Hannah Brooks is an undercover bodyguard who recently lost her estranged mother but she isn't letting that get in the way of her work and career. However, her next assignment might be a bit too much out of her area of expertise. Jack Stapleton might be the most famous person alive. He is an A-list movie star, a household name, and is every woman, and possibly man's, dream guy. With familial tension, a troubling past/secret, and a deranged stalker compromising his safety, Hannah has no choice but to pose as Jack's girlfriend.

This was such a cute rom-com. A movie star, bodyguard trope but the roles are reversed, add a dash of fake dating. The story was delightful and hilarious at times. The dynamic of the characters is terrific even the minor ones. It is also a classic, clean romance, which is so refreshing nowadays. Overall, The Bodyguard was witty, insightful, sarcastic, and cute.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about a movie star and bodyguard romcom, but true to her nature Katherine Center did it justice. Did it demand a level of suspending disbelief? For sure. Did it also make me laugh, relate and think about love, life and the things we keep locked inside? 100%.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

This was my first book by Katherine Center, and it certainly did not disappoint!! I can't wait to start reading her other books.

Hannah Brooks is not your average bodyguard - she's what's known as an executive protection agent. After her mother's sudden death, she tries to throw herself back into work, but her boss forces her to take some time off, and her jerk of a boyfriend (who also happens to be her coworker) dumps her the day after her mother's funeral. She desperately needs an escape to a far-off country with work to keep her mind off her of personal life imploding, but along comes Jack Stapleton.

Jack Stapleton has moved back to Houston, TX to visit his sick mother, and Hannah is assigned to be his lead protection. Jack doesn't want to stress his mother out about his little stalker problem, so he convinces Hannah, against her better judgement, to be his fake girlfriend for a few weeks. What could possibly go wrong??

The Bodyguard is the definition of a swoon worthy romantic comedy, but does deal with some difficult topics in between all the adorableness. I absolutely loved this book - I laughed, smiled and even shed a few tears. The Narrator, Patti Murin, was fantastic! I think she added so much to the flow of the story, and the character voices were great. I highly recommend this one as an audiobook, and would love to see it turned into a movie!!

Tropes: Fake Relationship

CW: death of a sibling, death of a parent, stalking, gun violence, toxic relationships

Thank you to Katherine Center, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The book comes out July 19, 2022, so make sure to get your pre-order in now!

The Bodyguard by Kathleen Center
Women’s fiction, contemporary romance. Fake relationship and proximity troupes.
Hannah Brooks may not look like the average Executive Protection Agent, aka bodyguard, but she can flip a man over her shoulder with ease and efficiency. Her mission is to protect famous actor Jack Stapleton from a crazy stalker and her corgi’s. Hannah poses as Jack’s girlfriend which gets complicated when they end up staying at his family farm.

Funny, sarcastic and romantic.
Surprisingly insightful in the last hour. So much so, I’ve bookmarked it to listen again when I’m feeling down and need a little positive love pep talk.

Quote from Hannah early in the book about actors (I will confirm at publication it’s still intact).
“Yes we all knew that. Everybody in America knew that. Babies knew it. Dogs knew it. Maybe even earthworms.”

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Patti Muran. The performance is well done with the humor and sarcasm for Hannah is point on and hilarious. For me, the speed of 1.3 is the optimal for the sarcasm and asides to the reader. Any faster and you might miss some of the dialog.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

Katherine Center does it again, I loved this book! She just has a way with writing that makes me fall in love with all her books. I find they’re super easy to read, engaging, and make me not want to put them down.

I thought this book had such a unique plot and it made it that much better. The characters were great and I enjoyed all of them. The author did a great job with the fake dating trope. There were so many funny moments in this book, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. If you’re looking for a fun romance read, I highly recommend checking this one out!

This is not what I expected from Katherine Center, though the Bodyguard is a Swoony, hard to put down romantic comedy

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is the definition of a clean read. Basically, no smut, all about the romance and the story line of fake dating trope. But caution: this deals with a lot of hard topics.

This can be a hard read for some because it does deal with some heavy topics that even I wasn’t fully prepared to face myself. Even though it seems that it doesn’t go too deep into each subject, it still goes into it and anyone who is dealing with those issues should just proceed with caution. It deals with grieving a parent, physical abuse, grief and regret of a brother death, cancer from parent, lot of emotional manipulation and talk of suicide. This isn’t your average rom-com.

At the beginning of the story, you have Hannah, who is a professional bodyguard to anyone who needs protecting. Because of her size and her wit, she is really good at what she does. But unfortunately she is also dealing with the death of her mother. Also dealing with her boyfriend dumping her the day after the funeral.

So in broken pieces, she is desperate for anything that will take her mind off of what she is dealing with. Then the opportunity pops up to be the bodyguard for none other than Jack Stappleton. He is a famous actor who has crazy stalkers. So that is why he needed protection. He was in town in Texas to help support his mother going through an important surgery that has to do with cancer.

Even though Hannah really didn’t want to, she had to pretend to be Jack’s fake girlfriend in order to be around him to protect him and his family. But Jack’s mother had even better ideas. Why don’t they come to the ranch and stay there for a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Because she is sick and all and that is what she would like them to do.

So Hannah had to take the fake dating to a whole new level while protecting Jack. Who by the way doesn’t like rules or read important handbooks that deal with his safety. While there, she started to get to know Jack and know who he really is underneath. She starts to let go and starts to open up to Jack about her mom and the physical abuse that her mom got from a past boyfriend.

Overtime, they started to fall for one another as they got to know one another. It isn’t an insta-romance but a sweet one that develops over time. There is a little thrill in this book with the media tracking Jack, past girlfriends and stalkers that you get to see the bodyguard Hannah in action.

There is a lot to unpack in this book that I can’t cover in one review. I have to admit, the ending threw me off a bit. I didn’t see it coming and it was a little out of nowhere to me. But also in the end the book was wholesome and had a happy ending that left me satisfied.

How To Walk Away was my first Katherine Center read and it touched me immensely! I am a fan of Katherine’s writing and the way she pours life into her characters!

The Bodyguard was an enjoyable audiobook!! Hannah who has recently lost her mother is undercover bodyguard of no other than the famous actor Jack! The setup is so unrealistic but oh so believable where Jack falls for Hannah who is a commoner and Jack is so out of her league! Both of them connect over their family and it was such a heartwarming cute read!

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook and the narrater was super amazing!

Thank you Macmillan Audio, St Martins Press and NetGalley for the complimentary audiobook that hits the shelves on July 19, 2022

There was nothing groundbreaking about this book, but I did really enjoy it. I liked Hannah and Jack. Jack's parents were great support characters. I would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance.

I listened to this on audio, and it was an entertaining romantic comedy. Our heroine is a female bodyguard hired to protect an A-list movie star (male, of course) from a female stalker/corgi breeder/sweater knitter. It was fun and funny with lots of both comedy and snark. There was some drama-our heroine, Hannah, has some self-esteem issues which she tends to over-compensate for and the hero, Jack Stapleton, is estranged from his brother due to the tragic death, blamed on Jack, of their youngest brother. Hannah is put in charge of Jack’s security while he is visiting the family ranch. His mother is recovering from a bout with cancer, and not wanting to put undue stress on her, it is decided that Hannah will pose as his girlfriend rather than his “executive protection agent”. It was a cute concept. Let the romance begin.

Written in first person, the book was narrated by Patti Murin who, with her tomboy-ish tone was perfectly cast as Hannah. I love Katharine Center’s authorial voice, as I did with the other book I read by her, Things You Save in a Fire, about a female firefighter. She has a real talent for establishing an intimate, “best-friends” relationship with the reader which puts you right in the midst of things. The heroines in the two books are similar, in that they both are a little too anxious to prove their badassery. Hannah started off very cantankerous to the point that I was a little put off at first. Once she settled into her role at the family ranch she calmed down, and we are taken up with Jack’s relationship with his family and what was going on there. Not to mention Hannah's reluctant attachment to the Stapleton family. And Jack, of course.

This was a straight-up rom-com. Nothing more and nothing less. For the com part, we are treated to a lot of funny banter, and fish out of water scenarios. We have some pretty entertaining cheating ex-boyfriend and beautiful mean ex-girlfriend action added to the mix. As for the rom part, it’s never smooth sailing (it can't be, can it?) but the roadblocks to the relationship between Jack and Hannah were entirely of her own making. Her determination to not believe in Jack, who was perfectly lovely by the way, didn’t sit too well with me. Especially as Hannah goes to great pains to tell us what a genius she is at reading people. Her obtuseness almost leads to catastrophe.

The final wrap-up made up for the quibbles I had as a whole. Katherine Center really knows how to end a book. There was one part that was even quite moving but it involved a very peripheral character we barely know. So. The Ballad of Jack and Hannah was an entertaining story but didn’t go very deep. No thrills or chills for me, but that’s OK. It was fun.
**3 1/2 stars** I'll round up thanks to the ending.

If you like romance and/or any of Katherine Center’s other delightful novels, add this book to your summer reading list now and watch for its publication in July.

A bodyguard and a movie star, working closely together at the movie star’s family ranch…this started off very reminiscent of the movie “The Proposal” with Ryan Reynolds & Sandra Bullock, but with more substance and believability. I was surprised to come away from the novel thinking about what it means to feel lovable and how we as people can perseverate on our own flaws, often to our detriment. I loved the epilogue.

If you go for audiobooks, the narrator was perfect for this novel.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me early access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

So, as a disclaimer - I have already read this book. When I found out that Patti Murin was narrating the audiobook, I HAD to listen!! I haven't been able to get this cute book out of my mind, and she is one of my favorite narrators. The audio did not disappoint. I loved every second, and there is a part where she even sings a snippet of a song!!! Patti helped bring the book more to life for me and I highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you SO MUCH to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.


Here is my previous review of the digital ARC:
Ok....I AM OBSESSED...in the best possible way! Let me just be transparent and say this is the first Katherine Center book I've read, but she is now on my auto-buy list. I will buy anything she puts out in the future and fully plan on working my way through her backlist. This book is EASILY my favorite book I've read so far this year.

I loved the backstories of both main characters Hannah Brooks and Jack Stapleton. I fell absolutely in love with Jack's family. Ughhh, just everything. There was nothing I didn't love about this book!!

It gave me all the feels! It made me laugh out loud, shed a few tears, absolutely giddy, and the list goes on. I couldn't get through it fast enough, but also the thought of it being over made me sad so I was trying to cherish every moment. I'm already wanting to reread it & I will be buying a copy for my collection. I highlighted what felt like half the book on my Kindle, so I can't wait to tab the pages of the physical copy too.

I will say - this is not a spicy book, but if you're looking for a good romcom & love fake dating, look no further. I would LOVE to see this made into a movie.

Make sure to pre-order or pick this book when it comes out on 7/19/22. You won't regret it!!!

I did not know I needed this book so much!!

Thé bodyguard is not what I was expecting at all. You don't come across books too often about the women being the bodyguard to the man! But in this case it was absolutely amazing!

Hannah is not your typical female MC. I loved every bit of her! Although, at some points in the beginning, I was annoyed with her but she grew on me. Then enter Jack Stapleton! OH MY GOSH. A reclusive actor who took a break from acting, in need of protection.

This story was so cute and real (in some ways). I loved the story and was sad to see it end! Loved the romance and the yearning! So good!!!

I loved this book!!

Five walk of fame worthy stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard who has been (to her dismay) assigned to protect Jack from threat in Houston, TX (after the passing of her mother, and her boyfriend whom she works with breaking up with her the next day).

