Falling For A Stranger: Secret identity, second chance at love, romantic suspense!

Barbara Freethy

Jan 2014 · The Callaway Family Series Book 3 · Fog City Publishing, LLC

About this ebook

"Barbara Freethy knows how to tell a fantastic story and FALLING FOR A STRANGER is no exception. If you're looking for a great feel good read with a bit of action and mystery, this book is for you!" Lesley

Ria is as sexy and sultry as a warm tropical night and as beautifully dangerous as the island drinks she serves at the beachside bar on Isla de los Suenos -- The Island of Dreams. But Ria is not as carefree as she appears, and the pretense is wearing her down. One night she risks everything to escape from reality.

Drew Callaway is a former Navy pilot and rescue operative looking for his own escape from a life that has seen too much tragedy. Meeting Ria is like embracing the sun, and their single night together is life-changing. But the dream quickly fades when Ria is killed in a tragic accident at sea. 

Months later, thousands of miles away from where they first met, Drew sees a woman who looks just like Ria. She claims her name is Tory, and that they've never met before, but he can see that she's in trouble, and he can't walk away. He's going to save her whether she wants it or not.

Drew isn't afraid of a little danger, but can he risk losing his heart to a beautiful stranger?

Love at first sight, dangerous secrets, and family drama combine in this thrilling and romantic novel from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy. For fans of Susan Mallery, Kathryn Shay, Nora Roberts, and Brenda Novak

Note: The Callaways Family series offers romance, mystery and family drama in each standalone novel, and the books include some of your favorite storylines: alpha heroes, firefighter romance, girl next door, love at first sight, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, grumpy sunshine, meet cute, instalove, and second chance at love. Start reading now!

What the readers are saying…

"I love The Callaways! Heartwarming romance, intriguing suspense and sexy alpha heroes. What more could you want?" — NYT Bestselling Author Bella Andre 

"I love the Callaways and FALLING FOR A STRANGER just makes me love their family even more." --All Night Books

"I love the mystery and the love of family that is shown through this series. I just can't get enough of the Callaways." Julie on FALLING FOR A STRANGER

"FALLING FOR A STRANGER is such a great read! I've read it three times couldn't put it down." Laura

"I absolutely love going back to the Callaways family, so tight knit and lots of love, laughter and in between. I loved reading about Drew and Ria in FALLING FOR A STRANGER. It was great to see all the obstacles and then some that they went through. I can't wait to continue on with this series. 5 Stars!" Marisela

"Drew and Ria are the ultimate star-crossed lovers in FALLING FOR A STRANGER. With secrets around every corner this is a book that has to be read to be believed. Favorite of the Callaway series!" Isha

"I adore The Callaways, a family we'd all love to have. Each new book is a deft combination of emotion, suspense and family dynamics. A remarkable, compelling series!" — USA Today Bestselling Author Barbara O'Neal

 Also Available: 

The Callaways

On A Night Like This #1

So This Is Love #2

Falling For a Stranger #3

Between Now and Forever #4

Nobody But You #5 – (Novella)

All A Heart Needs #6

That Summer Night #7

When Shadows Fall #8

Somewhere Only We Know #9

The Callaway Cousins

If I Didn't Know Better #1

Tender Is The Night #2

Take Me Home #3 (Novella) 

Closer To You #4

Once You're Mine #5

Can't Let Go #6

Secrets We Keep #7

Ratings and reviews

I absolutely loved Falling for a Stranger by Barbara Freethy. It is the third book in the Callaways series. I could not put it down and I loved every page. Each book in the series keeps getting better and better. Who doesn't love big families, hot men, strong women, and love stories? Barbara Freethy continues to show that she is an incredible storyteller. Falling for a Stranger is a love at first sight love story and is filled with heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. I love the lighter moments where I find myself smiling and laughing out loud and the bittersweet moments. Falling for a Stranger is filled with such moments, and with so much emotion. It is filled with all those things that we have come to love and expect in a love story, especially the poignant and bittersweet moments that filled this page turner. Falling for a Stranger is the story of Ria Hastings/Tory Harper, bartender/sailing instructor, and Drew Callaway, former Naval and current Coast Guard helicopter pilot. Ria and Drew meet while Drew is vacationing on a tropical island before changing careers and Ria is the bartender at the hotel bar. They share a night of passion and Drew wakes up alone. Drew goes in search of Ria only to witness the explosion of the boat that Ria was on. He searches for her and the only thing he discovers is her necklace. Drew returns home to San Francisco and begins working for the Coast Guard. Drew sees her in San Francisco several months later, but by the time he gets there she has disappeared. Drew is at the marina looking at his grandfather’s boat, The Eleanor, that he and his brothers, Burke and Aiden and looking into buying. He sees Ria again and runs after her, and this time catches up to her. She has changed her name to Tory Harper and is raising her sixteen-year-old niece, Megan who she says is her sister. Ria does not want to get involved with Drew, because she does not want to put his life in danger. Ria is running from her past and does not want to involve Drew in that. The more Ria and Drew fight their feelings, the more they realize how much they have in common. I loved that Falling for a Stranger is a romantic thriller, both Ria and Drew must work together to keep Ria and Megan safe. Barbara Freethy kept me guessing as to how they would be discovered and how they would be saved. I love that Barbara Freethy writes about strong women with their own careers and the hot men who are attracted to them for more than just their looks. I love all the descriptions of the tropical island and the San Francisco setting that Barbara Freethy detailed. I love the Callaways and am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. Falling for a Stranger felt like a family reunion of sorts, because you get to catch up with all the Callaways. I love the bittersweet moments with Eleanor who suffers from Alzheimer’s, and how she switches between her lucid moments and the past. Once again, I really enjoyed the poignant and bittersweet moments in the story as well as the plot twists. I loved trying to figure out when and how Enrique Valdez. I love how Ria and Drew share the secrets of the past and Ria is willing to forgive Drew even though his searching for her caused Enrique to discover her location. I loved the relationship between Ria and Megan. I thoroughly enjoyed Falling for a Stranger, who does not love big loving families and dynamics of those families. I really loved the ending and the happily ever afters.

This is my first read by Barbara Freethy and it won't be my last! She hooked me from the first page. I have always read romance books and they tend to be the same stories just different places and heroes and heroines but this one had some mystery, romance, family and action all the way thru. I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down to sleep/eat. Can't wait to read more from Barbara and am grateful that she allowed me to read this for free as I don't have the funds to buy books.

Barbara Freethy really out did herself. Falling for A Stranger has all the facets of a great story. Action and adventure, romance and suspense. I am in love with this book. Drew and Ria are the ultimate star crossed lovers. With secrets around ever corner this is a book that has to be read to be believed. Favorite of the Callaway series.

About the author

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of 82 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and mystery thrillers! Thirty-two of her novels have hit the USA Today and New York Times Bestseller Lists. She has sold 14 million copies of her books worldwide. For more info, visit www.barbarafreethy.com