jenneroni's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was the perfect fluffy feel good book for me. The characters were relatable while still being romcom and the tropes were done well and still fresh enough to be unique. Overall, I loved it. It made me laugh aloud which is one of my favorite things in a story.
I did find myself wishing we got more descriptive tidbits of the characters. Even the leads seemed to only get one mention of hair color and eye color and that was it. I usually appreciate a couple drops of “tucked a blonde curl behind her ear” or “his blue eyes glinted” type of detail to make them feel like real people in my mind.
I did find myself wishing we got more descriptive tidbits of the characters. Even the leads seemed to only get one mention of hair color and eye color and that was it. I usually appreciate a couple drops of “tucked a blonde curl behind her ear” or “his blue eyes glinted” type of detail to make them feel like real people in my mind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Violence
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
alexreadshere's review
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcoholism
jillwedemeier's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Another 5-star read from my queen, Katherine Center!
Read this book if you like:
Read this book if you like:
🌼Fake dating
🌼Forced proximity
🌼One bed
🌼Celebrity romance
🌼Forbidden romance
The Bodyguard is the story of Hannah Brooks, an Executive Protection Agent (A.K.A. a bodyguard) who has been assigned to protect famous movie star Jack Stapleton from a crazy, corgi-breeding stalker. Because Jack’s mother is sick, he insists on keeping his stalker—and bodyguard—a secret. Hannah agrees to pretend to be Jack’s girlfriend while visiting the Stapleton family ranch in Texas. But when the stalker leaves a threatening letter, hand-knit sweater, and nudes on his doorstep, the danger becomes all too real.
This book was so incredibly heartwarming and just downright funny. The humor and banter had me laughing out loud. Once again, Katherine Center has written a masterpiece. It is just a perfect romantic comedy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Death, and Stalking
madanxiety's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
3.25
Overall a sweet novel. There were a couple things I didn't like.
The second thing I didn't like all that much was the twist at the end. This isn't a major gripe tho. I was just so caught off guard because it seemed to so clearly be a nightmare that would never end, which seemed logical because Jack struggled with nightmares, and I was like oh he'll be able to return the favor and comfort her. Like when she was walking back to the car and it took a million years, that seemed to obviously signal to how slow you are in your dreams. I think I wouldn't have minded the twist too much if it had been revealed a little sooner. Because by the time she was watching the footage (which is when I finally became convinced it wasn't a dream - probably later than most, I'll admit lol), I had to replay the whole last like 30m I feel like lol bc I'd spent most of it impatiently grumbling, waiting for the supposed dream sequence to end already. Am I an idiot for this lol? Maybe, but it was a little too Twlight Breaking Dawn for me.
I also wished there'd been a little more romance between Hannah and Jack. We only really got two scenes of them together communicating/acting in their feelings. Obviously the whole book was them like developing the feelings, and that in itself isrl romance, but I'd have liked if they got more time actually together. Which is funny bc I saw a similar comment under a different book I recently read and thought they were crazy. So it's probably a to each their own kind of situation.
I know this has been a mostly critical review, but I really didn't hate the book. The style of narration was interesting; it reminded me of voice-over narrators in film and TV, both humorous and personal. I think it's just one of those books you can breeze through quickly, needing to know the resolution, but that won't really stick with you all that much.
Spoiler
Firstly, Kennedy Monroe's character was so flat in such a cliché way, it was disappointing. It's just so uninteresting when women are pitted against each other in this way. She was just ridiculously vapid, and the closest we get to seeing any depth in her is a brief comment form Jack about how she's super insecure. The stalker/attempted murderer had more depth than her! I suppose he's a more significant character, but I still don't think there's much justification for such lazy writing. It's the bimbo vs. the pick me; have we not, by the 2020s, evolved beyond that? Have we not determined that actually, the real women that exist who like attention and are conventionally attractive, are still multifaceted people with histories and interests like anyone else? I can tolerate tropes like fake dating that simply move the plot forward, but I cannot tolerate tropes that work solely to demonize women.The second thing I didn't like all that much was the twist at the end. This isn't a major gripe tho. I was just so caught off guard because it seemed to so clearly be a nightmare that would never end, which seemed logical because Jack struggled with nightmares, and I was like oh he'll be able to return the favor and comfort her. Like when she was walking back to the car and it took a million years, that seemed to obviously signal to how slow you are in your dreams. I think I wouldn't have minded the twist too much if it had been revealed a little sooner. Because by the time she was watching the footage (which is when I finally became convinced it wasn't a dream - probably later than most, I'll admit lol), I had to replay the whole last like 30m I feel like lol bc I'd spent most of it impatiently grumbling, waiting for the supposed dream sequence to end already. Am I an idiot for this lol? Maybe, but it was a little too Twlight Breaking Dawn for me.
I also wished there'd been a little more romance between Hannah and Jack. We only really got two scenes of them together communicating/acting in their feelings. Obviously the whole book was them like developing the feelings, and that in itself isrl romance, but I'd have liked if they got more time actually together. Which is funny bc I saw a similar comment under a different book I recently read and thought they were crazy. So it's probably a to each their own kind of situation.
I know this has been a mostly critical review, but I really didn't hate the book. The style of narration was interesting; it reminded me of voice-over narrators in film and TV, both humorous and personal. I think it's just one of those books you can breeze through quickly, needing to know the resolution, but that won't really stick with you all that much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Cancer, Gun violence, Car accident, Toxic relationship, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism
tinkeringcheck's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
First person romance is far from my usual, but I was completely taken in by the warmth and unique freshness of this story. Yes, it's a trope for the ages, but the healthiness of the relationship between the leads? A love interest with emotional maturity and an overabundance of green flags? Clear discussions of boundaries and feelings? It was a breath of fresh, Texas air and the best kind of romcom you can root for all wrapped into one wise, silly, hopeful package. I adored it. I adored all of these characters. And I especially adored Jack's family.
That being said: Do not (do not!) go into this book expecting realistic drama or steamy romance. It's a bantery, feel-good, bodyguard trope that runs on rom-com logic, but in the best way.
(Sidenote: As someone with a family member who taught crime prevention for a living: Hannah's way of looking at the world was pretty accurate. You can laugh at her for thinking about the ways a potted patio plant can be used to break a window, but there's a reason my silly painted rocks were never allowed on the front porch as a kid. Even though the romantic hijinks and kooky coworker drama could overshadow it, I thought those details showed that she really was quite capable at her job.)
That being said: Do not (do not!) go into this book expecting realistic drama or steamy romance. It's a bantery, feel-good, bodyguard trope that runs on rom-com logic, but in the best way.
(Sidenote: As someone with a family member who taught crime prevention for a living: Hannah's way of looking at the world was pretty accurate. You can laugh at her for thinking about the ways a potted patio plant can be used to break a window, but there's a reason my silly painted rocks were never allowed on the front porch as a kid. Even though the romantic hijinks and kooky coworker drama could overshadow it, I thought those details showed that she really was quite capable at her job.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment and Vomit
Overall: It's a very light-hearted, hopeful book but it deals with some background heavy topics. DEATH OF PARENT, DEATH, GRIEF: Very beginning of book skims over the main character's mother dying, and the grief from that is a catalyst for the rest of the book. Grief (and hope) is a major theme. DOMESTIC/PHYSICAL ABUSE: Past, as a memory. A very violent incidence of it and the injuries/aftermath is described by character who was a child at the time. STALKING: With one lead being a famous actor, there's lots of discussions about stalking in general. Stalking incidents are discussed in detail, though light-heartedly, untilSpoiler
one gets violent -> see gun violence.Spoiler
In a hostage situation characters are held at gunpoint and one suffers a graze on the head that bleeds a lot but isn't too serious. The shooter plans to kill himself, not the hostages, but is talked down.Spoiler
ends up being very good and she completely recovers.Spoiler
One was killed before the story from driving recklessly under the influence.Spoiler
The driver was under the influence, drove too fast, went off a bridge and drowned.kirstenpod_'s review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Stalking, and Car accident
Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death
Minor: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Cancer
willa_rose15's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i actually didn’t like hannah at first, but as her character developed, she became much more likeable. the premise was fun. i almost cried a few times. it was good :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Stalking
Moderate: Gun violence, Cancer, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content
kcbatts's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
Minor: Abandonment and Toxic relationship
sebradley29's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Cancer, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Stalking, Suicide, Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, and Death
queerbean's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is pretty good although it’s really predictive, very, I mean the plot twist didn’t blow my mind at all because I just knew.
i honestly enjoyed reading this thing. It was cute, a little surprising, romantic, cute again, interesting. But I think a certain tipe of person would like it more than me , or at least someone who enjoys reading this cliche appearance things (the short girl, muscular guy, you know, the steriotope) that are considered hot now days. I don’t, but most people do. (So do you know, it’s not full of blondes and skinnie girls and that Kind of straight esteriotipes, I’m just saying that the book was always mentioning the fact that they had diferent highs and muscular masses and in my personal opinion is a little cringe and not realistic enough to be “cool” or sexy, just annoying)
Despite it, yeah, I would reccomend it, Jack was lovely and I actually loved the fact that hanna was able to fucking tackle him, that was awesome.
A good read
3.75 ⭐️
i honestly enjoyed reading this thing. It was cute, a little surprising, romantic, cute again, interesting. But I think a certain tipe of person would like it more than me , or at least someone who enjoys reading this cliche appearance things (the short girl, muscular guy, you know, the steriotope) that are considered hot now days. I don’t, but most people do. (So do you know, it’s not full of blondes and skinnie girls and that Kind of straight esteriotipes, I’m just saying that the book was always mentioning the fact that they had diferent highs and muscular masses and in my personal opinion is a little cringe and not realistic enough to be “cool” or sexy, just annoying)
Despite it, yeah, I would reccomend it, Jack was lovely and I actually loved the fact that hanna was able to fucking tackle him, that was awesome.
A good read
3.75 ⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Minor: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Stalking, Physical abuse, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Cancer, Alcohol, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, and Car accident