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Body Guard
HE WAS PROTECTING HER FOR HIMSELF
Being saddled with a paid bodyguard for two weeks in Hawaii was not Sabrina's idea of a dream vacation. But her mother took the kidnapping threats seriously, so, like it or not, she was stuck with Jake Devlin as surely as if he were glue. Jake's job was to guard Sabrina's body with his own. And, as she discovered to her alarm, he was a man who took his work seriously. On a secluded moonlit balcony with Jake's hard, lean body covering hers, Sabrina wondered, with a thrill of dangerous passion, who would protect her from her bodyguard.
Being saddled with a paid bodyguard for two weeks in Hawaii was not Sabrina's idea of a dream vacation. But her mother took the kidnapping threats seriously, so, like it or not, she was stuck with Jake Devlin as surely as if he were glue. Jake's job was to guard Sabrina's body with his own. And, as she discovered to her alarm, he was a man who took his work seriously. On a secluded moonlit balcony with Jake's hard, lean body covering hers, Sabrina wondered, with a thrill of dangerous passion, who would protect her from her bodyguard.
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
1 person is currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie James
48 books150 followersJayne Ann Castle was born on 28 March 1948 in Borrego Springs, California. Her mother, Alberta Castle, raised her with her two brothers, Stephen and James. In 1970, she obtained a B.A in History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and later she obtained a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University, where she met Frank Krentz, an engineer. After her graduation, they married and moved to the Virgin Islands. She worked in the Duke University library system, where she began to write her first romance novels. The marriage moved to Seattle, Washington, where they continue living.
Now, Jayne Ann Castle Krentz with her seven pennames is considered a pillar in the contemporary romance genre. For some years, she only uses three pennames for each of three different periods from time: "Jayne Ann Krentz" (her married name) from the present, "Jayne Castle" (her birth name) from the future and her most famous penname: "Amanda Quick" from the past. She is famous for her work ethic, beginning her writing by 7 am six days a week. Her heroins never are damsels in hardships, they are often heroes. Her novels also contain mystery or paranormal elements.
Enthusiastic of the romantic genre, she has always defended its importance. To help educate the public about the romantic genre she became the editor and a contributor to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, a non-fiction essay collection that won the prestigious Susan Koppelman Award for Feminist Studies. She established the Castle Humanities Fund at UCSC's University Library to allow the library to purchase additional books and has given money to 15 Seattle-area elementary schools to enhance their library budgets. She is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Writers Programs at the University of Washington extension program.
Psuedonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Jayne Castle
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
Now, Jayne Ann Castle Krentz with her seven pennames is considered a pillar in the contemporary romance genre. For some years, she only uses three pennames for each of three different periods from time: "Jayne Ann Krentz" (her married name) from the present, "Jayne Castle" (her birth name) from the future and her most famous penname: "Amanda Quick" from the past. She is famous for her work ethic, beginning her writing by 7 am six days a week. Her heroins never are damsels in hardships, they are often heroes. Her novels also contain mystery or paranormal elements.
Enthusiastic of the romantic genre, she has always defended its importance. To help educate the public about the romantic genre she became the editor and a contributor to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, a non-fiction essay collection that won the prestigious Susan Koppelman Award for Feminist Studies. She established the Castle Humanities Fund at UCSC's University Library to allow the library to purchase additional books and has given money to 15 Seattle-area elementary schools to enhance their library budgets. She is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Writers Programs at the University of Washington extension program.
Psuedonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Jayne Castle
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 6, 2020
"Body Guard" by Stephanie James (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) is a romantic delight with a free-spirited heroine,sexily smitten bodyguard of a hero,a little suspense and a trip to the exotic Hawaii...Oh and did i say sexy hero!
JAK is definitely one of the best author i have come across when it comes to perfect romance!She delivers everything so smoothly and easily.Watching Sabrina McAllister and Jake Devlin fall in love was a charming,funny,sweet and sexy experience!!!Jake is one of the most vulnerable alpha i have come across in a long time,and he captured my heart with his loyalty,devotion,intelligence,strength and his swoony way of wooing his client...he fell in love with her that night she gave him a cup of milk,and damn it if i didn`t melt when he thought that he finally slept thoroughly after many years,just because it was Sabrina who was with him.He called her his butterfly...who he swore he would capture into his net with him.This is one of the best reads this year,i just love this book so much that its actually worth more than 5 stars!
