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He hired her to find out who is spilling corporate secrets.
She’s determined to find out his.

When Black Tower Security sends Joey Rodriguez undercover at Zia Pharmaceuticals, she has her own motives for agreeing to the assignment – namely, to prove to her boss that Cole Kensington isn’t what he seems.

Cole has always had one goal—a cure for Alzheimer’s. Now that he and his company are close, he’s got a big problem. Corporate espionage in the pharmaceutical industry is par for the course, but this time he called for help. The undercover hacker they sent gets under his skin, but she is supposed to be the best—and he needs the best. Cole won’t let a spy in his ranks jeopardize something this important.

Helping a billionaire wasn’t what Joey signed up for. But as she starts to untangle the web of secrets and spies inside Zia, she finds herself in the crosshairs—and trusting the very man she hoped to expose.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2022

169 people are currently reading
93 people want to read

About the author

Tara Grace Ericson

38 books339 followers
Tara Grace Ericson

faith, hope, and happily ever after

Tara writes small-town, contemporary Christian romance. She loves stories of modern-day characters struggling to obey God, forgive others, and accept themselves - oh, and finding their happily-ever-after along the way.

She lives in Southwest Missouri with her husband and two sons, writing full-time, in between chasing a two toddlers!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
1,662 reviews8 followers
March 3, 2023
Lots of twists, turns, adventure and mysteries in the one. Oh and of course love.
Profile Image for Sara Blackard.
Author 60 books406 followers
May 15, 2023
A swoony thrilling suspense

Did I expect Tara Grace Ericson’s Hostile Intent to be swoonworthy with action that induced palm-sweating? Yes. Did she deliver? Absolutely!! My blood pressure is still coming down. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Gretchen Garrison.
Author 3 books31 followers
November 15, 2022
"Cole was pretty good at reading people, and by his estimation, Flint's ace programmer was definitely not pleased to meet him. But why? He'd never done anything to her as far as he knew."

Cole Kensington developed cutting edge drugs in his pharmaceutical company. When drug trials seem to be altered, Cole needed to determine why. He didn't expect a hacker to be the one to come to his rescue. Especially one who was suspicious of everything he stood for.

The plot premise was very well done. Reading how a biomedical team went through the process added a lot to the story. I definitely had not thought about how many steps needs to be taken to protect pills that are not yet ready for market.

The suspense portions were well done. I could not determine who was behind the sabotage. There were some unexpected twists and turns.

Cole and Joey definitely have chemistry. She intrigues him because she is unlike anyone else. The prank in the book was really cute. I think they had the start of a great love story. He told her his story, and she was starting to be honest with him. But for me, it was too many feels too soon as they really did not seem to know each other yet before feelings were expressed. The reader knew more about Joey than Cole did before he told her how he felt. Personally I wish that there would have been more time.

I do really like the Black Tower team. Flint Raven still leads the group well. Tank makes me smile, and I am looking forward to reading Will's book next. The women who help the team are also interesting. And I like the fact that "The Syndicate" is appearing in every book. Will be interesting to see how it all comes together.

Hostile Intent is the second book in the Black Tower Security series. There is a prequel and a first book in the series that I would recommend reading if you want to fully appreciate the characters. But you should be able to follow along with the storyline if this is the one that you start with reading.

I did receive an advanced copy of this book. I wanted to review it. All opinions are my own. Final rating: 4.5 stars.
Profile Image for Angeline.
745 reviews23 followers
November 11, 2022
This was a fun and engaging book! I had enjoyed the first book in this series so I was excited to see how the second book would turn out. Hostile Intent is the second book in Tara Grace Ericson’s Black Tower Security series
Joey and Cole were cute together. They did not get along at first but it was sweet to read about them connecting and breaking past each other’s walls. I really liked the progression of their relationship and how they learned to trust each other. They were really sweet together as they learned to let go of the past and let others in. They had been through a lot so they were both a little jaded.
I really liked the characters and their development. They felt real and relatable. I also love how Ericson is able to sprinkle faith and God so easily into her books. The characters go through life but they are also challenged to trust and rely on God more.
The plot was interesting and I was engaged in the story from the beginning. I wanted to know how Joey and Cole were going to save Cole’s company. It was fun to read about Joey going from suspecting Cole to falling in love. The romance didn’t feel rushed and I think that it had the perfect amount of suspense. There was suspense and mystery but it didn’t feel scary.
This was a good book and I would recommend Hostile Intent to those who enjoy Christian romantic suspense. I am super excited for the next book in the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
1,013 reviews33 followers
November 15, 2022
Joey is convinced that her boss's friend Cole is a criminal - so when her boss arranges for her to go undercover in Cole's company to discover who is stealing his secrets, she's not at all impressed. However, the job does provide her with opportunities to investigate Cole more closely. At first, things seem to confirm her suspicions, but as she gets to know him better, she finds that things aren't always what they seem. Meanwhile, whoever is stealing company secrets isn't playing games - can Joey work out who is responsible in time to save Cole's dream? And can the woman who never trusts anyone learn to trust at last?

An enjoyable read - I really liked watching Joey gradually start to open herself up to Cole and the possibility of trust, but it was also good to see them all working as part of a team to find and catch the crook. The suspense felt a slightly more minor part of the story than the romance, but I didn't feel that was a bad thing. With good writing, a background mystery with some suspense, interesting characters with baggage to overcome, friendships and clean romance, along with mild inspirational themes, this was a good read and I look forward to the next book in the series (though each is a standalone story). Recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.
Profile Image for Rebmay.
2,848 reviews51 followers
November 14, 2022
This book was intense, intriguing and enthralling. Joey and Cole are fascinating characters that I couldn’t wait to know more about. Joey’s spitfire attitude, her ingrained mistrust of people, and her need to help others in her own way make her a perfect complement for Cole. He is driven to succeed, not for the money but to help others and perhaps ultimately himself fight a terrible disease. His laser focus often makes him curt, distant, and unapproachable, but underneath it all, he is truly a good guy. Joey sets out to prove that he is corrupt and power hungry, instead she finds the real Cole, a guy she can trust, a guy she can give her heart to and know he will never intentionally hurt her. They both share a faith in God and believe that good win triumph over a evil though they may need to do their part to help it along. Cole has found the woman who understands his workaholic ways, because she has them too. Their investigation and his research are fascinating, which makes this book very interesting and enjoyable.

I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Profile Image for Mimi.
794 reviews119 followers
December 2, 2022
Ok, so while it may look like this took a long time to read, it really didn't. I was SO busy when I was trying to read this book, I kept only getting to it in bits and pieces. This is a book that could be read in just a couple of days for the average reader.

After reading book one in this series I knew that Joey's story was going to be a fun one. She's one feisty lady. So, when she's forced to work with someone she believes is part of the Syndicate, you know things are going to be intense.

And here's Cole, a wealthy, good looking man who seems to have the best of intentions with his pharmaceutical company. Except, Joey finds information that points to the opposite. I really enjoyed getting to know Cole because we get to know the real guy right along with Joey. A character like Cole gives me hope that there really ARE people in the world trying to find cures and/or answers and not just focusing on the bottom line dollars.

I thought the plot was an interesting one because it gives readers an idea of what it might be like in that industry.

I also loved having the team in the story because they all bring such different skills to the table.

*I received the book for review. This is my personal opinion.
Profile Image for Priscila.
856 reviews87 followers
November 29, 2022
Hostile Intent definitely hit the spot on the Romantic Suspense binge I'm currently going through! It's got everything I wanted: engaging characters (Joey and Cole were the best!), an intriguing plot (on the one hand, who's the mole? On the other, Zia and Cole's mission is great!), well-paced suspense (the threats, attacks, and escalation of them were consistent and believable), BTS team in action (always my favorite part), a funny and sweet romance (loved the banter, pranks, and sweet moments, but especially the gaining of trust between each other), and the Christian faith/spiritual thread that I'm pretty sure will be the reason why I'll keep coming back to this author's books (convicting question: is Jesus enough in your life?)

Overall, a great Christian Romantic Suspense, perfect for fans of the genre and/or this author. I seriously can't wait for the next story in this series! ~ 5 stars
Profile Image for Blessed & Bookish.
297 reviews28 followers
November 29, 2022
Hostile Intent by Tara Grace Ericson is the second book in the Black Tower Security series. After meeting Joey in the first book, I was excited to see how her independent, outspoken personality would clash with Cole’s professional, buttoned-up persona. The opposites attract interplay between Joey and Cole was SO entertaining. I loved how she pulled out the more relaxed and fun-loving parts of him while still understanding the reason behind his intensity. The suspense was thrilling and perfectly woven into the story. And unlike some romantic suspense where the romance sits on the back burner or is rushed between action scenes, the building of Joey and Cole’s relationship was genuine and an important part of the story.
Overall, I loved Hostile Intent and look forward to more in this series! The Black Tower Security crew has plenty of secrets were haven’t learned yet!
I was given a copy of this book by the author with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Sarah VanBuskirk.
41 reviews3 followers
March 24, 2023
Hostile Intent by Tara Grace Ericson is a jaw dropping, edge of your seat Christian fiction suspense romance. In between the intense, undercover, computer hacker is a light hearted always up for a practical joke Joey. I loved her humor and tricks even if uptight, corporate Mr. Kensington didn’t 😂. There was twists and turns in this story I for sure did not seeing coming. I loved how their relationship went from hostile and untrusting to being forced to trust each other. I enjoyed the depth of the characters as they had to get past surface appearances to the real heart of each other. He doesn’t trust her, but he needs to protect his research and she’s the best hacker there is. She doesn’t trust him, but having inside access to his servers could be just the thing she needs to prove he is just as evil as she thinks he is.
945 reviews9 followers
September 14, 2023
I'm enjoying this series by a new (to me) author! Hostile Intent is a unique story with lots of edge-of-your-seat suspense! Computer whiz Joey Rodriguez is sent to help her boss, Cole Kensington investigate corporate espionage. Of course, Joey has a few goals of her own--1 being to expose Cole for the fake she knows he is, because she's convinced he's a member of the Syndicate. As she delves deeper into Zia Pharmaceuticals, Joey discovers that her preconceived notions of Cole Kensington might not be accurate, and when danger follows Joey, can she trust Cole with her life? Will Cole win the battle to bring his cure for Alzheimer's to market? Hostile Intent is an exciting clean romantic suspense that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. Along with the suspenseful danger, I also liked the lighthearted humor, and surprises as well as the clean romance. I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Allyson Anthony.
1,178 reviews52 followers
July 20, 2023
Hostile Intent was an intriguing read because it had corporate espionage, a mole within a company, banter among the Black Tower team, banter between Cole and Joey, and romance.
Cole is developing a cure for Alzheimer's, but there's a mole within his company. He hires Blackout Tower who sends Josefina (Joey) in under cover. Imagine Cole's reaction when he finds out that Joey is actually a woman and not a man as he thought.
Joey doesn't like rich people so she's a bit hostile toward Cole and plays a prank on him but finds out she has misjudged him. Joey has a past so she has a hard time trusting people. The plot line and characters drew me in, and I had to keep reading to find out whodunnit.
Profile Image for Joyce Marion.
520 reviews8 followers
November 13, 2022
Great romantic suspense. Cole - an uptight CEO - hires Black Tower Security to find a spy in his company. Flint puts Joey in as an undercover IT person. Joey - Josephine - does not like rich people or pharmaceutical companies. She is distrustful of Cole, but does her job.

I loved the interaction between Cole and Joey. She is sweet and sassy and very good at her job. As a former hacker, she knows her way around computer programs. As Cole and Joey work together, she starts to see that all rich guys are not the same.

