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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Wow, I absolutely loved this story, I enjoyed every minute of it. This story has angsty, slow burn,romance, enemies to lovers and suspense. Hot steamy scenes and a great group of side characters. Deacon and Anna their hate for each other from long ago now is a burning attractive they can’t stop. Some things leads to a twisted push and pull that keeps you on the edge waiting and praying these two see how perfect they could be together. This was an enjoyable enemies to lovers, the romance blended well with the suspense of the story. Well written with great characters and entertaining storyline. I can’t wait for Wrens story. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for hate to love and great characters.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Almost a decade after his divorce was finalized Deacon has moved on, started his own security firm and has all but forgotten about his wretched ex-wife, Dani. That is until her best friend, Annaliese, calls him out of the blue hysterical, saying that Dani has been hurt and Anna needs Deacon’s help finding out what happened to her. Only upon digging it is much more complicated than either of them thought.
This is another one of those books where I got something different than what I bargained for in a good way. This book was more of a suspense/action book with a side of romance and I was expecting the opposite. I was pleasantly surprised. While Deacon was investigating the circumstances around his ex-wife he is forced to spend more time with Anna. Neither one is thrilled with the prospect but as as they spend time together they find that they misunderstood each other before and actually enjoy each other. If I am being honest I didn’t particularly like either one at the beginning of the book but as the story developed so did the characters and I grew to love them both. Watching them struggle with their attraction and the suspense of the investigation into Dani had me on the edge of my seat the entire book. I couldn’t put this one down. I will say that the resolution to Dani’s investigation was a bit anticlimactic for my taste I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the rest of the Blackbridge Security boys to get their own books. Show stealer was Puff Daddy. I need more of him in my life.
Annalise does not want to go to Deacon for help but something has happens to her best friend. But the thing is her best friend is Deacon’s ex-wife and their break up was not the best. But it has been years. Deacon agrees to help her even if he knows that he shouldn’t. But Annalise is a big pain in the butt. Deacon is getting feelings for Annalise that he doesn’t know what to do with. Is it because he is protective of Annalise or is there more there? I loved this one. The chemistry between these two is off the charts. But then again Marie always brings the heat when it comes to chemistry between a couple. I absolutely loved the storyline and plot. It was twisted and full of suspense. What happened to Deacon’s ex-wife and how does it affect Annalise? Will Deacon be able to figure out what is going on and keep Annalise safe? The first book in this series and I can see this one being an amazing series. I cant wait to read more. Highly recommend one clicking this one.
Just when I think Ms. James’s stories can’t get better she proves me wrong! When you read her books, the reader tends to fall a little in love with the main lead character. So with that said I love Deacon!
What a fantastic start to a new series! I can’t wait to fall a little in love with the others of Blackbridge Security & Consulting.
I have to say this was an interesting twist on the Enemies-to-Lovers trope because I don’t recall ever reading a story about the Enemy being your best friends ex-husband. Some may think this is a betrayal of the “girl code” but after reading this book I would disagree.
Deacon is former Military and now owns Blackbridge Security he never expected to see Anna again after his failed marriage from her best friend, Dani, eight years ago so to say he’s in shock when she walks into his office would be an understatement but with the news she drops at his feet he is furious.
I have to admit that I really enjoyed the quick comebacks that Anna had with Deacon especially when some of them could be taken a different way, that was just hilarious! The attraction and chemistry was there at the beginning but it was a nice slow build before things really started to boil. I loved the way MARIE JAMES dangled the carrot but had us enjoy every moment until we got to where we wanted things to go.
HOSTILE TERRITORY was a great start to the BLACKBRIDGE SECURITY SERIES and I cannot wait to see the rest of the guys get their HEAs.
If you enjoy Romantic Suspense or the Enemies-to-Lovers trope I would recommend this book to you.
Happy Reading!!!
Title: Hostile Territory
Author: Marie James
Genre: Contemporary Dramatic Romance
**RECEIVED ARC FOR HONEST REVIEW**
I love how so many of this author’s books overlap and connect each other. It’s like the author truly is creating this huge world that spans more than one series or related standalone.
