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The Bodyguard
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romance (2022)She's got his back. He's got her heart. They've got a secret. What could possibly go wrong?
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she's an elite bodyguard and she's just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.
Jack Stapleton's a Hollywood heartthrob - captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.
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.
Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done...
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she's an elite bodyguard and she's just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.
Jack Stapleton's a Hollywood heartthrob - captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.
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.
Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done...
302 pages, Hardcover
First published July 19, 2022
About the author
Katherine Center
20 books23.4k followershttps://katherinecenter.com/about/
https://www.instagram.com/katherinece...
BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, Things You Save in a Fire, and her summer 2024 book, The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books: bittersweet romantic comedies about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The Netflix movie adaptation of her novel Happiness for Beginners—starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes—just hit the Global Top Ten in 81 countries, and the movie of her novel The Lost Husband was a surprise Netflix sensation in 2020, hitting number one and landing in their top 25 movies for the year. Her books have made countless Best-Of lists—at Audible, BookBub, and Book of the Month, as well as Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and Amazon's yearly Top 100 books. Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “my perfect 10 of a book,” and Jodi Picoult says of Things You Save in a Fire, “Just read it, and thank me later.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two almost-grown teenagers, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.
https://www.instagram.com/katherinece...
BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, Things You Save in a Fire, and her summer 2024 book, The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books: bittersweet romantic comedies about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The Netflix movie adaptation of her novel Happiness for Beginners—starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes—just hit the Global Top Ten in 81 countries, and the movie of her novel The Lost Husband was a surprise Netflix sensation in 2020, hitting number one and landing in their top 25 movies for the year. Her books have made countless Best-Of lists—at Audible, BookBub, and Book of the Month, as well as Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and Amazon's yearly Top 100 books. Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “my perfect 10 of a book,” and Jodi Picoult says of Things You Save in a Fire, “Just read it, and thank me later.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two almost-grown teenagers, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41,974 reviews
August 5, 2022
1 star 💫
i’m feeling like the biggest hater right now because there truly was nothing i enjoyed about this book.
actually, i knew i would hate this book when i read the very first line—
that is the most random “dying wish” i have ever heard of. yanno what’s funnier? she chose toledo, ohio as her destination.
who in their right mind would vacation in ohio? cause nothing says vacation like vast fields of nothingness (sorry ohioans, idk how this turned into a “why ohio kinda sucks” review)
characters
hannah (h) is allegedly this tough bodyguard that has a 2nd degree black belt in jiu jitsu, yet screams and freaks out when a cow licks her arm.
she has ZERO backbone and allows her ex, her boss and her best friend to walk all over her.
her ex literally told her to her face that jack (H) would never be her girlfriend because “look at hannah compared to jack’s ex”—
and she did/said nothing. in my mind, she’s standing exactly like this 🧍♀️
jack just existed. he was your typical ‘actor hero’ that spoke but said nothing at all. you may notice that i refer to him as jake a few times in this review. his personality resembled stale, white bread so why should bother calling him jack when jake sounds better?
anywho, jake literally screamed at hannah because she walked into this very dangerous river and nearly drowned. why? because she didn’t KNOW the river was dangerous 😱
how the fuck is she supposed to know that when you never told her and she doesn’t live in the area ohmygod—
who’s everyone? she’s from houston, not rural texas 🫥
jack was named “sexist man alive” (twice), yet he had as much sex appeal as danny devito
the romance
non-existent to the point there’s not even anything NEGATIVE to say. the faking dating trope was pointless because they fake-dated for like a few days? it’s unclear really
the whole reason hannah and jake fake dated is because jake’s mom was diagnosed with cancer and was having surgery to remove the tumor. jack didn’t want to cause unnecessary stress during that time, so he pretended like hannah was his girlfriend and not his bodyguard. hannah became his bodyguard because he was being stalked and his family didn’t know about it
the romance consisted of jake saying extremely backhanded things to hannah. i suppose the author thought i would find it romantic when jake told his brother that hannah isn’t a ‘hollywood bimbo’ like his brother tried to say 🤠
i would absolutely adore being referred to as the epitome of ordinary, an idiot, and plain by a man 😍 i just love when men point out your insecurities and say they ‘like them’, babes, no one asked ✋🏻
the writing
positively traumatic. idk if you guys watched the persuasion movie with dakota johnson but you know all the horrible 4th wall breaks? this book had the same energy. like why is hannah speaking directly to me—
uhhh…okay? 👁👁
it’s hilarious because for the first chapter i was 100% convinced i was reading a completely different book than the one the blurb described. i had to reverse search hannah’s name to ensure my app didn’t glitch and give me the wrong book 🤡
plot
very boring and lackluster to be honest
now, i’m about to spoil the plot and jake’s stalker so don’t continue reading if you don’t wanna know. then again, if you’re at this point of the review, would you even want to read this??
spoiler below
at the end of the book, we discover jake’s stalker wasn’t a woman who knitted jake’s sweaters of his face, like they originally thought. it was a guy that was mad his wife left him for jake...because she was obsessed with him.
the stalker breaks into jake’s home, ties him up, holds him at gunpoint, & shoots and grazes hannah in the head. yet, in the epilogue it’s revealed he was released from prison within 5 years and opened his own business building birdhouses…
HE ALMOST KILLED HANNAH AND GETS A SLAP ON THE WRIST??? IN TEXAS??? BITCH PLEASE WHAHAHAHAH
i’m glad this book ended on a comedically bad note because nothing was good about this till that wonderful part 😊
i’m feeling like the biggest hater right now because there truly was nothing i enjoyed about this book.
actually, i knew i would hate this book when i read the very first line—
MY MOTHER’S DYING wish was for me to take a vacation.
that is the most random “dying wish” i have ever heard of. yanno what’s funnier? she chose toledo, ohio as her destination.
who in their right mind would vacation in ohio? cause nothing says vacation like vast fields of nothingness (sorry ohioans, idk how this turned into a “why ohio kinda sucks” review)
characters
hannah (h) is allegedly this tough bodyguard that has a 2nd degree black belt in jiu jitsu, yet screams and freaks out when a cow licks her arm.
she has ZERO backbone and allows her ex, her boss and her best friend to walk all over her.
her ex literally told her to her face that jack (H) would never be her girlfriend because “look at hannah compared to jack’s ex”—
“Just look! Nobody in a million years will ever possibly believe that this person, right here, bested the legendary Kennedy Monroe to become Jack Stapleton’s girlfriend.”
and she did/said nothing. in my mind, she’s standing exactly like this 🧍♀️
jack just existed. he was your typical ‘actor hero’ that spoke but said nothing at all. you may notice that i refer to him as jake a few times in this review. his personality resembled stale, white bread so why should bother calling him jack when jake sounds better?
anywho, jake literally screamed at hannah because she walked into this very dangerous river and nearly drowned. why? because she didn’t KNOW the river was dangerous 😱
how the fuck is she supposed to know that when you never told her and she doesn’t live in the area ohmygod—
“Nobody’s supposed to do that! Don’t you know how many people drown in that river every year?”
“Why would I know that?”
“Everybody knows that! Never swim in the Brazos.”
who’s everyone? she’s from houston, not rural texas 🫥
jack was named “sexist man alive” (twice), yet he had as much sex appeal as danny devito
the romance
non-existent to the point there’s not even anything NEGATIVE to say. the faking dating trope was pointless because they fake-dated for like a few days? it’s unclear really
the whole reason hannah and jake fake dated is because jake’s mom was diagnosed with cancer and was having surgery to remove the tumor. jack didn’t want to cause unnecessary stress during that time, so he pretended like hannah was his girlfriend and not his bodyguard. hannah became his bodyguard because he was being stalked and his family didn’t know about it
the romance consisted of jake saying extremely backhanded things to hannah. i suppose the author thought i would find it romantic when jake told his brother that hannah isn’t a ‘hollywood bimbo’ like his brother tried to say 🤠
“Have you seen my other girlfriends? Have you seen Kennedy Monroe? She’s nothing like any of them. She’s short. Her teeth are crooked. She barely wears any makeup. She doesn’t self-tan, wear extensions, or dye her hair. She’s a totally plain, unremarkable person. She’s the epitome of ordinary.”
i would absolutely adore being referred to as the epitome of ordinary, an idiot, and plain by a man 😍 i just love when men point out your insecurities and say they ‘like them’, babes, no one asked ✋🏻
the writing
positively traumatic. idk if you guys watched the persuasion movie with dakota johnson but you know all the horrible 4th wall breaks? this book had the same energy. like why is hannah speaking directly to me—
HAVE I EXPLAINED what I do for a living?
I usually try to put that off as long as possible. Because once you know—once I actually name the profession—you’ll make a long list of assumptions about me … and all of them will be wrong.
uhhh…okay? 👁👁
it’s hilarious because for the first chapter i was 100% convinced i was reading a completely different book than the one the blurb described. i had to reverse search hannah’s name to ensure my app didn’t glitch and give me the wrong book 🤡
plot
very boring and lackluster to be honest
now, i’m about to spoil the plot and jake’s stalker so don’t continue reading if you don’t wanna know. then again, if you’re at this point of the review, would you even want to read this??
spoiler below
at the end of the book, we discover jake’s stalker wasn’t a woman who knitted jake’s sweaters of his face, like they originally thought. it was a guy that was mad his wife left him for jake...because she was obsessed with him.
the stalker breaks into jake’s home, ties him up, holds him at gunpoint, & shoots and grazes hannah in the head. yet, in the epilogue it’s revealed he was released from prison within 5 years and opened his own business building birdhouses…
HE ALMOST KILLED HANNAH AND GETS A SLAP ON THE WRIST??? IN TEXAS??? BITCH PLEASE WHAHAHAHAH
i’m glad this book ended on a comedically bad note because nothing was good about this till that wonderful part 😊
March 6, 2024
4.25⭐️ this book is sooooo cute, wholesome, adorable... I could go on and on with the synonyms. I LOVE that this romance really focuses on their emotional connection. Their love story is all about the little moments: when they comfort each other, being there to listen to each other, and thoughtful items (weird wording but trying not to give spoilers).
I also loveee the tropes. SHE's the bodyguard there to protect him which is SO fun and he's a famous actor. It's also a closed-door romance which I surprisingly (I typically love spice) really loved. It was so wholesome.
Ugh literally the more I type this review, the more I'm thinking about everything I love about this book. Maybe I'll end up bumping up my rating.
I also loveee the tropes. SHE's the bodyguard there to protect him which is SO fun and he's a famous actor. It's also a closed-door romance which I surprisingly (I typically love spice) really loved. It was so wholesome.
Ugh literally the more I type this review, the more I'm thinking about everything I love about this book. Maybe I'll end up bumping up my rating.
February 18, 2022
THIS BOOK WAS SO FUN!!! I lost count of how many times I laughed while reading. It was like a spoonful of sugar, or better yet, pure sunshine. I would not be surprised at all if it was immediately adapted to film, starring juggernaut actors like, say, Ryan Reynolds. A perfect feel-good romcom.
Readers of mine might expect a certain amount of steam since I’m recommending this, but I’d categorize this as a non-pants-feeling type of book, so you can buddy read this with your virgin great aunt and not worry about giving her a heart attack.
Readers of mine might expect a certain amount of steam since I’m recommending this, but I’d categorize this as a non-pants-feeling type of book, so you can buddy read this with your virgin great aunt and not worry about giving her a heart attack.
November 22, 2021
Well. You know. I *wrote* this book. So. I probably shouldn't be reviewing it??? But also—how can I resist? I have read it, after all. Many times. And, for me, it's just pure sunshine. So . . . five totally unbiased stars! 😂
April 10, 2023
4.5 stars!!! This book had everything I love in a romance: tiny and thoughtful displays of love, and little details that come back around later to make a well rounded story. No spice in this one! Not sure if I’ll change this to 5 stars later but it’s a possibility!
January 13, 2024
We love a man who likes to be thrown on his ass.
February 11, 2024
Ah, this was the feelgood, fun, cheesy romcom I didn't know I needed!
(In the interest of total transparency, I want to confess I picked this book up for no reason other than it has the same name as one of my favorite movies ever—you know, the one with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. So yeah, if you write a book called The Bodyguard, I will read it, is what I'm trying to say. Right, back to the topic at hand.)
Hannah is going through a heartbreaking time. Her mom just passed away and her boyfriend dumps her immediately after the funeral. What's an asskicking girl supposed to do but get lost in her job to take the edge off the pain? Good thing she's an Executive Protection Agent (fancy name for a bodyguard), and protecting her latest client, the swoonworthy movie star Jack Stapleton, is sure to take her mind off her life... unless she falls for him, which she definitely won't do.
In case it's not clear, this isn't a story you take too seriously. It's more of a lighthearted, sweet, happy romance with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. I smiled so much through the whole thing, my cheeks felt a little sore afterwards. At times, it does cross over to the sappy side, at least for me. But it didn't happen too often and the funny scenes helped to balance it out.
I know romance readers can be a bit divided on the inclusion of explicit sex scenes, of which this book has none. For me, I don't generally prefer that because those stories tend to lack steam and feel unrealistic to me. But I didn't think so here. In fact, this story wasn't missing anything by not including those scenes. There's a permeating tone of lightheartedness and charm to the whole thing, and the exclusion of those scenes just made sense.
I don't want to oversell how happy and fun this story was, because there were definitely some emotionally heavy moments that had me tearing up and reaching for my tissue box. But overall, this was such a pleasant diversion from real life. I come out of it feeling warm and comforted all over, and I'm honestly not ready to let that feeling go just yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.
(In the interest of total transparency, I want to confess I picked this book up for no reason other than it has the same name as one of my favorite movies ever—you know, the one with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. So yeah, if you write a book called The Bodyguard, I will read it, is what I'm trying to say. Right, back to the topic at hand.)
Hannah is going through a heartbreaking time. Her mom just passed away and her boyfriend dumps her immediately after the funeral. What's an asskicking girl supposed to do but get lost in her job to take the edge off the pain? Good thing she's an Executive Protection Agent (fancy name for a bodyguard), and protecting her latest client, the swoonworthy movie star Jack Stapleton, is sure to take her mind off her life... unless she falls for him, which she definitely won't do.
In case it's not clear, this isn't a story you take too seriously. It's more of a lighthearted, sweet, happy romance with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. I smiled so much through the whole thing, my cheeks felt a little sore afterwards. At times, it does cross over to the sappy side, at least for me. But it didn't happen too often and the funny scenes helped to balance it out.
I know romance readers can be a bit divided on the inclusion of explicit sex scenes, of which this book has none. For me, I don't generally prefer that because those stories tend to lack steam and feel unrealistic to me. But I didn't think so here. In fact, this story wasn't missing anything by not including those scenes. There's a permeating tone of lightheartedness and charm to the whole thing, and the exclusion of those scenes just made sense.
I don't want to oversell how happy and fun this story was, because there were definitely some emotionally heavy moments that had me tearing up and reaching for my tissue box. But overall, this was such a pleasant diversion from real life. I come out of it feeling warm and comforted all over, and I'm honestly not ready to let that feeling go just yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.
November 15, 2023
Oh hell no! This is the first time I’m giving a new Katherine Center book less than five stars! But hear me out my friends: this book could be easily adapted into Netflix romcom screenplay and with the best cast choices, it could be a hit.
So I applied my formula when I read a little unreliable story and I imagined it as a movie script and started to make my own cast list.
They may cast three Emmas ( Roberts- Stone- Watson) for the leading woman/executive protection agent/ bodyguard Hannah Brooks( my choice for leading lady who play Hannah is Awkwafina : because I’m dying to see this amazing actress in a romcom) and Jack Stapleton: broken hearted, sweet, caring, box office actor should be played by Chrises ( Hemsworth- Pine- Evans, I’m skipping Pratt! and my personal choice is always Evans who wears white knitted sweater best than any human being)
The plot line of this story is a little far fetched: an ambitious, workaholic exe. protection agent who lately buried her mother and dumped by her coworker- extra douche boyfriend, is hired by the production company to protect the well being of their number one asset: their leading actor Jack Stapleton who lost his brother three years ago, laying low, coming back to his hometown Austin to take care of her mother who suffers from cancer. But he has a woman stalker who has creative ways to disturb him.
He doesn’t want his family worry about his situation and Hannah doesn’t want him out of sight so she reluctantly makes a deal to act like a girlfriend in front of Jack’s family! But you may guess the rest: both of them fell for each other but Hannah deals with her own insecurities and baggage about her family. Jack still suffers from guilt about losing his brother, nightmares, estrangement with his big brother.
I found the plot with lots of cliches. At some parts I couldn’t even connect with Hannah. But when we see some parts about her past and the drama about her family, I started resonating with her. On the other hand: Jack of Texan sweetheart: he was amazing from the beginning.
As supporting characters: Jack’s family is amazing. I always enjoy the books or movie scripts about a lonely woman who gets adopted by big and lovely family of hero like Bullock’s While you were sleeping.
On the other hand : agent team gave me creeps: especially Robby and so called best friend Taylor were one dimensional extra mean people without any backbone.
Glenn’s full name reminds me of high quality bourbon brand and I liked his sadistic ways to torture his team members ( Bob Odenkirk played his role in my head) and quick witted Kelly was my one of my favorites( I casted Kate McKinnon and I loved her character more)
Overall: sweet, pop corn book, a little different from the previous works of the author: still entertaining, enjoyable. For the love of Jack : I rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 Texan, Dolly Patron’s I will always love you stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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So I applied my formula when I read a little unreliable story and I imagined it as a movie script and started to make my own cast list.
They may cast three Emmas ( Roberts- Stone- Watson) for the leading woman/executive protection agent/ bodyguard Hannah Brooks( my choice for leading lady who play Hannah is Awkwafina : because I’m dying to see this amazing actress in a romcom) and Jack Stapleton: broken hearted, sweet, caring, box office actor should be played by Chrises ( Hemsworth- Pine- Evans, I’m skipping Pratt! and my personal choice is always Evans who wears white knitted sweater best than any human being)
The plot line of this story is a little far fetched: an ambitious, workaholic exe. protection agent who lately buried her mother and dumped by her coworker- extra douche boyfriend, is hired by the production company to protect the well being of their number one asset: their leading actor Jack Stapleton who lost his brother three years ago, laying low, coming back to his hometown Austin to take care of her mother who suffers from cancer. But he has a woman stalker who has creative ways to disturb him.
He doesn’t want his family worry about his situation and Hannah doesn’t want him out of sight so she reluctantly makes a deal to act like a girlfriend in front of Jack’s family! But you may guess the rest: both of them fell for each other but Hannah deals with her own insecurities and baggage about her family. Jack still suffers from guilt about losing his brother, nightmares, estrangement with his big brother.
I found the plot with lots of cliches. At some parts I couldn’t even connect with Hannah. But when we see some parts about her past and the drama about her family, I started resonating with her. On the other hand: Jack of Texan sweetheart: he was amazing from the beginning.
