Countdown to Zero Hour

Black Ops: Automatik #1

by Nico Rosso

Ex–Special Forces agent Artem "Art" Diaz is tatooed, muscular and undeniably dangerous. He's also deep undercover, posing as mob muscle for a deadly bratva boss. His mission: gain the Russians' trust. Then lead the strike team that will kill them all.

Chef Hayley Baskov knows better than to get involved with someone with such close mafia ties, but the handsome bodyguard who brought her to this cold, sprawling estate full of ruthless mobsters is inexplicably kind. A little firtation may keep her safe amidst the growing menace.

As Art’s timetable for action escalates, so do his encounters with Hayley. Stealing what illicit pleasure they can keeps them both sane in the face of evil. But when things get dangerous, Art has to tell her about his assignment, bringing her deeper into the shadowy world of black ops...and putting her life on the line.

Now Art has a new objective: protect Hayley from the man they both call boss.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, Suspense, Military Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Military Romance

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 22, 2016

About the author

Nico Rosso was a writer in search of a genre until his wife, Zoë Archer, brought romance into his life in more ways than one. He’s created sci-fi and post-apocalyptic romance worlds, as well as working with his wife on the steampunk Ether Chronicles series. His paranormal Demon Rock series brought you satyr rock stars and the Muses who fed them. With the romantic suspense Black Ops: Automatik series, he takes you into the deep dark world of secret operations designed to protect the innocent.

Reviews

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't even know until the end, but a dude wrote this book! I love it. It almost changes my perspective on things, makes me want to reread some parts. As it is, this was a wholly satisfying, sexy, intriguing romantic suspense. Most of the book takes place with the hero and heroine holed up in a desert stronghold, pretending to serve the bad guys. While trying to stay under the radar, they gravitate toward each other, which only draws attention. Slow burning, believable romance. Action packed ending. Great read!

Advance copy provided for review

[XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a couple of instances in which you could tell this was a dude writing. For example when he says that Haley has to resist the urge to "swivel" her hips in a "tight, needy grind" because she thinks Art is so hot -.- No... Just. No. Lol Anyways, aside from a few of those eye-rolling moments, it was a pretty entertaining read. Lots and lots of action. I got a little lost in it sometimes, but recovered pretty quick. Good pacing. The characters were interesting. Even the bad guys sparked an interest, like Gorgol. It'd be cool if he turned out to be one of the good guys or at least not as bad as the others. You know we like them a bit bad, too hahaha This story was less relationship centered and more situational. The ending is a little iffy but not disappointing. All in all a decent read. No "safety" issues other than the fear of their physical safety lol

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gotta admit, the cover for Countdown to Zero Hour is what initially drew me to this book, and having never really connected with books written by male authors before I was a little wary, but Nico Rosso surpassed my expectations and then some. I mean this book... This is romantic suspense at it's finest! Danger, suspense, steamy romance... This book had it all!!

After her dreams of opening a restaurant crash and burn, Hayley resorts to selling food out of a food cart in front of a night club. It's there that she meets Art and things escalate pretty quickly when he steps in to protect her and his boss against a couple baddies.

Art has his reasons for being undercover in the Russian mob and the last thing he wants to do is add Hayley into the mix but when his boss offers her a job he knows that he'll do anything to keep her safe.

I gotta say that I absolutely loved the connection between Hayley and Art from the get-go. Even though she thinks he's a bad guy she feels safe with him. And the fact that he's always there to protect her endears him to her even more. The romance was a little slow going at first but quickly picked up steam with all the stolen moments in the kitchen and I couldn't wait for them to get their HEA.

The suspense wasn't exactly what I was expecting since there was a whole lot of sit and wait before the action started but the fights with the goons and constant danger of being caught definitely didn't allow my attention to wane. And once the action really amped up? I couldn't wait to see how everything worked out.

Needless to say I absolutely loved Countdown to Zero Hour and I am definitely looking forward to reading more Nico Rosso books in the future!

*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lady Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publication Date: February 22, 2016

"A copy of this book has been provided by Carina Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review"

Loved this story!
Full review will be posted closer to release date.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiery, out of work chef, Hayley, is forcefully enlisted by the Russian mafia to become the chef for a clandestine meeting of all the families.

Art is deep undercover, entrenched in the Russian mafia, trying to break the organization from the inside when Hayley stumbles her way into a no win situation.

Arts goal to destroy the Russian families is side tracked by his desire to save Hayley and just flat out his desire for Hayley.

This had all the makings of an incredible spicy romantic suspense. For me, it ended up becoming a lot of spice with threatening situation that Art and Hayley intensified themselves because they couldn’t contain their hormones.

I also found the characters repetitive, which completely removed any connection that would start to build for me with their plight.

Overall, I found Countdown to Zero Hour okay.

If you are looking for a steamy read, Countdown to Zero Hour does brings the heat.

Kudos on that cover!

I received this ARC copy of Countdown to Zero from Carina Press in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Feb. 22, 2016.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Written by: Nico Rosso
Series: Black Ops: Automatik
Sequence in Series: 1
Print Length: 233 pages
Publisher: Carina Press (February 22, 2016)
Publication Date: February 22, 2016
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Countdown-Zero-...

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/count...

For Reviews and More Check out: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 3 out of 5]

[2.75 stars]
Ok, so I fell for the cover. What can I say? I’m easy.

Art Diaz works for a Russian mobster and meets Hayley, who’s a chef making ends meet running a food cart in front of said mobster’s nightclub. Sparks fly, but Hayley’s concerned about getting together with a mobster and Art’s busy hiding his double life as part of Automatik, an organization trying to bring down the Russian mobster. Eventually, romance happens.


The Good: The setup is intriguing and I’m all for diversity in my romance, so I loved that Art was half Spanish, half Russian. The suspense part is the stronger of the two and I think there’s alot of interesting tidbits into the mind of a man such as Art, the way he scopes out a situation, his command of his body and the tightrope he’s walking playing a double agent in the Russian mob. Hayley was protective of herself, but considering her past relationship, it made sense. Art’s protective of Hayley, which I my preferred default setting in a hero, but there wasn’t enough dialogue to really showcase their relationship, since....

The Not So Good and Everything in Between: The story lacks a bit of balance between the descriptive text, which is well done, and dialogue, which there isn’t enough of. The romance is what brings me in the door, but I wasn’t as pulled into the romance as the danger that Haylyey and Art were facing.

Additionally, when setting up a ‘verse like this, I think it’s important to take the time to let the reader get to know the cornerstone of your story, which is this organization that Art works for, Automatik. I would have really loved to see even some token moments early on describing the group, maybe scenes with other members to give an anchor to the story and really show the audience the stakes that Art is playing for. It all felt disconnected and isolated, much like they were in that desert compound, which made it harder to invest in the characters. The action really kicks in late in the game, and by then I was already a bit disinterested in the outcome.


[2.75 stars]
All the elements are there for an interesting read, but it stumbles in the execution when too much is told instead of shown and most of that is too late in the telling. I wouldn’t rule out a re-visit to this ‘verse, I’m just not sure I’d be in a rush to do so.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

For more reviews, visit

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars – 3 Flames

I’m a complete and total sucker for any Military, so of course when I saw “Black Ops” in the title, I was trigger happy to so speak. But then I saw that it was written by a man and started to worry. I’ve read other novels written by men and have had a really hard time enjoying it. Mainly because of the way they’d been written. I’m really happy I gave this one a chance. In fact, this is the VERY FIRST novel I’ve read appreciating it being written by a man. Although it was subtle, I could feel the male influence not only in the Military jargon, but in the bedroom as well. It was quite refreshing. Ok…to the review…

Hayley is a chef who had her world turned upside down when her ex literally left her without her and her dream of opening her/their restaurant. While picking up the pieces, she is forced to sell food out of a cart in front of a Russian mob’s nightclub. Odd place, but considering her food is Russian influenced, it made sense. While keeping the people waiting in line fed, she’s approached by a man who not only sparked her interest physically, but mentally.

Art has been working forever trying to infiltrate the mob in order to avenge his father’s death/murder. While working undercover “protecting” his mob boss, he finds himself falling for the chef who is not only winning him over with her looks and food, but her personality as well. Problem is that she only sees him as the bad guy who didn’t get her an option when he forced her to work a secret mob meeting “get-a-way” in the middle of nowhere.

Once at the location, things really start to heat up. Art starts to fall for Hayley, but doesn’t want her to think he’s the bad guy. Does he break is cover to fill her in or keep her in the dark? As the other mob bosses start filling in, it becomes more and more apparent that Art is NOT liked by the other Russians. Being half Mexican and half Russian has it’s perks, but not to the Russians who only like full bloods. This only adds to the tension in the house…oh, and did I mention that one of them has his eyes on Hayley? Yep…trouble.

I wouldn’t say that this was realistically written, duh. But it definitely left me feeling like this “could” have happened. The timeline within the story, both with the mission and the romance development worked very well for me. The flirtation built with each day, as did the tension of the mission. Very well executed in book. Well done.

*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from The JeepDiva in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 intriguing but not completely enthralling stars.



The cover, title and overview drew me in like a moth to a flame only to kind of have the read fall a bit flat. There was a lot of tactical power plays, a lot of action and some passion but I just kind of felt like I wanted a bit more relationship growth which might mean that some of the action and stuff needed to be toned down or more pages needed to be added to the story. I'm not really sure which would solve the issue but that's what I noticed.

Honestly, I didn't even realize the author was a man because I didn't even look at who wrote the book. I don't make decisions based on authors usually. I mean, if it an author I've loved in the past they get a bit more interest initially but for me it is always about the overview and story itself that gets to me. The writing was good, detailed and fluid. It wasn't raunchy and deliciously sexy like Sebastian Ex but this wasn't that kind of story so I didn't expect it to be.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Nico Rosso is a completely new to me author and I believe the first male romantic suspense author I've read.  To be honest, I wasn't really sure how it would all play out but part of the reason I read it in the first place was to experience a new voice.  The cover hooked me initially and was the main reason I was drawn to it, then I read the synopsis and I was REALLY interested.

Rosso connects Art and Hailey immediately upon meeting each other, kind of a lust at first sight thing.  Don't assume though that Hailey isn't wary of Art, the sees him for what she knows of him to be at the time, a Russian mob guard.  For me, once Rosso makes that connection between the two, it continued to flow easily.

Due to Art's attention to her outside his Russian boss's club, Hailey gets caught up in the Russian mob web that she really has no business being in.  All Hailey wanted to do was sell some Pelmeni, make money so she can support her mother and one day, open her own restaurant.  Instead, she gets roped into being the chef at a big mobster meeting in the middle of the desert.

Hailey has no idea that Art is much more than a Russian goon and she tries to tamp down her attraction to him due to her assumption. Not only is Art responsible for setting up a major Russian mob takedown, now he has to factor keeping Hailey safe.  Hailey is the master of her domain in the kitchen and she operates in it as if she was wearing her own version of kevlar.  She makes it clear to the Russian mob goons that the kitchen is hers and that she is in charge.  She is an extremely enjoyable character to read because of this.  Hailey needed Art's protection in other ways but she held her own where her job as the chef was concerned.

Art would only be a possibility in a very different lifetime.  No matter what she saw in the depth of his eyes, he was on the payroll of a bad guy.

But he wasn't a bad guy.  He'd fought Garin.  He'd kept watch on her. Even now, she knew he was sending a message by sharpening the knife on the floor where her room was.  He protected her door.

As for the passion and sexytimes? I wasn't sure how that would flow from a man's writing perspective (a short-sighted assumption/concern on my part) but I really liked the way he wrote those moments between them. There wasn't too much inner monologue that droned on and on and it was sexy as hell. The quiet and close moments between them are not hurried, Rosso takes his time with those.

They were so close, and barely had to move for their lips to meet.  The kiss was a shock.  Gentle. Hesitant.  As if to test and see if all the tension that had been growing between them was real.  And how much potential charge remained after the initial touch.

The kiss deepened, revealing their connection went beyond what she'd imagined.

Amidst all of the cloak and dagger going on, Art and Hailey simply cannot resist each other.  I'll admit that I had to wonder how would their "relationship" play out in the regular everyday world once/if they got out of their current predicament alive.  The one quote from the movie Speed kept humming through my brain:

[after surviving the bus explosion]
Annie: You're not going to get mushy on me, are you?
Jack: Maybe. I might.
Annie: I hope not, 'cause you know, relationships that start under intense circumstances, they never last.
Jack: Oh yeah?
Annie: Yeah, I've done extensive study on this.

Once I started it, it was very difficult to put down.  All I wanted to do was read and find out how Art was going to accomplish his mission to take down the mob while protecting Hailey in hopes of having a chance at a future wth her.  I'm very glad I took the chance on this new author and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, One Minute to Midnight.

Purchase Countdown to Zero Hour:

Pre-order:

Copy for review provided by publisher

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to see how big a difference there is in a romance novel written by a man versus a woman. This was not bad. Action and plot were well placed. I'm just not sure I liked the characters. It just didn't click for me. I didn't feel the chemistry. I'm not sure he'll be a go to author for me, but this was an enjoyable read.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing change from some of the other thrillers I've read lately. Our protagonists Art and Hayley are thrust among ruthless killers that make this a page-turner.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is how romantic suspense should be done! Tight storyline, likable characters and constant suspense make COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR one of my favorite books of 2015!

Saving to open her own restaurant would've been so much easier if Hayley Baskov's stupid ex hadn't run off with her money. Now slinging Russian pelmeni from a food cart outside of nightclubs to raise some income, Hayley meets the club's dangerously handsome security detail Art Diaz. She cuts a deal with the club owner to allow her to stay there, but now it seems she's in bed with the Russian mob's Orel Group (when she really only wanted in bed with Art).

The second Art spotted Hayley, he wanted her and her dumplings. But working undercover as part of Automatik to infiltrate the Orel Group, he can't let her know his true identity. When his boss taps Hayley to be the chef at a top secret meeting of five Russian mob bosses at a secluded house in the middle of the desert, Art is petrified. He didn't want Hayley getting her hands dirty like him, but denying the man wasn't an option if he was going to keep his cover.

Hayley is about to crawl out of her skin in fear from the hulking and cruel guards at the mob boss's house. The only thing keeping her sane is her bizarre connection to Art. How can she want someone so much who is a bad as he is?! As tensions rise between them, they're also rising within the house, making their world into a ticking time bomb. The only question is, who will make it out alive.

COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR is the seriously excellent first book in the forthcoming Black Ops: Automatik series by Mr. Rosso. No time was wasted getting right into the suspense of the story, instead taking the action from zero to 60 in just a few pages, and I liked it! I was surprised both by the fantastic writing in this book, as well as the impeccable editing efforts. It's extremely rare for me to not spot at least one thing out of place, but COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR was impeccable, so kudos to both Mr. Rossi and editor Rhonda Helms.

The fast paced storyline flowed smoothly and with terrific sexual tension between Hayley and Art. Their characters just hummed with barely restrained passion, and when they finally came together, the charge was explosive. I think that the tension between them was mirrored by the tension in the house where they both were working. Everyone was on a knife's edge and ready to strike in the blink of an eye. I was constantly waiting for the shoe to drop, keeping me strung tight while reading this most fantastic book. I will definitely be anxiously awaiting future offerings in this surprisingly suspenseful and sensually erotic series.

Bottom Line: Fans of romantic suspense will go wild over COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR! It's absolutely flawless! - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...

- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm beginning to wonder why I haven't enjoyed the past two male-written romantic suspense novels. Is this a trend? Is it just a coincidence? I don't know. Ugh. I hate doing reviews like this ... the ones where I just didn't get the book but it's all about honesty, right? Let's get down to business, I guess.

