Fallen is the third volume in the Deep Ops series by Rebecca Zanetti; I read and reviewed the two previous volumes which are a long novel, Hidden, and a novella, Taken.
Even if you can read the books separately, I recommend reading the series in the order because there’s a common theme linked to Angus Force, the man who united the team, and one of his old enemies. What’s more, the stories follow each other and all the characters mentioned have been present since the first volume.

Fallen features Brigid Banaghan, the hacker, and Raider Tanaka, the former federal agent. Because of the agreement Brigid made after her arrest, she must answer to Raider, her handler and bodyguard, but also to two FBI agents.

The novel begins with Brigid and Raider in a restaurant usually frequented by gangsters in Boston. Raider is dressed as a FBI agent and he quickly draws attention which logically leads to a brawl.
We learn a bit later that Angus sent them there with a precise goal: to verify nobody recognize Brigid and for Raider to leave a calling card. The objective is for Brigid to make contact again with her father she’s not seen for years and for the couple to work under cover to dismantle a criminal organization. Brigid’s father is accused to do business with this organization, a fact the heroine refuses to believe and she’s determined to prove it.
We could say the suspense is only related to this investigation. However the author doesn’t forget the comment theme or the twists, one of those I didn’t expect at all. All the readers will be surprised, believe me.

The story is full of action, romance and friendship. The team making up this agency supports each other in all circumstances and I was pleased to see the heroes of Hidden.

Concerning the other secondary characters, we have: Brigid’s father whom I liked a lot and who made me laugh even if I wanted to shake him at times; the previous heroes; the next heroes, that is Angus (of course lol), Dr Nari Zhang and Clarence Wolf; Dana Mullberry, a journalist.
Through the excerpt at the end of the book, we know who will be the next heroes but I let the readers discover it themselves  The novel will be titled Broken.

To conclude, a volume I loved and a series I recommend absolutely for fans of romantic suspense.

Lots of humor, tons of feel good friendship, a heavy does of heat and lots of action, Zanetti brings it all in this the second edition of the Deep Ops Series, Fallen.

Brigid is a hacker that was doing time when she is enlisted into the secret ops unit. But she was recruited by another organization to spy on the Deep Ops group leaving her in a precarious situation. Become a rat on the people she’s developed friendships with or go back to prison.

Raider knows that his new assignment to capture’s Brigid’s father goes deeper than he’s been told. There is no doubt her father had ties to the Boston mob, but Brigid is additament that her father would never join anything to do with the human trafficking that he’s being accused.

To uncover the truth Raider posses as Brigid’s corrupt finance’ coming home to meet the family. Sparks will fly, secrets uncovered and some fake passion turns down right explosively into the real thing.

Superior suspense with a hot has heck romance.

I received this ARC copy of Fallen from Kensington Books. This is my honest and voluntary review.

You know if you have read the first one and liked it alot you can not miss the next one. In this Deep Op story we are given Brigid and Raider. We will also be given a dose of stubbornness that will eventually lead to some undoing. The drama in this one will be a high level causing you to be pulled forward a time or two. They will not be the only ones that capture your attention. This world can be hot at times running fast at times. I so did like the unpredictable course this went also. By the time you are finished you will need a break.

What an entertaining book this was. It came with a cast of secondary characters and an office setting that often made me giggle. It was a tightly woven romantic suspense by an author I have come to really enjoy. Disclaimer...in that I don’t read her paranormals, because that is just not my thing, but her romantic suspense books, I devour. The flawed characters involved all try to do good, but they all have issues, yet they come together as a great team/family. Brigid and Raider were the main focus with their getting their HEA, but as always, it is not easy. This is a wonderful series of standalones, and i can’t wait for more.

Brigid Banaghan is a hacker that can do just about anything with a computer. She’s been forced to work with the Deep Ops team to stay out of jail.
Raider Tanaka is the agent assigned to be her handler. He is convinced that Brigid’s father is still involved with a Chicago Mob organization and is willing to use her to get to them. What makes this series so good are all the crazy and unique characters. The back and forth between the two main characters keep everything flowing. The chemistry is amazing.
The secondary characters just to name a few are Roscoe the high heel wearing Alcoholic German Shepherd, Wolfe the giant of a man who carries a kitten in his pocket and Angus the leader who is hunting a dead man.
I really love this series and I’m so glad Wolfe’s story is next.

