Protecting the Lady is a very enjoyable book. It's got some nice, light romance that didn't feel rushed at all, despite not being very long, and Katherine and Eve both felt like real people. It took me a while to get through it mostly because of my own reading block, but when I got into it for real I couldn't stop, since the scenes all fit and flow together very well.

The book is very light and nice, and we get a lot of slow scenes with the protagonists talking and getting to know each other better while stuck inside for safety reasons. There was no real sense of danger, in my opinion, but at least there was enough romance to make up for that, and I loved how no one came up with issues to get between them.

Also maybe Katherine doesn't like the whole having a hot bodyguard thing but I sure wouldn't mind in her place lol Eve is a great character and Katherine grew on me the more I read, despite the fact that I could not see her as an older woman after she kept complaining for the whole first half of the book about being kept safe and not taking the threat on her life seriously.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Well, this is just another easy going book by Amanda Radley. I would have thought that it would be alittle more high octane, given that it is a principle/ bodyguard romance. Whether it would be in between our two leads or from the people trying to harm Lady Katherine, a distant heir to the throne. But what we got was an attempt to show that it isn't good to judge a book by its cover, and that 40 year-olds, who might have parts of their lives dictated to them may act childishly when another part of their autonomy is taken from them.

I like both bodyguard, Eve, and the Lady Katherine. I think it is realistic (especially in the UK) for someone like Eve to have the typical prejudices against a royal, even someone as normal seeming as Katherine. Katherine has privileges that very few non-royals would have. I mean she basically got her job because her ambitious boss wanted her for her contact list, that's pretty much it. Turns out that Katherine is actually amazing at her job as a party planner, but she still got in because she has connections. I'm not saying that Eve's attitude towards Katherine at first isn't good (though it is somewhat justified because Katherine railed against it from the start despite being in actual danger).

This is supposed to read as two strong headed people butting heads then, through forced proximity, go on to form an understanding then fall for each other. But here, and I am not alone in this criticism, they are barely together. All the steps are there; the mini blowups, small arguments, the finding each other attractive, the learning of one another, the respect, and then the romantic feelings, but they don't tie together well. The steps are there, but there's no real meat in there for me.

I think the themes would have worked much better if Katherine and Eve were actually in the same room with each other more often. The changing of feelings doesn't feel forced, but most of the revelations are told to us as opposed to showing us. It left me with a sense of, well the writing is good, but what more? This is usually what happens with me and Amanda Radley books. The premise is usually set up well, with nice ideas, good writing (she's an easy author to get into) but they are mostly just okay reads for me.

Need Eve to come and protect me!

When Eve is offered the chance to return to a Protection Officer role, she is hesitant but upon persuasion finds herself guarding Lady Katherine Lovegrove who is not thrilled by the idea. At first, Eve and Katherine clash over many things and Eve regrets agreeing, until they find some common ground and end up getting close. When the threat of danger comes a little too close to home, Eve starts to realise she’d do anything to protect Katherine but at what cost.

As usual, I just adored this. It ticked all the boxes and was what I have come to know and love from Amanda Radley. It wasn’t quite the story I expected it to be but I loved that element of surprise and that it didn’t fit the stereotypical Bodyguard role type story. What is most important about this story is to stress that although it has a romance element that doesn’t overtake the story. Amanda Radley always keeps the story simple and that really works.

Katherine and Eve work well as a team, and had a little tension at first but I didn’t sense too much of it other than when each of them were surmising how one another felt about the other’s presence. For me, that really worked. Often that is what happens, you tell yourself you don’t like someone or they don’t like you because of a situation or something you have learned about them but it just isn’t the case. Eve was loyal and professional, always. That exactly the quality needed for someone in her line of work and I admired her for it. Katherine was the one who surprised me though and I am so glad she was the type of person she was. Quite often, those with titles or high society status because of family or their career are either overbearing or have to front things out and Katherine, being more of the humble type was refreshing. There is so much about Katherine to be admired and adored, and once you get to know her you’ll love her as much as I did.

Another great story from Amanda Radley that I recommend. A lovely, cute romance, with a little drama and intensity, and some funny moments too. Just another book I couldn’t put down.

This began as a terror story but ended much different. Eve was asked to safe guard the daughter of a British Judge who was threatened by the criminals for a case he was judging. The characters seem different but overcome their differences to finally get to know one another. Katherine is descended from royalty but is trying to find her own way. When she is given Eve to protect her, she is angry and put out. The plot is good with emotions and action involved.
I enjoyed the book and the author does a good job of setting the scenes and emotions. I would recommend this book for romance lovers.
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.

I dont care much for this trope to be honest but I have read every book of this author so I still know even if the plot is not my favourite I will still lile it. And this has been the case here as always. Maybe its not my favourite book of her but it is still very good and I would definietely recommend. Thanks as always.

3 stars. While I’m a fan of Radley’s writing, this book fell flat for me.

Disenchanted with her job as a Protection Command Officer, Eve Webb (~30s) quits and moves to Tokyo for a more free-spirited lifestyle. A few years later, her old boss tracks her down to tell her she’s the right woman for a close protection job. Eve is hesitant to step away from her new life, but she can’t refuse the attractive sum of money. Even though a death threat was sent her way, distantly royal Lady Katherine Lovegrove (42) isn’t keen on being confined to her home, and she makes sure everyone knows. Eve isn’t happy about protecting a royal, and Katherine isn’t happy about Eve’s presence in her life, so the two get off to a rocky start.

As always, Amanda Radley’s writing is breezy, concise, and readable. She does an amazing job pairing snarky, uptight characters and wholesome, feel-good vibes. Major and minor characters alike are treated with dignity and respect, and her books carry a particular air of kindness.

I like how forced proximity allows Eve and Katherine to begrudgingly accept each other and amend their incorrect assumptions. While Katherine acts out rudely at the start of the book, I can see why she does so, even though I think some of it is over-the-top. She eventually starts to warm up to Eve when she realizes how committed Eve is to protecting her. Eve gets to know Katherine as a hardworking and generous person, and I like how Eve is self-aware enough to admit to herself that she’s not as good at “judging a book by its cover” as she thought she was.

Unfortunately, I think “bland” is the best descriptor for the romance (and not due to the lack of sex scenes, which is something I love about Radley’s books). I felt absolutely no chemistry and there isn’t enough romantic content for me to feel invested. The MCs start to acknowledge their feelings of love shockingly fast, to the point where I almost burst out laughing because it felt so weird. I couldn’t figure out why they’re suddenly attracted to each other, much less where on earth love came from.

Though this book involves a (literally!) life-or-death plot, I can’t say I felt any strong emotions while reading. I think that this book could have packed much more of an emotional punch, but it just didn’t for me whatsoever. Maybe it’s because, while the MCs are nice, I wasn’t really able to connect with either of them. Honestly I think my favorite character is Eve’s sister Paula, who’s adorable, sweet, and fun (though Eve definitely got some badass points from me when she recruited that staple gun to her team!).

While Protecting the Lady was only okay for me, Radley’s writing is always a joy to read. Since I really enjoyed the other two books I’ve read by her, I think my next Radley read will be better.

content warnings: abduction, blood, death of a parent (past, off-page), death threats, guilt, gun shots/gun violence, minor injuries, mentions of cancer, physical assault, suicide (past, off-page), terrorist attack (past, off-page)

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book Ms Radley has done with BSB’s and it’s decidedly better then her first. Don’t get me wrong, I happen to be a big fan of the books already published by Ms Radley. This book is more like I expect a book from this author to be.
Great MC’s with a good plot. Lady Katherine Lovegrove was born into royalty being 40 something in line for the throne. Normally we don’t see or hear much from someone so far from the crown. But she also happens to be the daughter of Sir Michael Lovegrove, a well known judge with a sterling reputation. Now he’s about to pass a sentence upon a member of one of the biggest crime families in England. The gang knows they can’t take the judge out of contention without stirring up a lot of other investigations. Maybe they can get him to change his mind if they kidnap his daughter Katherine. He will do everything he can to protect her.
Eve Webb was a Protection Command Officer, that was until she became disillusioned with everything when she realized the organization she worked for had some serious problems with the way they shared information with others in the same line of work. Her answer ‘go to Japan and start over again’, and so far it’s working out rather well for her. The one problem this caused is having a limited amount of time with her sister who still lives in London. When her former boss contacts her to come back to the job, or at least until Lady Katherine is safe. A big problem with the assignment is her feelings regarding the well to do and their easy life while so many are the have-nots.
Eve finally decides she’ll take the assignment but that doesn’t mean she has to like Katherine. Katherine, in the meantime, does not want to have a ‘baby sitter’. Now the fun begins. This is one of Radley’s talents that shines through. Great read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books.

This was an enjoyable enemies to lovers book. It took me a little while to appreciate anything about Katherine, but I imagine that's exactly how the author wanted it. She did grow on me as the storyline progressed. I appreciated how even though they both had feelings for each other they were respectful of the responsibilities and obligations before moving forward. All in all it was a great book. I'd be happy to read a sequel that involves Eve's sister! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a light romcom read, especially as the days start getting darker. This was a nice, quick read that fit that enjoyment. Protecting the Lady follows Eve Webb as she returns for one last job as a body guard for Lady Katherine Lovegrove. Eve was one of the best in her field before she witnessed a terrorist attack. in London and left the job for a new life in Japan. An old friend's request for help to protect a high profile client brings Eve back to her old life and into Katherine's orbit. Katherine, on the other hand, is a high born lady and less member of the English royal family. When her father, a judge, is set to hear a case involving a high profile crime family, it is Katherine that is targeted in retaliation.

There was a lot of promise in this book that did not quite reach what I was looking for right now. From the start, Eve admits a bias against the upper nobility and I was honestly thrilled to see a challenge to Katherine's entitlement. Instead, it's Eve that the book pushes to claim ignorance and who is made to apologize over and over again for her reactions to Katherine. Each time, Katherine is the one who is wronged as she makes Eve's job harder. There is not a balanced growth line for the two women.

Radley does take the close proximity trope and the bodyguard/protected situation and presents a much more professional approach than I expected to see from this book. Eve is deeply aware of her position in the world of the book. She is aware of the power that comes specifically with her role in Katherine's life and does everything she can to put Katherine's safety and comfort above her own feelings. I found this approach to be a nice read.

Overall, it was a nice read. I had fun and it didn't drag which is really the bar I want from a romance novel.

What do you get when you have a button-upped, reluctant bodyguard and a minor member of the Royal family who doesn’t want all the fuss? Answer: a ripping good story if it’s Protecting the Lady by Amanda Radley.

Eve Webb is living in Tokyo teaching languages after distinguished service as a Protection Command Officer. Her former commander comes from London to ask her to do a job for his private company. Eve has had her fill of the precious, whiney, rich people she used to protect. But Charles wouldn’t come to Tokyo to get a no and as a personal favor, she agrees. She should have asked more questions because she would not have agreed to guard a Lady. Especially one who doesn’t want her help, questions every decision, and resents her being there.

Lady Katherine Lovegrove has struggled to make her own way at a top boutique event planning company. Just because her father has been receiving threats doesn’t mean she has to interrupt her life. Threats come with being a royal – she’s had plenty of them before and nothing’s happened. Now she has a bossy babysitter, who makes decisions without consulting her, and intrudes in every aspect of her life.

When circumstances arise that make staying in London too dangerous, Eve takes Katherine to the one place in the world she hates the most. Now it is even worse – there are armed guards outside, and she feels like she’s a prisoner. As Eve and Katherine get to know each other, they make surprising discoveries and eventually figure out a way to work together. Will Eve let her growing attraction to Katherine get in the way of keeping her safe? She’s already made that mistake once; she won’t allow it to happen again. As things escalate, will Eve be able to save Katherine from certain death?

I have been a fan of Amanda (A.E.) Radley for a long time. Protecting the Lady is now among my favorites. Both lead characters were fully realized and the secondary characters (especially Eve’s sister who’s a hoot) round out the story. The story is well-paced and leads to a frenetic climax. (Not that kind of climax, get your minds out of the gutter.) If you’ve never read a story by this author before, I highly recommend you start with this one. And to you who have read her before, stop reading this review and go read it.

Another hit by Amanda Radley. Lady Katherine Lovegrove finds she needs private security that she decidedly doesn’t want. Hating the invasion of her privacy she gives Eve Weber the challenging job of trying to protect someone who doesn’t want to be protected. These two came in with attitudes making for a modern day Pride and Prejudice with a twist. Eve and Katherine were very relatable characters and I loved reading about their adventure. As per usual from this author, the writing and plot were great and highly entertaining. I flew through this in one sitting and only wished it hadn’t ended. Can’t wait for the next one from Amanda Radley!

This was a very good book. The main characters were very interesting people. I loved that one was a normal citizen and the other was part of the Royal family. The character of Eve was so compelling, I loved that she was portrayed as very smart strong and savvy and part of a personal protection company that was guarding Katherine due to a threat on her life. Katherine who is part of the Royal family, her character was a bit more snobbish, but only in the best way, she also came across as very generous and caring and loving, also once you got to know her you just had to like her. The relationship between Eve and Katherine was very sweet and kind of innocent. There wasn't much intimacy shown, but you could feel their love for each other, even without any love scenes. too show it. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family, and I can't wait for the next book by this author.

Reasonably enjoyable read that flows along nicely in places. Like Eve, I’m not a massive fan of royalty, especially when it moves down the line beyond the top honchos, but this inequitable hierarchy was dealt with well and I liked the way Eve’s feelings evolved. The action scenes were good, but sadly very brief. Having built up the image of an enigmatic bodyguard, I think more action would have enhanced the plot. The relationship didn’t seem to have enough build up either and neither women acted their age. Good storyline and ideas, but the writing and the characters needed more depth.

Who doesn't love a good bodyguard story! Especially when the protector falls for the client they have sworn to protect. The story was a well written slow burn romance that grabbed my interest from the first page. I found it quite engaging even though it wasn't focus on the romance and read it in one sitting. I definitely recommend, 4.5 stars


I received an ARC copy from the publisher Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a big Radley fan but “Protecting the Lady” was a disappointment for me. I wanted to read this for the bodyguard/forced proximity trope that I love but unfortunately this didn’t really live up to that trope. Eve Webb is called back to her old job as a professional protection officer when Lady Katherine Lovegrove’s life is put in danger.

The thing I loved about the bodyguard trope is the forced proximity and how it leads to the love interests getting to know each other while dealing with a difficult/stressful situation. The thing that was lacking here was that Eve and Katherine spend very little time with one another and there is very little dialogue between them. On top of that, Eve comes with some prejudices because of Katherine’s birthright and their conversations mostly center around that. I just couldn’t understand how a romance was supposed to develop with the very little that was given.

There are some good bones to a story here but I wish there was much more substance and depth to the relationship.

I can’t honestly recommend this romance as I think Radley has much better ones out there.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review has been posted to goodreads and will be on amazon upon publication:

I’m a massive sucker for a sapphic romance and the bodyguard/protection trope, so Protecting the Lady definitely satisfied my craving. Amanda being the award-winning veteran author that she is delivers a seamless and compelling love story between two women from vastly different worlds. It had all the features and plot points of a great bodyguard romance and I absolutely ate it up. The characters were compelling and their relationship progressed at a reasonable pace.

It’s all of these elements I loved are also why I’m giving it four stars. It was solid, but quite predictably so. While engaging I felt overall it was a little bit flat. The characters had fun and unique qualities but were a bit shallow. This book took us through the motions and gave lovers of contemporary romance what they wanted.

I think it’s a good read for romance readers who don’t know what they feel like reading next. This story will remind them what they like in a good romance.

Who needs protection? Royalty needs protection even if you are well removed from ever sitting on the throne. I enjoyed the story line. I thought it was refreshing and interesting. Lady Katherine Lovegrove (fun name), buttoned up yet desires to live as normal of a life as she can. She even has a job and lives in an apartment. She also would not mind being in a relationship.

Former Protection Command Officer Eve Webb, lives in Japan doing odd and end jobs. Eve agrees to come back as an protection command officer because her former boss, Charlie needs her. As the story unfolds, I wanted and expected more romance. I know this author fades-to-black but she does awesome with romance, and unfortunately, it was lacking. You could say the romance was lacking because Eve was very serious and devoted to her job which is noble but it held back the story. Although this read was a miss for me, I intend to continue to read this author's stories.

A quick, nice easy read. While this wasn't the book of the year for me, it was a nice opportunity to read something light-hearted and relaxing.

At first I didn't find any kind of spark between Eve and Katherine, but as the book went by I warmed up to them.
In the same way, I found Katherine immature at first, but she showed her true character throughout the book and became more likeable.

Thank you netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a review

The bodyguard falling in love with the person they’re protecting has been done a few times but this was a very well written take on it. It was a very slow burn, which helped build up the chemistry between the main characters. Both of them were likeable and had interesting back stories, although Eve being at the Seven Dials attack was only mentioned briefly and could have been embedded more into the story or just omitted. We didn’t have anything more than a brief kiss between the two characters which I think was a shame and a missed opportunity, but nevertheless it was a very engaging book which I couldn’t put down. I hadn’t read anything from this author before and I look forward to reading her next work.

Eve Webb walked away from her former job of working for the Diplomatic Protection branch of Protection Command. Her former boss, now working in the private sector, has one last job that only she can do. Protect Lady Katherine Lovegrove.
The premise of the story is very original and entertaining. Eve has a chip on her shoulder a mile wide for anything to do with the Royals. Lady Lovegrove does not want a babysitter. The conflict between Eve and Katherine is the result of their opinions and a good basis for this enemy to lover romance.
Radley’s writing is solid and what you expect if you have read any of her many novels. She quickly grabs your interest and into the story you go. The turn from enemy to friends did happen quickly however I can see that as their situation was under high stress with life and death in the balance that emotions are amplified.
Despite the darker theme of Protecting the Lady this is an enjoyable light read. Both main characters are interesting and likeable and you can never go wrong reading an Amanda Radley book.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.