One Night with My Bodyguard

by Hailey Barr

I never expected my one-night stand to be my best friend's brother,
who became my protector when my life turned into a real-life thriller.

One drink, one dance, one night...
The way his body fit perfectly against mine, with his chiseled abs,
is forever carved into my mind.

As a successful crime novelist, I thought those crimes would only be for the pages.
But when a twisted fan starts bringing my stories to life,
I realize I need more than just my imagination to survive.

When danger comes knocking,
my best friend and publisher sends her hot brother to protect me.
Little does she know, Eli is the man I spent an incredible night with.
Each close call, I fall harder for my enticing bodyguard.

Now, trapped in my own twisted story,
I pray Eli will find me before it's too late.
Will I get the chance to tell him I want forever... with him?

Genres: Suspense

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2024

About the author

Hailey Barr is a self-starter and self-published author who creates captivating contemporary romance and thrilling tales. Her books often explore how love changes everything, blending emotional depth with suspenseful plots.
With a passion for creating captivating narratives, Hailey invites readers into worlds where romance and excitement intertwine, offering a unique and engaging escape in every novel.

Reviews

[Destiny Imperati · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review ✨️

☆Ava and Eli☆

Ava is an author who begins to receive threats from a crazed fan. To help protect Ava, her publicist/ best friend sends over her brother Eli. What wasn't mentioned to Ava was how incredibly hot he is!
I love this author's writing every time I read anything from her! I enjoyed this story so much. There was a high display of action and excitement and an ample amount of suspense. Also, let's not forget the amazingly spicy romance that forms! One Night With My Bodyguard is absolutely a must-read, in my opinion!!

Tropes:
Bestfriends brother
Curvy FMC
Bodyguard
He falls first
Forced Proximity

Thanks so much to the author and booksprout for the ARC!

[Chelle D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review! 4.5 Stars and 3 Spice
Hailey Barr did it again! I love Eli & Ava! This book gives you all the feels. Ava is an author who is receiving weird gifts and unhinged emails. When her home is set on fire, she escapes and ends up at her friends beach house. She ends up receiving more gifts, and the emails continue. Eli ends up at the beach house after the tragic loss of a client, only to be thrown into protecting Ava.
If you want more on Ava and Eli, you need to pick this up.

[Kimberly Prytherch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the slow start fool you, you’re just being well introduced to the action packed, spicy story of Ava and Eli. The characters are so well done, from their flaws to their strengths. Your heart will love Ava and your soul will love Eli, and you’ll spend the whole book just hoping they will get together. In between all that, you have the mystery of who the stalker is. Or stalkers? Who knows? You probably won’t! I binge read this book in two sittings, it was so good once it got going! That slow build was so worth it!

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved reading this book...

It has all my favorite tropes in,
*He Falls First
* Best Friends brother
* Touch Her and Die
* Close Proximity

Really really enjoyed reading this, Ava and Eli is the cutes couple... and the way Ava comes over her insecurities of her body type is so beautiful 🥰and how Eli is so cute and adorable for a big military guy (just a big ass Teddy Bear 🧸) he treats Ava with such respect and love 🫠...



⭐️ 4
🌶 3

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Ava and Eli and the story they have in this book that starts out as a one-night stand with Ava's brother's best friend and takes on a whole new spin in the romance department. Hailey has a really wonderful romance book that makes you smile at the proposal Eli delivers to Ava and the best HEA ending ever that makes your heart skip a beat.

[Emma H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an easy read, but it all just felt a little flat

[Chrys · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that I initially struggled to get into. However, once it captured my attention, I was all in and devoured the rest of the book. I enjoyed the characters and hope we get to see the rest of Eli's team get there HEA. I like the suspense of this story.

[Kayla Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was chosen to read this arc.
I was a little hesitant because it's not my Usual genre and I wasn't immediately hooked, but I I became very curious about the origin of how the fire started. And then from there it just got more interesting. I was very intrigued in her fans, craziness and of course her and her bodyguards attraction to one another.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a curvy. Strong, beautiful female character meets A sweet protective stranger turns fated.

[Nay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy swoon!!!!!!! This was a little bit of a different story for Hailey and I liked it! Mystery, intrigue, love, friendships that keep giving, surprises throughout. She never disappoints! I couldn’t put it down! It makes me want to find what lights a fire in my soul too! Great read!

[Tasha's Book Journey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava Johnson is a curvy Crime Author who starts receiving some dodgey emails and gifts from "someone"... This escalates into her whole house getting set on fire.

Her best friend and publisher, Julia, comes to her aid and insists she stays at her beach house while the investigation is on going.

While out in the quaint surfers Paradise of a little beach town, Ava feels relief and decides to go for a night out on the town. This is where we meet Eli, he swoops in and saves Ava from a jerk of a guy hitting on her.

They have one AMAZING 🥵 night together and Ava leaves the next morning without leaving so much as a name behind ...

