I enjoyed how the bodyguard was a reverse gender role book. Hannah was a petite lady who is a bodyguard. It is refreshing to see Hannah protecting Jack instead of the reverse. She has a few scars from her past, but along her journey she is able to over them. Jack is a movie star with a stalker problem. He and his family are overcoming the death of one his brothers. I was not fan of a few secondary characters. I found that the secondary characters didn’t add to the book. I couldn’t not stand Taylor and Robby! The plot was a little predictable, and it was a little slow in the beginning. Thank you for the arc St. Martins Press!

I was so thrilled when I saw I was approved for an ARC via NetGalley ! I started reading it immediately.

The premise was definitely very Ms. Congeniality meets Win a Date with Tad Hamilton.

Hannah is one of the most likes le characters I’ve ever read and her coworkers compliment her so well.

This slow burn was so sweet and the friendship between Hannah and Jack had me engrossed from beginning to end .
There is like zero steam in this book but with this type of love and romance , I didn’t feel like it was missing.

My only complaints are that the ending was too short and the usage of the past tense throughout the book was awkward at times .

I am just so happy to have read this . These are the type of books that I look forward to the most . It did not disappoint

"When he looked at me like he was in love, my insides melted. Everything I read for pretend on his face...I was feeling for real. He was faking all those feelings-but I was feeling them. Genuinely."

What You'll Find:
✔️Contemporary Romance
✔️Fake Relationship
✔️Workplace
✔️LOL Moments
✔️Single POV

The Bodyguard tells the story of Hannah, an executive protection agent assigned to famous actor Jack. He has been off the grid since a family tragedy and known to have a stalker. So when Jack's mother becomes ill and he heads out to the family ranch to help out, along comes a protection detail. Not wanting to add more to his family's plate, he and Hannah pretend to be in a relationship instead. And as you can imagine, pretending gets complicated.

This book felt more like a contemporary read with some romance added, then a full on contemporary romance that I believe it is labeled to be. But nonetheless it had everything I needed to enjoy it. I was pulled in from the start. The story mind you, is one that you have to let take you away.. But when you do, you'll be immersed, turning the pages, and losing track of time.

Hannah gave me Sandra Bullock Miss Congeniality vibes. You know the movie, with the FBI agent undercover? She is practical. Married to her job. A bit socially awkward, having no idea what goes on outside of her own world. And... the pant suits! Jack was a breath of fresh air. A tortured past. Yet so much swoon. I adored him. And I loved the slow burn sizzle you felt throughout this story. Its a bit forbidden, which pulled me in. Things do heat up but this is a closed door story.

Overall I thought this was a really fun escape. Remaining light, while still tackling some difficult topics that bring a variety of emotions. There were some great supporting characters (and some not so great ones) and a great setting that really made for a complete story. I will say some of it was a little cliché, but who cares. I laughed, smiled and even got teary a time or two. A first read for me of the author, but will not be my last. This will be a perfect summer beach read when it comes out in July!

*I received a complimentary ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely. Quote used in this review subject to change upon release.

I loved this book!! Right away, I was a huge fan of the “non traditional” gender roles with the female MC as the bodyguard to the male love interest. I thought the chemistry was great, the banter was great, the overall plot was great! I would definitely buy this book (and probably will order myself a physical copy), as well as recommend it to my fellow romance readers. Thank you netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this absolutely fabulous ARC!

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center might just be my new favourite comfort read. It is absolutely everything I was looking for in a romance book. Hannah is an executive protection agent assigned to protect Jack, a famous movie star. Already, I am swooning. Jack does not want his family to know he’s in danger so Hannah has to pretend to be his girlfriend. Let me tell you, I am obsessed with this book!

What I liked: Okay obviously the entire premise is just *chef’s kiss* and then you add in the fake dating, and Jack is such a lovable guy, and something about Hannah made me root for her. It was amazing.

What could be better: Parts of the epilogue were a bit weird but it was still pretty great.

This book is definitely five out of five stars for me. I love most of Katherine Center’s books and this is one of my new favourites, for sure. It felt like reading a romantic spy movie. Do yourself a favour and pick up this book!

*Please note that the ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Katherine Centers does it again! A light and endearing rom-com with a strong lead female character! I mean, who doesn’t love strong female leads that can kick ass. I fell in love with Hannah and could empathize with needing to find the one who will love her forever, especially when she doesn’t even know it. She’s a workaholic for the leading security company in the nation as a bodyguard. She ultimately falls for a movie star she’s guarding, but she not only falls for him, but his family as well. Of course, the movie star does come with his share of problems to overcome.. be sure and read!! You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

What a great read!
I read this in one day, I couldn’t stop reading.
I would love to see this as a movie!

This is my first Katherine Center book. I really enjoyed how she spoke to the reader, it felt like a new friend sat down with a glass of wine to tell me her story. Perfect!

This book had me laughing out loud so many times. I love it when an author is smart and witty with dialogue. It’s a hard thing to be great at and Katherine Center nailed it.

