Ratings117
Average rating4
New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is unabashedly romantic, laugh-out-loud funny, and the perfect summer read. She's got his back. Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she's an Executive Protection Agent (aka bodyguard), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. He's got her heart. Jack Stapleton's a household name--captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid. They've got a secret. When 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. What could possibly go wrong Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it's easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done.
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Such a feel-good story, I wasn't planning on binge-reading this in one day, but that's exactly what happened!
I always find Katherine Center's books to be absorbing feel-good breaks from reality, and this was no exception. While the arc of the story was predictable (as it should be for this type of book!), I really did enjoy the twists and turns it took to get there. I especially liked the scenes that included Connie and Doc. Their characters radiated such warmth, and it was clear why Hannah was so drawn not just to Jack - the famous and unfairly handsome movie star she's been tasked with protecting - but also to his family.
That said, I felt the development of Taylor's character was a bit unbelievable. To have her first betray Hannah and so easily and completely dismiss her (“We were work friends, we were never best friends, and your problem is that you don't know the difference”), then spend the rest of the story going to great lengths to apologize and rebuild their relationship, didn't quite make sense to me. Luckily, their relationship wasn't the focus of the book so this didn't have too much of an impact.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Ah, the perfect wholesome book. Finally, a story that focuses on the emotional connection of the main characters. I hate romantic comedies because they all seem too similar - tall brooding guy, tiny sunshiney girl, immediate attraction, brooding guy is mean to everyone but sunshiney girl makes him want to be better. We’ve seen this countless times. This is a break from the tropes. Characters that behave like normal humans, a normal happy family, friends that mess up, a toxic ex. This story is kinda believable. And no spicy scenes!! Just a fun book which makes up for a light, feel-good read. Nothing too “rom-comy”, if you know what I mean.💖
I read this in one evening & next morning, and loved it. I'm a fan of this author, and this newest book did not disappoint. It is a good story that had me rooting for the main characters, with some lovable, some laughable and some easy-to-dislike secondary characters thrown in for good measure.