Next of Kin (Rebel Ridge, #1)

Feb 07, 2012 Jacqueline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense, kindle-reads, netgalley

I'm generally a big Sharon Sala fan but this one was just okay for me. I think the main reason is that it was mostly a suspense story. I know this will be sold in the romance section but the romance here was pretty lame. The set up was great, young lovers separated by her parents when she was 17 and he was 25. (view spoiler)...more I'm generally a big Sharon Sala fan but this one was just okay for me. I think the main reason is that it was mostly a suspense story. I know this will be sold in the romance section but the romance here was pretty lame. The set up was great, young lovers separated by her parents when she was 17 and he was 25. (view spoiler) Eight years is not that big of a deal when the younger member is not a teenager, but that age difference is a little squiky when the girl is so young. They each think the other didn't want to stay together. So they have ten years of anger at each other that they barely address when they get back together. They basically just fall into each others arms and everything is wonderful. I think they needed to talk more about stuff. For example, I myself wondered if either of them had had a relationship in the intervening years. Surely they did too? They didn't talk about anything like this. So the romance just wasn't believable or particularly gripping.

There was a much better development to the suspense side of the story. We spent a lot of time in the POV of both the villain and the villain's son. I was very curious to see more of the villain's son and would in fact like to see him turned around and maybe become the hero of a further book. The suspense element was pretty well done although I did wonder at (view spoiler)

I'll keep reading Sharon Sala but I wish she would go back to putting more thought into the romance portion of her books.

I received this as an arc from NetGalley.(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Kerry sullivan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller-suspence-mystery, romance, read-again

This book was reviewed for Musings of a bookworm

This is what I thought about it.
OH my blooming word this is brilliant!!!! It grabbed me from the first chapter and then dragged me on an adventure that was exciting and thrilling and beautiful all at the same time. It would have been very easy to make Beth kin hillbillies with banjo and no teeth, the nearest we got to that was that most of the people living on the ridge were related in some way so cousins marry cousins, but these were just hard...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller-suspense

Story Description:

Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she's placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can't do, her kinfolk will.
The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky welcome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming, even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker is made bittersweet by th...more Story Description:

Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she's placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can't do, her kinfolk will.
The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky welcome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming, even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker is made bittersweet by the fight she's brought to the clan's doorstep. Hidden in a remote cabin with the man she's always wanted, Beth begins to dream of a new life: her old one. But after so long, with such dangers stalking her, is it impossible?
But love can distill life down to its essence: an elixir of pure hope, nerve and the will to survive.
My Review:

Beth Venable, 27, is staying overnight in the apartment of her good friend Sarah Steinman as there had been a gas leak in Beth’s Los Angeles apartment and everyone was being evacuated for a 24-hour period. That one evening spent at a friend’s home was about to change Beth’s life forever! Spying a telescope in the corner of the living room, Beth innocently peered through the lens at the stars in the sky then began scanning around looking at other things. The scope lands on the apartment across the way from Sarah’s and the window is wide open and lit up, not darkened like hers. From the expression on their faces it looked as though the couple in that apartment were having an argument and before Beth had the chance to feel guilty and look away for spying the action went from arguing to violence in a heartbeat. The man abruptly shoved the woman against the back of the couch and she reacted with a hard slap to his jaw. Beth saw instant rage fly across the man’s face and then all of a sudden there was a knife in his hand. He slit the woman’s throat from ear to ear so fast, had it not been for “..the arterial blood spray that splashed across the windows, Beth would have thought she’d imagined it.” Beth started jumping up and down and screaming: “Oh my God, Oh my God, Sarah, help, help! He killed her!” Just as Beth was explaining to Sarah what happened, the man turned toward the window almost as if he could see Beth. Although her apartment was shrouded in darkness, she ducked out of the way anyway. Sarah called 911 for her and they waited for the police to arrive.

After going to the station and giving a statement to the police about the circumstances surrounding that entire evening, including why Beth was at Sarah’s apartment in the first place and not at her own, she was dropped back off at Sarah’s apartment. Once Beth was inside she noticed Sarah’s bedroom door had been left a bit ajar and walked in slowly calling out: “Sarah? “Sar-ah?” She could hear the t.v. in Sarah’s bedroom and as she pushed open the door all the way she found her best friend sitting up in bed with a bullet hole through her forehead!! Obviously the killer had come back and mistakenly thought it was Sarah who had witnessed the murder and killed her in error.

The policeman who had walked Beth to the door heard her scream and was back inside the apartment within a matter of minutes. Beth was scared to death thinking the killer may still be inside the apartment.

The FBI gets involved and has to move Beth to THREE different locations because the killer kept finding her. After the third move, Sarah ran away and decided to take matters into her own hands and contacted some of her family members whom she hadn’t seen in years. What follows is an unbelievable display of what it means to have “family” in the true sense of the word where it doesn’t matter what has happened in the past or is currently happening, if a family member is in trouble then everyone rallies around and does what they can to help.

The best part for Beth is once again seeing Ryal Walker, her first and only love whom she last saw when she was 17-years-old. He is 8 years older than Beth but with the two of them, age seems to have no limits.

This book was 330 pages long and I literally sat and read it in one sitting . It was so well written and so powerful that I just couldn’t tear myself away from the book at all. This is one book that you simply cannot miss!!
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Nov 10, 2012 Andrea Hussey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Plot spoilers
When I found out they were related, distantly, I was appalled. Any relation at all is too close for comfort. I don’t care if they’re distant cousins or 1st cousins. Family is family, and it’s wrong to me. Normally an age difference can make a good story, but this was pushing it. He was 25 and she was only 17 when they first got together. That sounds like a crime. I don’t like when an older man gets with a minor. It’s so wrong.

There was a comment at the beginning about the persistenc...more Plot spoilers
When I found out they were related, distantly, I was appalled. Any relation at all is too close for comfort. I don’t care if they’re distant cousins or 1st cousins. Family is family, and it’s wrong to me. Normally an age difference can make a good story, but this was pushing it. He was 25 and she was only 17 when they first got together. That sounds like a crime. I don’t like when an older man gets with a minor. It’s so wrong.

There was a comment at the beginning about the persistence of various young women in the area, and he said despite their persistence he hadn’t found anyone to replace Beth, which I hoped meant he hadn’t slept with anyone, but I can’t say for sure as the author didn’t fully explain.

She spent way too much time in the bad character’s perspective. I don’t like that in any book, but sometimes I guess it’s necessary when you’re doing a certain kind of book. But in here she just about gave them equal coverage as the main characters.

Beth’s hands seriously ticked me off. She fell on the ground, and her hands landed on something, I can’t remember what. From the way the author dragged it out to the very end I’m assuming it was glass. Anyways, it seemed like such a minor wound to me, falling on something, but of course the author had to completely blow it up to such a grand scale and stretch it out as long as possible. It gave Beth something to be vulnerable about and made Ryal attentive and caring. It was completely stupid. Everyone made a big deal out of it; they noticed and wouldn’t shake her hands and the idiocy really soared when the truckers relayed the information so the others would know not to shake her hand. Was it really that big a deal that it had to be passed on like that? Beth is moaning and wincing and crying about the pain all the time. She can’t buckle her own seat belt, she can’t open doors, she can’t comb her own hair, she can’t make food, she can’t do anything. Ryal cut her sandwich up into quarters so it would be easier for her to hold, he puts her drink in a mug so she won’t have to grip a whole glass, he has to comb her hair out for her, and everyone has to do everything for her. It was so pathetic. She was a complete wimp and I don’t like when characters have to be babied, especially for such a minor wound.

She kept sobbing, bawling, and tearing up, and I was like get over it already, you big baby! Ryal had to comfort her and I’m like how could Ryal call her brave? She’s the farthest thing from brave.

I really didn’t like how they had just said they weren’t going to sleep together and then she has yet another nightmare and they just have sex. She had been a little unnerved to find out he hadn’t just let her go like she thought he had. But she just forgets everything going on between them because she’s a little baby that needs to be comforted all the time. I was waiting to hear about their sex life for the past 10 years, but the author just completely ignored it as if it didn’t matter. Um, yeah. You have 2 people part for 10 years, I better hear about what they’ve been up to during those 10 years. And it better not involve them sleeping with other people. But no, the author doesn’t feel the need to clarify that. How astounding.
She was completely candid and disgusting with the details of Adam and the hooker but completely blew over Ryal and Beth. There was no details, no descriptions, nothing, and it was over a few sentences after it started. What, you can’t write about love, but you can write tasteless, crass sex of the side characters? That says a lot.

Everyone was always asking her if she had to use the bathroom. It was really weird and annoying. Before she would go somewhere whoever she was with would ask if she had to use the bathroom first. I swear it happened like 10 times. It made her seem like a little kid that didn’t know when they had to use the bathroom but needed someone to remind her. And when Ryal asked her if she had to go right before they had their picnic I was like omg, are you kidding me? Way to put a damper on a romantic outing, having the man ask the woman if she needs to take a potty break before they head out. Jeeze.

When the helicopter comes over the house she just stands there like an idiot and doesn’t realize the danger. Then when she realizes the risk she’s putting everyone in she just rolls over and cries. She says she won’t put anyone in danger but doesn’t make a move 2 not put any1 in danger. That’s selfish and pathetic. It’s like the author thought that by having her say she didn’t want any1 to get hurt bcuz of her that wud make her seem caring, but it didn’t. No, she should have left and directed the men away from her family. Having her say she didn’t want them to get hurt but having her stay there anyway made it seem like she didn’t really care. Way to go.

The law aspect was completely unrealistic. I’m thinking the author has watched no crime shows or did any research on cops or the law or anything, because what transpired in this book would not fly in the real world. If she told that tale to the cop like she did in this book, right after the house had been blown up, and the gunshots had been reported to the hospital, they would have accused her of the crime and questioned her until the cows came home. But no, he just buys her word and does what she tells him to. Yeah….like that would really happen. Cops are not like that. Then we’ve got the insanity of the Rebel Ridge renegades having a shoot-out with guns, bows and arrows and pits in the ground with stakes, and nothing happens. There is absolutely no questioning of repercussions for their homemade arsenal and them taking the law into their hands. They couldn’t really even use the excuse that they were defending themselves, because they attacked first. I don’t know what kind of world this author was fantasizing about, but it sure wasn’t this one.

There were some sweet things, there were some slightly funny lines. Overall, Quinn was more interesting than the main characters. The sex scenes were absolutely lacking in every way. The whole letter thing, her believing he didn’t care and him actually sending letters for a while, was just like the Notebook. I don’t like copying, but it was a sweet concept. I liked that he sent the flowers from the spot where they made love in the first letters. What he wrote in them was also good. Overall, the book was just ok. There was nothing special and I wouldn’t read it again.
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Jul 08, 2012 Taylor rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I normally don't read contemporary romance/mysteries, and now I remember why. I know there are a lot of Sala fans out there, but this was my first book of hers, and I stopped halfway through. It's very poorly written--I feel like someone made a software program where you enter in the plot points and major characters, and it churned out a novel. It feels that formulaic, in the switching between the POVs of the heroine, hero, and villains, and in the lack of emotional depth.

I wanted to read this...more

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May 08, 2012 Lyndi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I'm not going to give you a summary or a blurb, because that's already on the top of the page and you obviously know how to read.

What I will give you is a list of all things I enjoyed about this book. So, consider this to be your SPOILER WARNING and proceed with extreme caution.

I liked... ... how Beth kept her head straight when witnessing a murder instead of turning into a blubbering moron and then took her safety into her own hands by ditching the Feds' protective custody. Regardless of any fu...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Lisa (Fic Talk) marked it as dnf

Shelves: flounced, i-dont-even-know, idgaf, meh, wtf-was-that

Such lovely shelves, eh?

I have no idea what to really say here except...

Are you kidding me?

Are you freaking kidding me?

I must have read the summary wrong or some shit but THAT is not what I expected.

I will admit that I did not finish this book. I didn't.
That is probably why I'm in the minority here who did not rate this
book 4 or 5 stars.

Let me start by saying the first thing that SCREAMED: DANGER DANGER, LISA! YOU WILL END UP PISSED OFF! is the fact that the MC was 25 and in love with a 17! yea...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, action-adventure, paranormal, suspense-mystery

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Everyone does that at some point in their life. Walking in on something you may not want to see, a conversation you'd rather have not heard. But imagine seeing something that will change your life, and send you on he run, a wild goose chase, and fear for your life. That's the case with Beth Venable, and this is her story.

She lived a rather normal life in Los Angeles. She's got a...more Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Everyone does that at some point in their life. Walking in on something you may not want to see, a conversation you'd rather have not heard. But imagine seeing something that will change your life, and send you on he run, a wild goose chase, and fear for your life. That's the case with Beth Venable, and this is her story.

She lived a rather normal life in Los Angeles. She's got a job she enjoys, and keeps mainly to herself. She's just another face in a sea of people that live there. Until one night. She happens to witness something that's shocking and horrifying- and now she needs to be kept safe until the person is caught and can be put away. Imagine being thrust into a life on the run, where everywhere you turn, you don't feel safe. Beth doesn't have a choice anymore. The less anyone knows about her location, the better.

The tension is thick right from the start. It only gets more intense as the story goes on. We know the inevitable is going to happen, it's just a matter or where, when, and how. Ms. Sala creates an atmosphere of suspense, and a mix of emotions as Beth is reunited with family she was yanked away from years ago. She's also face to face with her high school sweet heart, the only man she's ever loved.

Ryal is swoonworthy. He's the type of hero that every girl longs for. Loyal, noble, and a fierce protector. His feelings for Beth haven't changed one bit, so how could he turn down a chance to help her? Their first few encounters are tense, as both were deceived years ago, and they needed answers that hadn't been available until now.

Next of Kin sets the stage for a fast paced read. I couldn't tear myself away from the story. Ms. Sala's characters are so well created that there were knots in my stomach, tears in my eyes, and a smile on my face. It's a story of second chances, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time might lead one back to something they once had. Beth and Ryal's adventure en route to the happily ever after is going to take some teamwork to stay ahead of the danger. Hold on to the reigns tightly, because this is one crazy ride.

If you're a fan of romantic suspense and need some excitement, here's your chance. Grab yourself a copy of Next of Kin, but be warned- you may not leave your seat for awhile. This is a read in one sitting kind of book!

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Jan 07, 2012 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 STARS
I had a good time reading Next of Kin. Their is violence and sex scenes in the story.
Beth witnessed a murder and does the right thing by calling the cops. But their is some bad cops and later FBI that inform the murder and she escapes each time but after three near misses with the safe houses, Beth leaves the safe house.
Beth at the age of 17 had fallen in love with Ryal Walker age 25. They were distant cousins. Beth parents took her and moved without anyone knowing where they were going....more

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Jan 02, 2012 Anna at Book Lovin' Mamas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-to-review, contemporary, suspense

Beth Venable witnesses a murder from the window of her friends apartment. When she calls the cops and hands over a detailed sketch of the murderer she just thinks she's doing the right thing, it never occurs to her that she could be putting herself and everyone close to her in danger. But after the murder of her friend and the safehouses she's hidden at are shot up she learns exactly how much danger she's really in. Instead of moving to another safe house again she runs back home to her family a...more Beth Venable witnesses a murder from the window of her friends apartment. When she calls the cops and hands over a detailed sketch of the murderer she just thinks she's doing the right thing, it never occurs to her that she could be putting herself and everyone close to her in danger. But after the murder of her friend and the safehouses she's hidden at are shot up she learns exactly how much danger she's really in. Instead of moving to another safe house again she runs back home to her family and into the arms of her long ago lover Ryal.

Ryal Walker loved Beth a long time ago but after her parents took Beth and disappeared without a trace he had no choice but to try and forget about her and how much he once loved her. When Beth pops up again looking for help to hide from the men trying to kill her he jumps in and takes over. Taking Beth up to a remote cabin on the Appalachian mountains that is off the grid and keeping her under his protection is the best choice. And when they both fall for each other once again it seems that life can't get much better, except for the little matter of the men on the hunt for Beth.

