Free Fall

Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers #3

by Ophelia Sexton

She wants him as her fake fiancé. He wants her as his mate. Will their pretend engagement end in disaster?
Jaguar shifter Esteban "Steve" Lopez is a smokejumper, an elite firefighter who risks his life parachuting into rugged terrain to fight dangerous wildfires. When his grandmother pleads for help in fending off his rapacious older brother Aarón, who is plotting to take over the family business by having her declared incompetent, Steve vows to save her. But good lawyers are expensive, and being a firefighting hero doesn't pay nearly as well as corporate raiding. If he's going to save his beloved abuelita, Steve needs an infusion of cash. Fast.
Enter successful entrepreneur and fellow jaguar shifter Maggie Ornelas. The dark-haired pastry chef is fearless and fiercely independent. She's spent her life successfully dodging her family's matchmaking efforts…until her heroism during a harrowing rescue from a raging forest fire makes the national news, and draws unwelcome attention from her clan elders.
Ambushed by her parents and the clan matriarch at the grand opening of her newest top-tier bakery in Denver, Maggie's handed an ultimatum: either repay her clan's big business loan, or agree to an arranged mating to Aarón Lopez, the heir to a rival jaguar shifter clan—and someone Maggie loathes.
All seems lost until a knight in a yellow firefighter's shirt steps up save her with a white lie about being her boyfriend. Even better, smokejumper Steve Lopez is Aarón's younger brother, so her parents instantly approve of him. Maggie offers Steve a bargain he can't refuse—if he's willing to pretend to be her fiancé until she can scrape together the loan repayment, she'll pay for the lawyer his grandmother desperately needs.
Things get complicated when Steve realizes that Maggie's his fated mate, and that he wants to claim her for real. Meanwhile, she's fighting her growing feelings for her fake fiancé because she's afraid that yielding to love—and her clan's wish to unite the Ornelas and Lopez jaguar shifter clans--will force her to sacrifice everything she's worked for.
Will their pretend engagement be the perfect solution to both their problems…or an utter catastrophe? This Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters spin-off romance features plenty of drama, a helping of steamy goodness, a dash of humor, and an HEA with no cheating.

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2021

About the author

Ophelia Sexton is an author of paranormal romance. She has previously published historical romance under a different name, but has always loved reading about were-creatures, vampires, and other supernatural beings. She lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reviews

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was just ok for me. Part of it was that I wasn't really that fond of Maggie. I liked that she saved the kids, but she only did it because she felt forced into it. I also didn't think Maggie treated Steve very nice. It didn't help that Maggie's family was horrible! I hated how they kept threatening her. Steve's family had it's own brand of drama, but that was at least just a couple of bad eggs.

[Jite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay.

Because I don’t really like books where the premise is based on lying or fake relationships, this was never really going to be my favourite book. But this author once again worked her chill spicy romance hoodoo on this and made it a pretty enjoyable read for me. The premise is that Maggie is being forced into an arranged marriage by her family to a man she detests. She randomly meets his brother and is attracted but is too busy with her business to bother with a relationship. Steve on the other hand feels infatuated at first sight and believes that Maggie might be his fated mate, but what’s he to do when he can’t get a look in but help her out her family off through a fake relationship ruse.

I liked this overall but my issue was a little bit around the consent and mixed signals between Maggie and Steven when she said she didn’t want to be in a relationship with him. It’s a little... sketchy that part. But overall as with all this author’s books, there is diversity, the heroines have their own ish going on and it is written with a consciousness and sensitivity that makes the series pretty inoffensive. Definitely would read more in the series.

