crushed it with this character lineup! From start to finish, The Bodyguard is a five star read!

I’ve really enjoyed Center’s past books and this one was no exception. If you need something light, fun and endearing, look no further than The Bodyguard. One of my favorite things about Center’s writing is her portrayal of strong female leads - and Hannah nails it as, you guessed it, a bodyguard tasked with protecting a celebrity with a stalker problem. Hannah and Jack’s fake dating scheme is full of lots of laugh out loud moments but there’s also a lot of feel-good romance vibes as well. I think this would be a great summer pool/beach read!

This wasn’t my first Katherine Center novel and it won’t be my last! I loved this one. I loved the characters, especially Jack and his parents. This one just gives you the warm and fuzzy feels, and is also really funny and Katherine’s wit shines through. You’ll want to grab this one before you head to the beach! Trust me, you won’t regret this fun sunshiney book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Bodyguard is out on July 19, 2022.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A feel good Romcom book

code word: ladybug

tropes
- swoon worthy romcom
- fake dating
- force proximity
- family matters

hannah is an Executive Protection Agent aka bodyguard, however her life is not going so well, her mom recently passed away & she just got broken up with, along with the fact that her ex is also her co worker so she still has to see his face yikes! she feels like her life is going down the drain, she is not getting the bodyguard jobs she wants that has assignments in different countries that would be people's dream vacations. she is never the type to ever go on a vacation as she is a workaholic & with everything she is going through currently she is ready to finally go on one. That is until her boss tells her that she is going to be the lead bodyguard to a high profile movie star, jack stapleton. Jack's mom is sick so he comes home to Texas to take care of her & texas happens to also be where his current crazy stalker lives. so Hannah is tasked with being his bodyguard but not only his bodyguard but also his fake girlfriend as well. what could possibly go wrong?

hannah is described as looking more like a kindergarten teacher than a bodyguard's so a lot of people underestimate her, which is one of the reason why she was also chosen as the lead bodyguard.

trigger warnings - cheating, death of a love one

hello netflix.. hulu, i need this book made into a Romcom movie. this book is cute, the main female character hannah is not the typical star stuck, ditsy female characters that you may get in some books. she is sarcastic, serious & loyal to her job, a bad ass. there are scenes in the book that people underestimate her because of her looks/size but she shows them how bad ass she is.

i received this arc & this is my voluntary review and i am so happy i was approved as the synopsis caught my attention.

yes the book can be cliché & predictable but this is a feel good Romcom type of book, it has sarcastic funny elements from both Hannah & Jack, along with romance, and also serious heart to heart talks due to a traumatizing event that happened in the past.

5⭐️

This book follows bodyguard, Hannah, and celebrity actor, Jack. After being dumped a day after her mother’s funeral, all Hannah wants to do is work. She wants to be sent overseas for her next job but is assigned to a local job, protecting celebrity Jack Stapleton. HOWEVER. Jack has to go to his parents’ house and doesn’t want his parents to know that he’s in danger, so Hannah has to pretend to be his girlfriend

I loved this book. There was almost a grumpy sunshine trope and a fake dating trope too. This was hilarious at times. Both of these characters, especially Jack, are just so loveable. I loved the pace of the book and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of smut (kind of added to the wholesomeness?) Hannah thinks that Jack is only ACTING really sweetly and tries to not fall for him. The plot twist at the end was also really surprising, providing closure and an additional wow factor.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this incredible eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Bodyguard genuinely blew me away! Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard—she’s just lost her mom and her boyfriend just broke up with her and now she’s assigned to be a security detail for celebrity Jack Stapleton, only he doesn’t want his family to know she’s a bodyguard so instead she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. The writing is flawless. It’s fresh and engaging and funny while also taking on Hannah’s loss and self consciousness. There were moments that felt predictable and moments I really didn’t expect, and I loved every second. I loved the banter and dynamic between Jack and Hannah. I liked the depth of Jack’s relationship with his family and I love what Hannah and Jack brought out in each other. This book just felt refreshing. I binged this book! I needed to know where the story would go next. I loved Hannah is so resilient and strong and that she was in the bodyguard role, and I adored her moments of vulnerability. She’s stubborn and tough and I loved seeing her break through that shell. And Jack was genuine and witty. This story came together just in such a wonderful way and I loved every moment! I was laughing out loud with this one and just smiling so hard through it.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Katherine Center for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication!

I was really excited when I received this book - expecting a lot from a story of a female body guard. It didn't disappoint. I loved the premise. The humor. The character growth. (Especially when Hannah stood up for herself with Robby and Taylor!)

Unfortunately, I have one big negative. I might be alone in this, but there is something about the writing style of this book that I just couldn't get behind. It was first person, following Hannah Brooks, but the way it was written was as if she was narrating things for the reader. Live commentary on things that were happening, which would break up the natural course of conversations. I found it hard to follow because of that. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall 3.5 stars.

Book Review: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Release Date: July 19 2022

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

This romance book was unputdownable! I picked it up yesterday, thinking I’d give myself a while to read it since it doesn’t get published until July but I ended up finishing it in under 3 hours. It was well written, the banter was hilarious, and it kept my attention the whole time. This book is about a protection agent who is given the assignment of protecting a movie star form a stalker. Enter the fake dating trope in all its glory.

While I’m not a huge fan of romances involving famous people, I have enjoyed a few including this one! The author wrote that trope so well, and it seemed genuinely realistic even though what happens in the book is a rare occurance😂 The hero was super sweet and funny, I actually laughed aloud during some of the banter! The heroine was great too, she went through some hard things that a lot of readers could relate to. There are a couple characters I wanted to scream at because they were so stupid, but the author purposefully wrote them that way so I couldn’t be too mad.

I think lovers of romance, especially lovers of the fake dating trope will love this book and I can’t wait to get myself a finished copy when it comes out!

p.s. this book has very little spice so if you aren’t into a ton of spice then this is the book for you! If you love spice (like myself) it’s still definitely worth a read!

4.5 stars. Another strong one from Katherine Center. Her book are romance with substance in the most wonderful way. Hannah Brooks is a relatable and likeable lead who is an Executive Protection Agent (a bodyguard). Her assignment, actor Jack Stapleton, has an interesting storyline, and I enjoyed reading about his journey toward acceptance and forgiveness. Finally, I especially loved Center's last few paragraphs before the epilogue on the importance of self-love.

What happens when your mother passes away and your boyfriend breaks up with you? You get “grounded” from work for a month. But right when Brooks is ready to jump back into her personal bodyguard job and hoping it’s in a faraway location - she finds out she’s staying in town for work! But upside…working for the famous and handsome actor Jack Stapleton. A wonderful story about finding yourself and believing in the best of you and trying to not let others opinions cloud your judgement of ourselves. This was fun, sweet and made you reflect. First book by Katherine Center that I’ve read but definitely not the last!

I really enjoyed this book because the FMC was complex and had all the elements I am looking for when a character is created. It was smart and funny, but at the same time, emotional when necessary. The back story of the two main characters was well thought out and relatable. 4 stars

As always, Katherine Center delivers on a wonderful book with layered characters and storylines, fun settings, and fantastic writing. If you are a fan of Katherine's other books then you will definitely love this one too.

THE BODYGUARD - Katherine Center

WARM AND FUZZY! - 5 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Hannah takes on a job to protect a famous actor Jack when a stalker follows him to Texas when he's visiting his sick mother. Acting as his girlfriend, she becomes much more embedded into his personal life than she normally would until the situation changes, and she must move on.

Writing - 5 stars - Center writes in a way that always clicks with me. The characters she creates, the scenarios she designs, and the situations she devises all appeal to me and make me want to dive into each story, building a personal relationship with each character.

Characters - 5 stars - This is where the story particularly shone for me. Jack is, of course, a huge movie star, attractive to everyone--a man's man while also being a handsome hero. But underneath it all, he's insecure and unhappy about his past and his relationship with his family. Hannah, on the other hand, has always felt strong and capable, but now she's starting to realize that her life of isolation has been more lonely than she thought. They brought out the great attributes in each other, and it was enjoyable to watch them grow and change together.

Title - 3.5 stars - The title describes the main character's job, but that's it. Straight and to the point, but nothing to draw a browser's attention.

Cover - 4 stars - Bright, eye-catching, but a little too cartoony for me, although there seem to be more and more of this type of cover lately. Apparently, it's a trend.

Overall - 5 stars - The underlying hopefulness of each story is always what attracts me to Center's books. In this case, both characters are facing their own personal issues. But, against all odds, they find each other and realize that they fulfill each other's needs. I loved how they interacted, with witty banter and tenderness, and it seemed, right from the beginning, that they really fit well together. Such an entertaining situation, such different personalities, and yet it all felt like it made sense. I'm a huge Katherine Center fan and greatly look forward to more books from her.

Katherine Center’s latest novel The Bodyguard is delightful; it is the perfect summer romantic comedy. Hannah Brooks is an unconventional “bodyguard”, an Executive Protection Agent who is hired to protect famous actor Jack Stapleton from his stalker: a middle-aged corgi-breeder. Hannah ends up posing as Jack’s girlfriend when he goes home to Texas to help out when his mother gets sick. No one in his family must know about his stalker or his bodyguard. The more time Jack and Hannah spend together, the more real the relationship seems to Hannah. She is afraid she will get her heart broken if Jack is only acting and does not really have feelings for her. She becomes conflicted about whether she should keep pretending to be his girlfriend or remove herself from the case to protect her heart.

This novel was quite the page-turner. I appreciated the humor sprinkled throughout the book regarding Jack’s corgi-breeding stalker, the banter between Jack and Hannah and just Hannah’s overall demeanor. She is a likeable, relatable character and you can’t help but want her to finally be happy and enjoy life outside of work. You end up loving Jack, too, because there is so much more to him than his being a famous actor. He is a good guy who loves his family and wants a real relationship, not a fake celebrity one. There is also some heavy subject matter explored as well, such as the death of Jack’s younger brother and Hannah’s personal issues. This novel, however, is not as deep and powerful as some of Center’s previous novels, such as How to Walk Away, but The Bodyguard is still an enjoyable novel and perfect beach read.

I read (and enjoyed!) not one, but TWO romance books this week. Who am I? Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones, perhaps it's the warmer weather, or maybe my cold heart is finally softening.

THE BODYGUARD is a charming romance that was the perfect little palate cleanser between heavier reads.

Hannah Brooks is assigned as the Personal Protection Agent for international heartthrob actor Jack Stapleton. Despite her 5’6” frame, Hannah is determined to keep Jack safe from a middle-aged corgi-breeding stalker. Here’s the catch: Jack and Hannah must pretend to be dating to ensure his family isn’t concerned for their safety by having a bodyguard in their midst.

This is the point where I would have previously rolled my eyes so far back into their sockets, but I adored this big-hearted story. I appreciated the tasteful closed-door romance and that the story wasn’t bogged down by excessive banter.

I must say, the audiobook narration by Patti Murin was fantastic. This is my first novel by Katherine Center and I will absolutely dig into her backlist. Pick up THE BODYGUARD for a sweet summer read!

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

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the electronic and audiobook ARCs. Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date