One problem, Ava and Eli have a mutual friend. Julia, who happens to be Eli's sister. Eli, who is a bodyguard, uses the beach house as an escape when things are tough.

When Eli and Ava stumble upon each other in the beach house, everything unravels and the games begin 🤭🤩

Eli finds out that Ava is receiving threatening emails and later finds out about the packages she is receiving too. Well, who better to be her bodyguard than her best friends very own brother!! 🤤

When Eli finds out Ava is not only one of his bosses favourite Authors but also a Surfer, you can literally feel how he falls deeper Inlove with her.

After a few unfortunate events, Eli's whole team is called in to help with the situation. (Remember, this is part of a bodyguard series 🥵)

Hailey really gives us all the feels you'd expect and I'm here for it!

Get the book to read about Ava and Eli's story! It's so worth it 😍

P.S: HEA 🩵

[Jamie Lea (JmeLea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! I love Ava and Eli. All of Hailey Barr’s books are amazing and this one is top notch. I love the ‘who is it, who done it’ tropes in books and she did a great job with it! I can’t wait for another Hailey Barr book!! Highly recommend!

[laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend

I absolutely loved this book it is very well written and keeps you captivated with it's twists in the story. I'm would definitely recommend to anyone who likes action, mystery and romance

[Will Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are well developed and likable. The spice is hot and on spot. The plot flows with a few twists and some suspense and the editing is clean. I really like this author's writing style. It's easy to read and she doesn't waste words.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Magical Mix of Romance and Mystery

When Ava Johnson settled into her Chesapeake beachside cottage, her home for the past 3 years and where she writes her popular novels filled with murders and mysteries, she took comfort in the knowledge that her nom de plume—Rebecca Taylor—provided her anonymity—protection from over-zealous fans. And, the curvy strawberry blond “goddess” with hair more straight than curly, sparkling crystal blue eyes and plush lips—loved her waterside cottage and feeds off the peace of the setting. So, when smoke and fire awakened her, barely allowing her time to escape the fire, Ava is overwhelmed—her home and workplace are both lost in one horrific, unexpected moment.

And, as the homeless writer considered next steps, her first instinct was to reach out to her best friend, agent and publisher. And as always, Julia came to her assistance with a plan—and a place to live. Julia invites her shaken friend to make use of her beach house further up the coast. And so, shaken from the life-threatening experience, Ava packs her car with all her salvageable possessions—including her water-damaged computer, and heads to Julia’s beach cottage where her angel agent meets her and takes her to acquire new clothes, a new laptop to hold the transferred the data from her still soggy hard drive.

And the next day, with her life still feeling unstable, Ava seeks to re-establish her stability—to get back to her happy place. She goes to a nearby surf shop, acquires a new surfboard and a wet suit, and hits the waves. And after a day in her happy place, the water, surfing, she decides to grab a drink in a nearby bar. But, ironically after finally reestablishing her sense of peace, her peace is disrupted by a brash man who thinks that she needs his company—which she doesn’t need or want, and which he doesn’t seem able to accept.

But, she doesn’t have to face the male bully alone. A true dream man—tall, broad-shouldered with dark-blond tousled hair, ocean-blue eyes and a relaxed smile—intervenes, sending the interloper on his way. And in the aftermath of her rescue, Ava spends quality time with her dream man sharing drinks and later that night, a bed in a nearby hotel.

So, early in the still dark hours of morning, Ava leaves a note expressing her enjoyment of her time with her mystery man—her defender and, and now, lover. And, slipping out of the shared room, she heads back to her agent’s cottage.

But, when she arrives hours later, she discovers that her new safe place is still not safe enough—there is a strange in the cottage owned by her agent—a man who looks like her protector and lover from the previous day. Her world seems to be filled with unexplained, mysterious coincidences—almost like the mysteries that she creates.

Hailey Barr weaves a delightful tale of romance, coincidence and mystery to provide the reader with pleasant hours of reading.

[Sharon Akshar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the story 'One Night with My Bodyguard' by Hailey Barr. It was so romantic and so exciting. The excitement and danger competed just as much as the romance. I also loved the characters. Ava was a successful crime story author and had been getting strange emails and threatening packages before someone set fire to her house...with her in it! Her editor sends Ava to her own beach house to relax and write her next book. While Ava goes out one night she meets a handsome stranger that rescues her from the unwanted advances of a man in a bar and she ends up having the best night in and out of the bar with the handsome man named Eli. She is gone when he wakes up the next morning and he is upset about that. But they are both surprised to see each other at the beach house the next day. Ava is afraid that he might be her unknown emailer, but she soon finds out that he is the brother of her editor friend Julia. He had come to take some needed time off from his security job as both bodyguard and a doctor and hadn't told his sister he was coming. Julia is very happy he has come though because she wants him to act as bodyguard for Ava. She assures Ava that he can protect her and find out who is behind the attacks. Eli is happy to do that because he wants Ava to know that he is serious about wanting a relationship with her. Ava Has doubts about herself because she is a curvy girl and not some beautiful thin creature with a model's body. She has dated cruel men before that thought she was overweight or thought maybe she was wealthy, and she didn't believe that someone as handsome as Eli could want her just the way she is. The book is exciting with repeated attacks against Ava and Eli striving to protect her and solve the mystery. Wonderful storyline and all the characters are likable.

