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A review by abbeyroad1410
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Despite my strong opinion that Valentine's Day is a corporate scam, I do celebrate by reading romance novels for the entire month of February. Boy, am I glad I started with this one because it has me excited for the rest of the month.
First of all, this novel is set on a ranch in Texas and features cows. This may seem like a trivial perk, but it was actually a setting that I really wanted in a romance novel and had sought out for about a year. I feel like cows just really add to the novel. I, in fact, was so excited that I took a break from reading to text Ashley about this setting.
Now to the actual substance of the novel. This book had me laughing every minute I read. Hannah's internal monologue is so relatable and sarcastic that a reader couldn't help but smile. Hannah's voice even manages to break otherwise tense or sad situations with a bit of humor that lifts the tone of a given scene. That, of course, is not to say that the book didn't have emotional moments. Both Hannah and Jack have deeply traumatic pasts (Hannah's alcoholic mother; Jack's deceased brother) that inform the characters' worldview and emphasize the theme of love as a brave choice. Jack's emotional peak, revealing what happened with his brother, had me near tears.
Of course, the novel isn't perfect. The third act felt particularly rushed, revealing a conflict that wasn't even really hinted at. In fact, this subplot seemed to simply be an excuse to show off how cool and strong Hannah is (not something I am against, but there are better ways of doing it). Additionally, the romantic rivals for both characters are comically bad people. They lack the depth and attention given to the main characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, and it was a pleasant start to February. Besides, who doesn't love a classic romantic comedy?
First of all, this novel is set on a ranch in Texas and features cows. This may seem like a trivial perk, but it was actually a setting that I really wanted in a romance novel and had sought out for about a year. I feel like cows just really add to the novel. I, in fact, was so excited that I took a break from reading to text Ashley about this setting.
Now to the actual substance of the novel. This book had me laughing every minute I read. Hannah's internal monologue is so relatable and sarcastic that a reader couldn't help but smile. Hannah's voice even manages to break otherwise tense or sad situations with a bit of humor that lifts the tone of a given scene. That, of course, is not to say that the book didn't have emotional moments. Both Hannah and Jack have deeply traumatic pasts (Hannah's alcoholic mother; Jack's deceased brother) that inform the characters' worldview and emphasize the theme of love as a brave choice. Jack's emotional peak, revealing what happened with his brother, had me near tears.
Of course, the novel isn't perfect. The third act felt particularly rushed, revealing a conflict that wasn't even really hinted at. In fact, this subplot seemed to simply be an excuse to show off how cool and strong Hannah is (not something I am against, but there are better ways of doing it). Additionally, the romantic rivals for both characters are comically bad people. They lack the depth and attention given to the main characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, and it was a pleasant start to February. Besides, who doesn't love a classic romantic comedy?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Car accident