Both facing life and death danger and their love for each other, Ryal, Beth and their families fight to keep Beth safe and on the mountain where she belongs.

I've always been a fan of Sharon Sala, I love most of her books and the books written under the name Dinah McCall but this book just seemed to fall short. It has a great story line and if she hadn't focused so much on the "backwoods" language and characters it probably could have been a great book. I just couldn't get past the image she painted of these simple country folks. Don't get me wrong, I'm from a tiny town in Texas so I understand most of this but I feel like she went a little over board. And Ryal and Beth were great characters, I loved how passionate they were about life and each other but I just couldn't get into it. In my honest opinion this book is no where near Sharon Sala's potential. If you're looking for a book by Sala, this one isn't one you should start with. I give this book 3 Stars! (less)

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Jan 07, 2012 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense-romance, series, mystery, eharlequin-suspense-dec-2011

Next of Kin is a new series by Sala. When I first read the back of the book, I did not think I was going to like this book or read it but gave it a shot and I was not disappointed.

Beth Venable witnesses a murder and is put into police custody. Come to find out the murderer is a mob boss and keeps compromising her location trying to kill her. She gets fed up and returns to her roots, the hills of Kentucky and her lost love, Ryal Walker.

The reason I gave this four stars is that I liked the story...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: rom-suspense, review, read-in-2012

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/02/10/...

Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley

I was so excited for the new Sala book because I’ve been a big fan of hers since the first book I picked up. However, I’m not too sure that this series is one that I am going to be able to be totally on board with. I thought Sala could make me enjoy some hillbilly romance, but alas it’s just not happening.

Beth’s life gets thrown into shambles after she witnesse...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/02/10/...

Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley

I was so excited for the new Sala book because I’ve been a big fan of hers since the first book I picked up. However, I’m not too sure that this series is one that I am going to be able to be totally on board with. I thought Sala could make me enjoy some hillbilly romance, but alas it’s just not happening.

Beth’s life gets thrown into shambles after she witnesses a murder by a notorious crime boss and gets put into federal protective custody. After the third safe house gets found and hit, Beth thinks she would have a better chance of staying alive on her own with her family. She calls her uncle Will and makes arrangements to had home to Kentucky and the Appalachian mountains. The last thing she expects is her childhood sweetheart acting as her protector.

Ryal has always held a torch for Beth, and when he is asked to protect her, he gets the chance to finally put the past to rest. Unfortunately for Ryal, seeing Beth brings back all those old feelings and the last thing he wants to do is let her go again. As the crime boss comes closer to finding Beth, Ryal will have to pull in the family to keep her safe, but will it be enough to keep them both alive?

I don’t even know where to start with this review, as it was both an exciting and hard book to read. From the standpoint of the suspense and mystery, Sala is one of my all-time favorites. I think she writes wonderfully creative mystery stories and keeps the suspense at a level that is both believable and fast paced. I really did love that aspect of the book. I thought the crime boss and his son were a wonderful addition to the story, and I spent more time really involved in the story whenever they were featured. I liked the way their story was resolved, especially with the son.

I think the most difficult part of this book for me is that Ryal and Beth kept referring to each other as kin. It is explained in the beginning of the story that they are related to each other through Beth’s mother’s side of the family, as 4th cousins. But each time they kept referring to each other as kin, family, or cousins, I got a little weirded out. I was down with the redneck romance, until their relationship was referred to ALL the time. It was weird and downright creepy.

All in all this was a weird book to get through. On one hand I really liked the suspense story, and on the other I was a lot weirded out by the romance. While I still think Sala is a wonderful romantic suspense author, I don’t think this series is one that I will continue to read, unless the story moves from off the mountain.
I give Next of Kin a C-(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Melanie Chabrol- rated it 5 of 5 stars

You can run, but you can't hide.... This was exceptionally written, and exceeded my expectations. Beth Venable is just a small town girl, who found love at an early age and was forced to move away from her town she grew up to know and love, including Ryal. After getting settled in L.A she always wondered what happened to Ryal from Kentucky.