***
While he drank his fill of her, Sabrina watched him through heavy-lidded eyes. To her quivering senses he seemed quite perfect A hard, lean male animal, capable of power and gentleness. It was an intoxicating combination. "You're beautiful," she whispered wonderingly.
"No," he denied softly. "Around you I feel a little awkward, a little slow, a little dull. You're the beautiful one, butterfly. All color and animation, and when you're in my arms you make me feel beautiful, too."
"Come and be beautiful with me," she invited throatily, holding up her arms.
-Jake and Sabrina
JAK is definitely one of the best author i have come across when it comes to perfect romance!She delivers everything so smoothly and easily.Watching Sabrina McAllister and Jake Devlin fall in love was a charming,funny,sweet and sexy experience!!!Jake is one of the most vulnerable alpha i have come across in a long time,and he captured my heart with his loyalty,devotion,intelligence,strength and his swoony way of wooing his client...he fell in love with her that night she gave him a cup of milk,and damn it if i didn`t melt when he thought that he finally slept thoroughly after many years,just because it was Sabrina who was with him.He called her his butterfly...who he swore he would capture into his net with him.This is one of the best reads this year,i just love this book so much that its actually worth more than 5 stars!
***
While he drank his fill of her, Sabrina watched him through heavy-lidded eyes. To her quivering senses he seemed quite perfect A hard, lean male animal, capable of power and gentleness. It was an intoxicating combination. "You're beautiful," she whispered wonderingly.
"No," he denied softly. "Around you I feel a little awkward, a little slow, a little dull. You're the beautiful one, butterfly. All color and animation, and when you're in my arms you make me feel beautiful, too."
"Come and be beautiful with me," she invited throatily, holding up her arms.
-Jake and Sabrina
July 16, 2020
"Body Guard" is the story of Sabrina and Jake.
A fabulous romance with a strong heroine and a protective hero. He is hired as her bodyguard by her mother- this charming, witty man who is as poker faced with the ladies as he is charming with the kids. They embark on a journey to Hawaii, where the hero lays claim on not only her safety, but also her heart. I think my favorite part of the book was how vulnerable and honest the hero was about his feelings, and yet still respected the heroine's consent and desires. Their banter was sweet and hilarious.
Hot, sexy and full of good feels!
Safe
4.5/5
A fabulous romance with a strong heroine and a protective hero. He is hired as her bodyguard by her mother- this charming, witty man who is as poker faced with the ladies as he is charming with the kids. They embark on a journey to Hawaii, where the hero lays claim on not only her safety, but also her heart. I think my favorite part of the book was how vulnerable and honest the hero was about his feelings, and yet still respected the heroine's consent and desires. Their banter was sweet and hilarious.
Hot, sexy and full of good feels!
Safe
4.5/5
October 12, 2025
Feisty little heroine (28) goes to Hawaii with the bodyguard hero (35), and it’s not long before they are in love.
It’s really cute. There’s no OW or OM, which makes a nice change. He’s a bit emotionally damaged from a job gone wrong and she shows her kind half towards him.
It takes place over a really short time, but I still believed the HEA.
It’s really cute. There’s no OW or OM, which makes a nice change. He’s a bit emotionally damaged from a job gone wrong and she shows her kind half towards him.
It takes place over a really short time, but I still believed the HEA.
July 23, 2015
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Stephanie James
First published: 1983
Length: 176 pages
Setting: Contemporary. Hawaii.
Sex: Explicit. Reasonably frequent. Overwrought
Hero: Martial Arts teacher and Bodyguard.
Heroine: Librarian
I was thoroughly enjoying this book until he went all ownership/possessive Macho Man.
Bearing in mind they've known each other for maybe 4 days and slept together once...
" "Don't worry sweetheart. I'll give you a little time if that's really what you want. Now that I know you're mine, I can afford to wait until the right moment."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she flashed, abruptly incensed by his self-assurance.
He looked down at her. "It means I'm very good at waiting until the right moment. I spent six months learning patience the hard way, remember? Go ahead and flutter your wings a bit more, sweetheart, if it makes you feel any better. The truth is, as of last night you're already in my net." " p.113-114
A few days later, after he determines the BadGuys may be on to them, they take the time for some wicked sex.
" He took a step forward, leaning into the shower to kiss her wet lips soundly. "Just remember that I never promised you romance, sweetheart. I couldn't. I know absolutely nothing about romance. But you're mine now and I am promising to take care of you. When this is all over, butterfly, I'm going to come and live with you, did you know that?" " p.143
They've known each other about a week at this point?