I love this book! Funny, dramatic, exciting, suspenseful and romantic, and packed with action, it’s just what I have come to expect from this series, and it’s a fantastic read.

Book #2 in the Deep Ops series, and Rebecca Zanetti takes us back to her team of misfits – a team within Homeland Defence that has basically been set up to fail. But that doesn’t deter its uniquely quirky members from doing what they do best and saving the day any way they can.

Brigid Banaghan is a brilliant hacker. Caught for doing the wrong thing, she was released from prison on the proviso that she put her talents to work for the government, and that’s how she ended up as a part of the Deep Ops Unit. Straight-laced Fed, Raider Tanaka is her handler, and he has no idea why. Until it is revealed that Brigid’s father has links to the mob, and the very crime family that Tanaka has been hunting down after they killed his former partner. Now the two of them are going undercover – but with very different goals. Raider wants to use Brigid’s father as his way in to the mob, and Brigid just wants to clear her father’s name. To pull the assignment off though, they are going to have to pretend to be engaged, which means Raider has to become just like the badboys that Brigid usually falls for.

“You need to turn into a badass criminal with an attitude. The reason I’m telling you this is that when we turn you into her type, she may fall for you, and I don’t want personnel problems here.”
“What a line of malarkey,” came from the door.
Raider winced and looked over his shoulder to find Brigid standing there, her pale skin flushed a very pretty pink. “I do not have a type, and no way on God’s green earth would I fall for Raider Tanaka.” Her Irish brogue came out stronger than usual.
If that wasn’t a challenge, Raider didn’t know what was. “Don’t push it, sweetheart.”
Her chin snapped up. “Bite me, Tanaka.”

This is such a fun setup. Raider is smart, serious and protective and Brigid is stubborn and opinionated. They clash, but there is a strong attraction hidden underneath all of that snark. Raider and Brigid’s assignment together is full of fireworks and sexual tension, and I loved the ride!

He brushed the hair off her shoulder and slid his knuckles of the smooth skin of her neck.
Her eyes darkened. “What are you doing?”
Something he definitely shouldn’t. “We have to be more natural with each other to fool anybody.” Could he be any more full of crap?

It’s fiery, passionate and exciting, but there’s a really nice emotional element to it, too. Raider is a straight-up, very matter-of-fact kind of guy, and he doesn’t play games. He has always suspected that there’s more to Brigid than he was originally told, and the girl is definitely hiding secrets. They have some hurdles to overcome as their fake relationship becomes all too real, but I loved watching them figure it all out.

“I’m tired of trying to keep my distance from you. Wherever this goes, I want to jump.”

And alongside the blossoming romance, there is action. SO much action, so much excitement, twists, turns and lots of unexpected moments. The whole Deep Ops team is dragged into the case, and they all get pretty banged up along the way, but it’s a great mix of intensity and laugh-out-loud humour as they take the hits and just keep on going.

I love these characters so much, and the stage is set for future books to come. It looks like Wolfe’s story is up next, and I can’t wait to get inside of his head and get to know him as a romantic hero as he finally gets his HEA.

Another wonderful read from Rebecca Zanetti.

After the first Deep Ops book, Hidden, which was one of my best reads of the year, took me on a suspenseful, action-packed ride that had a sexy romance pair along for kicks, I was more than ready to dive head first into the next mission for this misfit Deep Ops team run by the enigmatic and out of the box, Force.
Review

Fallen is indeed the second of the Deep Ops romantic suspense series books and they do work better when they are read in order, including the between novella, Taken, to meet the team and their situation. But, in a pinch, this one could get read standalone if you don’t mind not having the down lo on the situation right at the beginning.

Brigid Banaghan finds herself in a tough situation. She was in prison for her computer hacking skills that took her into hacking the wrong place and she has her freedom if she works with Forces HDD group of misfits. The latest mission is personal. She knows for a fact that her dad is out of the Irish mob and not doing anything criminal, but yet there is intel that says differently. Raider Tanaka, straight arrow and a tough, trained operative is now her handler on the mission. She wants to ignore the sparks that leap between them when he lets his inner bad boy out to play. She has secrets and divided loyalty that put her in the swirl of the danger pool that only Raider can see her through if he can forgive her for what she is keeping to herself.

Raider is draw to the talented computer geek, but she’s a criminal and closely associated with a mark who might be dealing in human trafficking let alone other things. He grew up fast and hard until he got a lucky break with his last foster mom. It was Miss A who taught him to stay on the straight and narrow and every other good character trait he has, but if he is to do his job and get him and Brigid out alive, he must whole-heartedly step into the new role. And, not get distracted by a certain sexy Irish woman.

Right away, I was glad to be back in Zanetti’s Deep Ops world. I was enamored with that team of misfits that Force brought together even their crumbling poor excuse for a facility and Force’s neurotic dog Roscoe with all his bad habits. Right from the beginning, I could see that the story was going to have layers of secrets between the mission, the inter-agencies, and even the team members. Some of that is to be expected because it’s covert ops- nothing is ever simple or exactly what it seems. The mission struck a chord with me right away, too. The mention of human trafficking was all it took to have me down for a successful finish against the bad guys.

I really love the action scenes and the twists that the author can infuse into her stories. Generally, I love the main characters and their friends, too, which was the case here. But…
Yeah, there is a but. I just couldn’t get into Brigid and as a result, the romance. I didn’t hate her and found her role important to the story, but there was something about her that left me meh. Then, as the story got on, I was done with her big secret from Raider. It was a big deal and I waited for it to blow up in her face. I ended up frustrated with her because of the stupid secret and how it all went down. Sorry to be vague, but I don’t want to spoiler here. This of course had the trickle effect that meant I couldn’t care about the romance end. I’ll take part of the blame because I pictured a totally different story for Raider who was sexy with his cool and lethal vibe going on. Maybe I needed a little more before the declarations. I don’t know. It was okay.

Each member of the team was fun to meet again from Force to Nari the psychologist and most especially a certain big burly warrior type with a hint of crazy to him and a kitten riding in his pocket. The team is new and ill-fitted, but they are coming together and have each other’s backs. I was glad to get to know them even better which is definitely building anticipation for the future series books.

All in all, it was another strong installment in the series and the action kept me flipping pages fast. A few well-placed surprises and tense situations were golden. Even though the romance was so-so, I enjoyed several moments with this pair even some laugh out loud quips.

I want the next book badly and I can’t wait to see where the author takes the Deep Ops crew next. I can definitely recommend this series to those who love spicy romantic suspense.

I like Zanetti's non-paranormal books. She is good at writing both genres. I really liked Brigid and Raider and how they are together. Overall it was a good book however there were times I felt the pace was lagging a bit. Will definitely read the next book in this series.

More like a 3 ½ because of the pacing.

Rebecca Zanetti writes many genres and romantic suspense is one of my favorites. Brigid and Raider were a great couple and so different from each other. Raider is the straight arrow FBI agent and Brigid is a convicted hacker who has to work with this team of dysfunctional agents. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. Raider is Brigid's handler, who must go on a undercover mission to infiltrate the Irish mob. Her father is accused of being a part of a mob and there are secrets a plenty. There is some fiery chemistry between this couple and when they must act like an engaged couple, lines get crossed
There are some exciting scenes in this story and even some scary moments I wasn't sure how this could end well.
I really am enjoying this series. Looking forward to book 3

Brigid and Raider are absolutely my new favorite couple right now! Fallen left me with a serious book hangover, and I am struggling to find the right words... but I will try!

Raider appears straight-laced on the surface, but the boy who grew up on the streets and in the foster care system is never too far away. He exudes quiet intensity, and you just know that when he lets go of that tight grip on his control he is going to be absolutely combustible. He thinks that he wants a woman who is quiet and boring but he couldn't be more wrong. Really, it's smart girls with sass that do it for him and he has met his match in Brigid.

Raider's focus on a specific Irish organized crime family brought him and Brigid together as he seeks to avenge his partner's murder while undercover in that family. She is much more than the brilliant hacker she appears to be, and she has no idea that her family history is about to be rewritten as she works this case. Raider intrigues her, and she isn't afraid to push all his buttons until that iron grip on his control finally snaps. Remember when I said he would be combustible? Well get ready because these two absolutely light up the pages!

In the meantime, threats are all around them as they go deeper undercover. Raider has made it clear that keeping secrets is a deal breaker for him, and once Brigid's secrets are revealed it will put her relationship with the whole team in jeopardy.

