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Review

5 stars!

The introduction of a brand new series from one of my favourite authors, and I am so freaking excited that this book lived up to all of the hype that I was feeling for it! Exciting, dramatic, fun, sexy, suspenseful and romantic with a fantastic bunch of characters, I could not get enough of this story and I loved it!

Malcolm West is an ex-undercover cop who has just come out of deep cover which messed with his head and left him deeply shaken. Desperate for some peace and a fresh start, he rents a bungalow in the middle of nowhere where he plans to just ‘be’. But right next to his quiet retreat is another house – one belonging to a beautiful yet reclusive young woman.

Pippa is a woman with a tragic and tortured past. She lives her life in hiding from dangerous people that are searching for her, rarely leaving her home and having little engagement with the outside world. But when a gorgeous, seemingly equally reclusive, man moves into the house next door, she can’t help but be drawn to him.

A tentative friendship develops but their worlds truly collide when Malcolm is unexpectedly recruited into a secretive new taskforce and Pippa is a key part of the investigation. He is charged with investigating her, which he is less than happy about, but his job has nothing to do with the mad attraction he has to her. And as they begin to spend time together, their attraction is irresistible.

The romance is fast moving, but very natural, and I loved watching Mal and Pippa come together. Both a bit broken and vulnerable, they find comfort in each other, for the first time experiencing something real, and openly and functionally, and with a whole lot of passion, they throw themselves into it.

“I ain’t sweet or gentle, baby,” he murmured…
Her head knocked back on the glass. God. “I don’t want either,” she said, giving him the truth. Sweet and gentle were lies. This? This hot and dangerous passion was real.

While the love story is unfolding, we also get to see the Requisition Force come together, and it’s a real highlight of the book. A bunch of ‘rejected’ law enforcement officers who, for one reason or another, have ended up demoted to a ragtag team of investigators. They are a fantastic bunch of quirky misfits who had me laughing out loud (including an alcoholic dog with a penchant for high heels, and a huge badass with a love of kittens), and every moment with them together was pure gold!

“Gentlemen?” Dr Nari Zhang appeared at the door.
Angus jumped. “Jesus.” He looked down at the thick socks on her feet, which were intriguingly dainty. The new doc was way too appealing for him to be this irritated with her. Which only pissed him off more. “New rule. You keep the loud shoes on all day. No changing into socks.”
She rolled her eyes. “I had hoped to talk to all three of you about the shooting yesterday. It had to have brought up difficult memories. How did everyone sleep?”
“Fantastic,” West said smoothly.
“Never better,” Wolfe agreed.
“Like a baby,” Angus said.
Nari sighed. “You’re all morons. You can take that as my professional opinion.”

With the players all set, the story builds to its climax as Mal and Pippa’s secrets are revealed, and the Force’s case blows wide open. It’s exciting and suspenseful, and I was glued to my kindle as it all played out. And in the middle of it all, Mal and Pippa are navigating their new relationship and the reality of their situation, which intertwines perfectly with all of the action, and brings the story together, creating depth and a whole lot of heart.

“I’ll make you a deal. Stop the van and I’ll answer any questions you want. Then you let me go.”
The muscle visibly ticking at the base of his neck only added to his bad-boy sexy looks. “Baby, I ain’t ever letting you go.”

This is an exciting and entertaining romantic suspense story. The balance of romance and action is brilliantly done, giving enough of each to have me fully invested in the action while keeping the romance lover in me satisfied. Mal and Pippa are fantastic, and I loved the development of their love story, and their individual journeys, as they deal with their pasts and push past their demons to fight for all that they have found together.

“You saved me … Let me save you.”

Hidden is a great beginning to the series, and with all the Requisition Force set up so well with a strong and unique bunch of characters just begging to be explored further, I cannot wait for more.

5 stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.