From the ashes of heartbreak rises a war of passion.WARNING: DON’T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ BOOK ONE~~~~~After the botched rescue attempt of girlfriend Annalise nearly cost him his life, Thomas Valentine finds himself under secret, protective care from an unlikely source, and his crippling desire to see Annalise, despite orders not to, unknowingly places her in danger.All Annalise wants is … not to, unknowingly places her in danger.
All Annalise wants is to push past the trauma of her imprisonment, move on, and keep Thomas alive in her memory while clinging to a thread of “normal.” Those plans shatter the instant they’re reunited, and the young lovers are shoved deep into a sinister plot that claws at their fragile minds and tender hearts.
When Thomas’s life and morality hang in the balance, Annalise makes a dangerous play to rescue him from the ghosts of his past and the one person he wants nothing more than to please.
And with dynasties now on the line, the family leaders make deceptive moves to end their rivalry once and for all, using any means necessary.
***Hidden is the sequel to Held, and should be read in that order. It’s a multi-pov romantic suspense set in a fictional town with dirty streets and dirtier cops. Run by two mob families with an uneasy truce, Twin Bay is in constant flux. The anti-heroes and heroines struggle, curse, bleed, and die for the love they so desperately want. Each of these novels has dark themes, intense action, meaningful intimacy, rewarding love, & guaranteed happy endings.
Take a walk on the mob side.
CONTENT ADVISORY*
This book contains acts of violence, strong language, and situations that some readers might find triggering.
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Hidden is the progression of the Twin Bay Dark Mafia series. And Barber still keeps her readers and her characters on their toes. You will meet some sick and twisted characters and you will meet some characters who really want a different lot in life. Just enough tension and steam to temper a romance readers expectations without crossing over into gregarious sex
This needs to be read after book 1 in the series otherwise it just won’t really make any sense! In this sequel the author has maintained their high standard and has produced another amazing book. The plot is great, and the characters are so well described that it would be near impossible to not connect with some of them. Loved the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved the book it was great, the story was well written and the characters were interesting. Thomas and Annalise were close they planned a future together. The chemistry between the two was steamy, the emotions ran wild, the betrayals and passion.
Thank you for you allowing me to review your book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Will they ever be together and free again
HIDDEN is the second book in The Twin Bay Saga and what a way to follow-up up on HELD. The story-line is extremely suspenseful, filled with action, has lots of twists but also has a lot of depth. This story centers more around Annalise and Tommy and their relationship and also everything they have to endure and go through.
HIDDEN captivated me from the first page to the last as it was thoroughly engrossing and kept me up late into the morning.
I received a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Hidden is Book 2 of the Twin Bay Saga. Like Held, it is written in multi-pov. Okay, enough with the technical stuff. As I stated in my review for Book 1, Held, I don’t read romance. Mrs. Barber’s work is the exception. She writes so much more than just romance. This book, as did Held, contains plots for just about everyone. Into mob stories, got it. Like love, totally there. Mind screwing twisted doctors experimenting on their patients. Yeah. If you want it, Hidden has it. I will continue to follow the twisting paths of the residents of Twin Bay as they hurtle toward a destiny that only rMs. Barber knows. Mrs. Barber weaves characters that I loved and others that I wanted to choke to death with my bare hands. I give this book five stars because that’s the most this rating system will allow. You need to read this book, so go buy HELD (The Twin Bay Saga Book 1), read it, then buy Hidden and read it.
“Walk or run. Underwater or straight up a mountain. She’d take that hand and follow him anywhere.”
It was no secret how much I loved Held, book one in the Twin Bay Saga. The uniqueness of the writing style made it impossible for me not to connect to Annalise & Thomas, even though they weren’t the “main” couple. It’s not uncommon for me to connect to a secondary character, even to the point of loving them more than the main, but its pretty rare for me to fall this in love with two secondary characters. And that ending? I couldn’t wait to continue this captivating series. So was it worth the self-hype I bestowed on it? God was it ever….I LOVED Held, but this one topped it! This is easily all time favs list material, & in typical Barber fashion, I’m now completely obsessed with the “next” couple, Nataly & Gavin.
“Anna was actually love. She was joy. Her broken matched his broken, that’s what it was. They fit. Together they were whole.”
Book Facts: Told in multi-POV, Hidden is book 2 in the Twin Bay Saga. In order to fully understand the events in this book, you MUST read Held (book 1). Annalise escaped the hell she was held captive in with the help of the only man she ever loved, the son of the devil responsible for her captivity & her brother being forced to act as a hitman. They had big plans…..open their shop, getting married, have children, & live in bliss for the rest of their life. Those plans came crashing down when Thomas was gunned down during her rescue. Or so she thought. Thomas survived & when he reappears these two will have to fight even harder than before for their HEA. It’s Annalise’s turn to rescue Thomas— and this time it will be a lot harder. Secrets will be revealed, truths will be uncovered all leading to one epic HEA. Although Thomas & Annalise’s story ends here, we are introduced to a new couple that will leave you begging for more.
