The Bodyguard
A Novel
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4.2 • 741 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
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
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Falling in love on the job becomes an absolute minefield in this swoony romantic comedy. Hannah earns her living as a bodyguard for the wealthy and elite, but her latest assignment is a little unusual: protecting a seriously hot movie star while also pretending to be his girlfriend. Author Katherine Center weaves a riotous plot full of sticky situations and even a few real scares, artfully mixing serious themes like heartbreak and loss with the irresistible quirkiness of a classic rom-com. Center’s characters, including the vain but secretly sweet actor Jack, are vividly drawn and often very funny. The Bodyguard is full of heart and laughs.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
Customer Reviews
Favorite Center so far
I actually found myself laughing out loud while reading this. I enjoyed the main character and her blend of tough and absurd, her fear of cows was great. The leading man was smitten in a refreshing way and the supporting characters were multi dimensional. I’ve read a few books by this author and this one is the best so far. Genuinely insightful and sweet as well as exciting.
Marvelous and full of emotion
Such an amazing story, it’s a rom-com, but it has such great writing and storytelling. I laughed and cried multiple times. I have found a new author to love and follow in a semi- stalker way. However I promise to not be like the characters in the book, for one I don’t knit lol.
Phenomenal read
Couldn’t put it down.