Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

A Guarda-Costas by Katherine Center

150 reviews

blewballoon's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

I'm so glad I picked this up on a whim, it wasn't on my TBR and I just grabbed it on Libby because I recognized the author from Hello Stranger. I hoped it would be a decent gender flip of typical bodyguard romance tropes, but it really impressed and surprised me.

The romance aspect is gradual and natural. It just kind of floats along developing in the background while all the other plot movement and character dynamics unfold in the forefront. The writing is profound in its emotional moments and really funny in its lighthearted moments. There's a level of detail with certain characters and in-story anecdotes that make the world and people feel real. There are a couple of characters that get a more shallow take, but it works along with everything else.

I wasn't sure about the audiobook narrator at first, but she won me over as well and imbued a lot of personality into the narration. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Car accident

Minor: Mental illness, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

taylorc19's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

So cute, so fun, absolutely flew through this book. I normally don't love a no-spice, no-swearing, not-a-lot-of-kissing romance book because it feels juvenile and unrealistic but I completely bought it for this one. To be honest, I didn't even really notice that the characters weren't swearing and there wasn't any outright intimacy besides kissing between Hannah and Jack (which is a testament to the writing and story-building). I'm almost positive this is my first Katherine Center book and I definitely want to read more. I do wish we had more content of Hannah and Jack once they were together, but I loved seeing her assimilate to his family and start to really care not just about Jack but also his entire family. Overall, Hannah's character arc was well done and she was a fully fleshed out character. Also, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Katherine Center for giving Hannah some self-respect and not letting her rebound with Robby OR completely forgive Taylor. They didn't deserve Hannah!!!!

I will say the romance felt a tad rushed. Hannah had barely felt an inkling of a crush towards Jack, then all the sudden she was saying she was in love with him. The ending section with Wilbur was totally weird and out of left field, but it was so on brand for a "bodyguard romance" (if that's even a trope in romance novels). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Domestic abuse, and Stalking

Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Alcoholism

mishaps's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Stalking, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

carla20'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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Stalking

bidoofenergy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A classic fun 00s romcom of a book. Hannah is driven, Jack is ridiculous and I love them both so much. It's devastating and delightful in one

"Love is something you generate. 
"And loving other people really does turn out, in the end, to be a genuine way of loving yourself."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Death, Car accident, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Vomit and Domestic abuse

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Gun violence

ginkgogirl's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

Great junk food read. Completely unrealistic but very fun and easy to read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Blood, and Gun violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Death, and Body shaming

Minor: Alcoholism and Addiction

hes2375's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Cancer

Minor: Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Domestic abuse

humblej's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Pros: some cute moments, handsome hero, lovable family members

Cons: everything else. Heroine is insecure and comes across as clumsy even though she’s a bodyguard. The hero calls her the epitome of ordinary, never once calls her beautiful to him, and this is supposed to be alluring. The author chooses to pit women against each other — best friend vs heroine, Hollywood women vs heroine. There’s not a single redeeming relationship between women apart from, of course, the hero’s mum and heroine.

It probably would have been better set in high school since that’s the level of maturity of everyone involved. No one is a girl’s girl and that’s honestly pathetic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Vomit

kriskelly's review against another edition

emotional 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? No

5.0

katherine center you absolutely ate i fear, did not expect to love this as much as i did

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

lisavandonselaar's review against another edition

funny inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Gun violence

Moderate: Medical content, Stalking, Blood, Cancer, Grief, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse