Freefall: A High Risk Novel

by JoAnn Ross

Book Overview

Emotionally and physically wounded ex-SEAL_Zachariah Tremayne has returned to his South C arolina home determined to shut out the world. Then he meets Sabrina Swann, who has also made a private... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451223209
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.1" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Freefall

Sabrina Swann has always been a driven woman, but after surviving a terrorist attack, she decides to go back to the only place she has considered home to re-group and decide what she wants to do with her life. However, as soon as Sabrina gets to Swann Island, she comes across her teenage crush, Zach Tremayne, who is one of the last people she wanted to see. After all, who wants to relive their most embarrassing moment - which for Sabrina was throwing herself at Zach and being turned down. But, as it comes to light that Sabrina is not as "recovered" from her awful experience, she finds that she has more in common with Zach than teenage memories. Zach Tremayne is home after his tour with the Navy SEALs ended after a disastrous mission that ended many lives and forever changed Zach's. So after spending some time living inside a bottle, Zach is working for his father and trying to pull his life together and into normalcy. When he finds Sabrina back in town, there is no reason not to pursue his attraction to her - now that she is legal, that is. But what starts as a fling evolves into friendship and then to something much more intense as Zach and Sabrina face a serial killer that is prowling Swann Island. Freefall is a romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see who will win the race against time - the killer or Sabrina and Zach. JoAnn Ross wrote another spellbinding novel that takes disturbing glimpses into the mind of a killer while delivering a lava hot romance between Zach and Sabrina and is sure to leave readers eagerly waiting for the next installment in this new series. Zach is as much an Alpha male as you could wish for - as he is a man tempered by his terrible experiences in the battlefield which have made him realize how fleeting life is and how precious love can be. Sabrina is a strong woman with a steely core who never forgets to be smart in the face of patronizing males. When Zach and Sabrina come together, they set the pages on fire and leave you envying Sabrina her luck! One of the most appealing things about Freefall is the strong elements of admiration and appreciation for the service and sacrifice of the men and women in uniform woven into the plot. Get yourself Freefall for a truly entrancing read that will keep you turning the pages well into the night! Sabella reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Review: Freefall by JoAnn Ross

There's a killer loose on Swann Island. It has always been a small-town sort of place where everybody knew everybody else. Until all of the new development started. Now property values have skyrocketed and there are masses of tourists in town, plus at least one serial killer. Sabrina Swann spent every summer of her young life here with her grandmother, Lucie, who was loved by everyone on the island. Lucie Swann had been alone since her no-good, two-timing husband up & left town in the middle of the night years ago, but still, everyone was surprised when she passed away suddenly. Sabrina was among those shocked by her grandmother's death. She thought they still had many years together. Her grandmother had been so understanding that she couldn't make it home for a visit this year because she was busy climbing her way to the top of the company in a major hotel chain. When the hotel is literally blown up around her, she decides to go home to Swann Island to recuperate. She arrives a week earlier than planned and gets a surprise the first morning, waking up to find local bad boy and former SEAL, Zach Tremayne looking in her window. He gets an eye full, but so does she. Seems both have gown up a lot since the last time that met. When Sabrina's best friend disappears, everyone is helping look for her, but Sabrina gets too close to the action and ends up in cage, alongside her friend. It is up to Zach and his friends to get them out before it is too late. This is the first in Ms Ross' "High Risk" series. The highest risk is that you'll get hooked from the beginning and not be able to do anything else until you finish this book (the way I did). It's a great story and there is enough background on all of the characters that you understand how their lives fit together, but getting the info into the story doesn't drag it down, the way it sometimes can.

So much going on!

