Can you call someone an enemy if you haven’t seen them for the better part of a decade?Deacon Black is perfectly content with the status quo—work, sleep, repeat.Who cares if he’s rigid, structured, and set in his ways? It’s a job requirement that keeps his men safe and his company’s doors open.One phone call is all it takes to upend his life and land him right back into a past he has tried to … into a past he has tried to forget.
Revisiting old ghosts is the last thing he needs.
Especially when the forced trip down memory lane includes the only woman he never wanted to see again.
Annalise Grimaldi hit the jackpot with her life—from her trust fund to her best friend, she has it all.
But her world comes crashing to a halt when her best friend vanishes— leaving behind an apartment in tatters and more questions than answers.
There’s only one person she can think of that can help in a situation like this.
She hates to make the call, but there isn’t a thing she wouldn’t do to make sure her friend is found.
Even setting aside her hatred for Deacon Black.
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Hostile Territory is the debut novel in the brand new ‘Blackbridge Security’ series by Marie James.
Who best to be our ‘first up’ hero but Deacon Black, owner of Blackbridge Security.
Deacon Black and Annalise Grimaldi have history and it’s not pleasant! Despite this, when Deacon gets a frantic call from Annalise, he drops everything to help her out.
Their journey to HEA is fairly predictable, but for one salient point, which adds a bit of ‘something’ that other novels with a similar trope don’t have.
We meet a fabulous ‘cast’ of heroes who will undoubtedly have their own stories to tell when the time is right.
All in all a great start to a new series with plenty to look forward to as the series progresses.
Deacon black had me swooning in his former military alpha ways and what a great read that had me on the edge of my seat. This was the perfect blend of suspense but still had some heat built in (but what I loved it wasn’t the focus of the story).
Well done and a perfect start to the series and I love how there was some intermingling with characters from the prior series.
This was an awesome start to a new series. You will not be able to out it down. It was so good. I wanted to be the girl in the book. I cant wait for the next part of the book
What a perfect start to what seems to be an awesome new series! I loved Deacon’s heart. He didn’t want to look back at his past, or see certain people from it at all anymore. Yet when his ex wife’s best friend comes calling, upset because her bestie is missing, he drops everything to help. With her apartment ransacked and surprises all around, they need to find her before someone much more dangerous does.
Anna is so worried about her friend, especially once she sees someone being removed from her apartment, that she turns to the last person she’d ever expect to. She doesn’t know what Deacon does for a living now, only that she feels he’s the only one who can help her. Now that Anna is in trouble over something she has no idea about, they must race to find her friend before she ends up hurt.
I love the chemistry and suspense. I love Deacon’s team and the fact that we even get to see some of the Cerberus guys. And Puff Daddy? Yeah he pretty much rocks…my kind of bird! I can’t wait for more of this series!
Hostile Territory by Marie James is the first book in her brand new Blackbridge Security series. This story of Deacon Black & Annalise Grimaldi is told in dual POV between these two characters and begins the world building for the series. Well-written and well-paced, the story starts with Deacon and Annalise on opposing sides. She is the best friend to his ex-wife and has never liked him. His ex-wife may not be quite the woman he thought she was all those years ago though, and when she goes missing, it’s the urgent call from Annalise and her level of distress that has Deacon pulling out all the stops to locate his ex-wife, and not the fact that it’s his ex. A solid start for a new series, i was invested in the characters but a little frustrated with the stubbornness of both when it came time for them to deal with their feelings. Enjoy!
This is a story about a past relationship haunting Deacon Black. He thought his ex wife was the one but obviously she is an ex for a reason then she goes missing and her best friend Anna does the only thing call Deacon.
If you want a suspenseful, sexual intensified and intense novel this is the one. Marie James did a fantastic job of making you feel a part of the story. I could feel the stress Deacon was feeling and the sexual tension between him and Anna someone who is the “enemy.”
Marie James has a new series yes please..
And it has all the pieces that I love:
1. Enemies to lovers
2. Moments of humor
3. Supporting characters that I want more of
4. Alpha Male character that I want all to myself
5. A female character that i actually like
I cannot wait to get more of this series if this is just a glimpse of what’s to come.
Really Marie James? Is there anything you can’t write that doesn’t draw me in and make me want more before I am even done with the book??
I love Deacon and Anna and can not wait for the next one!!!
Wow, what an amazing book. This is start of a new series, and it was simply amazing. I couldn’t put it down once started.