The book started off okay, I enjoyed the characters and the beginning scenes of the book but I soon found myself about 20% into the novel and I still felt like I didn't really GET the characters, you know? I didn't have any ties to them, I wasn't emotionally invested, I didn't understand why the characters were the way that they were, I didn't understand motivations or anything else, really. And unfortunately, I felt this way throughout the entire novel. The words were there in the end, explaining things but nothing seemed to connect to the characters. They weren't brought to life for me and they seemed to just fall flat.

Fast forward to about halfway through Countdown to Zero Hour. At this point in a book, I should know what in the hell is going on. But this didn't happen for me either. It felt like the surface was just being scratched as to what is going on in the storyline. It read as if I was missing some vital piece of information and I was never clued in on the big secret. The characters weren't the only thing to fall flat for me ... the story did as well. This one is a hard one to review because the author really explains (mostly) everything and in the end, you're fully aware of what is going on but at the same time, it felt passionless ... it felt dead inside. There was no umph or pizzazz intermixed in these pages. I won't say it was boring because there was a lot of drama but it was boring-adjacent. By the end of the book, I really just would have been okay not reading it because there was so much of a disconnect between the story and me. Unfortunate.

Also ... there is a lot of damn Russian. I have no problem with Russian. What I DO have a problem with is so many damn Russian words that aren't explained. The majority of the time, the author never tells you what a particular word means and to be honest, I don't have time to go through and look shit up every 5 seconds. It slows the book down and ruins the entire reading experience.

All in all, not a book for me. I'll probably pass on another one by this author in the future. Interesting premise though, too bad that it didn't work out for me.

* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *

Check out more of my reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!

[PepperP0t · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outside a popular Russian nightclub Hayley Baskov was selling simple food from a steam cart when undercover bodyguard Artem "Art" Diaz came to try it and stayed to enjoy an escalating flirt. As Art's 'boss' came to join the conversation, two men started a knife fight. As Hayley huddled with a utensil for a weapon, Art made short work of the interlopers but the moment was gone and she was afraid.

Though they were interested in each other, Art's on an undercover assignment about to bear fruit and Hayley as afraid of him as she was the attackers as he ensured her safety. Hayley's surprised when Art makes an offer she can't refuse, chef at a week-long closed meeting for an outrageous sum. Art's concerned personally and professionally and it will take all his wits to keep her out of the crossfire.

Stealthily putting the final touches on his op to arrest his 'boss', keeping his personal and professional feelings tamped, staying in character and protecting Hayley while falling for her stretches Art's extra diligence. Overall, the characters needed more flesh and the leads more chemistry though someone's food obsession was clearly evident.

For my taste, this streamlined read spent more time on the loving detail of the weapons and the flexing adversaries than the romance though action was the goal. This reader saw Hayley's lack of subtlety in word and deed in contrast to the first chapters as more predatory than she was 'supposed' to be. The opening chapters caught my interest but the fuzzy chemistry and heroine made it hard to maintain.
Rating: 3.5stars

[SmartBitches · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lightning review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

I love foodie characters, so if an author has a chef or a bartender, I’ll automatically give the book another once over.

The descriptions of the food were amazing and I made the mistake of starting this book late at night. I have a strict “no eating after 10pm” rule and I’m pretty sure I could feel my stomach eating itself. I also loved Hayley’s passion for food. You could tell that she loved cooking and feeing people, which I get. There’s something special about watching someone take that first bite of a meal you cooked for them.

However, I felt as if I were missing something. The book had this strange feeling of dropping you into the middle of things, even though it technically didn’t. The relationship between Art and Hayley felt more reminiscent of one that had past history rather than two strangers. If I’d been reading a paper copy, I would have sworn the book was missing a few pages or that I’d inadvertently skipped a few important exchanges.

While Hayley and her prowess in the kitchen was a big plus for me, I could never seem to get my footing as a reader.

- Amanda

[SuperWendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An action movie in book form. If Bruce Willis were 30 years younger, he'd be the hero in the movie version of this story. Liked the tension. Liked the high stakes to the suspense storyline. I tend to be lukewarm on Black Ops plots - but thought this one was good. I also thought the romance was written in a sensual way while not dissipating the tension to the story at large. Well done.

