Bodyguard is book two in C.D. Reiss' Hollywood A-List series. Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone with no issues.

Emily is best friend and choreographer for Darlene, who is a mega singing star gearing up for a tour. She attends all the red carpet events with Darlene, but unfortunately, that has attracted the attention of her stalker ex, Vince. He is obviously not one to be detoured, so Darlene assigns her bodyguard to Emily, since he's the best.

Carter is dedicated to his work covering A-List stars. He is laser-focused and not someone to mess with. When he is re-assigned to Emily, he is out of his element. All he can think about is her and what he wants to do with her! He would be breaking cardinal rules yes, but Emily is the first one to come around that he's felt the rules were worth breaking for.

I was very intrigued with this bird's eye view of celebrities! I am not one to read tabloids and social media gossip pages, but I was interested in the very different view we get when you live in the public eye. The security issues that come from fame are immense! From paparazzi, to fans, to stalkers, it's a job that has to be taken very seriously.

Carter is a serious guy. He wants you to believe that he is from a normal family and that he is nothing spectacular, but there is an underlying mystery there. His knack for avoiding direct questions fosters that intrigue. I wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes. He wanted Emily to open up and be truthful to him, but he wasn't reciprocating so that frustrated me. I knew it was all part of the plan though and all would be revealed.....eventually!

The chemistry between Carter and Emily was sizzling and I enjoyed their romance. What kept this from being a five star read for me, was that the book ended with some unresolved situations. Not only with Carter and Emily, but also with her ex Vince. We are left to assume certain things, and that's fine, but I would've liked to read the resolution.

I am an overall fan of C.D. Reiss and although my favorite of hers, The Songs of Submission Series, takes the cake, this book is good! It's well worth the money and time to read it!

4 Stars/4 Flames

This book was gifted to me and I chose to leave a voluntary review. The review and ratings are solely my opinions.

Carter Kincaid is the ultimate protector, not only for his clients but also for the people who mean the most to him, and in order to do his job as a bodyguard as well as keep his personal priorities in order, control is what drives him…what allows him to maintain his hold on a structured and balanced life, but in some ways, it’s also what prevents Carter from fully living…from experiencing love beyond the familial bonds that force him to live a solitary life.

Emily Barrett can’t remember the last time she’s felt completely safe or desired in a way that wasn’t menacing or disturbing, and due to the rules in place to keep her unharmed by her crazy stalker ex-boyfriend, her life only consists of her work and a security system that tracks her every move, ensuring no harm comes to her but also giving her zero privacy.

But when Carter’s new assignment becomes the tiny dancer who strips him of his control and overrides his common sense, Carter and Emily’s regimented lives become a bit more chaotic and a lot more complicated.

‘Love was the one thing worth protecting.’

If there’s one thing that Carter and Emily fiercely protect, it’s those they love and would willingly lay down their lives for and as Carter struggles to keep his two worlds separate while still keeping Emily and Phin safe, he soon realizes that he can’t control every situation or circumstance, so when everything in his life threatens to implode, the sacrifices made may leave everyone unsafe and more vulnerable than ever before.

I have to admit that I wasn’t too sure about the second book in CD Reiss’ Hollywood A-List series; it started a bit slowly because there was a lot of set up that needed to take place in order to understand why and how the hero and heroine are in the positions they are in when their lives intersect. The main characters also didn’t seem to be A-Listers in the true sense of the term, which made it somewhat difficult to see their importance the guise of the Hollywood Elite. But as the story progressed and readers were provided the necessary insight into the hero and heroine’s connections and backstories, the text’s pace picked up and the plot’s objective became clear, providing clues about Carter’s mysterious personal life and his need to avoid certain entanglements.

I love the fact that C.D. Reiss crafts stories that do not follow the stereotypical mandates/characteristics of the romance genre. She’s not afraid to go outside the box and take risks when it comes to creating complex characters with unique and  twisted circumstances and the way she unveils necessary truths about her characters keep readers invested, hoping to understand the hows and whys of everything that goes down in the lives of her heroes and heroines.

