The Bodyguard follows Hannah, an Executive Protection Agent (Bodyguard) and Jack, who Hannah is tasked with protecting. Jack is a famous actor that left the public eye years ago but has to come home because his mom is sick. Due to Jack being famous he inevitably has a stocker. But he doesn't want his family to know this, so when Hannah agrees to protect him she has to agree to more than she normally would, pretending to be his girlfriend.

The book starts off with what one could call the worst day for Hannah, attending a funeral, getting broken up with and getting pulled from the assignment she is about to leave for. Hannah continues to work, unfortunately not overseas until a new assignment is offered to her, protecting Jack. During the course of this book Hannah and Jack start to grow closer while pretending that they are dating to his family.

I really enjoyed this book and if you are looking for a romcom I would highly suggest reading it. I would suggest this book to anyone that enjoys a fake relationship and one bed trope.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen and review this audiobook.

Hannah is an executive protection agent, aka a bodyguard. A very good one at that. At the height of 5’4” you may not expect for her to be a bodyguard that is capable of killing someone with a ballpoint pen. Hannah is always professional when it comes to her job, but all that changes when she gets the A-list movie star, Jack Stapleton as her client.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. I listened the audio copy and I found myself laughing throughout it and rooting for Hannah. This was another winning book from Katherine Center!

Hannah is a normal Houston girl with a unique job- she's a bodyguard. Her firm is hired for private personal security around the world, mostly to the rich but sometimes the famous. When ultra- A list movie star Jack comes to town to see his mother thru health issues, the studio hires Hannah's firm to protect him and keep his whereabouts private. Hannah lands the lead on the job, which of course means she has to pose as Jack's girlfriend to his family and to the world.

Hannah is one of my all-time favorite Katherine Center heroines (and that's saying something.) I loved how emotionally she was a mess but professionally she defied expectations and excelled. If you suspend belief enough, you can enjoy this mortal/celebrity pairing. It is very funny and somewhat unexpected and pure Center gold. I loved the insights into both of their jobs and their friends and family.

I was going to just start this book as I usually try to not read too far ahead of publication dates
(July 19,2022) as to not annoy all my friends about a wonderful book that's not out yet. So, friends, be warned. I'm going to be talking about this book all summer and beyond. And I'm going to work to be a Katherine Center completist too because I like every one of her books even more than the last. I read this book in my free time (and a little at work- shhhh) in under 24 hours. I just couldn't put it down. The humor and the lovely characters, flaws and all, make this a great book to escape into.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. I did try to listen to the audio version (which was great) but I couldn't go that slow, so I switched to the print version.

This was adorable, and entertaining, and just so much fun! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was simply fabulous. I listened every spare second. I turned down watching my favorite show with my husband, didn't make dinner, and the kids had to come and pause the book when they wanted to talk to me. I tried to turn it up and listen while I showered, but that didn't work very well. I really loved Jack and Hannah and would love to revisit the ranch.

This gets 5 stars from me because it's a book I want to buy and read the 2nd time around.

At first I wasn’t a fan of The Bodyguard, by Katherine Center, which was a shock, because I’m a huge fan of her stories. I really did not care for the main character at first, I found her rather ridiculous and obstinate. Nor did I like the boyfriend or the brother, at all, as was intended. The bodyguard company was also exceptionally unprofessional, thus hard to take seriously.

The further I got into the story, the more I realized that that was the point. The Bodyguard is meant to be a quirky, lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek rom-com. Despite my earlier misgivings, I laughed and was touched by the sweetness of the story, as well as the meaningful message. It was delightful and a joy to read.

After a rough romantic breakup with a colleague the day after her mother’s funeral, and being dropped from a desired assignment, Hannah Brooks is reluctantly sent to be the bodyguard for the famous Jack Stapleton, a Hollywood hunk, who is known for having movie starlets on his arm. When he goes to his family ranch to visit his sick mother, and Hannah is forced to portray his girlfriend, her usual protocol of staying detached from her subject is slowly and unwillingly altered, despite her best efforts.

I am so grateful I was able to read this book. As with Katherine’s previous stories, it was charming and left my heart-warmed and my spirit sated.

This story is narrated by Patti Murin and really added to the storytelling experience. She’s articulate, clear, effortless, and perfectly in character. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protective Agent, aka, bodyguard. Hannah is dealing with personal issues, her mother just died and her boyfriend, Robby, who is also a coworker, dumps her the day after the funeral. He's a real charmer, sarcasm! Hannah is chosen to be the primary on a new assignment, protect the reclusive action star, Jack Stapleton. It's a typical romcom with the female as the protector.

Jack is of course, gorgeous and just happens to be a down to earth nice guy. Hannah has to pretend to be Jack's girlfriend so they don't upset Jack's mom who is undergoing cancer treatments. Can't have her knowing that her son is getting threats and has a stalker. They play it so well that Hannah starts having real feeling for Jack. But, is he just acting? Hannah isn't sure.

In the meantime, ex-boyfriend Robbie is more of a jerk than ever, Hannah is hurt and disillusioned by Robbie and Taylor, who used to be her best friend. Jack's family, especially is mother are great characters and some of the other secondary characters are really fun.

This was a fun listen and good narrator. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

I received this audiobook from NetGalley for an honest review. I was disappointed by this book. The premises set the main character up to be a strong character who would take a bullet for any client; the FBI even recruited her and she could take any man down. However, as the story continues, she is mushy and girlie and cries a lot. I gave this book at least three hours before I DNF.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of the Body Guard. I both read the books and listen to the audio too (both great)

This is my first Katherine Center book and won't be the last! Such great story (TW: parental death, Stalking, cancer, alcoholism, suicidal thoughts). This story is endearing with real life moments. I love romance books and this one ranks high for me...not steaming but delightfully surprising twists along the way. Love the two main characters!

I listened to the audio version of The Bodyguard. Narrator Patti Murin has done a wonderful job with the story.

Hannah Brooks is a highly trained bodyguard and is used to jetting around the globe to protect the rich. She may be small, but she is great at her job. When her latest assignment leaves her in her home town she is not happy. She just wants to get out of town and away from her ex, Jack Stapleton is a very famous actor and, while he is visiting his sick mom, the studio demands he have protection. He will need Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend so that his mom won't worry about him being in danger.

I found The Bodyguard to be a fun, quick read, with lots of funny moments and entertaining dialog. The story is creative and imaginative. The book did not play out the way I had expected originally and the conflict was fresh.
There as lots of characters in the story, and the author gives us a couple good ones to dislike. I liked this romance because it had elements of family drama. It added to the depth of Jack's character and added a grounding to the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of this book.

4.5⭐️
Tragedy is a painful thing. It lingers and shifts, destroying and or breaking relationships. And Katherine Center knows how to write about this well. She’s my favorite Chick lit writer and she did a great job with this story. If you have read any of her books, well then you’re really missing out. This had a strong female protagonist, dreamy man, a tragic event and so much more.
I highly recommend this one.

Things I loved:
• Stumps
• Take him to the yard and flip him.
• Group hugs
• Beaded safety pins

I chose to listen and read this in equal measure and enjoyed both. The narrator was Patti Murin and she was perfect for this book.
Thanks Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

I can always count on Katherine Center for a good story. And Patti Murin did a beautiful job narrating this one. This book gave me Miss Congeniality vibes (Sandra Bullock could totally play the female lead) mixed with something I can’t quite put my finger on. I just wish the character development had been a little stronger. The male lead was very one-dimensional. All in all, a decent read.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing an advanced listener’s copy of this book.

Content warnings: alcoholism, death of a parent, death of a sibling, cancer, domestic violence, stalking, car accident, hostage situation

Hannah Brooks is an executive protection agent working at a company in Texas that primarily protects rich oil tycoons or ambassadors. But when her company picks up the security detail for Hollywood star Jack Stapleton, Hannah is put on his case.

Her estranged mother just died from cirrhosis due to alcoholism, and the day after the funeral her co-worker and boyfriend Robbie dumps her. When she sees Robbie in a compromising position with her best friend, she reveals some personal details to her client -- which she never, ever, does. But Hannah and Jack may become much closer when she's forced to live with him for a month and pose as his girlfriend.

Patti Murin does a great job with the narration and completely captures Hannah's sense of humor and conversational tone.

Recommended for all contemporary women's fiction and romance readers. Perfect for those who love witty narrators, breaking the fourth wall, and the forced proximity romance trope.

Representation: women in typically male careers, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, Nigerian side character

Listen. This is a grief book. I don't care how cute you make the cover. The first 10% of this book is about the heroine's life being absolutely terrible. Her mother dies of alcoholism and her boyfriend dumps her in an absolutely devastating way. I do want to thank the author for not making the boyfriend cheat on her with the best friend. We're introduced to the hero and immediately hear that he is in deep mourning for his brother and his mom has breast cancer. This is not funny rom com material. I so wanted to be on board and enjoy this, but I feel like it was marketed all wrong. This book was slightly humorous because the heroine is prickly, but there's so much sadness. Please find a different cover and blurb. I feel like this is a trick.

Absolutely loved this story another win for center in my books. It was a fun read with lots of banter between the couple. Was able to binge this audio in a day

🔊Song Pairing: Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

(Because I only give Taylor songs to books I really liked, also I’ve already used I Will Always Love You by Whitney so can’t reuse and if you don’t get why that would be a pairing…we need to have a talk 😂)

💭What I thought would happen:

I really didn’t know, I never picked up Katherine Center before because I thought she wrote self-help books (apparently I was very wrong) 😝

📖What actually happens:

Brooks (Hannah) has been derailed by her mothers death and then dealing with the breakup her ruthless ex (and colleague) gave her the night after her mother’s funeral. Brooks wants to throw herself back into work…her first assignment…thee Jack Stapleton.

What does Brooks do you wonder? She is a bodyguard. While she may not look the size, she goes unnoticed and that’s the true reason she’s so stellar at her job. When the oh so famous Jack comes along and she must pretend to be his gf, logic and professionalism get thrown right out the window.

🗯Thoughts:

Hoooooo kaaay…I did NOT think I’d like this as much as I did! It was a DELIGHT! Seriously everyone is going to enjoy this book (ok not everyone but a lot of you will and I’m so excited for the reactions!)

Oh my feminist heart was sooo happy to see a woman in a male dominated industry! You go girl! However, she seemed to go from professional to not pretty Damn quick with Jack and I wanted to be like ahhh girl glass ceilings but who could blame her when the man’s abs glisten.

This month I seem to be reading a decent amount of books set in Texas…kind of funny how that happens in clusters. Finding out more and more about city’s and suburbs haha where are my Texans at?!

Seriously my friends, this book is just ahh a good read that will brighten your day!

Hannah has had a day. Shortly after burying her mother Hannah's boyfriend, Robbie, decides it would be a good time to break up with her. Instead of taking time to digest these monumental life changes, Hannah does what she always does and dives deep into work. What she hopes is an assignment that will distract her, Hannah finds her most recent job will force her to face her feelings head on and change her life for the better.

"The Bodyguard" is such a fun audiobook that will make you laugh out loud multiple times! The love story is great, the characters are loveable, and the overarching message can't be beat! I know I am often guilty of throwing myself into work or other distractions rather than facing reality. What we learn in "The Bodyguard" is that as hard as being vulnerable can be, by facing our feelings we can open our lives up to brand new possibilities.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center was an adorable read! Just what I needed during a slight reading slump. The Body Guard is a heartwarming and hopeful story about a girl who seemingly lost so much, yet found it all when she was least expecting it in movie star, Jack Taylor.

I loved how relatable Hannah was and enjoyed the chemistry between her and Jack. Despite some set backs for Hannah, you can't help but root for her as she navigates love and loss at the same time. This book was the perfect quick read and left me wanting more. If you're like me and love rom coms, you'll enjoy this book!

This was a very sweet romcom that reminded me of watching “the proposal”. The central character is a bodyguard who goes on assignment to protect a famous actor. During the assignment, she has to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his family and the story develops into a will-they-won’t-they romance.

Although generally a light book, the story deals with some serious issues, including death, illness, domestic violence and strained parental relationships, which gives the novel more depth and realism.

A highly enjoyable read/listen.

Fun, Smart, Funny, Role Reversal, Fake Relationship, Movie Star, Bodyguard, Ranch, Grief.

This was super fun, super sweet, super swoon-worthy read. I loved both main characters, Hannah, a female workaholic bodyguard who is thrust into an unusual work situation after losing her mother and Jack the grieving recluse mega movie star heartthrob. The situational humour was fantastic and made even better with Hannah’s witty internal monologue. She also did what I thought would be a realistic account of how a “normal” non-famous, secret (almost) fangirl would adjust to working with and falling for a famous movie star.

Though the story does deal with some really dark and heavy emotions like loss, grief, self-worth, blame and forgiveness, it was done for the betterment of the main characters and not just to add unneeded drama or torture. I loved how both Hannah and Jack worked through their trauma both separately and together and come out the other side healthier, happier and more equipped to start a meaningful relationship. The epilogue was so sweet and just the cherry on top made this such a fun read/listen. Also shoutout and thanks to narrator Patti Murin, who did a fantastic job with all of the voices and emotions.

Special thank you to #NetGalley, #KatherineCenter and #MacmillanAudio for sharing this digital copy, these are my honest thoughts on #TheBodyguard. Also, a thank you to narrator #PattiMurin.

Read/Listen if you Like:
❤️ Celebrity/Actor Male MC
❤️ Female Bodyguard
❤️ Cleaner Romance
❤️Rom Coms

Book Review:
This one was so freaking cute? Far fetched with a celebrity falling for their bodyguard? Probably not so much— we have seen it before in Hollywood with the female celebs.

This book is centered around Hannah during her assignment to protect Jack as assigned by her boss by a contract done by the production company wanting to assure the safety of their asset as he has a mild stalker and some and a near miss where his brother ended up dead when he was in town with family previously.

Hannah and Jack both have their baggage but they come together nicely with this very slow burn but the epilogue is many years in the future and helps with the slow burn to have a strong epilogue.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book! I am so thankful to obtain a copy to read in advance of its release!