Review: Fallen (Deep Ops #2)

Fallen (Deep Ops #2)

by Rebecca Zanetti

Blurb:

Too quiet. A talented hacker who got caught, Brigid Banaghan is now forced to work with a secret Deep Ops unit. But she won’t reveal any more to these renegade Feds than she has to. Especially not to Raider Tanaka, her control freak of a bodyguard and handler. It’s enough that his body is tensed for action and his heated gaze is always on her . . .

 Too sharp. Raider knows there’s more to his new assignment than he’s been told. Why send a deadly agent of his experience to guard a computer genius—even a gorgeous, unpredictable, undisciplined one? But when Brigid’s estranged father is named in an investigation into Boston’s organized crime, Raider’s mind switches onto high alert, just like his senses . . .

 Too close. To clear her father’s name, Brigid needs Raider’s help. The Unit’s idea that she bring a straight-laced Fed in as her “fiancé” won’t fly, though—not unless Raider can release his inner bad boy and become the rebel Brigid can’t resist . . .

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Wow so I didn’t really see any of that coming.  These folks have so many secrets that the layers upon layers of info they have to uncover about one another just to get to know the individual they are falling in love with is astounding. Zanetti’s newest series revolves around a set of misfits that have come together into an oddly effective team of crime-fighters and each new story just gets stranger and stranger.  Raider and Brigid have sparked off one another since they met and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon, despite the fact that they know have to go undercover as lovers. Brigid is a hacker, one that has spent most of her life trying to utilize her skills to make a positive difference in the world, but she has been forced onto this team as part of a prison-plea deal.  Even though she knows she shouldn’t she desire Raider more than just about anything, despite his straight-laced and conformist personality and knowing she will never have a chance with him. Raider has devoted his career to bringing down criminals and his personal life to maintaining balance in all aspects to prevent his temper from taking over.  While he wants Brigid, he refuses to give into the desire because she is a criminal, even though she turns him on beyond any woman he’s ever encountered.  Forced into close quarters and danger situations repeatedly, they begin to rely on and learn about one another and soon the pull is no longer resistible and giving in becomes the most satisfying choices either of them has ever made.  Sadly, the secrets they are each keeping could end up pulling them apart, or getting either or both of them killed, if the team doesn’t manage to keep them both alive and out of jail. I loved seeing these two burn up the pages and was reaching for a glass of ice water more than once to cool myself down, but there were a lot of moments where I wanted to slap one or both of them for making stupid choices that might have torn them apart.  I am loving this series, with its ridiculous stories, hilarious scenes between the heavy stuff, and amazing plots to go along with the intense relationships and emotional connections.  I can’t wait for what’s next and to see where Rebecca takes this series.

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.