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King's Ransom
With an unknown enemy threatening her life, Jesse LeBeau seeks the safety of the Double M ranch and is reunited with the object of her childhood infatuation, King McCandless, and soon discovers an adult passion in the arms of the compelling cowboy. Reissue.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Sharon Sala
288 books2,329 followersBiography
Sharon Sala is a Native Oklahoman and still lives within a two hour drive of where she was born.
First published in 1991, she is a New York Times/USA Today, best-selling author with a 135 plus books published in seven different genres, including Romantic suspense, Mystery, Young Adult, Western, Fiction, Women’s Fiction and Non-Fiction.
Industry Awards include:
Eight-time RITA finalist. (Romance Industry award)
The Janet Dailey Award.
Five-time Career Achievement winner from RT Magazine.
Five time winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award.
Five time winner of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence.
Heart of Excellence Award.,
Booksellers Best Award.
Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award RITA, presented by RWA.
Centennial Award from RWA for recognition of her 100th published novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 29, 2014
My 1st book by Sara, it hooked me on to her wonderful writing.
June 29, 2020
King’s Ransom was the 1st book I ever read by the very talented, Sharon Sala. I’ve read nearly her entire library now, while I continue to patiently wait for new releases.
So, what’s an avid fan to do??
Well, just read her favorite book again.
When Jesse awakes to a crazy man with a knife in her bedroom, poised over her, she can either die or fight... fight she does!!!
King has always protected Jesse, but when he gets woken up from the 4 O’clock call, he knows he’s got to get to her.
This is the best suspense romance book and I highly highly recommend it to everyone.
So, what’s an avid fan to do??
Well, just read her favorite book again.
When Jesse awakes to a crazy man with a knife in her bedroom, poised over her, she can either die or fight... fight she does!!!
King has always protected Jesse, but when he gets woken up from the 4 O’clock call, he knows he’s got to get to her.
This is the best suspense romance book and I highly highly recommend it to everyone.
May 10, 2018
I think I enjoyed this more the second time around, so I bumped the rating up to 4 stars. But I know that's partially to blame on my current hot-ranch-owner-hero phase.
Anyway! I was a bit annoyed with Jesse because she just waited and waited...and waited... for King to just suddenly fall in love with her. And then she was a bit of a bitch when he was clueless. Woman, just say something! That nonsense was really my only issue.
I've been rereading most of Sharon Sala's work lately and I have to say I definitely prefer her later works, the recent books are great. But the older books are still good in their own melodramatic way.
Anyway! I was a bit annoyed with Jesse because she just waited and waited...and waited... for King to just suddenly fall in love with her. And then she was a bit of a bitch when he was clueless. Woman, just say something! That nonsense was really my only issue.
I've been rereading most of Sharon Sala's work lately and I have to say I definitely prefer her later works, the recent books are great. But the older books are still good in their own melodramatic way.
November 3, 2019
Jessie was awoken by the smell of alcohol and an unwashed body
The man grabbed her and tried to hold her down. She screamed and fought for her life. He smacked her and her tried to get a grip she kicked him off her and ran. He cursed her and pulled a knife. She grabbed the knife by the blade ignoring the pain in her hands she wrestled the knife from his hands and stabbed him over and over. She ran screaming from the house covered in blood.
The police could find no one in the house except for the carnage in the bedroom.
The man grabbed her and tried to hold her down. She screamed and fought for her life. He smacked her and her tried to get a grip she kicked him off her and ran. He cursed her and pulled a knife. She grabbed the knife by the blade ignoring the pain in her hands she wrestled the knife from his hands and stabbed him over and over. She ran screaming from the house covered in blood.
The police could find no one in the house except for the carnage in the bedroom.
February 5, 2022
Who knew that family doesn't always mean safety? Jesse LeBeau is attacked in her bed and escapes the knife-wielding criminal but can't prevent herself from reliving her terror whenever she tries to sleep. So King McCandless, who had always been a big brother to her, takes her home to the ranch to help her heal where family will keep her safe. Or so he thinks.
But what neither of them know is that it's another family member who may know more than anyone realizes about why Jesse was attacked. In the course of the detectives following clues, the love that Jesse has always had for King has morphed into decidedly unsibling-like attraction. Ditto for King, although he's been clueless for so long that when he finally realizes what his body keeps telling him, he may have lost Jesse for good. Even without learning that she was the object of a possible kidnapping and not a foiled murder.
What are they going to do about that information? Both need to come clean about their feelings, in more ways than one.
But what neither of them know is that it's another family member who may know more than anyone realizes about why Jesse was attacked. In the course of the detectives following clues, the love that Jesse has always had for King has morphed into decidedly unsibling-like attraction. Ditto for King, although he's been clueless for so long that when he finally realizes what his body keeps telling him, he may have lost Jesse for good. Even without learning that she was the object of a possible kidnapping and not a foiled murder.
What are they going to do about that information? Both need to come clean about their feelings, in more ways than one.
March 17, 2022
The villain was predictable at the beginning, so the suspense was already off my interest. Still, I loved reading the development of characters' feelings. It was understandable that it was hard to know you were in love since you'd been treating each other like family since childhood. But in the end, I was glad everyone came out and admitted their true feelings. Happy ending at last!
January 20, 2023
Jesse is almost kidnapped and the terrifying memory remains. Then she looks up from her hospital bed and sees the handsome cowboy who’d always been like a brother to her. King McCandless is determined to bring Jesse back to Oklahoma and protect her from the threat of another attack. But can Jesse stay when now her heart is in danger?
March 11, 2019
Great read
I've read this book in the past and was definitely worth purchasing and reading again. Now with the Kindle e-books, we are able to purchase books that are no longer in print.
I've read this book in the past and was definitely worth purchasing and reading again. Now with the Kindle e-books, we are able to purchase books that are no longer in print.
January 12, 2018
sweet read.
April 30, 2018
s. 30 aby se vrátila se St. Louisu
s. 249 cílem blesku, které se začínaly
s. 249 cílem blesku, které se začínaly
August 12, 2019
Awesome!
Finally found this classic in kindle format! Love to read old classics over and over again! King is my favorite hero, Jessie very strong heroine!
Finally found this classic in kindle format! Love to read old classics over and over again! King is my favorite hero, Jessie very strong heroine!
November 11, 2019
I always enjoy reading Sharon Sala's books.
September 4, 2021
Who doesn’t love a good love story. Very nice book. Easy read.
February 9, 2022
Great story!
Sharon Sala never fails to satisfy with her writing!! Jealousy has ruined many a family and this one was no exception! I am waiting for the next story!!
Sharon Sala never fails to satisfy with her writing!! Jealousy has ruined many a family and this one was no exception! I am waiting for the next story!!
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December 15, 2022King's Ransom
Sweet and a good read. Predictable for most part but honestly you sometimes need a sweet, honest and almost predictable story.
Sweet and a good read. Predictable for most part but honestly you sometimes need a sweet, honest and almost predictable story.
October 31, 2023
3.5 Stars. It was a great read. I enjoyed the story and its twists. I always enjoy this author no matter which road she takes me down.
May 11, 2024
This is a 3.5 stars and a delightful romance, one of the earlier books by Sharon Sala. It was easy to figure out but a nice quick read with very interesting characters.
August 28, 2024
I enjoyed the book, It was a great story of suspense and love.
May 3, 2025
Great book
April 1, 2012
The scenery of King's ranch is breathtaking. No wait. This is a book! How is that possible?
Sala paints MASTERPIECES with her books.
She is a true artist. Plus, this book apparently had a personal meaning for the author as she mentions in the prologue that in real life, her own daughter was the victim of some terrible attack. Sala translates the anguish, fear and healing process from her real-life tragedy into a splendid pageantry of words, spilling them like paint on a canvas in this novel.
I zipped through this book in one afternoon. It's that engrossing.
STORYLINE: Heroine is attacked in her home by knife wielding killer. She successfully fights him off and injures him, but he escapes.
She has no family. In the family that raised her, "King" was acting in the role of her older brother, but she grew up and had feelings for King that apparently were unreciprocated. So she left. He didn't follow. Until the attack he hadn't seen her in years.
King came back into her life, and took over. He provided comfort and protection, but was having a terrible time opening his heart to the obvious fact that he was falling in love with the heroine.
The bad guy wasn't a random attack. He was part of a kidnap conspiracy to part King with some ransom money. King goes all out to protect Jesse. They overcome, share grief and find love.
I heartily recommend this little paper book.
Sala paints MASTERPIECES with her books.
She is a true artist. Plus, this book apparently had a personal meaning for the author as she mentions in the prologue that in real life, her own daughter was the victim of some terrible attack. Sala translates the anguish, fear and healing process from her real-life tragedy into a splendid pageantry of words, spilling them like paint on a canvas in this novel.
I zipped through this book in one afternoon. It's that engrossing.
STORYLINE: Heroine is attacked in her home by knife wielding killer. She successfully fights him off and injures him, but he escapes.
She has no family. In the family that raised her, "King" was acting in the role of her older brother, but she grew up and had feelings for King that apparently were unreciprocated. So she left. He didn't follow. Until the attack he hadn't seen her in years.
King came back into her life, and took over. He provided comfort and protection, but was having a terrible time opening his heart to the obvious fact that he was falling in love with the heroine.
The bad guy wasn't a random attack. He was part of a kidnap conspiracy to part King with some ransom money. King goes all out to protect Jesse. They overcome, share grief and find love.
I heartily recommend this little paper book.
February 25, 2021
All of Sharon Sala books are great. I have all of her books.
December 4, 2010
The storyline was a bit formulaic and not very suspenseful but I couldn't help liking both King and Jess who made a very lovely couple. Not bad but not in the same league as her Jackson Rule which I adore.
November 21, 2017
Loved it
Loved it from start to finish it holds and you cannot put it down
Miss Sola can write I have been reading her books for years and have not come across a bad one yet.
If you have never read Sharon Sala you owe it to yourself to read at one book you will be hooked.
Loved it from start to finish it holds and you cannot put it down
Miss Sola can write I have been reading her books for years and have not come across a bad one yet.
If you have never read Sharon Sala you owe it to yourself to read at one book you will be hooked.
June 23, 2019
Yummy
This book was awesome. I couldn't put down. But anything this author wrote are amazing. If you never read anything by this author then you are missing out on the best story of your life.
This book was awesome. I couldn't put down. But anything this author wrote are amazing. If you never read anything by this author then you are missing out on the best story of your life.
November 3, 2018
Not this author's best, but still a romance with an HEA. It's uneven, with a big shiny villain looking right at everyone in the family. Still Sala knows how to write an uncertain couple who doubt themselves as much as they believe in each other.
July 15, 2010
Typical Sharon Sala fare.
August 31, 2010
I read this back in 1995 when my grandma had a subscription to the company. I thought it was sweet and may have to buy a copy from Abe books.
March 8, 2018
It was so romantic!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews