Fallen is a crazy mix of humor, steamy romance, action/adventure, covert ops, intrigue, and angst that kept me entertained from the opening scene to the last page. I couldn’t wait to track down the sequel and go back and read the first book in the series, since I haven’t read it. Readers who take a chance on this one won’t regret it for a moment.

Fallen is book 2 of the Deep Ops series and is a great romantic suspense story. This whole group of characters is a unique assortment of flawed and quirky people who are brought together as a bunch of misfits destined to fail as a covert ops group. Together they make it work and each character is engaging with their own backstory. In this story, Raider Tanaka is the handler for Brigid, a hacker he picks up from prison to work with the Deep Ops group. The op is to infiltrate a Boston mob family and they find out Brigid's father was their enforcer in a previous life. Raider and Brigid go undercover as fiance's and visit her father to determine his involvement with the family. Plans go awry and Brigid and Raider must trust and protect each other.
Each book in this series is a complete case with focus on a set of characters but everyone in the group is featured in the storyline. This provides the author with an opportunity to grow each of the characters and reveal parts of their backstory in each book. This story was a great blend of suspense, intrigue and romance with lots of danger and action. There is also a preview of the next book featuring Wolfe, which I am eager to read as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE DELIGHT

After finding a new group of characters to love in Hidden, I couldn't wait to get into Fallen where I get to love a sexy romance with some suspense and comedy elements that have me shaking my head. These misfit of agents and crooks get the deed done with flair.



REVIEW

Fallen picks up where Hidden leaves off in the Deep Ops series of romantic suspense. There is a novella in the middle called Taken that tells you more about the hero in this story. You don't need to read it to understand this one, but I do recommend you read Hidden. You won't regret it.

Brigid isn't really a bad person, just one stuck in her beliefs with a good computer hacking sense. When she hacks into the wrong place, she finds her self on the wrong side of the law. Now she works with the the group of agents in Deep Ops, where she feels like an outsider. When the latest mission involves her father, she can't believe he worked for the Irish mob before marrying her mother and moving to a farm. She is positive her father is innocent, but the mob is sniffing around and making him look bad. Never mind the sparks she feels for her handler who is driven to bring down her father.

Raider Tanaka is Brigid's handler. He is pretty hard nosed and believes in the letter of the law. He's well trained, had a hard life and doesn't take shit off anyone. When he lets her see his inner bad boy, she can't ignore the heat that flames between the two of them. Now they are working the case of her father. He didn't expect to meet the father before he dated the daughter did he? But when the crime is human trafficking, he won't be fooled easily. Now he has is racing against time while trying to avoid the charms of a sexy criminal.

Thrown deep into the Deep Ops world from the first page, you see just how this band of misfits actually fit together. They all have their secrets and sins to bear. With a building falling around their offices, a neurotic dog that loves lipstick and high heels, and a demented agent who carries a kitten in his pocket, what's not to love about this band of misfits? The missions are difficult and meant to make the team fail, but these are the right people stoping the bad evil and showing up the FBI in ways that we as normal minions would never see.

The main characters are likable even with their quirks. Each brings their own brand of style to the action, the lovemakng and the sleuthing. Each one is unique and even flat our crazy. Peeling back the layers of each character is enjoyable to the extreme. The action flows nicely into the character plots. Humor is always on call for little things and big. And of course there is always a secret that could bring them all down and end the relationship before it even has a chance to begin.

Now I want to see more of Force and Nari as I think these two have a story to tell that will blow us away...but they will probably be the last story as Force holds this team together while Nari takes care of them like a mother hen, who has prickly points. I can't wait for the crazy warrior with a kitten in his pocket to fall and I know just who he is going to fall for....and I can't wait!

This Deep Ops team had captured my heart. There is a story to tell around every corner, a wound to heal, a big bad to bring down and even a sweet laugh to be made between the slap and tickles.  Onto the next story in the series which I will beg for from the author!

As others have said it’s up and down slow. There are scenes with unnecessary details that bog down the flow. There’s also too many unnecessary scenes where they have to jump through another hoop to move the story forward. At 85% and one more “I have to go back in” plus a girl’s night out when the team’s life is at stake and human trafficking is involved? I lost my patience.

Separating my frustrations about the structure and plotting, I really liked Raider and Brigid and their chemistry. They’re opposites who fit perfectly. I would have loved more time with them and their developing relationship. All of the characters are fun and you feel their growing bond. The dog schtick is growing on me but a little goes a long way. I also liked the author did her homework on offshore shell companies and hiding assets. She did a great job simplifying it and incorporating it believably into the money laundering part of the plot.

This is the second full length story in the Deep Ops series. The team is back with a new case, as well as some agents who are trying to shut the team down. This is Brigid's (the hacker) and Raider's (the Fed) story. The team is going after some drug and human traffickers, mobsters and a dirty senator. It turns out that Brigid's dad was and may still be involved with the mob. He has information the HDD needs and they plan to use Brigid to get it. Pretending to be engaged to Raider Tanaka, they head up to his farm. Of course, what starts as an act, soon becomes more. You could feel the tension between these two from the first moment they were introduced in book one, so you know where this is going to go. With Brigid's dad's past coming to life, it puts her in danger, and Raider has to keep her safe.

Brigid and Raider were a great team. We got to know about their past and what motivated them to work with the Deep Ops team. Raider was determined, not only to bring the criminals to justice, but to protect Brigid. Brigid shares her past and why she is working with the team, which infuriates Raider. She is smart, persistent and a great hacker that brought so much to the team. The plot of the book was very timely and well-written. The mob/human trafficking angle was tense resulting in some violence. There was a lot of action as well as a lot of romance (some pretty erotic scenes) which I skimmed, but did not lose any interest in the story by doing that. The whole team are here and they are all wonderful characters. This book left them all battered, bruised and shot, but they all work together and never give up until they get their man and make sure they are all safe. Roscoe the dog is back and up to his rather odd tricks, but I love him and he brings some humour to this tense story. This romantic suspense story is even better than the first in the series, but it also contains a bit more sizzle. If you enjoy this type of story, with some erotica thrown in, they you will love this series.

WOW!! Yet again Rebecca Zanetti delivers a powerful story for her readers! She can write in any genre and make the characters come to life. I really love the way she masters her writing, draws the readers into the story, and uses such clear voice that I feel I'm getting to know the characters (and falling in love OR hating the characters too). Rebecca Zanetti is a talented and gifted writer and I couldn't put this book down!!

Fallen is the second full length novel in the Deep Ops series and tells the story of Brigid Banaghan, an FBI Hacker and Raider Tanaka, her handler. Brigid and Raider begin an undercover mission to infiltrate the Irish mob and hope that Brigid's father's connection to the mob will help them with the mission. Raider and Brigid have amazing chemistry and I could feel the sexual tension oozing off of the pages when reading!!

I really loved this story. I was drawn into the story quickly and enjoyed the action, sexual tension, and truly just all of the interactions between the HDD Deep Ops team!! Although they are considered messed up/washed up agents, misfits, whatever words you want to use to describe them, they are awesome and I love the whole team (even our drunk & height conscious dog, Roscoe). I enjoyed the book so much I not only have it on ebook, I have a paperback copy, and I bought it as an audio book!!

I can't wait to read the next story about Wolfe & Dana!! Rebecca Zanetti is one of my 'go to' authors and I love how she continues to write new stories with such a great edge for character development, action, romance, suspense, etc (the list could go on forever). Love, love, love this story and I can't wait for the next one!!

Fallen is actually the 3rd book, but for some confusing reason, Hidden, was number 1.5. Deep Ops is part of Homeland Defense, but is made up of a bunch of misfits, agents that have sacrificed their lives for the country but now the top of the organization is more concerned about politics and power than keeping the country safe. The operatives of Deep Ops are all a bit off, which provides some comic relief between the danger of the ops. Hacker Brigid Banaghan, has been forced to "lie by omission" to the rest of the group, by her handlers, who manipulated her incarceration, so they could control her, and they want Deep Ops gone. However, she is very comfortable where she is, doing good. She and Raider Tanaka are paired on an assignment because of their attraction, which is apparent to everyone on the team but them, but also because her father might be one of the bad guys. Danger abounds and Raider is not going to let anything happen to his "Irish". Action, adventure, romance and great characters make a terrific read.

I read an ARC from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I loved this action packed adventure filled with lots of twists! Brigid and Raider both feel restricted in their public life with the Deep Ops unit, a secret offshoot of the Homeland Defense Group, and in their private lives as well. It's hard for Brigid to keep the two lives separate and she's also trying to reconcile with her father. Raider thinks fast and well when it really matters and tries really hard to keep Brigid safe. There's more than one set of "bad" guys and the ending was a bit of a surprise, too. I'm looking forward to the next Deep Ops story!

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

Fallen
(Deep Ops #2)
by Rebecca Zanetti 

Kindle Edition, 368 pages
Published September 24th 2019 by Zebra Books


Goodreads synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti delivers a pulse-pounding new read filled with her trademark edge of your seat action in the latest book in her Deep Ops series…

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 . . 

***

4.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Deep Ops series by Rebecca Zanetti. This book is super easy to read as a standalone. So don’t fear digging into book two if you haven’t read book one. The author does a great job of keeping us up on what has happened in the past that impacts the current storyline.

Brigid is forced to spy on a covert unit that the government is unhappy with. She manages to gain their trust with her outstanding hacker skills and while on the inside develops a relationship with her handler, Raider Tanaka. In a lot of books like this, the main lead woman would be worrying about how her spying would impact her down along the line but it doesn’t seem to be that way for Brigid. Her emotions aren’t so much on the forefront. This makes it a little of a challenge to connect to the more sexy scenes. They are a nice contrast of erotic wording and explanations. I just didn’t feel taken away by the moment when it came up here and there in the book. So if you are just reading it for the more sexy scenes, then just know that the romantic suspense moments in this are what really shine. The sex is secondary and is there to support the story and its outcome.

I enjoyed the give and take between Raider and Brigid. And the relationship with her father was strained and I felt needed to be more expanded for clarity. But you still understand the dynamic between them. Brigid’s initial kidnapping felt like it was something her father should have anticipated considering his past relations with the bad guys but sometimes we just need to let that sort of thing slide by and enjoy the ride.

Definitely a great romantic suspense title. I have a couple of other books by this author that I plan to move up on my TBR really soon. I totally enjoyed the characters and the team the author is creating here. Good stuff. Check this one out for sure, suspense/covert ops fans!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Another great read from the series. This time the special Deep OP goes undercover again and Brigid and Rider are in it together. Jet another great story full of action and suspense. The characters are still witty and they make the story even better. Both Brigid and especially Rider are easy to fall in love with and is great to see how they fall in love with each other.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

The pace of this romantic suspense was really fast, and I enjoyed it so much! Barrie was a fantastic heroine, because she had such a big brain, and she was also funny and sexy.

You can read this book as a stand alone. I have not read book 1 but I didn't feel lost reading this book. I really enjoy getting to know all the team members of Deep Ops. Raider is straight-laced but also very fierce in his love and protection of the ones he loves. Irish as Raider likes to call Brigid is a fire-crackers. The team decides to go after the new Mobster in Boston. A lot happens with this op and no one is safe. I can't wait for the next one.



*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Great author, wonderful suspense filled read. Brigid and Raider are an unlikely pairing but as the story progressed the chemistry between them was sizzling.

Fallen, Rebecca Zanetti’s second book in her Deep Ops series, is an action-packed, thrilling, sexy, romantic, hilarious, romance that entertains on all levels. Zanetti’s writing style is descriptive, making you feel like you are right there with the characters dodging bullets and fighting for their lives. Her prose is quirky and lively, and she doesn’t waste words—so much happens in this novel but the pacing is just right, and plot points aren’t dropped or left hanging unresolved. A lot of multidimensional characters inhabit the Deep Ops world, but each are described, developed, and interact with one another realistically with forethought and nuance to retain their uniqueness. Some of whom are just so funny, but I’ll let you discover them for yourself.

Brilliant, cerebral, loyal, and a risk-taking loner far more comfortable in the world of computers, zeros, ones, and writing code than interacting with people, Brigid Banaghan may be one of the world’s most skilled hackers. Unfortunately, she is caught by the government while hacking into a secured government server and forced to use her skills for the government on the secret Deep Ops team. Brigid has two weaknesses—a deep need for justice and an inability to resist bad boys. Raider Tanaka is assigned as her bodyguard and handler much to his surprise. A foster child who grew up on the streets, Raider is of biracial heritage—his mother was Japanese. He is a clean-cut, honorable, loyal, deadly, control freak who values honesty and integrity. While he can be dangerous and as bad as it takes to get the job done, he is most definitely not a bad boy and he is not into bad girls. Too bad their minds don’t seem to be in control of their hearts and bodies. The attraction between them is fiery.

Brigid and Raider are deeply attracted to each other but for reasons of their own try to resist the pull. Raider suspects ulterior motives are involved with his assignment, but he loves working with the team, and he needs this chance to make up for the screw up that got him sent to Deep Ops in the first place. He’s not going to make waves. Brigid does not trust her shady superiors that sent her to Deep Ops and she’s not sure just yet who she can fully trust on the team. Against his moral compass, he’s keeping details of their missions secret under superior orders. She’s keeping secrets because she’s used to being on her own and relying only on herself.

Brigid’s estranged father has connections to Boston organized crime, which the team is tasked with investigating. When Brigid is sent undercover on vacation to her father’s farm with Raider as her “bad boy fiancé” with aspirations of accessing her father’s criminal connections to benefit his organization, the sparks between them fly as they grow closer and learn more about each other and themselves while trying to get to her father and stay alive.

Fallen is a crazy mix of humor, steamy romance, action/adventure, covert ops, intrigue, and angst that kept me entertained from the opening scene to the last page. I couldn’t wait to track down the sequel and go back and read the first book in the series, since I haven’t read it. Readers who take a chance on this one won’t regret it for a moment.

Fallen is the second in the new series Deep Ops by Rebecca Zanetti.
This is a seriously ragtag group of misfits that make up the unit. But they've bonded together over bullets and get the job done, not nearly as unscathed as they should.
Brigid Banaghan is the resident hacker at the secret Deep Ops unit. And her history is definitely colorful. She's not really a match for Raider Tanaka, her handler who takes control to an entirely new level. When they are thrown together on an op nothing seems to go right and you'll likely be surprised they don't end up buried early in the book. But like I said they are misfits, so they find a way to keep moving. And when the attraction boils over between Raider and Brigid look out. The mission is high level dangerous, getting in bed with the mob and trying to take down a powerful enemy. All it takes is one string to unravel the pieces.

Oh Boy! did this book hit all my hot spots with its mix of heat, suspense, humor and memorable characters. I believe I've just elevated Ms. Zanetti into my auto buy club.
Brigid is a hacker extraordinaire, caught by the FBI she is now paying her dues working with a special task force doing what she does best. Raider is ex-FBI who has inserted himself into the task force in search of justice for one of his team mates who became a victim of the Irish mob. When facts come to light revealing that Brigid's straight and narrow farmer father is a person of interest in her latest case, Brigid has a hard time believing it but he 's quite the character who adds a lot of color to an already colorful story.
Fast moving, suspenseful the story will keep you on your toes as Brigid and Raider explore their relationship in the midst of a series of action filled moments interacting with the bad guys in their guise as a bad boy couple. The cherry on top is a very interesting cast of characters one of which is a high heel waring, lipstick eating dog.
I absolutely can't wait to read what comes next.

The Deep Ops team for Homeland Defense Department is a very interesting cast of characters working in the strangest office conditions, who we watch come together as a team. In this round of activities defending against crime and corruption, handler Raider and extraordinary computer hacker turned white knight work as a romantic team. Of course as all Zanetti stories progress, it's a given that a romance is brewing. The characters find it harder and harder to keep their distance while 'play acting' for their assignment. The characters are fun, the romance delightful, the action exciting, and being the good guys makes the characters excel. Now I need to go back and read the first book in this series, how did I miss it.

What a wile ride! Brigid and Raider are perfect together. I love strong characters, I love hacker stories, I love “ops” stories, and I love Zanetti stories. Needless to say, I had high expectations for this book and Zanetti met those expectations and more. Five stars and more!

I absolutely love this series! With so many crazy characters and someone always getting themselves into trouble, what’s not to love?!?
Raider and Brigid make an unlikely pair but Brigid’s intelligence and obvious need for protection tick all of Raider’s boxes. Of course they try to stay away from each other, blah blah blah. We all know that’s not gonna work. But the story in between is very exciting. I’m not sure how any agent on this team is standing upright by the end! Fast paced and downright gritty. I’m excited for Wolfe and Dana’s story next!
5 stars!!

I love a good strong heroine paired with an equally strong heroes. Both of these characters were that! I’ll be in the look out for this author since this was my first read from her!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this!