Hannah is a female Executive Protection Agent (yes you heard that right!) or in lesser terms a bodyguard, who ends up being forced to watch over movie star Jack Stapleton who has come out of hiding from the public eye. The only catch is, Hannah has to pretend to be Jack’s girlfriend to make the undercover surveillance job work. Thus, hilarity and drama ensues. Will Hannah and Jake’s feelings turn from fabricated to genuine? Is Jake’s life truly in danger? Patti Murin does a perfect narration for the audiobook version and this will be a comfort listen for me from now on!

I voluntarily listened and reviewed an advanced copy of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC to review.

Hannah Brooks, bodyguard extraordinaire, finds herself guarding the body of megastar Jack Stapleton. Jack came back to Texas to take care of his sick mother but has the slight problem of a stalker fan, hence the need for a bodyguard. They are forced to pretend to be dating and quickly fall for each other but can pretend become a reality?

First, I want to share how much I really loved the narrator. She did an amazing job of bringing Hannah and Jack's story to life. Her voice was so soothing and a joy to listen to on my commute.

I give The Bodyguard a 4.5/5. I have been burned lately with women's fiction that stated there would be romance, and then there was little to no romance. This was NOT the case in The Bodyguard. The story was full of quirky romantic hijinks, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud as Hannah and Jack fell in love. If you are looking for a fun and fluffy romcom, then The Bodyguard is a must-read.

Workaholic body guard Hannah Brooks is having a very bad week. Her mother has just died, her boss has banded her from work leaving her trapped in her thoughts and to top it all off, her long term boyfriend and co-worker coldly breaks up with her! After being kicked off of several assignments, she craves escape and being back on the job. To her horror she is not only tasked with an assignment that keeps her in town, but she is made the primary on case her coworkers would die for, and she is appalled by: guarding movie star Jack Stapleton from his corgi breeding starker. And so begins a journey in which’s Hannah finds herself not only breaking her iron clad rules (and falling for Jack and his family), navigating Jack and his family conflicts, experiencing love, and family, but also having to reckon with her own childhood trauma and sense of worth.
This book was SO much fun!! I found myself laughing out loud at several points, and then tearing up and in my feelings at others. I truly enjoyed the characters, and found myself invested in their journeys early on. It was so fun to see Hannah learn and grow, while also finding that she is worthy at her best, as well as at her worst. I found the connections, banter, and struggles believable, and felt the story was well wrapped up in the end. Such a fun treat, and I will be returning to this author!
Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!

Things I loved: I love Center's heroines. They are always so likeable and relatable. Same goes for the hero.
I love her writing. Her books are compulsively readable. Can't put them down.

The narrator was wonderful. She conveyed the personality of the heroine perfectly.

I love the family dynamics. The hero's issues with his brother and his mother's illness were both great plot points.

Criticisms: we are told that they fall in love but I didn't really see it. They always seem more like buddies. I wanted more angst and slow burn. I was never convinced that the hero was falling in love with her.

The ex bf really bothered me. What doesn't make sense is all we see is him being a huge jerk, yet as he's breaking up with her, she tells him she loves him. And we're told they dated for a pretty long time. I wish we could see a good side of him, because why would she have dated him long term? What's worse her best friend betrays her and dates him right after he breaks up with her (right after her mother dies). So now we have a terrible best friend.

I loved what eventually happens between the ex and ex best friend. I just question the believability of the main character's taste in boyfriends and friends.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but the romance was somewhat lackluster compared to this author's previous books. I will still continue to read everything she writes.

This is the first book I’ve read of Katherine Center’s and I really liked it. The bodyguard is a funny sweet closed door romance. Hannah and Jack were so fun and cute together. I’m a sucker for a famous main character so I knew I would probably like this. The book is a good mix of fun and feels! I got approved on NetGalley for both the ebook and the audiobook so I did a combo reading this. Mostly was the audiobook version though. Patti Murin is the narrator and she’s awesome. This definitely makes me want to read some from this authors backlist.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
◘ I thought both characters were quirky and fun, if not a bit immature sometimes, and a pleasure to read. I kept wanting to come back to this eBook so I could see what happened next.
◘ Katherine Center is a freaking awesome writer. It seems like it comes so easy to her. The story read effortlessly and with such wit.
◘ I really liked the relationship and mystery between Jack and Hank. And Jack's parents... loved his whole family.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
◘ This was a closed-door romance. I'm talking probably PG rating when it comes to the steam. Which was kind of a bummer because the tension between Hannah and Jack was good and we didn't get to see it unfold.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
★★★★★
In all honesty, was this a perfect book? Absolutely not. There were some aspects I couldn't get behind and/or a few things that didn't quite add up or seem necessary, but this was so entertaining nonetheless. I rounded up my 4.5 stars to 5 stars because this is the only book in GOD KNOWS HOW LONG that made me want to abandon life and finish.

Favorite romance of year I think! I loved the strong woman protagonist and her journey to find herself. Plus, how cool is a female bodyguard! The romance is palpable and the dude seems super amazing.

The best part was the narrator though. Her intonation made this audio so enjoyable and easy to follow. She helped me paint a picture in my mind of exactly whats happening.

Also, even though there was a “threat” … it turned around and made me smile. No loose ends (thank goodness) to close it out.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. Wow! She did it again. This was a totally heart warming romance that I would recommend to anyone. Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and this is totally why. What a beautiful book, I should say another beautiful book.

Thank you to SMP Romance for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'l be honest, going in I wasn't entirely certain if I'd enjoy it. I'm not realy interested in Southern romances or anything based in texas, but I have only heard great things about it!

And surprise, I loved it! I thought Hannah was a wonderful character who is a bodyguard and is still grieving from the loss of her mom and the breaking up of her boyfriend/co-worker on the same night of the funeral. When she's assigned to actor JAck stapelton, it's the last thing she wants.

Until it isn't.

Overall ,I thought it was a really well crafted romance, and I found myself struggling to put it down! I also thought the audiobook narrato did a great job with it. I was admittedly confused at the twist in the end and needed to have a work with the author until I fgure out where she was going with it.

A note: this is a very very whtie book. Although I did enjoy it, I know that Texas has BIPOC, so I wish we'd seen just a bit of diversity (like, unless I'm missing something, I'm pretty sure the entire cast was white), otherwise I still enjoyed it!

CW: grief and death of a parent

This book is SO good I already read it twice! Amazing narration. See below for original review about the book!

LOVED LOVED LOVED!!! I couldn’t put it down. Compared to the two other books I read by Center, this was more of a romance than a women’s fiction. Still, there were emotional moments, laugh out loud moments, and suspenseful moments.

What I loved:
-The important of family and forgiveness
-Similar to Things You Save in a Fire (one of my all time favorite books), we get to see another women in a predominantly male profession and watch her kick ass
-The fake dating trope
-The banter and chemistry between Hannah and Jack
-The vivid descriptions of life on the Texas ranch
-The epilogue, which was one of the best I’ve read in a while with so much closure and happiness

Honestly, I can’t think of anything I didn’t like. I literally was not ready to say goodbye to Hannah, Jack, Glenn, Connie and the rest of the supporting characters. My heart is so full!

4.5 ⭐️

I went into this one totally blind. I have loved every other KC book I’ve read thus far, so I need not read the synopsis to know I must read whatever she’s writing. I was so excited when I was approved for the audio ARC, and couldn’t wait to dive in.

The Bodyguard was everything you could want in a rom-com. It was fun, entertaining, and full of feels. It had the perfect mix lol humor, heartwarming moments, and even a little suspense sprinkled in. The story was well written, and had that charming Katherine Center feel to it, so of course it was hard to put down. I loved the great mix characters and the strong focus on family. This will make the best Summer read.

Patti Murin was the narrator and she did a fantastic job! I am happy to say my 2nd Netgalley audiobook was a much better experience.

What I loved;
💛Forced proximity
💛Fake dating
💛Loveable characters
💛Swoony romance

The Bodyguard is available July 19, 2022. It was sweet, and touching, and you will absolutely want to read it!

Thank you @Netgalley and @MacmillanAudio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Every year I look forward to a new Katherine Center rom-com. The Bodyguard is the perfect summer listen! I don’t want to talk about the plot too much because one of my favorite things about the book is how the story unfolds, with a few, small unexpected surprises. I went into the book completely blind & it worked for me. There’s a fake dating trope between a bodyguard & a movie star and I’ll leave it at that. Wonderful narration by Patti Murin!