Great interaction between Cole and Joey. Very believable story. Great job with details. I highly recommend this book!
62 reviews2 followers
November 14, 2022
Five reasons why I loved Hostile Intent:

1) Cole and Josephine (aka Joey) are a perfect grumpy/sunshine, opposites-attract couple with lots of chemistry, topped with sprinkles of humor.
2) There is a solid mystery, with twists and turns and subplots.
3) Plenty of hold-on-to-your-seats action.
4) The characters find emotional healing as they grow in their faith.
5) Sweet and clean with a wonderful HEA!

This is the first book I’ve read in this series—now I definitely need to read the others!

I received an advance reader copy of this book. This is a voluntary review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Sonya Wasden.
1,077 reviews12 followers
December 24, 2022
This book is well-written and full of intrigue, suspense, danger and some romance. There is no foul language or graphic details of sex. I stayed up well into the night reading this book to its conclusion and thoroughly enjoyed the story. Joey and Cole were complicated characters with back story that made them the way they were and because of that, their issues spilled over into their relationship. With patience, understanding and lot of trust, they were able to overcome those difficulties. This story does have a happy ending for most of the characters.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
830 reviews3 followers
November 8, 2022
Romantic Suspense at its best! An uptight CEO hires a hacker to help find the mole in his company, only to find she has a knack for pranking him. With their opposite personalities, will they be able to work together to find the mole in time? Told with humor, the serious happenings were easier to grasp. Especially liked the character, Joey, serious about her work and getting relief from the pressure with her pranks. Relatable characters made for a great read. Although had part of the solution early on, totally surprised by the other part.

Received ARC and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Tazzy.
278 reviews3 followers
November 13, 2022
A wonderful clean romance in the suspense category, it ticks all the boxes. Heart-warming romance, sassy heroine, solid reliable but kind hero, believable suspense, an intriguing series arc, a few red herrings, wonderful reminders of God's sovereignty woven into the story, and the Black Tower Security team. This book has just the right amount of everything in it.

Although this is a standalone story (that has a satisfying ending to the story in this book, no cliffhangers) there is a greater story arc over the series which makes it best to read in order. But would be enjoyable as a standalone story as well.

Clean romance - no blushing required, physical aspects are left to marriage.

Favourite quote from the book: "What if all you have to show for it at the end of you life is Jesus? Isn't that everything"

