They are both Driven❣️

Angus and Nari have been fighting their attraction since the beginning, because they work together. But now, someone is after them testing the limits of their attraction while trying to solve the mystery of Angus’ obsession with Lassiter and finding evidence he’s still alive and trying to figure else who else is after them😳

This story was amazing and action-packed and I love the characters as they are all so unique. I especially love Roscoe’s antics😂 I’m hoping this isn’t the end for the Deep Ops series and hopeful that we have a story for a certain Brit in the future😜 I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and I voluntarily leave my honest review❤️

This book was everything I had hoped for and more. We've been waiting for Angus and Nari's story since book 1 in the series. Angus has been obsessed with proving the serial killer who murdered his sister is still alive. He was given a year to work with a task force and prove his theory, the book begins when that year has ended and the task force is being disbanded. I've really enjoyed the crazy characters in this series especially Roscoe. This book had so much suspense and action, it was well worth the wait! It was nice to finally find out Nari's backstory and how she ended up working with the task force. I really hope there are more books to come in this series.

Arc generously provided by NetGalley.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/01/21/driven-by-rebecca-zanetti/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I'm enjoying the romantic suspense in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/227577-deep-ops" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Deep Ops</strong></em></a> series. There is a new couple in each story. The characters and situation are rather over the top, not quite realistic or believable. Although the humor is a bit ridiculous with quirky characters, the violence is gritty. There's a dog and a cat on the team.

In <strong>Driven</strong>, we finally get the story of the leader Angus, and the "shrink" Nari.  It is different from the other books in the series in many ways.  Unlike all but Raider's story, both of them are part of the team.  It is also after most of the rest of the team is paired off into couples.  While they have the support of the team, they are separated from them for most of the story so we don't really get the connected feel and updates on the other members.

There was a lot of action and many murders happening.  But the investigation does not seem very smart and successful.  Most of the action for Angus and Nari is avoiding kidnap or assassination attempts.  So while they were working hard, it still seemed reactive more than proactive.  There was less humor, group camaraderie and participation of their pets.

There are many shocking revelations, and frustrating events which really brought new layers to the plot.  I suspect this is the end of the series, since most of them are coupled,  although I would love to see how things go forward with new cases. The author does a good job of bringing out all the details to finish story arcs.

Romantic suspense, action packed, and unexpected plot twist.

Angus Force, retired FBI Profiler never believed that he killed the serial killer, Lassiter, known as "The Surgeon" who murdered his sister. Angus badly wounded, woke several days later, and was told Lasseter died, and was cremated. Why so fast? Why is the Homeland. Defense Department trying to stop Angus from asking questions? That is until the murders begins, and unfortunately the murder victims look like the female members of Angus, Deep Ops team, including the team's "Shrink", Nari Sang. Angus tries to keep Nari at arms length, but the sexual tension between these two can't be denied. Intense situations as the team tries to stop several murders. Unexpected plot twist toward the end. I'm look forward to the next Deep Ops book, and hope it features Jethro Hanson.

The best thriller of the year, so far! Angus and Nari have had this electrifying sexual tension for about a year. While investigating the return of a serial killer, Angus thought he killed, the two are determined to avoid “feelings.” The team is once again on edge and the excitement is very real. The actual whodunit is not who I thought at all and I love that Zanetti was able to keep me guessing. Even though the team works together, each couple has it’s own story and mystery. You can read any book in the series and not feel out of order. Netgalley provided my copy and my review was given voluntarily.

