Hi, hello this book was so dang adorable. I love a bodyguard trope like nobody’s business, and even better that our FMC was the bodyguard.

Hannah and Jake’s relationship develops so well throughout the book. It is such a slow burn, which I love to build the tension. The book is set in Houston and on Jake’s parents ranch, and boy if I didn’t want to move to a Texas ranch while I was reading (not really, I’m a northeast girl through and through, but it got me pretty close).

The narration of the audiobook was so well done! I highly recommend on audio if you’re an audiobook reader.

Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Center and Macmillan Audio for the ARC The Bodyguard. This is my personal review.
This was a great book to listen to while I drove. It made the trip for me a pure pleasure.
Hannah Brooks has a job no one would know she did- she was a Bodyguard but sure did not look like one.
She was put on assignment to protect Jake Stapleton – he is a well-known actor. The only way much to Hannah’s displeasure she agreed to act as his girlfriend to protect and no one would know that was what she was doing.
The story was filled with so much and the narrator was perfect for doing the story.
This was a great book and will be a hit for anyone who reads or listens to it.

The Bodyguard is a contemporary novel written by Katherine Center, and read by Patti Murin.

Summary: Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard. You wouldn’t know by looking at her diminutive stature, but she could kill you dozens of different ways.

Jack Stapleton is a famous actor. Very famous. With a stalker. He’s been a recluse for years due to a tragic accident, but now he’s back home in Texas to help his ailing mother, and his publishing firm has hired Hannah without his knowledge or consent.

The only way he is willing to make it work (and not frighten his worrier mother) is if Hannah pretends to be his girlfriend around his family.

Hannah wants no part of the situation, but when her boss forces her to agree, she must make the best of it.

Can she protect Jack-and protect her heart in the process as well?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It is funny, there is a great plot, the characters are really quirky and interesting, there is a sweet romance, and an element of danger as well.

I also really liked the dynamics between the bodyguard staff. The author does a great job of creating a little dysfunctional family out of them, and it’s fun.

There are references to sex/physical attraction, but nothing graphic.

The narrator does a great job reading this book as well, and I really enjoyed her reading style and inflections.

Overall, this is a book I would listen to/read again, and I really enjoyed it!

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for providing me with a free audiobook in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This book was stinkin cute. I love a good secret agent story, so the whole "pretend to be Jack's girlfriend but I'm secretly the bodyguard" plot line was already a win, in my opinion. Patti Murin gave such a good voice to Hannah and made her very likeable, so I felt connected to her character throughout. I don't typically listen to romance novels as audibooks, but I'm so glad I did for this one because the narration was excellent--all of Hannah's high and low points brought out the feels!

Okay. I am officially the president of the Katherine Center fan club. Which I probably don’t deserve seeing as The Bodyguard is my first book I have read of hers but I LOVED IT!

Hannah is reeling from the death of her mother when her boyfriend Robbie decides to dump her the day after the funeral. Due to fortuitous timing and a no nonsense boss, she becomes the bodyguard to Hollywood heartthrob turned recluse, Jack Stapleton (even his name is drool inducing!).

When Jack’s mother falls ill, Hannah has to stay on his family ranch under the guise of being Jack’s girlfriend. Ohhh forced proximity, one of my favorite tropes. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to see what happens next but this story is just so sweet and absolutely hilarious.

The narration by Patti Murin is fantastic! She brings so much humor and emotional depth to the story. Honestly, I lost count the amount of times I laughed and cried. I will be on the hunt for other stories narrated by her!

Over all, The Bodyguard was such a joy to listen to and read and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

This is your typical, cute, predictable romcom - with a few twists! It was nice to see the gender roles reversed and have a female bodyguard protecting a man. But Hannah did seem a little immature to be a professional bodyguard. The romance was adorable and I loved Jack and Hannah together. There is a great twist at the end, and I also loved the epilogue and seeing how it all played out.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is my first book and I am delighted that I discovered her books. I can see why so many people are talking about her and her books.