Marie James did amazing job on this book.
I loved Deacon and Anna together, they had a explosive past. And came into the future when they see each other again, but in different ways. They are thrown together again in different circumstances.
I can’t wait for more of this series.
Can’t help but love this brand new series from Marie James. I do have to say I kind of hated Anna a bit for about half the book. And then I hated Deacon for being such a broody, jerk for about 3/4 of the book. But they both redeemed themselves in the end. I did really love this story as a whole. We got to meet almost all of the Blackbridge Security team so I’m so excited to read all the men’s stories. This was a great starter book, and it let us get to know a bit about everyone and their personalities. I can’t wait to meet the women or men that tame all these men!
First book from this author and I’m hooked! I’m a sucker for a suspenseful romance, and that’s exactly what this book is. Deacon and Annalise knew each other in high school through Dani – Deacon’s high school girlfriend turned wife and Annalise’s best friend. The two never got along and their only common link was Dani, until she abruptly (to Deacon) divorced him and moved on with her life. Years later, where Deacon runs a successful security business and Annalise has barely spoken to Dani, she finds that potentially Dani has been hurt and the only person she can think to call is Deacon. This sparks Deacon and Annalise to investigate and find out not only what happened to Dani, but why the situation is happening is all, and through that they find that they actually have chemistry and don’t hate each other as much as they did in the past. But when Dani comes back in the picture, we see how actually horrible not only as a friend but as a person she is and complicates a second chance at happiness for Deacon. Throughout the book I found myself really wanting to punch Dani and push Annalise to not allow her to influence the happiness she could potentially have. I really enjoyed this book and am hoping to get more of this series in the future as I also enjoyed the secondary characters from the security firm!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Hostile Territory
By: Marie James
.5 Review by Kristie K
Marie James starts out her new series with a BANG…
I’ll be honest…I am a die-hard Cerberus MC fan, and didn’t know if I would like diverting my attention away from my favorite sexy as he** good-guy bikers…but one look at Deacon Black, and I was head over heels. Ms. James successfully took her unique writing style and poured it into a new world of danger, intrigue, and a group of men sexy as sin itself. Hostile Territory tells the tale of Deacon Black, owner of Blackbridge Security, and the maze of danger and deceit he finds himself in when his past comes back to haunt him in the form of the best friend of his now ex-wife. Annalise Grimaldi has lived a life of wealth and privilege, and counts her best friend among her many blessings. When her best friend comes up missing, Annalise can only think of one person that can help…her best friend’s ex-husband, and sworn enemy, Deacon Black. The tension between them is strung tight, and as the curtain begins to fall, so do their inhibitions.
A twisting tale from beginning to end, Hostile Territory is an incredible start to what I am positive will be another AMAZING series by Marie James. The character development was on point, bringing Deacon, Annalise, and the supporting characters to life in a way not many authors can master. Strong, sexy, and full of action, I will definitely tune in for the rest of the series!
Hostile Territory is the first title in the new Blackbridge Security series by Marie James.
In book 1 we are focused on Deacon and Analise, but we do meet the full team of Blackbridge Security including a unique character named Puff Daddy!
Deacon is ex-military and now owns a security firm. Analise is his ex-wife’s best friend and calls him out of the blue when there is a tragic event in her apartment building. There is a fine line between love and hate and this pair is destined to cross it. This story is fast paced and before you know it you’ve turned the last page.
Overall 5 Stars
#MSBB
Hostile Territory is book one of the all-new Blackbridge Security series from Marie James. This is a romantic suspense/military romance series. Now, I can’t say I’m a Marie James superfan, but I do enjoy most of her books. I’m not a fan of MC series books in general so I can’t speak to that series at all. But I did really like her Westover Prep series. If you like YA angsty books, be sure to check that series out. It will be right up your alley.
What I liked about the book: Anna’s character development was well done and we see a lot of emotional growth in her as the story develops. And Deacon’s past has pretty much set him in a place to be very stubborn and resistant to change. But he’s not completely inflexible. The book does a great job of setting up the friendships between the Blackbridge employees to the point that I can see a lot of potential for future stories.
What I didn’t like about the book: I am a romantic suspense and military romance super fan. I read a LOT of romantic suspense books, thanks to an early obsession fostered by none other than Nora Roberts. Unfortunately, I felt like the suspense part was not developed well at all. It almost seemed too easy.
