For me reading has always been a form of escape. It has taken me all over the world, back in time and into the future. Katherine Center’s latest, “The Bodyguard,” was the perfect escape yesterday. (Read date 6/11/22)

From the very beginning I was hooked with the plot and the characters. Usually when I hear the term bodyguard, I automatically imagine the stereotypically tall guy with lots of muscles and a mean mug. Hannah Brooks however is maybe 5’5” but is one of the best EPAs- Executive Protection Agents in the game. Besides remaining anonymous while providing services, Hannah’s favorite part of the job is traveling the world. When she is given a long-term assignment in their homebase of Houston, she is disappointed to say the least. Even if her assigned charge is the Sexiest Man Alive. Enter Jack Stapleton who has been off-grid for awhile and is back in Texas to help care for his mother as she under goes cancer treatment. His goal is to remain low-profile and unguarded, but his movie studio that is focused on him making another installment of his hit thriller series- think James Bond or Mission Impossible style- wants to keep him safe from crazed stalkers.

Jack and Hannah concoct a plan that she will act as his girlfriend to keep his family’s concerns on his mom and not on his safety. While Hannah works towards keeping Jack safe, Jack tries to keep his darkest secret under wraps as well. This book played out like one of the best rom-coms. I lost count how many times I laughed at and with the characters. Like I said, I read it in a day which is some of the highest praise I can give to a novel.

Out in a few weeks this is another good one for the beach!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the chance to read early. I very much needed this distraction and laughter.

This was super cute. Although not as spicy as I would normally read, it was almost refreshing to read something just sweet. Nothing ground breaking, but a nice read regardless.

This book is one of the best summer reads I've read thus far. A rom com that hits so many great witty one liners and a slow burn of a romance that charms you from start to finish. I was cheering on Hannah from the beginning, it opens up with a lot of heartbreak but as the characters develop there's purpose behind the sadness. I think the journey of each of the main characters, Jake and Hannah, pushed this book beyond the general romance. There's family drama, stalkers, and plenty of fun as well. I also loved the push beyond the obvious with making Hannah, the bodyguard and Jake, the celebrity. I now have to dive into the backlist of Katherine Center because I didn't realize how witty and funny her stories are.

The Bodyguard features Hannah (who kind of tells the story in past tense, which comes through at times and not at others, which is kind of aggravating), who is a bodyguard. This part is cool, but it is definitely not utilized throughout the book.

Instead, enter the typical rom-com trope: loser boyfriend dumps her the day after her mom's funeral and then goes off and sleeps with her best friend. Hannah is depressed and down on herself and then gets a job as the bodyguard for the sexiest man alive (Jake). Hannah and Jake have to pretend to be dating to hide the fact that she's his bodyguard (insert 'fake dating' trope).

This is predictable... but that's not the part that is annoying. The book is missing something. I'm not sure if it is the chemistry between the two (there doesn't seem to be any) or the fact that they are acting about 18 instead of as adults... or the fact that literally none of this is remotely believeable, but it didn't work.

From mom saying "you two should get married" 10 seconds after they meet to Hannah, who is supposed to be constantly aware of dangers in surroundings wading into a river and nearly drowning because she didn't know there might be a current (?!), it just didn't work for me. Hannah's job was seemingly forgotten about for the middle 1/3 (at least) of the book while the focus was on trying to build the relationship between Jake and Hannah.

Lovers of the fake dating trope will enjoy this but overall, it didn't work for me.

The Bodyguard was a great summer read. Very light hearted and hard to put down! I loved the laugh out loud moments and how the author wrapped the story up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this arc copy to review.

I feel like this is a return to the kind of books that drew me to Katherine Center. There’s a lot of depth mixed in with humor and just the right amount of emotional pull.

This was such a fun bodyguard romance! The writing took a bit for me to get into, but it was engaging and very quick. It was lighthearted for summer, and I quite recommend this one if you're looking for a good seasonal read. Will definitely be checking out this author's works in the future!

Fun book, with a great cast of characters and a modern twist on who is the bodyguard and who needs saving.

This book was not exactly what I thought I was getting into. This book is a cute romantic comedy with a slight twist. It includes a cute little woman being a bodyguard to a famous good looking movie star. I love how this storyline unfolded and came to an end as well! I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a good romcom!

Katherine Center is back in what is sure to be THE book of the summer.

Hannah Brooks is not your regular person. She's a bodyguard, think someone helping people through the witness protection program. She never gets attached to clients and refuses to share any personal information. But her life is about to flip upside down.

Jack Stapleton is a famous Hollywood actor who some may really know as sexiest man alive. Jack however; has withdrawn from the spotlight and has come to Texas to be with his mom throughout her cancer battle. In play Hannah: Jack's bodyguard <against his better >.

Pantsuit up and get ready for a hilarious Texas time with Hannah and Jack.

This is my FAVORITE Katherine Center book and I cannot wait for other readers to experience its magic. Center's two main characters are written from the heart and soul of who she really is. From page one, I couldn't put down The Bodyguard and laughed at alll the shenanigans. The audio added to this experience and Patti Murrin brought Hannah to life in a beautiful way.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and MacMillan audio for my arcs in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My streak with Katherine Center’s books continues! Once again, Center managed to win all the stars from me, but this time, it was in a much different way.

My past experiences with Center’s work have involved some rather emotional and ultimately uplifting stories. The Bodyguard had a few moments, but overall it was lighter, and dare I say, leaned into rom-com territory.

The romantic element in this book was the biggest of any of Center’s books, in my opinion. I adored the sizzle and fun banter between Hannah and Jack. These two were from vastly different walks of life, with Jack being a Hollywood heartthrob and Hannah being his bodyguard, but the connection between them seemed natural and made sense. I usually lean more towards one character as I read, but honestly, I loved these two equally, though for different reasons.

Both Hannah and Jack were dealing with some baggage. Jack’s was related to the superstar life and his brother’s death. Hannah’s was a lifetime of pain, abandonment, grief, and trust issues. She was struck quite a blow early in the story that immediately had me on Team Hannah. I was there to cheer for her happiness and success because she was a gem and a lady who got stuff done. I took so much pleasure in watching her grow and make some fantastic discoveries about herself while also connecting with Jack.

Hannah may have been pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend, but the way his family welcomed her was genuine and filled my heart with joy. Here, I found that warmth I expect from Center, and Hannah deserved it. The cast of characters was rounded out with Hannah’s co-workers who were quite a colorful bunch. They added a great deal of humor to the story, and in the end, they proved to be a wonderful “family” for Hannah.

Center did a magnificent job combing romance, emotion, humor, and action to produce a fantastic story of finding those people you can trust with your heart who will wholly accept you. Overall, this book was fun and full of feels!

Wow! The Bodygaurd by Katherine Center is such an out of the box story that worked really well! I enjoyed the unique story line, even though it wasn’t all that realistic. Overall a great story with interesting characters.

Book Tour!
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Shouting from the rooftops over my love for The Bodyguard which is releasing on July 19th!
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Honestly, I think this is my favorite @katherinecenter book yet. The writing is beautiful, the characters have depth, the setting was based on her grandparent's ranch, and the story I just loved. It’s the perfect eclectic merge of flawed characters, with Corgi obsessed sweater knitting villains, and deeper subject matter — wrapped into a love story.
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I hope y’all love it as much as I do!
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Congratulations again!!! Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the ARC.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (kissing and closed door sex scenes mentioned)
Trigger Warning: death of a family member, stalking; brief mentions of cancer, drowning, and domestic violence

Hannah Brooks works as an executive protection agent- aka a bodyguard. She may not fit the typical bodyguard stereotype, but she can flip a man twice her size, hit a target while shooting from the hip, and can read the threats in any situation. After being forced to take some time off, Hannah is ready for her next big assignment- guarding movie star Jack Stapleton. Only this assignment has a twist. Hannah has to pose as Jack's girlfriend and stay with him at his parents' ranch for four weeks. As they spend more time together, the lines between real and fake become blurred, and Hannah finds herself falling for her client. Is Jack really that good of an actor or has Hannah finally found someone capable of truly loving her?