The sexual tension between Angus and Nari has been building since book 1. I had some high expectations for this couple. Angus has been obsessed with Lassiter to the point of being a broken drunk mess. Nari was this smart, classy shrink out of place with all the outcast agents on Force's team. I wanted her backstory so badly. I wanted to know why she was working with all those bad boys. I knew I would enjoy this book because Rebecca Zanetti is so talented, but I didn't know how much I would love this book. Angus and Nari were everything I hoped for.
Angus was just so deliciously tortured. I knew that Lassiter murdered Angus' sister, but the pain and guilt that this book gave us reader omg. No wonder Angus drinks to numb the pain. My heart bled for him. Nari's past was a bit of a surprise for me. I liked the amount of depth it gave her. In the other books I liked Nari, but she was always closed off. I felt like finding out her background made her real to me. Both super smart and stubborn it was fun watching Angus and Nari dance around each other, but OMG when they came together it was explosive. I loved every bit of their relationship.
This book kept me on the edge the whole read. It was almost non stop action. I truly didn't know what would happen next. I also didn't know who the killer was until it was revealed. Angus and Nari had more lives than a cat. Both kicked major ass too. I love a bad ass hero but omg when you have a kickass heroine it's so much hotter. There was tons of time with my favorite Wolfe. He's just so yummy. I enjoyed time with all the past couples. They feel like family so it's nice to see how they are all doing. I loved the ending. Well really I loved the whole book. I hope Jethro gets his own book. I totally recommend this book. I recommend the whole series.....actually I would recommend all of Rebecca Zanetti's book. She is an amazing author and I have never read a book from her that I didn't love.

Wow! Just wow!
I have been waiting for Angus and Nari’s story. Their sexual tension has been continuous through the previous Deep Ops books. It was inevitable that they’d eventually come together.
What I didn’t expect was the crazy turn that Angus’s obsession with the supposed dead Henry Wayne Lassiter (that just sounds like a serial killer name). It was one twist after another until I didn’t know which way was up. And the ending? Whew. Didn’t see that coming!
5 stars!!

Once again we are with the members of Homeland Defence Department (HDD) and if you are a reader of this series then you have met Angus Force as he was in Hidden he is a former FBI profiler but that dark world almost destroyed He is a totally damaged soul but he is drawn back into the dark world when a serial killer that he believed he shot surfaces once again he has always thought that Lassiter who destroyed his life wasn't dead but no one believed him . Lassiter is determined that he will draw Angus back into his games and the last thing that Angus needs is to fall in love and paint a target on the woman he loves back but he can't resist Nari a psychologist who also works for HDD. Can they have a life together when someone is determined to destroy it.

I have enjoyed this series so much, and this book was an epic conclusion to the story of this ragtag team!

Angus Force is the boss of a wild group of misfits, all determined to help people, in any way they can. They work for a secret government agency, the HDD, and they get the cases others don't want, since they are all basically being punished by being on the team. But Force has another, deeper agenda. He's convinced that the serial killer that murdered his sister, who Force caught, and supposedly killed years before, is actually alive and killing again. The HDD gave him one year to come up with any shred of evidence that Henry Wayne Lassiter (why do serial killers always have 3 names?!) is still alive, but his year is up. Then a week later, the first body drops, and though everyone else assumes it is some kind of copycat, Force knows Lassiter is back. He needs to distance himself from his team, so no one else that he loves gets hurt. Especially not Nari.

Nari Zhang is the team shrink, and she has grown to love this wildly strange bunch of people like family. But, she feels in no way familial toward Angus Force. She has always wanted him, though she knows he's a bad bet. He's utterly broken by what happened to his sister, and the guilt and responsibility he feels about her death. Though Nari was sent to the team as a punishment, she's never felt she has fit in somewhere so well. How can she help Force find Lassiter, and keep the team together, without losing her heart to him for good?

Nari and Force's chemistry has been sizzling from the beginning, and I loved watching them FINALLY give in to it. Force has never really had anyone in his corner, other than his crazy dog Roscoe (who was as wonderful here as he's been in the entire series!) Even though he was the best profiler in the FBI, they still let him go after he became obsessed with the Lassiter case. Then HDD let him go too, and then called him back from his "retirement" to run this team. But this team has always had Force's back, and always will. It took everything that happened in this story for him to finally realize it. Nari's birth father is also the 2nd in command of the agency she works for, which often leaves her in a precarious position. Nari knows she is putting her career on the line by backing the team, but she doesn't care. It's worth it, and she'll never regret standing up for her found family. I loved how Nari and Force both finally accepted their feelings for each other, and the love from the team, after neither of them have ever really fit anywhere else.

Getting glimpses of the team, and their significant others, in this book was wonderful, and I love how much of a unit they all are. Each of these stories has been fantastic, but the final two books in the series were definitely my faves. Wolfe and Force have been in my heart since the start and seeing them both meet their match was fantastic.