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Free Fall Stars🌟

Maggie is in Denver to open up a new store for her Bakery. She decides to take some time off before the Grand Opening and go into the wild but she finds herself trapped with some other hikers during a forest fire🔥😳 Having to expose her shifter side to ensure everyone’s safety....she’s very happy when the Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers come to their aid...especially when she sees Mr Hotness😜

Maggie and Steve meet during a forest fire but even though circumstances are unusual and Maggie is not open to a relationship due to her business, they fake one when her family pressures her😢 However, Maggie and Steve have literal mountains to climb before they can decide whether to be together and what an adventure it is❣️

I received an advanced copy via Booksprout and voluntarily leave my honest review❤️

[Angie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ophelia Sexton has written a 5-star book. This is the story of Maggie and Steve. Maggie is opening a new bakery in Denver and she has taken time off for stress relief. She has gone camping in the Routt National Forest. A few days before she is due back, a forest fire breaks out, and the summer camp kids and their chaperons see it and they leave. Maggie is a Jaguar and she decides to take a run before she leaves. When she gets back, she packs and leaves. She meets up with the summer camp kids and the chaperons coming back. Bob, the leader tells her that the trial is burning. When they get back to the lake, Maggie tells them that she can get them to the other side of the lake. She tells them that if she does help them that what they see, they can't tell anyone about what they are going to see. Maggie tells them what she needs them to do. She shifts and takes the first two kids across the lake. When she gets back to the others, there are eight more people there. The people are firefighters and she thinks that instead of 11 to get out, she now has eighteen to get out. She sees Steve and thinks he is Mr. Hottie. Bob tells the group the Jaguar is helping them. Steve walks up to her and acts like he is going to pet her but she shows him her teeth and growls at him. Thor tells them that his group can help but they can't tell anyone. All eight firefighters are shifters and they shift and get the rest of the kids and the chaperons to the other side. Ken, one of the firefighters has called the National Guard to come and get the campers and Maggie. Before they take off, Maggie yells down to Thor that she is having the grand opening for her bakery on Saturday and they need to come and get free coffee and pastries. She tells them to come by anytime and just let her staff know that they are part of the Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers and they will get their things for free. It is the day of the opening, and Maggie is nervous. When the door opens, she is not expecting to see her mother, father, and grandmother coming in. Her grandmother is there to tell Maggie about a marriage offer she accepted for her. When Maggie hears who she is to marry, she knows she has to get out of it. She tells her grandmother that she is engaged and about that time, Steve comes in with Thor and the others. Maggie tells her grandmother that Steve is who she is engaged to. She goes up to Steve and asks him to play along with her and she would explain. Maggie explains to Steve what is going on and it is just for the time her parents are in town. Maggie is told by her grandmother that the elders want to have an engagement party for her and Steve and the Bearpaw Resort two weekends from then. Maggie tells her grandmother that she will ask Steve but she doesn't know if he can get the time off from work. Maggie and Steve had gone out to eat and Steve said that he would like to date her for real and she tells him that she doesn't date shifters at all. Steve tells her that he hopes she works things out and leaves. Maggie calls Steve and tells him what her grandmother has told her and she asks for his help and agrees to pay him and for his time. After they get everything sorted out, they leave the next morning for her home town. Things are going fine for them until Steve talks to his sister and lets it slip that Maggie and he are not really engaged. Things have changed for Maggie and Steve. Maggie wants things to be for real now. Maggie and Steve have slept together and when Steve gets a call from the lawyer telling him that the doctor can see his grandmother, Steve has to tell Maggie that he has to leave early. Maggie is called down to a meeting with her family and that is when she finds out that Tina, has told Aaron about her paying Steve to start out with. Her grandmother tells her that the money the clan loaned her was being called and had to be paid back in seven days. Maggie goes upstairs and gets into an argument with Steve. She tells him that he has just ruined her life and she wanted him to go and never call her again or try to see her. Maggie starts thinking about things with Tina and she does some research and finds some things out. She tries to call Steve and let him know what she has found out but it just goes to voice mail. Maggie talks to her mother and now knows what she needs to do. She goes to Steve's grandmother's house but she can't get in the gate. She calls his grandmother and is let in. When she gets to the house, she sees Tina going after Aaron and Steve. Tina wanted to kill both of them.
Will Steve save his grandmother?
Will Maggie give Steve a second chance or will she walk away from him for good?
This was a wonderful book and I would recommend this book to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandra A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of the other books in this series, this one is entertaining. Maggie Ornelas is determined to go her own way in life, and she chooses a path that her family and clan do not approve of. During an impromptu and harrowing wildfire rescue, Maggie meets Steve Lopez. While she spurns his request to meet again, Steve is determined to get to know Maggie better. Things get tense when Maggie's family tries to force her into an arranged marriage - with Steve's older brother, Aaron! Steve and Aaron have a history, with Aaron bullying Steve unmercifully when he was young. Maggie, too, has met Aaron, and finds him to be an unsufferable jerk. Unfortunately, Maggie's Abuela Inez , head of the family, is determined to see Maggie married and the two clans united, and that means she's calling in the loan for Maggie's business unless Maggie agrees to marry Aaron. Meanwhile, Steve receives a phone call from his Abuelita Delfina, head of his clan, and he learns that Aaron is determined to have her declared incompetent and put away in a nursing home so that Aaron can take over the family business. Things come to a head when Steve and some of the other firefighters visit Maggie's newest business, Cacao, for her grand opening, and at the same time Maggie is confronted by her family regarding the plans for the arranged marriage. On the spur of the moment, Maggie declares that she can't marry Aaron because she is already engaged to his brother, Steve! Steve is surprised, but plays along and later the two of them agree to a pretend engagement. Maggie agrees to help fund Steve's legal arrangements to defend his Abuelita Delfina, and Steve agrees to play Maggie's fiance. Unfortunately, Maggie's family insists on an engagement party, and of course things get crazy and begin to veer off course. There are a lot of familiar faces, as characters from other books in the series appear, and a twist of an ending with an exciting finish. I found myself rooting for Maggie and Steve to find a way through all of the rocky family dynamics to an HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Ophelia has written a book that has you turning the pages as fast as you can A wonderful combination it has angst drama and steamy romance and is just a pleasure to read

