I’ve yet to read a book by Katherine Center that I haven’t liked! I adored this take on a bodyguard x celebrity romance. The forced proximity x forced to slow down was so good, and I loved watching these two naturally get to know and grow comfortable with each other.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.


What is it with me and light romance. I think it was so ingrained in me as a child that now whether it is a novel or a Hallmark Christmas movie, I just can’t get enough. And yes, Christmas in July is a thing people, check it out! But they have to cut the mustard, they can’t just be any old schlock. They have to cut the mustard. It isn’t just about the formula but there has to be something extra to give it some oomph. The Bodyguard not only cuts the mustard, it’s the whole sandwich. It has enough of everything to make you want to grab on with both hands and go for the ride.

Hannah is a bodyguard and life has been handing her lemons. Her mom died and then the night after the funeral her boyfriend dumps her. He not only dumps her, but he has to rip her to shreds before he dumps her. Oh, and they are both bodyguards and are now in direct competition for a job in London. Now Hannah has been given as assignment that anyone would drool over, guard Jack Stapleton. Sexiest Man Alive for two years in a row, movie star Jack Stapleton. To blend in to his world, she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. And so the story begins.

All the ingredients are there to make a light romance. The characters are likeable with some depth. Katherine Center always writes the best families. Hannah, having just lost her mother, becomes close to Jack’s family adding another dimension to the story. This isn’t one of those “I hate you, I love you” stories, but rather they just slowly fall for each other. They grow into love, which I seem to prefer. And, at the end of the day, who doesn’t want the world’s sexiest man, superhero to the world, abs for days kind of guy to fall in love with the ordinary girl. But Center’s writing is clever, Hannah has a sharp wit and she is very funny. So even though all this is happening, Hannah’s commentary is hilarious and adds quite a bit to the story.

Overall, a perfect afternoon read.

4 stars

I do not know why I don't stay up with Katherine Center's books. Maybe because I look at her as a romance writer? But when I read her I thoroughly enjoy the story. As I did this one.

Romance? Yes. But when I read Center I expect that. I often use Center's books as palate cleansers. There were spots in this story that I laughed out loud. And so much of her book is conversation - it goes so quickly.

A female bodyguard protecting a very famous movie star. Lying to family that they are a loving couple. The ups and downs of both emotions and situations keeps you turning pages. Laugh out loud funny in places. Great cozy romance.

Ok so this one was a little wishy washy for me. I was floored by the fact that the female main character was the bodyguard. I sometimes dive into a book without truly knowing what it’s about. So I assumed by the cover, it was the man that was the bodyguard. So that just goes to show, never judge a book by its cover! The romance level of this book was mediocre and not enough. It was watered down and weak in my opinion. But I liked the storyline. So it turned out to be a good book about how an “employer and employee” became friends.

Synopsis: After the death of her mother and subsequently being dumped by her boyfriend, Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard) Hannah Brooks is tasked with protecting a famous celebrity, Jack Stapleton, from a bizarre stalker.

Review: This book is so much fun! I adored the premise, with the gender-role swap. Jack and Hannah’s relationship was delightful and the climax might be one of my all-time favorites!

Overall, so much fun with just the right amount of heart.


Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was just pure sunshine. Funny, heartwarming, romantic and sprinkled with truths of humanity throughout. This may be my favorite Katherine Center book yet. I loved Hannah and Jack 🥰

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Katherine Center’s books are always a great palate cleanser with a bit of depth. I love that she puts real life situations in all of her books, and I appreciate a good closed door romance once in a while.

The whole bodyguard being a woman aspect was great! Faking to be his girlfriend? Chef’s kiss. The romance progressed so well it felt real and I loved it.

Overall Katherine Center’s books will always be must reads for me. They are light-hearted but also real.

Katherine Center is fantastic as always in this fun romp of a book. The main characters are well drawn, especially the female lead. Her position with the security agency and background doing secret ops makes her the perfect foil for her celeb protectee. The usual tropes of a “celebrity-normal person” romance are observed, but in a fresh way. The male lead doesn’t start out arrogant and it’s not an enemies-to-lovers story. More of a mismatch in lifestyles and it’s fun to read. The story also goes beyond the fish -out-of-water archetype for the female lead and instead creates a warm relationship without changing the essence of who she is. She goes through more of a realization and openness than a personality change. I really loved these characters!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-galley of this book in exchange for feedback.

