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
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
Critiques-
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May 9, 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. -
May 15, 2022
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.COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from June 1, 2022
Center (What You Wish For, 2020) turns gender norms on their heads in this utterly charming tale of a female bodyguard and the gorgeous movie star she's assigned to protect. Houston-based Hannah Brooks is an executive protection agent, trained in martial arts and hyperaware of her surroundings. But Hannah's game is decidedly off after her mother dies, and her boyfriend/co-worker Robby dumps her, seemingly out of the blue. So when her boss decides to assign her to protect Jack Stapleton, a handsome, reclusive actor who has come to Houston to spend time on his family ranch with his ailing mother, Hannah balks at the assignment. And that's before she finds out that, to make sure his family doesn't discover that he has a stalker, Jack is going to tell them that she's his girlfriend. As Hannah gets to know Jack and learns more about the tragic accident that took the life of his younger brother and fractured the family, she can't help but fall for her charismatic charge. Center's latest might be her most winning yet, a classic romantic set-up with two appealing, sympathetic leads. It's not only a must-read for her fans, but it will likely garner her new devotees as well.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- Country Living "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!)."
- Publishers Weekly "Center's confection satisfies on its own terms."
- Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers "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."
