The Bodyguard

I could not stop listening to The Bodyguard by Catherine Center. Seriously, I just sat, worked on a puzzle, and listened to the whole thing.

The Bodyguard is a fun, cute read that keeps the reader engaged throughout.

I'm a sucker for a fake relationship, and the execution in The Bodyguard is wonderful! It lasts for a good portion of the book with the requisite awkward situations and “oh no, I'm catching feelings!” moments from both sides.

I loved the chemistry between Hannah and Jack, but I think I loved Jack's family even more. I instantly loved his mom; every scene with her was my favorite.

Throughout the novel, there are hints of dark secrets (aka trauma) in Jack's past. I didn't love this plot line, but it was necessary for the overall plot and character motivations.

I liked the twist to the bodyguard roles, but I could have used more bodyguard shenanigans. There are hints about Hannah's skills, but we don't see them in action too much.

The Bodyguard will be a great addition to our library collection!

Audiobook Review: I greatly enjoyed the audiobook! I think I would have equally enjoyed the story if I had read it, but it was a fun listen!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.💖

“Because, despite everything, I loved her.I didn't like her, but I loved her.And he'd underestimated me, as well. Because it's so much harder to love someone who's difficult than to love someone who's easy.”

This quote hit me so hard and I absolutely needed to include it here. Loving someone who in your heart you don't really want to love at all is so exhausting and emotionally taxing.

“I feel like I've been lost all my life until now—and somehow with you I'm just ... found.”

When I read this quote my first thought was ‘I want somebody to love me like this'. I can't express how beautiful the writing of this book is.

The Bodyguard was a book that has been in my ‘to be read' pile and a book that I have been excited to read for a long time and I can happily say that it didn't disappoint!

From the first few chapters I knew immediately that this book was special and was going to become a comfort read. It's not often you read a book that makes you angry because you didn't read it sooner. This book genuinely had me laughing out loud.

Hannah and Jack are probably one of my favourite fictional characters that I've come across and have quickly become comfort characters. They're so funny, relatable and interesting to read. Robby? I have never wanted to hurt a character more. You know an author has done an awesome job if it makes you want to protect a character and ruin another's life.

Something important that I gained from this book was that you don't owe anyone anything, you don't have to accept anybody's apology if you don't want to.

“But you don't have to be perfect to be lovable.”

I had to give this book five stars which is so rare for me and this is probably the longest review that I have done but this is genuinely such a comfort read for me. I loved it so much. I will most definitely be rereading this.

I wish I could find plane tickets for $76.00 for places I would like to go to instead paying over 1,000 dollars for airfare and also does Glenn know people are different when it comes to grief maybe Hannah didn't feel that close to her mother like I was to few people that have past on and what kind of name is Doghouse for a person but I found out it's only a nickname and I thought it was his real name but I give the guy credit for taking care for homeless puppies. And also I really didn't care for Glenn for going in on Hannah all the time especially the way she looked and making fun of her for it that I'm sure of that Hannah didn't need to hear she wasn't good enough or how she dresses he should of be glad that she wasn't sleeping around the office like Robby was or Bobby as Jack would call him and at least she there to work and if I was her I would of said that she quit for Glenn being an asshole towards her. I have to say that I really like Jack Stapleton he was pretty funny thru out the hole book but in one chapter when I thought he was being a jerk to Hannah but there was the stalkers ex-husband who had him in a situation and he was making fun of her how she was afraid of cows. I didn't want this book to end cause I was loving Jack and Hannah they both had me laughing thru out the story and I am so giving this books and story 5 stars but the only one I didn't like was Hank Jack's brother for telling Jack to leave the hospital after their mother passed out they have to get along for the mother's sake and I think the father should have stepped in to them to stop their fighting. All because of the stupid stalker the stalker thing had to come to an end for Jack and Hannah and Jack's family Connie did love Hannah if she wanted them to get married and sure enough they did ended up being together.

I loved this! I thought Hannah's job was unique and interesting, and her coworkers were funny side characters.

Hannah and Jack's relationship was so cute. They had great banter, and they were such a good fit together. Jack is charming and sweet. I liked how we got to see Jack just living in his everyday life even though he's a celebrity in this world, and it was a neat fictional representation of how people idolize celebrities but they really are just normal people. He was very real and down-to-earth.

This was a very fun rom-com that also had a deeper plot line around Jack's family and their relationships with each other because of events from their past. A good balance between the two.

It's also a clean romance and a slower burn which are two things I love in romance books.