So let’s talk about Jack. His layers were beautifully crafted and I totally bought him. It took me a little bit to believe Hannah, but I became more of a fan of hers as the book went on and we got to see her interact more with other people. The beginning focused on her feelings, summary of the situation, what she thought about it all. I started liking her more when I actually got to see her interact with other characters and experienced her firsthand.

Her boss Glenn is such a great minor character. He adds an interesting dynamic to the book that’s needed. Actually Center does a great job of layering her minor characters really well. I loved Jack’s family and Robby, even though he was the poster boy of a jerk. (Although I didn’t totally buy the three he dumped Hannah. I love how Center came back around to the third reason at the end and nailed it so well! But communicating reasons to dump someone like that didn’t seem believable to me.)

Things I would have loved to see more of… The intimate moments of Jack and Hannah for sure. And I’m talking moments of tension or of intimacy that eventually build on each other, not just talking about what goes on behind closed doors. The tension between them could’ve been risen significantly and I think there were a few missed opportunities to do that and to show the reader more depth.

My favorite thing about this book that separates it from the rest? The great character driven dialogue in ridiculous situations. It was so fun to experience!

Overall, I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!

4.25/5 ⭐️

Wow, this is a top contender for my favorite romance of 2022.

What is the Andrew Garfield quote about Emma Stone? “She came in and she was like a shot of espresso. She’s like being bathed in sunlight”.

That’s what reading this book was like. I was bathed in sunlight from start to finish. Alongside a blossoming romance we also get Hannah and Jack’s journeys of self love and self acceptance. There was humor, sadness, chemistry, and another Katherine Center strong female protagonist.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to get this arc especially after seeing glowing reviews. I’m happy to report the hype is real and this is an adorable and fun read. We meet Hannah, essentially a bodyguard for high paying customers but this time it’s for a world famous gorgeous actor. Hannah is great at her job, and I loved reading about a competent kick ass woman. The relationship between Hannah and her client, Jack, is wonderful. Great witty banter for days. If you like any Sandra Bullock rom coms (The Proposal, Miss Congeniality) you’ll be in for a treat here. The scenes are basically written for an awesome movie. I’m just trying to figure out who plays who. 4.25 stars.

The only reason I didn’t finish this in one sitting is because I made the mistake of planning to just read one chapter right before bed and accidentally staying up until 2:30 am reading almost the whole thing. Alas, a girl’s gotta sleep.

This was my first Katherine Center book, but it most certainly won’t be my last! I fell in love with the characters almost immediately. Though the storyline was vaguely familiar (think Miss Congeniality), it was told in a way that was entirely fresh. I loved the glimpses into two profession I had absolutely no real knowledge about. I’m not sure I’ll ever see an onscreen movie kiss the same way again.

There’s no way this book won’t become a movie one day. And I cannot wait to see it.

Absolutely delightful. Loved every page.
Thank you so much to the publisher for the digital ARC. I felt very lucky to get to read this one early!

A huge grateful thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me this ARC in exchange for my objective review.

I totally loved this book! What a wonderful, wonderful story! It was romantic and heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny. I loved almost all of the characters (even the meanies) and the plot line was so clever.

There was one part that I didn't really like at the end about one of the minor characters but, besides that, this book was a real pleasure and joy to read. In fact, I'm now going back to read it all over again!

Some profanity. G/PG love scenes.

Every time I open a Katherine Center novel, I know I'm in for a good time. I'm going to laugh, I'm going to cry, I'm going to thoroughly enjoy myself. Center's heroines are competence porn to the nth degree, eminently capable and sometimes drifting into Mary Jane category but just so, so wonderful, and Hannah is no exception. And look, this book has everything: bodyguard heroine! Sunshine hero! Fake dating! Forced proximity! Only one bed! A piggyback ride because you're wearing the wrong shoes!

There's something about the way Center lets her über-capable heroines fall in love, too, that is so perfect. They don't fight it, but more sink into the inevitability of it: of feelings, of love, of the knowledge that this could end in pain for them. And so of course, there's angst, but it feels more manageable, in a way, than many other angsty romance novels because the heroine has approached this in a really adult, rational way, but recognizes that love isn't ever rational. This always feels so validating, to know that you can be at the top of your game and still fall in love, and to know that it could be devastating and that you'll pull through it.

Jack, too, is super freaking delightful, and feels more fleshed out to me than some of her other heroes. He's a goofball and able to find sunshine at a point in his life where he's feeling mostly bad. Even though he's a non-narrative character, I think he's one of my favorite instances of someone with anxiety; the way he deals with his bridge phobia was incredibly real to me, a person who also really hates bridges.

The ending is what breaks me in a Katherine Center novel, and this was no exception. When I realized what was happening, my heart was truly beating out of my chest, and what had the potential to be a really not-great scene was equally humorous and gentle. Instead of treating a character as a plot point, Center works through the ending with incredible tenderness and thoughtfulness, ending where some authors would with a real lambasting of mentally ill people with nuance and kindness.

I love this book, and I can't wait to make a bunch of people read it.