Sabrina Swann had just been made general manager of an upscale hotel in Florence, Italy, when the hotel was blown up from under her. Seeking refuge as she recovers, Sabrina returns to her home turf, Swann Island, South Carolina. The local population of the sleep Southern Island has always been small, not including the tourists, so everyone knows everything about everyone. Before Sabrina had fully moved into the Swannsea estate, everyone knew she had returned and what had happened in Italy. The last person she expected to encounter on Swann Island is Zachariah "Zach" Tremayne. Zach had stole Sabrina's heart when she was a teen, gently declined her invitation to give him her most precious gift, and eventually left to become a Navy S.E.A.L. Sabrina had no idea Zach had left the military, but she recognized the pain in his eyes which was so similar to her own. Zach was home to heal as well. Though the former S.E.A.L. still had "warrior" written all over him, he was currently helping his father with the family construction business. Zach cannot forget the horror he saw in his last battle in the Afghan mountains. Slowly he has been recovering. Flashbacks occur rarely now and Zach is beginning to believe he may live after all. Seeing Sabrina "New York" is a pleasure. He always knew she would go far. He also knew she would bloom, but she now outshines all his expectations. If Sabrina were to offer herself again, he would gratefully accept, as long as there were no permanent strings. Word spreads quickly about the bodies found. Murder has not happened on Swann Island in about sixteen years, and that one was an accident due to too much drinking. Sheriff Nathaniel "Nate" Spencer has his hands full trying to find what is looking to be the beginning of a serial killer. Even though Nate is a former Marine, with a Silver Star, he still feels that he is under a microscope. Everyone on the island is watching to see if he would be half as good at the job as his father had been. Danger is hunting local prey and with each death Nate finds it more difficult not to crack. All his people, his friends, and his (hopefully someday soon) family could be in the cross hairs of a murderer's rifle scope. ***** As you can tell by the synopsis I wrote, there is A LOT going on here. Sabrina and Zach are the main characters/couple. But Nate and Titania (Sabrina's best friend) have their own moments. This is a stand alone story; however, it looks as though this may be the first in a series upon the island. I hope so, because this story not only sizzles with romance, but explodes with action and intrigue. Be warned there is a scene of a lady "being forced". I know some readers cannot read such, so consider yourself forewarned. Nothing too graphic though, in my opinion. All-in-all, I found this to be a phenomenal read that will keep you engrossed until way past your bed time. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Impressive But a Lot of Folks

This is a great new novel in the style of SEAL/Spec Ops rescue alpha male mode but that doesn't make it any less good. The male and female lead characters have believeable and unique stories and shared, earned bouts of PTSD. Plus a background of growing up together helps cement the togetherness. The diliemma is there are a LOT of third and fourth level characters that we only briefly get to know before they become fodder for our mad serial killer. That was kinda sad because you get enough information about each victim that you are rooting for them to survive and then you realize they are essentially a plot device. I sadly do not want to know so much about the victims because it makes their demise more poignant. That's a cheap trick and this author is WAAAYY better than that. Still a great story and romance are worth the small detail--just be careful who you grow attached to--they may not stick around.

Freefall Soars

Freefall by JoAnn Ross starts off a pulse pounding High Risk Trilogy. Former Navy Seal Zach Tremayne comes home to Swann Island after a mission goes terribly wrong. Doing construction for his father's company is helping work through some of his demons. One of the jobs is at the Swann family home where he shocks newly returned Sabrina Swann. Sabrina Swann is also recovering from her own recent trauma. She survived a terrorist attack at the European hotel where she worked. Sabrina's return to Swann Island was to help her decide the new direction of her life. She wasn't expecting to literally be scared by Zach Tremayne working on her family home. There is danger lurking on Swann Island, women are being brutally murdered. This has the residents on edge. When someone targets Sabrina, Zach's protective nature takes over. As the killer spins out of control, Zach and Sabrina fight to stay one step ahead of them. Trying to stay alive and falling for each other has them drawing closer by the day. Freefall is a riveting tale of suspense and a sexy romance. Zach and Sabrina both have been scared by their past but aren't letting it affect their futures. JoAnn Ross books are captivating and will make you want the next book to get here soon.