The Bodyguard

Center’s fluffy latest (after What You Wish For) follows a workaholic bodyguard as she protects and slowly falls for her client, handsome movie star Jack Stapleton, who’s visiting his sick mom in Texas. Hannah Brooks is at the top of her field, having been snatched from FBI recruitment by her boss, Glenn Schultz, for his security agency. After she’s dumped by a smarmy coworker, Glenn assigns Hannah to protect the charming Jack (who’s dealing with a stalker) as he drops in on his estranged brother and their mom, who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer. Not wanting to alarm them, Hannah pretends to be Jack’s girlfriend. When Hannah begins to suspect that Jack might be attracted to her (which, if so, would make the feeling mutual), she considers confessing to Glenn that she might not be up to the task. Hannah’s dilemma feels much more like a rom-com trope than a real-world situation, but it works amid the lighthearted atmosphere. The story perks up whenever Hannah shows off her bodyguard prowess, but these scenes are few and far between. Though other books deal more creatively with the well-worn tropes at play, Center’s confection satisfies on its own terms. (July)