I ended up really enjoying Carter and Emily’s story and one of the main reasons is a certain secondary character who stole my heart, and because he’s at the heart of everything that Carter does, I can’t help but want to protect him and keep him safe just as much as Carter works to do day in and day out, even willingly giving up certain aspects of his life so that this person has everything he wants and needs and definitely deserves.

4 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

I am really loving this series. It is sweet. It is ultra-sexy. It is suspenseful and it will definitely play on your emotions. It has everything you want in a romance story and more. These two characters light up the pages with their personalities and their connection to one another. I absolutely fell hard for them and wanted everything to work out. That being said, they had a lot to overcome and that is exactly what kept me reading from beginning to end without even coming up for air it felt like because I was constantly holding my breath. I loved this story. I loved the characters and I definitely want to read more from this series and from C.D. Reiss.

4.25 stars

Is it wrong that I had the Bodyguard theme song playing in my head at times during this? I couldn't help it. Yeah that sounds cheesy when in fact this had a CD Reiss twist on it, it had the grittier and mystery side to it. The blurb had me interested for sure though. Carter and Emily had pasts, one was stalker ex and the other family related.

Emily had a dream of being star that got waylaid in a way. Now choreographer to her BFF Darlene, when her ex stalker sudden appears again she gets assigned a bodyguard. In truth that would be complicated enough seeing as any distraction in his protection would be a slip up to her safety adding to that his family. Carter had this vague and mysterious air about him, serious and swoon worthy though. He and Emily had this connection it was unavoidable despite his efforts to stop it.

I liked them, I felt the attraction and how they couldn't not look at other. You felt the vibe and the chemistry. They started out shaky and well had a lot to deal with but they did. This one had a suspense factor than book one adding to the whole smitten vibe from Emily and Carter that made me keep hanging on. I liked Emily too she was heroine you cheered on as she found herself and finally grew after everything thrown her way. Carter was also a good dad and I saw him rise above his past as well.

The mix of suspense, angst and romance was well balanced here. I enjoy the author contemporary romances they are well written and thought out. The characters complex and the story line grew with them. I loved Phin and Emily together as well. Overall, I think I liked reading this one more than Bombshell just cause it felt more entertaining and flow much smoother.

A perfect stand-alone contemporary romance. The right mix of angst, sexual tension, and romance. A story that brings two people together whose life isn’t perfect. A Bodyguard who never mixes business with pleasure and a choreographer whose life got derailed by her crazy ex. When these two meet, can they risk the feelings they feel or will the risk of their feelings be their undoing?

Carter Kincaid, the sexy, brooding, professional bodyguard whose assignment becomes Emily Barrett, choreographer and best friend to the famous pop star, Darlene McKenna. This story involves several relationships. It’s just not the developing romance between Carter and Emily, there is BFF’s Emily and Darlene, Emily and Vince, and Carter and Phinn. All these characters weave themselves into each other’s lives and creates a family of people whom you can’t get enough of.

Carter and Emily are electric, sizzling and safe. The banter between the two is spot on and their connection drives the story of feeling safe with one another. There is angst coming from both sides of the relationships including danger, sense of keeping someone safe at all cost, and the thought that maybe love could be in the cards.

CD Reiss has magical talents for storytelling. These characters embedded themselves in me and I literally couldn’t put the book down. It’s contemporary romance at its finest. The perfect weave of romance, angst and happily ever after. Two strong individuals in their own rights but missing that someone in their life. Each learning to trust the other and open up their hearts.

If you love outstanding writing, beautiful storytelling, strong and fierce characters, romance and sexiness.......BODYGUARD checks all those boxes. #WonderfulContemporaryRomance #MustOneClick #Standalone #CarterKincaid🔥❤️🔥❤️

Carter is the bodyguard you want to keep long after the danger is gone- Elizabeth @ White Hot Reads

Emily doesn't want a bodyguard... but when her super famous bestie insists that she use the new bodyguard that was just hired.. whats a girl to do? Enter Carter Kincaid... He is sexy, smart and instantly protective of Emily. These two light up your heart and mind. Instant fireworks!

4.5 stars!

As a huge fan of the first book in this series, Bombshell, I was super excited to hear that C.D. was continuing on and writing the second book about a Security Guard who protects a dancer from an obsessed ex-boyfriend. Carter Kincaid is THE perfect bodyguard. Focused, determined to keep his principal safe, the best at what he does. He's ex LAPD so he's seen and heard it all on the streets.

Emily is a dancer and choreographer, working for her best friend Darlene. Friends since they were kids, they grew up doing everything together and came to LA with a shared dream of making it big singing and dancing. But while Darlene hit it big and made her dream come true, Emily faded into the background, content to stay out of the spotlight and focus on helping Darlene behind the scenes.

Carter takes an assignment as part of Darlene's security team, and quickly runs into Emily. The attraction is immediate, but both have an initial hesitation to their obvious chemistry. Emily doesn't want to make any other guy a target for her ex-boyfriend's jealousy, and Carter has secrets in his past that he wants to keep buried.

C.D. is a master storyteller. The intricacies she weaves through her stories tell a complete and complex story that feels hearty and substantial, much more than just a basic telling of events that happen to the characters of this tale. Yes, we get the actions, but we also get feelings and thoughts and emotions and ideas and a whole slew of things that made me feel like I was in their world, watching ringside as the story unfolds.

There are stories within the story here. Carter has secrets in his life that he doesn't want to see surface, and being in this industry of guarding celebrities and people constantly in the public eye, he has to work twice as hard at keeping his personal life separate from his professional life. But what happens when you start falling for a woman whose career thrusts her into the media all the time? And how do you explain to her that there are parts of your life you can't share with her?

I empathized greatly with what Emily was going through. Having a crazy ex who is stalking you and somehow manages to elude the police at every turn, it had to be exhausting. C.D. did a stellar job of making the reader feel all the feelings Emily has. How tired she is of it, the despair she feels that this is never going to end. How badly there are times she just wants to give up and give in. I could feel all of that completely. It was the other times, when Emily is just in her day to day that I struggled to feel a connection with her. I can't explain why, the reason is just out of my reach, but it is there nonetheless and so reading her chapters and having a sometimes feeling of disconnect with her took me out of the universe I was in while reading.

C.D. brings us another amazing book, chock full of so much meat that the reader can't help but be pulled in and mesmerized with the story. There's a side character that I absolutely fell in love with and whenever they came into the scene, I had a huge swell in my heart.

I can't wait to see where C.D. takes this series next!

Good characters in a story I could take or leave. I had no trouble putting down and picking up as my schedule demanded.

Storyline: 5
Angst: 2
Tissue: 0
Value: 5
Panty Scorching: 5
Over All Rating: 4.5 Stars
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley

Emily and her best friend Darlene set off for Hollywood to make their dreams come true. While Darlene’s career has taken off, Emily was trapped with a jealous ex-boyfriend and has held back. While working with Darlene as her choreographer, her ex starts sending her unwanted presents. Afraid that the stalking will start again, Darlene assigns Emily her bodyguard hottie Carter Kincaid. And that’s when things start heating up. Will Carter be able to keep Emily safe or will he cross that line between protector and lover?

“Seeing her hurt and humiliated had awakened feelings. Admittedly, I’d been attracted to her before. Not a big deal. I’d been attracted to plenty of women. I’d even dated some of them.

But she was my principal, and she had an active stalker.

Feelings kept a bodyguard from thinking clearly.

Feelings got in the way of good judgment.

Feelings made a guy look in the wrong direction.

Most of all, feelings could rearrange a guy’s priorities. That couldn’t happen.”

I felt so bad for Emily when her dreams had been crushed by some jerk who couldn’t let her go. It was sad to see her have to live as a shadow of her former self. And then Carter comes into her life with all of those pheromones and he keeps giving her mixed signals. He wants her but he can’t have her. ARGH!!! It was driving me crazy! But mostly I was impressed by how great of a friend Darlene was. She missed the awesomeness that Emily and she were together as a team. And we all need a supportive person in our corner. This was just full of suspense and a psycho stalker who refused to let Emily shine. And ROMANCE! And feelings that could not be denied.

This was a fun, suspense read. I love stalker books and I don’t know what that says about me. Don’t think about it. Just read the book….you won’t regret it.

Carter and Emily had a bit of drama, which I like...it was sexy, emotional and fun.
I mean who could help but fall in love with their bodyguard? Esp one that is sexy and hot.
Carter has some great lines in this book that will make you hot and bothered.

