Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Run to You

by Sarah Ballance (Goodreads Author)

4.52 of 5 stars 4.52 · rating details · 27 ratings · 16 reviews

Mattie James can't pinpoint exactly when she lost control of her life, but the moment she decided to take it back made the front page of the local paper. Desperate to dodge the fallout— and the tabloids—she jumps at the chance to spend an off-season week in a tiny resort community by the sea. Making the trip with her ex-lover is a complication she can live with; coming fac...more

ebook, 153 pages

Published December 13th 2010 by Noble Romance Publishing

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 65)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

May 17, 2011 Miz Love rated it 5 of 5 stars

Agatha Christie was right. Very few of us are what we seem. And in Run to You, the new romantic suspense novel by Sarah Ballance, somebody in the quiet little beach resort where Mattie James goes for a getaway is not what they seem. Somebody in the little community is a cold-blooded murderer.

I love gorgeous hunks and was immediately gulping down the story when Mattie, a rebel with a cause, agrees to go on a vacation to the beach with her long-time buddy, ex-lover and would-be boyfriend, the goo...more

1 like · like · see review

May 11, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, erotic, m-f, suspense-mystery

Suspense and love at the Carolina Coast? This sea-side adventure story has it all!

I can picture it now; Sarah Ballance's scenic words in Run to You melted into a graphic story to encourage the imagination in this mysterious love triangle romance.

Mattie James, the daughter of Senator James, is a Raleigh, NC socialite, who has the worst luck with men. She has been hiding out at her friend Hutch's place after the tabloids caught her throwing a drink in the face of her two-timing lover.

Daniel "Hut...more

like · see review

Mar 15, 2011 Ebook Addict Reviews added it

Run To You has all of the elements that are needed to make an awesome romance story: beautiful and independent heroine, gorgeous hero who’s the silent type, sexual tension, mysterious murder, and crazy villain. It is a well written romance that delivers on all of these elements and the result is a romantic suspense that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. The heroine, Mattie, is a rebel daughter of career politician who is determined to live life on her own terms. She is plucky, humor...more Run To You has all of the elements that are needed to make an awesome romance story: beautiful and independent heroine, gorgeous hero who’s the silent type, sexual tension, mysterious murder, and crazy villain. It is a well written romance that delivers on all of these elements and the result is a romantic suspense that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. The heroine, Mattie, is a rebel daughter of career politician who is determined to live life on her own terms. She is plucky, humorous and independent. Wyatt, her hero, is sheriff of a small town who, although once burned in love, makes Mattie’s heart flutter (okay, and my heart did do a little flutter too!). What also makes this a very well crafted story is that although you may think the killer is obvious, you will still be a little surprised at the end. I really enjoyed this story! However…

Let me start by saying I am a romantic at heart and I really enjoy a sensual love scene as well as the next person. However, when the writing is so flowery and image driven, the sex scene becomes a little “ho-hum, add a yawn” because it’s taking too long to get to the…uh…good stuff, for lack of a better phrasing. When I, as a reader and lover of romance books, skip the love scene…well, let’s just say this is an extremely rare occurrence! Let me say this, the author, set up the sexual tension very well. I was ready for Mattie and Wyatt to set the sheets on fire. Yet, the sheets were more or less simmering, if you know what I mean. For me, there was so much imagery and metaphors, that I wanted to scream “all right, all ready!!!” Now some readers may like this! And to some extent I do too! But only to some extent; in other words, a little goes a long way. I ended up skipping the love scene so I could get to the “morning after” scene.

The bright side is this was my only complaint about Run To You. Otherwise, it was a very enjoyable read that for the most part, made my romantic heart sigh and kept me on the edge of my seat. For these reasons I would recommend that readers give this book a try and I think most will not be disappointed.

*

Meav(less)

like · see review

Jan 18, 2011 LynnMarie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Denise's Review

I first encountered Ms. Ballance not too long ago when I read and reviewed her debut novel, DOWN IN FLAMES. A new writer on the scene, I was instantly enamored with her rich prose and characters, not to mention the way she crafted tension. When I learned she had another release on the horizon, I eagerly set out and put it at the top of my TBR list. Spoiler alert: Ms. Ballance did not disappoint.

RUN TO YOU is practically flawless as a romantic suspense. The novel opens on Mattie J...more Denise's Review

I first encountered Ms. Ballance not too long ago when I read and reviewed her debut novel, DOWN IN FLAMES. A new writer on the scene, I was instantly enamored with her rich prose and characters, not to mention the way she crafted tension. When I learned she had another release on the horizon, I eagerly set out and put it at the top of my TBR list. Spoiler alert: Ms. Ballance did not disappoint.

RUN TO YOU is practically flawless as a romantic suspense. The novel opens on Mattie James and her friend, Hutch. We quickly learn everything we need to know about Mattie going forward: she’s the victim of two near-marriages and a senator’s daughter, and she occasionally finds herself in Hutch’s bed, though it’s not exactly where she likes ending up. When her personal life starts appearing in headlines, Hutch whisks her away to a small community and a beachside cottage. He intends to take their “friends with occasional benefits” to the next level, but when Mattie meets Sherriff Wyatt Reed, she makes some plans of her own, and quickly finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. When one body turns into two, suddenly nowhere feels safe.

There are many things I loved about this book. Mattie was a very real character—she was loyal to friends and once she decided she wanted something, she went after it. She likewise wasn’t afraid to be direct—when it came to asking Wyatt out, she didn’t beat around the bush. I also really liked the palpable tension between her and Hutch, even if Hutch wasn’t the lead. Their friendship felt natural.

However, what I truly loved about RUN TO YOU is Ms. Ballance didn’t ask her readers to suspend their disbelief, or otherwise, feel stupid with the way events progressed. Once the action starts, it flows very nicely, timed just right, and pulls no punches as the mystery surrounding the murders unfolds and suspects start coming out of the woodwork. No smoke, no mirrors, and while the ending did take my breath away, it did so for reasons connected to the characters rather than complete disbelief at whose face was under the mask. In that sense, RUN TO YOU is a very intelligent, sensual romantic suspense, and one no one should miss.

With her first book Ms. Ballance grabbed my attention; this one made me a fan. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy. You won’t regret it.

5 Tea Cups!

(less)

like · see review

Dec 28, 2010 Gigi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love the beach, especially in storms. I love romance. I love a good who-dunit. So I loved Run to You by Sarah Ballance!

The romantic in me loved Sheriff Wyatt Reed---down-to-earth, hometown, well-built hunk with sexy gray eyes, the kind of man I'd adore in real life--and his chemistry with Mattie James, the rich-girl-rebel who is the heroine of the story. The two meet when Mattie agrees to tag along with her long-time friend, Daniel "Hutch" Hutchins. Instant attraction. I found myself attracted...more

like · see review

Feb 27, 2011 Katrina rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Mattie James’s life is in turmoil, she has been engaged twice in two years, her life is constantly not so private, and her life strewn all over the tabloids and she just wants out. Being the senator’s daughter is not Mattie’s cup of tea, and not the life she wants to lead, expectations are made of her and all she wants is a normal life.

Hutch, Mattie’s best friend – ex lover decides to whisk her away to a beach front cottage in a small town, to forget about everything and escape the havic create...more Mattie James’s life is in turmoil, she has been engaged twice in two years, her life is constantly not so private, and her life strewn all over the tabloids and she just wants out. Being the senator’s daughter is not Mattie’s cup of tea, and not the life she wants to lead, expectations are made of her and all she wants is a normal life.

Hutch, Mattie’s best friend – ex lover decides to whisk her away to a beach front cottage in a small town, to forget about everything and escape the havic created after her bitter separation with now ex fiancé.

However Hutch is hoping their friends with benefits system will step up to the next notch until Mattie meets Handsome Sherriff Wyatt Reed. She is intrigued by him and decides to be bold and take that next step, finding herself very forward she asks him out. After a turn of events takes place not one but two murders happen - in this small community, and she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and not feeling so safe anymore.

Hutch is Mattie’s Rock and she finds herself on most occasions leaning on him to get her through. Their friendship is solid and very heart warming, no matter what - Mattie knows that Hutch will always be there.

In a whirlwind of events, lies are told, betrayal is present, and the suspense is electrifying. A romantic thriller, that will keep you on the edge of your seat, unpredictable by any means. It kept me guessing the whole way through, when I thought I had worked it out more suspense and thrills were thrown in. The plot was fast paced, character development was great!! And the storyline smooth and fluent with no dead stops or dull moments.

I enjoyed the sensual romance between Wyatt and Mattie it was electrifying, sensual and romantic and luscious in certain scenes. The story line had the right amount of suspense and romance, both going hand in hand. I enjoyed all the characters, Mattie with her friendly attitude and caring towards her friends and also her get straight to the point attitude with Wyatt no beating around the bush, what Mattie wants she gets. Wyatt was at first taken aback by Mattie’s forwardness but also found it refreshing at it brought a side of him back he thought he had lost. She brought out that part of him, he had longed for.
Hutch I found cocky yet intriguing and I liked that he felt so much emotion for Mattie he wasn’t afraid to let her know how he felt. This quiet often backfired on him.
The storyline takes its turns of events, the ending I did not expect at all, I felt myself briskly reading through just to get to find out who was the villain behind these bloody murders and why.. It will mesmerize you, and you will be gobsmacked with the final ending !!! I know it surprised me!!!! This I loved the element of surprise is always unexpected and welcomed.

I Loved the way Sarah explained the surroundings I invisaged it all, and could see every scene that played out. Very well described, giving an excellent visual whilst reading. I could even hear the sea as it whooshed .. I felt as though I was there at the time.

Overall this is the first book I have read of Sara’s and I immensely enjoyed it... An erotic thriller- with that right amount of sensual romance and thrills to make it an incredible read.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 05, 2011 Lea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

The synopsis of this story is somewhat misleading, because Senator’s daughter Matilda “Mattie” James doesn’t jump at the chance to spend the week at a seaside resort community with her best friend and confidant Daniel “Hutch” Hutchins, he persuades her to go. The mansion with an ocean view that Hutch has procured through someone he “knows” is optimal to provide Mattie an escape from the media frenzy surrounding an acrimonious break-up with her latest fiancé. It is off season and the homes in the...more The synopsis of this story is somewhat misleading, because Senator’s daughter Matilda “Mattie” James doesn’t jump at the chance to spend the week at a seaside resort community with her best friend and confidant Daniel “Hutch” Hutchins, he persuades her to go. The mansion with an ocean view that Hutch has procured through someone he “knows” is optimal to provide Mattie an escape from the media frenzy surrounding an acrimonious break-up with her latest fiancé. It is off season and the homes in the immediate vicinity are vacant. The town has been battered by storms causing significant destruction to the summer residences lining the beachfront belonging to the wealthy. A dark and turbulent sea adds to the sense of foreboding as the suspenseful plot of “Run to You” unfolds. I was quite impressed with Ms. Ballance’s rich prose and graphic imagery that allowed an excellent visual of each scene.

The romance plot of this story involves three characters, which turns into a triangle without Mattie realizing it. You see, Mattie and Hutch, while friends, also have a twisted history.

“His big brother may have gotten the girl, but it was Hutch she’d clung to under a veil of darkness and sweat. It was Hutch who tasted her and loved her and writhed with her beneath tangled sheets. And it was Mark’s ring she wore while she clawed at his brother’s back.”

Run To You © Sarah Ballance

Mattie has been honest with Hutch regarding their relationship, she can never see him as anything more than her close friend, he however wants more much more than that. Therefore the waters become muddy when Sheriff Wyatt Reed enters the picture and there is an instantaneous sexual attraction between him and Mattie on a stormy night shortly after she and Hutch arrive.

I really liked the juxtaposition Ms. Ballance creates between Wyatt and Hutch, the former is an honorable hard working small town Sheriff who has loved and been seriously hurt by his former fiancée. He has no intention of becoming involved with another woman, in fact, Wyatt sees himself as a “washed up bachelor”. On the other hand, Hutch is a womanizer, a spoiled rich boy who has never done an honest day’s work in his life. He wants Mattie, and is none too pleased when she becomes involved with the town’s Sheriff. (You can guess which guy I was rooting for.) ;)

The quiet resort town has never been shaken by a violent crime so when 2 brutal murders occur Wyatt must deal not only is growing attraction to Mattie, but a murder investigation. Ms. Ballance develops a strong cast of supporting characters, and what I also liked is that she lays suspicion at the feet of more than one character increasing the mystery and tension of the of the story. While the cover of “Run to You” indicates it is an erotic romance, I didn’t find it overly sexually explicit, the love scenes were sensual & tastefully written.

I have to admit, my niggle with “Run to You” was it's heroine. I found Mattie to be a needy rich girl with dependency issues. As near as I could tell, she didn't have a job, or any philanthropic interests, and simply moved from one man to the next. She did however seem to recognize who was good for her and have the strength to do something about it. As well, the author did give Mattie a conscience which was good given her background.

Overall, I enjoyed “Run to You”, readers are treated fast paced suspense plot with a very strong, hero and a romance involving two people from very different socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally the conclusion of of the story is a life and death nail biter involving our heroine, hero and an insane killer. If you enjoy a romantic suspense with a couple of good plot twists and a very appealing hero you may like to give “Run to You” a try. :-)

My Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars
(less)

like · see review

Dec 19, 2010 Adrienne4 rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was by far the best suspense novel I've read in quite some time. The characters were funny, witty and Sarah-Ballance-sarcastic, and the plot was wonderful. You could feel the terror and fear at times, the steamy scenes made me a bit warm but not in a TOOO MUCH way, and by the end, I was so turned around wondering who done it that the ending was an excellent surprise!! I literally laid my head down on the desk and kept reading this one long after I should have been in bed asleep.
So far I've...more

like · see review

Oct 20, 2011 Carrie-Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel is one that I can't help but paw through multiple times. There's something about the grim stormy ocean, a love triangle and a series of murders that you just can't help but be attracted to. The love triangle is believable, as the best friend and the handsome sheriff butt heads over the attractive female of their attention, Mattie. Just like the waves on a storymy sea, you can't quite put your finger on who the murderer is until you reach the high energy climax, which dissolves into a...more

like · see review

Mar 07, 2011 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an official review from The Romance Reviews

RUN TO YOU is so exciting. It's filled with murder, twists and turns and romance. This has to be the best romantic suspense novel I've read in quite some time. I love a good who-dunit. I love the beach, especially during dark threatening storms. I love a good romance, and Sarah Balance has written the perfect book to combine all of those elements.

Matilda "Mattie" James and Daniel "Hutch" Hutchins are best friends. Mattie is a Senator's daughte...more This is an official review from The Romance Reviews

RUN TO YOU is so exciting. It's filled with murder, twists and turns and romance. This has to be the best romantic suspense novel I've read in quite some time. I love a good who-dunit. I love the beach, especially during dark threatening storms. I love a good romance, and Sarah Balance has written the perfect book to combine all of those elements.

Matilda "Mattie" James and Daniel "Hutch" Hutchins are best friends. Mattie is a Senator's daughter, and she has been through some very traumatic times with her previous two boyfriends. Hutch wants to get her away from the media frenzy after the horrible break up between her and the latest fiancé. He gets a house on the beach and asks Mattie to go away with him for some rest and relaxation. Little does Mattie know that Hutch has ulterior motives in asking her to go away with him. He has always been in love with Mattie but she doesn't know that. When they arrive at the beach house, Mattie meets Sheriff Wyatt Reed. There is instant attraction between the two, but both are afraid to love again. They've both been extremely hurt and don't trust their instincts, but there are some "steamy" moments between the two.

Being a murder/suspense lover, I truly enjoyed the mystery that begins when a woman is found dead on the beach. I can't say more without giving away too much of the plot. I thought several times I had figured out who the murderer was, but I was totally wrong. I was shocked when I read who it was. But needless to say this was one great story. Ms. Ballance understands how to keep a reader engrossed in the story and uses her talent exquisitely.

The vividness of the sounds of the ocean and smells of the air put me there with Mattie and Wyatt during their walks on the beach. I could hear the waves crashing on the beach. I could hear the cries of the seagulls. The entire dialogue of the story was very real and down to earth. I was in tears for the pain Mattie endured, but in the end she does get her HEA. I can't say enough about how great this book was. I rarely re-read a book but this one is already in the stack to read again.

This is the first book I have read by Sarah Ballance but I will be checking out her other books. I love an author who can keep me as engrossed in a story as she did. A job well done indeed!!
(less)

like · see review

Jan 06, 2011 K.B. Cutter rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for whodunnits that are set against a stormy beach backdrop. Nuthin like a murder mystery, a sexy attraction and a who-really dune it to the last page!

like · see review

Apr 15, 2012 Steffi rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
I loved this a lot. Very strange atmosphere that brings out the goose-bumps. Full review coming soon!

like · see review

Jan 24, 2011 Tanya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Completely awesome! Couldn't put it down so I stayed up way to late. :) A true sign of a fabulous book.

like · see review

Mar 30, 2011 Renee Vincent rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sarah Ballance will leave you breathless and begging for more! Romantic suspense is this author's forte! She will have you guessing the whole time until the very end. Be prepared to read the whole book in one sitting, 'cause you'll not want to put it down!

like · see review

Jul 19, 2011 Melissa MacKinnon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Couldn't put this one down. I loved it. It had me guessing from the first page to the last. The characters were so well written, I felt like I was right there on the beach with sand between my toes. (maybe even running from a serial killer!) Wyatt is one sheriff that can frisk me anytime. ;) This is a fantastic read - get yourself a copy and enjoy your weekend. Well, what are you waiting for?

like · see review

May 03, 2011 Mitabird rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, romantic-suspense

This didn't work for me. Mattie and Wyatt weren't convincing as a couple and her relationship with Hutch was strange. The mystery wasn't very engaging and when all was revealed, I thought it was predictable and a bit ridiculous.

like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Vivek rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jan 28, 2013 Donna marked it as to-read

Shelves: wish-list

Jan 06, 2013 Diana marked it as to-read

Sep 29, 2012 Holly Atkinson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sep 24, 2012 Savannah marked it as to-read

Jul 27, 2012 Jenna Jaxon marked it as to-read

Jul 13, 2012 Loni Flowers marked it as to-read

Jul 01, 2012 Mae Clair marked it as to-read

Jun 30, 2012 Shannon marked it as to-read

Jun 24, 2012 Karen Stone rated it 4 of 5 stars

May 26, 2012 Dorothy Dreyer marked it as to-read

May 24, 2012 Jessica marked it as to-read

May 18, 2012 Kim marked it as to-read

May 11, 2012 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars

« previous 1 2 3 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (2)

Popular Shelves

to-read

31 shelves

ebook

3 shelves

wish-list

2 shelves

won

1 shelf

currently-reading

1 shelf

men-of-service

1 shelf

genre-thriller-su...

1 shelf

betrayal

1 shelf

mystery-suspense

1 shelf

modern-contemp

1 shelf

About Sarah Ballance

Sarah lives a charmed life as the mother of six incredible homeschooled children, all of whom are completely adorable when they're asleep. Her husband of many years (long, long years, he calls them) is the kind of guy who could teach those heroes from the books a thing or two about romance, not that he'd readily admit it. Completely supportive of her love for writing fiction, he's generously offer...more

More about Sarah Ballance...

Books by Sarah Ballance

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Run to You

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Run to You
avg rating	preview: Run to You Goodreads rating: 4.52 (27 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9951803-run-to-you?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1292706216l/9951803.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9951803-run-to-you?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Run to You by Sarah Ballance[/url]

Run to You

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (2)

Popular Shelves

About Sarah Ballance

Books by Sarah Ballance

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Run to You

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)