As supporting characters: Jack’s family is amazing. I always enjoy the books or movie scripts about a lonely woman who gets adopted by big and lovely family of hero like Bullock’s While you were sleeping.
On the other hand : agent team gave me creeps: especially Robby and so called best friend Taylor were one dimensional extra mean people without any backbone.
Glenn’s full name reminds me of high quality bourbon brand and I liked his sadistic ways to torture his team members ( Bob Odenkirk played his role in my head) and quick witted Kelly was my one of my favorites( I casted Kate McKinnon and I loved her character more)
Overall: sweet, pop corn book, a little different from the previous works of the author: still entertaining, enjoyable. For the love of Jack : I rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 Texan, Dolly Patron’s I will always love you stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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August 6, 2024
4.50!
“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.”
When I first saw this book I thought that it was gonna be normal typical famous woman hiring a bodyguard and they'd fall in love kinda romance so I was skeptical going into it but then I saw Emily Henry's blurb which said 'my perfect ten of a book' and you have no idea how fast I got it because obviously I love Emily Henry and I didnt wanna read this book alone so I also called Roxy another hardcore emily henry fan to read this with me and it's safe to say that it was a ten of a book for us . Katherine Centre does such a mega job in keeping us invested in this story and tbh it wasn't even that big of a book it was the average size a romance book SHOULD be and it delivered, I feel like the writing style was very easy to read and entertaining overall and it was so damn binge-able that I read it in a day I think?? I liked how we went with the flow and didn't feel bored once. This is the ideal romance book for me tbh.
Hannah reminded me a bit of Sloane from king of sloth but I overall liked Hannah more. I loved how she became self aware and at the end and I honestly felt for her because she was surrounded by such negativity!! Imagine having a lying, cheating, whoring ass of boyfriend who undermined you every chance he got and and having a best friend who would sleep with your said ex boyfriend?? They were for the streets frr. So it was understandable for her to be reserved and more work driven but I loved her as the story progressed and when she opened up. Jack was the ideal man. I can't even begin the way he tried to avoid so many conflicts and so many things and the way they avoided a whole ass third act break up which would be there if it was cough Tessa bailey cough but the way that man tried to steer it away and said lets make it worthwhile while i can just name so many others who would make such a big mess of it. Loved it!!
The romance was a thing that needed a little improvement like don't get me wrong I loved the forced proximity+ the slow burn and I loved how it was clean with no spice but I just wanted a bit of development on there part it was as if somewhere along they just fell in love and we didn't get to see either but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.The plot was fun!! I enjoyed it a lot especially the last few moments of the book. They really had me shook 😭
Overall, a very enjoyable book!
___
Emily Henry said that this was a 10 for her so me and Roxy have to read this now!! it better deliver!!
“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.”
When I first saw this book I thought that it was gonna be normal typical famous woman hiring a bodyguard and they'd fall in love kinda romance so I was skeptical going into it but then I saw Emily Henry's blurb which said 'my perfect ten of a book' and you have no idea how fast I got it because obviously I love Emily Henry and I didnt wanna read this book alone so I also called Roxy another hardcore emily henry fan to read this with me and it's safe to say that it was a ten of a book for us . Katherine Centre does such a mega job in keeping us invested in this story and tbh it wasn't even that big of a book it was the average size a romance book SHOULD be and it delivered, I feel like the writing style was very easy to read and entertaining overall and it was so damn binge-able that I read it in a day I think?? I liked how we went with the flow and didn't feel bored once. This is the ideal romance book for me tbh.
Hannah reminded me a bit of Sloane from king of sloth but I overall liked Hannah more. I loved how she became self aware and at the end and I honestly felt for her because she was surrounded by such negativity!! Imagine having a lying, cheating, whoring ass of boyfriend who undermined you every chance he got and and having a best friend who would sleep with your said ex boyfriend?? They were for the streets frr. So it was understandable for her to be reserved and more work driven but I loved her as the story progressed and when she opened up. Jack was the ideal man. I can't even begin the way he tried to avoid so many conflicts and so many things and the way they avoided a whole ass third act break up which would be there if it was cough Tessa bailey cough but the way that man tried to steer it away and said lets make it worthwhile while i can just name so many others who would make such a big mess of it. Loved it!!
The romance was a thing that needed a little improvement like don't get me wrong I loved the forced proximity+ the slow burn and I loved how it was clean with no spice but I just wanted a bit of development on there part it was as if somewhere along they just fell in love and we didn't get to see either but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.The plot was fun!! I enjoyed it a lot especially the last few moments of the book. They really had me shook 😭
Overall, a very enjoyable book!
___
Emily Henry said that this was a 10 for her so me and Roxy have to read this now!! it better deliver!!
March 13, 2024
That was so much fun!! I absolutely adored this book. Jack and Hannah won my heart. Possibly one of the best romances I have ever read. It made me laugh, made me emotional, made me swoon. I went in with minimal expectations and was only looking for something lighthearted, it ended up impressing me so much 🥺
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ Fake dating
✔️ Slow burn
Hannah was funny, sarcastic and so easy to love. Jack was down to earth for a celeb, his family (excluding Hank) were so easy to like. Ngl I pictured Jack as Chris Evans the whole time. His chemistry with Hannah was chef's kiss. The romance was sweet and clean. The slow burn and forced proximity was so well executed. I liked how open the two were and communicated to each other about their past and insecurities. I loved their moments together- they were worth cherishing as a reader.
Definitely give it a go 👀
~•~•~
In the mood for something lighthearted😌
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ Fake dating
✔️ Slow burn
Hannah was funny, sarcastic and so easy to love. Jack was down to earth for a celeb, his family (excluding Hank) were so easy to like. Ngl I pictured Jack as Chris Evans the whole time. His chemistry with Hannah was chef's kiss. The romance was sweet and clean. The slow burn and forced proximity was so well executed. I liked how open the two were and communicated to each other about their past and insecurities. I loved their moments together- they were worth cherishing as a reader.
Definitely give it a go 👀
~•~•~
In the mood for something lighthearted😌
March 20, 2022
i think this was a little too ‘romcom’ for me, personally.
i found most of the attempts at being charming and funny actually feeling juvenile and awkward. i dunno. its just a little too over the top for what i was wanting and expecting.
i will say that the gender roles in this are refreshing. it was so interesting to have the female MC be the bodyguard and protect the guy. i think the dynamic itself actually worked out well. its just a shame that i didnt think any of the characters acted like fully grown adults.
i also dont think it helps that this is a slow burn romance, which would have worked really well if this had a more serious and realistic tone. but because its supposed to be upbeat and light, it definitely needed some of that banter and tension to balance it out. so not having any sort of romance show up until the 85% mark is just too late to make a difference.
so this didnt quite work out for me. but based on other reviews, im definitely in the minority. so if you enjoy the fake dating trope, then this is one to add to your TBR.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press.
↠ 3 stars
i found most of the attempts at being charming and funny actually feeling juvenile and awkward. i dunno. its just a little too over the top for what i was wanting and expecting.
i will say that the gender roles in this are refreshing. it was so interesting to have the female MC be the bodyguard and protect the guy. i think the dynamic itself actually worked out well. its just a shame that i didnt think any of the characters acted like fully grown adults.
i also dont think it helps that this is a slow burn romance, which would have worked really well if this had a more serious and realistic tone. but because its supposed to be upbeat and light, it definitely needed some of that banter and tension to balance it out. so not having any sort of romance show up until the 85% mark is just too late to make a difference.
so this didnt quite work out for me. but based on other reviews, im definitely in the minority. so if you enjoy the fake dating trope, then this is one to add to your TBR.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press.
↠ 3 stars
September 12, 2023
4.5⭐️ I LOVED THIS BOOK
May 5, 2023
i commemorated valentine's day by frantically trying to find a romance i would actually like.
so a book i didn't outright hate...WE'LL TAKE IT.
this was funny. and weird. and i feel like there was too much going on for me to notice that there was a romance happening.
but honestly i've read so many books that leaned into the ROM and ignored the COM entirely that this seems like a success.
50/50 ain't bad.
bottom line: i am so dead inside that 3.5 rounded down feels like a pleasant surprise.
3.5
so a book i didn't outright hate...WE'LL TAKE IT.
this was funny. and weird. and i feel like there was too much going on for me to notice that there was a romance happening.
but honestly i've read so many books that leaned into the ROM and ignored the COM entirely that this seems like a success.
50/50 ain't bad.
bottom line: i am so dead inside that 3.5 rounded down feels like a pleasant surprise.
3.5
April 7, 2024
2.5 Stars
Alright - this one is going to be really quick, because honestly, I'm right in that meh I don't even care situation. I didn't dislike this book but I didn't love it either.
The characters almost felt like caricatures- trying so hard but never feeling very real to me?
I feel like she tried too much, he tried too little - having her sleep on the hard floor and not an ounce decency or idk ✨chivalry✨in a ✨romance book✨- that was a let down.
Kinda extremely corny, little cheesy, ehh
And then that ending? Talk about zero to 100 and I didn't even blink.
Ugh. Don't hate me, but as I'm writing this review I am now lowering the rating to 2.5 - This might just be a me thing, I wouldn't hesitate to read it if it's something that you think you would be interested in. I've liked a previous book by KC 'Hello Stranger' but the most recent two I've read have just not hit the mark for me.
Alright - this one is going to be really quick, because honestly, I'm right in that meh I don't even care situation. I didn't dislike this book but I didn't love it either.
The characters almost felt like caricatures- trying so hard but never feeling very real to me?
I feel like she tried too much, he tried too little - having her sleep on the hard floor and not an ounce decency or idk ✨chivalry✨in a ✨romance book✨- that was a let down.
Kinda extremely corny, little cheesy, ehh
And then that ending? Talk about zero to 100 and I didn't even blink.
Ugh. Don't hate me, but as I'm writing this review I am now lowering the rating to 2.5 - This might just be a me thing, I wouldn't hesitate to read it if it's something that you think you would be interested in. I've liked a previous book by KC 'Hello Stranger' but the most recent two I've read have just not hit the mark for me.
September 26, 2022
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Petite, ordinary, maybe stumpy legged, Hannah Brooks works as an Executive Protection Agent. Life was hard growing up and Hannah has trust issues. She learned that no one would take care of her so she had to take care of herself. And now she makes a living taking care of others. She is obsessed with working, she always wants to be on the job. She wants no downtime, never takes vacation, and is considered boring by the guy who just dumped her. Worse yet is that he told her she is a lousy kisser. Dating two years and now he tells her!
Hannah is always fighting self esteem issues so her ex boyfriend's pronouncement and dumping doesn't help her. She needs to work, now! Her sadistic boss likes to put his employees in the most uncomfortable positions for whatever is going on in their lives. So when a full team job pops up, he assigns Hannah to be the girlfriend of a world famous hunk of an actor, Jack Stapleton, who is dealing with a stalker and personal issues. Jack doesn't want his family to worry, especially his mother, so that's why he doesn't want them to know that he has been assigned a bodyguard. But now Hannah can't wear her "work suit" outfits and sturdy shoes and instead, must wear sundresses and sandals and sleep in Jack's room.
You'd think wealthy, famous, Jack would be a jerk, narcissist, someone with no time for the regular people of the world. But instead, he's friendly, silly, funny, maybe even a bit dorky, and Hannah has to fight to remember he's acting, he's an actor, he's pretending to like her, this is not real. Hannah adores Jack's family, they are the family she always wished she had, especially Jack's mother, who obviously thinks Hannah is good for her son. She is falling fast and hard for something that isn't real but Hannah is loving her time with Jack and his family, on the family ranch.
I adore this story, Jack, and his family. Hannah is pretty internally neurotic for a bodyguard but what do I know, really, I've never met a bodyguard. She sees that there is a possibility for life outside of her armor of her constant work but this life and man that she is falling for will be gone once this job it over. The Bodyguard is a fun story of people who enjoy being around each other and with side helpings of dysfunctional co-workers. Hannah fits right in with her dysfunctional co-workers but sees that isn't where she really wants to be, anymore.
Pub July 19th 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
Petite, ordinary, maybe stumpy legged, Hannah Brooks works as an Executive Protection Agent. Life was hard growing up and Hannah has trust issues. She learned that no one would take care of her so she had to take care of herself. And now she makes a living taking care of others. She is obsessed with working, she always wants to be on the job. She wants no downtime, never takes vacation, and is considered boring by the guy who just dumped her. Worse yet is that he told her she is a lousy kisser. Dating two years and now he tells her!
Hannah is always fighting self esteem issues so her ex boyfriend's pronouncement and dumping doesn't help her. She needs to work, now! Her sadistic boss likes to put his employees in the most uncomfortable positions for whatever is going on in their lives. So when a full team job pops up, he assigns Hannah to be the girlfriend of a world famous hunk of an actor, Jack Stapleton, who is dealing with a stalker and personal issues. Jack doesn't want his family to worry, especially his mother, so that's why he doesn't want them to know that he has been assigned a bodyguard. But now Hannah can't wear her "work suit" outfits and sturdy shoes and instead, must wear sundresses and sandals and sleep in Jack's room.
You'd think wealthy, famous, Jack would be a jerk, narcissist, someone with no time for the regular people of the world. But instead, he's friendly, silly, funny, maybe even a bit dorky, and Hannah has to fight to remember he's acting, he's an actor, he's pretending to like her, this is not real. Hannah adores Jack's family, they are the family she always wished she had, especially Jack's mother, who obviously thinks Hannah is good for her son. She is falling fast and hard for something that isn't real but Hannah is loving her time with Jack and his family, on the family ranch.
I adore this story, Jack, and his family. Hannah is pretty internally neurotic for a bodyguard but what do I know, really, I've never met a bodyguard. She sees that there is a possibility for life outside of her armor of her constant work but this life and man that she is falling for will be gone once this job it over. The Bodyguard is a fun story of people who enjoy being around each other and with side helpings of dysfunctional co-workers. Hannah fits right in with her dysfunctional co-workers but sees that isn't where she really wants to be, anymore.
Pub July 19th 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
March 23, 2022
This book has received so much praise that I went in with very high expectations (I should really stop doing that), only to be disappointed.
The premise of “The Bodyguard” is totally up my alley: it’s a famous/non-famous fake-dating romance about a woman who becomes a bodyguard to an A-list actor. But many of the elements that I assumed would make this book a stand out for me didn’t work, mainly because the author insists on gesturing toward tropes without committing to them. If there’s Only One Bed, it’s understandable for a reader to expect the characters to have to share that bed (spoiler: they do not! not once! she sleeps on the floor! the whole time!). The Fake Dating trope raises the “Are These Feelings Real or Just Pretend?” issue, but Center doesn’t commit to that either. Instead, the emphasis is on the protagonist’s self-esteem, and whether or not she’s attractive enough to be seen with an A-lister. It’s all very 2000s––the idea that the protagonist is so “ordinary-looking,” and yet somehow “not like the other girls” goes unchallenged, as does the author’s portrayal of the “villain,” a shallow and painfully generic mean girl. Have we not evolved beyond this type of characterization?
“The Bodyguard” sets its protagonist up as being excellent at her job (“you’re the best we’ve got!” vibes), but Hannah comes off as an amateur. She seems unprepared for her mission; she does no research beforehand and objects to her assignment at every step of the way. The power dynamic between Hannah and her boss is uncomfortable. This is a toxic workplace, depicted without a truly critical eye. Hannah’s awful ex and co-worker, Robbie, takes up too much space in the plot, and whatever the reader is supposed to feel toward Taylor (Hannah’s “best friend” and co-worker) is unachieved, since her relationship with Hannah is poorly established. The final conflict is perhaps the weakest element of the book. At the climax of the story, the person who turns out to be the actor’s stalker says they want to unalive themselves because their life is terrible. And Hannah, a trained professional, is unironically like, “oof, relatable.”
Despite how the book is marketed, there’s something almost YA-ish about “The Bodyguard.” The writing has a Meg Cabot-esque voicy quality, and the concerns seem influenced by early Cabot and Kinsella romcoms. Like many of those stories, this romance is a fade-to-black, but it lacks the fun, biting, and sexy undercurrent that feels inherent to all great romantic comedies. The banter and chemistry between the book’s MCs is effective at times, but ultimately, these moments aren’t enough to rescue the book from everything that weighs it down.
*Thank you to NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
The premise of “The Bodyguard” is totally up my alley: it’s a famous/non-famous fake-dating romance about a woman who becomes a bodyguard to an A-list actor. But many of the elements that I assumed would make this book a stand out for me didn’t work, mainly because the author insists on gesturing toward tropes without committing to them. If there’s Only One Bed, it’s understandable for a reader to expect the characters to have to share that bed (spoiler: they do not! not once! she sleeps on the floor! the whole time!). The Fake Dating trope raises the “Are These Feelings Real or Just Pretend?” issue, but Center doesn’t commit to that either. Instead, the emphasis is on the protagonist’s self-esteem, and whether or not she’s attractive enough to be seen with an A-lister. It’s all very 2000s––the idea that the protagonist is so “ordinary-looking,” and yet somehow “not like the other girls” goes unchallenged, as does the author’s portrayal of the “villain,” a shallow and painfully generic mean girl. Have we not evolved beyond this type of characterization?
“The Bodyguard” sets its protagonist up as being excellent at her job (“you’re the best we’ve got!” vibes), but Hannah comes off as an amateur. She seems unprepared for her mission; she does no research beforehand and objects to her assignment at every step of the way. The power dynamic between Hannah and her boss is uncomfortable. This is a toxic workplace, depicted without a truly critical eye. Hannah’s awful ex and co-worker, Robbie, takes up too much space in the plot, and whatever the reader is supposed to feel toward Taylor (Hannah’s “best friend” and co-worker) is unachieved, since her relationship with Hannah is poorly established. The final conflict is perhaps the weakest element of the book. At the climax of the story, the person who turns out to be the actor’s stalker says they want to unalive themselves because their life is terrible. And Hannah, a trained professional, is unironically like, “oof, relatable.”
Despite how the book is marketed, there’s something almost YA-ish about “The Bodyguard.” The writing has a Meg Cabot-esque voicy quality, and the concerns seem influenced by early Cabot and Kinsella romcoms. Like many of those stories, this romance is a fade-to-black, but it lacks the fun, biting, and sexy undercurrent that feels inherent to all great romantic comedies. The banter and chemistry between the book’s MCs is effective at times, but ultimately, these moments aren’t enough to rescue the book from everything that weighs it down.
*Thank you to NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
July 27, 2022
3 Stars
Timing really is everything, isn't it?
And sadly, the timing was not great for me here.
In fact, I actually feel bad for this book.
How you say? By doing it the disservice of reading it on the direct heels of what might probably be my favorite book of the reading year.
Looking back, I should have followed that read up with a completely different genre rather than something so similar in tone and nature. As such, this entire read felt lacking in comparison to its predecessor, no matter how valiantly I attempted to disassociate the two books.
