The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard is goofy, cartoony and filled with slapstick humor, but that’s part of its charm. The bad guys are so outrageously bad that they spend their time on-page twisting their mustaches, and the good guys are walking saints. The writing has charm enough to drag the book up to a C grade, but the implausible actions of the leads wouldn’t allow me to rank it any higher. Don’t come into this one expecting anything serious; every goofy choice just adds to the pile of the ridiculous things done by these characters until you can’t do anything other than sit back and laugh at it all.
Hannah Brooks is cool, confident and deadly. She needs to be – she’s a well-trained bodyguard to the stars whose everywoman looks help her blend into the background. Her latest client is saintly actor Jack Stapleton, and he’s got a problem in the form of a boundary-pushing stalker.
Jack’s not only got a stalker, he’s got a sick mom who just had surgery. Heading to the family ranch to spend time with her, he decides not to alarm them with news of the stalker by pretending Hannah is his girlfriend. Since Hannah’s still licking her wounds from her ex-boyfriend – who dumped her because he told her she couldn’t kiss – and the death of her own mom, heading to Texas with Jack is just the distraction she needs. But when the threats against Jack intensify, will Hannah be able to save the day?
Well, yes, but barely. Hannah’s pretty bad at protecting her client here, and she complains a whole ton about her job to boot. In fact, she keeps making choices that put Jack in danger. She’s also incredibly distracted by her so-slimy-it’s-ridiculous ex, who is about as subtle as a snake.
Jack, meanwhile, has never met a charity he didn’t like, has washboard abs, is a great actor, has a great smile and loves his family. Their relationship doesn’t culminate in a kiss until nearly the entire book has passed by, and Hannah spends most of the it wondering how in the world Jack could ever have feelings about normal, Plain Jane her. (Plain Jane who could probably kick Steven Seagal’s butt!)
The book also fails to marry together its more serious plot points, like Jack’s tragic backstory and Hannah’s mourning for her mom, with its very lighthearted and goofy story.
But the prose is enjoyable, and if you turn your brain down for a minute or two, The Bodyguard definitely has its plusses. If you keep your expectations on a lighter, sunnier side, you might like it more than I did.
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Lisa Fernandes is a writer, reviewer and recapper who lives somewhere on the East Coast. Formerly employed by Firefox.org and Next Projection, she also currently contributes to Women Write About Comics. Read her blog at http://thatbouviergirl.blogspot.com/, follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thatbouviergirl or contribute to her Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/MissyvsEvilDead or her Ko-Fi at ko-fi.com/missmelbouvier
Book Details
Reviewer: | Lisa Fernandes |
---|---|
Review Date: | July 28, 2022 |
Publication Date: | 07/2022 |
Grade: | C |
Sensuality | Kisses |
Book Type: | Contemporary Romance |
Review Tags: | bodyguard |
I think I’d give this one a similar grade. For me the sticking point was Hannah’s believability; I just didn’t buy that she was any good at her job. It was a cute, quick read, though, and if it were a Hallmark movie I’d watch the heck out of it! But after really liking Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away, this one fell flat for me.
They set her up to be the badass, but yeah, she’s painfully incompetent; I agree that it belongs on Hallmark and works if you want a nice, quick, easy to digest read.
I’m with you on this book! Her books have failed to deliver for me since her first one but I keep trying! Lol
One day she’ll get it right, she’s got some talent but this one just didn’t do it for me.
I actually love Things You Save in a Fire.
Wow, I’m really surprised at your review. I loved this book. The main characters had lovely chemistry and the story was very engaging. I finished it in one sitting because it was so good.
Different strokes for different folks!
Bummer! I had this on my tbr. Bodyguard/client is one of my favorite tropes, and I especially like the rare ones where the traditional gender roles (male bodyguard, female client) are reversed. However, the book was pricey and there was a long wait list for it at my library. But based on your review, perhaps it’s just as well I didn’t snap it up right away.
I found it unreadable but that’s just me!
You might like this one more than Dabney and I – maybe wait out the long library loan list and give ‘er a skim.
This was a DNF for me. Hannah’s abilities seemed ludicrous, she whined constantly, and the chemistry between Jack and her had no oomph. I love Center’s Things You Save in a Fire but found What You Wish For a weak read and this one an utter dud.
Yep, good lord her whining. Girl, if I could flip a man over my shoulder with the flick of a wrist I would not be worried about Mr. Movie mcmucleabs finding me attractive!