Calculated Risk | Marie James

Marie James is a new to me author, and was recommended by several of my bookstagram friends.  Let me tell you I quickly devoured this entire series.  I loved this group of guys and their love interests.  Like all of the men, the women and their stories were different.  

I immediately loved Quinten.  He reminds me of a grumpy broody guy that likes his routine and anything that pushes him out of his comfort zone he stays clear of.   I think the same could be said about Hayden, too! She is a pretty routine oriented girl and likes to keep her world small.   

Hayden’s friend, Parker signs them up for a gun safety class at Blackbridge.  Hayden and Quinten’s meet cute is amazing, and his broody personality really shined through and Hayden totally put him in his place! It was awesome! Quinten immediately was sweet on Hayden, but of course wouldn’t admit it to himself or others.  And Hayden really didn’t notice or think that Quiten was a possibility as she was wrapped up in her own fear and things going on in her life.  Hayden was a recent victim to a burglary that left her scared and anxious.  I loved how James put little surprises in the book and I really didn’t know what was going to happen. James also showcased a lot of the previous characters and their skill set and the banter between characters was on point.  I loved how Quinten only ignored his feelings for a little bit then went all alpha on Hayden. I could not put this book down.  And when this book ended, I quickly bought the rest of the series!  

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Puff Daddy.  The parrot.  He is a character all on his own and so much fun to read.   He is hilarious and has some of the best quotes of the entire series.   

If you are new to romantic suspense and aren’t sure it is your jam, I HIGHLY recommend starting with this series. The stories are great, the banter between the characters is amazing and I think it has just the right amount of suspense to keep you intrigued and engaged but doesn’t take away from the romance between the characters.  I would recommend starting with the first book in this series, Hostile Territory and then going from there.  I am certain that you will love the Blackbridge Security team as much as I did!