Staff Pick
Hannah Brooks is probably the last person you'd expect to be a bodyguard. That's why, when action star Jack Stapleton needs someone to protect him from his stalker, she's the perfect choice. The two agree to enter into a fake relationship to spare Jack's mom's fragile state of mind. Hilarity ensues. I mean, how can you be afraid of cows? This book gave me the giggles and I really needed the giggles. Recommended By Rose H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is "My perfect 10 of a book. As funny and sweet as all the very best nineties rom-coms, but with Center's signature heart-tugging depth. I wish I could erase it from my mind just to read it again for the first time. A shot of pure joy." — Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers
She's got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she's an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.
He's got her heart.
Jack Stapleton's a household name — captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.
They've got a secret.
When Jack's mom gets sick, he goes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah — against her will and her better judgment — finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, says no one will believe it.
What could possibly go wrong?
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it's easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done.
"Great rollicking fun Prepare to laugh and swoon and grin your pants off." — Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle
"Absolutely, unequivocally delightful." — Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
Review
"The Bodyguard is perfect for those in the mood for a funny, hard-hitting feel-good romance." — The Houston Chronicle
Review
"Center's confection satisfies on its own terms." — Publishers Weekly
Review
"Utterly charming...Center's latest might be her most winning yet. It's not only a must-read for her fans, but it will likely garner her new devotees as well." — Booklist (Starred Review)
About the Author
BookPage calls Katherine Center "the reigning queen of comfort reads." She's the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen books, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down — and how we get back up. She's been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, "satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way." Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple's Best Books of 2020, Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and many more. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls her summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, "a shot of pure joy." The movie adaptation of Katherine's novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for Beginners is in production now as a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.