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Review

4.5 stars!

Book #3 in the Deep Ops series, I was so excited to delve back into this world! Featuring a ragtag team of operatives ‘sort-of’ working under the arm of the US Government, they are a fantastic bunch – skilled, badass and uniquely quirky in so many ways. The biggest badass of them all, Clarence Wolfe and investigative journalist, Dana have been dancing around each other over the last couple of books, and OMG, I loved seeing them finally come together!

You could read this book as a standalone, but the character crossover is pretty significant, so reading the previous books will give you a better understanding of each of them and how they all fit together.

Wolfe is the big, broody, ex-SEAL with a head injury, a taste for sugary lattes with whipped cream and sprinkles, and he carries a kitten around in his pocket. And while he’s devoted to his team, he’s also got his own mission – he’s out for vengeance, knowing that it could ultimately cost him everything. And it’s because of that, that he keeps himself mostly withdrawn from others.

Dana is a brave and spunky freelance journalist who has been working with the Deep Ops team for a while now. She has her own mission of sorts – to find out what happened to her best friend and fellow journalist who disappeared while undertaking an investigation. Following her friend’s footsteps leads her to a collision course with Wolfe, when it turns out that they are investigating the same person.

Their collision while undercover in the middle of a sex club, of all places, is a surprise to both of them, but when they start getting shot at, it brings them together like never before. With Dana in danger, Wolfe promptly moves her into his home (always a fun situation, heehee), and the two of them begin working together to hunt down the bad guys.

“I’m not sure I should stay with you.”
…
“I’d rather have blue balls than you dead, sweetheart. Get in the truck.”
Her face flushed. “Wofe. Geez. You’re not supposed to say everything that pops into your head.”
He reached for her arm, assisting her into the truck. “Hazard of a brain injury, I guess.”

Between Wolfe’s no-nonsense snark, Dana’s stubborn feistiness and the raging attraction blazing between the two of them, it’s a recipe for awesome, and we get an intense, exciting, banter and chemistry-filled story as Wolfe tries his best to keep his distance, and Dana refuses to let him.

“I want you, and you want me, and the way we’re going, one of us will probably be shot within the week. So, why not?”

It’s so much fun, and I think I actually cheered when Wolfe finally gave in and let Dana in. It’s passionate and intense, but there’s an element of sweetness to them which is gorgeous to see. Wolfe may be a mostly solitary man, but he has a huge heart and he cares deeply, and we get to see that over and over again in the way he treats his teammates (and his kitten), and as he goes all out to protect Dana.

Wolfe has always kept to himself, but Dana brings him out of his shell, not only with her, but with the rest of the Deep Ops team who are on board to help their friend. My heart ached for all that he’d been through and the impact it had on him and the way he lives his life, but it made it all the more beautiful as we got to see him finally fall in love.

With her, and only with her, he wished he could be different from the man he’d become.

The love story unfolds right alongside Wolfe and Dana’s investigation. There is mystery, action and thrills as the story plays out, and I was kept guessing right up until the end how it was all going to end. The entire team is there to help, as well as a couple of new, and very welcome, additions, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the ride.

A fantastic addition to the series, I’m so excited for more.

4.5 stars!

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