I really enjoyed this story, although parts of it seemed a little unrealistic, wouldn't Jack's parents wonder why their house has security cameras popping up all of the sudden? And would hostage negotiation on a rooftop really go that smoothly (minus the GSW)? And would Glenn really speak to employees the way he did? All that to say, I was thoroughly entertained and rooting for the sweet couple till the end. And I always love watching a protagonist be pulled in by a large, loving family.

I wanted to like this book, I love the fake dating troupe, but I just could not get into this book. I found Hannah so annoying. I know she was supposed to be a grown adult but she always sounded like a 17 year old. It just never came together for me, and the asides where Hannah seemed to talk to the reader just became annoying and unnecessary.

Y'all, I love a Katherine Center romance, and I was so excited to have the chance to get an early look at her newest one! First of all, I loved that the bodyguard referred to in this title was a woman, and this role played a central role in driving the plot. Second, I just loved the couple at the center of this one. As they pretended to be a couple in the name of safety and security, I was rooting so darn hard for them. In addition to the love story, the nature of the bodyguard dynamics meant this one had some thrills in addition to its feels. This is just such a great blend of romance and twists and a captivating plot with characters that will just sweep you away!

This was a captivating and engaging book. It is beautifully written and grabbed my attention right away. 
The Bodyguard is an amusing, delightful tale with a splendid cast of characters, beautiful scenery, delicious romance, and delectable treats that is undeniably the perfect choice for any sunny, summery day.
Once I started reading The Bodyguard I could not put it down.
I loved the writing, the characters, the story - everything.
It was just the right balance of everything I was hoping for here.
If you love vivid writing, romance, humor, and characters who are so alive, you just have to meet them, read this book.

St. Martin's Press,
Thank You for this eARC!
I will post to my platforms closer to pub date!

You gotta love Katherine Center. She knows how to write emotions better than most, and I was actually surprised that at no point during this book did I cry even a little bit—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You get to know the characters so well and you really feel what they’re feeling. At one point, there was a twist that literally had me gasp out loud and quickly wonder where the story was going, which make it all the more enjoyable. I really don’t want to spoil anything by writing too much, so I’m just going to say that fans of Center won’t be disappointed, and anyone looking for a love story with great characters and a full range of emotions should pick it up when it hits shelves on July 19—which is so far from now, but worth the wait.

4.5 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE everything Katherine Center. I felt that this book was different, interesting, new, and thoroughly entertaining. The combination of a little suspense wrapped up with the warm fuzzy Hallmark Movie feeling. Consistently, if I am stressed out with day-to-day life and need an escape, I am confident that one of her books will do the trick. If she writes it, I will read it.

Hannah is a bodyguard who travels the world protecting clients. She is assigned to Jack, a well-known actor, who comes back to Texas to help his mom who was diagnosed with cancer. Jack doesn't want to worry his mom and let her know that he has a bodyguard so he asks Hannah to pose as his girlfriend. Along the way Jack and Hannah develop a strong connection. Is Jack acting? Or are his feelings real?

I love the fake dating troup so I was ready to love this book before I even picked it up!

Hannah is sent to be Jack's bodyguard to protect him from a crazy stalker. The two have to stay on Jack's family farm for a few weeks so they pretend to date so they don't worry his family.

this was such a cute rom-com and could be easily adapted to one of your favorite netflix movies.
I enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this book.

This was so good, I am never let down by Katherine Center and this title held up to that! Such a sweet story line with a love to hate character, and a very fun plot.

Katherine Center, I LOVED THIS BOOK! The Bodyguard is about Hannah Brooks who is working as an Executive Protection Agent who is living the dream until it comes crashing down around her. With a new post abroad on the line, Hannah knows she has to prove she's the best for the job. However, Jack Stapleton, famous actor, is not at all who she is expecting to be guarding. Jack is as unwilling as they come and worse, he thinks the threats he's receiving are low-level pranks. He genuinely takes it all with a light-hearted attitude. To protect him best, Hannah is forced to pose at Jack's bodyguard as he returns home to see his ill mother. Jack hasn't been seen much in years and family secrets start to bubble close to the surface with Jack's return. Are you interested yet? You should be. Sprinkle in the fact that Jack is a hottie and Hannah is a force to be reckoned with and things quickly get interesting.

This is the first novel by Katherine Center that I have read and I sure plan to read more since this was such a fun book to read. I've been really striking out with novels recently and The Bodyguard fixed that! I stayed up well into the night to finish reading it. I couldn't put it down. The characters are fun, the banter is enjoyable, and the sizzle is hot. The only thing I could have done without was the epilogue. It was just a bit too unrealistic for me. The way these two find ways to get to know one another is pure joy to read within the pages of this book. I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait to see what Katherine Center writes next!

Katherine Center just keeps getting better & better! Loved this book and couldn't put it down. I really enjoy the author's focus on females in male dominated industries. The love story was great and really believable despite the movie star angle. Had fun imagining who would play the characters in a movie version:)

This book was exactly what I needed!!!
I devoured this book- I couldn't put it down. I LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED it!!!!!

The Bodyguard is a clean romance filled with drama, acceptance, A lister client and a kick a** female bodyguard!
I loved Hannah and Jack so much. I smile so big thinking of them and their unique start to their arrangement.... which neither of them want. Especially-- Hannah who wants to be on another assignment completely!

If you're looking for a truly amazing book you will want this one because it's filled with:
Page turning moments,
Amazing family (Jack's - one of a kind!)
FUNNY moments (COW COW COW and More COW) HAHAHAHA
Awesome Action
likable characters
and ROMANCE!!

I highly recommend this book! As it also deals with self acceptance! What a wonderful book all the way around. Can't stress enough how much I loved this book from start to finish!!!

6 stars from me! (Can I give 6? Idk... but I just did!!)

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for an early copy for me to read/review!!!

The Bodyguard is a cute story that feels a bit grumpy meets sunshine. The characters were delightful, though I found to plot to be predictable at times. While it’s generally light, it does go into tough topics like grief.

Katherine Center does it again! This book was impossible to put down. The setting and the characters were so much fun and I couldn’t get enough! I loved this one from start to finish and would’ve read the whole thing in one sitting if I had time. Thank you to St. Martin’s and Netgalley for my review copy.

Oh hell no! This is the first time I’m giving a new Katherine Center book less than five stars! But hear me out my friends: this book could be easily adapted into Netflix romcom screenplay and with the best cast choices, it could be a hit.
So I applied my formula when I read a little unreliable story and I imagined it as a movie script and started to make my own cast list.

They may cast three Emmas ( Roberts- Stone- Watson) for the leading woman/executive protection agent/ bodyguard Hannah Brooks( my choice for leading lady who play Hannah is Awkwafina : because I’m dying to see this amazing actress in a romcom) and Jack Stapleton: broken hearted, sweet, caring, box office actor should be played by Chrises ( Hemsworth- Pine- Evans, I’m skipping Pratt! and my personal choice is always Evans who wears white knitted sweater best than any human being)

The plot line of this story is a little far fetched: an ambitious, workaholic exe. protection agent who lately buried her mother and dumped by her coworker- extra douche boyfriend, is hired by the production company to protect the well being of their number one asset: their leading actor Jack Stapleton who lost his brother three years ago, laying low, coming back to his hometown Austin to take care of her mother who suffers from cancer. But he has a woman stalker who has creative ways to disturb him. He doesn’t want his family worry about his situation and Hannah doesn’t want him out of sight so she reluctantly makes a deal to act like a girlfriend in front of Jack’s family! But you may guess the rest: both of them fell for each other but Hannah deals with her own insecurities and baggage about her family. Jack still suffers from guilt about losing his brother, nightmares, estrangement with his big brother.

I found the plot with lots of cliches. At some parts I couldn’t even connect with Hannah. But when we see some parts about her past and the drama about her family, I started resonating with her. On the other hand: Jack of Texan sweetheart: he was amazing from the beginning.

As supporting characters: Jack’s family is amazing. I always enjoy the books or movie scripts about a lonely woman who gets adopted by big and lovely family of hero like Bullock’s While you were sleeping.

On the other hand : agent team gave me creeps: especially Robby and so called best friend Taylor were one dimensional extra mean people without any backbone.

Glenn’s full name reminds me of high quality bourbon brand and I liked his sadistic ways to torture his team members ( Bob Odenkirk played his role in my head) and quick witted Kelly was my one of my favorites( I casted Kate McKinnon and I loved her character more)

Overall: sweet, pop corn book, a little different from the previous works of the author: still entertaining, enjoyable. For the love of Jack : I rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 Texan, Dolly Patron’s I will always love you stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Hannah Brooks is a hired protector. She may not look like it but she can kill you with a bottle opener, a napkin, a safety pin, anything. She loves her job; the intrigue and travel. So when her assignment is in her hometown with stud actor Jack Stapleton , she is less than thrilled.

