Did I read this in one day because I couldn’t put it down? Yes. The Bodyguard is an emotional rom com reminiscent of Miss Congeniality and is everything I want in a book, from deep discussions to lighthearted banter. Hannah and Jack just fit together so well and I love how their relationship developed over the course of the book. This was a really fun one! The Bodyguard is my first Katherine Center book and I’m already planning to read her entire backlist after this! I need more! I highly recommend the audio narrated by Patti Murin - she did a fantastic job.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I have been in a reading rut lately and The Bodyguard was just what I needed to get back into reading. I loved the characters and felt very connected to them. I enjoyed the twists that were put in the book. This was a sweet love story and I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. Katherine Center has quickly become a favorite author of mine. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it.

A bodyguard + A Hollywood Heartthrob = A hard to put down, put-a-smile-on-my-face read!

Hannah Brooks does not look like a bodyguard. She looks like a librarian or a schoolteacher. But she works as an Executive Protection Agent. Her assignment is none other than Jack Stapleton, a Hollywood actor who is uber handsome and a nice guy to boot!

Jack is in town to visit his mother, but his team wants him protected as he has a stalker. Hannah has been assigned the job and must pose as his girlfriend to fool his family and anyone who is keeping eyes on Jack.

Going home can be hard especially when you and/or your family have secrets.

I loved this book. I was gripped in the very beginning. There are so many likeable characters in this book as well as one that is a royal jerk and one that is selfish. Boo Hiss. They both deserved each other and yet....

Katherine Center knocked it out of the ballpark with this tone. I loved the banter between Jack and Hannah. At times I shook my head thinking that for a woman who is trained to see everything, Hannah misses key things at times. But then again, it was fun watching/reading when she realized what was what.

Katherine Center fans and those who enjoy romance will enjoy this book. It was just what the doctor ordered.

Highly recommend.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

❄️Book Review❄️
Did I tempt fate and dive straight into another romcom (my least favorite genre) immedietly after finishing the amazing Book Lovers? Yes, yes I did. Do I regret it? Surprisingly no!

I have read most of Katherine Centers books over the years and have loved them all but I was a little hesitant going into this one.

I LOVED IT! Brief summary: Hannah is a body guard for important clients all over the world. After some devastating news in her personal life she is forced against her will to take a vip assignment closer to home for none other than mega movie star Jake Stapleton.

The fake dating trope in this book was amazing and I’ve learned it’s a trope I quite enjoy in the romcom genre. This book had such real and well developed characters and I think it’s the funniest book I have read all year. I had a big smile the whole time I was reading it. I really hope this book makes it on the big screen it was basically two of my favorite Sandra Bullock movies rolled into one Mrs. Congeniality meets The Proposal.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ five glorious stars from Mrs. Frost and I see this book being in my top 5 of the year.

Thank you @stmartinspress @katherinecenter and @netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date: July 19, 2022

The Bodyguard gave me strong Miss Congeniality vibes! It’s the latest from @katherinecenter, and like her other books, draws you in right away and you don’t want to stop until you finish! Her writing is fantastic as always, and the story is really well balanced between getting to know Jack and Hannah and the plot moving forward. I wanted to smack Robby countless times with how he treated and spoke to Hannah, but that’s of course the point.

I’d definitely recommend adding this to your summer reading lists if you want an engaging romance with a dash of suspense!

This story is loosely based on JFK Jr. and the what ifs of life. I loved it all: her writing, the characters, NYC, the story and how you know something will happen but didn’t see it coming. Meant to Be is out on 5/31 and you don’t want to miss it.

Great story! Very While You Were Sleeping vibes. I really enjoyed the characters and most of the plot. I felt like the book dragged a bit at the end. The author seemed intent on giving the reader a Moment™ coupled with a life lesson, but didn't fully seem to understand that they already had. The "big finale" as it were felt somewhat out of place and unnecessary.

