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Rescued by the Operative
Nelly
I've been secretly tasked by the government with bringing a dangerous cult to justice. When this job is done, I can't wait to get out of this one-horse town. Unfortunately, one local cowboy keeps driving me to distraction. These hot, meaningless encounters with Jake were supposed to help me blow off steam while under all this stress. Instead, I'm letting him get under my skin. He's quickly becoming someone I could get attached to, and attachment in a career like mine could be deadly -- for the both of us.
Content (Possible spoilers!) Contains darker themes including religious trauma as well as physical and emotional abuse and neglect. Use of firearms. Physical threats. Talk about suicide. Parental abandonment and death. Offensive, sexist language and beliefs taught by villains. Discussions of kidnapping.
I've been secretly tasked by the government with bringing a dangerous cult to justice. When this job is done, I can't wait to get out of this one-horse town. Unfortunately, one local cowboy keeps driving me to distraction. These hot, meaningless encounters with Jake were supposed to help me blow off steam while under all this stress. Instead, I'm letting him get under my skin. He's quickly becoming someone I could get attached to, and attachment in a career like mine could be deadly -- for the both of us.
Content (Possible spoilers!) Contains darker themes including religious trauma as well as physical and emotional abuse and neglect. Use of firearms. Physical threats. Talk about suicide. Parental abandonment and death. Offensive, sexist language and beliefs taught by villains. Discussions of kidnapping.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2025
6 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 7, 2025
She’s undercover. He’s out of bounds. Falling for each other could ruin everything.
FBI agent Nelly has one job: infiltrate a secretive cult and gather enough evidence to bring its leaders down. She’s deep undercover, emotionally locked down, and running on grit and instinct. No distractions. No attachments. Definitely no cowboy complications.
Then Jake crashes into her mission. Literally. The rugged rancher with a quiet rescue operation and a protective streak isn't part of the plan. What starts as tension and heat quickly turns into something harder to ignore.
As secrets unravel and loyalties shift, Nelly and Jake are caught between duty and desire. She's risking her mission, he's risking his family, and neither expected how high the emotional stakes would climb. The deeper they fall, the more dangerous it gets.
When everything hits the breaking point, trust is the only thing that might save them. Together, they’ll have to choose whether to walk away or fight like hell for something real.
Nelly starts out cold and focused, trained to stay detached, but she learns to lean on others and open herself up to something more. Jake’s a steady force, protective, grounded, and driven by quiet loyalty. Their connection shifts from raw attraction to deep partnership, grounded in trust, purpose, and a love that grows in the fire instead of running from it.
A steamy, opposites attract, undercover, small town romantic suspense filled with grit, tension, and explosive heat. It explores trauma recovery, trust, identity, justice, survival, resilience, family, and love. At its core, it's about two people letting down their defenses, choosing each other through the chaos, and building something strong enough to last.
The Elevator Pitch: An undercover agent and a rugged cowboy clash in a small town hiding dangerous secrets. What starts as heat and tension spirals into a bond forged through risk, rescue, and rising stakes. Passion meets peril in a romance that refuses to play it safe.
FBI agent Nelly has one job: infiltrate a secretive cult and gather enough evidence to bring its leaders down. She’s deep undercover, emotionally locked down, and running on grit and instinct. No distractions. No attachments. Definitely no cowboy complications.
Then Jake crashes into her mission. Literally. The rugged rancher with a quiet rescue operation and a protective streak isn't part of the plan. What starts as tension and heat quickly turns into something harder to ignore.
As secrets unravel and loyalties shift, Nelly and Jake are caught between duty and desire. She's risking her mission, he's risking his family, and neither expected how high the emotional stakes would climb. The deeper they fall, the more dangerous it gets.
When everything hits the breaking point, trust is the only thing that might save them. Together, they’ll have to choose whether to walk away or fight like hell for something real.
Nelly starts out cold and focused, trained to stay detached, but she learns to lean on others and open herself up to something more. Jake’s a steady force, protective, grounded, and driven by quiet loyalty. Their connection shifts from raw attraction to deep partnership, grounded in trust, purpose, and a love that grows in the fire instead of running from it.
A steamy, opposites attract, undercover, small town romantic suspense filled with grit, tension, and explosive heat. It explores trauma recovery, trust, identity, justice, survival, resilience, family, and love. At its core, it's about two people letting down their defenses, choosing each other through the chaos, and building something strong enough to last.
The Elevator Pitch: An undercover agent and a rugged cowboy clash in a small town hiding dangerous secrets. What starts as heat and tension spirals into a bond forged through risk, rescue, and rising stakes. Passion meets peril in a romance that refuses to play it safe.
November 30, 2025
Tumbling for each other
Rescued by the Operative is the third book in The Heroes of Darling Creek series. This is a deeper and somewhat darker story in the ongoing series about the Celestial Oder of Covenant Kinship, aka C.O.C.K. As the author suggests it would be good to read The Runaway Brides of Darling Creek books first so you can understand the world this series is set in. This story is about Nelly and Jake. She is an FBI agent who has been tasked to go undercover as a follower of the Prophet. She is meant to find information to take down the cult, lock up the Prophet and save the women and children. The only problem is one very sexy cowboy who not only keeps showing up but that she just can't seem to stay away from. He is protective and once he spots Nelly he wants to protect her with all he has, even as she is fighting him all the way. I loved these two as they come together and basically can't seem to keep away. They end up working together to save the woman and children, and along the way tumble for each other, over and over again.
Rescued by the Operative is the third book in The Heroes of Darling Creek series. This is a deeper and somewhat darker story in the ongoing series about the Celestial Oder of Covenant Kinship, aka C.O.C.K. As the author suggests it would be good to read The Runaway Brides of Darling Creek books first so you can understand the world this series is set in. This story is about Nelly and Jake. She is an FBI agent who has been tasked to go undercover as a follower of the Prophet. She is meant to find information to take down the cult, lock up the Prophet and save the women and children. The only problem is one very sexy cowboy who not only keeps showing up but that she just can't seem to stay away from. He is protective and once he spots Nelly he wants to protect her with all he has, even as she is fighting him all the way. I loved these two as they come together and basically can't seem to keep away. They end up working together to save the woman and children, and along the way tumble for each other, over and over again.
November 21, 2025
4.5 stars
This is book three in the author’s Heroes of Darling Creek series and features the final book in the multiple series featuring the polygamist cult in which the FBI sent a female operative undercover to infiltrate the community and gather evidence for prosecuting the leaders.
I really appreciated this ending, for all the women and children to be safe but, at the same time, I was also a tiny bit sad since the epilogue had an ‘end of an era’ feel to it that I wasn’t expecting but it was still satisfying to see the bad guys get what they had coming.
This is a wonderful book for those who prefer low/no angst books where the good guys ultimately win, offers lots of steam and has an MMC who is unapologetically wrapped around his woman’s finger… even when she’s not too sure she WANTS to be his. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, check it out, it’s a really good book. 4.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is book three in the author’s Heroes of Darling Creek series and features the final book in the multiple series featuring the polygamist cult in which the FBI sent a female operative undercover to infiltrate the community and gather evidence for prosecuting the leaders.
I really appreciated this ending, for all the women and children to be safe but, at the same time, I was also a tiny bit sad since the epilogue had an ‘end of an era’ feel to it that I wasn’t expecting but it was still satisfying to see the bad guys get what they had coming.
This is a wonderful book for those who prefer low/no angst books where the good guys ultimately win, offers lots of steam and has an MMC who is unapologetically wrapped around his woman’s finger… even when she’s not too sure she WANTS to be his. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, check it out, it’s a really good book. 4.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 23, 2025
Another great addition to the Heroes of Darling Creek series and the saga of C.O.C.K and its terrible deeds! I particularly liked Jake’s seeming carefree single cowboy side AND his intuitive protective side that came out with Nelly. I adore how she undoes him😍😍😍. Nelly of course is super bad ass, an undercover FBI agent… who’s maybe been under for too long when Jake comes crashing through her walls…literally🤭😍
The heat is super HOT…. Their connection is instant and deep…. And the story is great! Lots of action and suspense packed into a perfect sized package!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The heat is super HOT…. Their connection is instant and deep…. And the story is great! Lots of action and suspense packed into a perfect sized package!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 14, 2025
I have been reading these stories from the beginning of the series and was caught from the start. The concept of a family helping runaways from a cult was a great theme to this series. I enjoyed this story and hope that there will be more related stories after this end. I highly recommend going to read the first story and working your way back to this one. There are relationships that will make so much more sense, (like every one associated with the safe house) if you read the other books first.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 16, 2025
We finally come to the final of this series. Jake and Nellie meet in one of Jake’s and his brother’s escape tunnels while they’re trying to rescue women and children from the commune. They realize they’re both working together to save the women and children. But for Jake it’s instalove and it’s not long before Nellie falls too. It’s a nice conclusion but it’s much better if you have read all the books from the beginning. I loved this conclusion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 18, 2025
3.45 - 4 stars.
