From the author of the Alpha Ops series comes an action-packed, super sexy military romance.
A legend among black ops teams, Col. Duke Cameron can't wait to get back in action again-no matter how high the risk. Two of the world's best military pilots are missing after a midair collision, and he's made it his job to find out why.
U.S. Air Force veteran Casey Jacobs loves working for a cutting-edge, high-tech company - until she suspects their newest design might have caused a horrible plane crash. But after a few "accidents," it's clear no one wants her asking too many questions. The only person she trusts to help her is Duke, the sexy secret crush from her flying days who still turns her on like no one ever has.
But someone is watching their every move, making sure they don't uncover the truth. And when the danger turns physical, it's not just their love that's on the line. It's their lives.
Emmy Curtis is a Romance author. An ex-pat Brit, she quells her homesickness with Cadbury Flakes and Fray Bentos pies. She's lived in London, Paris and New York, and has settled for the time being, in Tokyo. When not writing, Emmy loves to travel with her military husband and take long walks with their dogs. All things considered, her life is chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny. And if you get that reference...well, she already considers you kin.
Three and a half stars. Four stars for the plot but I've deducted half a point for obtrusive sex and half a point for an abrupt ending.
I have read several books by Emmy Curtis but this is the first I have read in her Elite Ops series so I am unsure of whether there is any backstory to this in the preceding books.
Casey Jacobs is a former Air Force pilot working in the private sector for a cutting edge tech firm, she was ecstatic when her firm, TechGen One (or TGO for short) agrees to sponsor this year's Red Flag training games in the desert, she thought she had won something great for her former colleagues in the military. But two pilots have gone missing and Casey suspects that the issues which caused them to crash were the same as bugs which had been reported in a new piece of TGO software - she is suspicious that somehow TGO has put its software onto military planes without permission but when she raises it with a colleague he warns her that previous TGO whistleblowers have conveniently 'committed suicide' and she shouldn't tell anyone about her suspicions. Torn between fear of what she may have unwittingly facilitated, fear for her own life and fear for the two lost pilots, she is persuaded to help some friends break the lockdown on Nellis Air Force Base to search for the missing pilots.
Casey was due to go on a 'date' with Colonel Duke Cameron, head of Nellis Air Force Base. They have a history in Germany and Afghanistan, a mutual admiration from afar type of thing but now she is a civilian contractor on his base there are no rules against fraternisation. The only problem is his heart/ libido is in conflict with his head/ gut which think Casey may be hiding something about the missing pilots. When Duke sees Casey busting out of the base when it is on lockdown he gives chase on his motorbike only to see her attacked by guys in face masks in a car park. Before he knows it the two of them are on the run, not quite trusting each other and plastered all over the news as suspects in the disappearance of two Air Force pilots.
This book is full of action right from the word go, the reader is thrust into the middle of the situation and in short succession there are thinly veiled death threats, a breakout from an Air Force base in lockdown, a fight and a getaway. Casey is afraid both for her life and the consequences of disclosing her suspicions thanks to a watertight NDA, she is also wary of getting Duke embroiled in whatever is going on. Duke is suspicious of Casey, has she sold out? Was she a honey trap? There's lots of tension and action - it's like a Bruce Willis film.
Then it was like a switch got flipped and it was time for the sex portion of the book. Never mind that the sex scenes were gratuitous and frankly odd, why would two people on the run, who have only just escaped from another group of guys out to kill them stop around the next corner and decide to have sex on the car bonnet? I get exhibitionism but they didn't even consider that the car headlights coming towards them might be the bad guys, just an extra frisson of excitement. Also, at one point I found myself worrying that certain things they did in the throes of passion could cause infection - I'm sure I read that somewhere - which kind of spoilt the moment. The plot ground to a halt while Casey and Duke played weird sex games. I mean who does that? You are running for your life, with a short timeframe before the US Government signs a multi-million dollar contract with TGO, so of course you break off for shower sex at every opportunity, why wouldn't you?
Then the plot got back thick and fast, there were more fights, more chases, drones, planes, secret bases, investigative reporters and then boom, all over.
I really enjoyed the plot, far-fetched as it might be, it was fast-paced and exciting and plausible. The sex didn't really gel with the slow burn romance and diverted attention from the build up of tension and then the ending was too sudden. Overall, this felt like a slightly confused mash-up between military/ special ops romance, erotica and a category romance and needed more balancing of the different elements - I think if you can't categorise a book then its genre isn't clear enough.
Overall, I would like to read the previous books in the series to see how they fir together and the backstory between Casey and Duke. Despite my issues with this book I would definitely read more books in this series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
‘Free Fall’ has a very tempting burb and I couldn’t wait to dive into it.
But my excitement turned to confusion as I flailed about in the opening few chapters, feeling as though I’d plunged straight into a conspiracy mystery without knowing the head or tail of its context (I’d actually flipped the pages wondering if I’d missed a chunk of the beginning of it).
I felt too scattered, too lost, in short, with the first and foremost question running through my mind being: is ‘Free Fall’ meant to be a standalone? Do I actually need to backtrack to read the rest of the books in the series before embarking on this? There were bits of a backstory that came through dialogue or inner monologues but it was difficult to piece even that together when my attention was already flagging, when I was trying hard to simply stay in the story with a level of confusion that showed no signs of abating.
So what really stood out for me were random actions scenes (written like movie action scenes which were quite thrilling), followed then by the lulls of the talk of the conspiracy involving Casey’s employer (which had me struggling to piece together) and then steamy times (which required no introduction)—in all, not quite sufficient to say that I could enjoy the overall flow of the story. I gave up, in the end, despite trying to power through.
Free Fall by Emmy Curtis is book Three in the Elite Ops series. This is the story of Col. Duke Cameron and Casey Jacobs. I haven't yet read the previous books and did feel like I would have enjoyed/understand this book a little better if I had. Casey went on the run when she starts to think that she is being targeted due to her work. Duke went on the run with her. So while avoiding becoming a target they of course fall in love. Overall a good exciting read.
Retired Major Casey Jacobs and Colonel Duke Cameron are in a bit of a pickle. Running for their lives and trying to solve a far reaching government conspiracy, while fighting an attraction they don’t know where it’s going to lead..talk about a rough week!
I loved the action in Free Fall! It’s like one big action flick from start to finish. From the dinky motel rooms and stolen cars, to the secret hangar loaded with gadgets and the seventy year old lady holding her own with twelve gauge shotgun...there really wasn’t a dull moment to be found!
If I had one hang up, however, I wish the romance had been better balanced with the suspense. Casey and Duke had chemistry, but as they tried to avoid villains and bullets, the moments together sometimes felt like an afterthought. And then there’s the scene with minty shower gel...sorry, but no....I’m still cringing just thinking about it.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this series. What captured my attention was Curtis writing different perspectives simultaneously -even though it’s different books-and smoothly moving the plot forward. Brilliant plotting when I think about it, simply because it wasn’t something I consciously noticed until I finished reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hmm… This was the first book of Emmy Curtis that I read. I have no idea what her previous books were. So I honestly didn’t know that this book was part of a series. There’s no wording like “This third book of an Elite Ops series continues where book two left of” or something like that. Maybe this book suppose to be a standalone within a series, just like many others, which was why there’s no such kind of wording. But…
Right from the start, I felt like I’ve been thrown into an ongoing story that I should have known about. It’s not unusual that the two main characters had history, and usually this will be explained along the way, which was what happened here as well. No, not the romance part that got me confuse. It’s the suspense part. There was a conspiracy theory story about an event that felt like had been discussed before and this book was just a continuation from it. I should say that I have no problem with that as I’ve read plenty of series just like it. A standalone, yet the overarching story continued from book to book. And while the plot itself was OK, it need to be stated in the blurb so as to avoid confusion to new readers like me.
Aside from those confusion, the story was well written, full packed with action, and the romance budding between Casey and Duke was intense. I actually quite enjoyed it, and I’m sure those who had read previous books could enjoy it more as they wouldn’t be plagued with confusion.
I was provided a complementary copy by the author / publisher through NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.
I picked this one up not realizing it was the third in the series. Perhaps if I had read the prior books in the series I wouldn't have felt as lost as I did. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew they whys of some of the things going on in this story. So I'll just say that I enjoyed the action and fast pace of the story. Casey and Duke are both strong likeable characters. I liked them together and wanted to see them succeed. Overall I think this is a very well done book and I would recommend it with the caveat that it doesn't make a good standalone.
I’d read the first book in this series (Aces Wild), but somehow missed the second one, oops! While I remembered enough of the first one to understand the story line, this is definitely not a stand-alone so I would recommend that others not make the same mistake.
This one starts out with the two pilots from the first book missing after their planes crash during Red Flag, a military training operation at Nellis AFB in Nevada. Duke is running the competition while Casey works for the military contractor sponsoring the exercise. They had met previously in Afghanistan and while there was some attraction, they hadn't acted on it until they run into each other again during Red Flag. They are about to go on their first date when Casey starts to suspect that her employer TGO is responsible for the missing aircraft and pilots, and Duke follows her when she escapes off the closed base. Unfortunately he isn't the only one following her, and when she is attacked in a parking lot Duke saves her and they go on the run.
Regardless of missing the second book, the story seemed almost disjointed to me. Probably for me, the biggest issue I had was with Casey making a completely rookie mistake while she's on the run. As it would spoil part of the plot I won't give more detail here but suffice it to say that it's the one thing I think most people today would not do. (I can't imagine someone with any kind of military training especially E&E to do this!) And while I'm all for the action, the first smexy part took place when (and where) it definitely shouldn't, though I will grant that it was hawt! In any other story the timing wouldn't have bothered me, but again the particulars of this one were just off.
All that said, I did enjoy the overall story and will go back to read the second book so this one makes more sense. There is a lot of action and adventure, so other readers that like military romantic suspense would probablylike it as well when read as a series.
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Forever Yours, thank you!
Free Fall was my first introduction to author Emmy Curtis. I thought the premise of the story was great, and as a fan of high stakes military dramas I was really looking forward to reading the book. Unfortunately, the book fell a little flat for me for several reasons. First, there were several times when the female lead came across as very flaky, which just isn't in line with my view of a military pilot with war-time experience. At a pivotal point in the story, she's actually caught "daydreaming" in her chair by two male characters in the story, who at that point are making plans for how to deal with the situation that she has drawn them into. Prior to this, the female lead had come across as very competent, so I didn't like seeing her reduced to a laughing point for the guys. Secondly, the first intimate scene in the book actually pulled me out of what, up to that point, had been some fast-paced, high stakes drama. In my opinion, it was beyond unrealistic and very unnecessary at that point in the story. Lastly, while the plot had my interest in the first couple of chapters, it just sort of fizzled out for me at the end. There were too many moments that I found myself completely losing interest, while wondering why it was that I was supposed to care about these characters. Also, there were a few times I found myself wondering if I was suddenly reading another story due to the sudden change in circumstances ( A chapter that suddenly focused on the interactions between characters that, up to that point, had played no significant role in the story.)The book was very plot focused, and in the end the characters lost my interest. While this book wasn't a hit for me, the writing was okay enough that I would give another of the author's books a try with the hopes that the next book would focus a little more on character building.
This was the first Emmy Curtis book I have read and it is the 3rd book in the Elite Ops Series. Generally it is not a problem for me to pick up a book in the middle of a series, but this one was a bit confusing at the beginning. Midway through the third chapter I actually went back and reread the first two chapters to try to figure out what was happening. I like high stakes military dramas and I thought this one had a lot of potential. Casey Jacobs is an ex-military pilot working for a private contractor and she starts to realize all is not right with the way in which the contractor is conducting business. The hero, Duke Cameron is still in the military—close to retirement. The two apparently had some history which is not clearly explained in this book. I did not find a lot of chemistry between Casey and Duke. It wasn’t clear they had any strong relationship other than having served together a couple of times while Casey was still in the military. At first Casey came across as a strong female lead who wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her company. However, as the story moved along there were several points where she came across as “flakey” –something that seemed totally out of character for an ex-pilot. In addition, the ending seemed to happen very suddenly. Everything just fell into place all at once without a natural evolution to the conclusion. Although I enjoyed the plot, the overall story fell a bit flat for me in the characterization; and having not read the first two books in the series I was somewhat confused as to what was going on and how the story had reached the point where it started. It's worth a read, but might be easier to follow if you've read the first two books.
