Okay, this was super cute. Admittedly a little contrived and tropey at times, but I needed a fun romance and this delivered!

Hannah Brooks is sarcastic and serious, while Jack is more sunshiney than he wants to admit. While both of them carried a huge emotional weight, I loved their interactions and ability to make each other laugh. Their banter was so cute and I laughed out loud so many times

The plot itself is enjoyable, I didn't see some of the twists coming, so that was fun, and they fit the story too which helped.

The secondary characters could've been fleshed out a bit more but they were funny and generally had their own voice and personality. Glenn especially, while a hard ass, was so funny cause he loved forcing his employees to face up to their mistakes and suffer - in like totally harmless, not dangerous ways.

A couple things that felt off - Hannah's odd inability to keep her chill and the women vs women hate. Starting with Hannah - she's supposed to be the best but she doesn't manage to keep herself closed off very well, and she seems surprised a lot despite saying that she's always prepared and never surprised (thus the feeling of being a bit contrived and tropey). With the women vs women hate, it was kind of annoying the way they were shaming people for being overly made up or for trying too hard or for being too pretty, or too ordinary. Idk, it felt off, especially for a new release. Aren't we done with this yet?? This is probably where it lost a star.

All in all, this was a fun read and I flew through it. It was so easy falling in love with Jack and Hannah, and this is perfect if you're looking for a lighter read. Note that this is categorized as Women's Fiction, so there are emotional elements, but it mostly focuses on the happy moments.

TW: death of a parent, parent with cancer (breast cancer), death of a sibling due to fatal car accident, mentions drowning, attempted suicide by a side character, body shaming (specifically cosmetic surgery, not contested), alcoholism, domestic abuse, mentions of vomiting

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is the author that first enticed me to read romance… and the author that then cemented me as a fan of romance. I love that her books have strong female protagonists, incorporate some life inspiration, and include healthy adult romantic relationships.

The Bodyguard was one of my most anticipated books of summer. Katherine Center did not disappoint. She once again delivered a feel-good romance filled with humor and enjoyable characters.

The Bodyguard is a forced proximity romance between an unlikely pair – a movie star and his female bodyguard, who he initially mistakes for a house cleaner. Set in Houston and on a Texas ranch, this is a heartfelt romance in an unlikely setting with a surprising twist near the end.

Katherine Center is able to strike a perfect balance between humor, comfort, and a bit of seriousness. Over the course of The Bodyguard, chemistry builds between leads, rather than instant love. It is so refreshing to read a romance where the two leads do not instantly want to jump each other. However, if you are looking for something spicy and smutty, you will not find it within the pages of The Bodyguard. But please give this book a chance anyway. Where it is short on spice, it makes up for with emotional depth and actual romance.

I also really appreciated that the story was not solely focused on the romance. As with all Katherine Center books that I have read, The Bodyguard tackles the characters’ pasts and presents. For me, this makes the book so much more realistic and enjoyable. The story chronicles the characters’ growths and healing so they can truly come together in the end. Add in some humorous banter and you can easily become lost in this story. The epilogue provides a perfect ending to the story and answers all remaining questions.

Overall, I really loved The Bodyguard. It was a refreshing, warm hug and a break from reality. I highly recommend it. It is the perfect book to enjoy in the sun beside the pool or on the beach.

Trying to put into words how much I enjoyed reading this novel is so difficult. I laughed, almost cried (not a huge crier while reading), and was tempted to scream throughout the pages it was THAT good!

Hannah is sure of herself when it comes to her job as a bodyguard, but lacks the self-love to confidently go about every other part of her life. Jake is outwardly confident in all aspects of his public life as an actor, but still is struggling to accept the death of his brother. However, when Hannah is set up to be the bodyguard for Jake when he visits home… Fake dating meets one bed meets unexpected love, and let me tell you it is magic!