Maggie a jaguar shifter comes to the attention of her clan elders after she is involved in the rescue of some hikers luckily smoke jumpers arrived so she didn't have to show her jaguar But now her clan is demanding she marry and the person they have picked is Aarón Lopez the heir to a rival clan and someone she can't stand Luckily one of the smoke jumpers is Esteban "Steve" Lopez and he needs money to pay for a lawyer to thwart Aarón from declaring his grandmother incompetent Luckily Steve's name is enough to take the pressure of her clan from Maggie and it looks like everyone except Aarón there's only one problem Steve has realised that Maggie is his mate and she is fighting her feelings for him. What will happen will they both admit how they feel You will have to read to see

[Rosemarie Grainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to win a reluctant mate!

Steve is a smokejumper who comes across the most amazing shifters in a forest fire! Maggie is trying to take a break before the grand opening of her third bakery, when the fire overtakes her and a small camping group with kids and a few adults. What's a girl shifter to do? Fortunately, she gets some help from a most unexpected source! The story moves fast from there. Maggie is a great character and really made the story hop. Steve is a sweetheart. Who expects a smokejumper to be sweet, but he is! They have such a good chemistry.

The pace is fast with a character oriented storyline that has some action and some steamy scenes. The characters are vibrant and engaging. I would read the books in this series in order. But you may want to read the Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters first, since there are a number of references to that series. Then read these in order! I can't wait to see who is up next for the smokejumpers! Enjoy!

[Amanda Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie goes for a weekend away which turns into a dangerous experience for all. She'hs stuck between rescuing children and a few adults by allowing her shift as a jaguar or not doing anything.
Fortunately several firefighters appear, all shifters, one of whom is very attractive to her. They all help to rescue the children and adults, it makes the news.
Maggie is opening her new bakery, her parents and grandmother turn up unexpectedly, she pretends to have a fiance because her grandmother has tried to set her up with Aaron, a jaguar from another clan, so there's a nice twist when the 'hot' fireman she chose as her fiance, Steve, who agrees to pretend for money because he thinks his brother, Aaron, is trying to take the company from his grandmother.
A great, twisty, turny tale.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out with Maggie. She is a Jaguar shifter and also a smokejumper. She gets trapped in an awful situation out in the wilderness, and the smokejumpers actually manage to help out. About a week later, her bakery is opening, and they go in for a visit. She convinces Steve, another Jaguar shifter and smoke jumper, to play her fake fiancé so her parents and grandmother won’t choose her mate. Things get complicated for both of them. But Steve actually does want to court her. She starts to think it might be worth it. It will be interesting to see what happens?

I really like how this author writes character thoughts into her stories. She does jump in point of view as needed but also will include reflections and conversations. I love how the author let everything destruct for her characters before it all came about right. This was a great shifter romance, well done, and very steamy. I really enjoyed this book and the Jaguar shifters.

[Goddess of Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Steve had always enjoyed challenges."

Steve is a smoke jumper, A firefighter who parachutes into the toughest of wildfires.

The first time he meets Maggie she's her true, authentic and genuine self. No glam dress and hours of make-up to create her look, this is trapped by a wildfire and trying to save fellow campers Maggie.

This done in one Kindle Unlimited book, which weaves into the Bearpaw Ridge stories, delves into trust, seeing people how we remember them, how they want to be seen, and how they are, and the line between appearances and reality.

I love the community these stories build, and the depth of character... not to mention Poway getting a shout out. I can imagine shifters in Poway!

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two series overlapping: Rocky Mountain Smoke Jumpers and Bearpaw Ridge....
Maggie, a jaguar shifter, originally from Bearpaw Ridge, moved to San Francisco to get away from her family, who had arranged a mate for her. She started a successful bakery. During a wild fire she meets Steven, who also is a jaguar shifter. When her family tracks her down to pressure her again about a mate, she names Steve as the man her cat has chosen.
It only takes a short while for both to realize, that there is more to that relationship than they had thought. But family on both sides tries to interfere.
An interesting book, well-mixed with romance and suspense and a good plot. Entertaining and well-written.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Margaret Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this edition in the "Smoke Jumpers" line, I have to say I love it! I was a little concerned that the relationship was going to be thwarted there for a minute, but love and lust saved the day. Excellent story, with details that make the "sexy scenes" absolutely delicious to read. Can not wait for the next installment in this line, after all, what is sexier than firefighters, except maybe shifting firefighters! I love the way it revisits Bearpaw Ridge and pulls everything together as well. Wonderful book, expertly written, amazing story, I definitely give it a thumbs up!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books just get better.

Maggie goes off for a weekend and gets between a rock and hard place expose herself and save people including children or do nothing. She is saved from making that decision when they are rescued by smoke jumpers.

Maggie is being hounded by her grandmother and setup with a shifter from another clan so she fakes a fiance with a smoke jumper Steve and he does it for money to pay for an attorney to fight his brother from taking his grandmothers business.

This one has you turning the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deborah Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Spoiler Alert*** Maggie has been trying to avoid an arranged mating by staying away from her family. Steve fell in love at first site of Maggie and will do what ever it take to make her his mate. When Maggie ends up on the news her family arrives in town in her new bakery trying to get her to agree to an arranged mating via blackmail. Telling her family that she is engaged to Steve seems to be a good choice to avoid her family 's arranged mating. While Steve wants to court Maggie he does not want to pretend to be her fiancé but when she offers to pay him and he desperately needs the money to help his grandma sparks fly.

[Jerry Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this whole series!!! I was definitely looking forward to Maggie's story and it was worth waiting for. Maggie is an independent woman and a jaguar shifter. Her family wants her to take a mate and settle down, but she's not ready. She doesn't want to have to sacrifice her successful business and her dreams of being financially stable, but the pressure is on. Her family gives her the news, she is to have an arranged mating. Not happy, because she doesn't know the man and doesn't want to , she'd heard awful things about him. So she decides to find someone else...then meets her true mate.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free Fall, the 3rd book in the Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers Book Series has a fake fiance turned mates romance spiced by a paranormal drama with plenty of twists and turns. I love the the characters and the story. A must read This is an amazingly well-written book with Characters that have depth that are well-developed. Will their pretend engagement be the perfect solution to both their problems or tune to utter chaos? This Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters spin-off romance features plenty of drama, a helping of steamy goodness, a dash of humor, and an HEA with no cheating.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kirsten Ensman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugary sweets and hotness