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava is an author that writes crime stories and then her life is in danger from a crazy fan. When her home burns down her publicist sends her to a home, she has near the beach to continue on her latest book. One night she takes a break and goes to a local bar and meets Eli and they have an amazing night together. however, she is gone when he wakes up finding a note left behind. Neither expected to run into each other again at the beach house. Its turns out Eli is her publicist's brother. Eli is taking time off from work because of how his last job went. When his sister tells him about Ava's problems he offers to help. The time they share in the home brings them closer and reignites the passion between them. Will he be able to keep her safe from the crazy fan? Will they catch who is after her? What will happen between them once the threat is gone?

This is an amazing story that will hook you in the first chapter. This is a well written and very entertaining story. Its a book that any book lover would enjoy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful, fun, easy to read book with a little bit of mystery and mayhem. The story was of an author, Ava, whose house burns down and receives emails from a deranged fan. To get away from it all she goes to her best friend's cottage. While there at a bar she meets a very handsome man, Eli. They hit it off and have an incredible one night stand. Turns out Eli’s sister is Eva’s best friend, Julia and he’s also staying at the cottage now. Eva found that out when he walked up from the basement in just a towel. They both feel sparks for each other and since he’s part of a team of security detail and ex-military, he wants to protect her. She needs protection when she ends up with more issues from this deranged fan or fans. Great read, some steamy parts between Eva and Eli as well.

[Trina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH WOW this was a great book . It was a steamy page turner and the suspense was highly intense. I was on the edge of my seat and I couldn't even put it down. Ava and Eli chemistry was a spicy romance. From a one night stand they knew it was forbidden but they couldn't fight the physical attraction and the temptation anymore. Fireworks was sparkling that night on the beach as they look into each other eyes with the emotions and passion they had for one another. I highly recommend this book and you won't be disappointed. I received advance copy of this book via Bookfunnel and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Trina Jones

[Jaide Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava Johnson, author, and Eli Mason, ex-military bodyguard, meet each other by accident. What they find out, they have a mutual friend in common. Eli’s sister, Julia. Ava and Eli’s relationship is palpable. They hit it off immediately and showed just how much strangers can have in common and what instant chemistry truly means. There’s a level of suspense, action, teamwork, romance and heroism. This book truly captures the essence of all of them.
4/5 stars ⭐️
4/5 spice 🌶️
5/5 story 📖
4/5 Overall ✅

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Night with My Bodyguard

Though he was not her bodyguard when they first met...he was shortly after. He had just got off a stint where he had lost his client due to circumstances beyond his control. But it dragged him down. Now she has been targeted by an unknown person. His sister, her manager, has tasked him to protect her from those who were out to hurt her. This was a fast read and was entertaining from the start to the end.

[LaRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really nice story! Ava's insecurities are relatable. Eli is very kind but a bit broken by his past. I love how he teases her and gives her a nickname! and how he becomes her protector when threats arrive! I love how she gets inspiration from him for a character in her book! The ending is really beautifully done!
Enjoyable book!

[Megan Colon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read. I love how the MMC was searching for his own redemption from his past. Of course the spice was nice. I think it was the cutest thing on how he fell first and it took the FMC time to realize she also is head over heels. Definitely will have you guessing who is the villain. And the fact that he’s ex-military with awesome friends is a plus. This is a good read. Trust me.

[Melissa Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first read by Hailey Barr but will definitely not be my last. I really enjoyed Ava and Eli's story. The romance, spice, suspense, all of it was engaging and kept my attention from start to finish.

After having a hot night with a handsome stranger, both of them feeling an unexplainable connection, Ava dips out on him before he wakes up...thinking she'll never see him again. Of course the universe had other plans for this fated couple and he ended up being her best friend's brother, and new surprise roommate.

When the danger gets closer and closer, Eli steps up and vows to protect Ava from whoever is out to hurt her. The close proximity was only ever going to have one ending...

This was a feel good, suspenseful read with lovable and relatable characters. I especially enjoyed the connection of a writer writing about a writer (that's a tongue twister!). It was cool to read about a writers world from their point of view. Also cool were the landmark and other references that I picked up on that are close to home.

Looking forward to reading more from Hailey Barr!

[IsaRay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t like it much, mostly because of the flat characters, the insta-love and the childish nicknames. I only realised afterward that the first one was a DNF, normally I don't try another in the same series then (and obviously with good reason).

[Janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ava is a crime/suspense author who has a stalker. While staying at her Agents beach property she has a one nighter with Eli who turns out to be her agents brother.