Thank you so much to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Hanna brooks is a workaholic who uses the travel aspects of her job to escape. But when tragedy strikes her boss forces her to take a breather. Unfortunately, for Hanna that break takes her right out of an opportunity she’s been dying for and leaves her in Texas. Her boyfriend and coworker has also declared they are over. So now she’s stuck in Texas with nothing to do until she lands the gig of protecting Jack Stapleton mega movie star.

Now not only is Hanna stuck in Texas but she’s stuck with Jack Stapleton pretending to be his girlfriend.
But when the relationship seems more real than pretend Hanna has no escape. She has to face how she feels.

I loved this novel it was adorable and funny. I think the author does a splendid job of broadcasting the insecurities most of us feel. Being told you’re never enough so many times you start to believe it and it’s hard to change that mindset. I would definitely recommend this novel. I read this in a day. I loved Jack and Hanna and I loved the side characters aside from two which will be pretty obvious once you read it.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this.

when the book starts out with the short bodyguard main girl casually flipping the giant celebrity main guy on his rear end just to prove that she can, you know it’s gonna be good.

But it wasn’t just good. Please allow me to elaborate.

*breathes in*

IT WAS ADORABLY PERFECTLY AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL.

this book has all the best tropes: bodyguard romance, found family, one bed, fake dating, celeb and commoner, grumpy girl and sunshine boy.
you can bet your bottom dollar I was there for EVERY SINGLE ONE.

the writing style was effortless, the banter was witty, the descriptions flowed, and everything combined made me decide to not study calculus for an entire hour during finals season in order to finish it.

i know. this book was worth a death-defying level of sacrifice 😌


LE CHARACTERSSSS

Hannah Brooks. Normally heroines in the first person wildly annoy me, and heroines in the first person of contemporary romance are some of the worst. They're all bumbling and tongue-tied and unattractive and yet SOMEHOW get the hot guy to fall for them because “she’s not like other girls”

*rolls eyes overaggressively*

like darlings, it’s okay. we all know that relationship won’t last a year 😒😒

but i digress.

the point is that Hannah Brooks did not wildly annoy me. She broke the romance heroine stereotype. She flipped the main guy on his tailbone (literally) and shot twenty beer bottles perfectly after being mansplained how to shoot a gun (also literally). She didn’t fall all over herself when she was assigned to Jack even though he was her celebrity crush. She analyzed scenes and situations, picking up on subtle body language and danger JUST LIKE AN ACTUAL BODYGUARD. I loved how when she said she was going to beat something up, she actually did it. Hannah is a superb model for a heroine, let alone a contemporary romance one.

But all her skills pale in comparison to the internal demons she faced. Her mom died and boyfriend abandoned her within the same week, but she had the strength to fight her way back to normalcy. Yet she struggled with wondering if she was lovable, what it even meant to be lovable, and what it meant to be too hard to love. She struggled with the sadness you feel when there isn’t that one person in your life who'd always pick you over everybody else. Fear of being alone has definitely been something I’ve had for a long time, and I just felt so seen in this character. It’s kinda hard to define exactly why she felt so amazingly real, but I love her for it <3

#hannahbrooksupremacy


Next, Jack Stapleton.

JACKKKK

omigosh i cannot with this man. He’s the exact definition of guy falls first with all that subtle yearning that is just *chef’s kiss*

He makes sure she’s comfortable with fake dating boundaries. He sprints to her across the ranch when she comes back because he missed her so much. He admires her so much for flipping him over her head (i can’t get over that lol) and shooting down those twenty beer bottles. He offers her the bed about twenty times (she refuses all of them) because he feels horrible about her sleeping on the floor (but it does lead to a one bed trope sooooo 😏).
Oh and THE THING HE WAS DOING FOR HER WHEN HE SAID HE WAS GOLFING??? AHHHH OMIGOSH I CANNOT I LOVE HIM SM ⇐ read that part and tell me that’s not the most adorable thing EVER

*sniffs with heart eyes*

so if you like found families and celebrity life and sunshine boys and grumpy girls, please read this book.

I promise you won’t regret it ;)

A cute, feel-good romcom that's both thoughtful and funny.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with the eARC on Net Galley.

I was extremely excited to read this book. I like when I can count on authors to provide me exactly what I like and expect from their books, and Katherine Center does not disappoint!

Here's the spoiler-free premise: Hannah Brooks loves her job as an Executive Protection Agent, and not just because she gets to travel internationally. She's also really good at it; you might even say she's the best in her agency. So she really shouldn't be surprised that she's assigned to protect the hottest celebrity. But she is. Because not only does she not even get to leave the state, but in order to do her job, she's got to pose as his girlfriend. That might be a breeze for actor Jack Stapleton, but for Hannah, fresh off her mother's funeral and getting dumped by her boyfriend, it's definitely a tough assignment. The two end up forced to live together for weeks, and before she knows it, Hannah's fallen for Jack. But has he fallen for her or is he just a really good actor? And when it all comes to a head, will Hannah protect Jack or her own heart?