Fairly typical 80s Silhouette Desire fare with a rapid HEA. Overall, it's a good bodyguard book; she isn't a celeb or a victim, just an ordinary librarian who just happens to have a protector. There isn't a power play or a recovery program. Two different people, on vacation, in absolute, close proximity.
Unfortunately, the sex scenes are overwrought, the story is predictable, the HEA rushed. Perhaps expected for the length/publisher/sub-genre; it doesn't help me enjoy it though. A good enough story.
References:
Author's website: http://jayneannkrentz.com/body-guard/
(Read in Body Guard & Green Fire ISBN 978-1-741-16554-8)
-CR-
First published: 1983
Length: 176 pages
Setting: Contemporary. Hawaii.
Sex: Explicit. Reasonably frequent. Overwrought
Hero: Martial Arts teacher and Bodyguard.
Heroine: Librarian
I was thoroughly enjoying this book until he went all ownership/possessive Macho Man.
Bearing in mind they've known each other for maybe 4 days and slept together once...
" "Don't worry sweetheart. I'll give you a little time if that's really what you want. Now that I know you're mine, I can afford to wait until the right moment."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she flashed, abruptly incensed by his self-assurance.
He looked down at her. "It means I'm very good at waiting until the right moment. I spent six months learning patience the hard way, remember? Go ahead and flutter your wings a bit more, sweetheart, if it makes you feel any better. The truth is, as of last night you're already in my net." " p.113-114
A few days later, after he determines the BadGuys may be on to them, they take the time for some wicked sex.
" He took a step forward, leaning into the shower to kiss her wet lips soundly. "Just remember that I never promised you romance, sweetheart. I couldn't. I know absolutely nothing about romance. But you're mine now and I am promising to take care of you. When this is all over, butterfly, I'm going to come and live with you, did you know that?" " p.143
They've known each other about a week at this point?
Fairly typical 80s Silhouette Desire fare with a rapid HEA. Overall, it's a good bodyguard book; she isn't a celeb or a victim, just an ordinary librarian who just happens to have a protector. There isn't a power play or a recovery program. Two different people, on vacation, in absolute, close proximity.
Unfortunately, the sex scenes are overwrought, the story is predictable, the HEA rushed. Perhaps expected for the length/publisher/sub-genre; it doesn't help me enjoy it though. A good enough story.
References:
Author's website: http://jayneannkrentz.com/body-guard/
(Read in Body Guard & Green Fire ISBN 978-1-741-16554-8)
-CR-
September 1, 2017
Neuronul meu s-a odihnit. :)
June 10, 2021
Meh. Typical 80's.
July 7, 2018
Published in 1983, this book is better than some of Jayne Ann Krentz's other early works. Sabrina McAllister and Jake Devlin are interesting characters. As usual the female lead is somewhat brash and the male lead somewhat primitive, but the story line is good and the characters believable. It lacks the depth of her later books, of course, but is well worth a read if you are a Jayne Ann Krentz fan.
May 20, 2009
Most readers would tag Body Guard as a fairly decent early work and would not add much more. I enjoyed the story very much; simply because the character Sabrina McAllaster was a librarian and that is a hook that I could not ignore. I thought the character Jake Devlin was more multi dimensional than Sabrina was.
September 14, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Her characters are always different than expected. I enjoyed all of her 80's books and took them for the era they were in and what was selling. I do wish they were all in Kindle Format!
April 15, 2024
Fun book. This is my second read and I enjoyed it as much as the first time. I notice the times (society issues) changing in the books as time goes on. This will be read again and kept for further readings!
July 6, 2010
enjoyed this one - my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz books are her early ones
September 10, 2015
One of the first ever romance novels that I read so it has a small special place in my heart.
April 21, 2012
Titre vf : Au coeur du volcan
October 5, 2014
Meh. Typical 80's.
April 14, 2017
I had so much fun reading this book! Written in 1983, the book stars Sabrina, a naive librarian on vacation/conference in Hawaii, and Jake, the Alpha male bodyguard who is hired by her mom to protect her from some vague threat. I was fully prepared to skim the book and say I read it, as I was using this to fulfill a book challenge that had been hanging on like that moldy cheese in the back of the fridge. Instead, I got so caught up in the over-the-top drama and antics of these two characters, and so many 80's memories came flooding back to me, that I settled in for a good read. And, I really enjoyed this book, just like I really enjoyed "Dynasty" back in the day.
