The Bodyguard: A Novel

Katherine Center

Jul 2022 · Sold by St. Martin's Press

About this ebook

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

Ratings and reviews

So sweet, funny, and sassy. Each page was a new adventure for Jack and Hannah filled with quips from Hannah and lots of laughs from Jack. Wonderfully written book that had many heartfelt, relatable moments woven into each page

This is one of those books that I didn’t want to ever end because I was having so much fun reading about Hannah and Jack and their misadventures. Hannah Brooks is a small woman in stature but she leaves a big footprint as an executive protection agent. Her current assignment is to protect superstar Jack Stapleton from a would-be stalker and against her better judgment, she pretends to be his girlfriend in order to stay undercover. Her role as a bodyguard soon takes a swift turn off the tracks.

“The Bodyguard” synopsis drew me in with its refreshing premise but I soon came to realize it was too good to be true (like everything else in my life). The read felt juvenile, the storyline/plot was a snoozefest, the characters were awkward AF, and based on their behavior—I kept forgetting they were adults. I had to re-read the synopsis to make sure I didn’t pick up a YA/NA romance novel. Additionally—the characters were very one-dimensional and I struggled to connect. Won't recommend.

About the author

KATHERINE CENTE R is the New York Times bestselling author of laugh-and-cry novels about love and family, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and Happiness for Beginners. The movie
adaptation of her novel The Lost Husband hit #1 on Netflix, and her books have made many best-of lists.
She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron. The Dallas Morning News calls her stories
“satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way,” and BookPage calls her “the reigning queen of comfort
reads.” Katherine lives in Houston with her husband and two kids. Visit her website—and join her mailing
list—at katherinecenter.com.