A review by carleneinspired
Bodyguard by C.D. Reiss
4.0
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Bodyguard is another one of those books that's been sitting on my TBR pile begging to be read. It features a classic trope, bodyguard and client/target, and a bit of suspense mixed in with the romance. Carter Kincaid is all business, no one knows his personal life and no one is going to get close enough to do so. Emily is choreographer to Darlene, a famous music star and her best friend. Emily has been through it in life, losing her chance at gymnastic stardom as a youth and losing her sense of safety after a boyfriend turned into a stalker. She desires freedom and comfort, something she thinks she'll never find while being shadowed by a bodyguard. Carter and Emily start a fragile relationship as bodyguard and target, but both find themselves giving in to an attraction neither expected or have time for.
"'Pretending you're flirting.'
'I'm not,' she said.
'Not flirting?'
'Not pretending.'"
I love how this book started out, it wasn't your run-of-the-mill beginning, with C.D. Reiss introducing us to Darlene and Emily in their youth before giving us a bit of a laugh over Emily and her ideas of self protection. Not long after we get to the meat of the story, but even the suspense over Emily's stalker and the secret Carter holds close are really what kept me interested. I loved the deeper meaning in this book the most, this idea that two people want freedom and safety and must each find ways to overcome and trust again to find it. It's a descriptive, emotional story, pulling on your heart and coming to life before your eyes. We see the tiny dancer move, we see Carter bend to emotion, and we see the flames as they flicker between them. There's a lot of talk about friends and family and finding comfort in those even when you believe you have the strength to stand alone.
"I'll take care of her as if she were you."
I admit I was skeptical about Bodyguard, Carter didn't woo me as quickly as Brad did in Bombshell. It took me time to realize he was holding onto something, something he wasn't even quite aware was still affecting him, so thank goodness Emily picked up on it as I never would have. I'm not even sure how Emily picked up on it considering she had her own stuff to deal with, but hey it worked out. I admit it was a lot for a standalone novel, but C.D. Reiss managed to answer every question and tie it up in a neat bow, thank heavens, I love a book with no plot holes.
"It was a beautiful thing and yet, troubling. I didn’t know where my place was in his kingdom, or if I wanted a place in it at all."
If you're looking for a sweet, sexy romance with just a bit of suspense, C.D. Reiss' Bodyguard will be a hit for you. It was a quick, enjoyable read for me and definitely one I recommend. It is the second book in a series, but is completely standalone.
Bodyguard is another one of those books that's been sitting on my TBR pile begging to be read. It features a classic trope, bodyguard and client/target, and a bit of suspense mixed in with the romance. Carter Kincaid is all business, no one knows his personal life and no one is going to get close enough to do so. Emily is choreographer to Darlene, a famous music star and her best friend. Emily has been through it in life, losing her chance at gymnastic stardom as a youth and losing her sense of safety after a boyfriend turned into a stalker. She desires freedom and comfort, something she thinks she'll never find while being shadowed by a bodyguard. Carter and Emily start a fragile relationship as bodyguard and target, but both find themselves giving in to an attraction neither expected or have time for.
"'Pretending you're flirting.'
'I'm not,' she said.
'Not flirting?'
'Not pretending.'"
I love how this book started out, it wasn't your run-of-the-mill beginning, with C.D. Reiss introducing us to Darlene and Emily in their youth before giving us a bit of a laugh over Emily and her ideas of self protection. Not long after we get to the meat of the story, but even the suspense over Emily's stalker and the secret Carter holds close are really what kept me interested. I loved the deeper meaning in this book the most, this idea that two people want freedom and safety and must each find ways to overcome and trust again to find it. It's a descriptive, emotional story, pulling on your heart and coming to life before your eyes. We see the tiny dancer move, we see Carter bend to emotion, and we see the flames as they flicker between them. There's a lot of talk about friends and family and finding comfort in those even when you believe you have the strength to stand alone.
"I'll take care of her as if she were you."
I admit I was skeptical about Bodyguard, Carter didn't woo me as quickly as Brad did in Bombshell. It took me time to realize he was holding onto something, something he wasn't even quite aware was still affecting him, so thank goodness Emily picked up on it as I never would have. I'm not even sure how Emily picked up on it considering she had her own stuff to deal with, but hey it worked out. I admit it was a lot for a standalone novel, but C.D. Reiss managed to answer every question and tie it up in a neat bow, thank heavens, I love a book with no plot holes.
"It was a beautiful thing and yet, troubling. I didn’t know where my place was in his kingdom, or if I wanted a place in it at all."
If you're looking for a sweet, sexy romance with just a bit of suspense, C.D. Reiss' Bodyguard will be a hit for you. It was a quick, enjoyable read for me and definitely one I recommend. It is the second book in a series, but is completely standalone.