Book Review and Giveaway: The Bodyguard

By Melissa Amster

Since reading How to Walk Away in 2018, I have become a big fan of Katherine Center's writing. Her narrators are always witty and dynamic and I love the stories she tells. When I heard about The Bodyguard coming out this year, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy as soon as possible and, as always, it was an enjoyable read from start to finish!

She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name―captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah―against her will and her better judgment―finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Once again, Katherine had me glued to my seat. I could not get enough of this story and finished it in one day. I loved both Hannah and Jack and their easygoing banter throughout. There was such a fun set of characters (including the ones I was not supposed to like) and a compelling plot! It was very easy to visualize people and places, thanks to Katherine's great use of detail. 

I felt like the story wrapped up too quickly and neatly. That didn't detract from my enjoyment, but it seemed like a shorter book, whereas there could have been more complexity to the situation and the conflict could have been fleshed out more instead of being resolved so quickly. 

Recently, a post came up in my Facebook memories referencing a song that is mentioned in this book. Then the same song was used in an episode of Stranger Things that I was watching later that same day. Funny timing!

Overall, another enjoyable treat from Katherine Center. It's available now, so don't hesitate to get started on reading it. 

Movie casting suggestions:

Hannah: Victoria Pedretti

Jack: David Corenswet

Hank: Pierson Fode

Glenn: Peter Sarsgaard

Robby: Freddie Thorp

Connie: Melissa Leo

Kelly: Morgan Saylor

Taylor: Chloe Bridges

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy for a lucky reader!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends July 24th at midnight EST.

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