The Bodyguard

I loved every single second of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. This story is RomCom gold! I would have loved to have had multiple points of view so I could enjoy Jack’s side of the story, but Hannah’s first-person perspective is superb. I love everything about her character: her drive to escape, her insecurities, her vulnerability, her need to erect a steel wall around her heart, her sense of humor, and her outstanding ability to take care of any situation. I really like how relatable Hannah is. I’m not saying I could be a kick-butt bodyguard, but I get being a sort-of plain, typical American woman. I get having insecurities. I get being the girl that most people don’t see. I also totally get how Hannah can’t see that Jack likes her. When your internal monologue for most of your life is that you are plain and invisible, and others throughout your life confirm these ideas, it’s really hard to believe when the super-hot, insanely handsome, could-get-any-girl-he-wants hero tells you he likes you. How is that possible? I love that normalcy is one of the things that Jack likes so much about Hannah. Jack rocks! He pays attention and is intentional. Not really traits one would expect in a Hollywood hearthrob, but traits that Jack has in spades. While the whole world dismisses Hannah, and that actually works great for her job, Jack is able to see her depth and her heart. The hot-guy falling for the plain Jane is my most favorite trope ever written, and Katherine Center utilizes this trope perfectly. I fully bought into the genuiness and relatability of both Hannah and Jack, loved their chemistry, and rooted for them the entire time. I was also super impressed by how much depth of feeling I experienced reading this book. One minute I was crying and the next I was laughing out loud. Seriously, this book is such a great read!

The Bodyguard will go down this year as one of my favorite reads of 2023. I love this story so much. If you are in the mood for a well-written, highly engaging, incredibly endearing Rom-Com, then you have to get your hands on a copy of this novel. You will love it!

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on July 20, 2022, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Really enjoyed this! It was funny and entertaining. And I liked the that the characters seemed to say what they were thinking, like in real life- to a certain extent. In novels there are characters that you wish would just say what they were thinking like normal people would to avoid heartache or conflict but without the omission I guess you wouldn’t have a story but it feels wrong. Seemed like the characters in this book said what they were feeling.

Intelligent, lighthearted, and full of romance, this was exactly what I was hoping for... though I wouldn't have minded some steam, lol! It's my first from the author, so I wasn't sure if the vibe would be more women's fiction or romance, but it ended up being a great combination of the two. The romance is front and center throughout, though this is definitely the heroine's story. It's told exclusively from her point of view, and she's got some self-reflection and personal growth to go through before she can let love into her life. But it also feels like a low angst, slow burn romance too, complete with a fake relationship and a famous hero. I loved that our couple was forced to spend nearly every moment together, and neither one seemed to have any complaints about that. It's the kind of story where you have to puzzle out the hero's thoughts and feelings, which kept me engaged and interested throughout. And I had no trouble bingeing it in one sitting - this was very good.

The story follows Hannah, a woman's whose past has shaped her into the person she is today. She works as a bodyguard, and it would take just the right guy to scale her walls and discover the soft center she hides beneath her bristly and business-like exterior. So when Hannah's estranged mother passes away and her support system crumbles around her, she hopes that burying herself in work with protect her from all of the unwelcome emotions that are creeping up on her. But when a new assignment - protecting a famous but reclusive actor - starts spiraling out of control, Hannah is left reeling. It's not long before she finds herself posing as the heartthrob's girlfriend and temporarily living on his family ranch. Spending time together brings them closer, but Jack is off-limits in more ways than one... and faking a relationship with an actor would lead anyone to question whether it's ALL an act.

Much of the story is introspective and focused on Hannah's thoughts, but Jack is also an integral component. It's a true romance, just one that tackles some heavier issues and does not include any steam. Difficult subjects like cancer, the loss of a loved one, and addiction are included, but the overall tone is actually pretty upbeat. Jack and Hannah's connection is so easy to see, and I loved all of the ways they complement each other. They both heal old wounds throughout the story, and there were plenty of swoony vibes. Their relationship develops slowly, almost a friendship at first, and I can see why there was no spice included - though they form a bond semi-quickly, there are several obstacles in their way. I loved how much Jack appreciated Hannah's authenticity, and he adored the fact that she can be both tough and tender. He doesn't try to change her, and he seems to genuinely love the things that make her insecure about herself. All in all, it was super easy to fall for Jack, so I had plenty of patience for their relationship to evolve. This was an excellent first read from this new-to-me author - I loved it!