The suspense plot here was pretty grisly, and the serial killer villain killed women in horrifying ways. I imagine if you have issues with this type of plot, then you wouldn't be reading a romantic suspense story like this, but in any case, it was gruesome in parts. But that just made everything feel more urgent and real. I loved how well the team worked together to find the answers. Each of them have their own skill sets, and they interact seamlessly.

This book, and this series, were truly great, and I loved every minute of getting to know this group. I highly recommend this series to any fellow romantic suspense lovers!

The Op series is getting better and better. The book is amazing! I loved It, all the suspense action and finding the bad guy, finding yourself and the person who is meant for you. Both Nari and Angus are just perfect for each other and are really well developed likable characters. I always love to see the gang and how are they doing.
I really loved it! Great read.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley. Years after the alleged death of his greatest enemy, Angus Force is thrown back into the case once more. He has spent the last year convinced that the serial killer that he shot had returned, and his latest case for HDD only makes that more clear. With his crew of loyal agents, he begins to finally prove that he was right all along.
Unfortunately for Angus, Rebecca Zanetti made sure that he would not have an easy time of this. The story packs in a lot of action, and it really moves. I have been waiting for Angus and Nari to get together for ages, and I was very glad with how she handled them finally giving in to their attraction for each other. They had realistic issues for why it took them so long to get together, and I felt like they worked as a couple once they did being a relationship. I also appreciated that her love was not the magic cure for his drinking problems, although I did want a little more exploration for how that was going to be solved in the long run. The story was a little darker than the rest of the series, but it had a satisfactory ending. My only quibble is that it needed more Roscoe. He was the very best part of the previous books in the series, and this book could have used one or two more of his antics to lighten the load. Overall, while this was not my favorite book in the series, it was well worth the read.

I liked Driven. It wasn't the best Rebecca Zanetti has ever put forward, but it was kind of pleasant, like meeting up with someone you haven't seen in a while. The sense of urgency that some of Ms. Zanetti's novels have and that makes you want to read it all immediately is lacking a little bit in this novel.
3 stars

The heroine is Asian-American, and I like diversity in my novels, but I do prefer it to come from own voices' authors. That is especially important when there is a line such as "In the steamy light, bruised and battered, he looked like a conqueror of days gone by" that could have easily been edited out. So-called "conquerors" were, as we like to say nowadays (and to put it extremely mildly), problematic.

Angus Force was an elite FBI profiler until his search for a serial killer ended his career. A year ago he shot the killer and was told he was dead. Angus's instincts were screaming that something wasn't right. Unwilling to give up the search, he strikes a deal with the powers that be. He's given one year and a rag tag team of agents to continue his search

Nari Zhang was assigned to Angus's team as a psychologist. She's drawn to Angus, but she knows getting close would be a mistake. While Angus and Nari fight a growing attraction, Nari grows more worried about Angus's state of mind. The chase gets more real an more dangerous when the serial killer turns his sites on members of the team. The game is winding down and only the winner is sure to survive.

The twists and turns keep readers turning pages until the surprise and unexpected ending. Ms Zanetti has crafted a story that's more than thriller, more than romance, but the story of a man on the edge who eventually has the strength to trust his friends and fight his way back from that edge. I loved Angus Force and the members of his team and look forward to reading more of the Deep Ops team.

Driven is the last volume in the Deep Ops series by Rebecca Zanetti. Of course, it’s a series I’ve been following from the publication of the first volume Hidden, published in 2018!
I was even more anxious to read this book because Nari Zhang and Angus Force, our new heroes, have been sniffing each other from the beginning. This book didn’t disappoint me and I’m happy Rebecca Zanetti succeeded in reinventing herself in each volume, which is not easy.

Deep Ops has a central theme that is the possible death of a serial killer Angus Force has eliminated several years before. In theory, this killer is dead, however some clues suggest it’s not the case.
Driven begins with a prologue on a scene taking place a bit more than a year before the beginning of Hidden where we see how Angus Force, retired profiler for the FBI, was led to gather the whole group at the HDD’s request. A deal was made between Angus and two FBI’s agents, Rutherford and Fields (who are more present than ever in this book) for one year.
With this book we arrive at the end of this period, and of course at the conclusion of this central theme. I won’t give any detail here. On one hand, the readers who will read this book have probably already read the previous volumes and I prefer for them to discover the plot during their reading. On the other hand, even if some readers discover this book with my review, I strongly advise not to read it without having read the three other volumes, although it can be read as a standalone. The series is short, it’s really possible to get started. 

