4.5/5

If you want to read a book that is pure fun and light, you will find it in The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. While this is a little bit of a departure from her usual story, it was no less amazing, and it is packed full of characters you can’t help but love. The book is essentially about movie star Jack and elite bodyguard Hannah but told completely from Hannah’s viewpoint, and I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to read from the POV of a female bodyguard. Such a fun concept and she was so badass with all the fun things she knows how to do - especially with the ways she could kill a person! I had no idea that 2 of Center’s books are movies with 1 being out now, and I could TOTALLY see this as a movie as well. It takes romantic comedy to a whole new level, and I spent almost the whole book either having my heart warmed or laughing my butt off.

I loved the audiobook so much that I’m actually listening to it again right now, and Patti Murin is the bomb! She hasn’t narrated too much, but besides this book, I have listened to her in 4 others, and I would love for her to keep narrating Center’s novels. I love her voice and it fits in perfectly with how I would picture Hannah, not to mention the way she brought the text to life. While this is a funny book, do not fear because it does have depth as well (you know Center can’t write a story without it), and both Jack and Hannah have their struggles. I actually teared up during the author’s note, and it was super touching that the family ranch where Jack’s family lives is actually Center’s grandparents’ home. They aren’t around anymore but the family still owns it, and it just feels different when you read about somewhere that is a real place. If you love laughs and refreshing takes on the romantic comedy genre, then you must pick up The Bodyguard.

-Thank you for the chance to review this book since I love Katherine Center’s books.
-My first encounter with Katherine’s books was when How to Walk Away was featured as a Book of the Month pick.
-This is probably my least favorite out of her books, but I still enjoyed it.

What a delightful and fun book. In my head, Sandra Bullock plays Hannah Brooks and Jack Stapleton is Ryan Reynolds. I’d classify this as a Hallmark style rom-com with more cute and funny love versus the steamy and awkward to watch with your mom kind!

Thank you to NetGalley for this book in exchange for my honest review.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book from Katherine Center and I seemed to have forgotten how fun they are?

This one was so enjoyable from the beginning, but I must say, it really did start off STRONG and the end…left a little to be desired.

I kind of had to suspend disbelief a bit there, and some of it was a little preachy, but overall, I just leaned into the story and the characters and enjoyed it well enough!

Why have I waited so long to read this book?! This story was exactly what I needed to remind me why I love the rom-com genre - flirty, sarcastic banter, genuinely human characters and just enough predictable trope-y stuff to be light, fun and keep me entertained. I loved the addition of each character's backstories that were authentically revealed and not tossed in for added drama. I'm not one to book-crush on anyone, but I'm a big Jack Stapleton fan :) not corgi portrait level though...

This book came out last year and I am just getting to review it. This was a very good book with excellent writing and wonderful characters. Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard who is having a rough patch, her boyfriend dumped her who also works at the same agency, then her mother passes away, and on top of everything else, her boss the man she looks up to is forcing her to take time off. That is the last thing she wants to do, she wants a case her boss though is serious about the time off and not coming into the office. The problem is she does not know what to do with herself after she buries her mother. Taking time off she goes back to the office and her boss finally gives her a job, not the one she wants but a job.
Jack Stapleton a famous actor is back home in Texas because his mom is sick, this is after going off the grid years before when he had a stalker. Now in order to work she is given this assignment. They decide that she can be his fake girlfriend and she figures out how hard can it be she hears that they always have to do touch-ups and makeup on actors so she figures he will look nothing like his movies which she has only seen a few anyway. She even dresses him down for the way he opened the door when she got there. Yet she is surprised that he looks better than on the screen and she knows she must keep her heart in check which she thought she buried years ago. I actually understood her situation better than the other people around her. Her ex-boyfriend needed to be dumped long before and even some of her friends were so-called I think. Though the relationship between her and Jack was to be expected it was a good book and a fun read for the most part.

What I LOVED ❤️
- PERFECT enemies to lovers, close proximity romance
- Hannah and Jack - their relationship was everything, their banter, the steam, all of it was perfect
- The characters - loved that all played such a key role in the book!

Highly recommend!

Before beginning this new Katherine Centre book, I worked hard on managing my expectations. So that means I was able to finish the book instead of quitting after 8%.

There were some laugh-out-loud parts of the book, and at times some of the interactions between Jack and Hannah were sweet. But in a big picture sense, the book seemed disjointed and had a number of pacing issues. Also, I personally don’t like first person narration and at times it seemed like the book was written to be a description of how the two met, and I felt that was ab odd choice without telling the reader why the story was being retold.