Timeline of Thoughts:
Starting: Oh man I’ve been waiting on this. I fell in LOVE with these two in Held!
2%: Wait, who is Lyle? Why dont I remember him? Okay Lyle is Thomas’ crime boss dad.
5%: Wait, who is Nataly? Did I meet her in Held? I’m so confused!
8%: FINALLY….someone I know!
10%: I don’t trust this Ryker….hell I tend not to trust anyone in this series.
14%: Thomas you better get your girl back! And God is he so boy-like in his thoughts…. but I love him.
19%: This is when I begin to LOVE her writing…. when it all begins to make just enough sense to not be frustrating, but still leaving so much out you are absolutely desperate for more.
22%: Her grief is hard to read through. It feels so real.
28%: OMG my stomach is in knots bc of the anxiety! If it doesn’t happen right now I’m going to die….not literally of course but still!
32%: That was so worth it! Written perfectly. But I’ve got a nagging feeling about Booker.
39%: Oh I really want both of these dudes to die….a lot.
52%: I have some theories that would make things make more sense I think. And despite getting Lyle’s POV, he’s still 2nd on my most hated list. How am I supposed to go to bed right now?
52%: I KNEW IT!!! It was the only thing that explained certain players!
55%: This chapter was full of moments that broke my heart…. from Rico & his obvious love/devotion to Marianna to Thomas & his desperation to not only keep Anna safe but earn his dad’s love & make him proud.
59%: I NEED more of Killer & Meyer…… and someone better be honest with Annalise, because I’m sick of being in the dark myself lol.
62%: Thomas is never going to come back from what he’s being forced to do. I HATE Lyle, he needs to die….. like HARD.
66%: God FINALLY! I’ve never been so invested in an older character like I am Rico (figured out he’s only 3 years older than me so not “old”). Hell hes going on my book boyfriend list & isn’t even the main “guy” of the story!
76%: As much as I HATE Lyle, this scene is hot. Why am I all hot & bothered over two people old enough to be my parents?
78%: How can I hate someone but also feel sad for them too? I don’t like what you do to my emotions Barber!
86%: Nataly might end up being my fav heroine of the series. She is definitely “different”, & I love the ones that are a little off the rocker so to speak…. just one question, who the heck is this Eric dude?
90%: Gawh Nataly’s gentle soul makes me so emotional & Gavin with his big scary “Big Daddy” self being so tender with her…..I don’t think I’m supposed to be crying right now.
95%: Favorite extended epilogue……EVER!
Finished: So many emotions….So excited Thomas & Anna got a worthy HEA….absolutely fell in love with Gavin & Natty (& Killer)…. cannot wait til December!
“The Five”:
Loves from Book: the playlist (a song for each chapter), Rico & Marianna, Killer & The Dogs, that extended epilogue, Gavin & Nataly.
Honorable Mentions: Antoni/Becca/boys & the “gran’s house” scene
Hates from Book: how confused I was in the beginning, Ryker, Lyle, Booker, the sadness I felt for Lyle (in his last chapter).
Quotes:
He breathed her in, all strawberries and flowers and sunshine and everything he always knew he needed but could never find.
-Thomas
“I don’t like him.” Annalise shot out a laugh. He failed at hiding his smile. “I’m serious. He looks at you too much.”
-Nick
“He bent you for a little while, sure. But you weren’t broken.”
-Annalise
“She was broken. So bad, I had ta sleep in her bed those first weeks. I caught every tear with your name on it, sewed up her holes, and patched her best I could. Don’t ever give her a reason to hurt you. Then I’d have to go after her for hurting you. I’d never forgive you for that.”
-Nataly (to Thomas)
“I don’t know what the shit you all are cookin’, but you got people waiting out there like it’s a damn welfare line. I had to punch an old lady just to get in.”
-Killer
Honorable Mention:
He stood across the room from her, a walking, talking reminder of every horrible and magnificent thing that happened to her during captivity. He was a razor blade dipped in syrup.
-Annalise
Final Thoughts:
1. This is the first time I’ve seen a playlist that has 1 song for each chapter. Seriously genius & original! I also loved the “deleted scenes”…. another first for me that I didn’t even realize I was missing! If I could love T.K any more than I already do these would totally make me!
2. Its likely if you are like me, at some point in the first 18% it will get a little confusing for you. You will read chapters of some known characters but feel like you have been dropped in the middle of new characters storylines, but I promise by 19% it all makes sense. Even if you get frustrated, stick with it.