I love Nari and Angus and their relationship. As I’ve said above, they’ve been sniffing each other from the beginning. Nari is a shrink and she joined Angus’ team with the mission to make psychological support for each member. Angus always refused to consult her and Nari never insisted. We know it’s their mutual attraction that brought this decision but it’s not the only reason.
Even if both have been sniffing each other from the beginning, they don’t have a love-hate relation. They just have reasons not to yield, and even in Driven, between their hesitations and the action, they need time before deciding to indulge.
Evidently, their relationship will have consequences because some characters we see for the first time would like for it not to happen, but I won’t say more.

Concerning the secondary characters, of course we have the whole team who’s more than ever present for backup. I had several frights in this book, and the idea of Nari and Angus alone against the whole world was one of them.
Other secondary characters make appearances, more or less likeable. Nari’s biological father is one of the more unpleasant and it’s the only damper I had concerning her, and even if I’m 100% for HEA for everybody (except the villains of course lol), I would have liked another conclusion for these two.
Some characters have potential for their own story, so it’s possible Rebecca Zanetti will publish a novella soon. Case to follow…

To conclude, I loved this book and this series that I highly recommend.

Driven is several books into Rebecca Zanetti’s Deep Ops Unit Series but it is one of the best giving us Angus Force’s story. He has been one of the most interesting of the supporting characters never wavering in his belief concerning one supposedly dead serial killer. Turns out he was right which makes a scary story as he goes after one of the Deep Ops own.

Angus was believable to the reader if not his own teammates who wanted to think there was a copycat killer on the loose. A copycat probably wouldn’t have been nearly as disturbing as Lassiter who had defied death once. You want him stopped as much as Angus does.

The killer makes it personal when he sets his sites on one that Angus loves. Now whether he admits his love or not is part of the journey he takes to save his coworker and love interest, Nari Zhang. The path that they take makes this a steamy, thrilling, and suspenseful story. You just have to believe that the good guys will win in the end.

4.5 Stars
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.

Angus Force lost too much to the serial killer Henry Wayne Lassiter...his sister, his career, his mental state, and nearly his life. But when an old source whispers that the allegedly dead killer might still be alive, he is ready to get back in the game and investigate. He was given a new team of talented misfits under Homeland Defense and spent a year trying to find any evidence. But a year later, his bosses and the agency are disbanding his team...at just the moment where woman's bodies are being found with similar calling cards. Angus is sure Lassiter is playing with him no matter what the agencies say. He is going to keep trying...even rogue or alone.

His team is not so ready to abandon Angus, even when it looks like they might be getting targeted as well. And one woman, Nari Zhang who was the team's shrink is determined to stick by him. She is intelligent, brave, stubborn, empathetic, and challenges him. And their chemistry is off the charts. But his involvement with her, puts an even bigger target on her back. So no matter how much Angus wants to protect those he cares about by pushing them away, he also does not want anyone to be able to get to them.

Angus and Nari seem to be getting hit from all sides. Bodies are piling up. Bullets are flying. People are attacking. The MOs are different and it is hard to determine who all is coming after them. And there are multiple agencies fighting for dominance and determined to drag Force down along the way. Angus is sure part of the puzzle is Lassiter, but the rest of the pieces remain hazy. And he has to stay out of the fray long enough to prove it.

Is Lassiter really alive? A copy cat? Are the various threats related or from separate entities?

This is an action-packed, layered, mysterious, twisty, romantic suspense novel with one bad-a** couple. there are a lot of questions, but they are all answered once it is all said and done. But there are surprises and twists along the way.

Little Nari is a powerhouse on her own and I loved that about her. She had her own personal issues, but was not afraid to stand up for what she believed in and she could stand toe-to-toe with the big boys. Angus is this broody, intense, protective, and possessive alpha hero who became attached to her and his team even when he tried not to be. This whole ragtag team is full of interesting and loyal characters that all have their roles that they can do well. I loved getting more with them, especially Wolfe from the last book. And it is hard not to love Roscoe, an alcohol-drinking, dress-shedding, trained, german shepherd with loads of personality. I am looking forward to more with Jethro the ex-M16 agent and professor in the next one.

Driven, by Rebecca Zanetti, is romantic suspense perfection. I was a little unsure if I'd like it when I read the prologue, but I think it stemmed from the fact that this was my first exposure to the series (and the author). For fans who read the first three books (and a couple of novellas too, I think) will probably appreciate and understand the prologue just fine.

Nari (a psychologist) and Angus (a former FBI profiler) and their crew--protagonists of the previous books--work for a super-secret branch of Homeland Security. A series of gruesome murders reminiscent of a past case have Angus convinced that the serial killer he believed he'd killed was, in fact, still alive and had been busy. Some things aren't adding up though, and fingers start to point in Angus' direction. Meanwhile, multiple attacks on Nari and Angus have really thrown a wrench in their simmering attraction.

If you want more details, read the book. Actually, read the series; I definitely will go back and do so.

Zanetti is a terrific writer. She has created a cast of characters that is equal parts flawed and perfect. She even manages to give Roscoe the dog and Kat the kitten distinct, loveable personalities. While I did have a strong suspicion of the truth, her excellent writing will keep most guessing until the very last chapter.

The romance is steamy but sensitive, the story's pace is fast without being hurried. I may just have found a new writer for my keeper shelf.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

OMG I did not see that coming!!

➵ Hero: Former FBI profiler, Angus Force is Driven to catch the serial killer who murdered his sister no matter what. Not when every other agency believes the killer is dead, not when he’s no longer part of the Homeland Defense Department, especially not when bodies resembling the female members of his HDD team start appearing at an alarming rate with the killer’s M.O.

➵ Heroine: Nari Zhang is the Deep Ops’s psychologist who has been attracted and at odds with Angus right from the start. She’s a total badass and since I had an image of her right from the start I could imagine all the action sequences with her clearly.

➵ My opinion: I had been wanting to read Angus’s book from the moment I met the surly and tortured man who loved his crazy dog. This book is thrilling roller coaster ride complete with shootouts, humor, explosions, romance, law enforcement agencies butting heads, drama and a really cray-cray villain that kept me my heart pumping at full Force(See what I did there?) and guessing until the very end. I could totally see this book and series made into a TV show or movie.

If I liked Wolfe before, I absolutely ADORED him in this one. He stole the show more than once added welcome comedy relief. I can’t wait for Jethro’s book!

➵ Facts: Driven is book #4 of the Deep Ops series by Rebecca Zanetti. It is a thrilling suspenseful romance that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. It is a standalone book, told from both points of view, with a happy ending. No cliffhanger. Possible triggers: graphic descriptions of the serial killer’s homicide scenes.

** Review on Amazon will be posted on release date

As with all offerings by author Rebecca Zanetti - DRIVEN will drive you through a myriad of emotions. You will become furious, be on edge, laughing and crying, sometimes all at the same time.

Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko for Fresh Fiction.

The complete review may be found at: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=72822

FINALLY the long awaited book !!
When I received the notification for this ARC, I was in heaven =D I'm a big fan of Rebecca Zanetti's books but more particularly of her Deep Ops series which is one of my favorites !

Driven is not the last book in the series (according to the last pages with the summary of all the books written by the author, there would be another book after that !! and I hope it will be on Jethro <3) but he concludes the cycle started around Angus and his obsession with Lassiter which had pushed him to create the team that we discovered over the books =) And after several books of CRAZY sexual tension, we finally have the opportunity to see Angus and Nari together ... And it was worth the wait =D

What I particularly liked :
- the writing style with a mixture of romance but also macabre investigation with all the technical details of an investigation but also scenes PFIOULALA <3
- the very breathless plot around Lassiter which served as a common thread from the start (I must admit that at times, even I doubted and I did not expect at all the end even if I found one of the "bad guys" shady =D)
- the romance between Nari and Angus which was PERFECT !!! All this accumulated sexual tension, these PFIOULALA scenes (the first in particular <3) but also their cute moments =)
- the characters themselves who are THE strong point of the series : Wolfe whom I still adore but also Jethro whom I would love to see in more detail and my favorite here Angus for whom I had a huge crush (the very smart heartbroken badboy ... <3)

In short, another favorite for this book from the Deep Ops series! If you like romances with humor but also twisted investigations, A MUST READ !

PS: to the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D