I absolutely loved all the characters except for one, but I did enjoy her and could not wait to see what she would do next. This book is full of emotions. It had me laughing and crying at the same time. The characters are fully developed and believable. I felt all their emotions and could relate to each character. It is full of anger, resentment, love, sympathy, jealousy, etc. throughout the story. Not only are the characters believable, they are written exactly how I envisioned them.

Being a girl who spent weekends and summers on a farm, I totally loved Hannah’s reaction to seeing a cow up close and personal. Her scream is legendary. It brought me so much joy and stirred up found memories.

Patti Martin does a phenomenal job narrating this audiobook and giving Hannah a voice. I am a fan of audiobooks and believe this one elevated the story for me, it made me enjoy this book even more. I recommend this book if you are a fan of audiobooks.

4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a complementary electronic copy of this book. Thank you to MacMillan Audio for providing me the audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving this review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Katherine Center is one of my top favorite writers, she consistently delivers heartfelt, emotional books, and the Bodyguard was no exception. The storyline is very similar to a hallmark movie or other romance - a seemingly delicate woman who is actually a strong, skilled bodyguard is hired to protect a reclusive handsome movie star. Jack, the movie star, turns out to be a kind, generous, flawed human and Hannah, the bodyguard, gradually learns to open herself to life beyond work. Where Center excels is in creating characters that are honest, real, and appreciative of the most important aspects of life - family, fun, and love. I especially loved the family dynamics between Jack, and his family, and how they include Hannah into their lives. It makes you feel good to read about good people who find happiness and love, and become better people by the end of the story. Center’s books leave me feeling happy and optimistic. I strongly recommend The Bodyguard (and ALL of Katherine Center’s books) for anyone that is looking for a feel-good story.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, thank you NetGalley!

Oh. My. God! This book!!! I cannot even begin to put into words how much I enjoyed this!! This was my first Katherine Center book…ever! I know, gasp! But don’t worry, I IMMEDIATELY ran and ordered two more of her books after finishing this haha.

I’m not a huge romance/chick lit book reader so to say I loved this, is huge!! It was just so light and funny, it was a perfect change to my normal thriller reading. And when I say funny, I mean I was laughing out loud and even cackling at some parts. As a girl originally from Texas with an animal science degree, it was impossible not to cackle (if you know, you know).

Hannah is an Executive Protection Agent (aka a bodyguard) whose latest assignment is to protect movie star Jack Stapleton from his stalker. Sounds easy enough, right??? Wrong. Unfortunately Jack’s mom is super sick and he doesn’t want to worry her with the information that he had to get a bodyguard because of his stalker. So naturally Hannah poses as his girlfriend and visits his family ranch in Texas with him.

Throw in an ex-boyfriend/co-worker, Jack’s mysterious past, and a boss that loves to “punish” his employees through embarrassment and awkward situations and there’s absolutely no way this assignment could go poorly.

I listened to the audiobook and honestly I think that made me enjoy the book even more. The narrator was phenomenal and brought so much life to the narration. I don’t think she could have done a better job!

One of my top reads this year hands down. Do yourself a favor and pre-order this immediately/get it as soon as it is published in July 19, 2022. You won’t regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ACR in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This is such a sweet, heartwarming, and uplifting book. Is it a bit sappy and predictable, and are the characters all a bit too perfect? Yes, but that doesn't detract from the book for me at all. If you're looking for a delightfully funny yet poignant book, then look no further than Center's latest.

Hannah Brooks is a protection agent, otherwise known as a bodyguard. She may look petite and unassuming, but she can bring a large man down before he knows what's hit him. She is reluctantly assigned to protect movie star Jack Stapleton while he is in Houston visiting his family. He's just the kind of vapid, self-absorbed person she dislikes, and now she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. To her surprise, she falls for his family, and for Jack as well.