This was such an uplifting and fun book to read! It was a clean and sweet romantic comedy. The two main characters were so dynamic together. You don't always get that “chemistry” and connection through the pages when you read a romance, but this one was built up to perfection. Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors because she always delivers a perfectly woven romance. I really could've used this book last year, when I needed this positivity in my life, but I lost all my physical books and wasn't able to buy many new books then. However, blessings are meant to come into our lives right on time - I'm so overjoyed to have found The Bodyguard on Kindle Unlimited and for the audiobook to finally become available on Libby this month. I would definitely recommend this to my friends and encourage them to grab the audiobook as well because Patti Murin did a fabulous job!

Classic romance. I love the little ridiculous but perfect things that authors throw in when writing romance. Hunting for a safety-pin with a metal detector, silly nightgowns, scared of cows, crazy corgi ladies and their nude paintings and knitted sweaters. I liked that Hannah was accidentally funny and Jack was giggly. It's an adorable read.

This book was so cute. I loved that typical gender roles were not followed. It really brought a different element to the book. It was kind of obnoxious that she couldn't figure out appropriate attire while pretending to be the girlfriend but I can look past it. The only other complaint with this book (and many others really) is that she clearly stated that something was real or not real (appearance-wise) and then immediately contradicted her initial gut assessment. I see this so much when women's feelings are being written about and it makes them seem unnecessarily weak/naive/dim witted/[insert word here]. They clearly know it's not the case so why the back and forth?

Ah, we have Hannah. Surprisingly, though she's quite a small person, she works as an Executive Protection Agent, a fancy phrase for a bodyguard. And who is she set to protect? Jack Stapleton. Yes, that's The Jack Stapleton. Actor. Movie star. Drop-dead gorgeous. Jack's being stalked, and it's Hannah's job to watch over him. But Jack doesn't want to upset his mom who is sick, so Hannah must pretend to be Jack's girlfriend. Even though, as she's been told over and over, she's ordinary, and no one will believe it of her.

A few possible spoilers below. You have been warned...

Oh, the lovely snappy talk between Hannah and Jack. That's a delight. But it's more than just the rom-com elements and the setting on a real Texas ranch and the glow a movie star brings to a story. It's Hannah as a bit of a superhero. Hannah's told she's just a regular girl, nothing special, and, in a way, that's the truth. But she is also extraordinary in some wonderful ways, and it's Jack who helps her discover that.

And, goodness, who was expecting great life wisdom in a rom-com? It's there, trust me, and it's lovely.

Let me conclude with a thank you to the author for the scene with Hannah and the cows. In fact, a thank you to the author for the whole book. I needed it.

Really liked this quote:

“You can't make people love you. But you can give the love you long for out to the world. You can be the love you wish you had. That's the way to be okay. Because giving love to other people is a way of giving it to yourself.”

And this one:

“And, in the end, do you ever truly know for sure if you're lovable?
What a question.
You don't. You can't. Of course not.
Life never hands out the answers like that.
But maybe that's not even the right question.
Maybe love isn't a judgment you render—but a chance you take. Maybe it's something you choose to do—over and over.
For yourself. And for everyone else.
Because love isn't like fame. It's not something other people bestow on you. It's not something that comes from outside.
Love is something you do.
Love is something you generate.
And loving other people really does turn out, in the end, to be a genuine way of loving yourself.”

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of The Bodyguard, a book I've been incredibly excited to read since it was announced!

I zipped through this one! A story about a Hollywood heartthrob actor and his temporary unconventional bodyguard, The Bodyguard was a captivating and really fun read!

As a queen of writing strong female protagonists, Center introduces us to Hannah, a 5 foot 6 executive protection agent (AKA: bodyguard).

“Have you seen my other girlfriends? Have you seen Kennedy Monroe? She's nothing like any of them. She's short. Her teeth are crooked. She barely wears any makeup. She doesn't self-tan, wear extensions, or dye her hair. She's a totally plain, unremarkable person. She's the epitome of ordinary.”

aww it's so nice of him to compare hannah to other girls and talk about her insecurities in front of his brother

Jack can call me stumps anytime <3

A very light hearted, funny, upbeat rom-com. I had a lot of fun listening to the audio book and really enjoyed the dynamic between Jack and Hannah. I liked how the author used a lot of established romance tropes (fake dating, 1 bed, forced proximity, etc.) but added wholesome twists to keep it a good time. 

I wasn't a fan of the final conflict, felt underdeveloped and out of left field.