It all started when Sabrina goes to Jake's kiddie martial arts center to meet her new bodyguard and tell him off. Because, you know, she's bitchy that way. Jake, being the manly 80's guy that he is, greets her with a knuckle-numbing handshake squeeze. When she's recovered enough to call him on it and his reasons for rearranging her knucklebones, he simply states that "he felt like it." Love it. This from ex-military POW super-sleuth guy. Love it even more.
After an evening of packing her lingerie and medieval history books for her Hawaiian vacation, Sabrina serves an insomnia Jake some nice warm milk and cuddles in his lap with some late night telly. Of course, this is all done very innocently on Sabrina's part, because even though Sabrina's was once married for 2 years (ex-hubby was a cheater) and has been on a few dates which she controlled, Sabrina, we soon learn later on, has never achieved the Big O. Oh my, the many adventures that are in store for little Ms. Sabrina.
Sabrina is a little petite thing, and there's constant mention of her small stature, her slimness, her perky little girls. For some reason, Jake begins to refer to her as his "butterfly", and this particular motif gets carried into the bedroom, which makes for some very strange visual imagery. Yes, this is a romance, and Jake and Sabrina get in on. Frequently and often, I might add. No butterflies were harmed during these events, but they were called upon often to get trapped into the big, bad butterfly hunter's net. They also traveled to the jungles of Southeast Asia apparently, where, as he begins to finger her butterfly, his "fingers prowl slowly through the thicket." Gotta love the 70's porn patch.
Sabrina is quite the independent, liberated woman of 1983. She speaks her mind, she wears cute little pleats, she forgoes her bra, she drives a British roadster MG, she attends conferences on Arthurian literature and goes to wine tasting weekend retreats. And, apparently, she can listen to reason when, if she's going off on one of her tirades and Jake tells her, literally to "shut up," she shuts up.
In the end, Jake proves his manliness, catches the bad guy, bosses Sabrina around some more, manages to get himself fired, and proposes marriage, all within 24 hours. Sabrina gets her man, and her chance at happiness, too! A great story, and recommended for some fun times, particularly if you remember the 80's with fondness.
I'm going to make you the happiest henpecked husband in the whole world," she vowed.
It all started when Sabrina goes to Jake's kiddie martial arts center to meet her new bodyguard and tell him off. Because, you know, she's bitchy that way. Jake, being the manly 80's guy that he is, greets her with a knuckle-numbing handshake squeeze. When she's recovered enough to call him on it and his reasons for rearranging her knucklebones, he simply states that "he felt like it." Love it. This from ex-military POW super-sleuth guy. Love it even more.
After an evening of packing her lingerie and medieval history books for her Hawaiian vacation, Sabrina serves an insomnia Jake some nice warm milk and cuddles in his lap with some late night telly. Of course, this is all done very innocently on Sabrina's part, because even though Sabrina's was once married for 2 years (ex-hubby was a cheater) and has been on a few dates which she controlled, Sabrina, we soon learn later on, has never achieved the Big O. Oh my, the many adventures that are in store for little Ms. Sabrina.
Sabrina is a little petite thing, and there's constant mention of her small stature, her slimness, her perky little girls. For some reason, Jake begins to refer to her as his "butterfly", and this particular motif gets carried into the bedroom, which makes for some very strange visual imagery. Yes, this is a romance, and Jake and Sabrina get in on. Frequently and often, I might add. No butterflies were harmed during these events, but they were called upon often to get trapped into the big, bad butterfly hunter's net. They also traveled to the jungles of Southeast Asia apparently, where, as he begins to finger her butterfly, his "fingers prowl slowly through the thicket." Gotta love the 70's porn patch.
Sabrina is quite the independent, liberated woman of 1983. She speaks her mind, she wears cute little pleats, she forgoes her bra, she drives a British roadster MG, she attends conferences on Arthurian literature and goes to wine tasting weekend retreats. And, apparently, she can listen to reason when, if she's going off on one of her tirades and Jake tells her, literally to "shut up," she shuts up.
In the end, Jake proves his manliness, catches the bad guy, bosses Sabrina around some more, manages to get himself fired, and proposes marriage, all within 24 hours. Sabrina gets her man, and her chance at happiness, too! A great story, and recommended for some fun times, particularly if you remember the 80's with fondness.
I'm going to make you the happiest henpecked husband in the whole world," she vowed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews