Absolutely loved learning Jethros story. There was always hints about him, so it’s nice to finally know.
I love Gemma’s character, she was so relatable. You could feel the emotions between the two.
The only bad part about the book, Roscoe didn’t make me laugh as much as normal. It seemed like his antics were not really present this book. But, Trudy took his place. That little girl was hilarious and had everyone eating out of her hands.
Add in all the action and drama and you have the perfect read.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

Unforgiven
Rebecca Zanetti
June 7, 2022

Zanetti gives us Deep OPs #5 with Jethro Hansen’s story. His history with MI6 and the path of destruction his older brother, Fletcher has caused him. In the midst of teaching at D.C. University he still works whenever needed with Deep OPs or other top security who call for his help. It’s the end of Christmas break and he stops by the new teacher’s office. Gemma Falls is taking over for her bestie, Serena. She has moved into her apartment hoping that when the house is finished and Serena returns she can take over the lease. Gemma is teaching Statistics. It’s a first time teaching for her so she came the day before classes began to pull her act together as best as she could. Her young daughter, Trudy is at the day care while she plunders through the synopsis.
In the midst of quiet she hears footsteps. She pulls out her handgun, just in case her ex has sent someone else to try to kill her. He’s a doctor and seemed like such a perfect guy. Great looking, efficient, kind, and had money. Unfortunately, his temper was easy to fire and she was his usual target. At this point he had no idea of Trudy’s existence and hoped he never would.
Unforgiven is another of Zanetti’s incredible suspense novels that cannot be put down. Her usual characters are present in this one. It will be published on June 7, 2022 by Lyrical Press of Kensington Books. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Unforgiven. Deep Ops is such a terrific series. Her fans, including myself, have been waiting for another episode. They can be read separately so don’t presume you won’t enjoy this one if you haven’t read the previous four.
By all means enjoy. This is a great read!!

Unforgiven by Rebecca Zanetti is the fifth book in the Deep Ops Series. Jethro Hanson is a college professor with a secret pass that involves English intelligence. He has been an interesting character in the previous books in the series and I am happy he finally has his own book. Gemma Falls also works for the college. She has a daughter and a mysterious past that is catching up to her.

Rebecca Zanetti writes fantastic books with plenty of action, some romance, interesting characters and a great story. All the characters from the previous books show up including the German Shepherd, Roscoe who likes to drink and sometimes wears high heels. These misfit group of characters form a family where their talents complement each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and enthusiastically recommend it.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Loved it! Great story! Cover was cute and I’m not a huge fan of Ops books but this was really great.

What did I like? So I liked Gemma’s part of the story on the blurb. Jethro’s story however was really unique and sucked me completely in. I’ve loved books by this author before but it’s been awhile since I picked one up.

Would I recommend or buy? I’m going to go back and read them all! All of the characters were insanely great and I bet they have their own books since this is book five. Five stars from me!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left this review!

Unforgiven by Rebecca Zanetti is book five in her Deep Ops series.

Gemma Falls is playing professor at DC University in place of her friend Serena. Dr.Jethro “Jet” Hanson is the playboy professor who has taken it upon himself to welcome Gemma to the university. Gemma has too much on her plate to consider a romance, though Jethro is a fine specimen of a man.

The reader will instantly know that “something is a foot” and that neither Gemma nor Jethro are what they seem to be. Rebecca Zanetti made these characters come to life for me. I could picture Gemma’s ill-fitting clothes and hear Jet’s sexy British accent. The pace of the story is great with plenty of action and plot twists. I couldn’t decide which was better: the action or the romance; both are “hot and heavy.” I hadn’t previously read any of this author’s work but throughly enjoyed this one. I give Unforgiven 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to all readers who like a thriller with a good romance.

My thanks to Kensington Books, Lyrical Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

I will admit I was surprised when I found out there would be a book 5 in the Deep Ops series. I have to admit I was surprised when I started the book and found out how much I love this series. The characters are fun, goofy and loyal. The humors times will make of for the darker story line that could drowned a person. Unforgiven is fast paced with steamy romance, action and lots of cute kid moments.

The characters are well developed from their background to their current lives. This can be read as a stand-alone but trust me you will not want to miss one book in the Deep Ops series.

Unforgiven is everything readers expect from Rebecca Zanetti

Rebecca Zanetti keeps readers hooked with nail biting, thrilling, psychological suspense and a fantastic romance woven in….. Unforgiven is truly an edge of your seat read.

Gemma is a single mother on the run with everything to lose. Changing locations and jobs every few months to keep her and her child safe. The woman is always looking over her shoulder. Not wanting The violence of her past to catch up with her, she presents herself as a cold, uncaring woman. When that’s the last thing in the world she truly is.