I have enjoyed this one more than other recent books by the author, but I’m still not sure if this author’s works are for me.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the egalley of this book!

FEMALE BADDIE!! I love the plot line, the characters, it all! The strong female role was my favorite part of this story.

This is my 4th book by Katherine Center. Her books are always so easy for me to binge read, and this one was no different! With a book of hers, I have come to expect witty banter (that I love!), main characters overcoming some sort of personal struggle, and minimal steam. Swipe for goodreads synopsis!

What I Liked:
- I enjoyed how the author took a stereotypical male job (a bodyguard), and had our female main character rock that role. (Reminds me of Cassie in Things You Save in a Fire!)
- A “slower burn” romance that allows you to really get to know and fall in love with the main characters
- I laughed out loud while reading!! (And I was at home so my brother was making fun of me for it🤪)
- I enjoyed the setting of the Texas ranch house
- Jack’s family🫶🏻 Great side characters!
- Although fake dating is typically one of my least favorite tropes, I really liked it in this story. It was done so well!

The one thing that kept me from rating it higher was I sometimes felt like Hannah’s internal monologues were lengthy. I really liked her character, but some of her thoughts could have been a tad shorter.

Overall, such a cute and entertaining read. Can’t wait for Katherine Center’s next book!

Hannah Brooks is a bodyguard (which is unique), because I never expected this. Her life is going well until they go wrong.

When she owes her mum, her boyfriend dumps her, and because of grief she’s taken off jobs. Then she gets on a case where she has to pretend to be a client’s girlfriend — and things take a more cliche turn.

I’d have loved to enjoy it, but given that the only unique thing about the story was her being the bodyguard, nothing else struck me.

A new Katherine Center book?! Sign me up! Katherine's books never fail to entertain and make me laugh. Her writing is so easy to get lost in; I always feel like I'm right there, a part of the book.
I appreciated Net Galley's opportunity for an early read for The Bodyguard. I loved that the woman was the bodyguard in the story! And she is so relatable as every woman. Having Jack, a hot celebrity as her "guardee" was a fun fantasy, I daresay, of all of us.
I'll be waiting expectantly for Katherine Center's next book... as always

I read this book a few months ago and forgot to review it, so that's going to change what I have to say about it. I have to say it wasn't terribly memorable, but it's cute and it had a good ending. There's a side plot about the ex-boyfriend and a coworker and that's kind of trite, but not in an annoying way. I remember the book being a good escape and a quick paced read. I rated it four stars on Goodreads after I read it.

One of my favorite books of the summer! Katherine Center is an auto-read author. She's just wonderful. This one felt lighter than some of her previous books, but was still emotionally resonant. There is romance but it's not explicit, for those who prefer that.

This was a fun book. It made me laugh because it was so witty. Learning about the bodyguard aspect was also interesting! There was mystery, family drama, work drama, relationships, lots to keep you turning pages in this book!

OMG I loved this book so much!!!!!!!!!!!! In this readers opinion Katherine Center is becoming one of the queens of romcoms!!!!!!!! Her books are such feel good books that you instantly fall in love right along with her characters.

Wonderful story from start to finish. Do not want it to end. Well done Katherine Center. I will be happy to recommend this book

Such a fun read! I didn't read the sypnosis beforehand so I literally had no clue that the main female character was going to be the bodyguard! This was cute, sweet, and I loved our two MC together. A light beachy read IMO.

I recently read "The Bodyguard" by Katherine Center and I was completely captivated from start to finish. The story follows a young woman named Madison who is forced to hire a bodyguard after receiving death threats. The bodyguard, a former Secret Service agent named Drew, is gruff and rough around the edges, but he's also fiercely protective and loyal.

As Madison and Drew spend more time together, they begin to develop feelings for each other. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Drew is constantly putting his life on the line to protect Madison and their future is uncertain.

Center does a fantastic job of building tension and keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The romance between Madison and Drew is steamy and heartwarming, and the mystery surrounding the death threats kept me guessing until the very end.

Overall, "The Bodyguard" is a thrilling and emotional read that I highly recommend. Center's writing is engaging and the characters are well-developed and relatable. If you enjoy romantic suspense novels, this is definitely a book you won't want to miss.

Love Katherine Center and pretty much anything that woman puts out.

Addicting read with some mystery, action, and romance all in the one bundle.

I was even grabbing for the kleenex a few times in there!