THE BODYGUARD was the first book of Katherine Center that I have read and I’m not sure how I’ve gone without her books on my shelves. It’s easy to say that I will be ordering more of her novels in the very near future! I loved how reading each page felt like Hannah was personally telling me each new chapter herself. The epilogue was perfect in every way that I would hope it could be, and so much more, too!

Katherine Center’s ‘The Bodyguard’ is swoony, sweet, and full of wit and humor. There are times when you come across a book at the exactly right time, and this is one of those times for me. I loved everything about it, from beginning to end.

Hannah Brooks is a lethal combination of smarts and strength all wrapped up in a diminutive, innocent-looking package. Which is why she is so great at her job. When she’s hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton, she treats it just like she treats all of her other jobs. So what if he’s even more charming and wonderful and good looking in person? And so what if she has to pretend to be his girlfriend? Well, actually, that last part might be a problem. Because when Jack looks at her? It feels really… real.

Normally when I read a romance I want all of the steam and I want it within the first quarter or half of the book. This novel does not deliver on that. And you know what? I couldn’t care less. Because there is something to be said about a slow unraveling of beautiful, romantic tension. There’s something supremely satisfying about seeing these characters interact, connect, and explore the intimacy of friendship. And, since the story is only through Hannah’s point-of-view, readers are left wondering about what Jack is really thinking and feeling. It’s an excellent example of pacing and a perfect example of an author understanding their characters well enough to know what is needed in the story and what is superfluous.

I will mention that this is basically closed door, meaning that all of the steamy times happen off page and are just alluded to. To be honest, that typically bothers me, because I want that hit of dopamine and that feeling of satisfaction when two people come together and connect physically and emotionally. Yet, in this case, I think the author’s choice to write it this way was spot on. Which proves the point that if a book is well-crafted, it doesn’t really matter what’s on page and what’s off. Because you get that same sort of feeling either way.

I loved Hannah as a character. She’s so strong, even when she is dealing with her insecurities and past trauma. She isn’t a shrinking violet by any means, and gives as good as she gets. She is not afraid to stand up for herself, and I’m here for it. I’m all for this type of heroine in books. And Jack is so soft and tender and wonderful. Reading their love story made me really wish that somehow, somewhere these two people actually exist and are living their best lives.

I cannot say enough good things about this novel. It is one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year, and I will be shoving it into the hands of all of my family and friends the moment it comes out.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a heartwarming and upbeat romantic comedy. I liked the premise of the female bodyguard and her movie star client pretending to date (who doesn’t love a forced proximity trope?). The main character was such a badass in so many ways (she’s an elite protection agent) but she still dealt with issues of self esteem and self worth and I think that speaks to the idea that you can seem one way on the surface but no one knows what anybody else is dealing with behind the scenes. The banter between Hannah and Jack was genuinely funny and didn’t feel overdone or forced.

My only issue was how cruel Jack’s brother Hank was to him. No spoilers in this review but WOW. And Jack’s parents didn’t really step in (besides his mom half-heartedly). I understand why Hank was upset with Jack but to be so unforgiving to your own brother was a tough sell. It was a fairly minor part of the story overall, though, so did not detract from my enjoyment.

This was definitely a lighthearted romcom at the end of the day but had enough depth to keep it from feeling one dimensional. The epilogue was maybe a little too succinct but I know a lot of readers like the ending tied up neatly in a bow.

I very much enjoyed this and am grateful to have been able to read an ARC.

I love a fake dating trope, a female bodyguard, and a movie star - I'm invested! A laugh-out-loud feel-good romance! If you need a fun, lighthearted summer-ready, pick this up!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This was my first ever Katherine Center read, and I have to say I quite enjoyed it.

Hannah was a likable character, even at the start when I’d argue that she wasn’t very likable. The way the book and her voice is written, is quite fun. I enjoyed that fact that this tiny woman was a bodyguard for a big, handsome, famous actor, who’s frankly, a teddy bear of a man.

I could go into so many details, but I don’t want to leave any spoilers. Check this one out if you want a book that draws you in from the start, a quick read, and is super amusing.

