An awesome start to this new series by one of my favorite authors! One night two souls collided, but circumstances kept them apart for five years. Cameron Pope returned from the military to take over his family’s interest in Jubilee, Kentucky. FBI Agent Rusty Caldwell barely survived an undercover assignment and was sent home to recover. Then the phone call; she is needed in Jubilee to collect information in regards to a possible trafficking operation. She has family in the area and will use that as an excuse to be there. Then she sees him, her Soldier Boy and her first thought was that her prayers were answered…he made it home! Cam is shocked to see the woman he never thought he would see again, his Angel. With his security clearance, he is soon assisting Rusty as they try to put an end to the evil that has invaded his mountain. I loved everything about this new series, the “don’t back down” characters, the family feeling, the action, suspense and romance! A winner for me! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

If you take Sharon Sala’s Blessing series and blend it with her earlier romantic suspense series from the past, you would have a good description of Don't Back Down. These mountain people of Jubilee, Kentucky will help a neighbor, friend or stranger any time and anyway that they can. However, they do not suffer fools lightly and have zero tolerance for criminals. Sounds like a place you would want to live. At least I would.

This is Army veteran Cameron Pope and now Ghost’s hometown. The story begins with the breaking and entering, then kidnapping of a precious little girl, Cameron’s niece. What a beginning this chase takes. Letting you know and understand the way the people of this community react to such a thing. Meanwhile Rusty Caldwell, FBI agent is facing her own dire circumstances. Thank goodness she makes it to Jubilee, Kentucky after such a harrowing experience. What a story with these two that have a short time history from years ago.

These two together are great together as they work this case to bring down some bad people. Their romance is instant but so believable. Then there is Ghost. Just loved this four-legged guy. Read this new series today.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After two tours in Iraq, Cameron Pope is happy to be back in the loving arms of family. He enjoys the serenity of the small town, living in the cabin he grew up in with his dog, Ghost. One rainy night, the serenity is broken when his sister is attacked in her home and her baby is kidnapped. When the police chief drags his heels, his sister appeals to the family for help. It’s Cameron and Ghost who found Lilli and took down her attacker.

As it turns out, Lilli’s abduction was part of a larger human trafficking ring being investigated by the FBI. Agent Rusty Caldwell is asked to assist the local agents. With family in the area, Rusty is can easily slip in and do some undercover investigation. What she doesn’t expect is to be working with a man she met once, but has never been able to forget.

Cameron became a part of the situation when he led the search for Lilli. Now, as a decorated former military officer, the FBI requests he help with the investigation. He’s shocked to find the woman who, after just one night five years ago, has never left his thoughts – and pleasantly surprised, after that long ago night, he’s remained in her thoughts as well. But before they can get reacquainted, they have to find the monster in their midst.

This is the first in a new romantic suspense series from Sharon Sala. The story starts out with an intensive search for a kidnapped child and the tension ratchets up from there. Each page seems to bring another suspect. Erroneous clues throughout the story lead the reader astray until what seemed obvious is no longer.
The final resolution provided a surprise you'll never see coming. This is an engrossing story that kept me riveted to the end. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I was so excited for a Sharon Sala series to begin and this one did not disappoint. Rusty and Cameron have a past together and when they meet again, there is no hesitation for them to be together again. I loved the mystery and romance and the sensitive way Sharon Sala handled the human trafficking involved in this story. I can’t wait for the next book!

Don't Back Down by Sharon Sala, book one in the Jubilee, Kentucky series, is a wonderful heartwarming and heartbreaking romantic suspense in a small Kentucky mountain town, where tight-laced clans abound, and outsiders are looked upon with suspicion. Army veteran Cameron Pope has come back to his small Kentucky town with his dog, Ghost. He quickly joins the manhunt for his young niece; kidnapped after his sister was assaulted in her home. When not saving the day, he has been pinning for a beautiful redhead he has not been able to forget after a one-night stand, years ago. Cameron has been approached by the FBI to help them stop a human trafficking ring, connected to his niece’s kidnapping. Rusty Caldwell, an FBI agent, has been assigned to help investigate the human trafficking ring in Jubilee, Kentucky; reunites with the soldier she never forgot. Seeing each other again ignites the lust/instant love they once shared. Working together, they need to put aside their intense feelings for each other and work to find the traffickers, before someone else is kidnapped.

