Oh this book!!! It was so refreshing and enjoyable to read! I absolutely loved Hannah! This character should be a model for other characters. She is interesting, unique, can kick you ass, AND she grows so much throughout the story. It is a joy to watch.

This will possibly explain why I was up till 4am reading this book. Whoops. . . . I have no regrets.

My only complaint, and it is minor, was the ending. I could have 100% done without the epilog. It was a little boring and was about secondary characters that I did not care about. The reason this took off 1/2 a star is because we can not undermine the importance of the ending. It is the final memory we are left with.

For how great the book was, the ending just fell a little flat for me.

Still recommend 100 times over!!!

Narration for this story was well done and enjoyable to listen to! Would certainly recommend for listening to if that is how you like to consume your books! (Especially for work commutes, like myself!!!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to this summery romance from Katherine Center

The bodyguard follows Hannah Brooks who works in private protection guarding clients against any threats by not looking like you would expect someone in security to look. The cover and blurb of this book paint a picture of a fluffy summer romance, however, this book packs a lot more of an emotional punch than you would initially expect. The story opens with the lead character being dumped by a long-term boyfriend (who is also a colleague) immediately after losing her mother with whom she had a complicated relationship. I enjoyed the writing style and audiobook narration and would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys their beach reads with a side of real emotion.

I’ve read a large handful of Katherine Center’s books in the past. Not all of them, but most. I feel like the majority of her novels can be described with perky adjectives - adorable, fun, cute, light-hearted, heartwarming, etc. I know that every time I pick up one of her novels, I’ll be smiling at some point. This is definitely the case with her upcoming novel, The Bodyguard. I love how her female leads are always strong, independent, and admirable characters. You can easily form connections and root for them from start to finish. The fake relationship trope is a favorite of mine, so I was very excited to see it featured in this novel. I also really enjoyed the glimpse at a celebrity lifestyle in a small town setting. Oh, and the ending even had some suspenseful and nail-biting moments which was a nice surprise. This truly was a solid read. Probably one of my favorites from the author. The Bodyguard is a fun little love story that will leave you with all the warm and fuzzies. The perfect summer romance!

I received a gifted audiobook copy of THE BODYGUARD by Katherine Center – thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley.

THE BODY GUARD follows bodyguard Hannah and big star Jack. Jack is used to being in the spotlight, but fame comes with some downsides including a stalker. This mega fan seems to be pretty harmless, more interested in sending him gifts than causing harm, but it’s still a bit much. When Jack’s mother gets sick and he heads home to Texas to be there for her, he doesn’t want his family to know about the threats he’s received. Hannah steps in to provide protection, whether Jack wants it or not. Soon she is wrapped up in his family dynamics, both the good and the messy.

There is something so comforting about a Katherine Center read and this book did not disappoint! It is a cozy romance with a touch of mystery and family drama which all combines into an excellent bingeable read. There are a lot of questions for Hannah (and the reader) in the beginning about why Jack has been somewhat estranged from members of his family and there are a lot of secrets and past hurts to uncover. For Hannah, seeing a real family at work touches her heart and it is easy to see how she quickly falls for both Jack and his family.

This made for a fantastic audiobook listen, keeping me hooked to keep listening! While the mystery element felt fairly low stakes, the story was really in the family dynamics and the relationships developed!

THE BODYGUARD is out on Tuesday!

The narrator of the audiobook, Patti Murin, did an excellent job. I was pulled into this story by the characters and didn't want to stop listening. Hannah and Jack were excellent characters and were well developed. They both had flaws that made me like them more and root for them. I laughed and was moved to tears several times while I listened to the story. This is a fun summer beach read.

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a romantic comedy about Hannah Brooks, an Executive Protection Agent aka bodyguard, and Jack Stapleton, a big movie star. Hannah is hired to protect Jack from his stalker and while posing as his girlfriend, things develop between Hannah and Jack.

I loved the description of this book and had high hopes for it. Let me start by saying, The Bodyguard far excepted my expectations for this book! This was one of my favorite romances that I have read in a long time. I loved the characters, the storyline and everything about this book. This book was so hard to put down (or stop listening to, since I listened to the audiobook) and it was fun to read. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves romantic comedies and is looking for a great read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audiobook version of The Bodyguard!

3.5 stars. Ultimately, I enjoyed this book. The story was light and easy enough to start and stop over the course of a few days, and I thought the narration by Patti Murin was done really well. The dialog read by her felt fresh and genuine.