I liked it. There is some action. There is some good chemistry. But for me, there is something missing in the story.
Colonel Duke Cameron and retired Major Casey Jacobs had encountered each other a few times during their military careers, but now they met again when two military pilots went missing after a plane crash. Cameron wants to know what happend and Casey, who now is working for the software designer company of the plane, is asking too many questions. So when she sees herself in a complicated situation, Col. Cameron surges to help her out and the two of them start a dangerous mission after the truth.
First, I did not know that this book was part of a series when I started to read and for me it was ok, It was not confusing or anything but I wish I had read the others two past ones. Second, I really liked the action. I felt like I was watching a good action film when I was reading those scenes. Besides that, Casey and Duke have such good chemistry and their crush for each other have been happenning for a while since they met. So, I really appreciated this fact since instalove is not exactly my cup of tea. But what is it missing here? For me it was the romance that sometimes was left aside from all the run and fight.
With this being said, I recommend not just this book, but the whole series. It well written and I think that you, reader who likes some action and a good conspirancy story, will enjoy the Alpha Ops series. I know that I enjoyed it.
*The ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley.*
This is book 3 in the Elite Ops series and can be absolutely read alone. I read it by itself and understood everything that happens, although I have since gone back and read the books before this one as I didn't realize it was part of a series. This book is about Colonel Duke Cameron and USAF vet Casey Jacobs. Casey Jacobs works for a company that helped keep the Red Flag event going when something went horrifically wrong and 2 planes crashed and the pilots were missing. Duke is in charge of the base that those 2 planes came out of and is wondering if Casey knew there was an issue with her company and those planes. Whether she willfully put them in danger even though that doesn't seem like the woman he knew. When he follows her and witnesses something extremely suspicious, now they are on the run and fighting for not only the truth but their lives.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of action and suspense involved. My only thing is that I wish there had been more of the romance factor to it. But on a whole I liked it. Casey and Duke definitely had chemistry and once they worked through their issues and realize they are on the same side they are great for each other. I know some people got confused when reading this as they didn't have the back story but I was able to follow it just fine so I think it is just a matter of perspective. On a whole I did enjoy the story, just wish there was more romance to it.
This is the 3rd book, all of which show the story and action from a different perspective.
Duke & Casey Jacobs have been hovering around each other for years. Each felt a pull towards the other but military regs and their own sense of honour crushed any hope of them being together.
Casey now works for the Private Military Tech firm which is sponsoring Red Flag but things have been...weird on base and now 2 planes have crashed and their pilots are nowhere to be found.
Duke feels partly responsible as the incident happened on his base, Casey knows that her company was involved somehow. A long sought dinner date between them never gets to fruition as Casey gets called into help "The Animal" and allows an unauthorised search party off the base. When Duke follows her he sees her being attacked and swoops into save the day! Now they are on the run, all the while trying to fathom what has happened to the pilots and their aircraft.
Casey and Duke are very plausible as the frustrated wannabe lovers and it is high time that both had a HEA!. I enjoyed all the intrigue and adventure. I had read the first book, somehow skipped the 2nd, and landed back in the action with this one. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the story unfold from a different perspective. Each story in the series shows a different facet of the overarching story. Would have loved a wee bit more on the romance front but it did kind of reflect Duke's responsibilities towards "his" pilots.
Free Fall by Emmy Curtis is a reasonably enjoyable, thriller of a suspense story. It's a little light on the romance for my tastes, however, so I'm uncertain if it should be classed as romance.