Katherine Center just has a way of writing that warms my heart. I have enjoyed all her books. This one was no exception. I loved the characters and the plot. Learning about security detail was fun. Even though it was a cheerful book, there was sad back history the characters had to work through. There was even a small twist I wasn’t expecting!

“I blame the sunshine. And the long grass. And that endless, gentle breeze over the pasture.”

The Bodyguard comes out 7/19.

I absolutely adored this book. It is feel-good, laugh and swoon and smile and stay up late to finish five-star quality rom com greatness.

This ain't your mother's bodyguard! (If you were hoping for Kevin Costner check out Yellowstone). Here The Bodyguard is a woman, the client she is assigned to protect a superstar (and super sexy) actor. All right, this is a gender-bending take on the 1992 Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner classic, but the only thing they have in common is the title (and in a sentimental nod to the late singer, the story takes place in Houston). While The Bodyguard movie was all divas, drama, and darkness, Katherine Center's novel is sweet, simple, sunny. Even the stalker Hannah Brooks is trying to keep away from Jack Stapleton is more charming than chilling. But the storyline of an overzealous fan sending handknit sweaters and nude photos to a man she's never met is really the subplot. The Bodyguard is more about family, loyalty, and dealing with devastating loss-things that transcend fame and fortune. It reads like a Hallmark movie, but that's ok. Sometimes less is more, and in The Bodyguard only a few truly suspenseful chapters means an abundance of joyful moments. While Jack and Hannah are delightful characters, you will fall in love with Jack's parents William and Connie. They almost steal the show from their world famous son. The Bodyguard is the feel good novel of 2022. And we're all ready for more feel good moments in the coming year.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the gifted book!

Well Katherine Center does it again. How she manages to write these endearing sweet love stories with just enough of real life peppered in is beyond me. I am not a big romance reader but I cannot get enough of her books. They are low steam, but the kisses are enough to have you fanning yourself. In this one I kept being delightfully surprised at the twists and turns of the plot. And the main characters were *chef's kiss* perfection.

Content warning: parental death, stalking, alcoholism, cancer, suicidal thoughts

A famous superstar, a strong woman, life lessons and a heartbreakingly real romance all rolled into one feel good story. What's not to love? THE BODYGUARD delivers with a bang right out of the gate. No fooling around for this award-winning author. The story stars Hannah Brooks, a pretty lady who is deceptively dangerous. Her looks deceive and that is why she is coveted by top notch companies the world over. Trained to kill with a single stroke of a pen, Hannah gets the job done right as an Executive Protection Agent. Her latest assignment is to protect a big name actor, Jack Stapleton, from a crazy stalker. Only this job isn't the norm, she must act as his girlfriend. Will things go haywire?

Jack Stapleton is a famous actor with abs of steel and oodles of charisma. He goes underground, stops acting and goes home to his parents ranch to help with his mom. After his mom gets sick, Jack's priorities shift. Spending time with his family is more important. Jack brings a fake date, Hannah home with him. He keeps Hannah's real identity a secret to protect his family, not wanting to instill fear about his alleged stalker. His mom needs time to heal and recuperate.

Being in close quarters with a devastatingly handsome superstar has its drawbacks. Hannah's unattended heart is not so strong, she finds out. This job feels like a real relationship, which is bad. She's trained to do a job, not have feelings. She is an expert at protecting, but when it comes to her own heart?
She realizes it wasn't smart tackling this assignment, because her heart is falling for the accomplished actor. Jack is totally smitten with beautiful Hannah and her superior abilities. But, the question is, is it the real thing?

THE BODYGUARD is crazy sensational! Fake dating is a favorite of mine, so I was hooked from the start! There is suspense, danger, drama, family problems, humor, romance and realistic relationship problems. The author delivers an exceptional story that's filled with every nuance and difficulty available. I was reeling from the drama and emotional overload! Every scene was detailed explicitly and conversation was explosive. If you like heated arguments, intense feelings, a sneaky romance with family drama, this is the book for you! I absolutely loved it! THE BODYGUARD is simply perfection!