Fallen is very fast paced with plenty of action, suspense, steam and humorous moments thrown in along the way too. Brigid's father Sean was a seriously tough nut to crack, and the fact that he was able to surprise Raider shocked him- but they learned to respect each other enough to work together when it counted. We get to know a little bit more about the mysterious and possibly crazy Wolfe as well as the enigmatic team leader Angus Force. It looks like Wolfe's story is up next, and the brief glimpse we are given at the end of Fallen already has me eagerly counting down the days until it is available. But in the meantime, Fallen is a story to savor that I will definitely be re-reading!

ARC received via NetGalley

This series is just as wonderful as all the others by this great author. There's action, suspense, humor, and great characters. I love Raider and Brigid is his perfect match. The team has a big case to solve and requires Raider and Brigid to go undercover; however, both of them are keeping secrets. In addition, the head of the unit has his own secret. Will all of the secrets prevent the team from being successful or can they put all of that aside and find a way to get the job done? If you love fast paced action and unpredictability, this book is for you.

FALLEN is action-packed, full of intrigue, mystery, danger, drama, fights, and fury, with side touches of a Kat in a Wolfe's pocket and the alcohol loving and dancing to Metallica dog, Roscoe. I believe readers will absolutely love this addition to her Deep Ops series. And just so you don't think FALLEN is only an action/suspense novel, there is an amazingly steamy, yet incredibly sweet romance that burns the pages. FALLEN is another winner for Ms. Zanetti and her fans.

Annetta Sweetko, reviewer for Fresh Fiction

Fallen is like one of those action movies where it's a fast progression from one crisis to another.
Maybe a little too much so for me. I'd have liked more character development and a little less action.
That being said, the book is still a very interesting, edge of your seat, read.

Bridget is amazing. I loved her damaged self. She's so human. A tomboy turned hacker who isn't all girly. She's smart, reserved, sneakily funny and interesting. Raider is sexy, accomplished and deadly but still capable of caring and taking care of Bridget.

Watching these two navigate the dangers and their growing attraction was a fun read.

Fallen follows hacker Brigid and her handler Raider as they go undercover against the mob for their secret homeland defense squad. It’s not just any case, of course. Brigid’s estranged dad worked for the mob back in the day. Raider and their superiors think he is returning to his roots, while Brigid is determined to prove his innocence. Naturally, they go undercover as an engaged couple and sparks fly as the danger increases with each twist and turn.

I loved this book, which is part of Zanetti’s Deep Ops series. Brigid and Raider are great opposites who are attracted to each other. They have plenty of sexual chemistry, but their relationship naturally develops into a more emotional one as well. From the suspense side, the plot takes unexpected and satisfying twists and turns to saving girls from sex traffickers. The other members of the Deep Ops team are fully drawn with their own emotional hurdles and quirks. Who wouldn’t love Roscoe, the alcoholic, high-heel wearing German Shepard? I can’t wait to read Wolfe and Dana’s adventure next!

Fallen is the second book in Rebecca Zanetti’s Deep Ops Series. This is a romantic suspense novel with a fantastic storyline, great characters and a happily ever after.

From the moment they began working together, the chemistry and intense attraction between Raider Tanaka, the Fed, and Brigid Banaghan, the hacker, was evident. Together, the couple must work to uncover the mob connections between her father and several missing women. Trust and honesty is important, but when the truth comes out, will Raider and Brigid have their HEA? Read it and find out!

All the books in this series contain a happily ever after and can be read as a standalone, however, reading it in order will give you a better appreciation for the characters and the series itself. Zanetti does a fantastic job creating this world of suspense and intrigue, and each of her stories provides readers with glimpses of the characters introduced in the previous stories within the series.

I can’t wait to read her next story!!! I’m looking forward to reading more about the others (Angus, Wolfe, Dana, and Nari) of the Deeps Ops World. I love the glimpses of Kat, the kitten and Roscoe the high-heel wearing team mascot, as well as all the new characters that are added with each book.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced readers copy. Great for fans of Zanetti’s other series.

ARC received for review

Slow, slow, slow, a little quicker, slow, slow. I really enjoyed the first books, and was looking forward to this one. I thought Raider and Brigid would have more heat but no.

Now the preview chapter to the next book...it's gonna be hot

Amazing read, with lots of banter and a great spark between the main characters. There’s a lot of suspense as well, with plenty of conspiracies and secrets to obfuscate matters and challenge Raider and Brigid. Hardly anyone is quite who they seem, be they the designated good guy or bad guy. All the characters are well-written and a little, or even a lot, quirky, each in their own way which makes the story so much richer.

With so many different plot twists and a great many interesting secondary characters whose own budding romances are slowly being introduced, the focus sometimes shifts away a bit too much from the main couple. They have a lot of magic on page but I’d have liked them to have had a bit more time to really get to know each other and learn to trust. Trust and honesty, due to circumstances, is not exactly in abundance when it comes to this couple or even their group of friends in the Deep Ops unit. At the end Raider and Brigid’s relationship progresses a little too fast to my liking though, the HEA bow tied too swiftly and neatly to get to the required formulaic ending.

I will post my review on Amazon on 9/24/2019

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my fair and honest review.

Fallen is the second book i the Deep Ops series, I loved the first book and this one was just as good as the first one was. The sparks are flying between Brigid and Raider, can they control them to get through this mission without them both ending up dead. This band of misfits just works together and makes the storyline so much more interesting. We should all have a dog like Roscoe lol! This book was action packed, well written and I would certainly recommend it to others.

3.5 stars

Fallen is book 2 in the Deep Ops series and was another enjoyable read. Brigid and Raider were a great couple and had awesome chemistry. While I enjoyed this book and all the characters that are in it, I did feel like something was missing. There were moments were I was excited about what was going on but for a lot of it I was bored and the ending was so rushed my head was spinning. I'm looking forward to book 3 since it's Wolfe's.

I enjoyed this exciting suspense tale, and this entire team of crazies are hilarious!

Raider Tanaka is an agent on a revenge mission. He’s a handler, and his last undercover asset was murdered by the Irish Mob in Boston. He’s using his new post, with the outcast Deep Ops unit, to find the people responsible, and make them pay. Meanwhile, he’s got a new asset, a talented hacker who was caught, and made a deal to get out of prison. She now works for them, and he hopes to use her skills in his mission. The fact that he’s fiercely attracted to her won’t stop him from enlisting her help. Though it might make things more difficult.

Brigid Banaghan is stuck. She got caught hacking into something she shouldn’t, and to stay out of jail, she made a deal to work for the government. She now uses all her skills for good, and she’s fine with that. She was trying to do a good thing when she got in trouble to begin with. But her new handler is an uptight control freak, and she doesn’t know why she is so attracted to him. She cannot get involved with anyone. All the agents in her unit work undercover, and have to lie all the time. She’s not sure she’s interested in being with someone who has such a dangerous job. Not that he’s shown any real interest anyway… But, when Brigid’s father is being investigated for connections to the Irish mob, she has to turn to Raider for help.

Raider and Brigid had great chemistry, and I loved watching their slow build to passion. They both had serious trust issues, and I really enjoyed watching them figure out how to be together. They were opposites in a lot of ways, and that definitely worked for them. I loved Raider’s strong, stoicism, and Brigid’s bubbly brilliance. Their connection felt very real, and I liked how they were trying to fight it before realizing it was pointless.

The whole team is an absolute riot. They all have their crazy little idiosyncrasies, and I love each of them. Wolfe definitely seems a little off, but you can’t help but love him, and his little pocket kitten, Kat. He has a lot of romantic tension with his reporter “friend”, Dana. There’s also a lot of tension between the boss, Angus Force, and the team psychiatrist, Nari. I can’t wait to see how that all shakes out. Force’s insane dog, Roscoe, has a serious drinking problem, and likes to wear (and chew) high heels. He is so crazy, and provides a ton of comic relief amidst all the action happening in the story.

The suspense plot was exciting, and I liked not knowing where the next hit would come from. Brigid’s dad, Sean, was a great side character, and I adored their relationship, strained though it had been. Parts of his past were intertwining with her present to create their current predicament, and watching it all play out was exciting.

As much as I enjoy the main couples in these books, what I really love most is the team dynamic, and how they’re always there for each other, like a big, insane family. They all have their issues, some more serious than others, and I adore watching them help each other through everything. I’ll be anxiously awaiting Wolfe’s story next. He and Dana the reporter’s dynamic is very interesting, and I can’t wait to get into his head!