​Hidden is the first book in a new series (Dark Ops) that promises to be another hit by Rebecca Zanetti.
 
I’m a fan of the author and several of her series including the Scorpius Syndrome books, which is a mix of romantic suspense and not really paranormal, but more like science gone wild. The Dark Ops series is full on romantic suspense and as always with Ms. Zanetti’s books, on the steamy side. I wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to keep up the tension that she did so well in the Scorpius Syndrome series, but she did not disappoint. While HIDDEN did start a little slower for me as she set up the world and the players, it wasn’t boring at all. It was the perfect start to give us a chance to get to know Pippa and Malcolm, both of whom are fabulous characters. 
 
Pippa has been running and hiding for years and even though she’s at first terrified of Malcolm, she quickly finds herself trusting him. I will admit that he won her trust a little too fast for me, but the author made it work and hey…sometimes the heart just knows and overrides all of our other senses. While the chemistry between these two burns up the sheets, it’s Pippa’s strength that really caught my attention. This poor woman has been through so much. She’s seen things no person should have to endure or watch, yet she’s still kind of sweet, and gentle, and most importantly, compassionate. She’s also got this quiet strength to her that is easy for many to overlook, but she doesn’t let them and I really admired the character for that only.
 
Malcolm is a cop who is burned out and looking to simply escape. Too bad life won’t let him, which is probably a good thing given Pippa’s situation. Two things I really liked about Malcolm: his faith in Pippa and his protective streak, which extended beyond her and showed us his true character. 
 
The storyline was full of twists, turns, and moments that kept the page turning as well as a few spots that made you laugh. A perfect combination.
 
There were other great secondary characters that are going to make this an interesting series, especially Wolfe. And I dare you not to fall in love with Roscoe who is the coolest and most unique dog I’ve ever seen.
 
I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes romantic suspense, special ops or books with great characters and unique storylines.

​I’ve been hearing about Katie Ruggle for sometime and it’s all been good. So, she’s been on my list of new-to-me authors to check out. I’m just not sure if this was the best one to start with mainly because it’s book 4 in a series and I always feel like I’m playing catch up when I do that. 
 
Even so, it was an enjoyable read.
 
The heroine, Kit Jernigan is smart, savvy, loyal, and funny, not to mention, she has an awesome dog, Justice, her K-9 partner. She loves her job and wants to do a great job and fit in, to find a home. Unfortunately, her human partners on the force don’t exactly make that easy for her. Still, she didn’t give up; rather she resolved to win them over. I really liked this about her. Kit wasn’t whiney, she wasn’t bitchy, she was nice—something we need more of in this world. She also had great instincts, which is important not just for police work, but for life in general. 
 
Wes March as the hero was a breath of fresh air. He was quirky—super smart (he makes the coolest gadgets), sweet, honest—just not a real people person. I love that he was there for Kit when she needed him, but he also stood back and let her do her job too. 
 
I loved watching this romance between Wes and Kit slowly unfold. While the romance was a strong plotline in the book, it wasn’t the main focus and that was okay. It seemed more realistic and built naturally. The two characters really “got” each other, but there were still those sweet moments of uncertainty that were so fun to watch. 
 
What I wasn’t too crazy about were the other police officers. I know it’s typical to razz the new person, but they went beyond that and were flat out jerks most of the time. They also came across as stupid, inept, and slightly corrupt. Given that I didn’t read books 1-3, I did have to guess as to their motives and I tried to give the characters and the author the benefit of the doubt. Although, based on other reviews, I think “dumbing down” the men was the author’s way to make Kit the hero of the story. 
 
As to the rest of the book, it was fast paced with lots of action and kept you turning the pages. I would recommend not reading this book until you’ve read the first three in the series.