Hidden

by Kelli Clare

Desperate after discovering her family murdered, a small-town art teacher runs to England with a seductive foreigner in search of safety and answers in this award-winning romantic suspense.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller, Fiction

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2018

Reviews

[Mackenzie - PhDiva Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, thus ends my streak of amazing 4- and 5-star reads! It had to end sometime, and this book was it. I hope to provide some fair feedback for readers considering this book, because though it wasn't good to me, others may enjoy it.

I want to be honest and state that I am a poor fit as a reader and reviewer for this book. I had agreed to review it because it is marketed as a Mystery/Thriller, but this book is firmly in the Romance category and the thriller subplot is only background tension for the relationship between the two main characters. I think readers who are fans of Romance, and also enjoy Fantasy or Young Adult books will enjoy this book.

In terms of writing ability, Kelli Clare has a gift with prose, and that was the part of this book I found rewarding. I think Clare will achieve success applying this gift to the romantic fiction world, and I would love if one day she branches out into other types of fiction. I certainly would consider reading more from her in a different genre.

The book tells the story of Ellie James, who spots a mysterious stranger across the pier and can't seem to get him out of her head. Until she returns home, that is, and finds her grandmother and sister murdered and a photo of the stranger from the pier in her sister's pocket. Ellie is confused, how does her sister know him? When the stranger shows up to rescue her, the connection becomes clear. Ellie and her niece Lissie are whisked away before they suffer the same fate. In a whirlwind of action, Ellie simultaneously learns that she is part of a royal lineage that a group of assassins is trying to eliminate, and Will and his family has been tasked with protecting them. Meanwhile, Ellie can't help but fall for Will, the passion between them is intense and undeniable. Will he be able to save her??

This is a fast-paced novel with a lot of momentum, broken only by the stolen moments between Ellie and Will. Ellie is a classic beauty, incredibly delicate and fragile, but with a bit of spunk. Will is barbaric and mysterious and dangerous, but fiercely protective and controlling. This is my nice way of saying that feminists will likely struggle with this book. Ellie is so fragile to the point that she can't keep food down, routinely passes out and needs to be rescued, and there is a lot of comment on how delicate and feminine her ... anatomy is. Will is prone to flying off the handle when any male goes near her, even with good intentions. Though I found the gender archetypes to be disappointing, I don't think all readers will feel that way. I think many readers will enjoy the relationship between Ellie and Will. Their passion is undeniable.

I also want to warn readers that this book has many graphic sex scenes. Some readers will love this, but others may not want that sort of read. To those who do enjoy this book, please leave me a comment and let me know what you liked! I tried to point out a few things that I did enjoy in this review, even if the book as a whole didn't work for me.

Thank you to SparkPress, NetGalley, and Kelli Clare for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookingwithme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
What an amazing and thrilling book this was! I seriously couldn't put it down. This is my first book by Kelli Clare and she has me hooked.

There is so much passion between Will and Ellie and add the thrill, excitement, and just overall edge of your seat mystery.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

NetGalley thank you. :))

[Jen Longenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelli Clare is a new author on the scene that, I believe, will be around for a while. She has the ability to introduce characters in such a way that you feel like you have known them forever. Her talent of telling a story is amazing. This is not your run of the mill romance story. Think of your favorite romance author and take it up ten notches. Yes, I said ten! Hidden is a combination of mystery, intrigue, love, and so much more. The love scenes are hot yet tastefully done. Clare’s writing lets you feel every emotion her characters experience. It is uncommon to find books written this well. This is such a great book that it just sucks you in and you don’t want to stop reading. Once you realize you are almost to the end, you get a little disappointed because you don’t want it to be over. We’ve all been there! I can’t wait to read more of her books.

[Selene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: First-person
Writing style: 3/5

Twenty-seven year-old Ellie James returns home to find that her beloved grandmother is dead and her sister is on the cusp of death’s doorstep. Ellie doesn’t think to call the police (immediately) because an attractive stranger comes to her rescue and tells her a nonsensical story about his connection to her:

“My father told me about you when I was five and reminded me often how I would someday protect you. There was no imminent danger at the time I came over, and he’d forbidden it, but I needed to see for myself you were real—that the training had purpose. It all seemed mad to me then, as it does for you now. You were seventeen.”

