Last Rites by Sharon Sala – a Review

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Description:
There’s nothing a community won’t do to protect its own…

Shirley Wallace and her four sons return to her childhood home on Pope Mountain in Jubilee, Kentucky, with a lifetime of hardship behind them, hoping to find peace and begin their lives anew. Eldest brother Aaron Pope returns to his life as a police officer, and is settling in just fine. Then Aaron’s investigation into an attempted murder leads him right to Dani Owens. She may hold the key to a long-lost part of the Pope family’s past, and more importantly, she may hold the key to Aaron’s heart.

Review:

Last Rites by Sharon Sala is the 2^nd book in her romance suspense series, Jubilee, Kentucky. I am a fan of Sharon Sala, having read and loved her previous series; and I looked forward to reading this series, as the first book was great.  The story starts off with the Wallace family, after her abusive husband is convicted of murdering two store employees, and everyone treats them badly in their Arkansas town. After her divorce, all of them lost their jobs due to her husband’s terrible actions.  Shirley and her four sons decide to officially change their names to her maiden name, Pope; and they move to her childhood home in Jubilee, Kentucky. When they arrive in Pope Mountain, they are welcomed with open arms, moving into the house she had inherited from her deceased mother.

The oldest son, Aaron was a police officer in Arkansas, and now in Jubilee, he is offered a job, especially with his overall experience and record.  When a child is shot, Aaron becomes involved the investigation, and a young woman comes to the police station to drop off a journal she found on the street. Aaron meets Dani Owens, a new resident in town, who is an elementary school teacher; she tells him she saw the man drop something while in a hurry, and gets her to help get a sketch of the man. The journal plays an important part in the story, as it relates back almost 150 years (Civil war), when a member of the Pope family disappeared and was never found; as well as the possibility of buried treasure (gold).

Dani just recently moved to Jubilee, as she was terrorized by a former boyfriend and his brother, and their attempt to kill her. She lived in fear, until she was able to trick her attacker, and save her own life; with the attacker in prison. When Aaron learns more about her past, he realizes she is very much in danger, by the other brother, and he makes sure he sets himself to protect her, and manages to stop the attempt on her life. In a short time, Dani and Aaron will fall in love, as they go from being friends to lovers. 

What follows is an exciting, tense story that held my breath throughout; with two attempts to murder innocent people. It was great to see Cameron Pope and Rusty (book One), as well as their wonderful dog, Ghost.  Cameron was determined to discover the secrets of the journal and past history of Pope Mountain. I really loved Shirley, and her wonderful 4 boys (including Aaron), and how they became so happy returning to Jubilee. I also loved Aaron and Dani together.

Last Rites was so very well written by Sharon Sala.  I loved the characters, the town, and especially our couple.   I can’t wait to see what Sala has next.  If you like exciting suspense, and romance, I suggest you read Last Rites.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher