Sala returns again to the small town of Jubilee and the unbelievably wonderful Pope family. In this novel we have Harley Banks who has amazing abilities combining forensic accounting with private eye skills. She also has a hitman after her from a previous case. Now she’s in Jubilee and, of course, she meets one of the Pope siblings, Brendan, a tall and hunky pastry chef, and they immediately fall for each other.

The whole plot is quite unlikely with the baddies being pretty dang evil and the goodies being absolutely wonderful. There is a build-up of suspense which all gets resolved rather quickly and then the characters can get around to resolving their mutual attraction.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Brenden & Harley absolutely keep it real & super sweet. I loved the banter & bond within the family & the whole town. A brilliant setting for this series. Action & danger kept pace with the budding romance. Little bits & pieces that all add up & finish nicely. An entertainer i enjoyed.

There were things I liked about Sharon Sala’s book, Bad Seed, and other things that did not come together for me. The book is a multi-faceted story—at the heart is a romance between Brendan Pope and Harley Banks. I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book and did not know it was part of a series, however, it was easy to figure out that this book was related to others as there were a number of connected characters that made appearances throughout the story.

For fans of small town romance, the setting of Jubilee and the people who live on Pope Mountain bring the small-town feel to life. Pastry chef Brendan and PI/CPA Harley are a match made in heaven, from their striking good looks to temperament, and they each fill a void in the other’s life. I thought the romance just sort of happened… It was more a love at first sight where one minute they met and a few chapters later they were in ‘forever’ love. I would have liked more tension with a slow build up to their relationship, but there were external forces that threw them together in a rather quick way that hastened their romance.

Harley comes to Jubilee to investigate the possibility of financial impropriety at the inn where Brendan works. She arrives having just closed another case where she discovered a human trafficking ring within the organization. While her professional obligations to the previous case closed, they never found the head of the trafficking ring and this loose end continued to bother her as she moved on. She is notified by the kind, wealthy owner of the company that other people involved in the operation have turned up dead and that she needs to watch her back. Unbeknownst to her, there is a bounty on her head and the hit man eventually finds her in Jubilee.

*Spoilers*



But here is where the story gets lost for me. There are so many threads that felt forced—

-The inn has someone committing financial fraud and skimming the profits.

-Brendan has a stalker who is a psychotic narcissist, who also happens to be the daughter of the current manager at the inn. This stalker causes problems in town, is arrested, bailed out by her mother, and returns to her hometown in Texas. She ends up murdering her mother to get her life insurance, but the policy has lapsed (to her surprise) and instead of getting the money she is charged with murder and is remanded to a psychiatric hospital.

-Harley is shot by the hitman but she evades his bullet while she is able to plant one in his forehead and take him out. She is left with a concussion and a graze to her head and Brendan becomes her protector while she recuperates.

-Harley’s parents are selfish, insensitive and neglectful, and she has had a difficult relationship with them all her life. They are consumed with status and wealth and think Harley should have made different life choices.

-The owner of the inn has health problems and is looking to sell. Another rich investor, whose daughter married into the Pope family, is interested in buying.

-The son of the wealthy man from the previous case turns out to be the human trafficker. This case is related to another FBI case from years prior, worked on by one of Brendan’s relatives.

Needless to say, this story has a lot of convoluted knots that try to hold it together, but for me there were at least two too many and the story felt unwieldy as a result.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Once again I am floored by the ability this author has to have you hanging on till the last gasp.
This is the story of Harley Banks whose mission was to stop thieves. Her expertise was in corporate crime. She had the ability and patience necessary to audit the books to see if something wasn’t working properly. Most often it was at the hands of an employee who thought he had done an excellent job of hiding any fraudulent activity.
Her latest assignment brought with it an unexpected conclusion. She was investigating the loss of shipments. What she uncovered was an enterprise of human trafficking. These culprits are not only greedy but dangerous.
Basically Harley took jobs as a private investigator but as a CPA she was equipped for financial crimes. Her current job was for a wealthy shipping magnate. The only loose end was the identity of the boss of the scam. And that boss had now put a price on Harley Banks head. These guys are out for revenge. Harley has no idea that she is now in their crosshairs.
We find ourselves back in Jubilee Kentucky. Fans of Sharon Sala are familiar with this very unusual community. A corporation owns the town. The Popes, Glass and Cauley families have lived in these mountains for generations. Brandan Pope is head pastry chef at the inn in town. The Popes have an interesting background. Suffice it to say, they don’t appreciate being bullied and at present the current inn manager has a scurrilous daughter who is causing trouble for Brandan. When his world gets too chaotic or lonely he takes a ride on his bike roaring through Pope Mountain. Sort of let off steam.
Candidly, it is difficult to determine just who is the bad seed Sharon Sala is referring to in the title. And as the tale progresses the cast of characters expands to many possibilities.
So it appears that all us armchair detectives are going to have to pay attention. Such fun. All the Jubilee Kentucky series has been a delight, and it is important to note that each stands alone. Sharon Sala makes sure that she includes a brief introduction to each returning character.

We've finally come to the end of this series. Saying goodbye to The Pope's and Pope Mountain is going to be so hard. I have loved every book in this series and the newest book Bad Seed is no exception. It was a terrific read.

Brendan Pope is the youngest of the Pope brothers. He is also the tallest with the biggest heart. He loves his family and is one heck of a baker. He is the head pastry chef for the Serenity Inn and loves his job immensely.

Harley Banks is a PI who was hired to find out just what has been going on at the Serenity Inn. There's only one problem... Harley's last job was high profile and what she uncovered is now looking for her to tie up those loose ends.

Ending this series with Brendan's story was an excellent choice. So many things came full circle and wrapped up this series perfectly.

Sharon Sala's writing is phenomenal. She knows just how to capture you and hold you from page one right till the end.

I am so sad to see the end of Jubilee, Kentucky but cannot wait to see what this author writes for us next.

I highly recommend this book.

Bad Seed is part of a Jubilee series but I believe it can also be read as a stand alone. This is Brendan’s story - the youngest Pope brother. Harley Banks is a private investigator /accountant. She is hired to help the Serenity Inn. Sparks fly between the Brendan and Harley. This book has wonderful characters that are somehow all related to each other. This story has a little bit of everything mystery, romance and family. Another winner from Sharon Sala. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca.

Brandon is ready to find love after watching his brothers find their perfect partners. Harley is in town to do an audit on the hotel, and a past audit is going back to cause trouble for her. This made for a perfect ending to this series.m

Sharon Sala once again crafted a mystery that was full of both suspense and family. Her voice is always unique and always guaranteed to keep readers turning the page. I admit I enjoyed Wiley's story more but this was still a really good book that took as back to Jubilee and pope mountain. Setting this story apart was the legend of the first Brendan of Pope mountain and how the story almost went full circle returning love to the land.
Harley was a really tough character but I underestimated her smarts until the story progressed and we learned more about her past. The town once again stepped up for another "lost" female giving her the family her own parents were not. There were a few teary or touching moments but nothing compared in that arena to Wiley's story.
Sharon crafted an amazing resilient family that went through one battle after another and came through each stronger because more love was added to an already tight knit group. She made readers long for that kind of existence where you know that someone has your back at a time you needed it most.
Before I conclude, I loved the introduction of Brendan, what an unsung hero he was. Can't forget to mention Justine and how Sharon turned the tables on a typical sexual harassment story. There is just so much to this book that all flowed together to make a good story. I missed a few of the stories on Pope mountain which is something I plan to remedy.
I would recommend this book and series. Don't let the 4 stars discourage you from reading. It is actually about 4.4 stars. Wiley's story was 5 stars because it had all the feels and this was just not as awesome but still very much worth the read.
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Wow!! Loved every minute of this book. It’s fast paced with lots of action.
I consider this my favorite Sala novel ever. I won’t forget about this family for a long time to come!
The twist at the beginning was written very well. Drew me right into the story. I love books like that!
A really great book that I couldn’t put down!
Wow!
5 stars from me. I highly recommend it.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine

Bad Seed by Sharon Sala has two distinct stories of individuals but by the end the main two characters stories tie completely together. It is the fifth book in the Jubilee, Kentucky Series and why this is Brendan Pope’s story. He is no way the “bad seed” but he does a an unwanted individual who is. Along with him, Harley Banks finds that she has a couple of “bad seeds” after her.

An addictive series as a whole, this was also a compelling read. I always like how the guilty get caught and punished and the good guys win in the end. That is exactly how this story goes with help from family. The last of the brothers to find his happily ever after, Bad Seed is not a story to be missed.

We have arrived at the end of the Jubilee series with Bad Seed and Brendan Pope's story was a good way to wrap things up. First I will say that if you haven't read the other books in the series that Bad Seed stands alone however, there are a lot of interconnected characters and this series is truly best read in order. Brendan is the head pastry chef at a resort in Jubilee and that's where he meets private investigator Harley Banks. She's just wrapped up a big case and is now working on another one when these two meet and sparks fly. Harley has no idea that trouble is following her to Jubilee but she also doesn't know that Brendan and the rest of the Pope family will be there to support her in any way that she needs. I am so sad that this series has come to an end but Bad Seed wraps up everything nicely. I don't give away spoilers so I will just say that it was told from dual POV and had all the heart, humor and emotions that I love in a Sharon Sala book. I can't wait to read what she'll be giving us next.

Lots of drama in this novel of romantic suspense. I liked the role reversal from the trope- this time it's Brendan who is a pastry chef and Harley the tough forensic auditor/PI. Thanks to netgalley for the arc. I'd not read the earlier books in this series but it worked fine as a standalone. This is one with insta-love but it's a good read for a lazy day.

Bad Seed is the fifth book in the heartwarming Jubilee, Kentucky series. This book features Brendan Pope and Harley Banks. Brendan is a pastry chef that just wants to create delicious treats and find a woman to love forever. Harley is the damsel in distress, or is she. Harley and Brendan meet at the hotel he works in and he is compelled to help Harley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! Sharon Sala is unique in her ability to weave a moving story that you don’t want to stop reading. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, I highly recommend reading those before you pick up this book. This series is a winner!

This one was hard to read/finish. It’s the story of Harley a PI/Forensic auditor and Brendan a pastry chef. She goes to investigate something at the hotel Brendan works at and, amongst a ton of extraneous explosion and a billion unrelated and unnecessary segments from other characters, they fall in love in like two days after spending like five hours together and get engaged after like a week.

I really wanted to love this book, like it had some grate foundations for an amazing romance and mystery but it feel flat on both, instead of focusing on our two main protagonist, it’s just muddled with so many other characters and side stories.

After they get together there’s like an hour more of just odd unnecessary after plot stuff. It all just made it feel very rushed and wasn’t for me. It might be an easier or more likeable read if you’ve read the other books in this series and have some sort of investment with the characters. But for me, it’s a no, and only finished it because I hate DNFing a book.

Hopefully although we have come to the end of the 4 brother series, we will keep finding out about other relatives. I really like this town and series,

It has been a joy to read this series and catch up with all of the family of Jubilee. Brendan and Harley's story is wonderful. So many bad seeds. I laughed because the title is singular when it should have been plural. So much love and suspense wrapped up in one book.

Wonderful book, sadly probably the end to this series.

The last of the Pope brothers, Brendan, lives a quiet life, head pastry chef at a local hotel and spends time off with his extended family in Jubilee. Harley Banks, an investigator is hired to audit and investigate happenings at the hotel, and the two meet. There are multiple storylines in this book, stalking, trafficking, murder and deceit, all impacting Harley, Brendan and the family.

I have completely enjoyed this series as well as prior series by Sharon Sala, and I am already looking forward to the next creation. The stories are well-written, and the reader becomes vested in the outcomes as the series’ evolve over time. You see the characters grow, children are born and grow up. Highly recommend.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Sharon Sala brings us back to Jubilee and the Pope family. We meet Harley Banks when she comes over to investigates Serenity Inn where head pastry chef Brendan Pope works. There is an instant attraction as he helps her with the investigation. Meanwhile, she has become a loose string from the last investigation she helped with and has become a target to ensure that their operation can still go forward. Brendan and Harley must work together against time as a killer has come to Jubilee to solve not just one but two investigations. Will they be able to solve them while dodging the killer who is after her? Will these investigations bring them closer together, or will their stubbornness work against them?

Sharon Sala brings us back to the Jubilee series and we meet up with Brendan Pope and his life as the head pastry chef at Serenity Inn. Because we have been there before, it feels like we are visiting with the people we had met before and we get to catch up with them. You get to follow along with Brendan and Harley as they maneuver around those who are wanting to hurt them as well as the everyday hurdles that life seems to throw at them. You keep wanting to turn the page to see what happens next and what they do while hoping that their story keeps going. I look forward to reading more from this author and getting to visit friends from Jubilee.

I have read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca | Sourcebooks Casablanca for this privilege.

Bad Seed by Sharon Sala (Jubilee, Kentucky #5) 4 stars

This looks like the last Pope Brother book and it features Brendan Pope, the youngest of the Pope Brothers. A pastry chef by trade, this motorcycle riding hunk is paired with Harley Banks, a private investigator/auditor. There are multiple story lines involving the main characters with the typical Sharon Sala flare. The good guys prevail and the bad guys either end up dead or punished. You get to visit characters from the previous book for a view of their current lives. Heartwarming, adventurous and a vintage Sharon Sala. If you liked her other books, you will like this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC.

Emotional, tense romantic suspense. I am never disappointed by this author and I can't stop reading her books. This book is about Brendan Pope and he may finally find his own true love. I couldn't put the book down but it is a lengthy story so I excitedly read it in two sittings. I love the characters and they are kind and down to earth. The plot is chock full of suspense building and you feel the action in your bones!