If you’ve had the pleasure of dipping your toes into the romance genre, you’ll already be aware of the wealth of different books that are out there. Romance, being the best-selling genre of all time, is also the one that spans the most subgenres.
You can find romance books that cover all manner of different themes, for example, there are pirate romance books, regency romance books, polyamorous romance books, and even paranormal romance books.
Whatever your personal preference may be, there’s a romance book out there that will match it. One of the most popular subgenres that we’ve come across is bodyguard romance books.
Selling millions of copies worldwide, it’s not hard to understand why these are so popular. We were all smitten by this particular romance dynamic when we first saw the movie, The Bodyguard (1992), starring Whitney Houston.
It has since become increasingly popular in the romance world, and it’s not difficult to see why. Themes of forbidden romance and close proximity abound, and this has readers dying to delve into these novels.
Now, there are so many different steamy bodyguard books out there to choose from, readers are really spoilt for selection. But with so many out there, it can be difficult to pick one to read. Thankfully, that’s where we come in.
To find out some of the very best bodyguard books to pick up this Valentine’s season, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look.
This bodyguard romance instantly puts a twist on the classic genre and presents us with something that’s entirely new.
Lydia, despite her wishes, is forced to hire a bodyguard to protect her, but as things get more and more dangerous in her personal life, she and her protector, Erik must come to a mutual decision.
Erik, being the superstar bodyguard that he is, decides that it’s best that they form a ‘fake’ relationship between the two of them, in order to keep her safe.
This means that he’ll be able to spend more time on a more frequent basis with her, and subsequently keep her out of trouble.
Lydia agrees immediately and thinks that Erik’s plan sounds great, because hey, she doesn’t mind spending more time with this hunky stranger.
The two, however, find themselves at odds throughout the course of the book, and Lydia struggles to come to terms with his “know it all” attitude, and his grumpy demeanor.
What’s even more frustrating for our heroine, however, is that she finds these qualities oddly appealing, despite herself. Will this fake relationship that they’ve fashioned turn out to be more real than they both expected? We think so.
Pros
Interesting Premise – Oftentimes, bodyguard romances will be just that, a relationship that forms between the protagonist and her bodyguard. But we liked the different premise when it came to this book and the fake relationship between the two main characters.
Moving Past Trauma – We really liked Lydia as our main character, and we also enjoyed seeing her move past the trauma she experienced earlier in life.
Strong Dynamic – We thought the dynamic between these two characters worked really well, and we enjoyed witnessing the dynamic between them.
Cons
Cheesy Cover – We loved the actual content of this book, but the cover itself is beyond cheesy.
If you want a bodyguard that’s truly steamy, then we’d recommend picking up this romance book by Lauren Blakely. This book also exercises one of our favorite tropes within the romance genre, and that’s the hero falling for the heroine first.
Our bodyguard, who is called Jackson, is given the task of protecting a young rockstar called Stone. Stone finds herself captivated by this enigmatic stranger, and can’t help but notice that he’s always stealing glances at her when she’s not looking.
This makes it very difficult for her to get on with her job. Jackson knows that he shouldn’t be falling for his employer, but he just can’t seem to help it. After all, she is known the world over for her breathtakingly good looks.
One of the best parts about this book is the build up of it all. The tension that grows between the two main characters is tantalizing and is so satisfying when they finally give in to their burgeoning desires.
Tension – Blakely is great at building lots of tension between the two main characters, which makes it even more satisfying when they finally decide to get together.
Backdrop – We love the backdrop of this book, which is surrounded by all the grit and charm of the rock and roll lifestyle.
Loveable Hero – We love the way that Jackson fell for Stone almost immediately, and it made us really like his character.
Cons
Super Steamy – This book is incredibly steamy in parts and contains several love scenes. So, if this isn’t really what you’re looking for from a romance novel, perhaps it might be a good idea to look elsewhere.
If you want a royal bodyguard romance, then we’ve got the perfect book for you. This romance book actually follows a Princess called Bridget Von Ashberg.
She has never wanted the role herself and just wants to lead a normal life, but as time goes on, this becomes increasingly difficult. Bridget faces a difficulty that no woman should face, as she’s used as a political pawn for a lucrative marriage.
Her brother wants her married to a Prince from another Kingdom so that their two families can unite. The thing is, however, that Bridget is a hopeless romantic, and has no desire to find herself in a loveless marriage to a stranger.
Things become even more complicated when she meets her new bodyguard. Rhys is an incredibly impetuous individual and is used to getting his own way. He even has a rule for himself as a bodyguard.
That is to protect them at every turn, and never fall in love with them. This romance book, however, is going to have both of these characters breaking the rules by the end of the tale.
How are they ever going to be together on account of the terrible odds that seek to defy them? Will Bridget ever be able to face the prospect of her own ruin if she decides to give in to her desires and finally be with the man she truly loves?
Pros
Slow Burn – We love bodyguard romance books that are slow burners. There’s nothing worse than settling down into a good book, only to find that the two main characters get together in the very first chapter.
Royalty – We love the inclusion of royalty within this book, as it’s something that hasn’t been done before in the bodyguard romance world.
High Stakes – This is truly a high-stakes romance, and the heroine has a lot to lose if she gives in to her desire for Rhys.
Cons
Pacing – The thing that makes this book such a pleasure to read is the slow burn, which can also be frustrating at times. We found ourselves shouting at the book pages for them to finally give in to their love.
If you’re a fan of alpha heroes within the romance genre, then we’d recommend picking up this book called The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas.
Malpas is truly masterful when it comes to depicting a strong, alpha hero who is truly brought to his knees at the mercy of the book’s heroine. In this story, we find a hapless woman called Camille Logan. Camille appears to have it all on the surface, she’s rich, she’s young, and she’s beautiful.
The fact is though that her father has created their fortune through his incredibly shady business dealings, and after several incidents that threaten to harm Camille, they decide it’s best to hire a bodyguard.
Camille feels incredibly conflicted about the situation. She enjoys her independence and having a life free from somebody watching over her constantly. But, things have gotten so bad that she’s afraid to survive without a protector. This is where Jake comes in.
Despite being excellent at his job, Jake has undergone a lot of personal and professional turmoil in the past. He’d previously fallen in love with an old client, and this served him dire consequences.
He vows that he’ll never allow this to happen again. That is until he meets Camille. He’s instantly drawn to this fragile young woman and wants nothing more than to protect her from the dangers of the world.
There is a lot of suspense in the novel, as we see Jake face the choice of whether he wants to protect Camille professionally, or forgo his role as a bodyguard and be with her as his lover.
There are lots of entertaining moments throughout the book too, where Camille tries to hide from Jake, which causes him all manner of frustration.
Pros
Movie To Accompany Novel – One of the best things about this book is that it actually has a movie that’s been created to accompany it. After you’re done reading the novel, be sure to check out the screen adaption of the same name.
Fun – Despite being a very serious romance, there are some fun and playful moments between the two main characters.
Strong Alpha – For those who love a strong alpha male character in their romance books, Malpas really delivers in this sense.
Cons
Lots Of Angst – Although this isn’t necessarily a problem for many readers, this book is very angsty. So, if this is a trope that you’re not really interested in, maybe skip this one.
If you’re looking for something a little bit different from your traditional bodyguard romance books to settle down with, then we’d recommend picking up this book called The Bodyguard by Katherine Center.
This book provides us with a complete role reversal in terms of the stereotypical dynamics of the genre. Our heroine is Hannah Brooks, and she looks just like any typical romance heroine, she’s blonde, she’s beautiful, and she’s got a gorgeous physique.
The only thing is that she has a profession that’s less than typical for a woman of her type. She is, in fact, a bodyguard. She’s hired to protect a rockstar called Jack Stapleton.
Jack is your typical rockstar, he’s rich, he’s famous, and he’s loved worldwide, but he’s got a problem. He has a stalker. As a result, he’s forced to hire a bodyguard to protect him.
Hannah Brooks is one of the best out there, and so she’s tasked with keeping Jack safe. The trouble is that Jack plans to visit his family soon back at their ranch.
His family are a group of worriers though, and he doesn’t want to alert them to the fact that he has a bodyguard on account of his stalker. In this case, there’s only one natural solution.
Hannah and Jack decide that she will pretend to be his new girlfriend. Seems like the perfect solution, doesn’t it?
But they couldn’t have been more wrong, and with burgeoning desires rising to the surface, the two find themselves being unable to deny their passion for one another.
Pros
Dynamic – We loved the dynamic between the two characters, which we think worked really well.
Role Reversal – We loved the role reversal of the stereotypical male bodyguard protecting the female.
Chemistry – The chemistry between the two main characters is undeniable, and we’re totally here for it.
Cons
Side Characters – Despite the fact that we enjoyed the side characters in the story, it did sometimes detract from the main plot.
We can guarantee that in all your time reading bodyguard romance books, you’ve never come across one quite like this before. That’s because this book, From Blood And Ash, by Jennifer L. Armentrout, is actually a fantasy-based bodyguard romance.
That’s right, just when we thought that another dimension couldn’t be added to the genre, somebody manages to do so spectacularly. This book follows a young maiden of royal blood called Poppy, who just wants to continue on with her life in peace.
She’s gradually gaining more and more responsibilities when it comes to her kingdom, however, and as a result, she becomes increasingly disillusioned. This is perpetuated by her interest in her own personal guard, called Hawke.