Not my favorite Katherine Center book, but I still very much enjoyed it! The fake dating trope was well done and I loved the setting! This is definitely a slow burn with lots of both drama and heart. I liked both the main character and her love interest.

I loved this romance! The characters are adorable and seem to have instant chemistry, but really their relationship develops over time.

This a sweet, closed door romance with two characters who have experienced some intense traumas that they struggle with throughout the story.

I loved, loved, loved this book! It had me laughing, it had moments filled with tearful emotion, and it had a cast of characters I wanted to be friends with!

Hannah Brooks is a kick-ass woman. I absolutely loved her as the MC. She’s a trained bodyguard, but as she’ll let you know, if she has to use any of that kick-assery…she’s already failed at her job. Her role is to identify the issue before it’s an issue. When she’s assigned to Jack Stapleton, a super famous movie star, things don’t go quite as she planned. She ends up having to pretend to be Jack’s girlfriend to protect his family from knowing he needs a bodyguard.

The fake dating was adorable. I loved how cute they were together and how hard they worked to keep the facade up. They obviously had strong chemistry, and I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve.

The characters in this are fantastic. There are a few that are quite polarizing (like Hannah’s jerk ex boyfriend) and there are some that you just want to hug (like Jack’s mom). And then there are Jack and Hannah. These two characters really do steal the show. Jack is going to steal your heart. He’s a wounded man with a backstory, and it makes his that much more special. Hannah’s personality makes her funny and just a blast to read about!

I highly recommend this one if you enjoy women’s fiction with some fun, uplifting moments!

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 follows Hannah Brooks, an executive protection agent. Now, Hannah's not your typical stereotype of a bodyguard, actually she's rather tiny, kinda cute and harmless but looks can be deceiving and she's on a mission to shield Hollywood heartthrob, Jack Stapleton from his stalker while he's in Texas to help during his mother's recovery.
Only problem? He doesn't want his family to worry about the death threats and harrasment.
His solution? They fake date.

- ~ -

Well anyone who's ever read the author's previous books knows they're never only a romance but encompass so much more.
So same as always this was a soulful journey of healing, overcoming insecurities and self growth, all combined with hilarious and flirty banter.

As always, the author doesn't fail to build a protagonist who's strong, fierce and afraid to be vulnerable but tames her anxieties. And added to the mix is like always, a swoony love interest who's not afraid to simp. Hard.

"𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡! 𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨! 𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙙 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚?"

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙.
"𝙄 𝙙𝙤," 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙙, "𝙄𝙣 𝙖 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙩."

Yeah, I may have forgotten to mention Jack's really swoony and the above is just one example.

- ~ -

One aspect of Center's books I'll never get over is how beautifully she creates her female characters to be an exception in typically make dominated professions. Earlier it was a firefighter, now it's a bodyguard? Nothing more truly feminist lol.

Personally, the author's writing style just hits differently. The dialogues are short but that only makes the story that much more addictive, like I compulsively kept reading every interaction between Hannah and Jack and bam the story's already over.

- ~ - 

Overall: An emotionally captivating novel braided with a swoony love story that'll keep the readers entranced untill the end.
It's out 19th June!

4.36 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

Hannah is assigned as the primary bodyguard to protect Jack Stapleton famous actor. When Jack has to return to his family ranch in Katy, Texas they must keep their professional relationship a secret…cue the fake dating!

Here is what I loved about this book: all the Texas talk, Ms. Congeniality Sandra Bullock vibes, fake dating & one bed trope! Fun fact my aunt lives in Katy, Texas so we visit often. You know how sometimes you just don’t connect with the characters? That was me with The Bodyguard. I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between the couple and that could just be me. Oh and FYI there is zero spice happening here. If you are looking for a wholesome romance with all the Texas flare you should check this one out.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center was a charming, romcom read perfect to take on your summer vacation. While it was at times a little predictable, it was still thoroughly entertaining, cute and funny book. "Spice level" was virtually zero, so this is perfectly safe to read for book club with your mother in law and grandmother.