This was such a cute story! It was so unique too. I really enjoyed that about it. It was a cute story but also dealt with some heavy things in the character’s past.

I also enjoyed the interaction between the main character, Hanna, and the actor, Jack. The author showed us his human side, interactions with his family, and what happened between the two of them.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of “The Bodyguard.” I absolutely loved everything about this book and highly recommend. I just finished reading and I just want to read it again! The story focuses on the relationship between Hannah, an executive protection specialists, aka the bodyguard, and world famous movie star, Jack. However, the novel focuses on the development of their relationship and their personal growth through their friendship and eventual romance. I just love how both characters learned a lot about love, relationships, and family from each other. It is truly a beautiful story.

Hannah, an elite bodyguard, needs a change of scenery after her boyfriend, who is also a coworker breaks up with her on the same day of her mother’s funeral. Famous actor Jack Stapleton has been out of the spotlight ever since he was involved in a car crash that killed his younger brother. Jack is planning to return home to Texas and help his mother while she deals with a health issue. Because of Jack’s celebrity status and past encounters with stalkers, Hannah is hired as his bodyguard. Jack isn’t thrilled, and he insists she acts as his girlfriend so as not to alarm his family. As the lines between reality and pretend blur, Hannah realizes there is more to Jack than meets the eye.

I absolutely loved this book and gave up all my Saturday plans so I could finish it in one sitting. Yes we’ve seen the fake dating ruse before but Lauren does a great job of reversing the usual gender roles in this novel. The female as the protector and the male as the one in need of it. The meat of the story is the romance between Hannah and Jack. However, there are other storylines, including Jack’s mysterious backstory, the fake dating ruse, and Hannah’s work and relationship struggles that really add to the story.

I loved the character development. Hannah is such a strong and brave woman that takes charge and seems to have it all together but as you read you see the front she puts on and really feel and relate to her struggles. Jack is handsome and charming not to mention a movie star. But you wouldn’t know it. He also is struggling with guilt and secrets, from the past. Lauren does a great job of having the reader invest in in him and enjoy watching him evolve and opens up as the story goes on.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s fun, funny, romantic and even has a little suspense thrown in. Just make sure you have a few hours free because you are not going to want to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Every now and then an author comes along that I will consume all books that this author puts out. This time I found myself in a reading funk and I thought I need Katherine Center to get me out of that funk. Luckily I came across The Bodyguard. BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” and I couldn't agree more.
The Bodyguard is about a team of personal protective agents. They aren't really physical bodyguards - although they certainly can be. They're more the brains behind protecting people. Hannah Brookes is a master at her job. Her brain is constantly assessing risks - except when it comes to her heart. On the eve of her mother's funeral her boyfriend - and coworker - dumps her. She's desperate to get out of the country on a new assignment but her boss wants her to sit still and properly grieve her mother.

Finally, Hannah gets a new assignment but unfortunately, it's right here in Texas. To make matters worse it's a movie star - Jack Stapleton. To make matters more worse - she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. She's the farthest thing from a movie stars girlfriend. No one is going to believe this.

Aside from the fact that she doesn't look like a movie star's girlfriend Hannah is perfect for the job because she could care less that he's handsome and charming. Hannah is extremely professional and if she can protect Jack from stalkers until Thanksgiving hopefully she'll be given a new gig in London.

The Bodyguard was a perfect story to get me reading again. I very much enjoyed the story and the characters. If you like The Bodyguard, I recommend you search out some of her other books. Follow the links below to read other Katherine Center book reviews on my blog.

Things you Save in a Fire

What you Wish For

wow. This book was amazing! Did i laugh, cry, and swoon during it? Absolutely.

Hannah looks like a cinnamon roll (blonde, petite, and sweet), but is actually a bodyguard who could take down just about anything if it meant protecting her clients. When her mother passes away and her boyfriend breaks up with her, she finds herself needing a break and new assignment asap. That is until she finds out her new assignment is with the Hollywood A-lister, Jack Stapleton. The gorgeous actor needs Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend while he visits his family, and a reluctant Hannah has no choice but to say yes to her client and embark on this crazy journey.

This book was so great. It dealt with really hard topics but also was so easy and fun to read. The perfect mis of seriousness, and rom com sweetness.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

When I got off work and saw an email that I got an ARC of this... safe to say I knew I wasn't going to get anything done until I finished (didn't even stop to mark it as currently reading on here). Everything Katherine Center writes is gold.

This one is a bit different than her past work, a bit lighter and simply a joy to read it. And while I maybe love her other work just a bit more for making me love all the characters so so deeply, this one was still amazing and everything I expect from her. So fun and heart-warming and all around perfect.

(Katherine, if by chance you see this, this is my plea for a novel about Doghouse, please and thank you)

When star 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. But as they spend more time together, they like each other more and more...

I love Hannah.... It was so good to see her grow and change.... She and Jack are so good for each other. Their banter are cute. Such a sweet and funny book. Jack's parents are so hilarious too. A very fast-paced fun book.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.