Ellie instantly falls for this “defender” and he spends the entire story shielding her from danger (assassins). Essentially, she’s a special snowflake and his role is akin to guardian of the special snowflakes. Naturally, he fails to keep her safe several times . . .



Overall?
The entire story was unconvincing, felt underdeveloped, and I couldn’t connect to the characters. The dialogue was mostly dramatic and by the end of the story I felt sad that these characters were already forgettable. My expression while reading this story?



*NetGalley ARC provided by SparkPress in exchange for an honest review.

[Caitlin Speck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelli Care blew me away with Hidden and had me coming back for more. When I am reading a good book, I get sucked in and cannot put it down. This book is one of those for me. Kelli Clara created a world that I became a part of. The characters came to life before me as I felt all of their feelings along with them. I love the consuming love between Elle and Will and the love and loyalty of the Hastings family. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Kelli Clara is a new author, and I am excited to see what other books she will dazzle us with.

[Sally Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden is a page turner...what a wild ride of twists and turns! I highly recommend this book is a must read. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

[Holly Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very captivating and Lots of action! Love the twists and turns, keeps the anticipation flowing!! Will Hastings character sounds fascinating. Truly enjoyable read!! Looking forward reading more from this new author!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books like this — set in the U.K., twists and turns, atmospheric and with good character development. I wish I could have read it all in one sitting because I think it would have been better and more enjoyable, but I had to break it up over a few nights. It is just a book that begs to be read into the wee hours of the morning. I don't want to give too much of the plot in the review because it will spoil the plot and surprises, but the book is about a family of three children being raised by their grandparents in an old family home. As the story unfolds and the children grow, more and more family secrets are unearthed. The tremors are felt throughout the family and divisions grow. It is not until one fateful day that all is revealed and you will not see it coming. And you will care because the author develops the characters in such a way that you are invested. You feel as they do and you want what they want. This is one not to be missed.

[Cwbythundr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my kind of book. It has it all. Action, romance, intrigue, suspense and characters that you fall in love with. I surely hope there will be more books with these characters. If you read this Kelli Clare, this avid reader wants MORE!

[Suanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden is Kelli Clare’s debut novel. The plot is intriguing, involving an unknown heir to the British throne that can compete with the current queen and her family. Additionally, a family that has vowed to protect this heir to the death and has done so for centuries.

Ellie James is an art teacher who moonlights by working in a bar. She is the missing heir. When all but she and her niece are killed the the order that protects the queen, she must decide whether to trust the men who are willing to die to keep her alive.

Clare, unfortunately, misses with her characterization. Will is an alpha male yet his behavior falls short—a real alpha males don’t send flowers, they don’t beg, and they like women who are also alphas who like sex a little rough. Will sends flowers and begs. Ellie, an art teacher who moonlights, as mentioned above, takes Loubotin shoes to England when she flees—not sure how she can afford them. Also, she seems remarkably self-unaware. She never seems to contemplate the changes moving to England, being an heir, etc. will have on her life. She also has the TSTL (too stupid to live) moment when she has to find Will (who’s returned to the States to track the men who are threatening her), and unable to live without her daily dose of sex from him, leaves England and safety to find him—of course, putting herself and Will into increased danger.

Again, the premise was intriguing with a lot of action, and the book was well-written technically.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ / 5

If you are after a super lusty romance then this is the book for you! I totally thought that Hidden by Kelli Clare was going to be a thriller, but it was heavy on the romance and light on the thrills.

Hidden is about a woman named Ellie James who comes home to find her sister and grandmother murdered, which begins a whirlwind of romance and running from assassins.

I think the biggest issue for me was that I thought the book was going to be a thriller, and couldn't get past it when it wasn't. It kind of felt like a Bond movie, but packed with super descriptive sex scenes. I also thought it was pretty abrupt in places with no real lead-in to what is about to happen.. Ellie's lineage ends up being pretty crazy and interesting though and was something different from everything else I've read.

Final Thought: I think this will be a good book for romance lovers who enjoy a fiery romance and don't mind lots of graphic sex scenes. I got a 50 Shades vibe, but I loved those books and didn't love this one. I'm also not a huge romance reader so I'm not the target audience for this book either. I think this author is very talented at romance, and if she writes a book that is heavy on thriller and light on romane I will definitely read it.

