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Saturday, March 23, 2019

Review: Hidden (Deep Ops #1)

Hidden (Deep Ops #1) 

by Rebecca Zanetti 

Blurb:
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...
Themes: Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
Ok so I assumed when I began this series that it would be just like previous contemporary novels that I have read by Rebecca, but I can honestly say, that this is NOT what that was. Hidden kicks off a new series in a strange but interesting way, introducing new characters and letting us into their world. But that being sad that is where the similarities to any other work you might be familiar with from Rebecca Zanetti ends. Pippa and Mal’s story is filled with angst, oddities, lies, and the world of danger that is involved when two people are hiding their true natures and identities.  Pippa has been on the run for years and when the hot-as-hell Mal moves into the little house beside her she is instantly drawn to him, even though she is terrified of the pull.  Mal just wants to hide in his new home and find a way to forget the assignment he barely escaped from with his sanity intact, but he should have known that it was just the calm before the storm.  With his new job as a super-secret agent he is forced into not one but two undercover assignments, one of which is earning the trust of his sexy new neighbor to find out her secrets and connection to a dangerous cult leader. But the feelings he is developing for Pippa are not part of his cover and soon he begins to wonder if he is in over his head. Even though they have both developed feelings for one another, with Pippa and Malcolm both hiding secrets, they are keeping parts of themselves separate.  When the truth comes out and they have to come to terms with the chance that they might lose one another, only Mal and Pippa can decide if what they feel for one another is true emotion and if it is worth putting forth the effort required to make a relationship work. I liked Pippa, even as I felt bad for her because of all her fears and anxieties which kept her from enjoying her life and embracing a chance to be with Mal. She obviously has worked very hard to overcome her past and live her life despite the fact that she always believed she would be forced to deal with her past before she could ever have a future.  Mal too has lived through some shit and seeing such a strong man brought so low was heartbreaking.  It was nice to see him coming together with his new team and finding his footing in order to keep Pippa and the rest of the world safe. The fact that his love for her allowed him to heal and move past his trauma was wonderfully done and reminded me why I love Rebecca’s writing so much. The passion between them was sensual and sweet while at the same time healing for them both.  I also feel I have to mention that the side characters in this novel are beyond intriguing and I am really looking forward to their novels, but by far the most entertaining and enjoyable character to get to know was the dog.  I could NOT stop laughing every moment that dog was the focus of conversation or action and I promise you that you will be brought to tears with laughter when you read it too.  There were a few slow moments and there were certainly some terrifying and sad moments, but in the end the series is off to a great start and I am looking forward to what comes next.
*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

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