Book Review: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Book review for The Bodyguard, a hilarious rom-com featuring a bodyguard and her gorgeous movie star principal. Can Hannah do her job without falling for the person she should protect?

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302 pages / published July 19, 2022 / Goodreads: 4.08 (out of 5) / Amazon

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.

Book Review of The Bodyguard:

The Bodyguard is one of those books I wish I had read sooner. I’ve read nearly every Katherine Center book – and have pretty much loved them all.

This one was definitely no exception.

Hannah was such a fun character. Well, fun but rigid. But that’s the job, right? She’s a bodyguard who looks more like the girl next door who moonlights as a kindergarten teacher rather than a tough, take-down-the-bad-guy bodyguard. It’s hard not to love her – especially when she’s dealing with the most a-hole of boyfriends. Of course, she was told not to date coworkers!

The fun starts when a new job comes into the agency where Hannah works, and it’s all hands on deck. And it’s not just any job – it’s being the secret bodyguard of a famous (and seriously good-looking) actor. The problem is that Hannah can’t look like she’s his bodyguard, so she has to pretend she’s his girlfriend.

“I think just because you can’t keep something doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Nothing lasts forever. What matters is what we take with us.”
Katherine Center, The Bodyguard

This whole book was just cute and hilarious and full of heartwarming characters. I absolutely LOVED Kelly, one of Hannah’s coworkers who is obsessed with their new job. I almost wish there would be a companion book about her.

I also loved the friendship between Jack and Hannah. Jack made me think of Kevin Pearson from This Is Us, and I couldn’t help but picture him throughout the whole book.

This is one of those romances I wish I could experience for the first time all over again, and it really makes me excited for whatever Katherine Center writes next. If you love romances that are both heartwarming and deal with life issues, this is a great read.

Would I Recommend The Bodyguard?

This book had me hooked from page one. I loved both Hannah and Jack, as well as the whole team behind Hannah and Jack’s family. This really is a story of heart for both Hannah and Jack. It’s not just a romance, but it’s a book about healing and learning to forgive yourself.