Jethro is a college professor with a secret past that he is trying to walk away from. The man is an amazing operative but this Brit is ready for those missions to remain in the past. Yeah when we want things to stay in the past they seem to do so. And now a new hire at the college has somehow made her way into his life and into the path of his past danger.

I’m not even sure where to begin on this one. Hats off to Rebecca Zanetti because this was one of those books that hit you hard. I mean that in the best of ways. Gemma and Jethro are perfect for each other. Her protective demeanor truly makes you not be able to judge a book by its cover. Jethro is all alpha, extremely protective and unconditionally devoted. Their romance is a slow burn but it was one that I was rooting for the entire time. Unforgiven is extremely suspenseful. Lots of twist interns you don’t see coming and totally hits on that psychological level. There are many times I had goosebumps but yet I could not stop reading because I had to know what happened. I also have to mention that Gemma‘s daughter was extremely cute and the story wouldn’t have been the same without her. Rebecca Zanetti truly knows how to keep us hanging on for everything with her tortured heroes and the women that come to love them.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 5th book in Zanetti's Deep Ops Series, but it can be read as a standalone. I haven't read the first 4, but am definitely planning to go back and read them now!

Gemma is on the run from her abusive ex. She was pregnant when she first ran, and he didn't know. Now she's hiding with her 3-year old, Trudy, and trying to stay one step ahead of him to keep Trudy safe. She's going to be filling in for her friend, Serena, at the college and is staying in her house while she's away. Because of the Serena connection, she meets Jethro Hanson, who is charming, handsome, and former MI6. She can't afford to make friends or have a relationship - the last time she trusted a man it went horribly wrong. As the two work together and begin to trust each other, their defenses begin to come down. Together (and with the Deep Ops team) they must face her ex and his sociopath brother.

This book was great - I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend if you like romantic suspense.

Kept me on my toes til the very end!

I needed a good break between reading YA and RomCom's, so this Romantic Suspense came at the perfect time, and I devoured every page. I'm also a sucker for anything with toddlers that can't fully pronounce names, or anything with animals, so I was immediately enamored with the story.

Gemma is on the run from her abusive ex-fiancée, who doesn't know she was pregnant when she ran. Always trying to stay one step ahead and constantly looking over her shoulder, all while providing a stable life for her daughter. She is the epitome of a strong female lead, and I loved watching her strength throughout the story.

Jethro is the perfect alpha specimen! Dealing with a sociopathic brother who is out for revenge, taking lives left and right, but only leaving enough breadcrumbs behind to taunt him. I absolutely loved watching the gentle side come out of Jethro whenever he's around Trudy (the 3 year old), and admire his control, especially when all seems lost.

This was my first book by this author and I immediately grabbed the previous ones in the series to read after I finished, because the side characters are so entertaining and lovable. Unforgiven can be read as a stand alone, but you'll find yourself attached to the other team members, and want to have their stories as well.

The author has romantic suspense down to a fine art. At least, the suspense part–with a lot of action and some gory details.

This time, I think she also did the romance part quite well. That’s what happens when a kid is involved, I discovered. It forces the non-parent character to show a side of them that’s different and make them more likeable, and make the parent character fall for them. Here, Gemma was the parent–of three year old Trudy–and Jethro was the alpha ex-deep op who fell for both. He clearly had a protective streak already, but he became also nice and sweet. That despite Gemma’s standoffishness.

Gemma is on the run with her daughter, and can’t afford to trust anyone, nor get involved with her sexy colleague. Especially when she realizes how dangerous he really is. And yet, she slowly opens up to him, makes a space for him in her life. I loved how conflicted she felt: Jethro brings new dangers in her life, but he also offers safety and protection. In her situation, it was a hard choice to make, staying or running again. The dilemma felt real.

I enjoyed their chemistry. There’s definitely some attraction right from the beginning–both are gorgeous, after all–but their personalities didn’t match. It wasn’t quite enemies to lovers, but close. But Jethro has a big heart and offers his help numerous times. Of course Gemma ends up falling for him.

The investigation, and how it involved Jethro and the whole Force’s team, as well as the police department, were gripping. I won’t say more about the victims, the suspect, and what happens, but let’s just say that it’s explicit and violent, and the pace is good and there are many twists. Some actions or reactions may have been weird or even stupid, but it kept the story going, so I won’t complain.

There’s some sexy here too. I like that. Maybe it didn’t exactly suited them though. I mean, Gemma has been abused, I would think she would refuse a dominant male in bed. But what do I know, right?

I can’t wait to see who’s next at getting their happily ever after.

Quickie

- Series: Deep ops #5 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #single mom #ex agent
- Triggers: gruesome murders with graphic depictions, mention of alcoholism and domestic abuse or neglect, multiple injuries
- Main couple: Gemma Falls & Jethro Hanson
- Hotness: 3/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + little Trudy seducing every adult in the vicinity
- – can I slap thick headed investigators in the face?

I’m so happy that Zanetti has continued this series as they’ve gotten better. Work and life has been crazy and finding a book that really to really pull me in and away has not been easy, but this one had the action, humor, romance, and characters to do that. It was great to and watch Jethro realize, like it or not, he’s been adopted by and now part of the family and team that Deep Ops has become and when a killer from his past comes after him, that means they go into action to help whether he wants or not. Bad decisions in Gemma’s past forced her to get smart outside of the classroom and put on the run to protect her young daughter. With the help of an old friend, she’s hiding/building a life working at the same university that Jethro teaches. As their paths cross several times, Jethro becomes intrigued by the mystery on contradictory fronts he sees of her. When danger comes calling, Jethro’s protective instincts kick in and before Gemma can go on the run again, she finds herself both reluctant to do so and surrounded by smart but deadly people. Life has taught both Jethro and Gemma to be cautious and guarded. Watching them dance around each other while guarding their secrets then slowly learning to trust and faith again was a joy. The characters, main & secondary, old & new are all well written, balanced with depth and interesting, and their interactions feel real, honest – from Jethro’s cool intellect exterior, Angus’ bossiness, Wolf’s affection for sprinkle-laden caffeinated beverages, Gemma’s determination to Roscoe’s antics and more. The romance and suspense story lines are well paced and developed and will keep you turning pages to see what’s happening next and how it will all come to a HEA for our newest couple. While you don’t need to read the prior books in the series to enjoy this book, doing so will of course bring further enjoyment/insight into the various characters and their interactions. Besides, you’ll likely want to go back and read them anyway if you start here. Now the question remaining is: who’s next and how soon will be lucky enough to read their story.

I think I needed some suspense in my life. I have completely fallen in love with this world of outcast agents and rebels who solve problems without staying inside the lines. Funny dogs, cute kids, and lots of overly sweet coffee drinks only help to endear this cast of characters to me as a reader.

I liked Jethro in previous books, but wasn't prepared for how much I would like him as the hero in his own book. His own tortured past in combination with threats against Gemma brought the alpha protector out of his calm exterior in all the best ways. It took a little bit of time to set the stage for all of the action, but that second half of the book read like a speed racer. I see bits and pieces of potential books and I sure hope we get them.

Unforgiven is the fifth Deep Ops Team book by Rebecca Zanetti but know it read very well as a stand-alone. It has on courageous woman who is determined to keep her child and herself safe from a dangerous abusive ex-fiancé. It also has Jet/Jethro Hanson, a tortured soul who is trying to move on from his M16 violent past. Easier said than done when Gemma and her daughter are suddenly again in the path of danger.

Not exactly an instant love story but after negative first impressions, friendship forms with love coming soon afterwards. The romance adds to the storyline but the suspenseful plot remains a true focus. There are also some especially cute scenes since Gemma’s daughter is so adorable. Then add in her dog, it is downright darling.

The suspense is as strong as the romance. So well done with a wonderful cast of characters, with action, danger, romance and family it is one super read. Grab it up as the escapism reading at its best.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is regarding Jethro, a former secret M16 agent and current college professor. A friendship is formed with Gemma, a professor at the same college and a single mother with a lot of secrets. Both are in danger when their pasts catch up to them. There is action, romance and of course Jethro gets help from his amazing friends. There are a few new characters that I hope get their own books.
I loved the Deep Ops series! There are so many amazing characters that have bonded into more than just co-workers.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I have loved reading the Deep Op series. Unforgiven, gives us Jethro's story. The bond that Wolf and him have is expressed throughout. Gemma is a very lucky lady that she has this group looking out for her and her daughter. The suspense is what I expected from Zanetti. She's a wonderful author and I gobble up her books. They are my favorite rereads.

Unforgiven by Rebecca Zanetti is another fast page turner. With her skilled mix of romance and action Zanetti drives the plot forward. We take back up with another member of the deep ops group, and we learn more about his mysterious background. Turns out he was an undercover operative for the British government. He has since retired and he’s working as a professor. He meets his love interest at work and is instantly taken by her. She does not feel the same way. That tends to be a theme with Zanetti where one of the main romance interests is not interested initially. However our female lead has her reasons which were convincing and felt realistic. I found the plot to be somewhat predictable but that didn’t lessen any of the enjoyment of the read. I did think it somewhat inconceivable for a former spy not to have been able to recognize that the female lead was wearing wigs and contacts that’s a small detail and not really something to take down the story at all.
As a quick read for a romance novel you really can’t miss with Zanetti. The fast pace the enjoyable characters the fun banter all of it works. I always think her work is very fun and charming. The storylines are a little simple but they’re engaging and that’s really all you need for this kind of novel.

Oh my gosh, Gemma and Jethro were everything I love in romance!!!

Gemma’s story held me captive as it was slowly revealed. She was a strong heroine despite her fears and uncertainties. I loved that her love and determination to protect her daughter took precedence over everything else in her life. When her choices were between doing the smart thing or that thing that readers scream about, she held fast to her character and remained strong.

Jethro was a unique hero with his accent and his special abilities. I adored him from the beginning. He was everything Gemma and Trudy needed and his interactions with the little girl were ovary exploding scenes that had me wishing for a Jethro of my own. He too had a background that was rising up to threaten him and what he was developing with Gemma and his protection of her and Trudy had me loving him all the more.

The scorching chemistry between Gemma and Jethro was enough to singe the pages. This also had several moments of intense danger and drama. I was glued to the pages as one thing after another was revealed to this couple and they were left to deal with it. Of course, the Deep Ops characters were there to give backup and I gobbled each delicious bite of them as they supported this couple.

Gemma Falls is a single mother who’s been on the run from her child’s abusive father for years–ever since she found out she was pregnant and made her escape. She manages to orchestrate a temporary job for herself as a professor at a university outside of DC, but her new life is far from easy. She doesn’t have much money, and a fellow professor, a handsome Brit, is paying her far too much attention. It turns out that he has secrets of his own–ones that put the both of them in grave danger.

This book was not at all what I was expecting! While Gemma’s backstory is one of the plots of the book, the main premise surrounds Professor Jethro Hanson, a former MI6 operative who now works as a professor. A serial killer who he hunted in his previous life has crossed the pond to target him–and whoever he cares about. Unfortunately for Gemma and her daughter, that now includes them.


This book has a lot of twists and turns in the plot. A few of the twists literally had me gasping in surprise. Like I said, this book wasn’t quite what I was expecting, genre-wise. Unforgiven features quite a bit of the investigation background of trying to catch the serial killer. Jethro and his former colleagues are investigating the recent killings, looking into Gemma’s past, etc. and the genre turns into a bit of an investigative thriller. I was a little confused at times, since there are several different teams and investigative units involved in the plotline–some which work well together, and some which don’t. This is the fifth book in the series, and I suspect that I might have better understood the dynamics of the different teams and characters had I read the other books first.

That said, in this book, we’re introduced to couples from the previous books, along with a hint of what their romantic thriller storylines were. It’s cleverly done–we’re given enough of a taste to be intrigued to check out those books, but not so much that their stories are spoiled.

The romance between Gemma and Jethro takes a backseat to the action and adventure of the storyline. That said, their relationship is sweet, and I loved the misunderstandings–particularly when they first meet, and they both have assumptions about one another. Trudy, Gemma’s four-year-old daughter, is absolutely adorable, and the budding father-daughter relationship between Trudy and Jethro is cheek-pinchingly cute.

Ultimately, Unforgiven is a fast-paced, thrilling romantic suspense novel with lots of intrigue, adventure, a hint of angst, and a sweet romance.

After reading Nari and Angus story in the fourth book (which was amazing), this one did not measure up.
I like Jethro and Gemma as well as little Trudy. But it felt like there wasn’t room enough to explore their relationships. Or even to get more in depth with just one character. The book was almost too fast paced.
Unfortunately it didn’t sit right with me but I still love the deep ops-family and all the characters involved. Desperately want to know more about the twin brothers!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington books for giving me a e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another riveting read in the Deep Ops series! I didn't think I'd enjoy another book in this series as much as I did Wolfe and Dana's story, but this one gives it a run for its money. I was captivated by the characters and the plot from the first chapter, not wanting to put the book down to deal with the humdrum tasks of daily life. It was wonderful to slip back into the Deep Ops world for the day, catching up with Angus, Wolfe, "Rot-co," and the gang, and of course getting to know Jethro better. I quickly fell in love with Gemma and Trudy and found them to be the perfect match for Jethro. The suspense is nail-biting as Jethro and Gemma battle against evil on more than one front. The story has a satisfying ending, and the book hints at Millie's story being next. I can't wait!

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for providing an ARC for review.