This book is just an utter joy to read. I listened to it as an audiobook and the narrator, Patti Murin, does a fantastic job of giving Hannah a voice and spirit. I urge you to pick this one up today, you'll be glad you did.

This was everything my Miss Congeniality and The Proposal loving heart didn’t know I wanted in a Rom Com book. Though yes, it has everything your standard rom com has, I appreciated the unique story line. In the event you haven’t read the synopsis, here’s a snippet. Jack Stapleton is a famous actor who has come home to Texas to help take care of his mother who is undergoing cancer treatment. Though he has been out of the limelight, Jack has a 50-year-old, corgi breeding stalker attempting to persuade Jack to be the father of her children, “if he has time in his schedule” (if you know you know).

Aside from swooning over Jack, Hannah is a very relatable character, at least to me and even though you can guess the initial outcome of her recent failed relationship with Robbie, you still can’t help but understand how she feels. The ending also had a unique twist that caught me by surprise, by the time it takes place I had already assumed everything was wrapping up and just wasn’t expecting there to be more to the story. Honestly, I tried to find something to be a little critical about in this book and maybe it will come when the “fresh, new read” feeling wears off but I’ll stick with the current rating.

Katherine Center does a fantastic job painting the picture in every scenario, making it easier to sit back and fully imagine the settings as if you are watching the movie (which I wouldn’t be opposed to in the future).

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy!!

Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent, aka bodyguard, who likes her pantsuits, her world-traveling assignments and, most of all, being in firm control of every situation. She’s incredibly skilled at protecting her clients, referred to as principals, but she’s even BETTER at protecting her own heart from that nasty little bugger called “love”.

There’s just one problem: Jack Stapleton: actor, heartthrob, and Hannah’s next principal, whether she likes it or not. After being dumped by her fellow agent, Robby, she’s not looking for love. Nope. She wants to get out of town as quickly as possible - preferably to London, if she can prove to Glenn that she deserves the spot by doing a good job on this assignment.

Simple, right? As you know, things seldom go as planned, and Jack isn’t quite the simple assignment Hannah was expecting - especially when they have to fake a relationship for Jack’s family as a cover for Hannah’s presence in their home. But are these growing feelings fake too? Reality gets pretty fuzzy when you’re dealing with an actor.

This is my first Katherine Center book, and it was ADORABLE! I see why so many love her writing. It was refreshing to see a strong female lead who was smart, capable, and despite past trauma, not defined by it. Hannah’s insecurities and self-doubt were relatable, as were Jack’s, since he was working through his own past trauma. Their interactions were funny, sweet, and tender. Even when bickering, they were a delight! The story arc involving his family and the interactions between Hannah and her co-workers all added a nice dimension to the story as well.

I both read and listened to the audiobook, narrated by Patti Murin, and the audio took it to the next level. Murin’s gender voicing was very believable, and a couple voices - especially for Jack’s tabloid ‘girlfriend’ Kennedy Monroe, were hilarious! I highly recommend the audio.

I loved this story! So why not the full 5 stars? A couple scenes of dialogue dragged on a bit too long, I couldn’t quite buy into the rationale of the ending event, and the oft dreaded epilogue went just a wee bit moralizing for my taste. Despite these things, I truly enjoyed my time with this story, and I’ll be watching for more from this author!

★★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley and author Katherine Center for the digital ARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook, for which I’ve given my honest opinions. They’ll both be published on July 19, 2022.

A five star listen

I was lucky enough to get the ARC of this book back at the start of 2022, and loved it. This is still the only book I have read/ listen to by this author , and I love it so much I don't know if I could go back and read her backlist. I could not pass up also getting the audiobook too. I am a big believer if you love love love a book you need it in all three formats. I have my hardback copy on pre order already.

I have to say I am super spoiled and enjoy books with dual narrator but this narrator nails it, I can hear each character done so well and uniquely. I was laughing along and smiling this whole book, and if you are a fan of just great books that you will be going back to again and again because of the characters building within the world then you will be hooked on this one. If you enjoy Pippa Grant, Penny Reid, and others along those lines this one will hit the spot for you.