Everything Katherine Center writes is just perfect. I missed her and her writing! This was so fun and light, having laughed out loud several times while reading it. A big fan of all the main and supporting characters and could totally see this being made into a movie or Netflix special.

Katherine Center's upcoming release turns familiar tropes upside down.

Hannah can out an aggressor twice her size. She may be small, but her stature is not a reliable indicator of her suitability to guard one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet. She wants nothing more than a way to forget the disastrous end to her relationship, her feelings about her mom's death, and her own emotional distance. Even though she doesn't want to become the fake girlfriend of a man whose abs and chiseled profile make her lose her train of thought, he is an assignment that is a means to an end.

Her assignment is more than he bargained for. The reality of Jack Stapleton is a man who will give her piggyback rides to protect her from rattlesnakes. It is a man who will defend her against his brother's disparaging comments. It's a man who does what she's always had to do herself - give her a safe place to land.

I can't wait to share my full review on my blog on release day.

A huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Katherine Center's fiction and this book was just so fun. Hannah was relatable and funny and her relationship with Jack was adorable.

"The BodyGuard" by Katherine Center was not a personal favorite. If the reader is looking for an "escape" read featuring a classic trope with clean romance, they would probably appreciate this book. The writing style was too heavy on dialogue and I couldn't manage to immerse myself in the story. Overall, if you're looking for a quick beach read, this might be perfect for you, it just wasn't my personal favorite.

I've read all of Katherine Center's books and they are always a win for me. The thing about her books is they are all very similar in style. She starts out with a drama or tragedy and then throws two characters together and there is always meant to be a match made. So, I wasn't surprised by how this one progressed, but that was a good thing because I like how her books are written. If you are a fan of hers, you will probably like this one too.
The lead female is Hannah Brooks, and she is a protection agent/bodyguard. We find out right away that her mother passed away and that her ex-boyfriend dumped her the day after the funeral. Her ex also works with her, so that's super fun. Then she is put on a job to protect leading man, Jack Stapleton, a hot hot hot actor who is in Texas to help his mom during her recovery. We find out that Jack is dealing with his own loss. He is a down to earth guy though and who wouldn't like him?!? Hannah is put in close quarters with Jack, and she needs to discover is his nice guy just an act or is it real. She also interacts with his family, who is also quirky. I laughed a lot while reading this. My favorite part was when Jack made Hannah prove she was a Bodyguard. You won't be able to read that and not laugh. And Hannah's boss, Glenn, what a great way to deliver karma!
I could easily see this be adapted to a movie! This would be the perfect romcom. This pulled me from a reading slump so I recommend to anyone who likes her previous works or those who like Emily Henry type books. This was the perfect amount of laugh out loud and feel good book. I rounded my 4.5 up to 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with my ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have loved everything that I have read by Katherine Center and this new release is no exception. I adored this book and read it in about 24 hours. Hannah and Jack as characters were so well written. I enjoyed their relationships with their coworkers and families.

You do not need to know any more about the story, just pick it up and read it!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book by Katherine Center - 5 stars!

Hannah Brooks may not look the part, but she is a trained Executive Protection Agent, or bodyguard. She just got hired to protect a famous movie star, Jack Stapleton, after he has received stalking threats. When Jack's mom becomes sick, he heads to their Texas ranch to be with the family. He doesn't want his family to know about the stalking situation, so Hannah has to pretend to his family to be his latest girlfriend. A part that she feels she definitely isn't cut out for, emphasized by her ex-boyfriend/coworker. But Hannah's status isn't the only secret in Jack's family.

I just adored this book - it kept calling to me every time I put it down. I loved the characters (most of them), the dialogue, and the audio narration by Patti Murin was perfect. This is a spot-on rom com but with more depth - stress on believing in yourself, helping each other, letting ourselves be loved and love in return. The ending was perfect too - definitely a must read!