I have enjoyed catching up with past characters and seeing the other side of things that happened in book 2. I have always wondered if Wylie's brothers would get their own story and now I know that answer. I liked the way everyone was able to work together to do what they knew was right, and I liked the connection and chemistry between Nelly and Jake, I thought they balanced each other out well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have enjoyed catching up with past characters and seeing the other side of things that happened in book 2. I have always wondered if Wylie's brothers would get their own story and now I know that answer. I liked the way everyone was able to work together to do what they knew was right, and I liked the connection and chemistry between Nelly and Jake, I thought they balanced each other out well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 20, 2025
The story of bringing the cult to it's end is finally here and it gives a completely satisfying end to this series. I loved watching all the pieces that had little holes in it from the other books in the series be filled in during this story. And Jake's unending love for Blondie was almost to innocent and trusting but well placed. And I'm glad that we got to see everyone's happily ever after at the very end too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 26, 2025
Nellie is working undercover to investigate and bring the cult to justice when she meets Jake. These two work together to save the women and children from the colt, and before they realize it, they have fallen for each other. I love that we got updates on couples from Darling Creek in this conclusion. I recommend this book, this series, and this author to everyone who loves reading great books. Rescued by the Operative is book three and the conclusion to the Heroes of Darling Creek series. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
November 28, 2025
Rescued by the Operative is dramatic, over the top, and so much fun. Jake and Nelly’s story gives us the other perspective, answers questions, and brings the series to a close. I loved the unraveling of the plot, the way the characters come together, and the sizzling connection between Jake and Nelly. She is bold and brazen, too isolated for her own good, and determined to shut down the bad guys for good. The ending is action-packed and the epilogue is super satisfying.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 16, 2025
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how Jake and Nelly meet while both are working to dismantle the commune and free the women and children. I was glad when everyone joined forces and the commune was finally dismantled and the elders in prison. During this Jake and Nelly fall in love. I liked the epilogue that lets you know what happened with everyone.
November 30, 2025
This book finally brings the Cult saga to an end. Undercover FBI agent has been placed with the cult, when Jake comes crashing thru the wall. The pair have an instant spark, their chemistry get hotter the more times they connect.
There are so many moving parts and people to the story, that if you have not read the others it might be confusing. It as a nice wrap up to this storyline.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There are so many moving parts and people to the story, that if you have not read the others it might be confusing. It as a nice wrap up to this storyline.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 3, 2025
Book 3 of Heroes of Darling Creek story of Jake and Nelly. Now that was a wild and twisted tale of naughty and nice. I will say I was so shocked by what happened almost at the end it had me biting my nails. Truly a page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 17, 2025
The third book in the series Heroes of Darling Creek, and it is the story of the mysterious Nelly, who is working undercover to end the cult, saving women and children. Nelly and Jake were perfect for each other, and the attraction quickly brought them closer together. This story has a happy ending and I like to read the other characters from previous stories.
November 20, 2025
An inside job.
This series, focused around escapees from a cult takes a nicely needed twist. In Nelly, an undercover FBI agent working inside the skeezy cult. We meet Ennis’ brother, Jake, when he literally tunnels his way into the compound women’s detention center.
They are fighting for the same cause in different ways.
Recommend.
This series, focused around escapees from a cult takes a nicely needed twist. In Nelly, an undercover FBI agent working inside the skeezy cult. We meet Ennis’ brother, Jake, when he literally tunnels his way into the compound women’s detention center.
They are fighting for the same cause in different ways.
Recommend.
November 21, 2025
This is book 3 in the Heroes of Darling Creek and I absolutely loved Jake and Nelly. Nelly is a no nonsense, strong and sassy fmc who is the perfect opposite to Jake and his laid back swagger. A little action, a little danger, lots of love, plenty of spice, and a HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 17, 2025
The author has given us a wonderful story that pulls us into the lives of Nelly and Jake. The fast-paced story keeps us turning the pages with secrets, connection, denial, danger and steam.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 28, 2025
Heroes of Darling Creek is slowly becoming one of my favorite series from Ms. Knox...this third addition is absolutely wonderful with great characters and storyline.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2026
My absolute favorite book in this series…loved these two…her being sassy and full of piss and vinegar as he said, and him being the young dirty talking heathen cowboy. Their sexy witty back and forth, and ridiculously hot chemistry made for a highly entertaining couple….definitely my favorite book, and couple of the series. This was a great final book in the series, we get to see all of our favorites, a hea, and a great series finale.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews