Hannah Brooks is an executive protection agent. A bodyguard. Hannah may look like a kindergarten teacher on the outside, but she’s highly trained and highly alert. And her life is mostly put together. Until it falls apart. Hannah is assigned to guard movie star Jack Stapleton, an on-screen hero she’s gawked at and maybe even fantasized about from afar. But the actor will be nothing like the characters he portrays, right? Much to Hannah’s dismay, Jack seems even nicer in real life than he does on screen. Surely he’s just acting, but she finds herself falling for him.

Jack has his own troubles. Nightmares, a shady past situation that ended in tragedy, and threats to his safety. He’s estranged from his brother, and his mom’s days may be numbered. He doesn’t want a bodyguard, but he grudgingly accepts. To keep his family from worrying, Jack pretends Hannah is his new girlfriend. Hannah may be guarding him, but is she also guarding her heart?

I expected this book to be cozy and witty, and it was. What I didn’t expect was to find any depth. I thought it would be a quick, warm-fuzzies read, and it was, but the main characters were vibrant and realistic. The prose was clever. The plot was deeper than it first appeared to be. I loved this book as a fun escapist read, but I also grew to love the main characters. I was surprised by plot twists. I adored Jack’s mom as a secondary character. The only thing I could’ve done without was some strong language. In a book that’s meant to be cozy, I think a few words starting with d and sh would have been better than words starting with f and J. The language makes the book lose a star for me. All in all, this was a fun, witty read, and I enjoyed the story and the writing style. This is the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center, but it probably won’t be the last. The Bodyguard gets a solid 4 stars from me.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Originally reviewed at: https://www.powerwordsediting.com/the-bodyguard

Such a lovely book! First of all, I loved reading this from a woman bodyguard's perspective. When I saw that SHE was the bodyguard, I was like: SIGN ME UP! This story is hilarious and our main couple has a ton of chemistry. At the same time, it address some difficult family conflict, death of a family member from both sides of the couple, and searching for the answer of: am I worthy of love? Will I ever find it? Our main couple Hannah and Jack are so loveable and hilarious. They grow together and help each other be more honest and open. Love them!!

some content warnings (please look up all!) : cancer, death of 2 secondary characters (happened previously), car accident (described in detail), gun violence, stalking, mentions of past domestic abuse

This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Things have been rough for personal protection agent Hannah lately. Her mom died and her boyfriend dumped her, to name two. She anticipates more misery when she is assigned to protect Jack Stapleton, a reclusive Hollywood heartthrob. The kicker about this assignment is that Jack doesn't want to worry his family by telling them he needs protection, so instead Hannah must pretend to be Jack's girlfriend while also being his bodyguard. As their fake relationship unfolds, Hannah realizes that her heart might need protecting just as much as Jack does.

I loved this. Like, I was honestly surprised just how hooked I was when I started this book. I do read the occasional romance, though it isn't my favorite genre, but it's books like this one that remind me why I pick up romances. I loved the dynamic between Hannah and Jack. They had fun together while also being there for each other emotionally.

Sometimes with fake dating romances, and really romances in general, the miscommunication trope is too central and/or unrealistic and hurts the story. This was not an issue in The Bodyguard. While there was a bit of doubt and unspoken feelings, Hannah and Jack came across as adults who were willing to have honest conversations with one another, as opposed to some stories where the characters literally won't communicate.

I also liked the inclusion of some themes like grief and self-reflection. It added depth to the stories and characters without overshadowing the romance or making the story depressing.

Overall, this was truly a delightful time. Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this for this honest review!

Read this book if:

✨You've ever worn a night gown to bed
✨You're afraid of cows
✨You drink moonshine

✨Brief Summary✨

Hannah has had a tough year. Her mother died, her boss is forcing her to take time off, her boyfriend dumped her, and she's sleeping in her closet. To make matters even worse, her next assignment at work is to be the bodyguard for famous actor, Jack Stapleton. Except it's not an ordinary executive protection gig. Jack doesn't want his family to know he needs a security team. So instead, Hannah has to pretend to be Jack's girlfriend. Will Hannah be able to keep the corgi loving stalker at bay? Will she grow to enjoy her role as a fake girlfriend?

✨My Thoughts✨

I literally screamed when I found out I got approved for an advanced reader copy of @katherinecenter 's newest novel. She is legitimately one of my favorite authors. This book lived up to the hype I gave it in my head and much more.

Y'all know I live for books that can make me laugh out loud. I was giggling to myself during several scenes in this book. The banter between Jack and Hannah was #goals.

I liked that this wasn't your typical romance novel. I've never read a book with a woman in a bodyguard role so it was fun to see that play out. Hannah was such a badass and was an empowering female lead.

Although there were a lot of silly parts, the book did touch on some serious topics as well. The author discussed how grief can tear apart a family. My heart went out to the Stapleton family who lost one of their three sons. Katherine did a great job of weaving this into the storyline. I felt as though the tough scenes were imperative to the character development.

Do yourself a favor and go preorder The Bodyguard right MEOW. The book comes out July 19 and you better believe I'm getting myself a physical copy to lend to all my friends and family 👏

❓What's your favorite Katherine Center book?

Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for letting me read The Bodyguard by Katherine Center in advance for an honest review. I have read all of Katherine Center’s books. I have loved them all. And this is no exception. She writes witty and skillful dialogue that ensures me knowing I’d be happy reading her grocery list.

You can read the book synopsis anywhere so I won’t blather on about that but let me just say: it’s laugh out loud funny, smart, and readable as heck. I stayed up past my bedtime reading this even though I didn’t want it to end.

Personally, Katherine is just an incredibly nice and approachable author. I sent her a picture of my DuckFeet boots (and my dog in the background) to her Instagram and she sent the sweetest reply. I wish I lived in Texas so we could personally design some of Wilbur’s birdhouses.

I ‘m your number one fan and I know we could be great friends (not in a creepy stalker-ish way) and I promise you I don’t know where you live and I won’t knit any corgi sweaters.

Please keep writing as I can’t wait for your next book. I would give you seven stars if I could instead of the measly 5 the ratings here top out at.

Ok I lovedddd this book! I read it in one day. I’m sad it’s over. I want Netflix to pick it up as a movie with Anna Kendrick as Hannah. Running to read more by Katherine Center as this was my first but definitely won’t be my last!!

The Bodyguard is Katherine Center at her best. This book has so much heart. It made me laugh out loud at some points and tear up at others. It manages to be emotional, romantic, light hearted and poignant all at the same time. Absolutely fantastic!

"Wow. There was something so inspiring about being so underestimated."

Losing the three most important people in her life, all in the same month absolutely devastated Hannah Brooks. Enter a new assignment at work, where she's expected to play movie star Jack Stapleton's girlfriend in front of his family as her cover for being his bodyguard. "Though she be but little, she is fierce" and used to being underestimated at her job. She doesn't let that stop her in proving to Jack just how capable she is. As they grow closer, they both let their walls come down and become friends - despite Hannah's better judgement. Being on assignment is different than being in the real world, as lines blur, it becomes more difficult to discern the difference.

I loved the character growth in Hannah and in Jack. Self love really is the best medicine and having someone who sees the best and the worst in you and still settles in for the ride is incredible. I found Hannah to be very real, her very personal and heartfelt flaws and all. I loved seeing her grow and finally taking a vacation. Jack being the casual kind of protective and the way their friendship grew as they slowly peeled back each other's layers. It was a sweet, slow burn friends to lovers, it was wonderful.

The Bodyguard has it all - witty humor, forced proximity, one bed on a ranch in the middle of 500 acres. Sensational.

"I feel like I've been lost all my life until now - and somehow with you I'm just . . . found."

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for this ARC. I enjoyed it immensely and can't wait for it to publish!

I have loved every book of Katherine Center's that I have read, and The Bodyguard is no exception. The story centers on Hannah Brooks who is assigned to be the bodyguard of Jack Stapleton, an actor who does not want or feel like he needs a bodyguard. Jack is going through a bit of a rough time. He is still mentally recovering from his younger brother's death and his own guilt over it. Jack's mom is undergoing Cancer treatment and Jack doesn't want his mom to worry about any potential stalkers that he might have. Hence, he wants Hanna to pose as his girlfriend. Hannah's own mother has recently died and her colleague/boyfriend dumped her the day of the funeral. To top it all off, Hannah is competing with her ex for a potential position in London and needs to successfully complete her assignment. Hanna's and Jack definitely have chemistry and what starts off as an assignment that Hannah didn't even want might end up leading her to her happily ever after.

When I started reading this one, I felt Hannah was going to be another quirky female whom I might not like much but thankfully it wasn't so. Jack, the movie star was beyond adorable and their relationship was cute. This is perfect for those who enjoy fake relationship, forced proximity and celebrity romance tropes. The whole settings of a ranch and them enjoying the nature was well written. I liked the emotional growth in Hannah and how she starts to live life rather than simply exist. It was a quick read and left me grinning quite a few times!

This book should definitely be a movie!! I've now read four Katherine Center books, and this definitely meets/exceeds all expectations. The main characters are very likeable and have a sweet, slow chemistry together. I loved Hannah because she is strong, emotional, and funny. I thought Jack was a great romantic interest because he was able to open himself up and had a lot of respect for Hannah. Also, I must admit I have a big soft spot for normal person/celebrity romances. My only holdup for this book is the evil ex, as he just seemed almost too cartoon villainy in his obnoxious ways. But overall, this is definitely a worthy read and I'm so happy I was able to get an ARC!!

I loved this unexpected plot line and gender swap on the classic bodyguard story (Katie Holmes and Mandy Moore, anyone?). And the book got at some very heavy, real themes of family trauma and loss. But even with all the right parts and lots of potential, I struggled with the writing style - it felt distant and I didn’t find the chemistry believable (so much so I thought for sure that Hannah would end up with Jack’s brother). Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I especially enjoyed The Bodyguard. I have read most of Katherine Center's books. This was one of the best. I highly recommend it.