I was really interested in the premise: a female bodyguard ends up protecting a famous male movie star, and what happens as a result of the situations they end up in. However, I never bought into the fact that Hannah, the bodyguard, was the one of the best and most experienced security agents at her organization. Even taking into consideration her recent personal struggles, she seemed much to immature and naïve, and that unfortunately took away from the story a little bit for me. Overall, the story kept me invested and, although the ending was predictable, there was a little surprise that I'm shocked I didn't see coming.

This novel won't make my top books of the year, but I would recommend it purely for the entertainment.

Special thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio (who is killing it for me recently), and St. Martin's Press for the advanced listening copy of the audiobook!

The Proposal meets Miss Congeniality. I'd be surprised if this author doesn't love Sandra Bullock. In fact, the main character should most definitely be played by Sandy B in the movie adaptation that's sure to come. A classic love story of forced proximity with a dash or two of workplace romance.

Our MC is a workaholic whose life has gone on a downward spiral and she only wants to escape her sad life through work. She's your classic "I'm not like other girls." And despite her career as a professional bodyguard, the author has every character mention how the MC is so small. SO petite. Her next assignment, while not what she was hoping for, is exactly what she needed: bodyguarding a super hot, cowboy-esque, actor. The character development in this story is there, but with some gaps.

Told in a "How I Met Your Mother" type voice for the first half, the narrator often asks rhetorical questions to the reader or changes the tense to give the feeling that we're all looking back onto the events of the story. This goes away as we get deeper into the story, which is weird, but fine. And then as we come to the conclusion, this voice comes back.

The conclusion of this book is horrible and unrealistic more than anything else in the whole story. True rating 3.75/5

Trigger warnings include death of a sibling, death of a parent, stalking, gun violence, suicide attempt, domestic violence, and PTSD.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

The Bodyguard was exactly what you'd expect from a Katherine Center novel. It has some sort of tragedy followed by an unlikely love story. While this was not my favorite Center book. it was definitely the funniest one. There were parts that had me laughing out loud. Hannah is an executive protection agent, and after some things go awry with her boyfriend and her job, she is put into a new gig of being the bodyguard for handsome and very famous actor, Jack Stapleton. The story is heartwarming and adorable and of course a little cheesy, but a fun and quick listen. Patti Murin was a perfect narrator, and I enjoyed her reading this book as I have with her reading other romcoms in the past.

This book made me smile, a lot, and laugh out loud. It was a much needed breath of fresh air! The narrator did a fantastic job making me enjoy the story too. I listened to it almost non-stop over a two day period. Hannah and Jack were everything I needed for a fun, summer read!

Unfortunately this book fell really flat for me. I was looking forward to a non tropey, fresh take on romance with a strong female protagonist and not a whiney, weak, immature and senseless “personal protection agent.” I had to DNF when she was dumb enough to step into an unknown body of water in a dress and the guy she was guarding had to rescue her.

4.25-4.5 stars

This one was exactly what I needed right now. It’s fun, light and fluffy, hilarious, and an easy, enjoyable read. I literally laughed out loud more than once. (The cow scene? Oh my god. If nothing else, read this book until you get to the cow scene.) The book was a great example of what I affectionately refer to as a “fluff with substance” read- it gently touches on some more serious issues, but for the most part, it’s just a fun and easy story that makes for a great comfort read with a guaranteed happy ending. I’ll definitely be checking out other books from the writer.

This book was so adorable! I loved the twist on the typical romance between a bodyguard and the person being protected - since in this story the bodyguard was female. This book made me laugh, gasp out-loud, and even shed a few tears. The author did a wonderful job writing characters that you couldn’t help but love and root for. Thanks NetGalley for the free audiobook arc!

Katherine Center uses the fake dating trope to create a light, feel good, rom-com in her new release, “The Bodyguard”. The narration by Patti Murin is pure enjoyment. While this is not my favorite of Center’s books, it was a fun, flirty, enjoyable story that made for a perfect beach read.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to listen to this advance listening copy in return for my honest review. This opinion is mine alone.

Book release date: 19JUL2022

The Bodyguard
by Katherine Center
This was a perfect summer read. Set in Texas, bodyguard Hannah Brooks is assigned to famous movie star, Jack Stapleton, and will be posing as his live-in girlfriend on his parents’ ranch. Straight laced Hannah loosens up with easy going Jack, and as their undercover relationship progresses, each one of them becomes more invested. A leak of photos on social media alerts the media that a celebrity is in town, and Hannah’s cover is blown. Is there a relationship between bodyguard and superstar? Throw in a kidnapping attempt and a crazy stalker to shake up the action. Will their relationship end or come to a satisfying conclusion?
I liked how the characters evolved and helped each other open up and move beyond their past traumas. I’d heard lots of praise for Katherine Center, and I will definitely seek out other novels by her.
#netgalley

My first book by this author and surely not my last!