I enjoyed this story. Family drama to the max. Glad my family is poor and I don't have to worry about pleasing others or else. People are so selfish who hold something over someone to get their way. Karma will come back to them. Steve's hotness and lust at first sight set the tone for getting his mate. Out of no where the smoke jumpers march in to help rescue people. If only life worked like that. It is an enjoyable story. I love the smoke jumpers and their antics. Can't wait for the next book because I enjoy them. Read and enjoy!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a NON-SPOILER REVIEW. Free Fall by Ophelia Sexton is the third book in her Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers series. I love this series and this book is just an amazing addition! Maggie finds herself in a pinch and enlists Steve to play the role of her fiancé. When they both begin to feel something for one another the story takes a left turn (as only Ophelia Sexton can do) and chaos ensues. This is a fun read with sexy character chemistry and lots of family style drama.

This honest and voluntary review was made possible by reading a copy through Booksprout.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun book by Ophelia Sexton. The Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers have an extra level of danger in the books (page turner worthy as the team does its job). A baker/owner and a smokejumper, families to watch and be wary of. Real people, great story, beloved (and not so beloved) characters from the past. Unpredictable. Romance, spice, humor. Bravo!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Rocky Mountain Smokejumpers series a well written story that kept me turning pages. Jaguar shifter Esteban "Steve" Lopez a smokejumper, and pastry chef jaguar shifter Maggie Ornelas' story of suspense, drama, danger, villains, a fake engagement that turns real, and romance. I enjoyed reading this story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary Puthoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It had romantic, laughter and suspense. It has a mystery and I honestly hate mystery books because I solve them early. This had a mystery that I didn’t solve. It ended with a twist I didn’t see coming. I absolutely loved it. This book is well written just alike the other two book in the series. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cynthia Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't like Steve's brother and sister, the brother was a bully most of steve's life but he surprised me in the end, where as the sister I knew was up to something. I also don't like Maggie's grandmother she is just so mean. I loved the way the book started and how the whole book went but I just wanted to give both of them a hug. The way their families treat them just hurts my heart. I only got to read this book from the series and I loved this book so I will be getting more of them.

[Sara Sigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

***spoiler alert***Maggie had to become her panther to save campers from a fire they were trapped in with the help of the smokejumpers that showed up. Her grandmother told her to get a mate or pay back the loan the clan gave her. So she asked Steve to pretend fiancé so the loan won’t be called but they fell in love after all. Maggie also helped him save his family from his sister.

[tburbr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Ophelia Sexton manages to keep you hooked with excellent writing style. The characters were both endearing and highly entertaining. The story line was well written and kept me interested from start to finish.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has given us characters we can care about. We are pulled into the lives of Maggie and Steve and that is just where we want to be. They each have issues they need to deal with and are hoping that they can help each other out. The story keeps you turning the pages with romance, steam and humor.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janet Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Maggie and Steve! This was another great story in the series. The plot wasn’t overly complicated and it had just enough drama to make it interesting. The supporting characters were also interesting. I want Aaron to have history told🤞🏽Great work as usual Ophelia. Until next time y’all happy reading.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Maggie first meets Steve she is attracted to him, but She doesn't want a relationship. But then she needs a fake fiance and asks Steve. He knows that she is his mate. Now to change her mind. Enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free Fall by Ophelia Sexton is an amazing story that I have loved reading. This is book number three in this amazing series that I have been so hooked on since the beginning. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about jaguar shifter and paranormal romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt so bad for Maggie and her unsupportive family.   Steve was such a sweetheart and completely lovable. I liked that he didn't play games.  He went for what he wanted.   And, he stood up for Maggie while still being polite. The only thing I was disappointed in was that Abuela didn't get any backlash or comeuppance. She was such a biotch

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This paranormal romance is addictive! I liked it! It is sweet and spicy, dramatic and compelling..Fun reading..

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.