Thanks so much to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for providing me with an early copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Katherine Center and would read her grocery list. I was so so excited to get approved of the audiobook for this one. I've never listened to an audiobook on Netgalley so this was a first, but I would do anything for A Katherine Center book.

I need to start this out by saying this book was very cheesy and kinda far fetched, but it was perfect for my rom com loving heart. Hannah's relationship with Jack was so natural and cute and gave me all the feels.

At the beginning of the book, my heart was broken for Hannah. So many things were going so wrong. And with Katherine Center's writing I was so empathic towards her. It was like she was my friend and I wanted to yell at everyone who was being so unfair towards her. But it ended up that she was her own badass and didn't need me help.

As with all of her books, this was about the lead and her growth and journey to figure out her worth and for Hannah's case that she is and always was lovable. And this was a lesson close to my heart that I need to remember more.

And sometimes if you get uncomfortable with a book because the characters are upset and distraught and it makes you feel things, keep reading. Because the end of the book will be that much more satisfying.

5/5

Great feel good book. Interesting characters that keep the story moving. Quick listen and I enjoyed the narrator.

The plot of The Bodyguard is excellent. The unassuming Hannah Brooks is actually a world-class Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”) tasked with protecting handsome, A-list movie star, Jack Stapleton. There is fake dating, forced proximity, and decent chemistry between Hannah and Jack.

Overall, this was a sweet, wholesome, and enjoyable story. Katherine Center has a knack for building tension and growing affection between the romantic leads of her novels. Patti Murin narrates the audiobook version and does a nice job voicing the various characters. I do wish that Hannah’s character was more self-confident. With her being a top performer in her high-stakes job, it was sad to see her be so insecure about her looks and what she has to offer a potential romantic partner. Can we let women be confident and also avoid comparisons to/disparaging remarks about other women?!

I recommend this to fans of Katherine Center’s other works and romance readers who enjoy forced proximity, celebrity romance, and fake dating tropes (with a dash of grumpy/sunshine). 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and SMP Romance for our gifted audiobook of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. This book is available on July 19th, 2022.

Rating: 5 star (Can I give it more??)
Genre: Romance

This is hands down Katherine Center's best book. I LOVE LOVED this book. I definitely see this as a movie! I will say that this book has more romance than some of her other books.

I recommend this book if:
-You love Katherine Center's books.
-You loved the movie Miss Congeniality
-You love 90s romcoms!

What is your favorite Katherine Center book?

Fake dating
Girl body guards
Forced proximity
Laugh out loud, sweet swoony type of story. The Bodyguard was absolutely precious and I loved every second of it. It’s not often a book can capture my attention so fully that I rather not do other tasks because I rather finish the story. Even though it is a romcom, no worries, the spice level is at a .5 out of 5 so this book is able to be shared with everyone. The narrator did a fantastic job as well.

Special thanks to netgalley and McMillan audio for providing an audio arc in return for an honest review.

Although I would probably give Katherine Center's grocery list 5 stars, I really loved her take on the bodyguard trope. It was funny, touching, romantic, and best of all featured a woman as the bodyguard. Hannah is charged with protecting superstar Jack Stapleton who is in Houston because of a family crisis. He doesn't want his family to know he needs a bodyguard, so she has to pretend she is his girlfriend. The publishing date is July 19, 2022. Don't miss this one! Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an early look in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much fun and so adorable! Both celebrity and fake dating stories are almost over done at this point, so it takes a really good story to catch my interest, and this story definitely fit the bill! Everything about this from the setting to the characters to the premise were absolutely charming.

I absolutely loved the unique spin of Hannah's career as a bodyguard. It added a different dynamic to the relationship as she was the protector, which was fun to see.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was well-narrated.

Recommended if you're in the mood for a mostly light-hearted romcom!

Content: language, fade-to-black

This was such a cute and cozy rom-com!
The characters were so lovable and I loved the bodyguard plot. Being from North Dakota I love when books even briefly mention it! Definitely a great fast listen!

4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of The Bodyguard in exchange for my honest review.