That said, ignore this review completely. I mean, I will still throw some remarks down yonder to express my thoughts on this thing, but seriously...this book is probably way better than my experience with it and I'm definitely in the minority in not loving it.
So I will be brief.
In short, I struggled to connect with the characters here. Even at the end of the story, I felt like I didn't really know any of them at all. And I should have. Because a character like Hannah, with her background and experiences, is right up my alley. Instead, she felt like a Hallmark movie character and I just felt zero connection to her and Jack's story.
Also, it should be noted that this is my fourth Katherine Center book. I loved the first two I read and the third was WAY too sweet and slapstick for me. Well, this one leaned more in that direction. And while I appreciate the lightness and positivity with which Center writes her stories, depending on my mood, those sentiments just don't always land for me. What can I say, I am a cynic.
But anyway, I digress.
While this didn't blow me away, I still liked it well enough. And I know that Center's writing and storytelling can work for me in the very best way. So moving forward, I will just make sure I'm in the mood for her brand of sugary romcom before diving into her next release. Because I really want to like them and know that it's possible.
Timing really is everything, isn't it?
And sadly, the timing was not great for me here.
In fact, I actually feel bad for this book.
How you say? By doing it the disservice of reading it on the direct heels of what might probably be my favorite book of the reading year.
Looking back, I should have followed that read up with a completely different genre rather than something so similar in tone and nature. As such, this entire read felt lacking in comparison to its predecessor, no matter how valiantly I attempted to disassociate the two books.
That said, ignore this review completely. I mean, I will still throw some remarks down yonder to express my thoughts on this thing, but seriously...this book is probably way better than my experience with it and I'm definitely in the minority in not loving it.
So I will be brief.
In short, I struggled to connect with the characters here. Even at the end of the story, I felt like I didn't really know any of them at all. And I should have. Because a character like Hannah, with her background and experiences, is right up my alley. Instead, she felt like a Hallmark movie character and I just felt zero connection to her and Jack's story.
Also, it should be noted that this is my fourth Katherine Center book. I loved the first two I read and the third was WAY too sweet and slapstick for me. Well, this one leaned more in that direction. And while I appreciate the lightness and positivity with which Center writes her stories, depending on my mood, those sentiments just don't always land for me. What can I say, I am a cynic.
But anyway, I digress.
While this didn't blow me away, I still liked it well enough. And I know that Center's writing and storytelling can work for me in the very best way. So moving forward, I will just make sure I'm in the mood for her brand of sugary romcom before diving into her next release. Because I really want to like them and know that it's possible.
August 31, 2022
My head says 4 stars but my body is less guarded !!! So heart wins this time. Was this hot? Did temperatures rise??
Yes in parts and to 4.5 but overall a perfectly temperature-controlled story that is irresistibly charming, predictably satisfying and cheerfully entertaining. The pace was constant, the sexual content moderate to low, the chemistry was sizzling, and the story was delightful and my heart rate – well brisk but only at times.
A perfect holiday read. A book for any time.
The Plot
Following the death of her mother Hannah is ordered to take compassionate leave by her normally dispassionate boss. A boss who sees her, like many others as someone who finds relaxing difficult, is an obsessive work alcoholic, and a woman not interested in her own appearance or anyone’s opinion of her.
Things do however get worse with an unceremonious dumping by work colleague boyfriend at such a difficult time in her life. Things have gone as bad they can in every direction especially when Hannah's best friend turns out to be the reason why their relationship ended.
However, what would be a to-die-for assignment for most. To become bodyguard for Hollywood actor Jack Stapleton, Hannah is not interested and only accepts the assignment with the promise of the coveted London position, that will give her the chance to rebuild her life away from her former boyfriend and the office they shared.
Well you can probably predict what happens from here. Where attraction is mental before its physical as both fall in love with the person first. Cosy, romantic and the stuff of fairy tales !!!
Review and Comments
Romance is not my favourite genre but I do love a great everyday romantic story that feels real and when it comes to scoring I try to rate a book in the context of the genre it was written for and the people it was designed to appeal to.
So if an author can write a romantic story that I loved reading, is not too mushy, unnecessarily vulgar, is uplifting, and limits the eye rolls usually a result of cheesy comments then it’s getting 4-5 stars.
The Bodyguard had everything I wanted and didn’t want in a romantic novel, hence rounding up to the 5 stars
- A decent story line that is not to be taken seriously
- Likeable characters
- Not too sappy or cheesy
- The chemistry believable
- Easy to read on the beach so I can watch the world go by
- A feel good book that is uplifting, humorous and entertaining
- My favourite romance story - falling for the person before the physical side is discovered
Highly recommended. Thank you to my GR friends who recommended to me.
Yes in parts and to 4.5 but overall a perfectly temperature-controlled story that is irresistibly charming, predictably satisfying and cheerfully entertaining. The pace was constant, the sexual content moderate to low, the chemistry was sizzling, and the story was delightful and my heart rate – well brisk but only at times.
A perfect holiday read. A book for any time.
The Plot
Following the death of her mother Hannah is ordered to take compassionate leave by her normally dispassionate boss. A boss who sees her, like many others as someone who finds relaxing difficult, is an obsessive work alcoholic, and a woman not interested in her own appearance or anyone’s opinion of her.
Things do however get worse with an unceremonious dumping by work colleague boyfriend at such a difficult time in her life. Things have gone as bad they can in every direction especially when Hannah's best friend turns out to be the reason why their relationship ended.
However, what would be a to-die-for assignment for most. To become bodyguard for Hollywood actor Jack Stapleton, Hannah is not interested and only accepts the assignment with the promise of the coveted London position, that will give her the chance to rebuild her life away from her former boyfriend and the office they shared.
Well you can probably predict what happens from here. Where attraction is mental before its physical as both fall in love with the person first. Cosy, romantic and the stuff of fairy tales !!!
Review and Comments
Romance is not my favourite genre but I do love a great everyday romantic story that feels real and when it comes to scoring I try to rate a book in the context of the genre it was written for and the people it was designed to appeal to.
So if an author can write a romantic story that I loved reading, is not too mushy, unnecessarily vulgar, is uplifting, and limits the eye rolls usually a result of cheesy comments then it’s getting 4-5 stars.
The Bodyguard had everything I wanted and didn’t want in a romantic novel, hence rounding up to the 5 stars
- A decent story line that is not to be taken seriously
- Likeable characters
- Not too sappy or cheesy
- The chemistry believable
- Easy to read on the beach so I can watch the world go by
- A feel good book that is uplifting, humorous and entertaining
- My favourite romance story - falling for the person before the physical side is discovered
Highly recommended. Thank you to my GR friends who recommended to me.
March 30, 2023
That long-awaited kissing scene was SPECTACULAR!!!
Audio book review: I really loved reading the actual book, so I jumped at the chance to listen to the audio version when it came out. I was not disappointed: the narration by Patti Murin was top notch and Center's tongue in cheek, let's-laugh-at-life's-inevitable-foibles style translates beautifully to the spoken (i.e., audible) word!
The final chapter tied everything up beautifully in Center's uniquely quirky way, which never fails to leave a crooked smile on my face. I love this author's "realistic positivity" - if these two elements can truly co-exist!
My thanks, once again, to the fabulous author (one of my top ten Go-To authors), Katherine Center, her publisher, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. (NB: I had to tag this on to my existing GR review, because that's how GR rolls....!)
Original Review posted on November 24, 2021:
The Anatomy of a Love Story: the Prequel, the Main Event, and the rollicking Epilogue... Katherine Center has delivered the full riotous, awww-worthy package!
STAR WARS - MOVE OVER! (jk!)
Okay, so my tendency to hyperbolize is very apparent here, but we do see Hannah emerge from the chrysalis that she has been frozen in ever since her early childhood - after her father left and her mother retreated into drugs and alcohol to escape the wreckage of her life.
Hannah has no room for romance: she stays busy so that she doesn't have time to dwell on how empty - how devoid - her life is of that four letter word: LOVE (along with companionship and true friends.)
Hell literally breaks loose in the first chapters of this novel. My advice? Hold on tight because you are in for a very bumpy - and laugh filled! - ride: Hannah Brooks and Jack Stapleton are a match made in.... well, TEXAS!
I roared with laughter as these two irrepressible lunatics were forced to masquerade as lovers while staying at the Stapleton family ranch - in an effort to pull the wool over the eyes of Jack's seriously ill mother. I loved the entire Stapleton clan, as well as the corral of rescued circus horses. There were so many fascinating side stories that you never had time to catch your breath or feel bored.
At some point, the lines got blurred and these two madcaps often forgot that the relationship wasn't real.
Meryl Streep makes a cameo appearance, along with a set of steak knives and a precocious four year old!
And that BIG KISSING SCENE..... IT WAS SO WORTH THE WAIT!!!
I truly needed this wonderful, hilarious, hopelessly romantic bird's eye view of the epic love story between a much stalked and beleaguered movie star and his pint-sized bodyguard. I loved it and never wanted their story to end. Five out of five well-deserved stars! Highly, highly recommended if you need a good laugh.... or ten!
[My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this wonderful novel in exchange for an honest review. Book release date: July 19, 2022]
You can catch this and many other reviews on my partnered blog: Crossing the Pond: https://crossingthepond.reviews/2021/...
Audio book review: I really loved reading the actual book, so I jumped at the chance to listen to the audio version when it came out. I was not disappointed: the narration by Patti Murin was top notch and Center's tongue in cheek, let's-laugh-at-life's-inevitable-foibles style translates beautifully to the spoken (i.e., audible) word!
The final chapter tied everything up beautifully in Center's uniquely quirky way, which never fails to leave a crooked smile on my face. I love this author's "realistic positivity" - if these two elements can truly co-exist!
My thanks, once again, to the fabulous author (one of my top ten Go-To authors), Katherine Center, her publisher, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. (NB: I had to tag this on to my existing GR review, because that's how GR rolls....!)
Original Review posted on November 24, 2021:
The Anatomy of a Love Story: the Prequel, the Main Event, and the rollicking Epilogue... Katherine Center has delivered the full riotous, awww-worthy package!
STAR WARS - MOVE OVER! (jk!)
Okay, so my tendency to hyperbolize is very apparent here, but we do see Hannah emerge from the chrysalis that she has been frozen in ever since her early childhood - after her father left and her mother retreated into drugs and alcohol to escape the wreckage of her life.
Hannah has no room for romance: she stays busy so that she doesn't have time to dwell on how empty - how devoid - her life is of that four letter word: LOVE (along with companionship and true friends.)
Hell literally breaks loose in the first chapters of this novel. My advice? Hold on tight because you are in for a very bumpy - and laugh filled! - ride: Hannah Brooks and Jack Stapleton are a match made in.... well, TEXAS!
I roared with laughter as these two irrepressible lunatics were forced to masquerade as lovers while staying at the Stapleton family ranch - in an effort to pull the wool over the eyes of Jack's seriously ill mother. I loved the entire Stapleton clan, as well as the corral of rescued circus horses. There were so many fascinating side stories that you never had time to catch your breath or feel bored.
At some point, the lines got blurred and these two madcaps often forgot that the relationship wasn't real.
Meryl Streep makes a cameo appearance, along with a set of steak knives and a precocious four year old!
And that BIG KISSING SCENE..... IT WAS SO WORTH THE WAIT!!!
I truly needed this wonderful, hilarious, hopelessly romantic bird's eye view of the epic love story between a much stalked and beleaguered movie star and his pint-sized bodyguard. I loved it and never wanted their story to end. Five out of five well-deserved stars! Highly, highly recommended if you need a good laugh.... or ten!
[My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this wonderful novel in exchange for an honest review. Book release date: July 19, 2022]
You can catch this and many other reviews on my partnered blog: Crossing the Pond: https://crossingthepond.reviews/2021/...
July 11, 2022
The premise had me rolling my eyes, but the characters made me smile!
The Bodyguard is a sweet and fun romance about a female bodyguard assigned to protect a very handsome movie star.
Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent--in simplified terms, she is a bodyguard. Hannah loves her job, but when she is assigned to work on the detail of movie star Jack Stapelton, she is less than enthused. Not only does she have to be his bodyguard, but she also has to pretend to be his girlfriend.
Narrated by Hannah, I loved her character and her inner dialogue. She is smart and witty, and she takes her job seriously. One of my favorite scenes was when she demonstrated her skills to Jack. Jack is also likable, and I loved the banter between Hannah and Jack. It's easy to root for them.
Outside of Hannah’s profession, the plot is a little predictable, but Hannah, Jack, and the quirky cast of side characters made up for that. I read this while on vacation, and The Bodyguard was the perfect, light-hearted read I needed. It’s feel-good fun with warm-hearted characters, witty banter, and, of course, romance.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Bodyguard is a sweet and fun romance about a female bodyguard assigned to protect a very handsome movie star.
Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent--in simplified terms, she is a bodyguard. Hannah loves her job, but when she is assigned to work on the detail of movie star Jack Stapelton, she is less than enthused. Not only does she have to be his bodyguard, but she also has to pretend to be his girlfriend.
Narrated by Hannah, I loved her character and her inner dialogue. She is smart and witty, and she takes her job seriously. One of my favorite scenes was when she demonstrated her skills to Jack. Jack is also likable, and I loved the banter between Hannah and Jack. It's easy to root for them.
Outside of Hannah’s profession, the plot is a little predictable, but Hannah, Jack, and the quirky cast of side characters made up for that. I read this while on vacation, and The Bodyguard was the perfect, light-hearted read I needed. It’s feel-good fun with warm-hearted characters, witty banter, and, of course, romance.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2023
petition to get this book optioned for a Netflix adaption
sign here ⬇
sign here ⬇
July 19, 2022
Available now!
I adored this book! This was the right book at the right time. A feel-good story to warm my heart!
Hannah is going through turmoil and recent losses in her personal life which has left her unmoored and unsure of what to do next. She works as a bodyguard, and hopes to get an overseas assignment, when she is assigned to protect the famous actor, Jack Stapleton, right in her own hometown. Jack has a stalker and is in town to visit his family. He casts a skeptical eye toward Hannah, doubting her ability to protect him, but she soon sets him straight in an amusing display of her skills.
His one request? Jack doesn’t want his family to know about the stalker and his need for a bodyguard, so Hannah must pose as his girlfriend. So, OK, we’ve all seen the Hallmark movies and read the books, so we know where this is going. But, as I’ve often said, it’s more about the journey in these stories and this one was top notch!
I absolutely loved the witty banter, and the often-amusing thoughts of Hannah. Jack is swoon-worthy and I fell in love with his family. But it is not all fluff, as there are some serious subjects to be explored. This is what I like to call a lighter read with substance, and the perfect feel-good book when you need to put a smile on your face. I love that this is a closed-door romance, written with no agendas or social messages. A straightforward story to entertain was a breath of fresh air! It was pure fun and I was sorry when it came to an end.
I rate according to genre and how a book made me feel, so an easy 5 stars!
This was a buddy read with Marialyce and for both of us was the right book at the right time. Do check out her review.
· I received both the digital and audio review copies via NetgGalley. The narrator of the audio was excellent. All opinions are my own.
· Publishing date July 19, 2022 by SMP
I adored this book! This was the right book at the right time. A feel-good story to warm my heart!
Hannah is going through turmoil and recent losses in her personal life which has left her unmoored and unsure of what to do next. She works as a bodyguard, and hopes to get an overseas assignment, when she is assigned to protect the famous actor, Jack Stapleton, right in her own hometown. Jack has a stalker and is in town to visit his family. He casts a skeptical eye toward Hannah, doubting her ability to protect him, but she soon sets him straight in an amusing display of her skills.
His one request? Jack doesn’t want his family to know about the stalker and his need for a bodyguard, so Hannah must pose as his girlfriend. So, OK, we’ve all seen the Hallmark movies and read the books, so we know where this is going. But, as I’ve often said, it’s more about the journey in these stories and this one was top notch!
I absolutely loved the witty banter, and the often-amusing thoughts of Hannah. Jack is swoon-worthy and I fell in love with his family. But it is not all fluff, as there are some serious subjects to be explored. This is what I like to call a lighter read with substance, and the perfect feel-good book when you need to put a smile on your face. I love that this is a closed-door romance, written with no agendas or social messages. A straightforward story to entertain was a breath of fresh air! It was pure fun and I was sorry when it came to an end.
I rate according to genre and how a book made me feel, so an easy 5 stars!
This was a buddy read with Marialyce and for both of us was the right book at the right time. Do check out her review.
· I received both the digital and audio review copies via NetgGalley. The narrator of the audio was excellent. All opinions are my own.
· Publishing date July 19, 2022 by SMP
August 30, 2022
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO THIS FUN BOOK***
THIS WAS JUST THE BOOK I NEEDED RIGHT NOW!!
After several disappointing thrillers, I was so happy to find myself laughing within an hour after starting this book!! It’s almost impossible not to!! This book just made me feel good!!
Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protective Agent, more commonly known as a bodyguard. But what Hannah and those in her agency do is a much more skilled job. They need to stay close to their clients without being noticed – harder than it sounds as we’ll see.
Hannah has had a terrible week, her mother just passed away and her boyfriend has dumped her!! As if that isn’t enough, her boss has forced her to take time off, the last thing that she wants to do is sit around and JUST THINK!!
Finally her boss Glenn calls her into work with a new assignment. Hannah can’t wait to get out of Texas. BUT WAIT, SHE CAN’T BELIEVE IT, HER NEXT ASSIGNMENT IS RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, THE TOWN SHE MOST WANTS TO LEAVE BEHIND.
Then the details come out. She is assigned to protect Jack Stapleton, a Hollywood hunk that is sure to be spotted back in his hometown. He is back to be close to his mom who is having cancer surgery – but he has to be invisible or he could bring hoards of adoring fans and nutters to the family ranch, endangering not only himself but his family. Here’s where Hannah comes in, but her job becomes harder when Jack tells her that she has to pose as his girlfriend or his mom will be upset that he is ever in any danger – they can’t know she’s a bodyguard.
I won’t spoil this terrific read for you by giving away any more of the plot.
Yes there were parts that were hard to believe, but actors are just people after all, even if they are incredibly handsome. As it turns out he’s also tenderly sweet, funny and a downright nice guy.
I enjoyed every minute of this book and the ending was FROSTING ON THE CAKE!!
I don’t read rom-coms but this is more than that. It’s about believing in yourself, allowing yourself to love and be loved and appreciating what you have to offer to the world. We can’t all be bodyguards like Hannah – but I think we all have something we can offer to others. A simple thing like a note to an ill neighbor, an extra pat on the back to an employee, just being kind to another is a gift.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who wants to feel good, laugh out loud and remember the joy of reading something that makes us feel good.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
#SMP INFLUENCER
THIS WAS JUST THE BOOK I NEEDED RIGHT NOW!!
After several disappointing thrillers, I was so happy to find myself laughing within an hour after starting this book!! It’s almost impossible not to!! This book just made me feel good!!
Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protective Agent, more commonly known as a bodyguard. But what Hannah and those in her agency do is a much more skilled job. They need to stay close to their clients without being noticed – harder than it sounds as we’ll see.
Hannah has had a terrible week, her mother just passed away and her boyfriend has dumped her!! As if that isn’t enough, her boss has forced her to take time off, the last thing that she wants to do is sit around and JUST THINK!!
Finally her boss Glenn calls her into work with a new assignment. Hannah can’t wait to get out of Texas. BUT WAIT, SHE CAN’T BELIEVE IT, HER NEXT ASSIGNMENT IS RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, THE TOWN SHE MOST WANTS TO LEAVE BEHIND.
Then the details come out. She is assigned to protect Jack Stapleton, a Hollywood hunk that is sure to be spotted back in his hometown. He is back to be close to his mom who is having cancer surgery – but he has to be invisible or he could bring hoards of adoring fans and nutters to the family ranch, endangering not only himself but his family. Here’s where Hannah comes in, but her job becomes harder when Jack tells her that she has to pose as his girlfriend or his mom will be upset that he is ever in any danger – they can’t know she’s a bodyguard.
I won’t spoil this terrific read for you by giving away any more of the plot.
Yes there were parts that were hard to believe, but actors are just people after all, even if they are incredibly handsome. As it turns out he’s also tenderly sweet, funny and a downright nice guy.
I enjoyed every minute of this book and the ending was FROSTING ON THE CAKE!!
I don’t read rom-coms but this is more than that. It’s about believing in yourself, allowing yourself to love and be loved and appreciating what you have to offer to the world. We can’t all be bodyguards like Hannah – but I think we all have something we can offer to others. A simple thing like a note to an ill neighbor, an extra pat on the back to an employee, just being kind to another is a gift.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who wants to feel good, laugh out loud and remember the joy of reading something that makes us feel good.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
#SMP INFLUENCER
March 10, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
❝ Every chance you take is a choice. A choice to decide who you are. ❞
going into this, I was expecting a cute, funny, kind of forgettable little romance. And while this was cute (adorable, actually), and while it was definitely funny, there’s no way I’m going to forget about it anytime soon. I definitely get the katherine center hype now 🥰
❥ the characters
—hannah ❤︎
❝ I could kill you with a corkscrew, by the way. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. ❞
Hannah was such an adorable, relatable baddie. I honestly love her so much. The way she was kind of ridiculous and gave short crackhead friend but could be totally deadly if she wanted to was so slay of her 🤭 and the way she deep down had a fear of being unloved and unlovable was painfully relatable. But if she can score a hot, famous movie star, maybe there’s hope for me😭😭
—jack ❤︎
❝ I feel like I’ve been lost all my life until now— and somehow with you I’m just… found. ❞
STOPPP THIS MAN 😩 the way he was so hot yet so respectful of Hannah?? The way he was so selfless and sweet toward his parents?? The way he would belly laugh at everything Hannah did???!! 🦋🦋
The subplot about drew was so heartbreaking and was what definitely secured Jack’s title as a cinnamon roll. He’s such a sweetheart <3
❥ the romance
y’all… when I tell you this book had me giggling and kicking my feet (slightly embarrassing, but true). They had such sizzling chemistry and their banter was absolutely everything. I love how Katherine Center was able to write a top tier romance with zero smut! I applaud her 👏
Jack and Hannah were such cuties. I love how they weren’t exactly rivals-to-lovers and they had a sort of attraction from the start but it was nothing near instalove!! Their personalities just balance each other out so well. I love them sm 💘
❥ the writing
there’s something so addicting about the writing. It pulls you into the story, and makes you feel like you’re there— at this picturesque ranch, hanging out with Hannah and getting piggyback rides from Jack and burning bacon with Doc. I couldn’t stop reading and immersing myself in the story, which is a sure sign of how good a book it was. I can’t wait to read more of Katherine’s books!
❥ the plot
what plot? HAHAHA 😭 I know it was supposed to be Hannah being Jack’s bodyguard, but let’s be real; it was mainly just Hannah having internal crisis after internal crisis and Hannah and Jack being cuties. Nevertheless, I could not put the book down and I was super invested in it. What did you lace this with Katherine 🤨
❥ overall thoughts
If you’re still here… why are you still here?? This book was absolutely adorable and heartwarming and everything I needed. It had me laughing out loud constantly 🤭💞 I implore you to pick it up; you won’t regret it.
❝ I think just because you can’t keep something doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Nothing lasts forever. ❞
happy read mls! <333
❝ Every chance you take is a choice. A choice to decide who you are. ❞
going into this, I was expecting a cute, funny, kind of forgettable little romance. And while this was cute (adorable, actually), and while it was definitely funny, there’s no way I’m going to forget about it anytime soon. I definitely get the katherine center hype now 🥰
❥ the characters
—hannah ❤︎
❝ I could kill you with a corkscrew, by the way. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. ❞
Hannah was such an adorable, relatable baddie. I honestly love her so much. The way she was kind of ridiculous and gave short crackhead friend but could be totally deadly if she wanted to was so slay of her 🤭 and the way she deep down had a fear of being unloved and unlovable was painfully relatable. But if she can score a hot, famous movie star, maybe there’s hope for me
—jack ❤︎
❝ I feel like I’ve been lost all my life until now— and somehow with you I’m just… found. ❞
STOPPP THIS MAN 😩 the way he was so hot yet so respectful of Hannah?? The way he was so selfless and sweet toward his parents?? The way he would belly laugh at everything Hannah did???!! 🦋🦋
The subplot about drew was so heartbreaking and was what definitely secured Jack’s title as a cinnamon roll. He’s such a sweetheart <3
❥ the romance
y’all… when I tell you this book had me giggling and kicking my feet (slightly embarrassing, but true). They had such sizzling chemistry and their banter was absolutely everything. I love how Katherine Center was able to write a top tier romance with zero smut! I applaud her 👏
Jack and Hannah were such cuties. I love how they weren’t exactly rivals-to-lovers and they had a sort of attraction from the start but it was nothing near instalove!! Their personalities just balance each other out so well. I love them sm 💘
❥ the writing
there’s something so addicting about the writing. It pulls you into the story, and makes you feel like you’re there— at this picturesque ranch, hanging out with Hannah and getting piggyback rides from Jack and burning bacon with Doc. I couldn’t stop reading and immersing myself in the story, which is a sure sign of how good a book it was. I can’t wait to read more of Katherine’s books!
❥ the plot
❥ overall thoughts
If you’re still here… why are you still here?? This book was absolutely adorable and heartwarming and everything I needed. It had me laughing out loud constantly 🤭💞 I implore you to pick it up; you won’t regret it.
❝ I think just because you can’t keep something doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Nothing lasts forever. ❞
happy read mls! <333
July 19, 2022
Hannah Brooks looks like a sweet, petite kindergarten teacher- but she is actually a competent bodyguard who could kill you with a wine bottle opener or a dinner napkin, if she had to.
And, she never gets attached to her assignments.
So, nobody would be better for protecting mega movie star Jack Stapleton from his stalker, when he needs a bodyguard who could pass as his girlfriend so he can return home to see his mom through Cancer treatments.
Until, Jack and his family start to fall in love with Hannah-and she starts to feel something she has never felt too. But, how could that be? And, what’s a girl to do now!
If you have enjoyed Katherine Center’s books in the past, you will adore this one too!
You will recognize the cadence of her characters voices, their love of the term “Fair Enough” and of course, there is always joyful dancing 💃🏻 dancing 🕺🏻!
But, despite these givens, this is a “breath of fresh air” story, that will have you smiling, laughing and maybe even tearing up, a time or two!
There IS chemistry between our leads, but the door remains closed, after the clothes get shed, so it’s pretty PG-but I enjoyed their witty banter, and watching their relationship evolve, and I think you will too!
AVAILABLE NOW!!❤️
A buddy read with DeAnn and Marilyn-we had fun casting the parts for our leading lady and leading man!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the early gifted copy! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
And, she never gets attached to her assignments.
So, nobody would be better for protecting mega movie star Jack Stapleton from his stalker, when he needs a bodyguard who could pass as his girlfriend so he can return home to see his mom through Cancer treatments.
Until, Jack and his family start to fall in love with Hannah-and she starts to feel something she has never felt too. But, how could that be? And, what’s a girl to do now!
If you have enjoyed Katherine Center’s books in the past, you will adore this one too!
You will recognize the cadence of her characters voices, their love of the term “Fair Enough” and of course, there is always joyful dancing 💃🏻 dancing 🕺🏻!
But, despite these givens, this is a “breath of fresh air” story, that will have you smiling, laughing and maybe even tearing up, a time or two!
There IS chemistry between our leads, but the door remains closed, after the clothes get shed, so it’s pretty PG-but I enjoyed their witty banter, and watching their relationship evolve, and I think you will too!
AVAILABLE NOW!!❤️
A buddy read with DeAnn and Marilyn-we had fun casting the parts for our leading lady and leading man!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the early gifted copy! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
July 14, 2022
4.5 stars
This is such a sweet, heartwarming, and uplifting book. Is it a bit sappy and predictable, and are the characters all a bit too perfect? Yes, but that doesn't detract from the book for me at all. If you're looking for a delightfully funny yet poignant book, then look no further than Center's latest.
Hannah Brooks is a protection agent, otherwise known as a bodyguard. She may look petite and unassuming, but she can bring a large man down before he knows what's hit him. She is reluctantly assigned to protect movie star Jack Stapleton while he is in Houston visiting his family. He's just the kind of vapid, self-absorbed person she dislikes, and now she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. To her surprise, she falls for his family, and for Jack as well.