Sharon Sala has a gift for entwining multiple characters and storylines while still keeping the main plot the center focus of the book. Somehow she is able to blend and connect all of the characters, provide a back-story and share enough information to know what's going on and where each character is coming from. Having the involvement of Cameron’s dog, Ghost, not only saves the day but adds an extra depth to the story. Throughout the story, I thought I knew who was behind the criminal group but Ms. Sala surprised me in being wrong, quite often. I highly recommend Don't Back Down to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I'm hit or miss on Sharon Sala books. What I for sure don't like are human trafficking plots. Personal prejudice, I know, but it takes a very good author to get me engaged in this genre. Sharon Sala takes a light hand dealing with the issue, for which I'm grateful. She is more interested in the romance between Cam and Rusty which is warn and sweet and I just love when a couple work together to solve a mystery.

A chance "Strangers in the Night" meeting between Cameron and Rusty ended with him on his way to his second deployment to Iraq. Five years later this star-crossed couple has another meeting and all the cliches about Mountain Folk and Valley Folk intrude to make this a less than ideal meeting.

Army Special Forces veteran Cameron Pope and his partner a bomb sniffing German Shepard named Ghost are just settling into their new life as retired army veterans when Cam's three-year-old niece, Lilly, is kidnapped and Cam and Ghost rescue her. The FBI believes this kidnapping is linked to a human trafficking ring operating in the broader tri-state area around Jubilee, Kentucky (think Branson, MO at the foot of the Cumberland Mountains). Since Jubilee is a tourist destination for the music scene and the scenic mountains, strangers come and go and are rarely missed.

Rusty Caldwell has just finished a grueling undercover operation for the FBI and is looking forward to some down time, but the Bureau has other ideas. Rusty has an uncle who owns one of the major hotels in Jubilee and Rusty is assigned to visit and provide reconnaissance for the FBI team already in place. With the mistrustful feelings between the rich folks in the valley and the poor folks in the mountains Rusty is in an awkward position, especially when she meets up with Soldier Boy and the sparks fly, just like five years before. 3 1/2-Stars

My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

A hallmark Sharon Sala story. It is everything you have come to expect from her books—heroic and down-to-earth characters.

Sent undercover to find out about human trafficking in a small Kentucky town, Rusty comes face to face with the man she could never forget. One chance meeting years before and both of them were hooked. The relationship started at the beginning and there was no need for a build-up.

The description of Rusty's family in the blurb is a bit misleading. While their attitudes towards the mountain people are fairly accurate, I wouldn't say there was a feud that needed to be overcome. I was expecting some major confrontation with them and there wasn't one.

It's my first Sharon Sala's romantic suspense and I didn't know what to expect. I enjoyed it as it's a good mix of romance and thriller, features a great cast of character (including a lovely dog) and there's the right chemistry.
The plot is tightly knitted and kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I have thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Sala's work in the past her Blessing series is a touch of goodness wrapped in neighbors looking out for each other, but this is my first time reading one of her romance suspense novel and boy it was sweetness to the soul. When we meet Rusty and Cameron first it was an instant attraction to each other where they had only one night together never to see each other again until years later when they are both come back to each other's life by accident and what an accident it is.
The story start with an escaped prisoners from the prison of Kentucky escaping and kidnapping a baby only to be taking down by the babies uncle one Cameron Pope. So begins the race against tracking down a human trafficking ring in the small town of Jubliee Kentucky where Cameron is ask by the FBI to help them out only to find the Agent is none other than the woman he met years ago Rusty Caldwell. I truly enjoy a whodunit just when I think I have figured out on the last few pages a twist of whose involve changes. Although insta love can be seen as not realistic I enjoy that for most of the book the crime was the main draw with a sprinkle of the instalove attraction with the hero/heroine..

I absolutely loved how this book started off then progressed to years later. You can’t help but fall in love with Rusty and Cameron. This book had lots of twists and turns. The ending was everything it should have been. I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Don't Back Down by Sharon Sala. It's a romantic thriller that kept me entertained and not wanting to put it down. The story moves at a great pace and has a lot of great characters. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

This is the first book in a new series by Sharon Sala. She is a favorite author of mine so I was excited to see a new series starting up written by her.
The story starts with a crazy one night stand between two strangers.
Then we jump to 5 years later.
The story has lots of mystery, suspense along with intense romance.
There are MANY characters in the story….like an overwhelming amount to remember.
All in all, a solid start to what I think will be a great series.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Don’t Back Down is Sharon Sala’s first book in her new romantic suspense series, Jubilee. This book is a must-read for all fans of Sharon Sala and romantic suspense. The story contains a sweet romance between loveable characters and a great drama without descriptive sex or violence. I couldn’t put this story down! It deserves more than 5 stars.

Faith “Rusty” Caldwell is a 29-year-old undercover FBI agent who is not afraid of dangerous situations. She had a one-night stand with a deploying soldier five years ago and he haunts her dreams and holds a place in her heart. While recovering from injuries sustained on the job, she is sent to Jubilee, Kentucky to assist in a human trafficking investigation. She stays with her aunt and uncle in their luxury hotel, letting them believe that she is a government secretary.

Army veteran Cameron Pope lives a solitary life with his dog, Ghost, while serving as the CEO of a family business. He rescues his toddler niece when she is kidnapped, and then serves as the interface between the town and the FBI regarding suspected human trafficking. He is told that he will be working with Special Agent Caldwell so he is shocked to discover it’s the beautiful redhead from his past. Rusty and Cameron work with the other FBI agents and local law enforcement to ferret out who’s involved in the human trafficking ring.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and SourceBooks-Casablanca for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

DON’T BACK DOWN -- Sharon Sala
Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1-7282-5854-6
March 7, 2023
Romantic Suspense

Jubilee, Kentucky – Present Day

Army veteran Cameron Pope returns to his family home along with the dog, Ghost, who was by his side in the military. Both are mentally exhausted, but Cam has barely settled into Jubilee when an escaped con snatches his little niece. It is Cam and Ghost who find them and rescues his niece. Soon, the feds are in town because it appears there is a human trafficking operation being run in the area. The FBI will need someone to go undercover, and the perfect person to do so is Rusty Caldwell, an experienced agent who just got off a tough case and is recuperating. Rusty has some relatives in Jubilee, which provides a good cover for her to visit them.

Rusty is studying the case before she leaves and discovers that the man who rescued the little girl is none other than her one-night stand from five years ago. Both were passing through on their way to their assignments and were immediately attracted to each other. Rusty arrives in town and makes contact with Cam. They agree to meet. Imagine his surprise when he discovers the agent is his one-night stand. Of course, Cam wants to pick up where they left off. Meanwhile, the duo immediately digs into the investigation. Is a local group of criminals kidnapping and selling women and children into sex trafficking? As each clue is investigated, the perps drop one by one, but the only way to stop it is to go all the way to the top.

In DON’T BACK DOWN, Cam and Rusty work as partners to take down a sex trafficking ring. Their past together helps, but it is pushed to the background as they uncover clues and witnesses are killed. Jubilee is a small town divided between the newcomers in town and the old-timers who live on the mountain. Cam is part of the latter group and, unknown to the newcomers, is part of the family organization that owns the town. The newcomers, such as Rusty’s family, look down on the old-timers. If only they knew the truth! In DON’T BACK DOWN, it doesn’t take long before Rusty zeros in on her first suspect as he is taking photos of people, particularly women. Is he part of the group, and can he lead them to the rest of the criminals?

There is plenty of drama and suspense in DON’T BACK DOWN, enough to keep you glued to the pages. Meanwhile, Cam and Rusty become reacquainted in the bedroom. They are a perfect match, but once the investigation is over, will she leave? Cam wants her to stay, but can he convince her? Their chemistry sizzles in this tale and combined with the taut suspense, readers will want to find out what happens. Along the way, there will be plenty of clues, but sometimes, it all circles around as the ending is right there. Don’t miss DON’T BACK DOWN.

Patti Fischer

Don’t Back Down by Sharon Sala is the first book in her new romance suspense series, Jubilee, Kentucky. I am a fan of Sharon Sala, having read and loved her previous series; and this first book was great. The story started 5 years ago, when our heroine/hero met at a bar, and had a night of passion, as he was shipping out to Afghanistan. Both of them still dream about that night, sorry they didn’t give out their names.

We jump to 5 years later, Cameron Pope, has returned to Jubilee, Kentucky after completing two tours, and is happy to be home near his family. One night he gets a desperation call from his sister, Rachel, about her daughter being kidnapped. Cameron, with his service dog, Ghost, become embroiled to find his niece. Ghost, who spent years in Afghanistan with Cameron, managed to find her, and Cameron rescues little Lily.