Long time fan of Katherine Center, so her books are a must read for me. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for both a digital galley and advanced audio copy to listen to.

I loved that a smallish security company has the job of protecting major movie star and heart throb Jack Stapleton. Hannah Brooks is the lead on this case and she begins just like every other job, get to know the client, lay down the rules and carry on sight unseen, but always there. When it becomes necessary for Hannah to protect Jack more publicly, like in front of his family without their knowledge, she is set up as his new girlfriend. This book is both comical and heart warming. Hannah has had recent life upsets and the case should help her, but things do not always go as planned. Jack isn't just a pretty face, his family has lost a son/brother and not everyone is over it.
Rom-com with a bit of adventure thrown in, I really liked this book. I primarily listened to the audio which is narrated by Patti Murin. I would rate the narration as a 3, fine but it didn't blow me away. This is probably not my favorite of her books, but it wasn't disappointing either. Definitely worth the time!

I loved this book. It was utterly charming, filled with both heart & humor. The narrator completely brought the text to life & had perfect timing on the book’s funnier parts.

THE BODYGUARD is probably Katherine Center's sweetest most light hearted romance yet, with a sweet and caring Hollywood actor, pretty down to earth if I’m honest, and a heroine who can kick his ass if she wanted. Not everything was believable, but it was certainly entertaining.

I enjoyed the heroine being a bodyguard. I don’t think I ever read about a female bodyguard before, although Linda Howard had a heroine who is a butler and hired to guard too. And I really appreciated it that the author kept it as authentic and believable as possible. The hero was down to earth for all his Hollywood success and genuinely nice. And together they made for an unlikely couple.

Overall the book was just a tad too sweet for me to love it, and I wasn’t convinced by their feelings. But that doesn’t mean much. Because in the end it’s a solid romance, that will appeal to many readers. It has just the right amount of emotional depth (usually the author digs deeper), as always great writing, and a fun Hollywood trope with many likeable characters.

About the audiobook: I finished the book in just a few days. The narration was well done, and it was an easy and quick read. A definite must, if you love to listen to romance books.

3.5 stars

I love this story. It was cute and funny enjoyable read. Definitely would recommend for a beach or Friday night fun reading.

God, I love a good light hearted summer rom-com. This one was right up my alley and did the trick for putting me in a great mood. Watching Hannah & Jack's relationship develop felt so organic and natural. I found myself bursting out laughing and tearing up multiple times while listening to this. This was full of humor, female empowerment, and of course, a sweet romance. I loved everything about this and can't wait for Katherine Center's next release! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I discovered Katherine Center this year after reading so many glowing reviews of her books. I’m so glad I did - her books are super fun, have amazing characters with great depth, and are always such great love stories. The Bodyguard is one of my favorites of her books. Hannah Brooks is the lucky bodyguard that is selected to guard movie star Jack Stapleton. I love any books that have a celebrity love story, and this one was no exception!

You will love this book if you love the celebrity trope or forced proximity trope. Jack is a great book boyfriend - I loved his relationships with his family and watching them evolve throughout the book. Hannah Brooks is a badass female main character - she's amazing, and made me laugh so many times. She had a tough life but her story really showed her resilience and growth.
If you love a great audiobook narrator, definitely check out this audiobook. Patti Murin (who played Anna in Frozen on Broadway!) narrated the audiobook and she was amazing!

Overall, this was a cute, fun read and I definitely recommend picking it up on July 19th when it is released! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is my first Katherine Center book and I havent read a romcom in a hot minute. Honestly the main character almost made me DNF this whole audiobook but I will say I freakin love it when an audiobook can actually make me laugh. Even though I thought that the MC was soooo pick me and some scenes made me cringe, this book was funny and a good way to spend a couple of my work shifts. I would read more of Katherine Center’s work and recommend this book to people so 3.5 stars :)