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Blackwood Security #0.5

Black Is My Heart

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Two assassins. One little problem…

Finding dirt on politicians is usually easy, but Congressman Clements is more careful than most. Never one to back away from a challenge, devious Diamond enlists her old friend Snow in a scheme to catch their target in a compromising position.

But the world of espionage rarely runs smoothly. Diamond soon finds herself stuck in an awkward position as she battles to save the job and fights her feelings for the man she loves.

Black is my Heart is a prequel to both the Blackwood Security and Blackwood Elements series of romantic thrillers. Diamond and Snow’s stories are available in full right now.

83 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2018

197 people are currently reading
240 people want to read

About the author

Elise Noble

88 books735 followers
Elise Noble is an English rose with a few thorns who loves chocolate, sleep, and well-defined abs. Not hers, unfortunately. She lives near London with a horse who eats all her money and three dogs who eat everything else.

Elise writes real, gutsy heroines and flawed but swoon-worthy heroes in stories that mix mystery and mayhem, humour and happily-ever-afters.


You can get find her current freebies HERE.

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5 stars
171 (50%)
4 stars
97 (28%)
3 stars
56 (16%)
2 stars
9 (2%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews128 followers
Want to read
July 6, 2018
💝FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (7/6/2018)!💝

Blurb:
Two assassins. One little problem…

Finding dirt on politicians is usually easy, but Congressman Clements is more careful than most. Never one to back away from a challenge, devious Diamond enlists her old friend Snow in a scheme to catch their target in a compromising position.

But the world of espionage rarely runs smoothly. Diamond soon finds herself stuck in an awkward position as she battles to save the job and fights her feelings for the man she loves.

Black is my Heart is a prequel to both the Blackwood Security and Blackwood Elements series of romantic thrillers. Diamond and Snow’s stories are available in full right now.
1,383 reviews20 followers
July 12, 2018
A very good short story, a prequel to the series. The job is to find the dirt on a politician and Diamond calls in her old friend Snow a well as the rest of the team to help out. A good setup and a lovely twist. This book give us a bit of background on Diamond and Black before the series starts but, not enough. I wish the author provided more about their relationship, maybe more about what Black was feeling and thinking. What I like best is that the depth of the emotions is still present in spite of this being a short story.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,424 reviews2 followers
June 28, 2019
A quick peek

This prequel to the series gives a quick peek into the lives of Charles and Emmy Black, an unconventional couple and majority owners of Blackwood Security. I'd read the first three books prior to reading this short story, so there were no real surprises here, though it included a "special case" from Emmy's wheelhouse. It's a quick and easy read.
178 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2018
Black is My Heart is a cameo story featuring yet another unconventional job taken over by Emmy Black and a prequel to the entire series. More than this, the book is the excuse for the author to give to the reader an insight on a key phase of Emmy’s and Charles’s relationship and on their evolving personalities.
Drawing from its title, the story is characterised by dark traits: dark colours, dark situations, and above all, Emmy’s constant dark mood.
Throughout the book, Emmy is coherent with her trade mark persona. She is determined, extremely intelligent and lethal. Her language is sharp and cutting, her views and opinions always unconventional.
Throughout the story, Emmy is slowly beginning to understand that her relationship with her husband needs to reach another level, yet she’s unable to act upon this for the fear of ruining everything.
Charles is also arriving to the same conclusion, but he too remains undecided on the way forward.
The full narration of their journey is contained in the first three books of the series, but this book provides a nice way, for those of us readers who have become enthralled and captivated by Emmy’s story, to go back and get a glimpse of the young version of the character. For those new to the series, Black is My Heart represents a good opportunity to get to know her character and sample Elise Noble’s writing style. For everyone, however, the book is an opportunity to enjoy a few hours of great entertainment.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. Opinions and comments are solely my own.
Profile Image for Lcr.
905 reviews7 followers
July 14, 2018
I have read and loved every Blackwood Security, Blackwood UK and Elements book. Black is my Heart is a short, sharp introduction to some of the main characters in these books. For me, it was fun to go back to before these books started .. and now I need to read them all again. For anyone who hasn't discovered this brilliant series it is the perfect introduction and will make you want to know more about these amazing characters. Don't miss this short story.
Profile Image for I’m a Paula too… Thompson.
1,348 reviews6 followers
September 16, 2025
Book 0.5…

Okay, I did enjoy this but it wasn’t what I thought. For some reason I was under the impression that this was the “origin story” for Emmy and her husband. It’s not.

Very short story that talks about Emmy/Diamond and her friend Snow. Snow is also in the security business. So this is just a quick introduction to the two women.

This told me nothing about the husband in terms of personality or anything, other than he uses an escort service. They have an unusual relationship and marriage even though she has fallen in love with him. They don’t sleep together at all and have been married roughly ten years.

I’m hoping she eventually gets her HEA but the only way I see that happening is if he’s not really dead…
Profile Image for Will Decker.
Author 23 books17 followers
December 10, 2018
I really wanted this story to be something along the lines of a strong heroine that isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Instead, it feels like the characters are just spoiled rich kids playing at being assassins and offering PI services to the rich and elite whose characters aren't much more than subliminal background noise. It also takes away from the believability factor when props are added after the fact, which happens too often in this story. IE; during the mission it's mentioned that untraceable cars were procured earlier in the day. The reader wasn't privy to that, I guess. On a positive note, the editing is clean and the pace moves right along.
220 reviews
July 13, 2018
This is a short novella, just a prequel for the story. Interesting to say the least, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Gotta love Emmy and all the antics she gets into. It was a cliffhanger, and i know so many people get mad at those. But they keep you coming back, right? Anyway this book was awesome as all the others, but I need to know what happened ASAP Elise! :)
2,517 reviews16 followers
November 3, 2018
Good intro

This was a good intro into this world. It left lots of questions which I know will be answered over the course of the next 3 books. I’m sad at the moment tho. So I’m hoping it gets better lol
97 reviews
September 1, 2019
Diamond

Interesting style. Reasonably good characterizations, but hard to work out how they will develop as not enough detail yet. Felt like the book started half way through the story so the thread of the plot has yet to begin. Liked the Smith's style though.
Profile Image for Kathy.
1,330 reviews
October 26, 2023
I thought it was a good quick start to see if I wanted to continue with the series, which I did. I just felt confused on some points, like with the marriage. Maybe if I already read the series and went back it would make more sense.
13 reviews
May 3, 2025
LA série à lire et ne pas manquer

J’ai lue de 1 @ 18 et maintenant les .5 et je débute bientôt la série Éléments
Je ne peux laisser les livres !! J’adore ! Super bien écrit et toujours en mouvements!
Profile Image for Meleina Womack.
14 reviews
June 2, 2025
This is a short book. An introduction to the Blackwood security series. It gets you familiar with the characters. I read them out of order of course and read book 1-Pitch Black first. I thought it was fantastic which is why I am going to read the entire series:)
Profile Image for Darrell.
503 reviews
July 4, 2018
Like always Elise has a way with her stories and I love the way she writes even the short stories are great !!!
Profile Image for Dempster C .
17 reviews
July 22, 2018
Another great story. These books are very difficult to put down.
I would recommend this book to anybody.
Profile Image for Joseph Gallagher.
414 reviews
August 13, 2018
Short story / prequel which will lead on to more books where the characters can be developed
Interesting characters but I failed to empathise with them
Interesting scenario
Profile Image for Teresa Reitnauer.
957 reviews5 followers
October 4, 2019
A great prequel, introducing characters for the series. Lots of action in a short time. Loved it.
Profile Image for Joan.
2,797 reviews101 followers
March 7, 2020
This free short story download was worth its price.
86 reviews
June 11, 2020
amazing. great pacing and plot. Emmy is perfectly imperfect. Kept me interested through the whole book...and scrambling to buy the next one.
Profile Image for Andrea Mccormick.
1,054 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2021
This book is just a taste of the series to come, you meet the characters and learn a little about their personalities. Quick read, need more...
Profile Image for Mrs R.
1,425 reviews19 followers
August 15, 2024
This was a great prequel to the Blackwell series.

Emmy and Snow set off to try and find some evidence on a congressman but it doesn't quite work out how they planned.

It was a great read.
Profile Image for Anne OK.
4,114 reviews555 followers
October 1, 2025

An older short introduction to Blackwood Security Series. Leaves readers needing lots of answers to dangling questions -- and a shove towards the one-click button on Amazon.
Profile Image for Dehbiey Ebresafe.
22 reviews
December 7, 2019
Well needed addition to the Blackwood series

O.M.G... This is great. A little more insight into Emmy before the black trilogy. I’m thirsty for more. I can’t wait for something like this from Black’s POV. Awesome read, definitely adding it to my reread list like all of Elise’s books. Definitely recommend to all Blackwood fans, you would not regret it.
Profile Image for Sandra.
451 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2018
I love Emmy and enjoyed this quick read a lot last night. When Dan needs help with a case she asks Emmy who comes up with a plan to get evidence pictures of a politician. You will also learn that Emmy loves her husband while he's distant as can be. I think I need to reread the series again!
40 reviews
July 1, 2018
A little prequel to the Blackwood series giving more insight on Emmy - and of course there’s drama - it wouldn’t be a Blackwood story without it. Loved the story and my only complaint (as usual with the short ones) is that the joy of reading it is over way too soon 😊
Profile Image for Trish Goodgame.
519 reviews5 followers
May 28, 2020
Great prequel to the Blackwood Security series

Fast paced and never dull. Diamond enlists the help of her friend Snow to capture a politician in a compromising situation. A great twist at the end.
Profile Image for Luna.
60 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2021
I found it weird how Elise narrates. It's on 1st person POV, which I don't like, but the comments that come from Diamond are priceless.

I found it very funny & Easy-to-read.

Loved the conclusion—best assassination attempt.
Profile Image for Karen.
110 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2020
Review for Audio book

Bloody brilliant, such a great little teaser that makes you want to dive into the rest of the series. Love the English accent, just how I’d pictured Emmy to sound.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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