Rusty Caldwell, our heroine, is a top-rated FBI agent, who solves a crime, and is currently recovering from injuries. She is approached by Agents who have been trying to stop human traffickers, and since she has family in Jubilee, she agrees to visit family members she has not seen in many years; using the guise of visiting while on leave to recover. When the FBI learns that Cameron is a Military Veteran, whose credentials were top notch, and they inform Rusty to work with him.

Cameron is shocked when he meets Rusty, as she was the woman he constantly dreamed of. Rusty, doing research, recognizes Cameron, and couldn’t wait to meet him again and work together. They both worked closely together, investigating a number of people in Jubiliee that were involved, but most of all to find the head honcho who was behind the human trafficking. Rusty, Cameron and Ghost made a fantastic team.

What follows is an exciting, tense story that held my breath throughout; with many people part of the human trafficking. Just when they think they have discovered the Boss, things change rapidly. Though this was an exciting mystery, I oved the romance between Cameron and Rusty; they made such a great couple, and the chemistry between them became ultra-steamy. Their romance throughout was a major part of this story. I loved Ghost, who was a fantastic dog, and a major part of the rescue/investigation.

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

He was shipping out on a tour of duty, and she was in between assignments. A chance encounter in a bar and an unforgettable night with no questions asked. Neither forgot the other but years and a lot of living on both their parts passed before they found themselves unexpectedly face to face again. 
Cameron Pope is settling down in the house where he grew up in a remote part of Kentucky when his sister is attacked, and his niece kidnapped. Fortunately, Cameron and his furry companion are able to track the kidnapper and rescue his niece. It turns out that there is quite the human trafficking ring operating in this remote area in Kentucky and there are several suspects in the FBI's cross hairs.
The FBI dispatches one of their best undercover agents to work with Cameron on helping to track down and stop the gang. Nature sure works in unexpected ways to bring people together when nothing else would work. Rusty and Cameron soon pick up their relationship where they had left off plus they've got some bodies racking up. Seems like the gang is trying to tidy up loose ends and loose lips.
The story moves fast with Cameron and Rusty being able to track down some unexpected leads. Do the two of them have a future in this remote corner of the country once the case is done with? It is a romantic suspense with a happy ending, but I really enjoyed how it all came together. 
Definitely a winner.

4.5 stars - WOW! Started off fast and never stopped.

FBI agent Rusty Caldwell and Cameron Pope, an army veteran, meet once and then reconnect when Rusty is assigned to go undercover in Jubilee, KY. Rusty is tasked into finding & breaking up a human-trafficking ring. The chemistry between Rusty & Cameron is immediate and intense, just like the storyline. Plenty of twists & turns on the road to figuring out who is part of the ring. Ms. Sala does not disappoint.

Any book by Sharon Sala is good. this is the first book in a new series if you have never read her, you will be in for a treat. love all her books.

Cameron Pope was in the lobby of a hotel and Rusty Caldwell is also there. Their eyes meeting and they end up spending one night together; they agreed to not exchange last names. Cameron is on his way back overseas and Rusty to her next assignment.
Cameron's niece is abducted in the middle of the night and he and his dog Ghost are on the hunt. He's out of the military now and living in Jubilee, Kentucky.
Rusty Caldwell is an undercover FBI agent she is currently at home recovering from her last assignment. Rusty is called to go to Jubilee it seems there may be a human trafficker working from there.
Rusty has family there also and goes in saying she is there to recovery from an accident. They are unaware she is FBI. When she receives information on the last attempted kidnapping, she is sent info on Cameron as a contact and realizes he is the one that got away.
This book drew me in from the beginning and I could hardly put it down. It is well written and held my interest in who was the "Boss" for the traffickers.

Great start to new series. A gripping mystery of human trafficking that reconnects two passing ships in the night. Cameron never forgot his one night stand with the beautiful redhead. Returning home after 2 tour of duty with his faithful cadaver dog, Ghost has him searching Pope mountain for his kidnapped niece.
Rusty is FBI who is recuperating from injuries she got on her last case. Asked if she could observe a possible human trafficking lead they have in Jubilee, KY works perfectly since her only family she has lives there. When she finds out that the hero who found and rescued the kidnapped toddler was her Soldier boy, it was her fondest wish come true. He was someone she never forgot.
Fast pace story that grabs you for the first page on. Several twists and turns to who is the Boss, the mastermind behind the missing women and children. What I found unbelievable was the instant romance between the main characters. That was to corny for me, so only 3.5 stars, but the storyline was very good. I did prefer the book over the audiobook, the characters voices in my head were better. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #DontBackDown #DreamscapeMedia