[JML · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the action

This was great. I've never read a romantic suspense book by a man before the action was terrific and the romance hot. I love Art and Hailey as characters. I ready enjoyed this book more than I thought I w as going to. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

[Ang -PNR Book Lover Reviews]

DNF 30%

Just couldn’t connect with the characters or story. These things happen!!!

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

The dialogue was clunky, character development was rushed and insufficient, and there were ridiculous plot holes. But, it was fine for what it's meant for. I'm in the midst of an emotionally dense and disturbing novel, and I needed a "brain-break." This book was a fast read that allowed me to just be a spectator.

[Lassarina Aoibhell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the details of Hayley's food, and the layers of trust and wariness between teh two of them. I liked the confined setting and the way the bratva members were drawn: some better than others, some worse, and all very individual and real.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily read in a day and many times forgot it was penned by a man. The story quickly moves along without much pause for unneeded detail. Nico did a wonderful job of bringing two characters to life that I would love to read more about. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable.

[Nibrock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and exciting adventure.

[Angela]

0

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! Two competent protagonists, one of whom is a chef.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published at The Book Pushers

I picked this up because I usually like Nico Rosso’s work, especially his contributions to The Ether Chronicles (see review at Library Journal) and his Demon Rock series, reviewed at Reading Reality (start with Heavy Metal Heart reviewed here)

However, I found Countdown to Zero Hour to be a bit slow going. The setup of the story seemed to take forever, while the action, fast and furious as it was, seemed to be over in a heartbeat. And oddly enough, even though the settings of The Ether Chronicles and Demon Rock are both intentionally somewhat otherworldly, Countdown to Zero Hour, while firmly set in contemporary reality, didn’t feel nearly as real.

And that’s really weird.

Two recent tropes that I am not terribly fond of, to put it mildly, are the gajillionaire romances and the gangster romances. While in this book all the gajillionaires are Russian mobsters, and the hero is an undercover cop (sort of) it still has the feel of one of those gangster romances. Hayley believes that Art is a member of the Russian mob, until he finally tells her different. And she falls for him before she knows the truth about him. She just falls harder after.

The whole story takes place at a high-echelon mob meeting, where Chef Hayley has been strong-armed into cooking for the crew and Art is waiting for all the big bosses to gather so that his organization can bring down the entire gang. A lot of the story is about the deadly power-playing among all the bodyguards of all the various bosses, and the dick-waving and dick-measuring just gets old. It feels like that is what would happen, but I got tired of it, especially since it never went anywhere.

I should say something about the characters. Hayley is a down-on-her-luck chef who is trying to recoup her diminished fortunes by running a steam cart outside of a Russian nightclub selling traditional food from recipes she learned from her family. She knows it’s dangerous, that she is at the edge of mob territory, but she’s desperate. One of the things that kept bothering me is that we never get a clear picture of why she’s desperate. Her ex did something that either took or cost her the money she saved to start her own restaurant, but we never quite get the details.

And then Art notices both her and her cart, and falls for her food first and her second. She’s attracted to him but rightfully wary. And when he introduces her and her food to his mob boss, she’s scared but still attracted. Then he strong-arms her into cooking for this remote meet, and she should keep away. But of course she doesn’t.

While I found the attraction plausible (but weird), it’s the setup that didn’t click for me.

Art and his backstory also didn’t quite gel for me. Or the combination of his backstory and his infatuation with Hayley. Unlike the usual pattern for first books in a series, we don’t see the setup of Automatik, the shadowy undercover organization that Art works for. They seem to be a cross between special forces operatives, spies and cops, but who they really are and how they end up doing what they are doing is as mysterious at the end of the book as it was at the beginning.

While I can wrap my mind around the idea that Art is in this particular operation to get revenge on the men who killed his father, it felt wrong that he reveals everything about himself and his undercover operation to Hayley after just a few days. All those months and years of undercover discipline, and he blows it all in a week because he wants her to think better of him than she does.

The action in the final quarter of the book was fast, furious and gripping. Once the operation to take down the cartel kicks into gear, it gears up all over the place. There are explosions, gunshots, attempted kidnappings and desperate escapes, ending with a spectacular desert car chase. The action was non-stop and edge of the seat. I just wish the rest of the book had been half as entertaining.

I give Countdown to Zero Hour a C+

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heather's review from Smut MattersI think that if I hadn't known ahead of time this was written by a dude, I'd have been looking around by the halfway point to find out. That's not to say it was bad or horribly written or anything else. But there was something definitely dude-like about it.

So Haley Baskov is a chef. Importantly for this story, she's Russian, and was taught all of the authentic Russian recipes that have been passed down through the generations. Which brings her to the attention of the Russian mob, who "invites" her to cook for them at a big week-long meeting of all the mob bosses. This invitation is delivered by one gorgeous specimen of a man named Artem "Art" Diaz. Art is half-Russian, half-Mexican, so he can't ever be considered part of the in-group of Russian mob enforcers that he works with. Which is actually smart on the part of the mobsters, because Art is really there to take out the entire group.

The connection between Art and Haley happened a little too quickly for me. There wasn't really anything to bring them together. I mean Art thinking Haley is hot is one thing. Him considering blowing his cover and risking his entire op based on nothing more than thinking she's tough because she watched a fight and wasn't bothered by the blood and violence was a little much for me to believe.

I think one of the biggest disconnects for me was the lack of dialogue. There just wasn't very much of it. Haley and Art think about each other a lot, and they tell us that they're falling for the other, but there wasn't really enough dialogue or interaction between them for me to get it or see where it was coming from, especially because there's no pre-existing relationship. They were complete strangers at the beginning of the book. They spent a surprising amount of time in the story apart from each other, so I just couldn't see how they were each coming to the conclusion that they were falling in love.

I also wanted a little bit more of Automatik. Due to the nature of the story, Art and Haley are pretty isolated, and we don't meet any of the other members of the black ops team until the big showdown at the very end. Even then, it's just a few snappy one-liners they throw at each other and an epilogue where they're having dinner with each other. This is book 1 in the Automatik series, and at this point, I couldn't even guess who the next book is about or even name who I'd want it to be about.

The best part of this book for me was Haley in the kitchen. The descriptions of the food were amazing. I could smell them coming through my Kindle. I don't think I've ever had Russian food, but this book had me wanting to seek out the nearest Russian restaurant and order everything. She was so passionate about her food. She was even ok serving Russian mobsters for a week because they were so appreciative of her food. Well. Maybe she wasn't ok with it. But she found at least a little joy in how much they loved her food.

Overall, I thought this one was ok,, but not great. I haven't read very many romances by men, and this book certainly wouldn't turn me off of them. The next one in the series is out in July, and I have the ARC for that, and I'm excited to read it. Mainly because the cover for the next one is even more gorgeous than this one. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a great set of abs.



 

 

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

****I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review****

I have to say that I really enjoyed this book and hope that there will be more books in the series. For a guy, Nico Rosso, really wrote a fantastic story that had the reader hooked from the the first page to the epilogue. Well done, Mr. Rosso, for a great story and you have gained a new fan of this series.

Hayley is a chef without a restaurant, and is selling Pelmeni, pork dumplings, from a steam cart outside a shady Russian nightclub on a corner in San Diego. Her sales have been brisk for the evening to clients who are waiting in a queue line to enter the nightclub. She had a lease for a restaurant but her ex-boyfriend Burton had taken all the money when they broke up leaving her to hunt up customers plus she owed alot of money to her mother on a restaurant she couldn't afford to open and run.

Art is a bodyguard, bouncer and is on a undercover op for Automatik to take down the Orel Group of Russian mobsters in San Diego as payback for killing his father. He soon is in line for some of the dumplings for himself and his boss Rolan. They soon work out a deal with Hayley to allow her to continue selling on the sidewalk for a 20% take of her nightly proceeds. But when two assassins head towards Hayley and Art, he quickly subdues them and protects both Hayley and Rolan from the two men.

