The Bodyguard: A Novel

by Katherine Center

Overview

Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is “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

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 goes 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, 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.

“Great rollicking fun! Prepare to laugh and swoon and grin your pants off.”—Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle

"Absolutely, unequivocally delightful!"—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250219398
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/19/2022
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	14,376
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

KATHERINE CENTE R is the New York Times bestselling author of laugh-and-cry novels about love and family, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and Happiness for Beginners. The movie adaptation of her novel The Lost Husband hit #1 on Netflix, and her books have made many best-of lists.
She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron. The Dallas Morning News calls her stories
“satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way,” and BookPage calls her “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” Katherine lives in Houston with her husband and two kids. Visit her website—and join her mailing list—at katherinecenter.com.

Editorial Reviews

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)

Publishers Weekly

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.

Kirkus Reviews

"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

From the Publisher