Hidden in 3-ish words: Red Hot, Intense, Unexpected

[Madeline ❤️ Romance Bibliophile ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

♥♥ 2.5 Obsessive Stars ♥♥

ALERT ALERT: RANT AHEAD

Soooo, let's just talk about this cover. Along with the title and book description, I was all over this. I'm expecting an intense stalker-type thriller romance, very Killing Me Softly-esque. But, man, was I disappointed. Okay, it's advertised as a "thriller", and I was not thrilled. I felt maybe a couple moments of tension where I was wondering what was going to happen, but literally, it all felt like a means to make the characters' relationship grow.




Let's look at the main characters; hell, let's look at all the characters. Ellie and Will confuse the shit out of me. Ellie is all, I've never loved anyone, I have a heart of ice, and Will is just like, I've loved you from afar for ten years, don't you remember us making eye contact that one time when you didn't know who I was? And I'm just sitting here like....




Like, this was insta-love to the max. Which is fine, I guess, if that's your thing. Just don't play the main character off as being incapable of love when she is basically ready to marry him after making eye contact with him through a crowd at a fair. The insta-love is the main thing that bothered me, and the commentary from the secondary characters was just annoying. Everyone is all, "Oh, no, you're the most important thing ever and we have to save you or Will will literally kill me." Like, I'm pretty sure if Will is beating guys up for just looking at Ellie (maybe a slight exaggeration), then perhaps their relationship is a little unhealthy? Like Will and Ellie are so obsessed with each other and so caught up in their little bubble that they become super codependent and just unstable.  And then at the climax, I was expecting more of a big fallout or threat and before I knew it everything was over.

So all in all, this looked like a promising book. If you're a fan of insta-love and are in the mood for something a little mindless and light, then this is a fun read. Just don't expect something actually suspenseful or thrilling.

** ARC generously provided via NetGalley

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading Hidden, and I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it. I rarely read romances, especially the ones with dominance and graphic sex. Yes, this book had that, but it also had a real, even if crazy, story that kept me turning pages into the night. I loved the in-your-face quality of the writing, the rapid pacing, and the off-the-wall story. The protagonist's family had kept a major, earth-shattering secret from her, and people are trying to kill her because of it. That is, until a giant, hunky man decides it is his mission to save her. There is more to him, though, than being hunky. He's actually kind of a beast, except that he's good to her. The two fall in love immediately, which is the part I struggled with. To me, they were in lust, not love, which may be why I rarely read romances. But if you're looking for a light romp, I would recommend this book. The writing is very good, the descriptions are detailed, and the sex is steamy.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

No words...just none.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected this to be more of a suspense/thriller type novel and that really isn't the case. It's more of a Romance with some action thrown in. Reads like a young adult novel other than the sex scenes. Not really an appealing novel to me, but if you like Romance novels with a bit of action this might be right up your alley.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG how to explain this? Sort of 50 shades of juvenile fantasy maybe? It reads like a teenager’s idea of romantic suspense. Not my cup of tea at all. The hero of the book calls the main character ‘Baby’ in every sentence which sets my teeth on edge for a start. Also, he is domineering and OTT in his defense and protection of her...ick. The story line was intriguing and definitely had possibilities but sadly didn’t manage to live up to it.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars! The premise for "Hidden" -- a mysterious stranger, two murders, and at the center a young innocent girl -- hinted at an exciting thriller with a little romance thrown in for good measure.

I didn't not like the storyline.

When the stranger Will Hastings turns out to be some sort of protector who's been watching Elle James for a decade, nope, not creepy at all.

Then, when Will darkly proclaims Elle was the intended murder target and whisks her to England with Elle's young niece in tow, okay, that seems convincing why Elle would go without much protest.

So Will is rich, extraordinarily handsome and comes with equally attractive brothers, including one who resembles a picture that was in the hand of her dead sister, I was still disbelieving but fiction doesn't need to be perfect.