Audio note: The audio is so good! Since the story is told exclusively from Hannah's point of view, there's a single female narrator. She does a great job of differentiating between the characters, and I loved her performance as Hannah. The audio enhances the story in a big way, infusing both emotion and emphasis into the text. And the narrator's voice was relaxing and easy to listen to, perfect for the tone of the book. This would also make an ideal workday listen - not only is the runtime short enough to finish in a single day, but the slow burn story and low/no heat level means that you won't be blushing at the office, lol. It's not somber enough to drag you down; it's lighthearted and a little playful, which will make the day fly by. I definitely recommend the audio.

| contemporary romance | romantic comedy | humorous | single POV | unlikely heroine | forced proximity | work place romance | no spice | no steam | PG | HEA |

The thing I loved most about this book is the voice. The deeper into the book I got, the more I realized that the story/narrator is speaking of the past, but telling it from the future. Something else I love about the voice is the way the narrator speaks to you as if you’re a close friend.

You know when you’re telling a close friend something and you get sidetracked telling a story? Then you end up either back tracking or moving on and getting back to the point. You guys share inside jokes, besties. Thats the feeling the voice gives me, it’s personal, friendly, and wants to spill the tea you were so eager to receive.

This was a great romantic comedy. It was hilarious, I couldn’t even believe just how funny this book was. But like I said, we’re friends, besties, we share jokes, we laugh.

The FMC is an unlikely heroine. Her chosen line of work is assumed to be a male dominant industry, and the fact that she is a female makes her naturally, underestimated. She is a work-a-holic, her hobby is also her job and she truly embodies that in look, vibe, and mindset.

If you’re looking for a spice-less (PG) romantic comedy with a unique story and characters, this is a must read.

Happy Reading Friends xx

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as others by the same author. It seemed like the author wrote this book in a hurry, because there were some pretty obvious problems.

First: North Dakota does not have any mountains. It has very big hills, but nothing that would count as a mountain.

Next: The FMC, Hannah, is supposed to be a kick-ass bodyguard who has been all over the world and in some pretty dramatic situations. Yes, she can flip a man who's a good foot taller, and she doesn't shy away from gun-toting weirdos, but she's afraid of cows and horses. Really? Didn't she meet any before this? Wouldn't a pro at least pretend not to be scared? It's one thing to be startled when a cow comes up to your truck window, but to freak out? From a COW?

Next: How is it that a bodyguard doesn't seem to have any emergency medical skills? I would expect her to be able to assess someone who keels over and provide a little help. Nope. But at least she is a skillful driver and knows how to get to the hospital in a hurry!

And then there is the relationship between the MMC and FMC. Even though most of her clients are fairly boring oil executives and this one is a superstar hot guy, she shouldn't be gobsmacked at the sight of his abs and drooling over him whenever he appears. It just doesn't seem professional. Isn't there a way to show attraction but not be over the top about it? She was so mesmerized by Jack (the MMC) that she wasn't really doing a very good job at her job.

I did like the fact that Hannah wasn't portrayed as a bombshell beauty who also had nerves of steel and brains galore; she was kind of like the perfect CIA officer: average in appearance, yet able to get out of a sticky situation without drawing attention to herself ... much. She was a little whiny and a bit unrealistically obsessed with her work, though -- to the point that it seemed like a personality disorder. And she was a little clueless when it came to personal relationships -- read the room, girl! But she was mostly a likable character with some endearing qualities and good one-liners. There was a lot of self-talk -- about everything, at length. Too much at length, at times.

So I enjoyed this book, with reservation. I had to quiet my b-s detection occasionally and just move on. I can't say it's the best rom-com I've read, but it was fun. And there was very little coarse language, and sex was only alluded to. For some, those things would be negatives, but I was fine with that. I want a good story above all, and this one, while flawed, was pretty good.