This heartfelt rom-com delivers an emotional punch wrapped in witty banter, Texas charm, and unexpected twists. After betrayal by her best friend and ex, Hannah’s life takes another left turn when she’s hired to protect reclusive actor Jack Stapleton—under the cover of being his girlfriend. What starts as a fake relationship to keep Jack’s family in the dark slowly unfolds into something real, raw, and deeply romantic. Jack and Hannah’s chemistry crackles with every scene, from playful teasing to quiet vulnerability. While exes Robby and Taylor deserve a one-way ticket out of the story, it's Jack and Hannah who shine—healing each other’s wounds one corgi-filled crisis at a time. A warm, funny, and genuinely touching read.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a fun, sweet contemporary romance. Hannah is assigned to be Jack Stapleton's bodyguard. Jack is Hollywood heartthrob that has been having problems with a stalker. However, Jack doesn't want his family to know about his stalker so when his mom gets sick, Jack asks Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend for cover. All the relationships in the book were fantastic. This book definitely kept me hooked from the beginning.

I love a royal-universe romance! This was a really fun read, and I hope we continue to get more romances from Katherine long into the future!

I messed up by not reading this earlier when I received this. When I first started to read it, the first few pages were too sad for me at the time. I was right. You would need tissues for this book—triggers of death of family members.  The story was about Hannah, a private security guard, and Jack, the movie star she had to protect. It began the day after her mom's funeral when her boyfriend/co-worker dumped her. Too much sadness. With her job, she could divert her sadness to protecting Jack. What I loved was Jack.  He was kind and supportive. He knew how sensitive she was and was able to let her heal. He had a strange stalker who should have been in jail or counseling, at least. He took it all in stride. Hannah was a great main character.  She was tough and sweet at the same time. I enjoyed the romance. It was sweet and beautiful. I assumed her boss, Glen, gave her this job so she could have her happily ever after.  Which she richly deserved. The yucky parts were Robby and Taylor. They were dreadful people.  And they deserved each other. Honestly,  they were awful! I felt sorry for the stalker. Yet the resolution was satisfactory. The ending was terrific. Overall, the love story was filled with hope, love, and family. I always enjoy the author's books. This one didn't fail. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

I loved how the female MC became part of the male MCs family and the way that these two character's relationship progressed.

The Bodyguard is the age old tale of a female bodyguard tasked with keeping the sexiest man alive safe from stalkers and other nefarious folks. It was a fun, light read that kept me engaged and entertained. I would've liked to see a little more heat between the main characters, but it was a fun escape from reality.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is such a charming and heartwarming read!

This book delivers all the feel-good vibes with a side of witty banter and a dash of suspense.

Center's writing is delightful, and the characters are incredibly endearing. The fake relationship trope is executed perfectly, and the chemistry between the main characters is chef's kiss. The story had me laughing out loud and swooning in equal measure.

If you're looking for a book that will make you smile and feel all the warm fuzzies, this is a must-read!

Katherine Center’s books are always a fun ride! Delightful, lighthearted, charming, funny, and super cute! Couldn’t stop turning the pages!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. ❤️

Oh what a fun and cute read! Was it my usual sultry spicy kind of read? No. But it was still such fun! Maybe it's the southern girl in me who loved the Texas inclusion, or maybe it was the whip smart witty banter. Either way, this is an absolute must read for both old and new fans of Center. She just keeps getting better!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I adored this book, especially as a Texas native :) Loved everything about it! The gender swap is pretty funny here

This was a great, feel-good romance. I especially loved the family at the center of the novel. I’ll definitely read more Katherine Center.

Don't judge a book by its cover? What? We all do. With Katherine Center's books, especially. They are so delightful both inside and out. This one was no different in my opinion. It was a light, fun, romantic comedy that I could not get enough of. I love the idea of Hannah, the female lead, the one doing the protecting. This was a fun story, and being such a big Katherine Center fan, I had a pretty good idea how this author would end the novel. Sweet little palette cleanser for after you read and don’t know what to read next.