Where this fell apart for me was the disjointed dialogues and scene transitions. Perhaps it was the page format, but it was unclear throughout the book who exactly was speaking, almost as if this was a movie script and one was expected to see the characters. Scenes ended abruptly within chapters, making me wonder "what just happened?"

Elle, who is described as beautiful and fragile and self proclaims she's stronger than she looks, comes across mostly helpless and weepy while Will is gorgeous, dominant, aggressive, jealous and possessive. These character profiles may work in other books, but for some reason, in "Hidden" it only serves to make one wonder what they see in each other besides the surface.

I'll say that the steamy sex scenes are pretty intense and graphically written, but so much so that the mystery reveal is almost an afterthought especially when the murderer is exposed and the reasons behind the murders left me confused and sadly uncaring at that point.

I really wanted to like this book because ... cool cover and intriguing plot ... but it didn't follow through. Appreciate the ARC from #Netgalley and #SparkPress!

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gotta be honest – I could not get in to this book. Hidden was not the thriller I thought it was going to be. Maybe I was too quick to judge this book by its cover, but based on its looks and synopsis I settled down to read this one expecting a dark, twisty mystery; but this was not that. This is a romance first a foremost with some thriller/mystery elements thrown in. Unfortunately, I found the romance aspect to be way too distracting. That being said, I was probably not the intended audience for this one.

The lust between Ellie and Will was extremely overpowering, and I found it to be entirely unbelievable and not properly developed in overall plot or even just plain time. On almost every page I found myself marveling at how many strong emotions were being described but how little I was really buying in to them and how quickly big events were passing me by without any real detail. To me, Ellie seemed like a gullible, somewhat shallow young girl and Will seemed like a macho, testosterone driven caveman. Ellie’s reaction to her family’s murders was entirely unrealistic, in my opinion, and this occurs so soon in the story (too soon) that I found it hard to take her seriously for the remainder of the story.

Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy a good genre-bending romance, but I need to care about the characters and the love story to do so (a certain kilt wearing Scottish man and his Sassenach come to mind…). However, about 20 pages in to Hidden I said to myself “is it just me, or am I getting Fifty Shades vibes here?” You should know, I got about 2 chapters in to Fifty Shades and never could finish it… I was one of the snobs saying “I just can’t get past the juvenile writing!” I know, I know, I might be in the minority on that one.

I do think this could be an enjoyable read if it makes its way in to the right readers’ hands. Anyone who loves the romance genre and could get in to a romantic mystery with an element of English historical fiction as well could probably really get in to this one. If my likening of this to fifty shades intrigued you then this might be the book for you.

[Kati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cover kind of makes you think it is a YA novel... As the saying goes do not judge a book by it's cover. I was very excited to read. OH MY GOSH. The start of this book, the description the just. WOW. I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book because at the beginning so much had already happened. It had its grips in nice and firmly. There were it's moments of cheesiness. But by goodness I wish I could have dedicated a whole day to just reading this book. Every moment in-between calls I just took my time soaking up the words of this books and enjoying every moment. I love a lot of this book there is very few things I don't love about this book. I love the primal love between the two. I find the construct of the story line to be very interesting and something I've never heard of before. Some of it seems a bit... unbelievable but at the same time you want it to be real, not in the sense of someone's whole family being murdered. I have unfortunately been on the end of that where I never want someone to suffer through that but the romance they have. The immediate draw, the ability to protect those the love. I don't like in the synopsis how it says Will disappears.. at no point does he disappear his brothers know where he is the whole time. That's just misleading. Honestly the synopsis is meh but the book is amazing. The synopsis should have written better. I don't think it fits the book well at all. I think that's my biggest complaint about the book.

[Ryley (Ryley Reads) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can we be done with the macho-man romance novels already? I was expecting a thriller but what I got was a romance with some wildly bizarre storyline and just couldn't finish this one.

Thanks so much to Book Sparks for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.

This story, as far as I could tell, is about Ellie, a woman who comes home from work one day to find her sister and grandmother brutally murdered in their kitchen. Will, the handsome guy she's seen around a few times explains to her that her family lineage is the only one capable of de-throning the Queen of England when the prince takes the throne and now assassins are after the family. Yup.