Casey works for a tech outfit possibly responsible for the downing of an aircraft. Col Duke Cameron is the officer in charge. They go on the run when Casey's life is threatened. These 2 served together and share a mutual attraction, we're told.
The action sequences are as gripping as other suspense novels I've read, so kudos to Ms Curtis. I also appreciated her research that made it hard to tell she's not American. Usually there are one or 2 little words that give it away.
The connection between Casey & Cameron was a little flat. I realize with a 3-4 day storyline it's hard to get a new relationship going, but I wanted more. And I won't go into the mint scented shower gel. Anyone who's ever used it knows it can be uncomfortable in certain parts of one's anatomy. 'Nuff said, huh?
This also should be listed as not a stand alone, because this was the first Emmy Curtis I've read and it felt like I got dropped into an ongoing story.
Another objection? Cameron has dark sandy hair & the model on the cover is a brunette. That sort of thing drives me a little nuts. Cover models need to match character descriptions. It should be a rule. Don't you think?
Casey Jacobs, former military pilot, is working on a special training operation at Nellis Air Force Base for a private military contractor when something goes terribly wrong. Colonel Duke Cameron was on his way to meet Casey when he rescues her from a potential kidnapping. Now they are both on the run for their lives. What does Casey know that would cause her employer to want her silenced and how can Duke help her find the truth so they can put a stop to the potential threat to the US military?
Casey and Duke have history. While working together when she was in the military they had been attracted to each other but never had the chance to act upon it. Now they do, but fighting for your life may not be the ideal opportunity to discover how deep those feelings may be. Join Casey and Duke on their journey through the twists and turns of this intriguing, suspenseful tale.
The story is fast paced, captivating and will definitely keep your attention. The characters are well written, strong, interesting, and easy to empathize with. The narrative flows effortlessly with intrigue and HOT romance. The book is hard to put down, with easy flow, full of action, strong emotions, and solid characterizations. I highly recommend you read this!
I am voluntarily providing an honest, unbiased review of an ARC of this book.
In Emmy Curtis's Free Fall, the third installment in the Elite Ops military romantic suspense series, this novel would have you at the edge of your seat with nail-biting action every step of the way. For Casey Jacobs, she uncovered something dark and dangerous at TGO, the place she worked for. When there's a conspiracy theory of what happened to her missing pilots. In a blink of an eye, she's on the r run where she's running for her hide. For Corporal Duke Cameron of the Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base, he was supposed to be on a date with Casey. But when he ran into her in D.C., he became more than curious but suspicious of her and her actions. The people at TGO would do anything to silence her and want her more than dead, when there's a military contract on the line. When Casey and Duke look for clues and the truth, it sent them across the country with new unearthed dirt. The chemistry between them is hotter than ever when they do more than hit the road. With their lives on the line, they lay it all on the table and stop TGO in their tracks with the plain hard truth to see justice served.
I've read all the books in this series and the Alpha Ops series. Elite Ops had been one of my favorites. Each book centers on the same event, a plane crash at a prestigious military training event, but is told from a different couple's perspective. Its different from most series I read in that way, but I like it and enjoy learning a bit more about the characters each time, although the first book remains my favorite. This story focuses on Duke and Casey. Casey sees something she shouldn't have, and believes her life is now at risk. She was getting to know Duke prior to that and had agreed to go on a date with him. Just before that date is supposed to happen, he watches her make an illegal exit from the base. He surprises himself by breaking the rules and following her. Once it becomes evident foul play is involved and Casey's life is in danger, Duke will do anything to keep her safe and find out what's really going on. There will definitely be more books in this series, because this accident is nowhere near resolved. Personally, I am so ready to get Animal's story!
I received this book via NetGalley and am leaving my honest opinion.
Casey retired from the Air Force and takes a job with a high tech company that is developing products for the government. There have been a few "accidents" but when a plane crashes, Casey has serious doubts about her company.
