Last Rites (Jubilee, Kentucky #2) was a great read by Sharon Sala. The community of Jubilee will do anything to protect its own. Shirley Wallace and her four sons return to her childhood home on Pope Mountain. They are hoping to find peace and to start their lives over.Aaron Pope is the oldest brother who returns to his life as a police officer. Aaron investigates an attempted murder that led him right to Dani Owens. She could hold the key to a part of the Pope family's past. I enjoyed reading Dani and Aaron's story and cant wait to read more by the author.

Shirley Wallace and her four sons return to her childhood home on Pope Mountain in Jubilee, Kentucky. They have had a rough life and want to escape the scandal that her husband was involved in and begin anew, so change their last names to Pope, Shirley's family's name. This story is about Aaron Pope, the oldest of Shirley's son. He has returned to his life as a police officer, and ends up in an investigation that leads him to Dani Owens. 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 has found an old journal that may finally solve a long standing family puzzle. The problem is, someone else is after the journal and the secrets it might hold.

Last Rites is the second book in the Jubilee, Kentucky series. You can read it as a standalone, but one of the characters, Cameron Pope and his dog Ghost are the main characters in the first book. If you read this one first, it will contain many spoilers if you plan to read Don't Back Down. I love the family ties in this book. Blood runs deep and they will do whatever they need to help and protect one another and those they love. Both Dani and Aaron have baggage and scars from their pasts. Can they move beyond their fears and have a life together? One thing that I am not a fan of is insta-love and that happens here, but there is a log going on with a treasure hunt, a murder and a mystery that it I was able to look beyond that. This was quick story that moved quickly, which I liked. I am really enjoying the Pope family and look forward to seeing whose story is next in this series. I did a read/listen with this book and enjoyed both formats. Traci Odom is a wonderful narrator. She gives each character a distinct personality and her storytelling skills added to my interest and experience with this book. I recommend either format.

Shirley and her four sons leave their past behind them and head back to Shirley’s childhood home. Her mother has recently passed and left them her house. It could not have come at a better time. This family has a lot of baggage to escape. It does not take them long to figure out that Jubilee, Kentucky and their family on Pope Mountain is just what the doctor ordered.

Y’all know I very seldom write bad reviews. But this book just was not for me. Now, I am totally in the minority! So, read it for yourself to form your own opinion.

This story is overly dramatic and way too sweet for me. But, this may be partly the narrator’s fault. I have never listened to Traci Odom before and I am not a big fan. She gets squeaky when Shirley would start to cry and there were several other places she got on my nerves.

The plot of this tale is pretty good though. This is what kept me listening. I enjoyed the hunt for the past! Finding the journal and then discovering a long lost grave…entertaining…no doubt!

Like I said before…I am in the minority. You read this book and form your own opinion.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

4.25⭐
Genre ~ romantic suspense
Series ~ Jubilee, Kentucky #2
Others in the series ~ Don't Back Down #1
Setting ~ Kentucky
Publication date ~ July 11, 2023
Page Count ~ 463 (21 chapters + p & e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 48 minutes
Narrator ~ Traci Odom
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ police procedural, murder, child shot (he's fine), old family secrets

Shirley's family is in the midst of a scandal, so they head back to their hometown to start over.

I really enjoyed Shirley's relationship with her 4 adult sons. Aaron is the main~est character of the 4 men. He's on the police force and he meets Dani when she drops off an old journal she found. I really liked them together. He was so sweet and protective of her ~ it was a bit of instalove.

Cousin, Cameron, and hero dog, Ghost, are back and doing what they do best ~ helping with the investigation. I really liked the mystery of the secrets the journal held. There were quite a few POV's to keep track of, but I found it easy to do so.

Overall, it's fast paced and action packed. I'll for sure continue on with the series.

Series notes:
Cameron played a big part in both books and his life has progressed in this installment. If you don't mind a spoiler regarding him, then it would be fine as a standalone.

Narration notes:
An obvious well seasoned narrator. Each character was distinct and she showed great emotion when necessary. Well done.

I very much enjoyed this audio book! I’m from the south so the southern accent was so comforting to me. It was like listening to one of my true crime podcasts.

I loved the imagery of the fictional Jubilee, KY town and learning about its history. The way the Popes all talked about their large families and others was so sweet.

I loved watching the relationship between Aaron and Dani develop. The way they love each other and describe that love is perfectly southern.

The only thing that’s keeping me from me giving this a 5 star review is that I felt the ending was a little too drawn out. I kept thinking something else was going to happen to the MC again but it didn’t. While I did find the ending to be a little long, when it was ended, I was happy with it. I even shed a few small tears.

I have never heard Sharon SALA before this but definitely plan on reading her other books now!

Returning to Jubilee, Kentucky, felt like coming home! "Last Rites" is an utterly addictive listen that had me hooked from the very beginning. It was nearly impossible to put down! Reuniting with the Pope family brought so much joy, and their story of second chances, love, and family was truly heartwarming. The story follows Dani and Aaron as they both find themselves in this new town. Together they help each other overcome some hardships.

Traci Odom's narration was nothing short of fantastic! Her performance was riveting, and she effortlessly brought the characters to life.

Sharon Sala masterfully weaves a tale of love, redemption, and the power of family bonds. The emotional depth of the story resonated deeply, and I found myself fully immersed in the lives of the characters. I can't wait to return back to this world.

This was my first Sharon Sala book and I really enjoyed this book. It drew me in and kept me! I am ready for more.

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.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC.

This is a masterfully written story. Heavy and very hard themes like domestic violence, post-traumatic stress and ambition are explored in a fluid and very addictive way. Despite the harshness of the events, I finished this book with a warm heart. I loved the feeling of comfort that the author conveyed with this book. This is a story narrated by an omnipresent narrator who tells us a bunch of actions that are unleashed like a domino castle that collapses. Mystery is always in the air. The author has a peculiar way of organizing the chapters. I'm not used to reading books organized like that, where so many different actions take place in the same chapter, but I liked it. Press for the difference. The only negative point I point out is the excessive use of "he said, she said" in reported speech. The author should use other synonyms. I end the review by saying that I would love to be part of the Pope family, and that I highly recommend this novel. It's a fluid and very cozy story. Netgalley once again thank you very much for providing this book,

#Lastrites, # SharonSala, #mysterynovel, #dreamscapemedia, #netgalley

Book 2 in the Jubilee, Kentucky series. Works as a stand alone.

The Wallace family, Shirley and her four grown sons, return to Pope Mountain near Jubilee Kentucky after the death of Shirley's mother. Shirley's (ex)husband disgraced them and the seek refuge in Shirley's home town. Eldest son, Aaron, joins the local police force. Soon he finds himself in the middle of a lot of action. A young boy was shot, and a woman witnessed the shooter leaving. Only the woman is also on the run from her past. Aaron juggles everything- working to solve the case, keeping Dani safe, being there for his family, etc... And the more time Aaron and Dani spend together, the more he realizes he can't live without her.

First, skip the audiobook with this one. Stick to print. I found this annoyingly sappy most of the time. I think part of it is the writing, but part of it is the narration. The narrator uses a nauseating, overly happy inflection in every sentence. Ugh.

As for the plot, it is ok. It tries to do too much, therefore there isn't a lot of depth. A lot happens, but it is all resolved quickly. There isn't really any tension. This is the complete opposite of a slow burn, but not necessarily in a good way.

I was aggravated by one aspect of the plot- Confederate money isn't worthless. It has significant value as a collector's item.

Traci Odom narrates. I think I already covered my opinion on that well enough.

I am torn on whether or not I'd pick up any potentially subsequent books. I love romantic suspense. But this was more romance than suspense, and too insta-love for me. I'll have to think on it.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the first book in the Jubilee KY series, Don't Back Down, and I enjoyed this second installment just as much as the first one. The series centers on the town of Jubilee, and the Pope family that lives on nearby Pope Mountain. They're a very close-knit group, and this book finds them welcoming back family members that have been living in Arkansas, but are moving back under trying circumstances. Shirley Pope Wallace and her four sons are moving back and taking the Pope name after her abusive ex-husband is imprisoned for a drug-induced killing spree (one which Shirley herself barely survived). In need of a fresh start, they find themselves welcomed to the mountain with open arms by her Pope relatives after the death of her mother, who's left Shirley her home on the mountain. One of her sons, Aaron, soon meets another newcomer to town, a young woman named Dani who has her own reasons for needing a fresh start. Along the way, there's a treasure hunt and a stalker to provide suspense and action. And there's a nice romance between two people who've each suffered some trauma and are learning to trust again. It's a good read, and the narration of the audiobook by Traci Odom was excellent.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape for this ARC.