He awakens a desire in her that she’s never felt before, and she’s not quite sure how to react to this. There are, however, more and more attacks on her kingdom, and she is forced to deny these desires in order to protect her people.
If she doesn’t do her duty, she also risks infuriating the Gods and having them punish her for her fallibility. All of this falls to the wayside, however, and one day, she decides it’s finally time that she lived her life for herself.
She finds herself running away with Hawke, but was this the best idea? On their perilous journey to escape the Kingdom, Poppy finds herself in more danger than ever.
Pros
Fantasy Elements – We loved the fantasy-based elements in this book, and they really added to the story.
World Building – Despite not being the longest bodyguard romance book, the author does a great job of world-building in this small space of time.
Exciting – This was an incredibly exciting book to read, and really had us sitting at the edge of our seats. A real page-turner from start to finish.
Cons
Tense – Although this isn’t necessarily a con, some readers might not be big fans of all the tension in this novel, which can sometimes detract from the romance aspect rather than add to it.
If you’re looking to read a classic bodyguard romance tale that has a little bit of a twist, then we’d recommend that you check this one out, by Karina Halle. Piper, who is our main protagonist, is used to being ignored by those around her.
I mean, she gets it, she’s just different. Her community sees her as an outsider, as she doesn’t fall into the typical suburban life which surrounds her. One day, however, everything begins to change with a very strange occurrence.
Piper can’t believe it, but something exciting has finally happened in her local community, as an actual prince and princess have moved in next door. That’s right, she’s going to be living amongst royals.
This is, of course, the thing that initially excites Piper about this new presence in their neighborhood, but as time goes on, she finds herself more intrigued by the royal family’s bodyguard.
Strong, dark, and unspeakably handsome, Harrison Cole is everything that she prizes in a man. The only issue is that Harrison has got things tangled up.
He sees Piper watching over the house the royals live in, believing that she’s looking to threaten the family inside, but the truth is, she’s just interested in catching a glimpse of him.
We love the hero in this story, as despite being an incredibly strong, alpha male, he truly has a soft heart that will melt readers when they discover it. We also love the twist on the typical bodyguard romance that Halle has managed to achieve.
Even though Harrison isn’t tasked with protecting Piper, he still ends up being her bodyguard as a result of his feelings for her.
Pros
Twist – There’s a twist on the typical genre, as though Harrison is tasked with protecting someone other than our heroine, he still ends up feeling very much like her bodyguard.
Hero – We love the hero in this romance novel, he truly has a heart of gold.
Relatable – The heroine being unable to fit in with her tight-knit community is something that many readers will find themselves relating to.
Cons
Predictable – There were certain elements of this story that readers found a bit too predictable.
If you know anything about romance authorship, then you’ll know that Sophie Lark is currently having a moment. Readers absolutely adore her fiery heroines, and her gruff, masculine heroes.
The romance she portrays in her books is truly tantalizing and is sure to get you hot under the collar. In this book, which is a part of her Brutal Birthright stories, we’re introduced to our hero, who is called Raylan.
He’s rough and ready, and has spent his entire life working as a farmhand, laboring out of doors. He’s also been a soldier for a good portion of his life, but this doesn’t mean that he’s disconnected from society.
Actually, he’s quite the opposite, and we think one of the most smooth-talking and charming characters on our list. He’s about to have his world turned upside down though when he meets Riona. Riona is everything that a man could ever want.
She’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s fiery, she’s intelligent, and has a will of pure iron. The only issue is that she doesn’t like Raylan, not one bit. We’ve never seen a character oppose having a bodyguard quite so much as Riona.
She feels as though if she succumbs to a man’s protection, she’s giving up her own personal freedom. But, she’s forced to hire Raylan, as she’s being hunted by a ruthless assassin who’s determined to see her dead once and for all.
Raylon, already besotted with Riona, decides that he’s never going to leave her side, and won’t let anybody hurt her. He stays by her bedside each night, making sure that she’s safe.
Will Riona see Raylan’s good intentions for what they are, and succumb to his care and protection?
Pros
Strong Female Lead – We loved Riona, our main protagonist in this story. She’s everything that we’ve come to expect from a heroine by Sophie Lark. Fiery, tempestuous, and full of wit, it’s no wonder Raylan falls head over heels for her.
Tension – This is an incredibly tense story, and we love seeing Riona’s guard slowly coming down throughout the course of the book.
Sweet – We loved how sweet this bodyguard romance was. Raylan refuses to leave Riona’s side, no matter what.
Cons
Part Of A Series – Although this can be read as a stand alone novel, we do want to point out that it’s number five within a series called Brutal Birthright.
