“Sizzling.”–Kat Martin Hide. That’s all Pippa can do to escape the terror chasing her. But now that she’s off the grid in a safe house, she finds plenty of interesting things to watch through the window. Like her new neighbor, with his startling green eyes, killer smile, and sexy bad-boy tattoo . . .
Run. Malcolm West is fleeing the hell he unleashed in his last assignment as an undercover … fleeing the hell he unleashed in his last assignment as an undercover cop. A backwoods bungalow sounds like the perfect place to start over. Until he discovers he’s been set up . . .
Fight. Someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to bring them together. No matter how much he resents that, and his own driving needs, Malcolm will have to dig deep and let loose the banished killer inside himself, or Pippa’s fears could come true faster than the flip of a bolt in a lock . . .
“Sexy . . . packed with action and danger–a real page turner.”
—New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin
“Fast-paced romance . . . very compelling. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal
—RT Book Reviews on Marked, 4.5 Stars Top Pick
“Sizzling sex scenes and a memorable cast.”
—Publishers Weekly on Claimed
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As a die-hard Rebecca Zanetti fan, I’m pretty much committed to reading anything she writes. She is such a good writer and she doesn’t disappoint with the first installment of this new series. While I absolutely LOVE her PNR, I have now become a devoted fan of her romantic suspense series too.
If you’re new to Zanetti and you liked this book, definitely check out her other romantic suspense series Sin Brothers and Blood Brothers (in that order). However, if you want something a little darker, sexier, steamier and a little more twisted, check out the Dark Protectors and the Realm Enforcers.
Love everything by Rebecca Zanetti! HIDDEN is definitely one not to be missed!
I won this book through a Goodreads contest and in return I promised an honest review. This is the first book in the Deep Ops series. It’s a stand alone issue with no cliff hanger and HEA. The German Sheppard Dog, Roscoe, has unlimited issues and is hilarious.
Pippa lives as a shut-in in a house at the end of a long road, she’s hiding from the horror chasing her. A new neighbor moves in next door and she finds herself watching through a window. He soon becomes to interesting with knock out green eyes, a terrific smile, and a slamming body with tats that she just wants to keep touching.
Malcolm West is running from the hell he went through while undercover in his last assignment as an undercover cop with the mob. He buys a what he thinks is the perfect home with privacy in the woods so he can start his life over. Mal soon finds out he’s been set up by the HDD and wants nothing to do with the new job offer until he meets his new neighbor. She can’t be a terrorist!
His new boss makes sure he brings them to together, Mal is resentful until his need for Pippa is what is driving his fight to prove her innocence and to save her from a maniac who thinks he is God. Malcolm will have to push aside the madness he carries around or Pippa’s fears will come true and she will be lost to him forever.
It’s so easy to lose myself in Rebecca Zanetti’s books. Hidden brings a new series and I’m excited for the next book.
Deep Ops, aka requisitions, is a newly formed “department” within the Homeland Defense Dept. It’s made up of a bunch of misfits. They’ve each done something less than stellar to find themselves as part of this new team. But this team has the makings of a a real family, a brotherhood of people who because of their past will have each other’s back no matter what. It is a great cast of characters, including Roscoe and Kat!!
Pippa and Malcolm have secrets. He knows some of hers because suddenly what seemed his purpose has been “refocused” as soon as he say “yes”. She’s his job. But anything between them is more real than he could have imagined. She knows he’s lying to her and when she catches him in a lie, she’s on the run again! They’re running out of time and he’s determined to save her, to save others and not sacrifice what’s left of his soul. She’s determined to save them all, even if she has to sacrifice herself.
Welcome to Deep Ops! I think I’m going to enjoy this series. The antics. The eccentricities. The dance. The search for a killer who will eat your heart out. And to the misfits who will band together to get the job done.
I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
A terrific begining to a new series. Skillfully developed, fascinating characters, an interesting story line and lots of action, with steam on the side.
Pippa Smith quietly lives like a hermit, works as a virtual assistants as she hides from a dangerous cult, which she fled years ago. The quiet is shattered when gorgeous Malcolm West, ex undercover cop, moves next door. Like her, he suffers from panic attacks and abuse as a child. He is lured away from his plan of a quiet retirement by Angus Force, a government agent from a secret agency, when he informs him that Pippa might be in great danger as are many innocent Americans. The team he creates is made of of a number of interesting characters, all, I assume, will get their own books.
One con. Malcolm has doubts about Pippa, when he finds she has a go-bag, which he believes, is not something “most innocent people have”. I have a go bag, as does my husband and dog. The Red Cross, FEMA and DHS all recommend that everyone have a go-bag and have used tax dollars to pay for public service ads to advocate for them.
An interesting and exciting start to a new series. Both of the MC’s could be a little annoying but, overall, I thought Pippa and Malcolm worked well together.
Nice suspense and danger, interesting secondary characters, and some smexy-times (which I admit to skipping some since I don’t enjoy reading sexual domination) make this book a solid 3 3/4 stars.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias.
Rebecca Zanetti launches her Deep Ops series with this steamy hair-raising thriller about a woman who’s trying to hide from her appalling past and a man who is just trying to forget his.
With the help of a friend, Pippa escaped the clutches of a mad man. She’s had no problem living isolated, on the down low for years in a secluded house until a new neighbor moves into the only other house nearby and she can’t help but want to know the gorgeous man with the lethal smile and eyes that hide secrets and anguish.
Malcom West’s childhood shaped him to become one of the best undercover cops around, good enough to bring down the largest drug cartel. Now retired and suffering from PTSD, all he wants is to be left alone, but his gorgeous next door neighbor might convince him otherwise. Until he realizes that moving next to Pippa is not a fluke and she’s his next mark. Now he must uncover her past in order to protect her for the horrific fate she’s been hiding from.
Fear, mistrust, secrets, past hurts, unmistakable attraction, and desire to protect the innocent are all expertly woven together in Hidden, the first book in Rebecca Zanetti’s romantic thriller in which she introduces a rag tag team of specialists brought together by Angus Force, a man determined to bring down the bad guys like a presumed dead serial killer.
The supporting characters were absolutely captivating. They include Bridgid, Nari, Raider, Clarence Wolfe who totes a kitten in his pocket, and of course Roscoe, Angus’ alcoholic, high heel wearing dog. The entire book was fantastic but my absolute favorite scene was when Malcom sums up his weird work place situation. It was absolutely hilarious.
Both Malcom and Pippa recognize their attraction but are unwilling to share their pasts. As the story progresses, Malcom and Pippa’s relationship revolves around sizzling lust with a touch of delicious romance, and even though trust continues to be an issue in the middle of a suspenseful investigation that had me on the edge of my seat, their relationship felt real.
Malcom and Pippa were wonderful characters. He’s an alpha male who is protective to a fault. He’s a bit rough around the edges but I loved his caring heart. Pippa is a wonderful compliment to his jagged edges. She’s caring, sassy, smart and brave. I really enjoyed how they stood up to one another.
Hidden is book #1 of the Deep Ops series by Rebecca Zanetti who unerringly writes interesting, action packed and smoldering romances. Hidden also included some great LOL moments with the quirky Requisition Force team and is in general a fast paced, exciting standalone you won’t want to miss. Told from several points of view, with a happy ending.
4 1/2 out of 5
I think this is a strong start of a new series. The whole misfit crew is entertaining. All those quirks. Pippa’s secrets were so interesting to tease out. I really liked how she and Malcolm interacted with each other. This reads as a forced proximity romance. Malcolm is tossed into the house next to her because he is looking for quiet, but has gotten manipulated into buying the house. Pippa is just trying to stay unnoticed. I liked how Malcolm and Pippa came together. It was smooth and believable.
This author has the ability to write in any genre and spin a story that you devour. In this one it is a suspense that she grabs your attention right away with Pippa and her secrets. Then enters in Malcolm with his agenda that turns your head. The different directions this one will have you going will keep you wrapped up in them both with the hope that is on slow simmer. Too many secrets that you know are just waiting to explode. Alot of intrigue with base that will be one you want taken down. The drama builds with it also going in a direction a time or two you do not expect. Pretty good for a beginning in a serious but needs too in next one to be a bit more faster. Excellent wrap up with giving the satisfaction of a good read.
Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti
Deep Ops #1
Hooray! A new series by an author I know will always provide a story I won’t be able to put down – her books are always just that good! And, this is a brilliant introduction to a team I know I am going to enjoy getting to know a whole lot better!
The Requisition Force is a group that has been set up by an FBI profiler – a rather clandestine group that works with/for HDD. They have handlers that are sketchy and it would seem a rather different group of people on the team. With a hacker to help them taken from jail, a profiler on the hunt for a beastly serial killer that killed his sister, an investigator that we don’t learn much about this time and an ex lieutenant commander and perhaps more to come this group is a hodgepodge that could very well mesh into a group to be reckoned with.
In this book Pippa Smith is doing her best to survive quietly under the radar when Malcolm West – ex undercover cop – moves in next door. Both suffer from past experiences that have left them with PTSD and panic attacks. How they meet, get to know one another, grow close, work together to bring down a cult leader bad guy and eventually are incorporated into the team that will star in this series is something I thoroughly enjoyed!
Did I like this book? Definitely!
Do I want to read more in this series? Can’t wait!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Hidden is a highly enjoyable start to a new series from a favorite author. I was quickly sucked into story, and now I can’t wait to find out more about the band of misfits that have formed a task force operating on the fringes to protect the country!
Malcolm West has spent years undercover, and his last assignment took a serious toll on him both mentally and physically. He is just looking for a quiet place off the beaten path to recover but he is dismayed to discover the perfect home he located was not as great a find as he thought when Angus Force comes knocking on his door. Force is putting together a team to discretely investigate threats to national security and he is trying to recruit Mal to help… starting with investigating Mal’s shut-in neighbor Pippa who may just be a sleeper agent from a cult who is planning a terrorist attack. Mal quickly sends him packing but the thought that the pretty lady next door may be a danger to society just doesn’t sit well with him… score one for Force, and he has a new team member no matter how reluctant he may be. Mal finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being back undercover and fighting his personal feelings in an effort to get the job done for the greater good.
Pippa has been on the run for so long that she is becoming borderline agoraphobic in an effort to stay away from cameras and facial recognition software. She managed to escape the crazy that her mom dragged her into years earlier on the day before she turned 18, and she has been trying to stay one step ahead of the obsessed cult leader who believes she is destined to fulfill his visions ever since. Mal scares the life out of her the first time she sees him, but she quickly realizes that he is just another damaged soul trying to survive. Trust doesn’t come easily to either one of them, and the secrets they are keeping from each other are always in the background even as the sparks of attraction start flying.
Pippa and Mal get hot and heavy pretty quickly but things are complicated to say the least. Mal is a genuinely good guy so he feels guilty about succumbing to his baser instincts but he can’t deny that there is something different about this woman. Every time Pippa thinks about sharing her story with Mal something gets in the way. Eventually something’s gotta give and it comes in the form of a phone call Pippa has been fearing for years. Anger, frustration and terror combine to propel her to try to end the madness once and for all, and Mal has a decision to make. The two loners suddenly find themselves wanting to keep someone in their life more permanently, but the secrets, lies and threat to Pippa may make that impossible.
The author weaves a well plotted tale of intrigue and suspense with plenty of hot and steamy moments thrown in. All the characters introduced are wonderfully flawed with their own set of quirks, even Force’s German Shepherd Dog Roscoe who quickly became one of my favorite characters in the story! He is certainly a unique character who stole my heart and had me laughing out loud throughout the story. As for the rest of Mal’s new team member, they are all on the fringes of government work for various reasons and I cannot wait to find out more. We have a hacker released from prison to help the team; a straight-laced hottie FBI handler she has been assigned that she just can’t seem to take her eyes off of; a profiler who had to get a little too in-depth into the mind of one of the nastiest serial killers in the last century; a spec ops soldier who may just be a little bit certifiable; and a shrink who won’t reveal what exactly she did to get herself assigned to the team. This group will definitely provide some interesting stories in the future, and I am waiting patiently to see what happens next!
ARC received via NetGalley
Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti captured my attention from the first chapter; and I couldn’t put it down. This is the first book in her Deep Ops series and I am looking forward to reading every one of them.
Ms. Zanetti did a great job in introducing the characters of the Requisition Force. Angus, Malcom, Wolfe, Nari, Brigid, Raider and Roscoe (a German Shepard who wears high heels, eats liptsick and drinks whiskey). Ms. Zanetti took her time introducing the characters so that I was able to develop a real interest in each of them. Malcom West, an ex-undercover cop, is one of Angus Force’s new recruits; and he’s been set up to infiltrate a cult and cultivate a relationship with his new neighbor, Pippa, who was a member of the cult when she was younger. Both Malcom and Pippa are broken from their past lives, so they are flawed and don’t trust easily. I liked both of them and I admired Pippa as she has done well in staying off the grid while trying to evade the cult. A tense plot with plenty of suspense, action and even some hilarious moments because of Roscoe. The romance and sexual heat between Mal and Pippa should have melted my Kindle but luckily it survived. This was just too good to put down until I reached the end.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Zebra via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own. I would like to thank the publisher for allowing to read and review the book.
Pippa has been hiding for years from a cult she escaped from. She is a shut in and has only one friend Trixie, that escaped with her. The Prophet of the cult wanted her as his and planned to marry her when she turned eighteen but she left the night before.
Malcolm aka Mal was an undercover cop but has retired and moved in next door to Pippa. He gets a job offer to work with Homeland Defense Department but they are on their own. His assignment is to find out what Pippa knows about the cult. So he’s undercover once again. It’s hard to get close because she’s afraid of people. He slowly works his way in and becomes infatuated with her. Pippa thinks he’s a government worker that keeps requisitions for paper, pens, etc. Mal is also going undercover at the cult to find out what they are planning and how long they have to stop it.
Pippa finds out Mal has known who she was the whole time and she packs her stuff and leaves. Before she gets far she gets a call from Isaac, the supposed prophet, wanting her to return or he’ll kill her friend Trixie. Before she gets to go, Mal catches her and takes her back to the office. Where she is interrogated and then a plan is made to stop Isaac but she must go to him. Mal isn’t happy but can he save her in time before all heck breaks loose?
This is the first in a new series and I absolutely love it!! You have a crazy cult, action, lies, sex, an alcoholic dog and a cute kitten. The characters are interesting and funny. The story will keep you hooked until the very end. I can’t wait for the next one. Ms. Zanetti knows her stuff and writes it so you feel like you’re right there with them.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for Netgalley *