I received the audiobook (my own mistake) and I can not handle it. The woman narrator trying to sound like a man when he speaks was just ridiculous and sounded awful. But maybe it's just me as I can't stand audiobooks at all for that reason. Why not just tell the story instead of those weird voices? When the narrator was talking normal, it was okay. As this was my own stupid mistake I will definitely not blame the Author or the story for that (yes, I did finish the book with a migraine...not from the story tho)

I was intrigued by the blurb and cover and requested the book straight away (without checking..ugh) so that already was a plus. I enjoyed the story and it had everything in it. I would have felt the suspense better when I actually read the book, but it was good. Although this book (book 2 in a series) can be read as a standalone, I probably would have started with the first one. I liked the different storylines and it wasn't confusing. I liked the plots, drama and romance and I really would like to read the book again instead of listening to it. I will definitely follow Sharon Sala her work.

3.5 stars

This book has a little something for everyone - history, romance, mystery. Not my usual cup of tea but I found myself really invested in the storylines and wanted to know what happened next. The relationship between Dani and Aaron was pretty over-the-top cheesy, as were Shirley and her sons, but I found myself smiling at their parts.

I didn’t know it was part of a series and thought it worked well as a standalone book, but will probably read others in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a new author for me, but it sounded good. I was not disappointed. This story has a little bit of everything, suspense, action and romance. I really enjoyed the characters; they feel like people you have known your whole life. Several substories are weaved together creating a story you cannot put down until the end. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration. She does a great job bringing the book to life.

Quick Summary: A romantic thriller plus

My Review: Last Rites by Sharon Sala is part of the Jubilee, Kentucky series.

This book had a lot of interesting components. There was never a dull moment, that’s for sure. It involved a woman who was stalked/harassed/assaulted, two homicidal sociopaths focused on revenge, a family who suffered as a result of domestic violence, a murderer who was pure evil, a Civil War linked to an unsolved mystery, and more. The romance was revealed as the story unfolded.

My Final Say: Last Rites was heavy on character storylines. It seemed to have three main threads.

Readers who appreciate stories that are strongly grounded in family and/or stories where new beginnings and deliverance are realized will enjoy this book.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A

Thanks to the author and to the publisher for making this work available for review via NetGalley.

The premise of this book sounded really interesting but sadly the execution just didn’t do it for me and I found the story lacking in the multiple ways.

The narrative itself doesn’t appear to be focused on one particular storyline, rather there are several smaller stories that sort of interlink but none of them are particularly interesting or enough to hold your attention for long periods. The writing style wasn’t for me either - I found it very cheesy and overly detailed, particularly the relationship between between Aaron and Dani was very nauseating at times, and then the family dynamics of the Popes was very over the top and annoying.

The story felt like it was trying to be clever and complex, but tried to hard and ended up being quite fractured with little suspense or interest. I also thought there were way too many characters and sub plots that added no value to the story. I felt this also impacted the quality of the audio book as the narrator had so many characters to bring to life, it got confusing and hard to follow.

Apparently this is book two of a series but can be read as a standalone, and personally I wouldn’t return to the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for an e-arc of this for review consideration. All views are my own.

Last Rites by Sharon Sala
Narrator Traci Odom
Jubilee Kentucky Book 2
I read this book before I listened to it and liked it better in print. Just could not get into the narrator. I liked the narrator of book one in the series better. Still, it was a good story and I am really looking forward to book three.

This book was not my favorite. I hate to say that but the narrator was a large part to that. She had a tough job of reading for all of the many characters which I think was well done but confusing at some points. Her southern/midwestern voice was what really made this hard to listen to. I hate to give criticism but the accent made the characters sound hickish although most were intelligent professionals. The blurb gave a description of part of the story but it’s actually three stories in one. It held my interest and although it’s a standalone I’m interested in the first book in the series and the Pope family. I appreciate the advanced copy and have wanted to read Ms. Sala’s books. This one is well written but the audiobook was not a win for me.

Sala returns to the Pope family and their mountain in this genre-crossing romance/family saga. Following a murderous rampage by her abusive husband, Shirley and her four sons take her maiden name of Pope and move to her birth home in Jubilee. Aaron, the oldest resumes his lost career as a police officer. Meanwhile, Dani moves to Jubilee to escape reminders of a stalker-ex. Their paths cross when Dani becomes a witness in an investigation. Sala brings several story lines together, including a stalker, a treasure-hunter, and a historical family mystery.

As this story is told from multiple points of view, narrator Odom clearly differentiates characters, contributes to the setting with her accents and builds tension by her pacing. While this can be read as a stand alone, Cameron and Rusty from Don’t Back Down are in this story. Read this for romance, family ties and a small-town feel.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.