If you’re looking for one of the very best contemporary bodyguard romance books of the year, then we’d recommend picking up this one, called Mister Bodyguard, by Lauren Rowe.
We think that this is one of the most fun and entertaining reads on our entire list, so if you’re searching for something that’s a little more lighthearted, this might just be the perfect one for you.
It starts out when our hero, called Zander, decides that he’s going to take on a new profession. He decides that he’s going to be a bodyguard. He gets lucky and finds a job immediately.
He’s tasked with protecting Aloha, who has been in the spotlight for her entire life. First, as a child star, and now as an adult rock star.
Aloha loves her career but doesn’t always enjoy feeling abnormal and having a bodyguard tasked with protecting her doesn’t do wonders for this.
When his friends find out that he’s been tasked with protecting one of the most famous, not to mention, beautiful rockstars in the world, they know that Zander will struggle to practice restraint.
The thing is, their friend is known for being somewhat of a playboy. As a result, they create a bet with him which says that if he doesn’t give in to her charms within one month, they’ll give him a hundred bucks.
Initially, Zander is feeling very confident about the whole situation, that is until he actually meets Aloha, for who he falls head over heels in love.
Pros
Interconnected – This is a part of an interconnected series of novels by Rowe, so if you find yourself enjoying this book, you can read more about the Morgan brothers in her other ones too.
Fun – As we mentioned above, this was a very fun read, and great for when you want to read a romance novel that isn’t too serious.
Engaging – From the very beginning, we can guarantee that you’ll immediately be invested in this story.
Cons
Frustrating Heroine – Some readers said that they found Aloha’s character to be very frustrating to read. She can be immature and argumentative in parts, but the good news is that her character develops well throughout the novel.
Best Bodyguard Romance Books Buyers Guide
Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the very best bodyguard romance books around, we can move on to discuss our buyer’s guide.
In our handy buyer’s guide, we provide you with helpful tips and advice for choosing the right book for you. To find out more about shopping for the genre, simply keep reading below.
The Hero
When it comes to choosing the right bodyguard romance books, you want to make sure that you’re choosing ones that have excellent depictions of the story’s hero.
If you’re a big fan of strong alpha males, then this is probably the right romance subgenre for you, as alphas and bodyguard romances go hand in hand.
The heroes listed above are all strong alpha males, who have a vulnerable side that only our heroine can bring to the surface.
The Trope
If you want to figure out whether or not bodyguard romance novels are for you, then we’d recommend ascertaining what kind of tropes you like. The key trope within any bodyguard romance novel consists of forbidden love.
Typically, the hero is hired to protect the heroine as her bodyguard within a professional setting. As a result, he’s not allowed to fall in love with her, or make any advances. The result is a forbidden romance which drives a lot of tension throughout the plot.
If this sounds like something you typically enjoy within the romance genre, you’ll adore bodyguard romances.
Mood
The next thing that you’ll need to think about if you’re considering purchasing a bodyguard romance, is what kind of mood you want the book to have.
For example, there is a range of different bodyguard romance books on our list above, each of them with its own vibe. If you’re looking for a book with a lot of angst, then it’s probably a good idea to pick up one of the more serious ones on our list.
If however you’re looking for something more light and feel good, then make sure to choose one which fits in with that particular mood.
Setting
Another thing that we’d consider looking out for when choosing the correct bodyguard romance for you, is the setting of the book.
For example, some bodyguard romance novels take place on the road, where the hero is tasked with protecting a traveling rockstar. In others, we find our bodyguard hero protecting the heroine in the midst of Europe, brushing arms with royalty.
Everyone has a favorite setting when it comes to romance novels, so it’s a good idea to think about what you particularly like before choosing your book.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, whether you’re in the mood for something unspeakably romantic, something stirring and tense, or something lighthearted and fun, there’s a bodyguard book out there for you.
For readers who are just getting started out with the genre, we’d recommend choosing one of the books advertised above, as they’re some of the best that bodyguard romance has to offer.
Make sure that before you make your selection that you’re always doing your research first, in order to find one that appeals to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Bodyguard Proximity Love Trope?
Those who have been reading about the genre may have come across something called the bodyguard proximity love trope.
This refers to when two characters, one typically female, and her bodyguard are forced to stay together in close proximity for protection, and gradually this builds romantic tension throughout the course of the book.
What Is A Slow Burn Romance?
Many of the books that we’ve mentioned above can be classified as slow burn romance books. What does this mean though?
Slow burn romance books are when two characters gradually fall in love over the course of the novel, culminating in one determining event.
How Many Books Are In The Hidden Bodies Series?
The Hidden Bodies series, written by Caroline Kepnes, has a total of three books to delve into. They’re considered to be one of the most popular bodyguard romance series currently in circulation.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