Art finds Hayley at a nearby farmers market to extend an office from Rolan, to cook for his big meeting for a week in the desert for a hefty payday. Knowing that she needs to pay off her debts, she accepts the job and soon finds out that the mobsters love her Russian cooking. Art soon starts protecting her from one of the other bodyguards who thinks she should be with him not Art.

So you have five Russian mobsters and all their bodyguards meeting in the desert, throw in Hayley and Art (of whom he is very protective of)who is planning with his group to take them mob down in a matter of days. Plus, Art and Hayley soon are falling in love, throw in a huge explosion and you have a wham, bam, thank you ma'am story that will have you waiting anxiously for the next book in the series. It's that good!

[Erica Paythress · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art Diaz works for a Russian mobster and meets Hayley, who’s a chef making ends meet running a food cart in front of said mobster’s nightclub. Sparks fly, but Hayley’s concerned about getting together with a mobster and Art’s busy hiding his double life as part of Automatik, an organization trying to bring down the Russian mobster. Eventually, romance happens.

[Carmella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I have to say, I wasn't really sure about this book for some reason but I totally loved it! It was one of those 'one more page" books.

Art is a bodyguard for a Russian mob boss. Hayley runs a food cart that she has been parking out in front of his bosses club on the weekends to take advantage of the crowds and the kine waiting to get into the club.

One night Art comes over for some of her food and this is where their story begins. It is Russian food and his employer partakes in some of it too and is impressed.

It ends with a job, Hayley will go to the home (compound) where a meeting is being held. She will cook for 5 days, 3 meals a day for $20 grand, half up front and the other half at the end of the job. Hayley knows they are mob but the money would really pay down her debts and she would get closer to opening her restaurant. Plus she wouldn't mind spending more time around the sexy Art. All in all, she doesn't really have a choice....this is the mob.

There is some hot attraction between she and Art and they really begin to know one another also. She keeps pushing her feelings down because he does work for the mob!! Can you say danger?

Art thinks Hayley is beautiful, smart and brave and he hates the thought of her thinking he is a bad guy. Hayley will soon meet the real Art.

Like I said in the beginning, I loved this book. The writing is great and so descriptive. I could really "see" what the author described. Hayley and Art had great chemistry and I could also see them being as good friends as partners for many years to come.

Due to the great writing, the Russians were really arrogant. Women were just pieces of meat to them for the most part, except for a couple of characters. Art was Russian and Mexican and they looked down their noses at him, called him "denga", halfbreed.

I would definitely recommend this book. Since Art was part of a team, I may see a series coming about?? Sure hope so.

[Liz Donatelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could NOT put this book down.

Rosso's COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR (BLACK-OPS: AUTOMATIK, #1) is the ultimate military romantic suspense - smoldering stares, deft knife fighting, impassioned lovemaking, and a badass plan to bring the villains to justice.

*The love story between Art, an Automatik operative/undercover Russian mob goon, and Hayley, a chef hired to feed the Russian mobsters attending a desert "retreat," doesn't feel forced or lust-based. Art and Hayley share a genuine connection, which is illustrated by their decency, mutual honesty, and by how hard each work to keep the other safe.

*COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR observes the appropriate “sex-to-danger” ratio, which is an important balance to strike.

[In my reading experiences, there are a number of RomSus novels that focus more on graphic sex and less on plot/action-suspense. These books do not interest me. I simply can not root for protagonists who keep stopping for hot sex in gas station bathrooms while on the run from a crazy gunman!]

Rosso spends time developing Art and Hayley's attraction, building the danger/threats facing the couple and raising the stakes. But, he also takes the time to craft satisfying sex between Art and Hayley at appropriate moments in the story. Very well done!

*The world of Automatik is thoroughly captivating. I enjoyed learning Art's (and his Automatik team's) operative jargon. And, I was fascinated by the amount of detailed planning and prep that went into executing their mission. (By the way, I hope that there's a book in the works for Automatik team member/sniper Mary!)

I'm hooked on the BLACK-OPS: AUTOMATIK series!