Hidden

Deep Ops #1

by Rebecca Zanetti, Roger Wayne (Narrator )

11 hours

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 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 . . .

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Suspense, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary Romance

Audiobook

First published September 25, 2018

About the author

New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has published more than seventy novels and novellas, which have been translated into several languages, with millions of copies sold world-wide. Her books have received Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus starred reviews, favorable Washington Post and New York Times Book Reviews, and been included in Amazon best books of the year.

Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body…all in the name of research. Honest.

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Facing your Demons Stars

***May Have Mild Spoilers***



"What kind of a threat are we looking at?" Wolfe asked, his gaze not leaving the dog. Roscoe kept his focus on Clarence Wolfe, not wavering. Were they having some weird staring contest? Force cleared his throat. "The dog won't blink." "Neither will I," Wolfe murmured, not moving.

OMG this book was so good! Look it's no secret to anyone that knows me that I'm a huge Rebecca Zanetti fan. She is one of my top 3 favorite authors of all times. I have read and loved all the books in her Dark protector series, Sin Brother Series, and her Realm Enforcers series. So to say I was excited when I heard she was starting a new series, would be an understatement. Hidden was everything I hoped for and more. With a strong plot, a sexy bad-ass hero, a smart and brave heroine, likable secondary characters, and lots of action this book took me for one hell of a ride. I couldn't put it down.



"One night?" She nodded, her skin sensitized by his gentle touch. "Just one. You and me and none of the other stuff. No jobs, no past, no bullets flying by. No panic attacks."-Mal and Pippa

Malcolm was so yummy. He had some scars inside and out. A ex-undercover cop all Mal wanted was some peace to deal with the demons of his last case. Instead he got pulled into a new Team called Requisition Force. Because even though Malcolm didn't want to go undercover again he did it so he could help save his sexy reclusive neighbor Pippa. Pippa was brave, smart and sweet. My heart bled for all she lived through. I loved Malcolm and Pippa together from the start. They had a ton of sexual tension and chemistry. And though they were both keeping secrets and lying to each other I still felt their relationship had real depth.



"You don't know me." "Show me, then. Show me who you are," she whispered, cupping his face. "I don't care who you've been or what you've done. Just show me now." Reaching up, she sank her teeth into his bottom lip.-Mal and Pippa

Being the first book in a new series it built up the world, and introduced the members RF. Let me just say I loved the team. Angus, Raider, Bridgid, Nari, and my two favorites Roscoe the alcoholic, high heel wearing dog, and the big sexy, slightly crazy, kitten loving, ex-lieutenant commander Wolfe! I want me a piece of Wolfe! Hell I want all of him! This book had the perfect amount of action and passion. There was also some great laugh out loud moments too. There was a cute quirkiness to the team that made them very endearing. I loved the cult part of the plot. Isaac the cult leader was creepy, crazy and just plain evil. Zanetti did a great job writing believable characters. I loved the camaraderie that I already felt with the team. I already feel very attached to the other team members and I can't wait to read their stories. Especially Wolfe's!!!!

"Just so we have this straight. I'm going undercover in a cult that might be planning to use explosives to harm a lot of people in the name of the Bible." He tried to quiet the rioting in his head. "I've slept with the mark, who we all know I want to save. The new shrink wants to get into my head, and I don't want that." "I really do want inside your head," Nari said, her eyes lighting up. Mal ignored her and looked at Wolfe. "You're a little nuts and now have a kitten in your pocket." Wolfe nodded. "And you, our leader." Mal focused on Angus. "Not only are you obsessed with a serial killer case that might just exist in your mind and splits your focus, but you have a high-heel-loving dog that's also an alcoholic." " What's your point?" Force asked.-Mal, Nari, and Force




https://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessi...

[➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another recommendation from my friend, Rebecca Zanetti is a new author to me. This is the first book in her Deep Ops series. This romantic suspense story was full of action, romance, suspense, and just the right amount Spicy scenes……And Omg The humor I found in this gem


There is a lot going on in this book
They were both lying to each other, and he knew more than anyone that’s for sure.


Malcolm West was a great detective and just came off a two-year undercover operation
…… and that operation pretty much went south. So he up and retired from the Force …….. He was no longer Interested in being in law enforcement

Malcolm decided he wanted to find a nice quiet rural area and just joy the peace and quiet…..well at least that was what Malcolm plans were , Until Angus force shows up on his doorstep

Pippa has issues. She is a shut in, and on the run from her passed … The woman has some serious panic attacks being in public or around strangers. now with that in your mind, now picture in your mind’s eye what this lady’s going to do when she first spots her new neighbor, who stood well over six feet tall, his shoulders broad, his long legs encased in worn and frayed jeans. If a man could be hard all over, head to toe, even in movement, then he was.

Lord have mercy, I am going to really enjoy exploring this whole series getting to know each and every one of the members in this Deep ops team

Now don’t get me wrong I would love to know the back story on the whole team, but There are two individuals that I want to know more about the most
Let me be honest with you…… I am torn between knowing more about the former Lieutenant Commander Clarence Wolfe who carries a kitten (aka Kat) in his pocket , and the German Shepherd (Roscoe ) and his alcoholism and those high heels 👠 So yeah I had fun with this one

[Dri ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ 4 STARS ★


▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬⋆▬

Mais uma autora da qual eu não conhecia o trabalho e que resultou em uma maravilhosa descoberta!

“His wet hair and the blood on his face gave him a primitive, dangerous look. And she’d brought him into her safe haven.”

Pippa e Malcolm são personagens interessantes e complexos. Cada um carrega consigo os seus suas dores, traumas e principalmente seus segredos. Honestamente, eu gostei e não tive dificuldade alguma em me conectar com ambos.

Gostei também de como o relacionamento deles se desenvolveu. Apesar das circunstâncias, ainda assim me convenceu e agradou. Foi bem gostoso acompanhar a trajetória desse casal.

Os personagens secundários foram ótimos e tiveram uma grande participação. Todos têm um atrativo, uma personalidade peculiar e é claro que eu fiquei curiosa para saber a história de cada um.

A trama segue um ritmo bom, com uma boa dose de mistério e suspense. Apesar da situação delicada em que os personagens se encontram, do perigo e da tensão sempre presente, ainda assim encontramos um toque de humor no enredo.

A história é narrada em terceira pessoa e a escrita da autora é muito boa! Fluida, simples e de fácil entendimento. Fiquei presa desde a primeira página até a última!

“He brushed the hair back from her face, not missing the vulnerable glimmer in her eyes. They were both lying to each other, and he knew that for sure. But in the moment, with her, this felt like the truth.”

Gostei muito desse livro, foi uma grata surpresa! Uma leitura agradável e prazerosa!
Mal posso esperar para ler os próximos livros dessa série! Estou bem curiosa para saber o que virá a seguir!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti is the first book in the new romantic suspense Deep Ops series. Or perhaps this would be another for the more erotic suspense pile as the relationship was jumped right into the steamy before the “romance” is involved.

Malcolm West is an ex undercover police officer who out of chance has chosen the wrong neighbor to live peacefully next to. As soon as Malcolm moves in he notices that Pippa is a bit of a shut in barely leaving her home next door but he never expects to be pulled into a case involving her.

When Malcolm is approached that his new neighbor may be involved in a cult that the authorities have been trying to infiltrate he’s a bit skeptical. Torn between his attraction to Pippa and his suspicion Malcolm finds himself undercover yet again hoping to stop the cult from harming innocent people.

Hidden was quite a fast paced story on every level, not just the relationship side of things. Although I often wish the characters start on more than just their attraction it actually worked in this story leaving the focus on the suspense side and putting a reader on the edge of their seat waiting to find out what would happen. The situation and characters pulled me right in from the beginning so I’d definitely recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've got a cult, a shut-in, an ex-detective, an alcoholic german sheppard, a Wolfe that keeps a kitten in his pocket and a newly established government team consisting of rejected law enforcement. What is not to love about this combination?

This book had it all from romance, action, comedy, and some serious stuff going down. I loved it! This group of people and animals kept me highly entertained. The action was pretty exciting and the serious stuff had me wanting to jump in and take some people down.

This was a great start to a new series and I can NOT wait for Wolfe's story! Call me crazy, but I kinda love the crazy men.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 - "You saved me... Let me save you." Stars!

Book one in Rebecca Zanetti’s new Deep Op’s series, gives us Malcolm and Pippa’s story, and both of them are keeping more than a few things Hidden from the outside world as well as from each other.

He’d never met a mystery he didn’t want to unravel… Maybe some things never changed.

I really enjoyed this book, Zanetti excels at combining romance with suspense, sweet with dirty and thrills with the inevitable spills, and this was a book that set off at a fast clip and went all Usain Bolt up to its climax.

There was something so careful about him… As if he was afraid to scare or hurt her…

There is a lot going on in this book, what with the story playing out between Mal and Pippa, the fact they both know less than the truth about each other, and how they become more connected as things progress, especially as Pippa’s past, the one she has tried her hardest to stay Hidden from starts to encroach on the carefully designed existence she has now laid out for herself. Little does she realize how much of that past Mal is actually aware of, and how much his involvement with her is due to it.

"You don’t know me."

"Show me, then. Show me who you are… I don’t care who you’ve been or what you’ve done. Just show me now."

We are also introduced to the newly formed Requisition Force (which incidentally was the original name for the series, and my personal preference) headed by one Angus Force, Mal is part of the team, and as the book progresses we are introduced to Clarence Wolfe, Dr. Nari Zhang, Raider Tanaka & Brigid Banaghan, ne’er a bunch of mis-matched, mis-placed misfits you are likely to meet. And although all of them may be considered in polite circles a few cans short of s six-pack, their is no denying they are all still pretty adept at their own personal specialties.

"Nothing quite bonds you like gunfire and blood."

A great start to the series, plenty of prospective characters to get their own books as things progress, and absolutely one of the better books I have read by this author in recent years. Raider and Brigid are up next with Fallen due sometime in 2019.

"We’ve only known each other through lies… Now we know the truth."

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

[Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 stars to Hidden ★ ★ ★ ★

I've been wanting to read a Rebecca Zanetti romantic suspense novel for a time. With this series flaring its feathers in every direction, I thought I'd make my entry via the opening instalment to the author's Deep Ops collective. This series spotlights a rag-tag, mismatched but complimentary collective of unsuspecting Individuals that are rallied together by none other than one Angus Force; a jaded detective, not unaffected by his own weary history as a profiling operative. One who has expertly fielded out members to form a squad of demoted governmental operatives. The story even delivers a handful of chapters by the troubled sect leader himself who has an equally troubled furry friend in Roscoe, one who almost felt like an unofficial member of the fledgling alliance. Everyone acquired, which we gradually meet through the developing narrative, seems to sport some level of eccentricity, peculiarity, a troubled personage or a hard-worn history of service-centric work that speaks to some form of disillusionment and dissatisfaction. Notwithstanding said perturbed canine companion who blends in with the misfit mentality and elevates the peculiarity with his characterful intrusions. Roscoe's timing, as well as his general presence, was a well-judged amusement to the overall tensity. The well-paced unravelling was as interesting as learning each of Roscoe's character quirks. I really enjoyed the slow-grow assembly of the deep ops team. We weren't introduced to who I believe was supposed to be the finalising member of the squad, none other than someone who Indulges in one of my own favourite topics and pastimes, a philosopher, but I'm assuming he'll likely show up in book two's standalone.

I do admittedly sport a strong preference for the first person narrative, and I will likely favour a first person narration over the third, but this romantic subdivision pairs really well with a distant scope, both synergistic to the suspension and the suspenseful intrigue of a romantic suspense and the psychologies of our central cast. So this book does indeed adopt said narrative choice, and it was easily a compliment to the creation. Malcolm is no longer active duty but his instincts and acquired abilities are still well-honed. So it's no surprise that his sights see more to his new and unassuming neighbour than meets the eyes. Things get very tricky after he's roped into an investigation that includes the possible criminality of his new neighbour, Pippa. The term 'dance of lies' becomes the discomforting theme of their relationship, and I really wondered how the author would remedy the complication that was made out of a true and attractive interest between the central couple and the deliberate orchestration of Malcolm's duplicity. I was most looking forward to how the betrayal would be handled as well as the plotline of a disturbing cult, and I'm glad to say that it was well considered in thought to Pippa's (rightful) feelings and the urgency of what was required with the immediacy of the investigation's real dangers. The ambiguity of Malcolm's required obligations to his current assignment and his feelings for Pippa left me in no doubt in thought to the difficulty of what he was doing. The attraction was as thick as the gravity of each danger introduced. He came to care for her quite quickly and both his distress and unease with what he was doing played a big part to his characterisation as the saviour overall.

More than anything, Pippa's safety was pivotal to Malcolm in spite of being so torn between his duty and his heart. But it remains his growing purpose to protect her without condition, even if she is found out to be the felonious evildoer carrying out the whims of a religious group. I probably loved that most about him. It's also a personal preference of mine to experience a more well-paced romantic development, even in spite of any level of instant attraction. In voice to that, I admit that the presented chemistry is very instantaneous and fast burn for a supposedly homebound, highly suspicious, self-safeguarding woman who lives remotely by design. So that was something of an inconsistency for Pippa, noting that she's been on the run for several years, lives off the grid for a reason and would likely spend her trust wisely in full knowing of what kind of danger is in pursuit of her. Saying that, the instant desire paired with the eroticism was well-matched to the high stakes, the danger and contextual tension, the activities of a terroristic group and the uncertain nature of everything that takes place. The pace and tone of the budding 'something' between Pippa and Malcolm was equal to the atmospheric tonality. The central attraction was a match to the deep landscape of suspense. And the suspense was a great enhancer in return. Despite the complicated nature of the relationship, it was more complimentary than calamitous to the dense suspension.

Malcolm's essentially tasked with surreptitiously earning intel from Pippa undercover along with the messy business of infiltrating the community of a cult. To comment on the nature of the lies in this book, I must mention that the team exist to cover all bases and necessitate every avenue with a critical perspective considering the posed level of danger, but I did find it odd that the group didn't particularly look into Pippa's potential innocence as a survivor and trauma victim, because there's also the very tangible reality that she just wanted the emancipation that came with finding her freedom. She's more or less perceived to be suspect, and possibly a brainwashed runaway, but these jaded enforcement officials aren't taking any chances, even if Malcolm himself is perhaps the only one to sometimes hope for the best despite his own career-born doubts. The team don't particularly look into Pippa's innocence as a potential escapee from a predator, but I suppose the public danger of the investigation and the very real possibility of public harm becomes the imperative. The difference between Malcolm's lies and Pippa's were this: hers were born not of manipulation nor the intent to be necessarily manipulative nor deceptive, per se. I wouldn't call her omissive approach a lie as much as I'd say her history is her own to share, express or conceal, traumatic as it had been for her. It was for the sake of her own safety, security and survival. To share something so impactful and disturbing about one's past with someone they barely know - and have only just met - seems a highly personal and reasonable decision. It's entirely legitimate to me that she'd be as private as she is. What self-surviving person wouldn't require a functioning car and some escapist procedures in place should they need to make a swift getaway if a cult that centralised their principles on family and community were to take her against her will? Along with resulting paranoia of once again being found, she was self-protective for terribly good reason. I'm going to reasonably argue that Malcolm's lies were born out of a job-obligated manipulation and gaining Pippa's trust was certainly agenda-driven, but a careful manipulation nonetheless, and Pippa's were of survival and natural mistrust. Let's remember that our heroine's past equated to a big trauma, and although she was into some insights of Malcolm's disturbing past, she didn't demand to know everything of him. There's nothing particularly untoward about that, even if I understood the need for narrative speculation and dubiety, and appreciated the delicacy of the danger versus the fragility of the trust. She was by all accounts innocent, and I'm glad she commented on the team's double standard that 'they all lie for a living' and are therefore in no place of pure innocence in response to the silent accusations against her. I would have appreciated the absence of the 'you lied too' debacle since it seemed to exist to equalise the intent on both sides when Malcolm's duplicity easily trumped Pippa's. Even still, it was a well-considered play. And Malcolm's characterisation was very well-rendered throughout the entire book.

What we have is a tightly plotted, layered landscape of suspense, foreboding and an investigative rabbit hole that observes the terroristic activity of a religious sect. All centralised around the close-proximity intimacy that heightens the stakes of an intense and instant attraction. We've got a terribly perverted cult leader in a predatory Issac, one who believes himself to be a grandiose authority. My worst nightmare in religious manipulator who's built himself to be an all knowing Messiah who carries out the work of the almighty. He's a baddie to truly loathe. Pippa's been living in fear and in hiding, a life on the run, but her past catches up with her when, unbeknownst to her, she's believed to be operating under the orders of a puritanical figurehead. An intense, suspenseful and high-stakes storyline welcomes a freshly forged governmental unit of erroneous individuals, bonding ex servicemen, a swiftly smoldering romance, and a well characterised cast. Clarence Wolfe was endearing with his over-sugared beverages and his fresh guardianship of a newly acquired feline friend. Both he and Roscoe were my on-page favourites. Zanetti's prose becomes an atmospheric foreshadow, the air charged with scent of the impending, the harsh rains and dense cloud cover of the current season an intensive overhang that preludes the gravity of what's about to disturb the lives of a housebound runway in an unassuming Pippa and a worn, inactive ex-detective in Malcolm. Who, after his latest undercover assignment, only wants a quiet life away from the work that has taken more than a simple toll on him. A long career in undercover work has left him emotionally overtaxed, suffering the constants of PTSD and the dues of the job. But he instead finds himself doing exactly what he wanted to avoid when he chose to live in a remote, secluded area in a rural Virginia. An active plotline, well-profiled characters and high stakes danger foundations Zanetti's atmospheric opener. I'd definitely recommend this very well-delivered suspenseful romance!


EXTRA THOUGHTS:

1) Since Trixie was such an important person in Pippa's life as a survivor, I did want to witness some kind of a final scene between them after the end-most events.

2) “Do you really think Angus can protect me from being prosecuted for killing Mark?” she asked. “My prints are definitely on the knife.” If all else failed, Isaac would definitely set her up. She’d told both Mal and Isaac the whole story, and shockingly, it seemed they had believed her. - Just a mistaken use of Isaac's name that I picked up on.

Content Listing/warning: on page panic/on page panic attacks. Deaths, harm and injury (both deliberate and accidental). Hero has PTSD (some PTSD flashbacks). Mentions and explains the terroristic/abusive/manipulative activity of a cult. The story also details the lifestyle, abuses, grooming manipulations and practices of that cult via the heroine's memory and the hero's present experience with the cult. Nonconsensual drugging. Also mentions criminal deaths and killings. Male MC was raised by an alcoholic (and abusive) grandparent. Mentions various past rapes and sexual assaults (including side characters who have been sexually assaulted by a cult leader, though not in any detail). Also a present rape (off-page) and a subsequent overdose/suicide via heroin for the assaulted. Nonconsensual sex with underaged girls. General warnings for violence and blood. On page shootout that results in injury and deaths. Mentions alcohol abuse. Also mentions drug dealing. Sex scenes (including some Dom behaviour and spanking kink between the hero and heroine). A dog who drinks and takes pain medication. Mentions (very briefly) an expose of a child porn syndicate (past). Discussions of terroristic attacks. And actual on-page terrorist attack.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Rebecca Zanetti's Dark Protectors series so jumped at this start to a new series when I saw it on Netgalley, and it didn't disappoint.

Pippa is a shut-in who has been on the run from a lunatic cult leader, Malcolm is a disillusioned ex undercover detective who is Pippa's new neighbour and has been manipulated into moving next door by his new boss and head of the Requisition Force.

There's a bit of insta lust and if I'm honest I struggled a bit with how quickly Pippa trusted and fell for Malcolm, this woman had been on the run for seven years and trusted no-one .... and not even her best friend Tricia had her address.

The romance sort of delayed the suspense and action till later in the book but when it happened it hit hard and fast. Zanetti didn't pull any punches with just how whacked in the head Isaac (cult leader) is, he's a revolting, twisted specimen for sure.

I'm looking forward to the secondary characters getting their books, and can't wait for Brigid and Raider's book that's next up after reading the excerpt.

Arc provided by Netgalley for review

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pippa Smith has been living off the grid for several years. Shut away in her small rural Virginia home, she rarely sees anyone since her elderly next-door neighbor moved to Florida. Pippa avoids people, worried that the members of the cult that she ran away from will eventually track her down. When someone buys the house next door, she is wary that he has been sent by the cult to bring her back.

Former cop Malcolm West needs some time to relax and pull himself together after two years of undercover work. Moving into a new house to make a clean start is just what he needs, especially when he sees the sexy lady living next door. As Mal moves boxes into his new home, he is approached by Angus Force. Angus works for the Homeland Defense Department and wants Mal to join his team. They have heard talk of possible terrorist activity happening in the next few weeks. These rumors are tied to a cult which Mal's neighbor may be involved in. Angus is asking Mal to go undercover again to learn more about Pippa and the cult.