Jack Stapleton is an IT actor who has taken some time off to spend with his family at their farm ( Jack’s mom, dad and brother) as his mother battles a difficult health diagnosis. Jack is also silently dealing with the trauma of losing his brother and there’s visible tension with his living brother.

Jack Stapleton might be my new favorite fictional man. He’s famous, he’s hot but more importantly he’s authentic, earnest, endearing and imperfect (and i absolutely adore him).

Jack and Hannah had excellent banter and chemistry. They made me smile from ear to ear and there were so many times this novel made me laugh and feel genuine joy. The cows had me belly laughing (as did the homemade sweaters). 🐄 🐮

Thank you NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and St. Martin’s press for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and MacMillan Audio for my advanced audiobook copy of The Bodyguard.

Release date: July 19, 2022

First, let me preface my review by saying that I now am a fan girl for Katherine Center. This book took me to a place of love, pain, and hope and I want every hopeless romantic I know to read this. Or, better yet, listen to it—because narrator Patti Murin is amazing.

Hannah Brooks is a badass Executive Protection Agent who’s not only just been dumped—the DAY AFTER her mom’s funeral, mind you—but has also been assigned to a new client in the same damn city that she’s already in. And Hannah…yeah, our girl could use an escape so she’s not too thrilled to be staying in Texas.

This client is not like any other client, though. Hannah’s been assigned to protect a Hollywood MEGA star, a hunky dreamboat actor who is in town to visit with his sick mom. Our celeb, Jack, has a lil stalker sitch that shouldn’t be too big of a deal but to be *sure,* he needs protection in the form of a fake girlfriend because his family canNOT know about the potential danger he is in. They don’t need more dramatics.

Everything will be fine. Right? No one will fall in love. Right? HAHAHAHAHAHA you’ll see.

5⭐️

I felt The Bodyguard was much lighter than Katherine Center’s other books, and yet, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was playful and fun and completely unrealistic.
The Bodyguard is a delightful story for those looking to escape into a contemporary romantic comedy that has a lot of heart.
Thank you NetGalley for a digital copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

I went back and forth with this one. I wanted to love it but I found myself struggling to finish it. This is a modern take of the movie "The Bodyguard" which I could appreciate. But it didn't give me the feels like a typical RomCom does.

This was my first Katherine Center book, and I really enjoyed it. It was a simply, yet engaging read that was low stress, but kept me turning the pages. I found the characters to be likable, and the the plot to move forward steadily. The wrap up was satisfactory and left me smiling when it was over. I loved the premise of a female bodyguard who doesn't want to pose as the girlfriend but does for the sake of the celebrity's protection. That's lucky, because I've read another book with this same premise, and usually such similar plot lines in books is a turn off for me. I felt as if both authors did their stories justice. I'd definitely recommend this to a friend who was interested in, mostly, lighthearted romance. I listened to this book on audio and found the narrator to be a great fit.
I received an audio copy of this book via NetGalley. I read and reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I found this book to be a very sweet, enjoyable romantic comedy. The cast of bodyguards felt like they would be on a tv show, and the romance was very easy to follow. If you enjoy the fake dating trope in romance novels, this would be a good fit for you. While this was a fun and easy read, it was definitely exactly what I expected and predictable, which isn't always a bad thing in romances. However, if you are looking for twists and turns, this probably isn't for you. I included this book in my monthly wrap-up video.

Hannah’s world is falling apart, she just lost her mother, her boyfriend and best-friend. Being a workaholic she can’t wait to get back on assignment. Hannah is a bodyguard and her new assignment is to play the “girlfriend” of the "Sexiest Man Alive” aka movie star Jack Stapleton.

First let me start with I love Katherine Center and while this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I still liked it. It was a light, feel good romance with a strong female lead! But I felt like this one was not her usual MO, it was missing the usual depth her books have and it also felt a little bit rushed with an insta-love romance.

The narrator, Patti Murin, did a wonderful job at voicing the characters.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, MacmillanAudio and Netgalley for an eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.