A few years later she gets evacuated as her house has a gas leak and stays over at a friends house and thru a telescope witnesses a murder, after they call i...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Ryan rated it 2 of 5 stars

I will preface this by saying that I usually like Sharon Sala. This title just rubbed me the wrong way. Beth is on the run from the Mob who wants her dead. She heads back to her family home on Rebel Ridge, this small country town where everyone is related. And I mean everyone. Beth was in love with her cousin by marriage Ryal when they were teenagers. They meant everything to each other a decade ago, but what will happen now. Beth needs the safety of her family if she expects to grow old, but he...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Christa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook-arc

Next of Kin was a great start to a new series by Sharon Sala. The book was fast paced and kept me interested throughout. I liked the main characters, Beth, and Ryal, and was pleased with Ryal's unhesitating willingness to protect Beth even though their prior relationship had not turned out well. All of the residents of Rebel Ridge were concerned over Beth's safety and eager to protect her even though she hadn't had contact with most of them in years. I really liked the way they banded together f...more Next of Kin was a great start to a new series by Sharon Sala. The book was fast paced and kept me interested throughout. I liked the main characters, Beth, and Ryal, and was pleased with Ryal's unhesitating willingness to protect Beth even though their prior relationship had not turned out well. All of the residents of Rebel Ridge were concerned over Beth's safety and eager to protect her even though she hadn't had contact with most of them in years. I really liked the way they banded together for one that they considered their own.

Beth Venable is in the wrong place a the wrong time and inadvertently witnesses a murder. Her life is suddenly in danger, her best friend is murdered, and the safety of three safe houses is breached. Beth knows she can no longer entrust her life to the law enforcement officers who are trying to protect her, so she turns to her uncle to keep her safe. He knows that the one place where Beth can be protected is her former home in the Appalachian Mountains, Rebel Ridge, Kentucky. Ryal Walker, Beth's former love, is entrusted with her care. All of the Walkers and Venables step in and do what they can to ensure her safety. As Ryal and Beth become reacquainted, they both realize that they have been under misconceptions about the end of their relationship years earlier. If Beth can survive the danger from those who seek to end her life, they may have another chance at love together.

I really enjoyed this romantic suspense story. I received it as an ARC through Netgalley and am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this one. I thoroughly liked Beth and Ryal, and thought that the storyline was good with plenty of action. The only thing that didn't completely work for me was the age difference between Beth and Ryal during their former relationship. I find somewhat of an "Ick" factor present in a relationship between a 17 year old girl and a 25 year old man, even if they had known each other their entire lives and lived in the Appalachians. I was able to overcome this because I liked everything else about the book so much. I am looking forward to the next installment in the series.

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Feb 16, 2012 Ashley Dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a good book. Beth's life is uprooted because her parents choose to move. She left her whole family and the love of her life. Now, her parents are dead and she needs protection. The FBI can't keep her safe but she knows the family she left behind can. Now she just has to make it to them and the man she never forgot...

Beth was a strong woman. I loved how tough and resourceful she was, she didn't wait on someone to save her but takes care of herself. Ryal, the man she left behind, was self...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

I was lucky enough to be able to read an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. This was an enjoyable book with some likeable main characters. The story moved along quite quickly with some good moments of suspense and you do want to keep reading to see what happens next. I did have some doubts about the realism of the storyline, such as Beth's relationship with her family and the ease with which the hired killers are overcome, but I still found the book to be a good read. I think the romance e...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Vivian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Beth and Ryal were childhood sweethearts (okay they were young adults but it just doesn't have the same ring to it) ripped apart before they had a chance to build on their young love. Circumstances led them both to believe that the other had turned away and eventually they moved on with their lives. Beth was taken away by her parents to California and Ryal continued to live in Kentucky.

Fast forward a few years and Beth is a witness to a murder...a mob-related murder. Now her life is in danger an...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Pat rated it 3 of 5 stars

As always, I enjoyed this novel by Sharon Sala. It just didn't grab me like most of her other series. Beth was a very strong heroine, and Ryal her first and only love, a strong hero. I also enjoyed the depth she went into with the "bad " guys. Ike, Pappas and his son Adam are a story in themselves! I wonder if Adam has truly changed his ways??? Maybe we'll learn in the next installment. The family and characters of Rebel Ridge, were very entertaining, and I think I would love to have some cousin...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I know when I pick up a Sharon Sala book I will love it and this one didn't disappoint me..I couldn't put it down and finished it quickly..Beth grew up in a small mountain town in KY and is moved away to CA when she's 17,leaving the love of her life Ryal..Years later while on her own Beth witnesses a murder and is put in the witness protection program by the FBI..After almost being killed several times,she strikes out on her own and she ends up back in KY and being helped by friends and family.....more

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Jan 16, 2012 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.25 out of 5. She witnessed a brutal murder and her life ceased to be worth anything. The "forests and jungles" of Los Angeles held no safety for her. The LAPD or the FBI couldn't keep her safe. So her family and friends formed a circle of protection around her. But there are problems there--an old love--her life-long love--is still living in Kentucky and there are old wounds and angers to face as well as the constant fear of being found dead at the hand of an angry and beleaguered mobster. Jus...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Candy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenge

I normally really enjoy Sala's books. They are like putting on a comfy pair of sweats. Predictable but enjoyable. This one really fell flat for me. I think it was the hill billy in it. First of all the hero falls in love with the heroine when he was 25 and she was 17. Ick. No man should be sniffing around a high school girl like that!!! Then there was the whole intermarriage problem. Beth and Ryal are cousins. Distantly, Sala assures us. Apparently the Walkers and the Venables do nothing but mar...more

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Dec 24, 2011 Jae rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, first-read-by-author, contemporary, 2011, suspence

This is my first read by SS and must say that I was not very impressed. Not impressed with the dialogues, the dynamics of the hero and heroine and certainly not with the wavering heroine.

My Adam

But I very much enjoyed the book because of the bad guys. Ike Pappas and his son Adam were the sole reason I gave it 3stars. I felt so deeply for Adam, being a son of the Mafioso boss was not what it cracks out to be. He was torn between the bad that was his father and the good that was his mother. And...more

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May 02, 2012 farmwifetwo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-romantic-suspense

What I liked...

1. I actually didn't mind the "bad guy" scenes. Probably b/c they were realistic, not a serial killer and actually were part of the story.

2. They didn't decide they hated each other for being apart for 10yrs.

3. The suspense and keeping her safe were realistic.

What I disliked...

1. There wasn't a romance. They didn't grow as characters. They decided to forgive each other and within 24hrs were in bed together and... that was it. HEA... done. There were some sex scenes but nothing ab...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 1 of 5 stars

Favorite Line: “But his voice was like warm whiskey on a cold night, and she kept remembering what his lips felt like on her skin when they made love.” (p. 87, egalley)

There was a time when everything Sharon Sala wrote was an instant buy for me. That’s changed over the years and now her works a collection of hits and misses for me. Next of Kin fell into the miss category. I wasn’t surprised by anything and could have told you what was going to happen. My mother, who is in her late fifties, felt...more

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May 11, 2012 Eva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense, mystery, romance

Great suspense/thriller! I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to future installments in the series. Sharon Sala is a new author to me and I am asking myself why? Her writing is cohesive, attention grabbing, and simply a joy to read. I can tell you this won't be my last Sharon Sala novel.

Next of Kin is a Romantic Suspense with a heavy emphasis on the suspense/thrill aspect. Don't get me wrong... loved the romance -- but it was the action that got my blood going. Too many times in...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, e-book, net-galley, romance-suspense, review-for-smexybooks

Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2012/02/rev...

Next Of Kin (Rebel Ridge #1 ) by Sharon Sala
Romantic Suspense
January 31, 2012
Mira

As a teenager, Beth Venable was dragged from her home and the man she loved when her family decided to flee for reasons unknown. Beth wrote Ryal for years , begging him to come get her, but never received a reply. When her parents died suddenly, Beth decided to stay in LA and continue to build her life there. When she accidentally witnesses a murder, sh...more Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2012/02/rev...

Next Of Kin (Rebel Ridge #1 ) by Sharon Sala
Romantic Suspense
January 31, 2012
Mira

As a teenager, Beth Venable was dragged from her home and the man she loved when her family decided to flee for reasons unknown. Beth wrote Ryal for years , begging him to come get her, but never received a reply. When her parents died suddenly, Beth decided to stay in LA and continue to build her life there. When she accidentally witnesses a murder, she becomes the target of a ruthless mob boss who will do anything to silence the only witness to his crime. After her 3rd safe house is compromised and she barely escapes with her life, Beth knows of only one place she may be safe-Rebel Ridge, Kentucky. Beth knows no matter what happened in the past, her kin will hide and protect her. Her uncle, a truck driver, uses his contacts to bring her across country and Beth finds herself once more wrapped in the loving care of her clan.

Ryal Walker was devastated when Beth’s family disappeared without a word. He always believed that his relationship with Beth is what caused them to run. He wrote to Beth everyday until the letters began to arrive back unopened. He decided then to let her go and never looked back. When he is called upon by Beth’s grandmother to help hide Beth from the mob, Ryal never thinks twice and offers his and his kin’s help. Seeing Beth again reopens old wounds and feelings and soon Ryal finds himself falling in love all over again with her.

As Ryal and Beth slowly find their way back into each others arms, the mob has discovered her hiding place and through deception and trickery, are slowing advancing towards the mountains. But blood is thicker then water and soon the mob learns that the mountain takes care of it’s own.

Next Of Kin is the first Sharon Sala’s newest romantic suspense trilogy- Rebel Ridge. Set in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, Ms. Sala takes the theme of coming home again and surrounds it with a mixture of mystery, suspense, and romance. An engaging storyline coupled with a cast of energetic characters keeps the story moving briskly. Beth and Ryal weren’t quite as fleshed out as I hoped. Both were rather bland when compared to the rest of the characters. Beth starts out feisty and intelligent with a strong independent streak but once she calls her uncle and starts home it’s as if she loses pieces of herself along the way and I barely recognized her once she reunites with Ryal. Then the crying starts. Everything makes her cry. It became irritating towards the end. The chemistry between them was lukewarm and their reunion and subsequent romance didn’t even make a blip on my radar. It had a Christian Walton’s feel to it. Even the reasons for their being separated was settled quickly and without any fan fare.

What saved the book for me was the secondary storyline and the plot involving the villain. Realistic dialogue and action packed scenes made watching these players deceive and betray each other an exciting addition to the story. These characters were more personable and connected better with the storyline then our protagonists. Ms. Sala keeps us on our toes as we watch the villain slowly hang himself with a rope of his own making-especially when he realizes that who holds the end of that rope. The ending is satisfactory if not predictable.

Overall Rating: C-

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Dec 07, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like the setting of this story, in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, and the “coming home” theme. The storyline has some engaging characters, but it seemed to me, the main character (Beth) and her long lost bo (Ryal) were the least developed. Beth should have stayed aggressive and sharp throughout the story, instead of turning into a cry baby, completely unable to think for herself, once she and Ryal reunited. I was more caught up in the sub plot of the villain. Deception and be...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another great read by Sharon Sala. There is not a book I haven't loved by her yet. Some reviews on websites of this book haven't been that great which I am surprised I thought this was a good , fast read. This story is about Beth witnessing a murder by a mob king. FBI can't keep her safe so she goes home to Rebel Ridge, Kentucky.She goes home to her first love Ryal and he protects her. There is plenty of suspense and romance in this book for anyone who likes this genre. Look forward to the next...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Shannon Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like Sharon Sala's books-this one included. I don't know if I would categorize this one as a mystery. It's really just an action with romance in it as well. (Which is always good in my opinion!)

I don't like reading books about the Mob, but this one is an exception since it didn't go into too many details about the Mob.

I really like Beth's determination to survive, and of course I like the man she loves.

The only reason is took me a week to read this one is because of the craziness of the week....more

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Next of Kin (Rebel Ridge #1)

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