I really enjoyed my time listening to The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. The main characters were easy to fall in love with. I always looked forward to coming back to this audiobook to see what would happen next. There were many laugh out loud moments. This was an easy five stars for me based on pure enjoyment.

My only complaint is that when I realized that the story was set in Houston, TX, and Katy, in particular, I was hoping for a few nods to the city. But other than the assumption that Houston has fantastic care for cancer patients, I didn’t really get any Houston vibes in the story. At one point, the characters end up in a “small town” hospital, which I assume is supposed to be in Katy. Even though it’s a suburb, Katy area is close to 400k population on it’s own, nothing is small. All that to say, sometimes I got hung up on the setting since I’m so familiar with the real place. But I enjoyed the book, nonetheless.

I would recommend The Bodyguard to anyone looking for a sweet romcom with a strong female lead who can flip a grown man without breaking a sweat. She is truly a bad ass woman.

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC via NetGalley.

It’s been a long time since I read a KC book, but The Bodyguard made it worth the wait! I adored everything about this book.

Katherine Center always writes about such strong, badass women. I really loved Hannah’s character. While she is strong and capable on the outside, her inner voice shows us her vulnerability. She had great character growth throughout the book.

Jack is a successful, well-loved actor hiding some familial strain from the world. His family blamed him for his younger brother’s death, but his mom wanted her remaining sons to forgive each other and be a family again. I do wish we got to see more of Jack’s POV, just because he was such a good male lead. I adored his sweet meddling mother, too!

Even the villains in this book were great. Hannah’s ex Robbie seriously sucked, but I loved that we had an enemy to rally against. Whenever Robbie showed up I knew he was about to do something absurd, and I loved how Hannah was able to stand up to him and put him in his place. The corgi-breeding stalker and Wilbur were both such manageable villains, and I loved that we got updates about them in the epilogue.

The Bodyguard was probably the most lighthearted of all the KC books I’ve read. While I love her usual voice, I was in the perfect mood for this fun, summery read. This is a great book to start with if you’ve never read anything by her before!

Audio Review: Patti Murin is a narrator I’ve listened to many times. She always does a fantastic job, and this audiobook was very well-produced. It was easy to speed up and fly through, although I do wish I made the story last longer!

One of my fav Authors, loved the book,listened to a audio version, made Hannah more real and the story more enhanced, could see it as a movie for sure.I laughed , I cried ,I said a few choice words , laughed some more . It was Fun and Witty . The characters are likeable ,and Hannah is not your typical bodyguard, which is perfect for that type of job .What I really loved was the moments that life got real, made the story not just a funny rom com .

A really cute and fun romcom. But it wasn’t only me funny, it also had some emotional moments. This was absolutely the book I needed in the moment of reading it.

After the passing of her mother and the break up from her boyfriend, Hannah can’t wait to get out of town and get away for a bit. Her boss gets her assigned to world famous actor Jack Stapelton instead. Jack who is in Hanna’s home town, after being estranged from his family is back to assist his mother as she is sick. He has a stalker that his team is worried about, wich is why they hired Hannah. This should be a normal job, except that Jack doesn’t want his family to know that he has a bodyguard. So they decid the best course of action is to fell them that they are together. As they start to get to know each other the lines of what is real and what is an act begin to blur.

I liked Hannah from the begging, her inner monologue was often really funny and In some situations i really felt for her. Jack was charming, good hearted and just generally a nice person. The two together had some great banter and I really felt the chemistry.

I read the book as an audio and found the narrator perfect for the story.

All in all I can absolutely recommend this to all people who want a little romance in their life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this audiobook and found myself drawn into the story with no desire to hit pause. Katherine Center is a brilliant storyteller and the pretend "girlfriend" story with a female bodyguard was fun and a new twist to the pretend "boyfriend" troupe. This was a wonderful reprieve from the challenges of society, especially with a brave, strong female lead. Highly recommend.

This was so much fun! I loved the narrator and the story was very well paced. I loved that both main characters were pretty grumpy to start. The characterization was wonderful! Just a nice summer read!

I have always loved Katherine Center and with each new book she released, she surprises me again and again with an even better story than the last. The bodyguard is probably my favorite book thus far. From the first paragraph to the last, I enjoyed every minute. The narrator was spectacular and really brought this story to life, a story about two people who couldn’t be more different, yet have so much in common. The bodyguard finds herself protecting her client no matter the cost, including faking a relationship with him. But what happens when her heart is at risk?

The fake dating trope in this book executed it so well! The “denial phase” is usually used as the main conflict but I liked how it was quickly resolved because the characters… communicated. Mind-blowing. Also just loved how much the main characters liked each other. Their chemistry was palpable! Only downside is I wasn’t the biggest fan of the “dear reader” writing style and the cartoonish villains. The cute leads made up for it though! Overall the book felt like a slice of chocolate cake — sweet, delicious, and maybe a little cavity inducing. It had me giggling despite the cheesiness and I finished it in a day!

Thank you to the publisher Macmillan & Netgalley for the advanced copy! The book is published on July 18th if you’re interested!

This was my first Katherine Center book (I know I know…HOW?!) so I went into it with no idea of what her style was or what type of romance I was about to read. I’ll admit, I was pleasantly surprised!

The overall premise of this book opens the door for potential romcom that lighthearted and maybe a bit over the top, but in actuality, it had lots of depth!

Hannah is a professional bodyguard who just lost her mom and was dumped by her boyfriend. Who is also her coworker. And also her direct competitor for a huge promotion. Oh, and also also…he’s now dating her best friend…who is also their coworker. So when she gets the primary lead position on guarding movie star, Jack Stapleton, she is just ready to quit.

But Jack’s mom is sick and she wants him home and he doesn’t want to stress her out with news of his mostly harmless stalker, The Corgi Lady. So he asks Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend and keep his protection under wraps. The more time they spend together faking being a couple on the Stapleton family ranch, the more it feels real…but is it acting?!

Jack and Hannah start to bond and share deep and often common ground histories with each other and it is truly romantic reading them slowly falling for each other, one moment at a time.

Filled with moments of laughter and humor, I think this is a really well rounded romance that many will love! I enjoyed it, and am intrigued by Katherine’s other books.

If anyone is curious why I rated it 3.5 rounded up to 4, it’s because I really enjoyed this story and read it quickly. Something just felt off to me and I can’t really put my finger on it. I think it may have been the first-person narration, but I just didn’t truly connect with Hannah even though I directly should have. She was a badass, but then moments later, her thoughts and narration seemed really silly and juvenile. It wasn’t awful and didn’t ruin the story at all for me, but it did keep me from rating it 5 stars.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a quick and fun rom com read. I honestly could not stop reading this book. The narrator made the characters come to life as a movie in my head. The main character is Hannah. She is an Executive Protection Agent or as most people think a Bodyguard. She is having some personal issues and just wants to escape into her job somewhere far from Texas. Her boss assigns her to protect a movie star named Jack in her own town. She is definitely not excited about it but is professional. Jack does not want his family to know he has a stalker so he tells Hannah the only way she can do her job is to pretend to be his girlfriend. The relationship between Jack and Hannah had me laughing, crying and screaming out loud. I highly recommend this little rom com to be added to your read list.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this Audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This was a cute love story, although ending was predictable. I also found that some passages were unrealistic (for example, the way the issue between the two brothers was handled).
Overall a good summer read.

This is the fourth book I have read by Katherine Center and she continues to impress me. I love her characters. She is terrific at building characters that are imperfect, but lovable. They can be simultaneously annoying and endearing. They sometimes make mistakes or bad decisions, but it is believable and you root for them.

I think she also writes emotions very well. The characters are given a range of emotions through out the story. They feel anger, embarrassment, attraction, love, sympathy, jealousy, insecurity, etc and all those emotions come through on the page. This makes her characters very relatable.

Finally, I love her humor. She sprinkles it in in just the right places and in just the right amount. It is not over the top, but just enough to lighten a mood or make you giggle.

All of the above comes together to make a sweet story that is completely enjoyable. I look forward to reading whatever Center comes out with next.

For audiobook listeners - Patti Murin is the narrator for this audiobook and she is perfection. If you enjoy listening, I would highly recommend this one on audio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of this book. I really enjoyed the plot where the lady is the bodyguard for the male character. It is a great twist to the normally men take care of the women. I liked that the author brought in a work place love situation gone wrong then the best friend goes for the exboyfriend and in the end it was heart break for the girl that took him. But the lady whos heart was broken in the first place falls in love with the man she is being a bodyguard too. It felt like the story could have been real- the guy she is being a bodyguard for doesnt want his family to know he has a bodyguard so they come up with a cover that they are boyfriend and girlfriend. they do a good job pulling it off until something goes awry.

I kept seeing this book being recommended on bookstagram through many trusted book friends. I am SO glad that I was able to grab a copy from Netgalley, but I will definitely buy the book once it is released.

I listened to it, which has been the only way I’ve been getting reading done lately. The narrator was great, she wasn’t over the top with trying to sound like characters, but she gave the perfect amount of emotion and thought into her performance.


I laughed several times through this book, I don’t remember the last book that made me actually laugh and not just a quiet giggle. My husband kept looking over at me while he played his games, I blame Katherine Center for my husband thinking I’m weird. Her writing is funny without it feeling like she is trying.

Also. This book has the reverse grumpy sunshine (hello, cinnamon roll!), one bed trope, forced proximity, fake relationship. SO many good tropes and they were all executed perfectly.

I can also appreciate many of the messages that were imbedded throughout. Realistic relationships, both negative and positive examples. I am so glad the awareness that happened with a certain guy and the toxicity of what happened.

Anyways. I picked this book up this morning and finished it this evening. Loved it. Would recommend.

For my more sensitive friends, there are 3 f words (a handful of other swear words, but not many), innuendo, and mention of a bedroom scene without any details.

BOOK REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Hannah is more than a bodyguard. She is an Executive Protection Agent. And quite good at it, actually. One of the best. But between her mother’s passing, her ex dumping her, and being forced to stay home from work, she feels like she’s drowning. Luckily, a new assignment pops up, an assignment that might lead her to her dream job in London.
Easy peasy. No problem.

But it’s her town. The same town she’s desperate to leave. Even worse, it’s with super celebrity Jack Stapleton, who’s in town to be with his sick mom.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Pros:
- Miss Congeniality vibes
- Fake Dating Trope
- Banter
- One bed
- It takes place in Texas, the greatest state IMO

Thank you to NetGallery for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was a fun summer "read" with a great narrator! While definitely predictable, I really enjoyed the story and characters. The storyline was different than others I've read, which is a nice change from the typical contemporary romcom. I also am a sucker for the fake-dating trope!

I thought that The Bodyguard was a great summer read or listen in this case!

Actor, Jack Stapleton, has been receiving some mild threats from a super fan so bodyguard, Hannah Brooks, is assigned to his case. He automatically assumes she is the cleaner when she arrives so things are tense from day one.

Hannah has to pose as Jack's girlfriend so that he family is protected as he heads home for an extended visit to help out with his mom who is quite sick. Feelings develop between many people as it turns out and soon Hannah is upset to be leaving once the assignment is over. But is it really over?

Center did a great job having the bodyguard be a woman since everyone probably assumes the opposite just from the title. The chemistry between Jack & Hannah and Hannah & his family is also great as well as the narrator, Patti Murin. Thanks to #netgalley & #macmillanaudio for letting me preview this title as I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for making this audiobook available to review.

I have read several books by Katherine Center. This is the first one that I listened to. The narrator did a fantastic job! I have not been disappointed with a Katherine Center story yet. The story was easy to get into, the characters were easy to love or hate, and it ended in a way I wasn’t expecting. I really liked that the main character was a woman in a man’s job. She was fierce! I will be encouraging my patrons to give this book a go.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4461388200
I received an ARC of the audiobook.
Unfortunately, I did not care for this book. I did not find the characters to be likable and I found the plot and many plot points to be very unrealistic. I would not recommend this book.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center .
Looking for a book to brighten your day?, This is the one . Such a light, fun, little romance that had a strong female lead and a handsome male lead who was also happens to be kind, sweet and a total gentleman . I laughed out loud and could not wait to turn the page, until I got to the last one. This is one of those books it almost doesn’t even seem like you are reading . The story is told in such a seamless way. Recommending it to all my gal pals .