This book takes you on an emotional ride of lost love, love in unexpected places, social class norms, and self discovery. All with some serious life or death drama and games of cat and mouse.
You get some pretty good feels from this book and like I said murderous cat and mouse with some serious steamy tension. Add a foul mouthed parrot for comic relief and you have a great ride. Awesome start to a new series.
After seeing the cover and blurb for Hostile Territory, I knew this was going to be my first read from Marie James. I had high hopes for some major romantic suspense and while there was some danger, it wasn’t as high octane as I was expecting. That being said, I was still swept up in the dynamic and undeniable yearning between Deacon and Anna.
I liked that these two had a messy past. And even after not seeing or talking to one another for almost a decade, that hostility was still there. Strong and fiery as ever. But there was something that wasn’t there the last time these two saw each other; attraction. The pull was strong. And they tried to fight it. Oh did they try. But as the danger mounted all Deacon wanted to was to keep Anna close.
There was so much back and forth between Anna and Deacon that I honestly had no idea if they would ever get on the same page. All I kept thinking to myself talk to each other! Stop playing games. Stop worrying about what the others intentions are and confess your own truth!
With a foul-mouthed bird, toxic relationships, buckets of anticipation and a mobster on the prowl, Hostile Territory kept me on my toes. Though, I have to say that for as much of a build up as there was to solving the mystery, how things played out was a bit anticlimactic. I wanted more danger. More tension. But it was the way Deacon finally stepped up and admitted what was in his heart that made me (and Anna) melt. Marie James laid the groundwork with the cast of characters in this book and I can’t wait to see where she takes the protective bunch next.
This is going to be a great series if the first book is anything to go by. This enemies to lovers romance will take you on a quite a ride! It is a great mix of suspense and romance. Deacon and Anna can barely tolerate each other in the beginning. They haven’t seen each other since he divorced Dani, Anna’s best friend, almost a decade ago. They definitely notice how they have changed and how much they like those changes. I loved watching them dance around their attraction and then giving into it. I can’t wait for more on the rest of the guys at Blackridge Security!
HOSTILE TERRITORY is the first instalment in Marie James’ contemporary, adult BLACKBRIDGE SECURITY erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the team that works for BBS (Blackbridge Security). This is security specialist and Blackbridge Security owner Deacon Black, and Annalise Grimaldi’s story line. BLACKBRIDGE SECURITY is a spin off from the author’s Cerberus MC Series. You do not have to have read the original series to understand or follow the current time line.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Deacon and Annalise) HOSTILE TERRITORY follows the enemies to lovers relationship between security specialist and Blackbridge Security owner Deacon Black, and Annalise Grimaldi. Eight years earlier Deacon Black divorced Daniella Altieri, his high school sweetheart, a woman who destroyed our hero’ s soul. Fast forward to present day wherein a phone call from Daniella’s best friend Annalise Grimaldi pulls Deacon back into the orbit of the woman he despises including her friend Annalise Grimaldi. Daniella and millions of dollars in blood diamonds are missing, and a Russian mobster is bleeding out and dying in Daniella’s condo. In an effort to help find her best friend, Annalise Grimaldi calls Deacon Black, in the hopes of saving Daniella’s life. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Deacon and Anna as Anna comes under the protection of Blackbridge Security, and the potential fall-out as their time together comes to an end, and Deacon refuses to acknowledge his attraction to our story line heroine.
Annalise Grimaldi is a spoiled princess, a bit of a diva who has never known hardship or worn clothing without a high end label. In hiding, for her own protection, Annalise continues to want the finer things in life aggravating Deacon Black in the process. With her condo in tatters, and her life on the line, Annalise is under the safeguard of Blackbridge Security, pushing all of Deacon’s buttons whenever they are together, buttons that threaten Deacon’s barely veiled need for our story line heroine. Deacon Black doesn’t do relationships having lived through the embarrassment and humiliation of divorcing his first wife. Painting our heroine in the same vein as the woman who destroyed his heart, Deacon sees red every time he remembers what was and what will never be.
The relationship between Deacon and Annalise is an enemies to lovers;an ex-wife’s best friend romance in which Deacon struggles with his attraction to a woman he has despised for close to fifteen years. The back and forth, palpable anger and rage simmers closely to the surface, a rage and hatred that masks a growing attraction that neither one is willing to accept. Annalise knows that to get involved with her best friend’s ex husband could mean the end of their friendship but Anna will soon realize that her heart wants something more than Deacon is willing to give. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to Deacon’s Blackbridge Security Team: Flynn Coleman, Wren Nelson, Jude Morris, Finnegan, Ignacio Torres, and Quinten Lake, as well as the cameo appearances of several of the Cerberus MC members, and Deacon’s ex-wife Daniella Altieri, and her boyfriend Nikolay Petrovich.
HOSTILE TERRITORY is a story of friendship, hatred, betrayal, and greed; an emotional story of heart break and dishonesty, acceptance and love. The premise is entertaining and captivating; the characters are colorful, energetic, angry and bitter; the romance is fierce and all-consuming.
4.5 of 5 stars
Hostile Territory is the first story in a new series by Marie James. I was looking forward to trying something new when I heard about it despite how much I love her Cerberus series. The leading man for this one was actually introduced in that series but I loved getting to know him better in this book.
I actually just loved him in general. He might have been a bit rough and gruff but he was ultimately a good guy. Not many would bother looking for their ex-wife after the way she treated him. But it was just one of many signs of his goodness.
Anna took a bit longer for me to connect with. She had many things that I liked, but every now and then I thought she might be a bit shallow. However the more the story continued I warmed up to her.
I also loved Deacon’s men. I am so excited for them all to get their own stories and I plan to devour them all.
Another great book by Marie James!! I was so excited when I heard she was going to start a new series & I wasn’t disappointed by the result! Loved the enemies to lovers vibe and definitely appreciated the cameos from a few of our favorite Cerberus men!! Can’t wait for the next book.
I hated Dani!! Whew I just had to get that off my chest first off. She was a miserable miserable person.
To be honest I wasn’t a huge fan of Anna either throughout a lot of the book. She had major character growth throughout the book that changed my opinion of her.
Deacon, who doesn’t love the military badass? I love the family he formed with Blackbridge Security after leaving the army. The group made this book for me. I loved watching them interact, and take care of one another. I can’t wait for Wrens book. I think he’s my favourite so far!
I received an arc of this book in return for an honest review.
When I got a glimpse of Deacon Black in Marie’s Cerberus MC series, then found out she was starting a new series for Blackbridge Security, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!
This was most definitely a fantastic start to a new series! Deacon was no doubt about it, a moody alpha male. But he also has a heart of gold underneath his tough exterior so you can’t help but fall for him.
Anna comes across as a stuck up b**** to put it quite bluntly. But she is anything but. Once you get to see the real her, you will also fall in love with her. The banter between Anna and Deacon is considered foreplay in my eyes. It only adds to the sizzling sexual tension between the two.
This book is full of action, hilarious, laugh out loud moments, and of course swoon worthy moments that will have you sighing in utter glee.
4.5 Stars
Hostile Territory is an enemies to lovers romance with all the feels. This emotional page turner follows Deacon and Annalise’s journey from enemies to lovers as they uncover secrets they never saw coming. This book is phenomenally written and a fabulous start for a new series. I will definitely be reading more of the Blackbridge Security Series.
Deacon black is happy with his life. He owns his own business and that keeps him busy. Till he gets a phone call from a person he thought he would never see again. Anna knew there was only one person she could call when her best friend went miss and thats a man neither of them would wanna see again. When deacon and Anna are around each other there temper flare and the insults fly. As the mystery continues with annas friend still missing. anna and deacon find it hard to keeping there thoughs and hands to there self. This book hold is amazing and I love the enemies to loves aspects
This was my first read by Marie, I do like a bit of a military / security team read every once in a while and the blurb for this had me intrigued and excited, being the first in a new series I thought I would give it a go!
Deacon Black, ex-military, now owner of his own security team, he is controlled, calculating, professional, structured, happy without anybody in his life…. his work is his life, along with those of his security team. He is happy with his lot in life, until a phone call takes him back ten years, his ex-wife Dani is missing and her best friend, Annalise Grimaldi, calls and asks for his help to find her. They’ve known each other for a long time, they have never got on being from opposite sides of the track so to speak…. he was raised from a poor family whilst Annalise is from the rich and spoilt end, enemies through and through.
Deacon was stung badly by his divorce with Dani, swearing off women and relationships. But he is knocked for a six when Annalise turns up at his office….. she is stunningly beautiful and he is instantly attracted to her, knowing if she were anyone else she’d be in his bed, but his is his ex’s best friend and they have never got on well.
Annalise wants for nothing in her life, a strong and sassy socialite. She hated having to ring Deacon but knew he was the best person she could turn to. But she is terrified of what could’ve happened to her best friend.
This was a great enemies to lovers read with plenty of action, suspense, angst, heat and banter. I loved how Deacon and Annalise pushed each others buttons, desperately trying to deny their attraction to each other, which just pushed the sexual tension ratchet up the scale! It’s also the classic story of them both basing their knowledge of each other on what happened 10 years ago, neither truly knowing how the other felt about them throughout most of the book, making the push and pull between these two characters all the more intense.
With some great side characters in the other members of Deacon’s security team and a very funny African parrot to add to the mix, there’s some great scope for some more fantastic books in this series here if the first one is anything to go by!! A great read with a good story line that will have you on the edge of your seat. Well worth the read, looking forward to the next one.
Marie James, you’ve done it again.
What a start to a brilliant new series.
Deacon Black is the Owner of Blackbridge Security And Consultancy who loves his life of solitude. That is until he gets a call out of the blue from the last person he ever thought he’d speak to again. Annalise Grimaldi, is his ex wife’s best friend and trust fund baby, who has always disliked him since they were teenagers.
One phone call is about to change both of their lives forever.
These two have off the charts chemistry, plenty of action and a sassy talking bird called Puff Daddy.
Hostile Territory by Marie James is book 1 in the Blackbridge Security series. This is
Deacon Black and Annalise Grimaldi’s story. Deacon is former military and now owner of Blackbridge Security and and Consulting. 8 years ago, his marriage to his wife Dani ended in a courtroom. Fast forward to 8 years later, he gets a call from Dani’s BFF Annalise and all she says is “It’s Dani”. Deacon and Annalise never got along- at all. So for Annalise to call him, he knew something had to be up.
When Annalise showed up, there was this instant chemistry between them. Yet, Dani was missing and things are more complex than Deacon and Annalise thought. This is a full-length, suspense/intrigue romance that is simply phenomenal because this is such an absolute phenomenal enemies-to-lovers romance read. Add in the danger, suspense, passion, angst, drama, heat, feels, heart, intrigue, action and romance. I loved Deacon and Annalise together. Their banter and chemistry together was good. I can’t wait for book 2.
My Rating: 4.5 stars *********
Deacon and Annalise have a hate/hate relationship (she’s his ex wife’s best friend) but one day when he gets a call from her in need of his help and they both realize they might not hate each other as much as they thought.
This book had everything! Meet Deacon who runs his own security company had have been doing it since he divorced his ex wife Dani eight years ago. Anna is Dani best friend they live in the same apartment complex and Ann witness a man leaving bloody, police are called and Anna is scared for her best friend life. She calls the only person she can think of and it’s Deacon.
Anna and deacon have changed over the years, deacon can’t believe how beautiful Anna is and Anna looks a Deacon like sex on a stick, neither one was friendly towards the other is high school they tolerated each other. Now, they can’t seem to not want each other, but they don’t want to cross those line.