Protecting Whitney The Memoir of Her Bodyguard by David Roberts
Audio Version
Overall Grade: A
Information: A
Writing/Organization: A
Narration: A
Best Aspect: Very telling, raw, and honest. Heartbreaking. I cried at the end.
Worst Aspect: I wanted more stories.
Recommend: Yes.

David Roberts served in the Royal Air Police Force, became a police-trained sniper, and served as a sergeant on the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department of the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard. He was also a bodyguard for twenty-five years, working alongside Whitney Houston for six of those years. He is now in his 70’s and lives in Florida. Listening to this book it really feels like he cared for Whitney. He talks about traveling the world protecting her. The shows, her voice, the influences he didn’t think were good for her. This was a quick read and I was immediately pulled in. 4 stars.

Protecting Whitney is a memoir about her real-life bodyguard, David Roberts. Being that close to Whitney to see the toll drugs were taking on her, and her talent being sacrificed because of it, must have been such a toll for David to bear witness to. Whitney was a beloved celebrity by many, especially those of us in the 1980s and 1990s, To see her decline was sad. Thank you to David for sharing his experiences. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscrape Media for an advanced reader copy.

The media like to build up a star so they can sell more stories when they tear them down. - David Roberts

Whitney Houston was an American singer, actress, and film producer. Known as "the Voice", she is one of the most awarded performers and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of more than 240 million records worldwide. She had the voice of an angel. 

Hired in 1988 for Whitney's UK portion of the Moment of Truth world tour, David Roberts became her bodyguard. A job that requires one willing to literally die for their boss.

Protecting Whitney by David Roberts is his story and it is an absolute beautiful tribute to Whitney as he saw her for who she was and not just as he put it; a cash machine.

If you are a fan of Whitney Houston or even the movie The BodyGuard, then you would enjoy this book. Not only does David give the reader an inside look at who Whitney was beyond the stage and microphone, he also highlights the work involved in being a bodyguard and what is required to protect those who pay them to do so.

David's voice was so easy to listen to. He revealed so much from his perspective without feeling like an intrusion on Whitney's life. You could feel how real and honest David was in his retelling of what happened.

This may seem weird, but I would like to thank David for sharing his experiences. I could feel how he truly cared for Whitney - at times it seemed like he might have been one of the few that cared more for her than what they would get from her.

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced audiobook of Protecting Whitney. If you grew up with Whitney’s music and loved the movie The Bodyguard you should find this story interesting. The dedication and compassion the bodyguard has for protecting her was heard throughout the story. The narrator, Gildart Jackson was amazing that you really felt it was David himself narrating the story.

Book Review: Protecting Whitney by David Roberts

Kevin Costner may have immortalised The Bodyguard on screen, but David Roberts was the real deal.

In Protecting Whitney, he draws back the curtain to reveal what it truly meant to safeguard a global superstar, offering gripping, behind-the-scenes revelations of his years as Whitney Houston’s Close Protection Officer (CPO).

It’s clear throughout the memoir that he deeply admired Whitney, who he affectionately called Boss not just for her God-given talent but for the person she was beyond the spotlight.

Their bond was built on genuine trust and mutual respect—a stark contrast to many in her inner circle who, like the entourage surrounding Britney Spears, seemed more focused on cashing in than on caring.

A sobering look into the darker side of celebrity, David was prepared to pull a Frank Farmer and take a bullet for Houston throughout his seven years (1988-1995) spent by her side. Thankfully, he never had to, but he was there for the highs and lows, including the birth of her daughter Bobbi Kristina and her initial downfall. You can feel his heartbreak even after all these years that he could not save her from herself.

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Narrated by Gildart Jackson, this was my first experience with an audiobook where I felt compelled to adjust the speed to 1.25x. His voice work felt commanding but better suited to the classics.

Whitney Houston was pop phenomenon, larger than life and had a voice that was known around the globe. However, for David Roberts she was "boss" and a genuine person.

David Roberts was Whitney's bodyguard, the real one, from 1988 to 1995. He was there from her UK tour, to the filming of The Bodyguard, to the birth of Bobbi Kristina. Before accepting this job, he had to listen to her music because he didn't know who she was. David writes from a place of love for Whitney the human and not the pop singer. The book follows Whitney's career while David was her Chief Protection Officer, but he also shows us that when she wasn't in the spotlight, she was like a normal kid. It was clear throughout the memoir he truly admired Whitney.

Their relationship was founded on trust and mutual respect, standing in contrast to the individuals in her inner circle who appeared more interested in profit than in genuine care for her. You can sense his pain after all these years that he couldn't save her.

I really appreciated the story behind the song "I Will Always Love You"; it definitely brought tears to my eyes.

David also shared a little of himself in the book, about his failed marriages, and his daughters health issues. It was genuine, unfiltered, and sincere.

I highly recommend listening to this memoir; it truly captures the emotions the author intended to convey.

I received an audiobook ARC via Net Galley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is my own.

4✨ Books about people who are no longer with us are often difficult for me to read. However, when I had the chance to pick up this one, I couldn’t resist. The book treated Whitney with kindness and respect, and it was clear that David genuinely cared for her and wanted the best for her. As he shared personal moments with Whitney, I could truly feel his pain and, in turn, gained a deeper understanding of her. She was an extraordinary artist, but more than that, she was a woman let down by those who were supposed to protect her and prioritize her well-being. While the book was short and easy to read, it did have a somewhat dry tone.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

3.5/5 stars.

This is a book about Whitney Houston, written by her bodyguard. It is a story about how everyone around her failed to protect her and used her as a cash machine.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I liked the narrator's voice and reading.
I also enjoyed the story itself—the timeline was nicely built, and different interesting anecdotes were described, making the story fit piece by piece, like a puzzle. Sometimes, writing can seem chaotic with stories like these since a lot of different events are patched together, but this book flowed effortlessly.

It's a tragic story. I won't get into analyzing if everything is true or if everything happened exactly the way it was described because I can't judge that. I am only talking about my experience with the book and the story presented.

I was bothered with all the covering of the sexual abuse mentioned in this story, and how nonchalantly it was described, even by the author himself. Like it was just a nuisance in preserving the star and her circle's reputation. These instances appalled me the most.

I also understand that this is just one side of the coin. While the author constantly mentioned how others who tried to do something, didn't do enough, he himself also participated in a lot of enabling activities. People do things for various reasons, and while the author has a lot of explanations for his side, there is none of that extended to others. Ultimately, you can not save someone that doesn't want to save themselves. But that is just my take on it.

Overall, I really did enjoy this audiobook and found it both tragic and informative.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC audio. As someone who grew up listening to Whitney and loved the movie, I didn’t know much about her life with the exception of her drug abuse and death. This was very eye opening as I never knew The Bodyguard was loosely based on her life with her actual bodyguard (minus the sex and guns, of course). She was a wonderful and beautiful person and her death and her daughter’s were tragic and heartbreaking.

The story of Whitney Houston’s rise and fall has been told many times over, but this was an interesting vantage point. David was her bodyguard for 7 years during the peak of her career and kept her safe from external harm, until it was clear that he could no longer help protect her from herself.

This was such a sweet touching tribute to Whitney from her bodyguard. You can tell how much he really cared for Whitney and protected her at all costs. It details his start with Whitney being hired during her European leg of her tour in the 1990s and follows the journey and friendship that formed between Whitney and him throughout her career. There are several behind the scenes stories that have been told but interesting to hear from David’s point of view. I thought it was captivating and interesting to read. The audiobook was narrated by Gildart Jackson. Easy to follow and was pulled into the way the details were told. Such a beautiful look at Whitney from someone who really cared for her.

3.5 stars

In Protecting Whitney, former bodyguard David Roberts offers a firsthand account of his years safeguarding Whitney Houston—not just from external dangers, but also from the people closest to her and, ultimately, from herself. His deep care for her is evident as he recounts the emotional toll of witnessing her struggles with fame, addiction, and personal demons. The memoir sheds light on how those in her inner circle prioritized their own interests, allowing her downward spiral to continue unchecked. Featuring behind-the-scenes stories and lesser-known details, the book provides a sobering glimpse into the darker side of celebrity. While the narration can feel a bit dry at times, it remains a compelling and revealing read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Protecting Whitney by David Roberts offers an eye-opening behind-the-scenes look into Whitney's life and career. While I never ranked her as highly as Mariah, Whitney's many classics still resonate with me to this day. The book left me shocked and saddened by its revelations, which I found quite intriguing. However, I couldn't help but notice David's excessive braggadocio, which often had me rolling my eyes. This is why I deducted a star.

Gildart Jackson was an entertaining narrator that kept me engaged.

I enjoyed this memoir from Ms. Houston’s bodyguard. I particularly enjoyed its lack of tabloid-like attention grabbing details. Instead, it felt like a story told from the heart and out of great love and respect for Whitney Houston.

Protecting Whitney
The Memoir of Her Bodyguard
by David Roberts
Narrated by Gildart Jackson

Be prepared to re-watch The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale after or while listening to this. Also, if you're like me and haven't listened to Whitney in some time, you'll likely be revisiting her music. What a sad, tragic tale. Protecting Whitney is the memoir of her longtime bodyguard, David Roberts. His writing reflects his professionalism as Whitney's bodyguard, and it is obvious he cared for her deeply. I've long thought that Bobby Brown was the worst thing that ever happened to Whitney, and this memoir confirms that meeting him was the beginning of her downfall.

As a kid growing up in the 80's, I enjoyed listening and getting some insight into Whitney's rise to fame and her life as a whole. She sounds like she was a truly lovely person with a heart of gold. Unfortunately, she had terrible taste in unfaithful husbands, and it still blows my mind that someone with the support that she had, and the talent that she had, would settle for someone that she KNEW wasn't faithful...but who am I to judge. This book isn't only about that part of her life though. It's informative and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to every bit of it.

The narration was a bit dry, but well done, though I wasn't expecting the accent! Overall, this was a book that I didn't want to stop listening to, even though I knew the ending. Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC!

Thanks for the advance copy
This was a beautiful book and was so well written.
The narration was a little dry but the story made up for it.
Only reason why I didn’t give it 5 stars

Written by her long-time bodyguard, this book about Whitney Houston kept my attention. Like most, I adored her voice and felt a huge sadness about her death, which still seems needless and wasteful. I knew that she was well-liked in her field, but didn’t know much else aside of the lethal drug abuse.

David Roberts clearly admired and truly liked his boss. As her bodyguard, he learned her personality and habits fairly intimately. Overall, she seemed to be a kind and thoughtful human. He offered many examples of her consideration towards family, staff, and her beloved fans. I found it so sad to read all the examples of how she was taken advantage of by those she trusted most.

Though he doesn’t delve into it, it’s clear she was raised by a strict mother figure whose presence loomed large into adulthood. Perhaps that’s why she tilted so far in the opposite direction towards Bobby Brown. It’s quite clear that Mr. Robert sided with Cissy Houston when it came to their pairing. There is clear loathing in his words. If you are team Bobby, there’s no good news for you in this book. Some fairly damning evidence is presented about his sexual sidebars, and other contributions to Whitney‘s downward spiral. Much of his culpable behavior was cleaned up to protect Whitney‘s “brand.” Knowing that today’s books are well vetted to avoid lawsuits, I can’t even imagine what didn’t pass legal approval.

It was refreshing to learn that Mr. Robert continually reported his concerns about Whitney’s drug use and its impact on her voice and well-being. He was ignored, and let go. I wonder if Whitney might still be here if everyone around her had acted with such concern. Heartbreaking.

I listened to the audio version of this book, which did not include pictures. I’d certainly be interested in seeing them if any are included in the print copy. Of note, the narrator is not the author.
I appreciate that Dreamscape Media allowed me access to this audiobook via NetGalley per my request.

David Roberts, a former police officer from Wales and now a private security bodyguard took a job he said he would never do - work for anyone in the "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll world". He spent years as Whitney Houston's bodyguard and as most people in her world felt, a friend. He worked hard and professionally to protect Whitney from threats from the "outside" but it was a threat from the inside - her husband Bobby Brown - that he could not protect her from .

This book was an interesting inside look at her life, her career, and the many people who were in her world - some who truly loved her and some who used her fame and fortune for themselves - but the most deadly one one cost her her life and eventually her daughter's life.

It was a beautiful look at her life from someone who loved and protected her.

I enjoyed this audiobook and narrator Gildart Jackson.

My thanks to Net Galley, Chicago Review Press, and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy of this audiobook.