3. There are two things I love most about Barber’s writing. 1st is that there are so many different players & pieces of the bigger puzzle that we don’t know who is a good guy vs bad guy or what everyone’s intentions are…..you are given just enough to hook you & it all plays out in a slow yet perfect pace. You continue to develop theories even though most will be wrong…. but even if you do happen to guess some of the major twists, there will be at least one that will 100% shock you. 2nd is her ability to introduce & connect us with other couples/characters so by the end of the book you are just as invested in them as you were the main couple….hence why I am craving the next book before the current one even ends.
4. To me, the most anticipated moment is when Thomas would reveal himself to Annalise as being alive. So much was weighing on that meeting for me & I dreaded it might not live up to my unrealistic expectations. From where it happens to how Anna reacts, to how Thomas reacts & how they are together….it all was more than I could’ve hoped for. LOVED it. They have such an innocent & sweet love despite the circumstances that brought them together OR the things Thomas has done under his father’s rule.
5. Just like in Held, it didn’t take me long to be pulled into Nataly & Gavin’s storyline. Nataly already holds a special place in my heart. Can I go ahead & get their book now? No I have to wait until April bc Barber loves to play with my emotions! At least I get a little snippet of them next mth in the Christmas Collection!
**Bonus “Thought”: I seriously LOVED the extended epilogue (my fav EVER)…. seriously with everything they went through they deserved to be seen with a true HEA & not just a HFN.
“Stop. You know what I deserve? To be loved. You know what you deserve? The same damn thing. And guess what? You’re going to love me, and I’m going to love you. Forever. It’s that simple.”
Overall, this is an easy addition to my all time favs. Despite my review being lengthy, I am having a hard time coming up with the right words to describe exactly how special this entire series is. It makes the wait in between so worth it, heck my emotional health needs to breather. Outstanding job Barber!
“Their love would burn forever. Their fire would never die. Because they’d never let it. And they’d never hide it from the world.”
I voluntarily read & reviewed the ARC copy of this book from the author. All opinions/statements included in this review are honest & 100% my own.
The storyline is amazing.
This book is an awesome ,intriguing and definitely page turner.
Suspense,drama and love. Combination is deadly.
So grab the book and enjoy.
So this is going to be one of those, “Where the heck do I start?” kind of reviews for a bunch of reasons. Hidden is the next in the Twin Bay Saga series and I will tell you that most of these books can fully function as standalones, however Held and Hidden can NOT and absolutely must be read in order so if you haven’t read Held yet, please start there, then come back and read my Hidden review.
Okay, now, for those who HAVE read Held… there is still a lot I can’t say. Yeah, I know. Sue me. Here’s the thing, Held and Hidden are both deeply enmeshed in the romantic suspense world where giving too much information could basically ruin the entire experience for you. And the works of Ms. Barber absolutely should not be ruined. She weaves a rich (and in the case of the Twin Bay Saga series, a dark one!) world with luscious descriptions and great world building that pulls you right in with the characters.
Speaking of the characters… Ms. Barber creates dazzling ones that are multi-dimensional. Which is slightly problematic when those dimensions include a not-super-clear picture of who should be afraid of. Listen people, the enemy you thought you knew from Held? Yeah, it ain’t that easy because… #reasons.
As in Held, even our leading characters that you love and are rooting for are a bit on the morally gray scale. And let’s be honest here people, that’s life. No one is wholly good or wholly bad, we are all a spectrum of rights and wrongs, just as Ms. Barber’s characters. I mean, granted, I’ve never been employed by the mafia, but YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’D DO IN THEIR PLACE! And some people are just born into it with no way out.
But the end… oh friends… the ending will leave you with a shift in power and hierarchy that may make you fall in love with the mafia.
If you love multi-POV romantic suspense with morally gray characters and questionable antagonists (I mean, seriously, stop me when you hear something there you don’t love) you should check out Hidden ASAP!
This was an awesome book. I loved that all the characters are well developed and engaging and the chemistry between them is off the charts when they come together. This book has suspense, drama, danger and love. The storyline flowed smoothly from start to finish.
Just as spectacular as the first book “Held” as the story continued with Tommy and Annalise’s relationship taking the bulk of this drama filled, tremendously well written gangster/mobster romance that was filled with passion, violence and betrayal. As Lyle’s horrible but complex personality was revealed in this book, it was amazing how one man affected so many lives in a scarring, brutal way. I loved the way the author was still able to show glimpses of his humanity, although he had passed the point of no return and definitely needed to be stopped.
Kudos to the author in the way all the loose ends were tied up in this book. What a satisfying read with such a feel good ending as all the broken relationships were finally brought together and resolved after years of pain and separation.
Just loved it!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tk Barber does it again! I was instantly pulled into Hidden. I wanted to know exactly what was going down with these mobster families. Nataly and Annalise will break your heart over and over again but Annalise finally gets her HEA. I love the witty banter between the characters and fell in love with some of the new characters like Killer, Gavin and Nataly. There are so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming but I loved every second of it.