The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - UPDATED REVIEW

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde  Genre : Classics Blurb (on back of book) : Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. UPDATED REVIEW MY OPINION : ****** I would like to start out this review by stating that this is undoubtedly m
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The Bodyguard - Katherine Center

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Romance

Blurb (on back of book): 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 comes 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, like a jerk, 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.

MY OPINION: ***

I got this book for one of my Book of the Month books a while back but I only picked it up now because I heard Katherine Center was coming out with another book soon. In all honesty, despite the uniqueness of the premise and the switch-up of classic tropes, I wasn't a huge fan of this book. I finished it in a day but didn't really FEEL anything about it in the way I had hoped I would. 

Hannah Brooks is an Executive Protection Agent, which is basically a bodyguard for high-profile people (or anyone who needs a bodyguard, I guess). She's reeling from the recent death of her mother and a break-up with her boyfriend (and co-worker) and her boss thinks she's not ready for travel and work. She's assigned a local job to protect movie star Jack Stapleton to prove that she's ready to get back out there.

The book is full of iconic tropes that we all know and love, including fake dating. One thing about me is I will always love a fake dating trope, no matter how stupid the premise is. Jack's mother is sick so he's forced to go back home and spend time with his family but he doesn't want his family to question why Hannah is there and why he would need a bodyguard (he's being stalked by a fan). So, they decide to tell everyone in his family that Hannah is his girlfriend.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. I loved the fake dating drama, the is-this-real doubt, the flirting, the friendship, the chemistry. I don't love celebrity romances, because it honestly reads like fanfiction half the time, but this one was different. Hannah wasn't some "I'm not like other girls" type of character who was immune to Jack's charm. Jack wasn't some arrogant or crazy celebrity. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. 

The second half of the book and the climax especially is where the book fell flat for me. I won't spoil anything but I saw everything coming from a mile away. Quite honestly, I am horrible at guessing plot twists most of the time but this one was so obvious and the foreshadowing was so blatant that I was disappointed. It was veering into nonsensical, to be quite honest, and I wasn't a fan of the ending. 

I do wish this book was dual POV. I feel like I would have liked it a lot more if I got to see Jack's perspective. Jack is dealing with a lot in this book himself, what with a stalker, a sick mother, a dead brother, and a resentful brother. I would have loved to see more of his character being explored. 

That being said, it's definitely a cute book, perfect for a quick summer read. I finished it in a day with no issues and I'm excited to continue reading Center's work in the future. 

Main Character: Hannah
Sidekick(s): Jack, friends, family, etc
Villain(s): Stalker, misunderstandings, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all real to life.

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