RITA Reader Challenge Review

RITA Reader Challenge: Free Fall by Karen Foley

B-

Title: Free Fall
Author: Karen Foley
Publication Info: Harlequin Blaze June 2013
ISBN: 978-0373797615
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Free Fall This RITA® Reader Challenge 2014 review was written by MadHamster. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Short Contemporary Series Romance category.

The summary:

Subject:
Lt. Commander Jack Callahan

Mission:
A high-flying maneuver…with tantalizing perks!

Being stationed at a naval base on Whidbey Island is a dream come true for Navy pilot Jack Callahan. But when a late-night encounter on a beach with a stunning woman turns scorchin' hot, Jack's dream starts resembling an X-rated fantasy….

Three weeks in her hometown is nothing short of torture for photographer Maggie Copeland. The town hasn't forgotten she was dumped at the altar by an aviator, and neither has she—until her naughty rendezvous with the oh-so-scrumptious stranger! But then Maggie learns that Jack is a pilot. Can she resist the force of their sexual chemistry…or will she find herself falling for another flyboy?

And here is MadHamster's review:

Old issues and hang-ups raise their ugly heads in Free Fall. Most of which would be solved so easily if our hero and heroine just damn-well talked and shared.

That said, it is so refreshing to have the guy – a navy pilot and all – ready to settle down; while she wants to settle for a holiday fling. Of course, Maggie doesn't know how ready to settle he is – because he doesn't talk about it, afraid of scaring her off. She, of course, doesn't share why she's so skittish. *Sigh*.

Anyhoo, Jack has ways of working on Maggie's fears and she comes to realise that her past doesn't have to dictate her future, so she can move on. Which, honestly, is a good thing as she's emotionally stunted and needs to grow up. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, as I don't come from a small town with its related gossip and collective memories, but Maggie does my head in. It's been ten years (more or less) since her very-public dumping (by a navy pilot) and she hasn't dealt with the hurt or pain – she ran away. And stayed away. And didn't deal. Just avoided. Which makes me wonder: did she ever go home for those ten years? Did her family ever visit her in Chicago? If I read it again, more carefully, I might be able to pick that up, but time is against me.

Jack is a much more sympathetic – and nicer – character than Maggie. His moments of immaturity are caused by Maggie not frigging talking about her feelings and issues, just avoiding them. His uncertainty about sharing is fuelled by her reluctance to let go and let him in.

Maybe I'm in a grumpy mood while writing the review. I'm not sure these things got me so riled when I was actually reading the book, but reflecting back – yep. Grump it is.

It's not throw-across-the-room-bad, nor meh-valued. It's okay.


This book is available from Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo | All Romance eBooks

Comments are Closed

  1. DonnaMarie says:

    I may have to indulge because, having been to Whidby Island Naval Air Station and met a few of its pilots, I can get a really good visual going. I’ll just say it – the flight commander was H-O-T.

  2. Shannon says:

    This tempts me a little.  I loved Whidby Island.  And I’m one of those who “ran away from home” for four years (not 10).  I only came home because my Mom staged a huge hissy fit.  Quite frankly, I would have stayed away longer.  I didn’t hate my small town, but everyone was married and popping babies, and I was building a career and indulging in flings in a major city where the lights were bright and the nights long.  They felt so superior that they had their “men,” and I was single.  They thought I was snobbish because I went to college.  And these were my old high school friends.  To top it off, most of the guys/husbands I met had beer bellies and hung around the keg getting drunk or smoking pot in some one’s back yard.

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