I enjoyed my first Katherine Center novel so much! While there are some heavy themes mentioned, this is for the most part a lighthearted and fun romance. I never felt like the story dragged or like Hannah's inner dialogue was repetitive or annoying. I loved how she's tough and strong without being a typical beefy bodyguard. And I loved seeing her be vulnerable with Jack. He was such a fun love interest. He protected her just as much as she protected him, and it was so sweet to see the tender moments between them. I really enjoyed the surprise twist near the end of the book, and I liked how it all played out and that Jack and Hannah came away from it without a bunch of extra drama. I would highly recommend checking out this book, and I look forward to reading more from Katherine Center!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun fake relationship/close proximity troupe and I can see it being a big hit this summer. The cover is bright and cheery and I love it includes the red cowboy boots. Hannah Brooks is Executive Protection Agent, a highly trained personal body guard. Her latest assignment is movie star Jack Stapleton. The threat is mild but his studio insists on his protection. Jack is yummy, handsome and all around perfect. He’s been out of the limelight for two years after the death of his brother. But his mother is in treatment for cancer and she wants him to come to Texas and stay at the family ranch till Thanksgiving. The easiest thing is to have Hannah pose as his girlfriend.

It took me a while to warm up to the workaholic Hannah so it felt like it took a long time to get to the heart of the story. Everything is from her POV and I got a little tired of her whining she couldn’t do the job. Things get much more interesting when she is interacting with Jack and his family. I was genuinely moved by both Jack and Hannah’s personal stories and there were many times I laughed while reading. I wish there would have been a better conversation to repair Hannah’s relationship to Taylor. And Robby needs a comeuppance not his dream promotion.

Intimacy is limited to kissing and one scene behind closed doors. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book immediately sucked me in! I loved the story line of Hannah being a bodyguard, overcoming the stereotypes that a woman can’t do that job. I don’t want to give too much away about the climax of the story, but at one point my jaw DROPPED and didn’t think it was going to end the way I wanted it to. Katherine Center did such a phenomenal job with the integration of woman heroine story, a love story and life lessons throughout this book. I cannot recommend it enough!! I will definitely purchase a copy to share with friends and family.

A writing friend of mine recommended this author and this will be her 3rd book to date I've read. ALL of them have been fantastic. I don't think this storyline is anything new, and that's ok, because the author truly brings her characters to life with their backgrounds and their dialogue. Hands down, Center has some of the wittiest and funniest dialogue I've ever read and that keeps her stories fresh and fun to read. And it doesn't hurt that the romance is swoon-worthy and believable. Overall--great read and will def continue to read this amazing author!

A HUGE thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy to read in exchange for my honest review. I’ve been meaning to catch up on some Katherine Center titles and this one does not disappoint!

Was this a touch predictable? Probably. Hannah is a contracted “bodyguard” assigned to protect actor Jack as he spends time with his family, so naturally I’m sure you’re assuming these two are going to fall for each other. Spoiler - not wrong. But what this title does so wonderfully is weaves a great stalker/side plot in, family drama and secrets and gives a cast of truly awful side characters (when I say awful, I mean they’re written well, but they just make such poor choices!!) and this one had me laughing out loud at times. I loved every second, and it was a very quick read! I definitely need to move her other titles up higher on my list - I’ve only read one so far and I really enjoyed it.

Again, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy - go check this one out on pub day!

In true Katherine Center fashion, The Bodyguard features a strong and likeable heroine on the brink of life changes. Hannah is a complete workaholic with little to no time for anyone outside of her next assignment. She only happens to be in a relationship because they were on the same job. Her personal life - little though it is - goes up in flames, while her professional life has a potential promotion in the wings.
Hannah is such a great character and Jack - swoon! - is the shake up she needs. I loved her growth and major kick ass-ery (if this isn't a word, it needs to be). Jack's "sexiest man" persona hides his familial trauma and I only wanted more of him.
I'm so glad we have a Katherine book releasing this year. 2021 wasn't the same without a new book from a long time favorite author. Her writing is full of joy, pain, healing, and romance.
Patti Murin is a familiar voice and her performance for The Bodyguard was an effortless listen, as expected. The audiobook is 9 hours and 44 minutes.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy and Macmillan Audio for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

***Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.

This book is such a cute rom-com and prefect for summer. The story follows Jack (a hunky movie star with a troubled past) and Hannah (a quirky woman who works as his bodyguard).
While on assignment to protect Jack from tabloids and a nutty corgi loving stalker, Hannah pretends to be involved with Jack during his stay in Texas to see his sick mother. During the long stay she learns so much about Jack, his brothers, and his family. Jack also learns and breaks away Hannah’s insecurities.
What unfolds is a cute love story with a fake dating troupe. Definitely worth a read.