This book is just an utter joy to read. I listened to it as an audiobook and the narrator, Patti Murin, does a fantastic job of giving Hannah a voice and spirit. I urge you to pick this one up today, you'll be glad you did.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is such a sweet, heartwarming, and uplifting book. Is it a bit sappy and predictable, and are the characters all a bit too perfect? Yes, but that doesn't detract from the book for me at all. If you're looking for a delightfully funny yet poignant book, then look no further than Center's latest.
Hannah Brooks is a protection agent, otherwise known as a bodyguard. She may look petite and unassuming, but she can bring a large man down before he knows what's hit him. She is reluctantly assigned to protect movie star Jack Stapleton while he is in Houston visiting his family. He's just the kind of vapid, self-absorbed person she dislikes, and now she has to pretend to be his girlfriend. To her surprise, she falls for his family, and for Jack as well.
This book is just an utter joy to read. I listened to it as an audiobook and the narrator, Patti Murin, does a fantastic job of giving Hannah a voice and spirit. I urge you to pick this one up today, you'll be glad you did.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 21, 2024
This is a fake dating Romance. I loved this book from the first page, and I really loved the characters in this book. This book was cute and funny, and I found the romance to be sweet. The ending was so great, and I loved it so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Press) or author (Katherine Center) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
August 13, 2022
This was so cute, and the perfect summer rom com. I listened to this audiobook over two weeks, which I never usually do, but every time I listened to it, it made me smile. I love that she is hired as his body guard, and that he’s an actor, but I love that to disguise the fact that she’s his body guard and not raise any flags, she has to pretend to be his fake girlfriend. I’m a SUCKER for the fake dating trope, and this one was so cute! I adored Jack so hard, and he’s been through so much, my heart hurt for him at times. Parts of this book has me genuinely cracking up and laughing out loud which rarely happens for me these days, I especially loved the scene of him explaining to her how actors cry on demand and kind of ‘ruining’ the movie magic for her. It was so great.
The end of this book got a little cheesy and I thought the ending was alright, it was a little cringe-y at the end, but otherwise this was a really fun and adorable read with great characters! :) it’s probably my favorite book from this author so far!
The end of this book got a little cheesy and I thought the ending was alright, it was a little cringe-y at the end, but otherwise this was a really fun and adorable read with great characters! :) it’s probably my favorite book from this author so far!
February 19, 2023
Do I need to explain more why this is good? It just is. This is the romance I was looking for!
P/S: I had one problem with a statement made by Glenn tho which I would discuss more when I write my review soon. I'm graduating, anyway!
P/S: I had one problem with a statement made by Glenn tho which I would discuss more when I write my review soon. I'm graduating, anyway!
January 5, 2023
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
⚛︎ ʀᴏᴍ ᴄᴏᴍs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ
⚛︎ sᴡᴏᴏɴʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs ❥
⚛︎ ʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇʟʟʏ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ
⚛︎ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇ
⚛︎ ʜᴏʟʟʏᴡᴏᴏᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs: ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɢᴇɴᴛ ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ʙʀᴏᴏᴋs ʜᴀs ʜᴇʀ ʟɪғᴇ ᴀʟʟ ғɪɢᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ, ᴡᴇʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ. ᴀ ᴊᴏʙ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴋᴇᴇᴘs ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴏɴᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ, ᴀ ʜᴀɴᴅsᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴏʏғʀɪᴇɴᴅ sʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇs ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙᴇsᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ/ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ, ᴄʀʏ, ᴏʀ ʙɪɴɢᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ. ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴏɴᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ sᴇᴇᴍs ᴛᴏ ᴄʀᴜᴍʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪғᴇ sʜᴇ ʜᴀs ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀsᴇʟғ ɪs sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴʟʏ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ.
ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀᴡᴏʟ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀɪᴛʏ ᴊᴀᴄᴋ sᴛᴀᴘʟᴇᴛᴏɴ, sᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀʙʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜɪs ᴄᴏʀɢɪᴇ-ʙʀᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ sᴛᴀʟᴋᴇʀ, ʜᴇ ɪs ᴀssɪɢɴᴇᴅ ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ᴀs ʜɪs ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀʏ ᴀɢᴇɴᴛ. ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ɪɴ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴜᴘsᴇᴛ ʜɪs sɪᴄᴋ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴʏ ғᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴊᴀᴄᴋ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇs ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇ ᴀs ʜɪs ɢɪʀʟғʀɪᴇɴᴅ. sᴘᴀʀᴋs ғʟʏ, ʜɪᴊɪɴᴋs ᴇɴsᴜᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀʀᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀs ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ʜᴇᴀᴅs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ʀᴀɴᴄʜ, ʙʀɪɢʜᴛ ʀᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴡʙᴏʏ ʙᴏᴏᴛs ɪɴ ʜᴀɴᴅ.
ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs: ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪs ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴄᴀɴᴅɪᴅᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ 2022. ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪғ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ʙʏ ᴋᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴀɴᴛɪᴄɪᴘᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴɴᴄᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs. ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴀᴍ sᴛɪʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀ ʀᴀɢɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʜᴀɴɢᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʀɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴄᴏɴsɪᴅᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ...ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ!
ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴀᴋᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs. ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀɴɢ ᴏɴ, ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀsᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴘᴜʟʟ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇᴍsᴇʟᴠᴇs, ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇɴɢʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴜɴᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ʏᴇᴛ. ᴛʜɪs ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs sᴏ ᴇᴀsʏ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴏ ᴜɴɪǫᴜᴇʟʏ ʜᴇʀs.
"ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴅʏɢᴜᴀʀᴅ" ɪs ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴇᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜɪɢʜʟʏ sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs sᴡᴏᴏɴʏ, ʜʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴄᴀʟ, ʏᴇᴛ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ʀᴏᴍ ᴄᴏᴍ ᴀsᴀᴘ! ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇɢʀᴇᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴛ ᴋᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ. ɪ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ.
ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛ. ᴍᴀʀᴛɪɴs ᴘʀᴇss ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴄ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ.
⚛︎ ʀᴏᴍ ᴄᴏᴍs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ
⚛︎ sᴡᴏᴏɴʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs ❥
⚛︎ ʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇʟʟʏ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ
⚛︎ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇ
⚛︎ ʜᴏʟʟʏᴡᴏᴏᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs: ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɢᴇɴᴛ ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ʙʀᴏᴏᴋs ʜᴀs ʜᴇʀ ʟɪғᴇ ᴀʟʟ ғɪɢᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ, ᴡᴇʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ. ᴀ ᴊᴏʙ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴋᴇᴇᴘs ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴏɴᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ, ᴀ ʜᴀɴᴅsᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴏʏғʀɪᴇɴᴅ sʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇs ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙᴇsᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ/ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ, ᴄʀʏ, ᴏʀ ʙɪɴɢᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ. ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴏɴᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ sᴇᴇᴍs ᴛᴏ ᴄʀᴜᴍʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪғᴇ sʜᴇ ʜᴀs ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀsᴇʟғ ɪs sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴʟʏ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ.
ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀᴡᴏʟ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀɪᴛʏ ᴊᴀᴄᴋ sᴛᴀᴘʟᴇᴛᴏɴ, sᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀʙʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜɪs ᴄᴏʀɢɪᴇ-ʙʀᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ sᴛᴀʟᴋᴇʀ, ʜᴇ ɪs ᴀssɪɢɴᴇᴅ ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ᴀs ʜɪs ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀʏ ᴀɢᴇɴᴛ. ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ɪɴ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴜᴘsᴇᴛ ʜɪs sɪᴄᴋ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴʏ ғᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴊᴀᴄᴋ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇs ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇ ᴀs ʜɪs ɢɪʀʟғʀɪᴇɴᴅ. sᴘᴀʀᴋs ғʟʏ, ʜɪᴊɪɴᴋs ᴇɴsᴜᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀʀᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀs ʜᴀɴɴᴀʜ ʜᴇᴀᴅs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ʀᴀɴᴄʜ, ʙʀɪɢʜᴛ ʀᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴡʙᴏʏ ʙᴏᴏᴛs ɪɴ ʜᴀɴᴅ.
ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs: ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪs ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴄᴀɴᴅɪᴅᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ 2022. ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪғ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ʙʏ ᴋᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴀɴᴛɪᴄɪᴘᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴɴᴄᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs. ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴀᴍ sᴛɪʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀ ʀᴀɢɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʜᴀɴɢᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʀɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴄᴏɴsɪᴅᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ...ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ!
ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴀᴋᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs. ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀɴɢ ᴏɴ, ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀsᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴘᴜʟʟ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇᴍsᴇʟᴠᴇs, ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇɴɢʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴜɴᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ʏᴇᴛ. ᴛʜɪs ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs sᴏ ᴇᴀsʏ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴏ ᴜɴɪǫᴜᴇʟʏ ʜᴇʀs.
"ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴅʏɢᴜᴀʀᴅ" ɪs ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴇᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜɪɢʜʟʏ sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs sᴡᴏᴏɴʏ, ʜʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴄᴀʟ, ʏᴇᴛ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ʀᴏᴍ ᴄᴏᴍ ᴀsᴀᴘ! ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇɢʀᴇᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴛ ᴋᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ. ɪ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ.
ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛ. ᴍᴀʀᴛɪɴs ᴘʀᴇss ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴄ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ.
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