Library Journal - Audio
09/01/2022
Hannah Brooks does not look like your average bodyguard. In fact, she looks like she would never harm a fly, but she can kill you with just about any everyday object. Movie star Jack Stapleton is buff and built like a Roman god—and in need of Hannah's help to protect him from a middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. When Jack has to go home, Hannah pretends to be his girlfriend so she can be around to protect him. What could possibly go wrong? Perfectly narrated by Patti Murin, Hannah and the cast of characters are brought to life with wit, humor, and spunk. Fans of romance novels with strong female characters will love Hannah. As stated in the author's note, this novel is meant to be light and fluffy, written in the middle of the COVID pandemic, and it is. VERDICT Center's (What You Wish For) latest is a must add to any collection.—Elyssa Everling
Publishers Weekly
05/09/2022
Center’s fluffy latest (after What You Wish For) follows a workaholic bodyguard as she protects and slowly falls for her client, handsome movie star Jack Stapleton, who’s visiting his sick mom in Texas. Hannah Brooks is at the top of her field, having been snatched from FBI recruitment by her boss, Glenn Schultz, for his security agency. After she’s dumped by a smarmy coworker, Glenn assigns Hannah to protect the charming Jack (who’s dealing with a stalker) as he drops in on his estranged brother and their mom, who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer. Not wanting to alarm them, Hannah pretends to be Jack’s girlfriend. When Hannah begins to suspect that Jack might be attracted to her (which, if so, would make the feeling mutual), she considers confessing to Glenn that she might not be up to the task. Hannah’s dilemma feels much more like a rom-com trope than a real-world situation, but it works amid the lighthearted atmosphere. The story perks up whenever Hannah shows off her bodyguard prowess, but these scenes are few and far between. Though other books deal more creatively with the well-worn tropes at play, Center’s confection satisfies on its own terms. (July)
From the Publisher
"With speedy pacing and sexual tension for miles, this tale packs a punch." —People
"Utterly charming... Center's latest might be her most winning yet. It's not only a must-read for her fans, but it will likely garner her new devotees as well." —Booklist (starred review)
One of PopSugar's 87 Romance Novels That Will Give You All the Feelings
"Center’s laugh-out-loud rom-com is a perfect summer read. The characters are vivid, the plot is compelling, and she balances grief, heartache, hope, and romance in a tender, believable way." —Buzzfeed
"Center brings her signature warmth and wit to this movie-ready premise, blending a heartwarming romance with quirky side characters and even a little bit of action. Hannah is an endearing and vulnerable lead underneath her serious, tough-girl exterior. Center delivers another satisfying, romantic read with a swoonworthy hero and a delightful main character." —Kirkus
"This fun new novel by Katherine Center feels like a summertime blockbuster. On the surface, it's a light-hearted romance, but it packs a bit of an emotional punch (along with some actual punches!)." —Country Living
"Center’s confection satisfies on its own terms." —Publishers Weekly
“My perfect 10 of a book. As funny and sweet as all the very best nineties rom-coms, but with Center’s signature heart-tugging depth. I wish I could erase it from my mind just to read it again for the first time. A shot of pure joy.” —Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers
“Great rollicking fun! Prepare to laugh and swoon and grin your pants off.” —Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle
"I sit down with a Katherine Center novel the way many do in front of a favorite holiday meal: with salivating, wide-eyed anticipation. As always, Center’s writing wallops readers with wisdom, wit, and a deep understanding of her dimensional characters. And The Bodyguard is pure, unvarnished delight. It sparkles bright with flirtation, banter, and the all-encompassing thrill of falling in love over a thousand tiny moments of connection. I closed this book with the biggest smile and the deepest, satisfied sigh." —Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Soulmate Equation
"An irresistible, delightful, perfect read. Clear the calendar, settle in your favorite chair and enjoy every amazing word. Then tell your boss you're going to need the next day off, because you're going to want to read it again!! —Susan Mallery, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Getaway
"The Bodyguard is absolutely, unequivocally delightful!" —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
“The Bodyguard was such a delight from the first page to the last. It was the experience from a book I’m always looking for and very rarely find.”
—Julie Buxbaum, New York Times bestselling author of Year on Fire
"A classic feel-good rom-com [that] stands out from the rest. If you're a fan of swoony romance a la Colleen Hoover, pick up this title." —Reader's Digest
“Katherine Center’s writing here, as always, is emotionally astute, honest about the realities of life, and full of hope.” —Bookriot
“Think Whitney Houston’s Bodyguard but with fake dating and gender roles reversed, plus the ending we all deserve. Simply put, this is the most delightfully perfect book!” —Real Simple
"The Bodyguard" is perfect for those in the mood for a funny, hard-hitting feel-good romance." —The Houston Chronicle
JULY 2022 - AudioFile
Patti Murin gives a terrific performance of this heartwarming contemporary romance. Hannah is an executive protection agent who is assigned to guard Hollywood superstar and sexiest-man-alive Jack when he returns to his parents' Texas ranch to help his mother, who is battling cancer. Because Jack doesn't want to alarm his parents about a threat to his life, Hannah reluctantly becomes his fake girlfriend. Murin excels at creating distinct and nuanced characters of all ages and genders, and is especially adept with male voices. She splendidly manifests the slow-burn attraction between Hannah and Jack. Her propulsive pacing and well-defined character portraits create an engaging listen. Katherine Center gives a heartfelt narration of her author's note. M.J. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-04-27
When a professional bodyguard is assigned to cover a famously reclusive actor, sparks fly.
Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent, better known as a bodyguard. Although many people picture bodyguards as big, burly men, Hannah stays undercover and unnoticed as a 5-foot-5 female agent, often blending in as a nanny. And although Hannah could easily incapacitate or even kill a threat, her job is to “anticipate harm before it ever materializes—and avoid it.” She spends most of her work time traveling the world, which is just how she likes it—that is, until her mother dies, her boss makes her take some time off, and her fellow agent boyfriend dumps her. Now she’s stuck at home in Houston, grieving and lonely, wishing for a job that could take her far away. So when her boss assigns her to an actor who’s visiting his ailing mother in nearby Katy, Hannah’s not interested. Sure, Jack Stapleton is one of the sexiest men alive, but he’s not even sure he needs a bodyguard despite having a very persistent stalker. But Hannah’s boss has no intention of letting her off the hook, so she ends up protecting Jack as he stays with his family on their ranch. Jack hasn’t been in the public eye since his brother died a few years ago, preferring to hide out in the remote mountains of North Dakota instead of making blockbuster films. Now that he’s back in Texas, he doesn’t want his mother to know he has protection, fearing the stress might adversely affect her treatment, so he convinces Hannah to pose as his girlfriend. As Hannah gets to know Jack and his family, she realizes that there’s more to him than she thought—but how much of their connection is real, and how much of it is acting? Center brings her signature warmth and wit to this movie-ready premise, blending a heartwarming romance with quirky side characters and even a little bit of action. Hannah, who worries that she’s inherently unlovable after getting dumped, is an endearing and vulnerable lead underneath her serious, tough-girl exterior.
Center delivers another satisfying, romantic read with a swoonworthy hero and a delightful main character.