I listened to the audible (thank you @NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for the chance to listen early!)

If you are a romance reader you have read this trope before - superstar falls in love with their bodyguard but Katherine Center did it a little differently and it's probably why I enjoyed this so much!

Hannah is the Executive Protection Agent (bodyguard) and Jack Stapelton is the superstar! Hannah's character is strong, determined, and a bit of a badass. She's had a tough time personally but she's up for the challenge. She had no idea that by agreeing to be Jack's bodyguard that she would also have to be the pretend girlfriend. But hey, pretending to be in love with a hot movie star can't be that awful right?

The banter between Jack and Hannah was sweet and flirty and Jack is one swoony guy. As much as Hannah tries to keep it professional, it's hard when Jack is a genuinely nice guy!

Watching these two characters. become friends and more was a delight!

This narrator was new to me but I feel as though she did a great job of bringing the characters to life!

I will read anything and everything that @katherinecenter writes. First of all, she’s a fellow Texan.  Hello fellow #southeasttexas dweller! 👋 Secondly, her books are pure sunshine – fun and sweet but full of substance and meaning.  She’s become one of my absolute favorite authors – which is saying a lot because I don’t read a lot of romance. 
 
I listened to this one on audio and loved it so much that I ordered the physical copy from @bookofthemonth.
 
What I Loved
 
🌸The narrator @pattimurin did a fabulous job.  That she did not butcher the Texas accent was an absolute prize for this reader.  She even pronounced pecan correctly, and I was thrilled.  😂 (It’s puh-KAHN, okay?)
 
🌸The romance was very tasteful which I appreciated.  Closed door and rated PG.  No judgement, but I just like it when the details are left to the imagination rather than spelled out for me. 
 
🌸Forced proximity is my favorite romance trope with fake relationship being a close second, so this was just so fun to read.
 
🌸This book has it all: romance, family drama, suspense, humor, grief and so much more. 
 
🌸The epilogue tied everything up nicely which is how I like my romance reads.  
 
This is an easy yes, and you don’t want to miss it.  Available now.
 
Also: Meryl Streep, you need to read this book. 
 
My thanks to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this book before its publication date. 
 
@stmartinspress

This book was so much fun to read! It was light and fast paced but I didn’t want it to end. It had me laughing and tearful all the way through but mostly laughing for sure!
In the beginning when the characters were being described as a hunky actor and a female bodyguard I knew this being this was going to be a great rom-com because the narrator in the audio version is amazing very engaging!
I rooted for Jake and Hannah throughout the Story the chemistry between characters is wonderful. Jakes character was so likable even when he was acting and made you frustrated. I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see what’s next. Keep Writing Katherine!

Thank you Netgally and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

I loved the narration, this was one of the most fun romcoms I have listened to. Emotions were right there, some lines made me laugh out loud, I think the narration is a solid 5-star.

However, the story did not work for me at all.
If you don't take the bodyguard job seriously then it would be fine. The main character spends a whole chapter telling us how great she is at her job, and then she did not do basic geographical research of the area they were staying in, how is that even possible? She did so many stupid mistakes that almost got her killed, it just did not align with her job title. Book dynamics went from a "are we in kindergarten" vibe to a serious life-saving chapter, I wasn't able to connect to any of it. Jakes's mom was also very troubled, pushy, and just on their backs at all times. She was meant to be cute and nice, but that is not loving behavior.
The romance line was cute and it is a closed-door romance. That's the only thing that I loved fully, and it carried me through the book.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook.

The Bodyguard is a wonderful, traditional romance with heart and great characters. It also has some moments of poignancy, that are usually found in Katherine Center's novels and something that she does really well. It focuses on Hannah Brooks, a bodyguard working in Texas who is assigned to Jack Stapleton, a film star who has come to town to help care for his ailing mother. The book uses the trope of "fake dating" as Hannah needs to pretend to be Jack's girlfriend while staying in the family ranch. Center is great with not only the main characters, but giving them a fully realized world in which to live. From Hannah's ex Robbie, to her coworkers and friends Taylor and Kelly, and Jack's family - the characters work together. Both Hannah and Jack have something in their lives they need to come to terms with, and the partnership works and the reader will become fully invested in their lives. The audiobook is recommended at the narrator is delightful and makes this a joy for any listener. I think this will be a huge hit at the library and an easy one to hand to patrons.