Calculated Risk

Blackbridge Security, Book 5

By: Marie James

Narrated by: Jacob Morgan, Callie Dalton

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

As the fixer for Blackbridge Security, Quinten Lake is the man that comes in and cleans up after people make stupid decisions. Which means he didn’t want to be the one teaching lustful women gun safety. There were guys on the team better suited for the task.

Get in and get out, that’s his motto, something he lives by not only at work, but also in his personal life. And he could be doing just that if it weren’t for the internet. 

But if #BlackbridgeSpecial wasn’t trending online he would’ve never met Hayden Prescott. He wouldn’t be wondering why she won’t make eye contact with him. He’s supposed to teach her the skills to protect herself, but his ego is encouraging him to be her means of protection. She isn’t impressed, and he’s left wondering if she’ll ever open her eyes and finally see him.

©2021 Marie James (P)2021 Marie James

AMAZING

I love this book and the audio is just icing on the cake! I everything about this book is amazing, I sat on the edge of my seat and loved every chapter!

Hate to Love romance

There needs to be more star because this book was much more than 5 🌟. Puff Daddy is a show stealer but Hayden and Quinten make the book. Hayden is an accountant that stumbles upon her boss's nefarious activities and gets put into the cross hairs of his partners. Quinten is teaching a gun safety class that Hayden is dragged to and when the two meet, they get off to a very bumpy start. Toss in crazy PD, a quirky friend and masked men to get one well written story. This book is brought to life with the fantastic voices of Jacob Morgan and Callie Dalton.

Great Listen

Loved this book. I wish it had been longer but it was good all the same. The narration was great, good story line and OMG the foul mouthed bird is absolutely hilarious. Seriously funny!

Great narrators!

I love this series, but somehow this story did not have enough suspense for me. I do love the couple though. And the narrators are THE BEST!!!

Good story

Story line was good. performance was good too. I love the bird Puff Daddy. He's hilarious.

loved this book

I love this series. but got to say the ending to this book is probably my favorite. loved the whole performance of this book. really well done all together!

My Thoughts on Calculated Risk

I don’t think love is a strong enough word for this book. I don’t think five stars is nearly high enough of a rating. But I’ll have to make do with what I’ve got. I absolutely loved this book. Quentin and Hayden were so adorable and so perfect together and for each other. They weren’t so much opposites attract as just a few noticeable differences like his giant frame to her little one. Or his comfort with guns vs. her complete lack of knowledge when it came to their use and handling. Which is how they met. And even if that initial introduction wasn’t the best of first impressions, I thoroughly enjoyed the progression of their relationship from there. Quentin was everything you’d expect from a Blackbridge guy if you’ve read any of the previous books. He was honorable and smart and protective. But he also had a soft, vulnerable side that only really seemed to show itself when it came to Hayden. Hayden likewise was kind of solitary but kind and smart and independent. But she had her own insecurities and recent events in her life left her feeling unsafe. I loved that each of them could give the other what they really needed for real happiness.

Getting to see other members of Quentin’s team that I’d either already read about in their own stories previously or that had books to come was nice and something I always look forward to in series books like this. They’re all standalones with each couple getting their own book, but there is a little bit of cross over when we get to see those previous couples again and know what’s going on with them or get to know the ones who will be featured in future books. Puff Daddy the parrot especially I have been looking forward to with each new book and he doesn’t disappoint. He’s so hilarious.

I am still so happy with the narrators that Marie James chose for this series. Jacob Morgan and Callie Dalton bring such great tone and energy and emotion to these roles. I just loved listening to them.

Best One yet

Calculated Risk may have just become my new favorite Marie James novel…Loved everything about this one ❤️

Better

But I’m not a fan of Callie Dalton. I listened to all of the audiobook in this series and it has basically been her that pulled me from giving super high marks. That’s not to say it hasn’t been a good series, it just felt like there was no connection of characters.

He may not have been a trainer would she train him

Quinten and Hayden

The narrators for this series are great. So easy to picture the characters--male or female (or bird)

He was not a gun safety trainer. If only he could convince his boss of that. Meeting Hayden might make having to do the class worthwhile. Something was bothering her more than the basic reason she'd made the cut for the class. What? He didn't date but his usual didn't seem right this time.

She had loved just relaxing at home. She rarely went out unless her BFF dragged her out hoping she'd meet some guy. That was before. Now she didn't want to go home at all. So--gun safety-- if she could even pick up a gun.

His feelings were different. Her feelings were different. Now what? Things were happening that could put her in danger and them closer.

The characters are great, lots of the usual banter with the team and, of course, Puff. Plenty of humor, danger, steam, with a great storyline. Never a dull page. I recommend it to fans and new readers alike--who are guaranteed to become fans