Heartbeat by Sharon Sala (Jubilee, Kentucky #3) 3.5 stars

In this book we meet Sean Pope, IT consultant and computer geek. He meets a new client, Amalie Lincoln, who is setting up her CPA office in downtown Jubilee. It is instant attraction and a sense of déjà vu. It turns out they met when they were children and what ensues is a lovely romance. Throw in a mystery about Amalie’s background that endangers her and you have some suspenseful moments. This is a book that follow a familiar roadmap that provides an enjoyable read. I look forward to Wiley’s story (Left Behind) July 2024.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC.

this was such a great read i was so hooked?! the twist and turns were wild such an intense story and i loved it!

This is the newest addition to the Jubilee, Kentucky series. If you are looking for a fast, easy read without much depth, then this is for you. I went into it knowing this from reading the previous books in the series (they are written as stand-alones but for character references/locations/backstories, you really should read them in order of publication).

I will read the next because I'm invested in seeing the stories for all the Pope brothers.

Thank you #netgalley and #sourcebookscasablanca for the eARC.

This was a 3* for me. It started off strong but as I continued on it went downhill. There were too many plots and characters to keep track of and I fell the end was wrapped up to quickly. Overall it was just an ok book.

This book started out a 4* but the main story was finished and the book just kept going. It is told from multiple viewpoints and it had a lot of characters. There were multiple sub plots that could have been wrapped up a lot faster. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

"Heartbeat" continues with the Pope Mountain tales. This is the best one yet, and the previous were stellar. Here we see Sean Pope reunited with the girl he saved from being bullied when he was 9 and she 5. The lure of Pope Mountain and a life changing accident has brought Amalie Lincoln to Jubilee, Ky. The past, present and future blend into another amazing page turner.
"Heartbeat" is not to be missed. You will reread it over and over again. Each time finding new joy at the way the story is woven. "Two souls, One heartbeat,Forever." Eagerly wondering when the next Pope Mountain story will be revealed.

One thing that stands out is the cast. Everyone has a unique and intriguing backstory to bring to the table Sean and Amelie get to shine with their pure and adorable relationship moments that tug at the heartstrings. Salas masterfully builds suspense throughout the book, creating a compelling experience that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. The premise itself is refreshingly unique, offering a romantic suspense that distinguishes itself in the genre. However, some of the dialogue feels kinda unrealistic and pulls the reader away. More so, the multitude of characters, while providing complexity to the plot, sometimes hinders individual development of each character, making it difficult to keep up. Well, Heartbeat is a good pick for romantic suspense that transcends conventions. Its flawed characters, heartfelt romance, and gripping suspense keeps readers guessing till the very end. It's a pretty good read for fans of the genre,
Thank you for the book.
** Voluntarily read and reviewed through Netgalley **

Amalie grew up in the foster system. She was found near a dumpster only a few days old. Later she's in a bad car wreck and burned. She loses her job, as a cpa, but wins a big settlement against the drunk driver. She decides to go somewhere new and picks Jubilee, Kentucky. She rents a space and is planning to open her own tax preparing business. She calls Sean Pope to come and hook up her internet and computers. Amalie thinks she's seen him before but can't figure out where.
Sean is an IT guy and lives on Pope Mountain with his mother. He gets called to help Amalie and thinks she is familiar to him. They get to talking and Sean saved her in the third grade from bullies. Sean is a hero when he helps after a helicopter crashes near the elementary school.
Sean and Amalie fall for each other but someone wants her dead. She finds a long lost relative and she's finally found a family to love her.

The story was good buuuuut the dialogue all ran together and that drives me crazy. I almost stopped reading but I was too interested in it. Too many point of views ( for me ). No explicit sex. A little suspense at the beginning. The killer was apprehended way too fast and then other things were talked about. I liked Amalie but Sean wasn't manly enough.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed through Netgalley *

Holy moly, I thought this book would never end. I wanted to DNF starting around the 16 percent mark, but because I don't like to leave a graciously given ARC unfinished, I plodded through.

Told from the third person POV from multiple perspectives—like Sean's and Amalie's and Sean's mom's and all his brothers' and every resident of Jubilee's and the criminals' and the cops' and the FBI's et cetera ad nauseum—there's little space left over for true plot development.
Don't be fooled by the synopsis. The helicopter crash is more of a minor catalyst than anything. Amalie is never really truly in danger except maybe once, briefly. What I thought would be the main story arc was over by 60 percent. I couldn't figure out what else was supposed to happen. Indeed, the last 40 percent reads like a collage of epilogues, and I just wanted it to end.

Also, psychics.

Also, did Ancestry.com sponsor this book?

There's a lot more I could gripe about, but it would introduce spoilers. In short, it was just a mess of too many subplots, almost none of them interesting.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

The writing style feels heavily expositional and overly narrative, and I wasn’t really enjoying it personally. I stopped after chapter 1 (5%). It feels like three to four stars for the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

I loved this book. It was really good. It had a lot of emotions in it. I loved the pope family and how they all get along. It was full of suspense and romance. This is the best book that Sharon Sala has written so far in 2024. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5 (rounded to 4)

Heartbeat is a rollercoaster of emotions and suspense that earns its four stars with a cast of flawed yet intriguing characters and a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

One of the highlights is the ensemble of characters. It's refreshing to see such a diversely flawed cast, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative (however, this came with a minor downside, which I'll discuss later). I have to say, however, Sean and Amelie stole the show easily with their pure and adorable relationship moments that tugged at my heartstrings. I was fascinated by other characters, too, though - Fiona, for example, I felt was incredibly interesting.

Something else Sala did excellently was the build-up - the suspense woven throughout the book is undeniably compelling, keeping readers hooked from start to finish. The premise itself is unique too, offering a romantic suspense experience that stands out in its own right.

However, the narrative stumbles in moments of dialogue that feel somewhat unrealistic, briefly pulling readers out of the immersive experience. Additionally, the abundance of characters, while contributing to the complexity of the plot, occasionally detracts from the individual value of each one, making it hard to keep up with them and to empathize with them as a whole.

In conclusion, though, Heartbeat is a solid recommendation for those seeking a romantic suspense novel that breaks the mold. With its flawed characters, pure romance, and compelling suspense, it's a thrilling ride that keeps you guessing until the very end. While it has its minor hiccups, the overall experience is one that lingers, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre. Thank you for the ARC!