I enjoy Katherine Center books so much and she’s still on a roll with this new release. The Bodyguard pulls you in instantly with likeable and well developed characters and the story is just so good. Such a nice and easy read for the warmer months!

Katherine Center is a must read for me. I loved this one so much. It was such a unique storyline with the protection agent and movie star. Some heavier topics are dealt with, and even though it was completely predictable, I just really enjoyed the ride. I loved Jack’s family so much. I would love to see a book about his brother. This could totally be made into a movie and I would be there for it.

Bottom Line: Read it!!!

**I received a copy of The Bodyguard from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Katherine Center wrote a sweet and emotional tale with such heart and love that I couldn't put it down.

After her mom dies and her boyfriend dumps her, Hannah Brooks is desperate to avoid her mess of a life and sink into work as an Executive Protection Agent, a bodyguard to wealthy corporate clients. In walks her next assignment, reclusive superstar actor Jack Stapleton who needs protection from a middle-aged stalker while visiting his sick mother. The catch: Jack wants Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend so his family won't know. Now Hannah must act the part, and decide whether Jack's just a really good actor or if the connection they seem to share is real.

I rarely read romances, but I am all over Katherine Center's love stories, especially since they aren't steamy at all. Don't expect quality literature here, but a cute engaging contemporary romance that won't make you think too much, but has the feel-good happily-ever-after ending you crave. I liked how Center flips the script, making Hannah the protector of the male protagonist. If you want a light easy rom-com without steamy sex scenes, The Bodyguard will be the perfect summer read for you.

While Hannah Brooks is renowned for guarding others, she's locked away her emotions. Remaining steadfast in her duty as a bodyguard, Hannah forgoes personal attachments. When she's selected as a famous movie star's bodyguard, she would rather have an international assignment to escape reality.

Judging by appearances, Jack is an entitled star that she's stuck protecting. Treating him like a regular person instead of a star, Jack respects her for being immune to his charm. Realizing that Jack is threatening to topple the walls she built, she's afraid to put her heart on the line. Will Jack be the one that can convince Hannah to star in her own life instead of remaining in the background?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of 'The Bodyguard' in exchange for an honest review. I'm a fan of Katherine Center's books and eagerly awaited her new novel. To be honest, I wasn't sure of the book's direction or my interest at its beginning. As I grew to care about Hannah and Jack, my opinion changed. The book needed that opening to fully appreciated Hannah's journey. Readers will realize that you can't judge a person or a book by its cover.

Excerpt from The Bodyguard:

You’re thinking I’m five-foot-five, and female, and nothing even close to brawny. You’re conjuring a stereotype of a bodyguard—maybe a club bouncer with skintight shirtsleeves squeezing his biceps—and you’re noting that I’m pretty much the opposite of that. You’re wondering how I could possibly be any good.

Let’s clear that up. Steroid-inflated bruisers are one type of bodyguard: a bodyguard for people who want the whole world to know they have a bodyguard. But the thing is, most people don’t.

Most clients who need executive protection don’t want anyone to know about it.
I’m not saying that the big guys don’t have value. They can have a deterrent effect. But they can also do the opposite. It all depends on the type of threat, to be honest.

Most of the time, you’re safer if your protection goes unnoticed. And I am fantastic at going unnoticed. All women EP agents are, which is why we’re in high demand. No one ever suspects us. Everyone always thinks we’re the nanny.

I do the kind of protection most people never even know is happening—even the client. And I’m the least-lethal looking person in the world. You’d think I was a kindergarten teacher before you’d ever suspect that I could kill you with a wine bottle opener."

A few chapters into this book, I nearly stopped reading. In the slow build up to the main storyline, the protagonist isn’t a particularly likable character and there are just too many words going nowhere. I’m glad that I stuck it out, because the story turned out to be surprisingly sweet and humorous.

Hannah, the lead character, excels in her career as a bodyguard. As a result of past trauma, she never truly lets others in until she is assigned to Jack and his family. It’s fairly clear that the two will end up together, and once their story got going I was hooked. The dialogue and scenes are fun, and I truly enjoyed the character development.

Although sweet and fitting, the ending was a bit long-winded.

I’d easily give this a five-star rating if the beginning and ending had been more strictly edited. Otherwise, it’s a book that I feel many patrons will enjoy. I certainly did.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for access to the ARC in exchange for a review.

Hannah is one of the best security agents at her firm but she's finally met her match with her latest assignment --- pretending to be Hollywood heart-throb Jack Stapleton's girlfriend while really protecting him from a stalker.

While she integrates herself further into the family, she finds herself opening up in a way that she never has before --- especially with a client. She has a harder time separating what's real and what's good acting, because she can't believe that someone like Jack would be truly interested in someone as ordinary as her.

This book was cute but would have loved a little more steam! I loved the friendship and the banter between these characters but didn't see the love connection I was hoping for.

Still an enjoyable beach read perfect for Summer 2022!