I received a complimentary copy of Bodyguard for an honest review through the Crazy Cajun Book Addicts.

Wow just simply wow! I can't honestly say enough about this book. It's simply everything you want in a story it's sexy, it's dramatic and it leaves you wanting more of Emily, Carter and co. It's so family orientated I absolutely love Carter's kid Phin he brings alot of fun to this book, then you have Vince the Crazy stalker there's no wonder Emily feels trapped rigged up by the best security system money can buy and then the house brood bodyguards she just wants a simple life, can she get it is the question!

I definitely hope to read more of C.D Reiss' books it's absolutely flawless, sexy, charismatic, raw and gritty. I don't want to give to much away with this review I just want to encourage you to read it, I'm so glad I did it's a 5 star from me if I could give it more I truly would have.

I received a copy of this book to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

Emily enjoys all the perks of fame. The parties, the glamour, the tours. But, they have brought her back to the attention of a dangerous ex-boyfriend hell bent on getting her back. Enter Carter Kincaid, a bodyguard so crushingly sexy he takes her breath away. Carter's the best in the business and Emily is professionally speaking, off limits. But, when it comes to stirring his desires, she's hitting all the right notes. What is happening between them is so hot it could get both of them burned. As Emily's past gets closer Carter is willing to break every rule of the job to save her. But letting Emily into his life also means letting her in on the secrets of his own past. For both of them, falling in love could be the greatest risk of all.

Oh Ladies, I will warn you know that you will want a Carter Kinkaid of you very own before you are finished with this book. Good grief. A fictional character that is super dreamy is like a million dollars on Christmas morning. Carter has everything a girl could ever want in spades. Carter is originally hired to protect Emily's best friend Darlene as she is a pop star. However when Emily's crazy ex comes back Carter is asked to keep an eye on Emily. Shes needs it too because the ex is quiet the psycho. The problem though now is that they have this super strong flows off the pages like silk, attraction to each other and now that he is her bodyguard it is against the rules big time. No way could these two every deny the burning attraction that they have between them. Sexual tension for days at times is what your in for. Your going to be reading till the very end too and not want to put it down. I adore this book. I had the best time reading it and was sad to see it end actually.

You do not want to miss Bodyguard. C.D. Reiss has done an amazing job writing this book. I think it is one of my favorites she has ever written.

Review by Amanda for Love Romance Books Blog

I was asked by the author for an honest review.

I would have liked to give Bodyguard 4.5 stars. It was an interesting story and I liked the complexity. This is the first book I've read in the Hollywood A-list series and it can definitely be read as a standalone novel. I'm actually not even sure if any of the same characters from Bombshell (the first book) appear in Bodyguard, as there weren't any obvious couples and the names in the description of Bombshell don't look familiar.

Bodyguard was an okay-good read for me. Emily and Carter meet when Carter takes a job being a bodyguard for Emily’s best friend Darlene. The attraction was instant and it was interesting to see what will happen as the story continues. The back and forth between Carter and Emily was intriguing. Carter’s hesitancy but then certainty about Emily really had me digging into what he was hiding. When they were together, they were great. Hot and sweet. I also enjoyed the supporting characters in the story. They were also great. I loved the friendship between Emily and Darlene-the one you want to have with your best friend. There were some twists that I was not expecting that made the story a little more interesting. It was a nice read with pleasant characters and storyline.

This author is brilliant…
This author never bores me…
I love this author’s language. She writes short sentences. Her style is almost like staccato, and she doesn’t use the flowery, lyrical prose that other authors use in describing places, smells, colors, etc. She just states the most important things, like Craftsman’s style house, or stylish condo, etc. No excessive words are used, yet she gives excellent ambience for the scenes she writes. Her emphasis is front and center her characters and we meet them intimately, their strengths, vulnerabilities, feelings and we understand their actions because we understand them.
I loved this book because she wrote these two great characters. I especially loved the beginning because I got such a great sense of Emily. She wanted to do something, she went and did it. The end. She like Darlene and they made a great team and great mischief. So they were friends. The fact that Darlene comes from a different social class made no difference to Emily. Emily is great. Her love was gymnastics and Darlene’s was singing. When Emily’s knee was busted in a practice, she changed to dance, so they made a great dance and singing duo.
Fast forward to when they are in Hollywood and Darlene is a star and Emily isn’t, she’s Darlene’s choreographer. She fell by way of an abusive boyfriend, and when he got a restraining order, he turned into a stalker. Now Emily lives like a secluded princess, within closed walls and high gates, and with strict security. Yet, she has Darlene, her bestie, and Simon, Darlene’s lifter in choreography, and she’s ok.
Enter Carter Kincaid, a new bodyguard in Darlene’s security service, ex-LAPD. “He was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen, and I’d seen a lot of gorgeous men. Nice scruff. Blinding blue eyes. Gray linen suit. Precisely untidy dark hair. “ See what I mean? Excellent description without being flowery. One day, Emily was late to practice and tried to enter the rehearsal building through the rear and she was tackled by Carter. Because she was carrying a gun that turned out to be fake.
Carter: “Why would you carry a fake gun? “
Emily: “Because I couldn’t get a license to carry a real one.”
This cemented my love for this book and it didn’t let me down until the end.
Even with their instant attraction, they didn’t act on it until Emily’s stalker upped his game and Carter’s protective instincts geared high. However, Carter guards his privacy fiercely and doesn’t let anyone enter. Emily sort of forces herself into his private life, but she’s always encountering fences. Meanwhile, there’s a stalker making small moves but enough to make Emily and friends worry. Precautions are taken, Emily gets to know Carter’s family but it’s slow going and for me, wonderful. They have a lot of back and forth, but Emily is forthright on what she wants. It’s Carter, who wants to protect his son and at the same time protect Emily and sometimes, he needs to establish his priorities and act accordingly. He has a constant struggle and I loved how the author presents his vulnerability to his love for his son and yet, the need to be a man and be with a woman he is beginning to love. The process was brilliantly described by this author and I loved every minute of this journey. There’s a nice surprise towards the end that ties everything up nicely and makes you understand a lot about Carter’s actions.

If the angst of the Marriage Games / Separation Games duet and King of Code felt like too much to you, CD Reiss gives you a break in this book. Bodyguard does have its share of nervous agony, but the sense of emotional desolation that Reiss writes so well is missing here.

What replaces it is an undercurrent of suspense: will the stalker who has provoked and manipulated Emily keep wreaking havoc on her?

It helps that she has Carter Kincaid as her bodyguard. Carter quite literally shields Emily's body with his own, and you will wish that you could trade places with her. He's tall, big, strong, tough, and steady, even as he's also tender and kind. He's just so swoony that you won't what to quit him when you turn the last page.

It could be easy to dismiss this as a simple romantic suspense novel, but in Reiss's hands, it is so much more. There is a subplot regarding Emily's wasted opportunities and what the realization of that does to her, and there is another subplot involving Carter's family. Reiss wraps the former in a sort of melancholy and the latter in a loving sense of despair. I know that sounds strange, but trust me: Carter's love for someone in his family is so intense that you can sense his hopelessness.

A word about the sexy times: they are delicious fun. They are steamy, succulent, and sizzling. Strap on your vibrators, girls, because Carter will fill you with NEED.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. My only quibble - and I know it sounds rather picky - is the denouement. The build-up is fierce and fraught, and then things happen that are talked about afterwards. You don't see them as they occur, and I think you need that.

DNF at 29%. I tried, but with real world events going on right now, I just can't handle reading a book where the heroine is actively being stalked, harassed, and assaulted by an ex. I just can't. The hero also crossed some lines for me. I really liked the chemistry between the main characters from the beginning but it wasn't enough to keep me going.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher and Author via NetGalley***

This book kept me up too late. It made me late for work the next morning. It delayed dinner in my house as I was not putting it down again until I was at the very end. It is one of those books that stays with you, not only after you are done with it, but while you are reading it.

There's this magic place that very few books ever reach. The place where everything about the book just works, and as a reader you are torn with not wanting to put it down, to devour every word, and to take your time, to read slowly. I am never sure which is better. I just know that a book that is as good as this one doesn't happen very often, and it's pleasure no matter how quickly or slowly you read the words.

This book is pure A-List magic. I read, a lot. And, I enjoy a lot of books, but it takes something really special, that just hits all of the right notes, to be a book I enjoy as much as this one.

Carter is sexy, and capable, and masculine, and loving. The writing for his character is perfection and the little ways C. D. Reiss gives his character, the way he moves, the way he carries himself, the way he stands, make him seem so real you expect him to walk into the room in real life at any second.

Emily is strong and while she has had some things happen that she is dealing with, she is working to find her strength and to grow with that strength. I love that, through her journey in the book, she finds that her real strength is in a place that she never expected, and once she learns to hold on to that, she also learns about the things she can let go. Her storyline in the book is a really powerful and engaging look at a person who feels they had to give things up realizing that maybe there is a way for those things to still exist. Possibly in different ways than they did initially, but in ways that are actually better. And, isn't that the journey we are all on? Maybe a little less dramatically than in this book, but I think it is one we can all relate to from our own lives.

There is a flash point, the build to the reasons Carter feels that he is not able to bring her into his life, as eluded to in the blurb for the book. There are enough hints dropped that it was not a total surprise, but I am not able to say I didn't see it coming. Although I can honestly say I was so engrossed in what was happening at the moment in the book I didn't really find myself spending a lot of time thinking about where the book was going. I was too engrossed in the present story in the book to really think ahead.

This book feels real. It's emotional, but it is never melodramatic. You feel the tension of the situation with Emily's ex, and the conviction and tenacity with which Carter performs his job. You feel the dedication he has to being the best man he can be, and you feel the draw he has for Emily.

Emily, well, she is a little more emotional and there are some wonderful, realistic scenes where she overreacts to things without possibly getting all of the info, or thinking them through completely. Being more specific would be a spoiler, but there are some great moments in this book where they both have the chance to not only behave in ways that feel real, but also give perfect insight into their characters.

This book is on my Top 5 of 2017 list.

I recommend this title. 5+++++++ Stars

I loved this beautifully emotional book! I absolutely love reading anything and everything I can get my hands on by this author. Her characters are always beautifully layered and real.

Although this is the second book in the Hollywood A-List series, this can be read as a standalone.

Carter had my heart. He was so protective of everything he loved. After an awful tragedy he vows to always protect what’s his. No matter what. When he meets Emily, there is no amount of fighting that can make him forget their palpable chemistry.

Emily has the biggest heart and one in particular took advantage of that and won’t let go. His obsession for the passionate dancer is scary as hell and one that hits Carter too close to home.
Emily was so strong and I loved that despite the threats against her by her ex, she was still willing to give love a chance.

I also loved Phin and all that this quirky kid brought to the pages of this book. I’m looking forward to reading more of this amazing series.

This book showcases everything I love most about the stories of C.D. Reiss. A standalone, contemporary romance qualifying as one of her best romances to date. There wasn't a single part of the book I didn't absolutely adore. From her construction of the plot arc blended with her astute settings, to her development of engaging characters, to the sharp focus of her tight, concise writing, Bodyguard truly highlights the phenomenal penchant for story telling this author beholds.

I got lost in these characters both as individuals and in their relationship. I wanted to be a part of their world for the totality of this book. I understood them, sympathized with them, and felt like a welcome bystander to their journey's. Carter Kincaid and Emily Barrett are strong mains for individual reasons. Together, they create a maelstrom of feelings for the reader. A hero you'll want for yourself paired with a heroine you want to be. Perfect combination.

I loved how Reiss made their individual stories collide. I loved the discoveries and growing pains both went through throughout the book. I love the strength with which Reiss built each character and how she didn't fit them into certain molds but them precisely unique in their own ways. And I love how I felt the passion in the writing, not only for the romance, but for each event (big and small) that happened throughout the story. And I loved how their romance didn't fit into the typical constructs of the genre but rather ebbed and flowed perfectly from beginning to end.


Bodyguard is a book for established C.D. Reiss fans to salivate over. It's also a book where new Reiss readers can fall in love with her unique style. It's a story that reminds all romance readers why exactly we love to read romance in the first place and how Reiss is a force in this realm of the book world. A highly recommended must read.