I read it in a day! This is my 4th Katherine Center book. She is author I didn’t know I needed! I didn’t know I loved romcom books till I met Katherine’s books. There is a lot of things I loved - like the humor, I laughed out loud a lot, good chemistry and banter with the leads, good character dynamics, sick or dead family members (makes it real), lots not too real either but it didn’t bother me one bit. And how working or even just speaking with with a super famous gorgeous movie star was portrayed was very realistic to me based on experience.

This was a fun read! I will definitely be reading some of the authors other work.

Fake dating but make it female bodyguard/movie star/stalker. I love that Hannah isn’t your “typical” bodyguard. It makes for some interesting assumptions that she proves wrong!
I loved most of the characters (except Bobby) and this had plenty of side character stories that kept it interesting.

And it even had a couple little twists that I didn’t expect!

Thanks NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced copy

This book was exactly what I needed when I read it, and isn't that always just the best? It's so fun and even the heavier parts (like Jack's backstory) didn't weigh me down or trigger my anxiety. I saw some reviews mention that it feels like it could be a romcom movie and I definitely agree. It's written in a way that's both super entertaining and very cinematic; I feel like I can picture every scene so clearly in my mind as if it played on a screen in front of me. I also just loved Hannah as a character. She's got some major Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality energy and I was very here for that. Also now I want to buy red cowboy boots.

I am calling it now, this is going to be all over BookTok this summer! So refreshing, heartwarming, and downright fun!

I really fell in love with Hannah, Jack, and the whole family. The story was interesting, perfectly paced, and all around had great writing. It has been a long time since I read a book that I truly loved start to finish like this one. I honestly didn't want it to end. Somehow reminded me of the Miss Congeniality movie and if you are dying for early 2000's romcom vibes, you have to check this one out!

A solid three stars. I had really high hopes because the description. It was really predictable, which isn’t always a bad thing but I honestly knew what was going to happen the whole time. I’m not a huge fan of the instant love trope because I like for the main characters to build up to the chemistry rather than one character being in love at first sight. It was still a cute book for someone who is into romcoms but it just wasn’t spectacular for me.

I am such a fan of Katherine Center. I don’t even like romance novels and I literally always give her books five stars. She’s done it again!!

Oh yes, this was a delight. Hannah’s voice was great and I was all in for this one from the jump. Two dummies falling in love, one adorable miscommunication at a time. Team Jack’s mom!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Katherine Center for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Bodyguard.

Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard who doesn’t look like a bodyguard. She wants to go overseas for a new job position, but she has to prove herself first. She’s competing against Robby who she works with and who she dated.
It was a little odd Robby broke up with her and one of the reasons was she was a bad kisser. Seems like it would come up in the year they were dating?

I didn’t like Robby and I don’t have anything nice to say about him. I’m not sure why he was even featured so long. He should’ve gone away. I didn’t like he wanted to get back with her. I definitely applaud her decision to give him the boot. It was good Taylor and she could resolve some of their issues.

Jack Stapleton is a famous celebrity who needs a bodyguard because he has a stalker. Of course Hannah is assigned to Jack.

The story was a little difficult to get into at first, but it picked up a lot when Jack and Hannah had to pretend to be dating. I love the pretend boyfriend troupe. Jack’s mom got sick, so he had to go home to Texas to be with her. Since he doesn’t want his family to know he has a stalker, Hannah agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend. The whole charade ends soon. I’m glad they told his family the truth.

I loved that the book was heavy on the dialogue. I don’t need a lot of description. I prefer stories told through dialogue. It was short and quick dialogue to keep the story moving. I enjoyed Jack’s backstory. I feel like there wasn’t as much about Hannah’s background, but that’s okay.

Overall, the book was a fun read. It was a clean romance, which is good for readings not looking for spiciness. The ending was a little crazy with the hostage situation, but I get there had to be conflict. I really enjoyed the story.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves contemporary romance books involving celebs.

This was a fun book. Not particularly deep, but a lot of fun. Very much a Rom-Com rather than a strict romance.

Read this if you need a few hours away from everything going on in the world. Read this is you just want some quiet time to yourself. Read this is you want to laugh out loud at some of the characters in the book. Read this is you want to identify what NOT to look for in ex-boyfriends!! Read this is you want to just roll along with the plot and believe the sometimes extraordinary story line. Your won't be disappointed.

Not like other books I've read by Katherine Center in the past, but for this time and place, exactly what I, and many others, need to wind down with when everything seems to be going downhill in life!

Hannah, an Exec Protection Agent, is great at her job but terrible at being a human (lol); she doesn't know how to relax and relies on work to pass the time. Her boyfriend, a fellow co-worker, dumps her a day after her mom's funeral, and she realizes how truly alone she is.

Jack, a famous actor, is in need of protection from a stalker. His mom has cancer and he wants to be with her during her treatment and appointments, so he agrees to have a bodyguard - which is how he and Hannah meet.

This novel was so wholesome and overall a great read. There were moments when I got annoyed at Hannah because she came off as super whiny (though to be fair, in the real world, it makes sense that she wouldn't want to get stuck in the situation she got stuck in but STILL). However, even through all of that, the chemistry, the emotional connection, the plot! all of it was very well-written and moved at an engaging pace.

10/10 would recommend to folks who like solid romance novels :) Thanks to St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for the ARC!

Loved this! I loved that the main character had a bad ass job and wasn’t afraid to use her skills when necessary. The relationship between Hannah and Jack is very cute and the way that his family is written is very endearing. This would be a fantastic summer beach read! Thank you #netgalley for the ARC of #thebodyguard

- [ ] The Bodyguard

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Hannah Brooks, a workaholic Executive Protective Agent (AKA a bodyguard), is assigned to protect Jack Stapleton, one of the country’s hottest actors. But this isn’t a normal case for work — she has to do it while pretending to be his girlfriend.

I’ll be honest — I received this ARC many months after I requested it, and by that time, I just wasn’t into my romcom phase anymore. This is the first time in a while that I’ve picked up a romance book, so I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get into it… but I’m so glad I was wrong! And… um? Is bodyguard-to-lover my new favorite trope?

I liked this book right off the bat. It was a super easy, light read, and it was a good break from all the other books I’ve been reading lately! The banter in here was *chef’s kiss*, and Jack was just so swoon-worthy. It was definitely cringy, but in the BEST way possible. Does that make sense?

Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out on July 19, 2022!

She’s a professional protection agent, she can take you down and knows ways to kill you with a wine opener, he’s a famous movie star with a tragic family past and a stalker who is getting a little out of hand, when they both end up working together... can they make this work? Hannah Brooks looks like a kindergarten teacher, regular, ordinary, and unassuming... until she knocks you out, literally. Hannah is going through a rough patch, her mother just died and her boyfriend... dumps her on the day of her mother’s funeral only then to tell her hes doing so because of her, pointing out 3 main reasons : 1) she works all the time, 2) she’s not fun, and 3) she’s a bad kisser. To top it off he’s her competition for a dream job in London... and he’s sleeping with her best friend. Then Hannah is assigned to Jack Stapleton, superstar actor who went off the grid due to a family tragedy and is now needing protection while he stays with his sick mother. Hannah wants nothing to do with this job but when her boss tells her its the only way she’ll be able to get a win for the London job she takes it. The hiccup? Jack’s family doesn’t know about his stalker and he doesn’t want to alarm them, so Hannah will have to pretend to be his girlfriend the entire time she is staying with them. The more time they spend together the more they start to bond and realize that they have things in common and that they’re both dealing with a lot. Hannah starts to feel like maybe she can be herself and that she can let her guard down, and Jack starts to feel like maybe there is finally someone who see’s past the superstar actor and just sees him. Throw in farm life shenanigans, super cute family members ( I’m looking at you Connie, I adore you!), meddlesome exes, unhinged stalkers, victorian night gowns, and lots of piggyback rides. This was such a cute and fun read, I absolutely adored Hannah and Jack’s chemistry, they genuinely seemed like two people who just fit, they make each other laugh, they help and take care of one another, and they can just be themselves around each other. A super cute read!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was an absolutely joy to read. I giggled…a lot. I loved Jack and Hannah’s relationship. Katherine Center has a way of making her characters feel so real and raw. I loved how we slowly learned about the past of each main character, and I must say- I would love to be a part of the Stapleton family. At first I thought the ending was a little bizarre and out of place, but once I finished the book, I do think it helped tie up some loose ends.

Tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine

“I’d been counting on the reality being worse than the fantasy. But the reality… was better.”

I’ve been excited for this book for so long and it did not disappoint! I’m a major sucker for a bodyguard romance, add in the grumpy x sunshine trope where she’s the grumpy one and he’s the sunshine and I was sold.

Jack Stapleton is a Hollywood actor who has disappeared from the spotlight after a devastating accident. When he returns to his hometown to take care of his ailing mother, his team goes against his wishes and sets up protection for him. Enter Hannah Brooks, a protection agent who’s recently gone through a loss and a breakup. Hannah’s looking for a getaway to a far away country, instead she gets a four week ‘vacation’ to Jack’s family’s ranch where she has to pretend to be Jack’s girlfriend. It isn’t long until she starts falling for him for real but she can’t help but wonder if he’s only acting.

Jack and Hannah may just be my new favourite fictional couple. The banter between them was amazing and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times throughout the book. If you like sunshine hero’s and lots of character growth, this is the book for you!

4.5 stars

3.5 I went back and forth on what to rate this book. The beginning was very slow for me. I would just read a chapter here and there. Also, I did not like the premise so much. If it would have just been the celebrity falling in love with his bodyguard it would have been fine. I did not understand why they had to make her pretend to be his girlfriend, instead of bodyguard. They wanted to do it to not cause his mother stress after having surgery. I get that. However the two brothers hate each other and come to blows and yell whenever they are in the same room. Wouldn't that cause stress to their mother after having surgery? The celebrity has a stalker, which is why he needs protection. Shouldn't the family be aware that there might be someone who wants to harm their family member? You don't have to tell mom, but maybe dad and brother should be in on the secret. So because of all of this at the beginning I wasn't getting into the book. About halfway I really did get into it and read the rest very quickly. It ended up very sweet.

A book that breaks the 4th wall to tell a wonderful story. I loved the female being the Bodyguard protecting the male. I love the twisted way the side characters are looped into the story. This is an author known for sweet-closed door romance and this matches. I don’t think the cover matches the story well, she protects him but the cover having him in a suit is off. Also, the cover focuses on flowers which I think w

I really enjoyed the characters foundation and storylines being introduced but I felt like the “I’m falling in love” chapter happened randomly and too soon. Felt forced when that “thought” first came about. However the rest of the story was well written and developed. Once I was healthy enough to read, I read this book quickly. Very cute and fun storyline.

Thank you NetGalley and stmartin press for this advanced copy in exchanges for an honest opinion.

I am a fan of Katherine Center's writing! She writes intelligent, strong women and The Bodyguard, her newest novel, is no different. The heroine, Hannah, is an executive protection agent who looks like a sweet kindergarten teacher, but has a double blackbelt, advanced firearms training, and is willing to put her life on the line to protect her clients. When she is tasked with protecting a Hollywood A-list actor, she has to do something she's never done as a professional bodyguard: pose as his girlfriend and meet his family.

The pacing of the book is perfect and I was able to read the book in a day. I really loved the character development and chemistry between the hero and heroine. This is a great book to read if you enjoy strong heroines, forced proximity relationships, and a strong sense of drama all the way until the end!

CW: grief, stalker situations, gun violence, suicidal ideation

Advanced copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars.

The Bodyguard is absolutely perfect! The chemistry between characters, the details that make you become invested in the story, the twist not being the twist I thought it would be - all perfect!

I got lost in this story and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to read it!

Katherine Center is the queen of writing badass women. She’s written a badass firefighter, a badass woman on an intense survival course, a badass librarian who uses her voice as an advocate for her students - the list goes on and on. And The Bodyguard, coming out in July, is no exception.

Hannah is the unwanted bodyguard for an A-lister who is returning from his reclusive home in Montana to his hometown in Texas to be with his mother while she is in treatment for cancer. Hannah is coming off a handful of really bad weeks - her mother becomes sick and passes away, her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her, and she’s been grounded from her jet setting job when she is handed this assignment. She’s nearly as unwilling to take on the job as her principle, Jack, is to accept her protection.

I loved this story. Hannah is inspiring, Jack is a dreamboat. Their story isn’t straightforward, it’s layered and deep. It’s serious, however funny. There’s a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. This one comes out in July and it can’t be missed!