Rebecca Zanetti is a new author to me. This is the first book in her Deep Ops series. This romantic suspense story was full of action, romance, suspense, and a good dose of humor. I was thoroughly entertained by the story and the crazy characters. Angus has put together a team of misfits to stop an imminent terrorist attack. I'm ready to jump into the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden is the first book in the new Deep Ops series and I freaking LOVED it!!

Pippa's hiding. She's virtually cut herself off from the world and lives in an isolated spot at the end of a cul-de-sac. She's got one neighbor, a nice old lady who doesn't ask a lot of questions and still offers friendship. Everything changes when the old lady moves out and Malcolm moves in. He's an ex-cop suffering from PTSD and the very last person she should get involved with. But Mal is impossible to resist and all too soon, Pippa finds herself falling in love for the first time. Maybe he can help her live again?

Malcolm is looking for a little peace after his last undercover gig went down the crapper. While he got the bad guys, he paid a heavy emotional toll. He finds himself a neat little house, isolated aside from one hot neighbor. The more he learns about her, the more he knows that he should remain detached, but he can't. What Pippa brings out of him is the best thing in his life and he can't let her go. Can his redemption be found in helping Pippa and keeping her safe?

I loved this story so much. Malcolm was a scrumptious bada$$ alpha and Pippa came off as a bit introverted, but she was so brave and sassy. Even the side characters to their story were intriguing. I can't wait to read their stories. I already see a burgeoning romance happening between two of them and I'm excited to see if they'll eventually be paired together. Angus Force is the man who brought everyone together and his keen intelligence got me all hot and bothered. I hope he catches his killer in the end!

Release: 09.25.2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat: 3.5
Standalone - Deep Ops #1

☆.｡.:* ARC provided for an honest review .｡.:*☆

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[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, it’s no secret that I’ve loved everything I’ve read by this author but this book is definitely my favorite of them all. There is so much going on here and it’s got all the feels to go along with it. Once I started I couldn’t stop, and it’s not a short book.

I don’t want to give away a lot of the details because as the story unfolds and you learn all the little tidbits along the way it just pulls you further and further into this world of deep ops and secrets.
Pippa is living the life of a shut in when she first sees her new neighbor unloading boxes from his truck. She’s pretty much living her life in fear and he only exacerbates them, causing her to have a panic attack. However, she slowly begins to allow herself to open to him without revealing any real truth regarding her background. Soon she’s hot and heavy with the ex-cop and accepting everything he says as truth.

Malcolm suffers from PTSD after living a life of lies during an undercover operation. He’s never had anyone solid in his life before and finds it difficult to trust. Especially when he’s offered a new job. When the woman next door gets all tangled in his life he finds himself once again not really sure who he is anymore.

I really liked both of these characters. They were flawed but real and in the midst of all the drama surrounding them they struggle to do the right thing even when trusting each other is the hardest thing they’ve ever done. I loved watching Pippa morph from the frightened woman hiding in her home into one that took a stand against the thing that had terrified her for most of her life.
Malcolm was perfect in his need to protect her and his struggle to give her what she needed.

This has a lot of action as Malcolm and the team he’s recently signed on to work a case. The Requisition Force team was amazing! I can’t wait for you to meet them as they each have their own quirky personalities. Roscoe by far was the most entertaining. Truly, I’ve never read another character with such hilarious idiosyncrasies. And Wolfe is one I’m going to absolutely LOVE watching as the series progresses. I’m just completely gone over all of this unit’s members and they aren’t all just men either. Even the women have me curious to see what they might pull in the future.

I can’t recommend this book enough, especially if you like romantic suspense that is equal in both the romance and the suspense neither overshadowing the other.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Multi POV
Safe no ow/om drama; H is not a womanizer
Triggers sex with underage girls – not on page; sexual abuse – not in detail; rape – not on page or in any detail

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg this crazy good.... thanks so much Paulette for recommending this series to me

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pippa escaped a cult a day before her 18th birthday. Now she is in hiding trying to keep clear of the life she ran as fast and as far as she could get from.

Malcolm was a police detective who has spent year infiltrating the mob. When the final bust goes bad, Malcolm is left with some serious scar…emotionally and physically. He decides to move to a remote home with only one neighbor, Pippa. Little does Malcolm know that his move was carefully orchestrated by a covert, black ops group affiliated with homeland security and the hot number next store just might be plotting a terrorist act.

While I loved the misfit team and really enjoyed the steam, I had a really hard time with the darkness perpetrated in the name of righteousness. It created a yuck factor 500 for me. It is like watching a crash, you know its coming but you just can’t look away.

Fast paced, suspense-filled and chuck full of chemistry, Hidden is a great start to a new series. And with the short excerpt at the end, I can’t wait to see what happens.

My Rating: 4 stars

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

As the first book in a new series, "Hidden", is a wonderful, sexy, dark dive into what happens to an ex-undercover cop and sets the foundation for all the stories to come. A lot of time the first book takes too much time "world building" and not enough time on the story, but the world Rebecca Zanetti builds from a group of misfits is fantastic. It's not nice or pretty, each character is flawed and broken in some way - in other words, they're not perfect, or even close. But, they all have a strong moral basis, it's just the details that get a little muddy at times. I loved it and will definitely continue the Deep Ops - Requisition Force Series.

Malcolm West is a burned out, injured, almost alcoholic, ex-undercover cop. All he wants is peace and privacy and he thinks he has found it at the end of a dead end road in rural Virginia far from the nearest town. The only other house is a small cottage next door. His last assignment just gutted him, both mentally and physically. He needs solitude to put himself back together again. But a certain government agent has other plans for him.

Pippa, aka Jennifer, aka Mary is hiding. She escaped from a cult and now lives in isolation, afraid of crowds and basically all people. She lives is constant fear that she will be found and dragged back to the "family". Now Mal has moved in next door and she is terrified she has been found. His sexy smile, killer body and gorgeous green eyes evoke feelings Pippa thought were long dead. Feelings like wondering what it would be like to like in the world, among people, experience attraction and closeness. Live her life instead of hiding from it.

Angus Force is putting together a new unit and his choice of employees are diverse and all have hidden places in their souls. Misfits is a kind label. They are all excellent at what they do and Force is going to use them to find and foil a suspected terrorist attack on Washington D.C. He will use anyone and do anything he needs to in order to stop it. That includes Mal and Pippa. 4 1/2-Stars

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti

Romantic suspense. First in the Deep Ops series.
A newly formed Undercover team investigates a cult. The heroine has been on the run from the same cult for years. She’s a bit skittish. Malcolm falls for her quickly, sure she is innocent in the upcoming and unknown threat from the cult.
Fast moving action, suspense and hot, sexy romantic connections.

Secondary characters:
Haha. The dog doesn’t know when to stop drinking whiskey. As they were leaving, he raced back to the table, knocked the bottle over, grabbed the neck in his mouth and then drained the bottle, his tail wagging. But no worries, the owner has had him to the vet several times checking on the dogs liver. All good. Not that the dog was supposed to drink, but he sometimes got into the liquor cabinet.
What a hoot! The dog has a few other issues that are revealed throughout the story.

The rest of the agency staff all have their own quirks. Wolfe with Kat the kitten. Leader Angus. The freed jailbird computer hacker with the Irish accent. I can’t wait to read all their stories.

Excerpt:
“I, ah, bake sometimes.” The flush intensified as she looked down at him from not much height. “A lot. I bake a lot.”
It smelled like what heaven should smell like. He’d probably never know. Was it rude to beg? It probably was. Would she let him buy whatever it was that smelled so good? It was probably also rude to offer money to a new neighbor for baked goods. He’d never learned much in the manners department. Manipulation, hell yeah. But something in him, something he definitely didn’t want to examine, balked at manipulating her. “I can microwave,” he offered. “Good noodles.”
“Oh.”
She slid the door open and edged halfway inside. Indecision crossed her face; she looked almost pained. She probably had great manners and was now fighting them. He rolled to his feet and shook out his left leg, which had cramped. The ache from his thigh was a constant companion, but at least the bullet had missed an artery. When he could, he took several steps back to give her space. The skies opened, and rain began to drop.
“Um, I could give you a couple of cookies, if you’d like.” Her knuckles were white as she clutched the door. Damn, he wanted those cookies. But her body language, even if he wasn’t an expert, showed she didn’t want him inside. In fact, she was barring the way.
“My boots are dirty,” he lied easily. “I’d love a couple of cookies, but do you mind if I stay on the porch? My socks have holes, and I’d rather not remove my boots. Too much ego, you know.”
Excerpt from Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and it is perfect romantic suspense. Equal parts action, suspense, humor and chemistry with EXTREME heat. The hero Malcolm is a badass, alpha but protective hero. The heroine Pippa is a shut in with secrets. The Homeland Defense Unit that Malcolm reluctantly becomes a part of consists of a strange group of characters, a profiler, a shrink, an operative, and an ex-con computer expert, a kitten and an alcoholic dog. ( hilarious) With this group the future of this series looks to be fantastic.
The OP is the investigation of a cult and and possible terrorist attack to come. The cult leader is CREEPY and Pippa is suspected to be involved. Is she? Malcolm doesn’t think so, and he is torn trying to investigate, clear and protect Pippa at the same time. We get multiple POV’s in this which adds so much to the story. I highly recommend this book - 5 stars!

[Amy Bruestle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I loved Roscoe the dog! I loved Wolfe and Kat! I loved all of the different personalities! I am ready to dig into the sequel, which I won through a goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I don’t like starting anywhere but the beginning of a series, so when I realized I won book number 2, I knew I had to track down a copy of book number 1 (this book) and read that first! This happens a lot, which is why it takes me a while to finish reviewing giveaways! Anyways, excited to see what’s in store for the characters in the second book!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received for review

Great first book. Lots of peeps introduced to get HEAs. It started to get confusing for a minute. Malcolm is yummy, hot and really knew his way around all the vertical and horizontal surfaces. Pippa was brave and strong to over come her past. She tried to run, but of course didn't get too far.

I think my favorite characters in this series are going to be Roscoe and Kat. Boy does Roscoe have issues.

[Lady Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publication Date: September 25, 2018

"5- How do you know if it's real stars!"

This was a great story and a wonderful start to a new series.
Malcolm and Pippa were an amazing couple to read.
The characters are a unique ensemble of colourful, smart, sexy and bad-ass misfits. As the story progresses the reader gets to see how they all come together to make a fantastic team and eventually how they become good friends.


The author's storytelling had me engaged and intrigued to see where she was going to go with the storyline.
I really enjoyed the plot, it well was written and executed.
The author did a great job of introducing the secondary characters and the dynamics of their relationships as a preamble for future stories in the series.

Great story!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series!


"I voluntarily read a copy of this book."

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining, steamy, fast paced romantic suspense novel. It has likable, engaging characters, humor, intrigue, and a hot hero. It is the first book in Ms. Zanetti's outstanding Deep Ops series. I am looking forward to reading the other entries in this series with great anticipation.

[Vashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great first entry into a new rom/susp by one of my fav authors.The alcoholic, high heel loving dog stole the book lol!!!! Can't wait for the next entry in this series.

[Mysti · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series. audiobook for best experience. IMPORTANT series info below.

Pippa is on the run from the cult her mother joined when she was just 7-yo. The night before her eighteenth birthday, when she’s supposed to marry the Prophet, she escapes. Now she lives a remote life, hiding from the world and the people chasing her.

Malcolm West (retired undercover detective) suffers from PTSD after his last undercover mission ended horribly. When he’s moving into his new house, he gets a visit from sneaky sneaky boy, Angus Force. Angus is putting together a Deep Ops team for HDD consisting of misfits. Angus wants Malcolm to join the team and infiltrate the same cult that Pippa is hiding from. Malcolm is now working to prevent the attack the cult is planning while also protecting the girl he’s falling for. They start a love affair, both broken with secrets to hide. Pippa and Malcolm heat up the sheets and I’m here for it.

I can honestly say, I have very few complaints throughout this series, which is kind of rare.

I love both Pippa and Malcolm. Pippa is strong, smart, and she doesn’t do anything stupid! She’s not annoying or a crybaby. She’s a pretty awesome FMC. Malcolm is tough, sexy, and calls her sweetheart and baby. You know I love it when he calls me baby!

SEX: They also have sex for the first time within the first 30% of the book. Thank ya jesus for that one. I think we get four delicious love scenes. They’re not dirty kinky, but they’re still pretty good. Only bad thing for me is they use condoms. Yuck.

AUDIO: Roger Wayne narrates the books, with the exception of Book 6. That guy sucks. RW also does a really good female voice. His voice for the prophet is spot on! Eerily so. RW also has a huge arsenal of voices and has created a unique sound for everyone in the ENTIRE series. It's perfection and he needs an Oscar for this. He also needs to marry me.

SIDE NOTE: I don’t like it when characters are called two names. Pippa calls him Malcolm or Mal. His coworkers all call him West. It was confusing at first. Angus is sometimes called Force. Pick one and stick to it.

SERIES INFO

Angus had taken down a serial killer, but he doesn't think the guy is actually dead. He's put together this team and they're all solving cases, but Angus always keeps the serial killer case in the background. All members appear in all of the books and Angus has his own POV in all of them. I honestly don't have many complaints at all. Here are side

💣 You'll might think Rosco (the alcoholic dog) is stupid and unrealistic, but you'll end up loving him.

💣 Wolfe gets better with each book. Impossible, you say?? Nope - I'm serious. Better with each book. He's tied with Raider for my fave MMC.

💣 Raider is the sexiest out of all the men. I want to lick him and have his babies.

💣 Every couple gets interrupted during their first attempt at sexy times. That seems to be the standard for nearly every single romance I read.

💣 Agents Rutherford and Fields are in every book and they're twats the entire time.

💣 There's no insta-love for any couple. There is attraction, but not anyone saying they love each other after one chapter. That's important to some readers. In fact, Angus and Nari don't say it until the 99% mark in their book. I was like DAMN what a way to hold out!!!

💣 It rains in nearly every single book!!!! I'm like damn people! In one book it snows the entire time.

💣 ALL of the females are powerful and kickass. I didn't have a single FMC that I hated, though Dana came close. If you've read my reviews before, then you know that's a rarity.

💣 While this book has a lot of sex, the rest of the books maybe get two sex scenes at most. Don't be disappointed because the books are still fabulous.

💣 Did I mention I love Roger Wayne?? Listen to the audio!

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at The Chaise & Lounge Blog
A very good start to a new series. The first half gave me goosebumps as it was very suspenseful almost like the beginning of a scary movie. The second half of the novel was definitely more of a romantic suspense story. I definitely on board for this new series.

Pippa Smith was on the run and appeared to have severe anxiety issues while Detective Malcolm West was drowning in alcohol as a coping mechanism for his PTSD. When Malcolm was asked to take a new undercover assignment investigating a terrorist threat involves the cult Pippa used to belong to, Malcolm is forced to cozy up to the reclusive woman. But Pippa is suspicious of everyone especially law enforcement so Malcolm has his work cut out for him.
It became really clear that Pippa and Malcolm were yearning for a connection to someone or something. They both wanted to be free of their past and also sleep well at night. They both have been looking over the shoulder for so long that peace is a luxury they dare not wish for. How can he get her to share her past when he won’t come clean about his own secrets?

I enjoyed Malcolm and Pippa getting to a place where they had someone to trust and finding love. It was really fast for people with trust issues but I’ll chalk it up to them being starved for human contact. I enjoyed this story as it had just enough romance to keep me going but I was really curious about that serial killer.

This series is a departure from what Rebecca Zanetti’s normal narratives but it definitely had her signature style especially with the sex scenes. I think her last four books have all featured a spanking scene but I am not sure Pippa and Malcolm had achieved that level of comfort after just a week of knowing each other. Especially for a woman who is in counseling and possible on medication for her panic attacks. I would have liked more development and discussion about Pippa’s anxiety and Malcolm’s PTSD. However, the author laid down a foundation for an off the books Homeland Security Department task force ~ The Requisition Force. I think it’s going to be really good as each member gets their own story. Each task member has a compelling backstory and I am really looking forward to hearing it, especially the dog Roscoe.

*I voluntarily read this advanced reading copy gotten from Netgalley. All opinions are my own honest opinions.

[Sakshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malcolm West and Pippa Smith.

“You and me and none of the other stuff. No jobs, no pasts, no bullets flying by. No panic attacks.”

Oh, this was a rather amazing read. Honestly when I started reading, I had my doubts. When the plot was developing, even then I had my doubts.

But, I am surprised how much I liked this one. Strong plot. A sexy, strong (with muscles), bad-ass hero. Shy and brave heroine. An alcoholic, high heels wearing dog. A Wolfe with a Kat. Those secondary characters of the 'Requisition Force' unit were just... Perfection! All their quirkiness added a lot to the story.

So, probably would be reading Raider's, Wolfe's and Angus' stories next.

[Lisa Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I’ve read for this author and I am not disappointed!! Wow what a roller coaster. Will definitely continue the series! Like…right now. 🖤

[♥ WishfulMiss ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I’ve been waiting to read this for a while now, ever since we got a sneak peek of the first chapter in Vampire’s Faith so when I saw this in my inbox I was beyond excited. This is the beginning to a new series and so far, I’m loving the whole team :)

Malcolm meets Pippa when he moves in next door. What he doesn’t know is that his need to distance himself from his last undercover job plays right into the hands of Angus, team leader of a newly formed covert investigative team. Angus needs Malcolm’s undercover skills close to Pippa because she’s the key to taking down a dangerous cult. A cult that has big plans to hurt a lot of innocent people.

Pippa has worked hard to always stay one step ahead of a dangerous man who has convinces hundreds to follow him blindly. Including Pippa’s own mother. After 7 years of living under the radar, Malcolm moving in next door couldn’t come at a worse time. The “family” is closing in on her and rumors of a dangerous terrorist attack fast approaching and somehow linked to Pippa, raises the stakes to a whole new level of evil.

The story was full and engaging right from the start. Pippa and Malcolm were people that have had to go through some really bad times, situations that almost destroyed them and they’re both dealing with the broken bits that were left. I loved how they both became the person the other could lean on. This was very insta-love but the relationship that developed was strong and believable.

This story has a crazy amount of stuff going on and I did feel it detracted a bit from the main story, especially since there was some flashbacks thrown in and several different POVs going on. The romance was also more on the back burner than I personally like but overall this was a great start to a list of other interesting characters. Angus for one, I’m dying to know what’s up with him and Nari, Raider and Brigid (yes please!) and I wonder who will partner with Wolf and his pocket kitty, Kat, Lol.

Would I recommend? Yes, it was a solid read and will tempt you with more yummy possibilities :)

* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

SAFETY INFO:
Ages : Jennifer aka Mary aka Pippa:25 and Malcolm: early 30’s. (Neither are virgin)

Cheating : None.

OM/OW drama : None.

Separation : None. This was a fast paced story and the whole of it happens within a few weeks.

Push/Pull: The connection is instant so no really pushing away. Pippa is hesitant to believe she can ever have a real relationship with the “family” always after her but her feelings are never in doubt.

Main Pursuer of relationship : Mal is the main pursuer.

Possible Triggers : Mention of incest (off page), cult lifestyle (on and off page), rape and murder (off page, side characters), death of a parent (off page, h), spanking and light BDSM play.

HEA/HFN : Ends on a HFN epilogue two weeks later. Hints of a marriage proposal in the future.

[Ess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hidden opens up with intensity and drama in author Rebecca Zanetti’s character’s Malcolm West and Pippa Smith, and then trails off into a confusing mist of random bouts of slapstick humor that really did not fit in with the beginning of the books dark overtones, random moments of unnecessary BDSM between Pippa the trauma survivor and Malcolm the PTSD sufferer, and too many storylines to focus on the central drama. If Zanetti’s goal was to set up a storyline for the next book in this series, the amount of time spent focusing on the other sideline characters came across as premature, forced and unnatural.

I also found myself heartily disliking Pippa— I thought a lot of her behavior was utterly dumb— especially after being in hiding for many years she cluelessly ‘forgets’ all of her fixed training when Malcolm’s pretty face comes into her starved view.

I really wanted this book to be an intense, action packed thriller, instead Hidden read like a wannabe sexy episode of Criminal Minds, and I’m still trying to come to terms with the impression left in my well-read imagination.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Mara]

I don't have a good track record with this author, so I decided to read a sample before buying it.

Damn glad I did. It was cringe-worthy. I believe people with mental health problems should be treated way better even as a character. (Show me the real person and only after highlight their problems)
In the first chapter/s the heroine is written off as really pathetic and the other two characters aren't written much better. The way she's written while having a panick attack shows her as a pathetic little girl, not as a woman trying to survive.
But the real nail was when after the attack she's shown as pathetic per se, not as a normal person. I mean you can absolutely be embarrassed or feel humiliated if someone else is watching you, but you don't play the stupid dumb blond with nothing between her ears (she blurts I'm not virgin you know... WTH???)
So, mighty glad that for once I started thinking before buying.

I would strongly suggest that you read a sample before buying it :)

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lies by omission are still lies - no matter what.

I am really disappointed that I didn't like this book more. It felt like forever for me to finish this book, I guess taking 3 days to read it is forever for someone like me.

The writing is engaging but it was the plot, the cult thing has been done so many times. Oh and the lies by omission.

On to the next book.