Duke is retired Black Ops and actually knows Casey. They served in the same area and had friends in common but weren't personally friends. Duke is investigating the plane crash as friends of his were involved. He makes arrangements to meet with Casey to talk...and perhaps a date?
All hell breaks loose then!
This story was really good. I have never read anything from this author before so I was pleasantly surprised. This couple has plenty of chemistry and do get to explore it a bit but most of the time they are trying to stay alive while trying to solve the puzzle.
This story was written very well and had twists and turns galore! The amount of people and the status of some of these people included in the cover up really blew my mind. I would definitely recommend this story!
This was the first book by Emmy Curtis that I’ve read and, while I enjoyed it, I felt as several other reviewers did, that I was missing something. The book, it turns out, is the third in a series, and while it can be read as a standalone, there could have been more explanation to help new readers. The two main characters, Duke and Casey, have a history together, and an attraction that neither of them had felt comfortable acting on previously. Now though, they are hoping to see if the spark turns to more. Before they get the chance though, they are caught up in a life and death chase. Casey is sure that there was foul play within the company she works for, and Duke is determined to get to the truth of it and protect Casey, as well. I liked both characters and the action was good, if a bit over the top at times. All in all, I liked the book, but still felt like I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first two books in the series. I would be willing to check out more by the author. Note: I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
4 Stars Review by Elizabeth Late Night Reviewer Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Free Fall by Emmy Curtis is packed with action, mystery, romance, suspense, etc. If you love those, you'll definitely want to read Free Fall.
When you start reading you are thrown directly into the story and need to collect the pieces from the previous books as you go. While I did get confused a bit as I progressed along, I eventually figured it out and caught on, but I suggest reading the first two books before starting this one.
I’m not one for spoilers so you will get no details from me. BUT! There is some steamy sexy times in addition to the action. I will certainly be looking into more of Emmy Curtis’ work.
he synopsis for Free Fall had me requesting this book. Soon the story couldn't live up to the synopsis. The first several chapters had this reader confuses and lost as the author pushes readers into a conspiracy with very no back story. Yes I started in book 3 but still a little background would have readers understand the who what where when and how.
With very little background the story lost interest quickly leaving this reader flipping though pages just to see if this would end up being a story with just enough ending to keep reader hook but not enough to finish the conspiracy\Mystery.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Forever Yours
OMG, this was for me amazing read. For me, it couldn't be better, great military characters both likable, with really hot chemistry and both well developed. A great storyline combined with mystery, suspense, and action. And a fragment of humor, dry sarcastic humor that I like so yes I'm giving it a real solid 5 stars because I enjoyed reading every page of the book. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly.
Free Fall is a great edition to the Elite Ops series and provides readers with an abundance of fast paced action, intrigue and romance. Basically it’s everything a true romantic could want! I’m sure readers will enjoy this story as much as I did, and I look forward to more form this talented author.
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author (netgalley) This was just a little to much for me, too much action (I know sounds crazy) too much conspiracy, yeah my mind was boggled story was all over the place, This is the third in series, you have to have to read the previous ones or you really wont have a clue what is going on..I personally am getting off of the train.
While it can be read as a standalone I think it is easier to read if you have read the previous books in the series but I did manage to pick up the story with not many problems. This is a good book and I really liked Casey and Duke they were fun together and had lots of chemistry, There is plenty of action in this book and a must for all military lovers
Love it! Love it! Love it! Adrenaline pumping action from start to finish. Sexy scenes. Edge of your seat action. Everything you can ask for in a well written military action book. Guns blazing, cars racing, people dying - the sequences read like an action movie. Very well done!
Grab this truly intriguing and entertaining read today, you will not be disappointed. There is a lot going on which will have you glued to ereader and turning them pages as fast as you, I sure did :-)
Duke and Casey have a history, but now that she is in private contracting, there are no regulations standing in the way of them exploring a relationship. In this case, they get a fully dangerous and suspense-laden time to explore their feelings.
Free Fall is a good fit for readers who enjoy suspenseful contemporary romances with a focus on military pilots uncovering dangerous secrets and experiencing intense chemistry.