Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

A Guarda-Costas by Katherine Center

126 reviews

mrs_engineer's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.25

Hannah, a badass bodyguard, is assigned to famous heartthrob actor, Jake, to protect him from a corgi loving obsessive stalker while he visits his mom when she gets sick. Hannah is introduced as an uptight workaholic and Jake comes across as a self absorbed celebrity. When they get forced to be way closer than originally planned during Hannah's assignment they learn about each other's pasts and discover a tantalizing chemistry.
For me the best part of this book was Center's humor. I am a huge fan of her broken fourth wall writing style, she is able to do it in a way that is engaging and entertaining. There were multiple times I laughed out loud, especially during the cow "attack".

There were two things I didn't like about the book. The first being how unrealistic Hannah's fears were given how highly trained she was supposed to be. It added humor but pulled me out of the story. The second being how much the tone changed at the ending. I love a summary of where characters end up at the end of a rom-com movie, but it didn't feel like the right choice here.

I was impressed by Center's ability to write a lighthearted, sweet, romance with characters handling the messiness of real life. Overall a fun read and would recommend especially to those who like Center's writing style!

"I feel like I've been lost all my life until now and somehow with you I'm just found."

"Every chance you take is a choice, a choice to decide who you are."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cancer

thecandiegirl's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

booklovebykay's review against another edition

4.5

I just had such a good time reading this book. Early 2000’s rom-com vibes 😍 If you like the movies The Proposal + Miss Congeniality, read this book! I also love how the narration makes it seem like she’s talking to me 😅

Read this if you like:

💫 Fake dating 

💫 Only one bed 

💫 Early 2000’s rom-coms 

💫 Workplace romance

💫 Clean romance 

💫 Family relationships 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt

deetabz's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

kellyfeather's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-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

3.0

Deals with some heavy topics, but always maintains a lighthearted vibe, and it was that combo I wasn’t sure how much I liked.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

the_quiet_reader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny relaxing medium-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

4.0

This story was such a funny story! Fake Dating is one of my favorite tropes and I fully enjoyed it in this book! Honestly, this book really read like a rom-com to me.  There was a lot of humor and funny situations and a lot of romantic moments! 

 

Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent who has lost everything all at once, and isn’t sure she is even lovable anymore.  She is looking for escape and is stuck having to work this odd job with Jack Stapleton. 

 

Jack Stapleton is a world famous actor who is hiding in his grief over his lost brother and his connection to his family.  He comes out of hiding to care for his mother and is forced to work with Hannah to protect his family and himself from a corgi loving stalker.  

 

The combination of these two characters and how they almost 180’d each other’s perspectives was truly kind of inspiring! I really enjoyed reading their story.  I was on the edge of my seat at some parts, but it was truly very well written! Plenty of plot but also character moved as well.  

 

There is plenty of heavy material in this book, but also light-hearted hope and joy to balance it out.  I liked the balance and the idea that even when life is heavy, there is hope to be found.  This was my first Katherine Center book and I really enjoyed it. 

 

The only thing that I didn’t like (and my reason for 4 stars instead of 5) was the swearing.  There was a medium amount of swearing most of it being the less intense words; however, there were 4 uses of the F word.  It wasn’t a swear word every other word, just usually in the intense moments.  I, in general, believe that swear words are never really needed in books or otherwise, there are lots of other options. 

 

Regardless, I loved the story and would recommend if the swearing doesn’t turn you off. 

 

Content Warnings: 

Language: Explicit Language (F*** 4x, along with other words) 

Spice: Level 1 

TW: Alcoholic mother, domestic abuse, death of family members, car accident, nightmares, cancer, suicide attempt

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

sh543's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-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: Cancer, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction and Physical abuse

katmystery's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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 hell of a good time. A new twist on fake-dating that gender-bent the bodyguard trope, featuring a hilarious duo who made me laugh out loud.

That said, the side-characters felt pretty two-dimensional, most of whom were just stereotypes. And it was difficult to believe the narrator was as good a bodyguard as we're meant to believe because she runs away from several harmless things, e.g. attractive people and harmless albeit large animals.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Stalking

Minor: Domestic abuse and Car accident

whateves99's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

sam_and_king's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide attempt