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belellcollins's review
3.0
Up Close and Personal is the gender-swapped version of The Bodyguard you never knew you needed. Kat Parker is a former army sniper and she's been tasked with the hardest job of all: protect Zac Edwards, the hottest movie star she's ever seen. If only he would stop flirting with her.
One thing that was so nice to see in this movie was that the attraction went both ways and they both admitted it. It was irritating when both characters were so overcome with their insecurities that they convinced themselves the other person hated them, but that is mighty realistic. What I found difficult to put my head around was the constant come one from Zac. He wasn't a sleazy character, but Kat made it clear nothing could happen with them while she was protecting him, but he NEVER stopped and it got really irritating.
Overall, I liked the story and the flip from the normal version of this. Zac still never really accepted Kat's expertise and never stopped trying to take her out of the line of fire, but ultimately they worked well together, and I think they were a good fit.
I got this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
One thing that was so nice to see in this movie was that the attraction went both ways and they both admitted it. It was irritating when both characters were so overcome with their insecurities that they convinced themselves the other person hated them, but that is mighty realistic. What I found difficult to put my head around was the constant come one from Zac. He wasn't a sleazy character, but Kat made it clear nothing could happen with them while she was protecting him, but he NEVER stopped and it got really irritating.
Overall, I liked the story and the flip from the normal version of this. Zac still never really accepted Kat's expertise and never stopped trying to take her out of the line of fire, but ultimately they worked well together, and I think they were a good fit.
I got this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
totallybookeduk's review
5.0
Zac Edwards is an actor on the rise, so much so that he has managed to get himself a stalker. Not that he is taking it all that serious, probably just a female fan who has taken things a little too far.
Kat Parker is to be Zac's bodyguard, not that Zac knows this when she bumps (quite literally) into him at a function spilling champaign down him. Not that she seems to mind as he finds himself drawn to her immediately. Kat knows who he is that that she cannot return his flirting - but she really wants to.
The following day formal introductions are made and Zac isn't too sure about the need for a bodyguard or a bodyguard that is Kat. However, he agrees to it and soon they are spending a lot of time together. Something Zac is very happy about although the sexual tension is killing him.
A twist on the traditional bodyguard stories with a gender role reversal. Lots of laugh out loud moments, coupled with heartbreaking past tragedies.
Kat Parker is to be Zac's bodyguard, not that Zac knows this when she bumps (quite literally) into him at a function spilling champaign down him. Not that she seems to mind as he finds himself drawn to her immediately. Kat knows who he is that that she cannot return his flirting - but she really wants to.
The following day formal introductions are made and Zac isn't too sure about the need for a bodyguard or a bodyguard that is Kat. However, he agrees to it and soon they are spending a lot of time together. Something Zac is very happy about although the sexual tension is killing him.
A twist on the traditional bodyguard stories with a gender role reversal. Lots of laugh out loud moments, coupled with heartbreaking past tragedies.
malpal132's review
this was so incredibly british that it made it impossible to imagine these characters as sexual beings and also made me feel like the author is particularly old. so old they've fallen out of touch with anybody younger than octogenarians.
nightowlbibliophile's review
1.0
Kat Parker is hired as the bodyguard for famous movie star, Zac Edwards, as he is being followed by an unknown stalker. They both have roles to play here, neither of which should include developing feelings for each other.
This book did not sweep me in like I had hoped that it would! Zac made a point of highlighting often how Kat was not beautiful in any way but looked “interesting”, and Kat kept commenting on Zac’s use of fancy words that did not seem unknowable to someone of her background. This was a gender swapped version of The Bodyguard, so fans of this classic might really enjoy this one!
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was published yesterday, June 12.
#ARC #netgalley #upcloseandpersonal #thebodyguard #booksharks #bookstagram
This book did not sweep me in like I had hoped that it would! Zac made a point of highlighting often how Kat was not beautiful in any way but looked “interesting”, and Kat kept commenting on Zac’s use of fancy words that did not seem unknowable to someone of her background. This was a gender swapped version of The Bodyguard, so fans of this classic might really enjoy this one!
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was published yesterday, June 12.
#ARC #netgalley #upcloseandpersonal #thebodyguard #booksharks #bookstagram
librarianmorgan's review
2.0
I was overall disappointed with this book. I was hoping for a fun Bodyguard-with-a-twist romance, but it kind of fell flat. I never connected with the characters, particularly Kat. She was, to put it bluntly, annoying. I noticed another reviewer mentioned how irksome she found it that Kat complained about Zac's "posh" vocabulary...I'm sorry, I really don't think his vocabulary was posh or any of the words he used difficult to comprehend at all. I didn't really understand the point of Kat bringing that up over and over and over again. Was it to make a statement about Kat's intelligence? Her thoughts on "class" divide? To illustrate the difference in backgrounds between the two? I feel like there were better, less demeaning ways of doing that and pointing out their differences.
I ended up speed reading through this. It read like an insta-love story, and Zac was pushy towards Kat and didn't respect that she wanted to keep things professional while on the job. This could've been a lot more fun.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this early!
I ended up speed reading through this. It read like an insta-love story, and Zac was pushy towards Kat and didn't respect that she wanted to keep things professional while on the job. This could've been a lot more fun.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this early!
angelreads's review
3.0
I received a copy of Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman from One More Chapter via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.
I was looking forward to reading this one, it sounds fun and excited and I was sadly disappointed. The romance felt off and I wasn't able to connect with the characters fully.
Up Close and Personal follows Kat Parker as she starts to protect her new charge; Zac Edwards. Zac is the lastest British heartthrob and has a stalker. When things start to get serious, Kat becomes his close protection officer. But being this close both Kat and Zac start to fall for one another - but Kat must stay professional.
I wanted to love this book so much. It sounded like something that I would enjoy. But everything fell flat for me. Kat was a decent protagonist, but I just could not connect with her fully. I felt everything that she was holding back from Zac and that made it even harder to connect with her as a reader. I felt the same with Zac. Both characters lacked something and I can't put my finger on it.
Because of this, I did feel that the romance felt off. I also felt that we didn't get enough of it. Or connection. At first, the reader can see the tension, but then it stayed on that level, until the end. There was just this whole part that felt missing and I wanted more of that.
In saying all this I felt the tension and stakes in the book were good and I did enjoy that aspect. I did guess some fo the things that were going to happen but then I was surprised by other things - which I found fantastic.
Overall, Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman was an okay read. I won't be talking about it again, but I didn't hate it. I wish the romance was focused on more and the reader was able to see it grow a lot more. Both Kat and Zac felt a little flat for me and I do wish they were a little more fleshed out.
I was looking forward to reading this one, it sounds fun and excited and I was sadly disappointed. The romance felt off and I wasn't able to connect with the characters fully.
Up Close and Personal follows Kat Parker as she starts to protect her new charge; Zac Edwards. Zac is the lastest British heartthrob and has a stalker. When things start to get serious, Kat becomes his close protection officer. But being this close both Kat and Zac start to fall for one another - but Kat must stay professional.
I wanted to love this book so much. It sounded like something that I would enjoy. But everything fell flat for me. Kat was a decent protagonist, but I just could not connect with her fully. I felt everything that she was holding back from Zac and that made it even harder to connect with her as a reader. I felt the same with Zac. Both characters lacked something and I can't put my finger on it.
Because of this, I did feel that the romance felt off. I also felt that we didn't get enough of it. Or connection. At first, the reader can see the tension, but then it stayed on that level, until the end. There was just this whole part that felt missing and I wanted more of that.
In saying all this I felt the tension and stakes in the book were good and I did enjoy that aspect. I did guess some fo the things that were going to happen but then I was surprised by other things - which I found fantastic.
Overall, Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman was an okay read. I won't be talking about it again, but I didn't hate it. I wish the romance was focused on more and the reader was able to see it grow a lot more. Both Kat and Zac felt a little flat for me and I do wish they were a little more fleshed out.
cnewby927's review
4.0
What a fun read! I know others have said this, but I was definitely getting a gender reversed The Bodyguard. I love that this first chapter just garbs you and the book does not let you go! The pacing is good, the characters are witty and I enjoyed the love story!
bookishlynomes's review
3.0
The first thing that intrigued me about this story (besides the cute illustrated cover) was the gender-role reversal. I love the Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner movie, The Bodyguard, so I was very excited to see that this one is about a male celebrity and his female bodyguard falling in love. There's also a crazy stalker adding to the tension.
The pacing of this story is hard to describe. It felt like the action began right from the get-go but at the same time, there were some slower sections and the romance was definitely a slow burn. The execution also fell a little flat for me, particularly with the dialogue and development of the relationship, but the characters had a lot of potential. The hero and heroine were such opposites and I always enjoy the opposites attract trope so that aspect really brought me around with this story.
Overall, this was an okay read. While I didn't really get very attached to the main characters, I did enjoy the rest of the plot and the gender-role reversal. It was an interesting concept that I think with a bit more revision of character development and pacing had the potential to be a really great read.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing of this story is hard to describe. It felt like the action began right from the get-go but at the same time, there were some slower sections and the romance was definitely a slow burn. The execution also fell a little flat for me, particularly with the dialogue and development of the relationship, but the characters had a lot of potential. The hero and heroine were such opposites and I always enjoy the opposites attract trope so that aspect really brought me around with this story.
Overall, this was an okay read. While I didn't really get very attached to the main characters, I did enjoy the rest of the plot and the gender-role reversal. It was an interesting concept that I think with a bit more revision of character development and pacing had the potential to be a really great read.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
jackarkwright_'s review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
arabellasbooks's review against another edition
3.0
3.75/5
This book is a spin on the bodyguard trope where the woman is the bodyguard and the male is the female celebrity which was a spin that convinced me to buy this book in the first place. We see the two in their highly unprofessional meeting followed by then needing to spend all of their time together to keep Zac (actor) safe whilst also unravelling lies and mysterious paths from both Kat and Zac throughout the novel. At the same time, the two are trying to ignore and push aside their feelings and attraction towards one another, each for different reasons, before finally giving in to it which is when things start going downhill - especially when Zac’s mob boss dad comes back into the picture leaving a lot of tense feelings and Kat's niece being kidnapped (didn't think that extreme was relevant honestly) around our main characters leading to them, more so Kat, scrapping the idea of a relationship until her sister and Debs (niece) and his aunt (mum) call them out for being idiots which was funny.
I’m struggling to find the words to talk about this book because where I loved the concept and the book itself was an enjoyable read, I found that there were parts that felt a little slack for reasons I don’t even know honestly. I liked Kat and Zac and think they were so well written I just wasn’t a huge fan with how they had their conversations revealing their pasts as I felt it could have been a lot more emotional had it been written differently. I think one of the big things was the pacing of this book as the ‘conflict’ is not until the very end and, to me, felt highly unnecessary when we could have had more cute and trust building scenes. That being said, I did enjoy this book and the little references (especially to Marvel), it just isn’t my favourite contemporary ever.
This book is a spin on the bodyguard trope where the woman is the bodyguard and the male is the female celebrity which was a spin that convinced me to buy this book in the first place. We see the two in their highly unprofessional meeting followed by then needing to spend all of their time together to keep Zac (actor) safe whilst also unravelling lies and mysterious paths from both Kat and Zac throughout the novel. At the same time, the two are trying to ignore and push aside their feelings and attraction towards one another, each for different reasons, before finally giving in to it which is when things start going downhill - especially when Zac’s mob boss dad comes back into the picture leaving a lot of tense feelings and Kat's niece being kidnapped (didn't think that extreme was relevant honestly) around our main characters leading to them, more so Kat, scrapping the idea of a relationship until her sister and Debs (niece) and his aunt (mum) call them out for being idiots which was funny.
I’m struggling to find the words to talk about this book because where I loved the concept and the book itself was an enjoyable read, I found that there were parts that felt a little slack for reasons I don’t even know honestly. I liked Kat and Zac and think they were so well written I just wasn’t a huge fan with how they had their conversations revealing their pasts as I felt it could have been a lot more emotional had it been written differently. I think one of the big things was the pacing of this book as the ‘conflict’ is not until the very end and, to me, felt highly unnecessary when we could have had more cute and trust building scenes. That being said, I did enjoy this book and the little references (especially to Marvel), it just isn’t my favourite contemporary ever.