* I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of the book.
4,555 reviews38 followers
November 15, 2022
Hostile Intent is an awesome, well written, fast paced romance with some interesting suspense. Talk about walls - both Joey and Cole have issues from their past that they need to work through. Will Zoey be able to find the mole before Cole's research is destroyed? I was totally engaged from the beginning and enjoyed Joey and Cole's journey. I love that progress is made when they remember to turn things over to a higher power. I just kept reading one more page until I finished the book! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian romantic suspense!
Profile Image for Lucia Valenzuela.
2,037 reviews12 followers
November 16, 2022
An intense read I just couldn’t put down. Joey distrusts Cole before they even met. Their attraction builds as they get to really know one another. Joey is an extremely talented hacker who now works for Black Tower Security. Cole has a mole in his company leaking and falsifying information. Just love their interactions and banter. I loved this story and recommend you get it. I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
701 reviews8 followers
November 18, 2022
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when it was sent to me as an ARC...I don't like scary books but I trusted the author from reading her other books and decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. The book was very suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end but it wasn't overly scary. There was a fun romance between the beautiful hacker, Joey, and the handsome CEO, Cole, that progressed from not trusting one another at all to having to lean on one another. And there was an element of faith as well. I must say I enjoyed it and am glad to recommend it! Rating 4.5
341 reviews
November 23, 2022
Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Joey and Cole did not get along at first. Joey was looking to investigate Cole behind the scenes as she was helping catch a mole within his company. When things turn deadly, Joey realizes that Cole is the real deal and would never participate in what she first feared.
This book has fast paced suspense that pulled me in right away and kept me interested until the last page. A clean, inspirational romance. I received an e-copy of the book from the author but that in no way affected my review.
Profile Image for Sheila Wheeler.
45 reviews4 followers
November 29, 2022
I really loved this book. I had been intrigued by Cole Kensington since he was mentioned in other books. Joey is fun, relatable and quick witted. I absolutely loved seeing them let down their barriers and let the other person in. Joey’s prejudice against rich people had Elizabeth Bennet written all over it. I’ll take Mr. Kensington as Mr. Darcy any day. The Alzheimer’s bit hit especially close to home with me after watching my grandmother suffer with the disease. I’m with Cole in praying not to have the Alzheimer’s gene. I loved the twist and turns of this suspenseful romance.
Profile Image for Sharon S.
1,001 reviews7 followers
November 13, 2022
Another great book in the series.
There’s a mole in Cole’s company and he needs Black Tower’s help to figure out who it is. Joey is tasked with that duty, but she still believes that Cole is part of the “Syndicate”.
They each trust Flint completely but aren’t sure they can trust each other. Even without the trust, they can’t explain their attraction. When things turn deadly they realize they have to depend on each other.
Profile Image for Mary Jane McLeod.
2,938 reviews6 followers
November 14, 2022
I'm really enjoying this series and getting to know the characters of Black Tower Security. Joey has been let down by others to many times. Cole is working to beat Alzheimer’s and is the head of a big drug firm. He needs help discovering who's leaking information. It takes a lot to get these two to see each other and find their HEA. This book is full of intrigue, suspense as well as romance. A captivating read.
1,448 reviews12 followers
November 15, 2022
I had an ARC for this book, but this is my voluntary and honest opinion. Cole Kensington and his company are working on a cure for Alzheimer’s but there is a mole changing the results of the trials. He hires Black Tower Security to secure the breach. Joey Rodriguez is the computer expert for Black Tower and goes undercover with Cole’s company but he soon finds out that she is an expert. This book by Tara Grace Ericson is filled with suspense and intrigue. I highly recommend reading it.
Profile Image for Natalya.
534 reviews20 followers
November 15, 2022
Love/hate relationship with a tightly woven suspense! Love it!
He hired her to find out who is spilling corporate secrets.
She’s determined to find out his.
“And what’s your cause?” he asked quietly, urging her to continue. She held his gaze and responded. “To save innocent people from those who would sacrifice them as pawns in a game they designed.”
I received an ARC of this book for review. I was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions in this review are my own.
34 reviews3 followers
June 25, 2023
Very good!

I loved the story and am looking forward to the next one. The suspense is very good, the romance thankfulIly completely clean and very mild. The main and support characters are intriguing. I also liked the Christian faith element throughout. My only complaint is the use of one word of bad language. I recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery, suspense, or thrillers.
342 reviews3 followers
August 19, 2023
Need more characters

A suggestion to the author. If you want people to be challenged more while they are reading an intrigue book, make sure you have more characters. If you only have a cast of a few characters;, everyone knows who the villain is. This had the potential to be a five star book but unfortunately I can’t give it five stars because I figured out who the guilty party was easily. 3-1/2 stars.
Profile Image for MileHighSunshine.
371 reviews2 followers
June 26, 2024
Amazing read

If you love suspense in mysteries, you cannot pass up this book. The characters weave together throughout the book. Joey’s sarcasm is perfect! As much as this mystery deep and full of intrigue, you can count on Joey to give you a laugh.

This book also takes a good look at those who have struggled with feeling like we had to be perfect, which is a perfect undercurrent for this story.

Profile Image for MaryEllen.
2,935 reviews30 followers
November 9, 2022
This is my voluntary review of a copy I received from the author.

The characters were realistically written. Their growth was believable.
The action and suspense were also well done. The twists were amazing, and not at all far-fetched.
The romance is slow-building and progressed believably.

Great story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews

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