I think this was just another really well-done book from Katherine Center. What did I love about this book?

1) I loved the writing. Hannah narrates the story, and she's funny and witty and real. It was like being on the phone with your best friend since toddlerhood.

2) I loved the pacing. Nothing dragged or felt rushed. I mean, Hannah went on for a while about what being an EP Agent entails, but it was relevant. And I did think that Hannah realized her feelings for Jack rather suddenly, but life comes at you fast amiright?

3) I loved the fake relationship. Okay, I love all the romcom tropes, but fake relationships are always tricky because you really never can tell what's real and what isn't. And the fact that Jack is an actor -- meaning he can "stage kiss" and cry (or otherwise emote) on demand -- just ups the ante for Hannah. (And us, the readers!)

4) Perhaps what I love most about Katherine Center's books: I loved that there was depth to the characters. They have real -- and often traumatic -- experiences that leave them needing to be loved truly and handled with care. Center makes you know them and love them like they're your friends, good, bad, flaws and all. I was truly invested in the characters individually, but I also wanted to see how their days unfolded together and where life would take them. (Shoutout to the epilogue!)

Like Center's other books, this is a pretty quick read that I think many would enjoy. It's both emotional and light-hearted, a perfect blend of serious and funny with character development and active plot in perfect proportions. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book, even if romcom or "chick lit" aren't your go-to genres.

I have been a fan of Katherine Center and her romcom books since I read How to Walk Away in 2018. I fell in love with Katherine’s strong female characters who are down to earth and likeable while also being strong and capable.

The main character in The Bodyguard, Hannah Brooks, is another strong female lead that I absolutely cheered for the whole way through reading.

Hannah is a bodyguard who was just hired to protect the hot-celebrity actor Jack Stapleton from a middle-aged corgi-breeding stalker.

I loved the interactions between Hannah and Jack and how she didn’t immediately fall for or gush over Jack.

While being a light-hearted romantic comedy, The Bodyguard also deals with some difficult topics and finding forgiveness and healing after a family tragedy.

I loved my reading experience with this book so much…it was fun and light and just made my heart so very happy!!!

For closed door romance or romantic comedy readers…you’re going to love this latest novel by Katherine Center!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance readers copy to review!

When I saw Katherine Center was writing a bodyguard romance, I was thrilled. I've read several bodyguard romances, but I don't think I've ever read one where the bodyguard was a woman.

Hannah Brooks is tough. She may not look it at 5'5" with a petite frame, but she can (and has) take a grown man down easily. Jack Stapleton is a famous actor who has a stalker and even though he doesn't want a bodyguard he has one. The issue is, his mom is sick and he doesn't want to worry her more, so instead of bringing a bodyguard home, he brings home his new girlfriend... Hannah.

I love a good fake dating romance and this also had a bit of the grumpy sunshine troupe I love so much. Jack was most definitely the sunshine character in this story. He showed Hannah there was more to life than just work and I loved how Hannah went from protecting Jack, to being his friend, and of course watching them fall in love. Sigh.

Katherine Center writes an emotional, fun, and heartwarming romance with The Bodyguard. It was entertaining and I didn't want to put it down. If you're in the mood for a feel good read with lots of heart, pick this one up!

This was my first story by Katherine Center and I really enjoyed her writing style. I wasn’t in love with the first half of the book, but really enjoyed the second half. I was conflicted on Hannah in the beginning because she has such a power job but emotionally was very immature. She was in love with Jack before we really saw his personality. Jack was very sweet but he could have been more fleshed out, especially for the MMC. In the end, I thought the two worked well together but needed just a little more development between them. I really liked seeing Hannah’s growth and her finding self love. This is a solid 3.5 closed door rom-com.

I would give The Bodyguard 10 stars if I could - I absolutely loved it! I was expecting the usual romance using the celebrity/non-celebrity trope, but I should have known that anything written by Katherine Center would not qualify as the “usual”. Funny, heartwarming, and SO romantic, The Bodyguard has depth and a little twist at the end, that was just right.

So conflicted on this book! I LOVED the premise and adored both Hannah and Jack, but the writing fell flat for me. Jack was so charming and I also loved his family, but a lot of the dialogue between characters felt jilted. Some of the things especially that Taylor and Robby said were just super corny and didn't feel realistic or have any motivation behind them at all? And it pissed me off how fast Hannah forgave Taylor! I'll definitely give it another read when it comes out to see if I feel differently, but I just wish the writing was little more cohesive since I couldn't tell how serious a lot of moments were.

Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent, otherwise known as a bodyguard. She's had the worst week of her life. Her mother just died and then her before/coworker dumped her the next day. If things couldn't get worse her best friend (also a fellow coworker) is sleeping with her ex.

John Stapleton is a Hollywood Hunk A-list movie star who needs protecting. Hannah's firm is all hands-on deck, and she is the lead agent protecting the asset.

Yes, there were parts of the story that was so far-fetched it made it hard to accept, but that's the point with writing fiction. For me, the comedy outweighed the cheesy hard to believe factor. I laughed a lot throughout this book.

Thank you Saint Martin’s press for gifting me a physical copy of the bodyguard.

This book is exactly what you expect. It's easy to read and a good choice for a light summer beach read. I would have liked a few more interactions between Hannah and Jack as they got to know each other, or for something a little more than her always making him laugh. And if I'm being honest, I was sick of the writing style by the end. But overall, it delivers what it's supposed to and is an enjoyable book.

Katherine Center does it again!
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I was in a major reading slump, and The Bodyguard pulled me right out. I stayed up way too late to finish this one - once I hit the 50% mark I couldn’t put it down.
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The characters are so well developed and easy to fall in love with. The story was unique and a bit quirky, but still had such heart and depth.
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And don’t get me started on the fake relationship trope - so well done and swoony! Sexy movie star + a small but mighty female bodyguard 💀!!! Just so fun!
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You’ll definitely want to put this on your tbr!
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Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and The Bodyguard is one of her best! A romance novel with an unusual plot - the protagonist is a bodyguard for a movie star! You can see the ending coming from a mile away but that’s what makes it so satisfying and fun to read. Perfect for the beach. I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my favorite reads lately!!! Katherine Center always hits the mark for me. I love her storytelling and her outlook on love. If you want a heartwarming contemporary romance that will both make you laugh and pull on your heartstrings, The Bodyguard is it!

Katherine Center always writes fun books, perfect for getting away from it all for a while. She writes the dialogue between characters especially well which keeps me laughing out loud throughout the story. In fact, I have a tendency to race through the pages just because I'm having such a great time and want to see what happens next. The premise for this one is a bit different in the grand scheme of things. Hannah is assigned to be a bodyguard for a popular movie star, Jack, who has come home to be with his mother as she faces serious health issues. He's not sure it's necessary to have a bodyguard. And her heart isn't exactly in it either. But it may mean a big promotion for her, IF she can convince Jack, and her boss, that she knows what she's doing. There's much more to the story than that. But I don't want to give too much away. I can tell you that reading this will make you happy, no matter what mood you were in before you picked it up. Thank you to #NetGalley for my copy. And for a brighter day or two.

This was a cute and fun story, but somewhat unbelievable and a little over the top for me. Sadly, I'm not loving Center's more recent books a much as I've loved her backlist books. I will likely keep reading her, but I hope she puts a bit more depth into her books moving forward.

I adore Katherine Center! She is one of my favorite authors and this book didn't disappoint.

This book was not what I was expecting by the title. BUT I loved it! You have a female bodyguard aimed to protect this very sexy movie star. Can she keep it all professional? You will have to read to find out.

This book gets all the stars!! Pre-order this NOW!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free review copy.


Katherine Center does it again 👏 I loved the setting, the characters, especially Jack and Hannah! Jacks parents were super cute, and I loved the whole setting of the ranch. Hannah being a body guard is different, but good!! Overall I really enjoyed this super cute romcom, and as always, look forward to more from Center! I can quickly see this becoming a movie, and it would be such a fun one to watch. 🤞

The Bodyguard comes out July 19th, 2022.

"And I will always love you!!!" Katherine Center, it is true that I will always love you, but unfortunately, The Bodyguard didn't live up to my Kevin Costner expectations. Hannah works for an executive protection agency. In short, she's a bodyguard. She lands the job of a lifetime when she's contracted to protect Hollywood hunk Jack Stapleton. Not only does she get to guard Jack, she gets to pretend to be his girlfriend. You can probably see where this storyline is going without me needing to say more. Center is a lovely writer and her books always make me laugh out loud. But this one just had a bit too much cheese for me to totally love. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

I received an ARC for an honest review. Read it in a day! I loved the direct, first person narrative-I literally laughed out loud multiple times reading this. Did I feel like the plot was a bit thin? Yes-it's a pretty contrived scenario but it didn't impact my enjoyment of this book at all. Such excellent, funny dialogue and also-regular people meeting celebrities is my favorite trope.

Katherine Center always gives me just what I need at the time that I need it. I've been reading some very heavy material and needed something light, fun and a little campy. The Bodyguard fit the bill!

Where do we start?

Hannah is a girl after my own heart. Strong and Sassy and takes no prisoners. I loved the relationship she had with Jack. It felt authentic once they got to "the ranch" . Outside noise is the worst. Once you have zero interference from the outside world things become much cleared.

Jack is such a gentleman. His love for his family and especially his momma made my heart melt. He was the sweetest with his family even after they faced such a horrible tragedy.

It all came together really well probably too well.

Katherine Center is an auto-read for me.