All in all though, a very enjoyable read

3.5 stars rounded up.
The Bodyguard is what I’m considering typical Katherine Center. Fun, quirky female character. Rugged, good looking male character. Drama ensues, romance ensues. And you get a happy ending.

Hannah is The Bodyguard. Or rather, Hannah, is an Executive Protection Agent. She has just lost her mom. Her boyfriend has dumped her for her best friend. She is pulled off her assignment in Madrid. She is reassigned to protect movie star, Jack Stapleton. A “two-time, back-to-back Sexiest Man Alive.” And the assignment is located on Jack’s family ranch in Texas. There she meets Jack’s mom, dad and brother,Hank. Hannah is introduced as Jack’s girlfriend, so that the family remains unaware that Jack needs protection.

I really enjoyed Jack and Hannah on the ranch. I loved Jack’s parents and how they help Hannah heal after her mom’s death. I loved the scenes with Hannah sleeping on the ground in Jack’s bedroom. I wish the scenes with Hank were more developed. I loved Hank and wished for so much more than what I got when Hank was around. The ending came up way too fast for me because I felt like there was so much more story that was possible, but I didn’t get. The lead up to the ranch was too long and didn’t leave time for us to stay on the ranch.

Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the advanced e-copy of #thebodyguard.

Katherine Center first came to my attention when I read her book "How to Walk Away" after noticing it on the Goodreads Choice Awards best fiction for 2018. I highly recommend that book if you haven't read it yet. I was so excited to receive this ARC from NetGalley and St. Martins Press in exchange for my honest review. With "The Bodyguard," she has written another fantastic book that I could not put down.
Hannah Brooks is a short petite woman who is also an ex FBI agent. She is currently employed as an Executive Protection Agent. She has just lost her mother, and her shmuck of a boyfriend dumped her the next day. She knows the way for her to overcome these difficulties is to throw herself into her work. Her boss assigns her to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton. While she feels that this will be an uneventful assignment, she couldn't be further from the truth.
This book has a great storyline with wonderful characters that will have you cheering for the underdog. While you are waiting for the release of this book, you might want to check out some other books on her backlist. I will read anything this woman puts out. You cannot go wrong, and it will always be a good read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!! I love Katherine Center, I feel like she can make you laugh and pull at your heartstrings at the same time. This was so cute, and I could see it becoming a Netflix romcom.

Hannah is an executive protection agent who gets assigned to a move star…what is real and what is acting? There is some laugh out loud funny banter in this book, but also sad and relatable self discovery. You’re rooting for Hannah and Jack the entire time! I anticipate this being a big hit when it’s released in July! An excellent summer beach read.

How have I never read Katherine Center?! This hooked me from the very first page, and the only reason I finished this in 2 sittings instead of 1 was because I had to go to bed for work early the next day! I fell in love with this story, and didn’t even see the “twist” coming towards the end! This was my second fake dating book this month, and this one was my favorite! I loved the writing. It was different than typical romcoms, and I can’t wait to read more!

Thank you St Martin Press for my early copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Bodyguard.

I love Katherine Center - there that’s the review.

The Bodyguard was so sweet and made me smile the entire time. Minus any scene with Robby… IYKYK.

Katherine Center writes some of my favorite favorite characters and our girl, Hannah, is no exception.

If you like easy romance, close proximity, mismatched main characters, this is for you. A truly enjoyable read.

I love this book for so many reasons! First of all, I learned something new. I have never heard of Executive Protection (vs bodyguards) and I am quite intrigued! Second, Hannah is a strong female character and has a super cool job. Third, the writing is hilarious and entertaining. The storyline is original and has a great cast of characters. The characters are real and have such depth and emotion. My heart was all over the place but I was still laughing while I cried. A wonderful and heartfelt book that I really enjoyed! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

I typically enjoy Katherine Center's books, but this one really hit the mark for me - it was the romantic comedy that I needed to read right now. Jack and Hannah are both very accessible characters, and The Bodyguard overflows with my two favorite key elements: real character development and fun dialogue. This heartwarming story is the perfect summer read for rom-com fans.

The Bodyguard was a good read, the characters had depth and real-life issues, which was refreshing. I found myself still thinking about the characters hours after finishing the book. This was closed door but there was some salty language throughout.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a really engaging book - great romance and a good plot. I really enjoyed the characters and watching their relationship build up against adversity. Great read for vacation!

3.5
Katherine Center shows that opposite can attract, especially when there is a stalker in the mix:

Hannah Brooks is the best of the best in the bodyguard security and you would never know she is the bodyguard, but that is what makes her so good at it. When the newest client turns out to be a famous movie star Jack Stapleton, there are a few women in the service that would love to protect his body. Hannah is not one of them, but with a job promotion on the line she knows that she cannot say no. There is just one catch, Jack does not want his family to know that Hannah is his bodyguard, so he has hatched the plan that Hannah is his girlfriend. What Hannah did not plan for was loving being in a family atmosphere and the more it starts to feel real. Protecting Jack is one thing, protecting her heart is a whole other problem.

I do not read many contemporary romance books each year, but when I do decide to pick one up it will most likely be one by Center. I love her writing style and easy way that she creates her story. This book is probably the cutest of the books that I have read by her with very much an opposite attracts type of book. This is a slow burn romance which is very much in line with the other Center books that I have read.

Hannah is a fun character, she is sure of herself and her abilities but not so sure about he love life. She seems to question everything that is relationship related even with friends. She just seems unable to tell what is true and what is not. Also she seems to have nothing for dealing with farm life, which i feel like most city people would be confused about cows and such. I especially liked how she handles her ex-boyfriend who also is her co-worker (whom is a POS and makes multiple stabs at Hannah throughout the book).

I wish there was more suspense/bodyguard action within the book. I mean I get that this falls more to the romance side of things, I just wanted something a bit more. More danger, more threats that type of thing. I just felt that by not having these things, it felt a bit redundant and slow at times.

I really liked the crazy fan that Center created for this book. I don’t think I have laughed so much in a Center book and it was 100% each time they mentioned Jack corgi-breeding stalker who has an insane ability to knit portrait sweaters and apparently take nude photo. Honestly, some of the best parts of the book were about this lady.

Another great book but Center, and while I wish there was more action in the book, it was a cute easy read that I know fans of Center will enjoy. Also bring on more corgi-loving stalkers (lol).

Enjoy!!!!

What an amazing surprise! I absolutely love this book. It is so wonderfully readable, you just fall into it - believable characters, great story, lovely relationships- especially with family. Past mistakes and family secrets add to the adventure. I dare anyone to read it and not have in mind who should play each character if there was a film made! Just a breath of fresh air to my soul.

This was the first Katherine Center book that I have read and I loved it. I loved the characters and how well they were portrayed. It was easy to picture them interacting with each other and you really grew to love most of them. I mean you never like the villain in a story, do you? I loved the little mystery twist that was thrown in and overall, I couldn't put this book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book.

Hannah Brooks is a no nonsense executive protection agent. A bodyguard. In the space of a month, she loses her mom, breaks up with her boyfriend, and then finds out that her best friend slept with the now-ex on a job that Hannah got pulled from so she could "grieve properly." And instead of getting to run away someplace on her next detail, she gets stuck in Texas, with a super famous actor, forced to pretend to be his girlfriend while he spends time with his family. To say things aren't going well is putting it mildly.

This book is an absolute delight. You can see the love story building, whether Hannah wants to admit it to herself or not. The main couple are both fantastically written, and their forced isolation with each other makes sense. I've been looking forward to this book for a bit, and there's a big part of me that wants to be able to read this for the first time... Again. I absolutely recommend this book, and will be asking or library team to bring it in. So. Good.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!