If the plot-line wasn't enough for you, there's also a romance with so little chemistry development but still instant chemistry it feels like you are starting a book in the middle of a series. Ellie and Will instantly clicked, but there was no development of their attraction. Will was just all "I promise to always protect you" and Ellie was like "I've loved you forever." I just didn't get it.

Based on what I've read from the rest of the synopsis, it sounds like the rest of the book just gets crazier and I'm not missing too much by DNFing this one.

I think the writing itself was pretty good, I made it 75 pages in for a reason, but it ultimately wasn't enough to hold my attention and make me finish this one.

Overall, I thought I was getting a thriller and I think I just couldn't get past the strange romance/thriller storyline that I actually got.

[Tori · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The plot had potential but unfortunately the love story ruined it. I usually really enjoy romance in my thrillers/mysteries but this wasn’t enjoyable for me.

I didn’t like how quickly the characters fell for each other and they fell hard extremely quickly. It just didn’t seem believable. The female character (Ellie) was portrayed as weak and dependent, and the male (Will) was portrayed as controlling, possessive and dominant; such an old, overused narrative. There didn’t seem to be much substance to the characters’ relationship other than Will being a dom and wanting Ellie to submit to him, which she did happily. There’s nothing wrong with that but that was literally the ONLY thing (from what I read) that I got from these characters’ relationship; there was no real reason for them to fall in love so quickly other than the fact that they were highly attracted to each other. I kept looking for any substance to their relationship but I couldn’t find any. Maybe as the book progresses the reader will see it but I only got up to chapter ten before I returned it to the book store.

[Sharon Rudolph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so disappointed in this book! The tagline makes it seem like it’s going to be a suspense book, that will keep you on the edge of your seats. This book was boring and predictable. The best part of this book was about the last four chapters, when it finally got exciting.

As for the characters, they were ridiculous. Same thing over and over, sex on every page. Will, all he ever did was apologize, I’m sorry baby, please forgive me baby, I’ll never do it again. What a nightmare! Elle, she was a wimp, she just let him get away with it and she never fight for him until the very end. I didn’t feel any connection between those two just lust.

Those that gave it a five star rating, they must’ve been reading a different book than I was. Before you decide to read this book, read all the ratings, this book is not worth reading and I couldn’t wait to get to the end.

[Louise Hendricks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting a Mystery/Thriller, but what I got was a Romance novel with a little thriller thrown in. I do not like romance novels so this review may be a little skewed. The thriller aspect seemed like an afterthought. Overall, this novel is fast paced, and well written. This was a saving grace for me, as I was not sure I could muster through much more. The main characters are portrayed in the classic male/female stereotypes, making them unremarkable, but the passion between them is indisputable. If this was more thriller and less romance I would have loved it.

I want to thank NetGalley, Kelli Clare, and SparkPress for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lara Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I went into Hidden thinking it would be a suspenseful thriller. Instead, I got a confusing romance.

When I started reading the book, I kept turning back thinking I missed a paragraph or something important. Once it continued to happen, I just couldn't stand the poorly written transitions. And then there was the romance and the overuse of the word "baby". I stopped reading about 30% in because it was taking me a lot more effort to read a chapter than I wanted.

[Alexandria Steyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled to read this one. The plot is your typical insanely jealous, overprotective rich guy whom the heroine immediately and inexplicably falls in love with. The climaxes of the story seem to come on without warning and really arent explained well most just end with no consequences or explanation. The main focus is on the two main characters unhealthy obsession with each other.

[Lori Olender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry, not a fan. Some will enjoy this book, but in 2018 I can not stand to read about an overbearing, possessive, albeit gorgeous man who a woman falls in love with in five pages.
The writing itself is pretty good. I think the book tries to be Fifty Shades meets Davinci Code. Just too over the top for me.
Not a mystery at all. Pure romance.

[Fiona Montgomery · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was alright, but the scenes were very blah. Everything felt like it was written as a report instead of a story. I did not really feel anything as I was reading it; I would want to be more a part of the story.

[Carol Potenza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced romantic thriller!

This book hits the ground running with ancient secrets and an intense love affair. Take a deep breath as you turn every page!

[Ann Keller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t bother.

[C. Baccari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too mushy

Not a bad plot, it did keep me reading on. It was very different. Felt it was just over done, too mushy.