While Hannah Brook’s petite frame is deceiving, she works as an Executive Protective Officer (aka “bodyguard”), and she has just been hired to protect famous actor Jack Stapleton, who has returned to home to Texas to stay at his family’s ranch as his mother battles illness, However, Jack doesn’t want his family to know he’s hired a bodyguard, so Hannah poses as his girlfriend. As Hannah spends more times with Jack, the lines between what’s real and what’s pretend begin to blur, and she fears she’ll end up with a broken heart.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters, and Jack’s family dynamic, and thought the story was unique. The bodyguard aspect added a fun twist to the romance, and it was a great, fast-paced rom-com I’d definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted e-ARC!

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the role reversal (she's the bodyguard!) and the chemistry and humourous dynamic between the two main characters kept me thoroughly engaged and entertained. I'll be recommending this one to all my friends. Not a lot of steam - just kissing but didn't miss it.

The Bodyguard is about Hannah, a workaholic bodyguard, excuse me, an Executive Protection Agent, and she's hired to protect an a-lister celeb. Soon circumstances will push them closer and closer as they'll have to pretend to be dating.

I enjoyed reading this book so much, I finished it in one sitting! It's cute, romantic, emotional and even thrilling at times.

I've only read one other Katherine Center but I can already recognize her brand of romance and I love it! She writes great three-dimensional characters, and their emotional journey becomes just as important as the romance itself. And by the end you will find that you feel healed, wrapped in a warm blanket. Even though I generally like steamy romances, I never miss that in her clean romances.

Hannah, the main character was a great one to read. She's brilliant and strong. She knows what she wants and won't take shit from people. She's also struggling with losing people close to her and doesn't fully know how to deal with it other than grasping to her work harder and getting too busy to have time to feel anything. I loved that she was a bodyguard, not at all a job you usually read about in romances, and I loved that she loved her job so much. It was all quite nuanced.

The love interest Jack was fantastic too. He's a selfless, loving and funny guy who also doesn't quite know how to deal with his loss. He's the ideal fictional man, without being too unrealistically perfect.
I liked that the two characters had loss in common, but they were going through it in different ways. I thought that both of their emotional journeys were incredibly realistic, and I loved that they helped pulled each other out of their unhealthy habits. By the end, they were both changed for the better.

Some of the other characters were great as well. Jack's parents especially so. They were so in love, so supportive, so full of love for their family, and so strong too, while they're dealing with some scary possibilities. It also warmed my heart that Hannah felt so close to them and that they could act as good examples of a loving family for her.

At some point in the book Katherine Center fancast The Unhoneymooners (by Christina Lauren) with Jack the LI as the main character and that just tickled me so.

The only part that I didn't fully connect with was how/when Hannah falls in love with Jack. For me it went from he's an annoying actor dude I have to work for to I actually love him so fast that I had to flip back some pages to see if I missed something.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

I listened to the audiobook so I will be writing a review for that. I enjoyed the story very much. It was a light read and sometimes you just need to read a fun book that takes your mind off of all the crazy things going on in our country and world.

3.5 stars
Very sweet, cute story if a bit far-fetched. I have to say that this is my least favorite of Katherine Center's books. This could be made into a fun, rom-com flick, but I just felt like this book was like having an ice cream cone with sprinkles. A lot of sweetness, but ultimately forgettable.

I do think Hannah was an interesting narrator and I loved her internal dialogue. This is a nice, quick book for a summer afternoon for rom-com fans.

I have heard so many good things about this book, and after reading it, I understand why! This was a great novel, that I would definitely recommend trying!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

This was SUCH a fun set-up for a rom-com, and the execution paid off flawlessly! The scenario was fresh and even though it was outlandish, it was totally believable within the constraints of the story; I rooted endlessly for the characters to finally admit they loved each other and to make their romance work; and the themes of self-acceptance that emerged at the end were heartwarming and satisfying. A delight of a romance!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of The Bodyguard! The whole premise of this book was so interesting, so I was really excited about reading it, and it for sure did not disappoint!
The Bodyguard 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindgerten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.
He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.
They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.
What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.
I really enjoyed this book! It was such a fun read and I loved that Hannah was Jack's bodyguard- you don't normally see that many female bodyguards, so that was a fun aspect to things. I also just really liked Hannah and Jack in general as characters. I didn't really feel as though I knew too many of the other characters that Hannah worked with that well, but that's ok because the little I did know of them was so fun and I liked the workplace dynamics that they had. I also really liked Jack's family and how easily they accepted Hannah, even when they had no idea who she was. The whole stalker thing was interesting, but I was a little confused about some of the details with the person who ended up being the stalker (did it at all impact how much I enjoyed things or anything about the story? Absolutely not). I really enjoyed Jack and Hannah's relationship and how it built and how they interacted with each other. Overall, The Bodyguard was just a really solid, fun read and I highly suggest checking it out today!

5⭐️ does not come close to describing how good this read was!! 🫶🏻🥰 Okay, let me contain myself lol

The Bodyguard was the epitome of a Rom-Com. Perfect balance! The writing format that the author chose was chefs kiss! It felt as if the main character, Hannah, and I met up for coffee and told me the story of how she worked for the well known celebrity, Jack Stapleton! Hannah and I are besties 🫶🏻 Loved Jack, although I did keep on calling him Jack Skellington instead of Jack Stapleton lol idk why my brain did that! But who wouldn’t love to meet a cute ass celebrity who ends up being as cute in real life! That’s every fan fictions 💦 dream! Aside from the MC, the rest of the characters were pretty great too! You hated the ones that were meant to be hated and loved the rest. (Bless Connie!) I also loved how Hannah stood up for herself every time “Flobby” was a jerk! I’ve read other books where the MC just stands there and takes it and that angers me so much. So yess to standing up for yourself 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Now don’t get me started on how this book made me laugh! Too late, this book made me LOL! Literally! Not a smirk with some minor air coming out of my nose. No, I embarrassed myself from literally laughing out loud on a full flight! That’s how you know you can trust be when I say it was funny! At first the book gave me Miss Congeniality vibes, which is a great movie. But as it progressed, it ended up being way better! Would I have loved to have seen Hannah be more of a badass? Sure! Was the dialogue in the ending a bit of a let down? Yes, but I’m choosing to ignore that part and having the other part (iykyk) as the ending instead!

10/10!!! 🌟
I could talk about this book all day but I’ll stop and instead strongly suggest you read it! 👀😂

I will be buying my own copy because this beauty deserves a spot on my shelf!! ♡


HUGE thanks to NetGalley for sharing this digital copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this charming romance! Hannah is hired as a bodyguard to protect Jack, a famous movie star, who has temporarily moved back home to Texas to care for his sick mother. Due to an active stalker, Hannah must guard her client at all costs, which includes living on base with Jack in his home…with his family! However, to keep his family from stressing about the impending threat, he convinces Hannah to fake date him. Hannah may be a tough and guarded bodyguard still healing from a broken heart and Jack may be an A-list celebrity but these two unlikely pairs have more in common than either realize. Full of classic tropes including fake dating, one bed, and forced proximity, I couldn’t get enough of this fantastic book! I loved how the author put Hannah at the top of her career game in a male dominated field and I loved watching her kick butt throughout! And as for Jack, he was so likeable and the perfect match for Hannah. I would absolutely recommend this one and while it may be my first by Katherine Center, it most certainly won’t be my last! Thank you to Netgalley and publisher St. Martin’s Press for this gifted e-ARC!

Sweet charming with laughs, Hannah maybe "stumpy" but mighty working through personal turmoil she needs to her job and protect Hollywoods hottie Jack Stapleton. I wonder where this will lead lol. Love a cute RomCom this hits all the marks.

I am really bad at reading arcs on time – but I read this one 7 months early, lol. Because it’s Katherine Center, DUH! Unfortunately, I did not write a review immediately and my memory is not the best. I really enjoyed this one though – it was sweet and lighthearted with a dash of intense, heartbreaking, emotional stuff. She just weaves dark topics with light so freaking well.
I loved how strong the heroine was. the hero was cute. Both of them felt so realistic to me. It was heartwarming and adorable. I will say, my maiden name is Stapleton, so that was Weird, because before Chris Stapleton, it’s not a name you would see around. It’s funny though because it made me feel like, a little kinship to the book lol. I loved that family (more than I love most of the actual Stapletons I’m related to lol).
Overall, I thought this book was super fun and would make a great movie (hop to it, Hollywood).

Thank you to St. martins Press and Netgalley for this opportunity to read the ARC.

I have read Katherine Centers book Things You Save in a Fire, which was awesome! The Bodyguard was okay. I enjoy Katherine Center's writing and style. I think this one is a miss for me only because I'm not into the fake dating trope. But I still really love Katherine Centers writing. I want to get caught up on her other backlist titles. 3.5 stars.

#thebodyguard #netgalley

Read if you like: fake dating
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Hannah works as a bodyguard, so when a famous actor named Jack Stapleton comes to town needing one, he hires Hannah and her company. But his mom is sick and he doesn't want to stress her out anymore than he has to, so he convinces Hannah to pretend they are dating to explain why Hannah is always around.
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This was a really fun execution of the fake dating trope. Hannah was awesome and badass and I loved that she was the tough one protecting Jack, instead of the other way around. I thought Hannah and Jack's chemistry was great and I was engaged throughout the whole book. I also liked the backstory behind Jack and why he wasn't close with his family, as well as why Hannah feels like she fits in well with his family.
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CW: death of a loved one, death of a parent, child abandonment, violence, use of guns, gunshot wound, car accident, drowning.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

READ. THIS. BOOK.

It's delightful, it's funny, it's warm, it's like a freaking book hug and don't we all need a hug right now?

Imagine taking Sandra Bullock's Miss Congeniality character and throwing her on a ranch and then adding in Ryan Reynolds's character from The Proposal (complete with family drama) and make him famous and then add in fake dating and a stalker and some romantic suspense and you have this book.

Ok and now I really need Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds to make this into a movie.

Well! It took me a while to be able to get into Hannah's Point of View. I found it way too "commentary-ish" if that makes sense? Basically not my style, but as the book went on I either got used to it or the writing got better because for the last half of the book it was delightful! It was just fun and thrilling at certain points. A lush country-family-woman finding herself romance book! Clean romance at that that keeps you captivated and grinning. (Except for the sad parts.)
Our main character is in this push and pull of who she is and what could need to be fixed. It's very self-captivating that way and relatable.
However, it does have it's faults. As previously mentioned the beginning of the book felt underdeveloped--it's like a million things being thrown at you at the start, then it lulls for a bit. That being said, it feels like Hannah's unsolved issues between her and her mother are forgotten about for a long while. I would have loved to see a more distinct character arc for her.
Overall it was an easy read and perfect if you're looking for a light romance book.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center gets all the stars for a fun, heartfelt romance! It had the perfect balance of charm, and romance, plus some poignant emotional moments too. Hannah and Jack were fun, had great chemistry, and all of the side characters were interesting and layered, and made for a wonderful book. Highly recommend if you need some romance in your life.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for my review. This book is perfection! (Insert kissing fingers emoji!). It is Katherine Center’s best book to date. It is so swoony and sweet. Loved it!

3.5 stars, rounded up. I will admit that for personal issues with one of the MCs names, I struggled hard to get into this book. After I sorted a workaround for that, the book became fairly enjoyable. While I enjoyed a lot of the normal Katherine Center things- witty banter, strong female lead with a traditionally male-dominated job,slow burn, etc. it felt very comforting in the way almost all of her books do. BUT I felt like there was a lot more of the author telling the readers how "badass" MC Hannah supposedly it is, rather than showing us. There were multiple mentions of how Hannah knew how to kills someone with just a napkin or how she was an expert in jiu jitsu. But there were only I think three brief examples that demonstrated her skills. I felt like in her other books, especially Things You Save In A Fire, there was a lot more scenes exhibiting Cassie's skills and strengths, so it didn't need to be said repeatedly. I wish there had been more of that for Hannah.
That being said, there were still plenty of scenes that had me laughing out loud, making me melt into a big puddle of happiness, and just generally turning me into a human version of the heart-eyes emoji. Katherine Centers books are always full of heart and will continue to be must-reads for me.

Hannah is a bodyguard and is hired to protect Jack Stapleton, a famous actor that disappeared from the public eye 5 years ago. He has a stalker, and better to be safe than sorry, Hannah is the woman for the job! When he comes home to help his ailing mom, they must pretend to be in a relationship to not worry his mom…what could go wrong with that?
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I think fake relationships are becoming my favorite trope! This was such a fun book to read and get lost entirely! The book was funny and it had its cute made for TV moments! I need a movie made asap! If you like Katherine Center’s books then definitely pick this one up!