NICUnurse’s Rating: Like I said earlier, I do enjoy reading books by Marie James, but the suspense in Hostile Territory fell a bit flat for me. Now, it wasn’t a flop by any stretch of the imagination. It intrigued and entertained me enough to finish the book in two days. And I’m looking forward to seeing where she takes this series. It’s definitely got some real potential!
All in all, I give Hostile Territory by Marie James 4 out of 5 stars!
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2020
Marie.. what can I say.. you never cease to amaze me.. I absolutely devoured this book. I cant wait for more in the Blackbridge Security series.
Deacon is a ex military man who got out and now owns his own security company. Deacon was once married to Dani.. the woman he thought he would spend forever with… Until forever didn’t work for her.
Anna is a socialite.. Not having to want for anything… she is also Dani’s best friend. but when all hell breaks out in her apartment building and she thinks Dani is seriously hurt.. she can only think of one person to call.. her best friends ex husband..
Neither really like or care for each other.. but for Dani they tolerated each other.. But once the ink was dry on the divorce papers all bets were off. Deacon left and didn’t look back. Until one fateful night he gets a call from the last person he ever expects to hear from.. Anna..
What happens when what you think happens actually is quite the opposite.. and you find out the ugly truths.. What are Deacon and Anna going to do.. What happens when the person you thought you hated all these years turns out to be the one thing you thought you didn’t need..?
I loved the dark and brooding Deacon and the sassy and mouthy Anna.. and we cant forget the foul mouthed bird named Puff Daddy…
I cant wait to see who we get next. I really want Wern and his purple haired goddess.
Thank you Marie… and as always Amazing work!!
Deacon Black is a former member of the Army and was married to Daniella Altieri until she cheated on him while he was deployed. Now he owns Blackbridge Security and has put his past behind him until he receives a phone call that his ex-wife has gone missing from her best friend, Annalise Grimaldi.
Annalise Grimaldi has been best friends with Dani since they were kids and she stood by and watched Dani divorce Deacon while already moving onto her next guy. Yet nothing prepares for her to discover that someone in Dani’s apartment has been shot and the place destroyed.
Annalise knows that there is only person that can help her and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get Deacon to help, even stop hating him.
As soon as the book started I knew how much I liked Deacon and how much I hated Dani. A little of that spread to Annalise as she supported Dani with her divorce and throwing her new guy in Deacon’s face. I liked that Deacon made something of himself and had surrounded himself with an incredible group of people to work with him. He was dedicated to his job and I really respected him for that.
Annalise was interesting as she was a trust fund girl and best friends with Dani yet had recently drifted apart from her. One thing I found curious was that they never really explained what she did as an occupation so I don’t know if she only got by with her trust fund.
It was clear pretty fast that Dani got mixed up with the wrong people and that Annalise was guilty by association. Deacon was prepared to do whatever it took to keep Annalise safe but he also began to struggle with his attraction to her and the fact that she was his ex-wife’s best friend.
I wasn’t surprised at how far Deacon went to find Dani both for Annalise and I think also for himself a little bit. I think it really made Deacon see that he was done with that part of his past completely and he was actually lucky in retrospect.
I was so frustrated for the events in the Maldives and I got why Deacon had to leave but I was so mad at why and Annalise’s actions. I was shocked at how she went along with what she was told to do and how she put herself second.
I was proud of Deacon for what he continued to do in the shadows and even happier at the gala for his actions!!
I can’t wait to see what happens next!!
Hostile Territory was a fabulous start to Marie James’ new Blackbridge Security series!
Deacon Black is about as emotionally unavailable as you can get. He was completely twisted up and tossed away by his ex-wife Dani and has vowed never to make that type of mistake again. But, when Dani’s best friend, Anna, reaches out to Deacon when Dani is in trouble, he can’t refuse.
And, as Deacon vows to both find Dani and protect Anna in the meantime, he realizes that there is a very thin line between love and hate. And, Anna isn’t the person Deacon remembered her to be..Deacon and Anna seem to have a crazy and undeniable attraction to one another. But, how can Deacon date his ex-wife’s best friend?
Hostile Territory was an emotional romantic suspense that was also an enemies to lovers romance. Both Deacon and Anna have feelings but neither can trust that the other feels the same, causing all kinds of angst and drama not to mention the extreme danger they are both in due to Deacon’s ex wife.
Deacon and Anna were explosive together, even if they couldn’t admit their feelings. I adored Anna. I loved that her real character was nothing like Deacon thought and that she was, in fact, the complete opposite of what he expected, throwing him for a loop. She’s so caring and genuine, but Deacon is so stoic and alpha, he simply can’t deal emotionally and shuts himself down . . hence the angst!
I also loved my introduction to the rest of the Blackbridge crew and hope that each and every one of them have a story in the works! 4 stars!
THIS is an amazing way to start a series!
I loved Anna and Deacon with the love/hate dynamic combined with the history and their backstories. Adding a bit of rich kid vs middle class kid to the backstory was interesting as well.
Deacon is a hometown boy who was able to get an upper class education due to his mother’s job. He married his high school sweetheart and headed off to the military as planned. Then, it wasn’t the plan.
His trust fund wife became disenchanted with her new world, and divorced him.
Years later, she seems to be in trouble, so her best friend Anna calls Deacon for help.
Deacon has moved on from that point in his life. Mainly. Okay, he has a ton of baggage from it. However, he apparently has been able to put his military time and his mind to good use and started a high end security company. When Anna calls him, he’s thrown back to high school, his failed marriage, and everything else that was wrapped up in it.
While Anna, Deacon and the guys from Blackbridge start digging into Deacon’s ex wife and her movements, Anna begins to do a bit of soul searching.
Running from her apartment in the middle of the night because of something her life long best friend has started has her shaken. Finding out that it wasn’t her best friend who was shot is another blow. Coming face to face with destruction of her own home due to her best friend’s actions are the final straw.
Anna begins to look around at what matters vs what she wants. She begins to see her life as one endless string of shallow endeavors.
While Anna is going through her life review, Deacon is trying to maintain a distance and find Dani.
Eventually Anna and Deacon have to acknowledge the draw they have towards each other and what to do about it.
Finding Dani is the catalyst to the end of an era and the opening of new doors for them.
Deacon’s company is staffed with a ton of interesting make characters and I can’t wait to see where Ms. James takes us next in this world. There is Wren the snarky computer tech who shuts down around women as well as his side kick African Grey, Puff Daddy, who has the strangest phrases. Brooks the glossy golden boy, Ignacio the language expert, Jude and Flynn. All are alpha’s in their own niche and I’m VERY curious to see who crops up to team up with each gent.
This novel is well written with a good pace of dialogue and action. It’s a well blended story for the security/undercover ops world. I haven’t read Ms. James prior Cerberus series, however they touch on that group in this book. I’m intrigued.
I will be watching my alerts for the next in the Blackbridge Security world, and have added Cerberus to my TBR list.
If you’re looking for a well written, intricately created world, interesting characters and action with your romance, I would highly recommend putting Hostile Territory on your list. This book won’t disappoint you.
Being new to Ms.James’s work I’ve been looking forward to picking up this first Blackbridge Security book! I finished reading it in one sitting. I liked it!
Right from the prologue, this story grabbed my attention. I wasn’t sure what all to expect which pulled me into Deacon and Anna’s journey even more! I liked that these two characters knew each other, getting their POV’s and how their story made me feel so many different things. I just struggled to connect with both of them.
Ms.James created a good read!
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions / the author*
The last person he ever thought he’d hear from, the last person he WANTS to hear from, is his ex wife’s best friend, Annalise. But she needs his help locating Deacon’s ex, and finding out who left her condo in ruin. Deacon and Annalise despise each other, to say the least, but he’s a professional so he’ll do his job. He just doesn’t know what to do with his attraction to someone he hates.
Annalise wants for nothing. She’s a socialite with the perfect life, and she hates her bestie’s ex. Too bad he’s the best person to help her now. And too bad she’s so attracted to the broody alpha security agent/former military man. But she soon finds out, they both find out, that the assumptions they had made about each other, and about the person they have in common, are wrong. Can they contain their attraction, or will it demand to be consummated? Even if doing so could destroy her friendship with her missing best friend?
This is a fabulous start to a new series. I loved Deacon and Anna together. He’s alpha with a heart encased in ice. And she’s feisty and sassy and is fiercely loyal. Perfect for each other once they got past their misconceptions of each other and declared their feelings. The suspense is pitched perfectly – weaving seamlessly with the growing relationship, but never overtaking it. Can’t wait for more of the Blackbridge Security team now!