This book was truly a cute romance read. I always love reading small town romance books. And this book definitely fits the mold of small town romance stories.

A Piece of My Heart brings two unlikely characters together. But yet, Mercy and Lon belong to each other once they meet the first time. They may be opposite of each other, but their chemistry is off the charts. They just know their hearts belong to each other even though they both have baggage to through..

Sweet, southern romance…

This author is insta-everything for me so I was thrilled to dive into this series, even if it was in the middle. Mercy and Lon’s story works as a standalone so I was happy to dive in…

Mercy is my favourite characters in this sweet southern romance, and that’s saying quite a bit as there are many who are interesting and quirky in Blessings. She’s had to overcome a lot, and while emotionally distant, is also the first to offer whatever she can. Whether it is homemade baking, or the gift of a blood donation, she will do what she can to help her fellow man. Even if she won’t let you thank her for it…

Lon is the strong, handsome sheriff in this Georgian small town. His sense of justice and fairness is strong, whether he is dealing with a pig heist (I kid you not!) or something more sinister…

“Are you flirting or stating a fact?”

While I may not have been surprised by the dramatic events or how things played out, that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy every family-filled, heartwarming moment of it. So many characters to get to know, and each one unique and worth the time to explore. I want to catch up on all the earlier stories and can’t wait for more. Deke needs a woman of his own now that Mercy has knocked him down a peg or two! ~Diane, 4.5 Bless Your Heart Stars*

I couldn't stop reading this once I started. I loved this book. Sharon Sala does a great job of creating characters that you can connect with. I loved Lon and Mercy. You could feel and understand Mercy's worries about developing relationships. I also loved that the story took place over months so it didn't seem like it was a rushed instant relationship.

This is the first time I've read a book by this author, I am completely captivated by her writing and the characters she's created. This story brought the gambit of emotions...from sadness to joy, and tears to laughter. It was easy to form emotional attachment to Mercy from the onset...her story brought heartache for what she had endured as a little girl and then the harshness that her adult life had become. As the book gained momentum, it was clear that this was no ordinary second chance story.

The uniqueness of the story itself set the tone for the build up to Lon and Mercy's HEA. When Mercy was at her limit of what life had thrown at her, her own act of unselfish heroism, and uncanny coincidences, opened a whole new world of love and acceptance for her...giving her a family, proof that all the ill that life had thrown at her had come to an end...Lon and her sister were her future.

There were some surprises throughout the story, showing that the author knew how to keep her reader's attention, just when you thought Lon and Mercy's HEA was right around the corner, a new twist add additional elements of edge of your seat suspense and action...I found myself holding my breath on several occasions. This author definitely knows how to provide a story that what will keep her readers turning the pages up until the final page.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

It's always a pleasure to return to Blessings, Georgia, although this fourth novel in the series doesn't begin there, opening in Savannah instead, but Sharon Sala has been one of my favorite authors for decades, and regardless of where it starts, I knew we'd end up in Blessings eventually, and I knew I'd love the journey. A Piece of My Heart gets 5 stars from this reader.

In this novel, we meet Mercy Dane, a woman raised in a succession of foster homes who aged out of the system and has been on her own since she turned 18. She's 26 now, working as a waitress in a seedy biker bar in Savannah, Georgia, and she's somewhat down over the fact that she'll once again be spending another Christmas alone, but she couldn't be more mistaken. When she gets a phone call from the Blood Donor Registry, telling her that a blood donor with her rare blood type is desperately needed in Blessings ASAP because there's a life hanging in the balance, she gets on her motorcycle and races there on Christmas Day, not having a clue that her solitary life is about to change forever.

As Mercy speeds into town, she catches the eye of local law enforcement in the person of Police Chief Lon Pittman, who gives chase, planning to ticket her for speeding, but knowing that there's a life at stake, Mercy eludes him and doesn't stop until she reaches the hospital, where she's whisked away immediately. When Lon arrives and asks if a long haired, leather-clad biker had come in a few minutes ago, he learns why Mercy was speeding and is prepared to wait to talk with her. When she's done donating blood, she's brought to the waiting room to have some fruit juice and recover from her donation. It's there she meets the accident victim's husband, Jack, and his brother, Duke. Chief Pittman is there as well, and imagine their surprise when they realize they've already met.

Seven years earlier, 19-year-old Mercy came home and interrupted a break-in at her apartment--the thieves managing to get away with all of her meager savings--just another hard knock is a life filled with hard knocks. After the police tell her not to stay in her apartment since the lock is broken, her new neighbor across the hall tells her she's welcome to spend the night at his place, until she can decide what to do and where to go. After setting her up on his sofa, Lon is blasted awake by her nightmare driven screams. When he races to her side, one thing leads to another and they have quite a memorable sexual encounter--without ever so much as exchanging names. Mercy is gone by the time he awakens, and he had no way to find her, although he does try.

Back in the hospital waiting room, Mercy removes her leather jacket, and Duke notices the birthmark on her neck. After hearing a few facts about her life, and recognizing Mercy's resemblance to Jack's wife, Hope, the accident victim Mercy just helped save, Duke and Jack begin to suspect that she's Hope's long-lost younger sister, from whom she was separated when Hope was adopted and had to leave her 3-year-old sister behind. Duke, more than a bit of a critical and controlling jerk, demands a DNA test, and Mercy complies, shocked at the possibility that she may actually have a family.

When Mercy eventually returns to Blessings to meet and get to know her sister Hope, Lon is thrilled--he's never forgotten her and he's impressed by her forthright nature, her selflessness, and her courage, and Mercy is about to get much more than she ever dreamed of or expected in this charming, small town.

If you've read any of the earlier novels in this series, you know that not everyone in Blessings will be welcoming her with open arms, and Mercy will be tested in ways she could never have imagined. Will she and Lon end up together? Will she decide she wants to return to Savannah? How will her relationship with her newly discovered family work out? For the answers to these questions, you'll just have to read this heartwarming novel yourself.

Sharon Sala has written another wonderful addition to this series, it will have you laughing one minute and crying the next, and it will leave you wishing you too could move to Blessings. Although part of a series, the novels in this series do not need to be read in the order written. You'll find a great deal of wisdom and a lot of heart within its pages, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

5 stars

“I don’t know how to belong to anyone.” Mercy Dane aged out of the foster care system with no memory of family. She’d learned how to survive in the system and she learned how to survive and thrive in the rough part of Savannah.

She is a Harley-riding, kind-hearted, warrior-spirited twenty-six-year-old who can take care of herself. She works hard and copes with life on her own terms. But at nineteen, when her apartment was broken into and robbed, she was almost defeated. A new, kind, and caring neighbor offered her sanctuary and more. She left before he woke, but she knew she’d left a piece of her heart with him.

How he comes back into the story made my heart happy.

The very name of the town Mercy races to hoping to save a life on Christmas Day foreshadows good things to come in her life. Blessings, a small town not too far from Savannah, has good and not-so-good people who set Mercy’s life on a new course. This makes super good reading.

Sharon Sala works magic with words as she brings characters to life on the pages of A Piece of My Heart. They bring Mercy to a place in life she never dreamed of being. Hope Talbot, the woman she gave blood to; Lon Pittman, the sheriff of Blessings; Ruby, the owner of Curl Up and Dye beauty salon, and Duke, Hope’s foot-in-mouth, old bachelor brother-in-law, are characters not to be missed. Of course there are a few antagonists that are dealt with in first class order (loved how they were all handled). Lots of others play significant parts as the plot unfolds, but the ones mentioned are the one that bring in humor, unconditional love, and shepherd Mercy into a world that promises and gives her people to belong to and with. Of course, that happy-ever-after that I’m always looking forward to, even when it seems impossible, does happen..

Excellent Reading!

I originally signed up to host this book through Sourcebooks Casablanca by providing my readers an excerpt. I was surprised when I received the first three chapters of the book to share. I always read the excerpts I put in blog posts (appropriate content and all that) and A Piece of My Heart pulled me in - hook, line, and sinker. I contacted the publicist in charge of the book tour and let her know I requested the book via NetGalley and within probably five minutes, the book was mine - All Mine!! Well, I mean, I guess one copy was mine since others have obviously read it, too :)

Mercy's childhood was rough, having moved from foster home to foster home until she eventually aged out. Having only herself to depend on, she tends to shy away from people in general. That is, until the day that brings her to Blessings, Georgia and straight into the loving arms of a town that holds secrets about her past and brings love to her future. The romance that envelops Mercy and Lon, the Chief of Police, is sweet and tender. Lon is a wonder hero to Mercy heroine. They are different yet complimentary. I was able to connect with both Mercy and Lon throughout the book.

The character development was done very well and I enjoyed learning about each character separately and together as they fit within the story. The world was well developed and I was able to visualize it as I read along. I absolutely adore the writing style of Sharon Sala. Her technique is smooth, conversational, well-paced, and engaging.

I devoured this novel in one evening - I just couldn't put it down. I was drawn in by the three chapter excerpt that I read in the early afternoon and spend my evening getting to know Mercy, Lon, and other residents of Blessings. A Piece of My Heart is my first experience with Sharon Sala's Blessings, Georgia series and I absolutely loved the book. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in the series.

As noted, I voluntarily reviewed a copy of A Piece of My Heart provided to my by the publisher through NetGalley.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆
Single and with no family, Mercy gets a call Christmas morning asking her to donate her rare blood in a small town to save a life. Mercy races on her Harley to Blessings to donate blood, a decision that changes her whole life. She discovers a sister she didn't know she had and runs into a former lover, Lon, a man she never thought she'd see again.

Mercy moves to Blessings to live with her newly found sister, Hope, brother-in-law, Jack, and Jack's brother, Duke. Duke has this fanciful idea that he and Mercy will become an item and get married even though they are like chalk and cheese. The conversations and conflict between Mercy and Duke are quite funny.

The romance that develops between Mercy and Lon as they get to know each other again is just lovely. The story had lots of good elements, romance, laughter, and a bit of action towards the end, but it is predictable. Even so, I really enjoyed A Piece of My Heart and being back in Blessings.

Life is often hard, and it’s rarely easy. But the strong put their heads down and survive. That’s a lesson Mercy learned early in life, and one she’s never forgotten. Her life has been touched by the kindness of strangers, but it’s also been met by indifference as well. She could depend upon herself only. For the most part she was fine with that – right up until there was a slim chance that there might be more. Opening up and letting people in often feels like the biggest risk there is, yet it’s a risk that Mercy has to take in order to find the life that she’s discovered she wants very much.

A Piece of My Heart brings us back to Blessings, Georgia and the story of a young woman who has survived the foster care system, made a life for herself and is willing to give back to the world at large as blood donor for those with her rare blood type, especially in dire emergencies. On Christmas Mercy gets one of those calls that could save a woman’s life. She has no clue that by answering that call she’s about to discover some answers for her own life – and the chance at real happiness.

Some stories will stick with you long after the last page is finished. A Piece of My Heart is one of those. I’ve loved the Blessings, Georgia series. It’s hard to not enjoy this small town where everyone knows not only your name but your business as well. This story brings some heartbreaking realities to life, and shows that there are always possibilities. It’s an emotional journey in many ways – and a completely satisfying one as well. Mercy and Lon have such a connection. Sometimes you just have to believe that some things are destined, even if delayed. I enjoyed this romance very much and would not hesitate to recommend this story or any one of this series to Romance readers. You’ll discover some wonderful characters, touching love stories and a community of interesting secondary characters to enjoy.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I am really enjoying this series by Sharon Sala. She does a wonderful job with characters and emotions. I have been reading her books since the 90's and she is one of my top sellers in my bookstore

This was the first Blessings book I've read in the series. I like how easily it flows, never slows down and is a clean, happy romance.

Being Back in Blessings, Georgia is indeed just that. This small Southern town has heart and soul and I love encountering yet another pair who find each other and find healing. Infused with the strong dose of humor I’ve come to appreciate alongside some heartwarming as well as some excitement, this was another installment as delicious as Mercy’s baked goods and cooking
Review

We are at book four in the series, but this is a series that does not need to be read in order. The town of Blessings and Ruby Dye the hair-stylist is the consistent thread with each new book bringing a whole new story line and cast of colorful characters.

A Piece of My Heart is unique in the series because it begins in Savannah rather than the small town and explores the heartbreaking element of children in the foster care system.

The heroine, Mercy Dane, aged-out of the foster system and remembers nothing other than a string of foster homes. She has all the scars that such a life can bring one, but she is not bitter. I was amazed at the strength this heroine possessed to make a life for herself and connect with the others even if she thinks she can’t handle the new windfall of real family and a relationship. A Harley-Riding Baker Divine all in one woman. Lon’s a lucky guy.

I appreciated that the author chose to not fiddle with the hero’s situation since Mercy’s background was enough conflict for the both of them. Lon grew up as a local boy in a loving comfortable home and family. Rather with Lon, the conflicts are external. He’s the police chief who has challenges from pig thieves to armed robbers and from steadily winning Mercy’s heart.

They are a great pair. She wants to open up to Lon and her new-found family just as he has to be careful not to push her. Their romance is a delicious slow-burn.

The balance of quirky characters and situations alongside real struggles for the people of Blessings was great. Loved the down home tone with a few spikes of excitement to keep things interesting.

In summary, its always a pleasure to slip into the Blessings, Georgia world. I would recommend this one to those who enjoy Small Town Romance with a pinch of spice, scoop of humor, and a dollops of heartwarming blended in.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful story about a women who grew up in the foster care system and when she aged out and is living on her own she is robbed and a neighbor who she only had seen a few times has her stay in his apartment because he is worried about her door being broken. Ten years has past and Mercy Dane is working at a bar and still living by herself and still saving money in a cereal box. Christmas Eve she gets a call late after just getting home about a little town in Georgia named Blessings and someone needs a transfusion. She has a rare blood type and the only way for her to make it happen is for her to ride her black Harley to this town. Once there she by passes the crash scene and then notices a police car following here she is able to skirt down an alley and make it to the hospital in time for the transfusion. When she comes out from the back the officer is looking at here and it is Lon Pittman, he is the police chief but also the man years ago who was kind to her that night and she has never forgotten. Now looking at each other they are broken up by two men who are thinking that she looks like Hope the women she came to save and the wife to one of the men. Agreeing to a DNA test she and Lon exchange numbers and she goes back home. Weeks later she finds out that yes Hope is her older sister and decides to move to Blessings. This comes with good, getting to know her sister and brother in law and of course Lon, and bad gossip by some older women in town and ends up being handle by Lon. There is a lot that goes on in this story but it all works even the older brother of Hope’s husband who is a knucklehead and does not think before he opens his mouth, but he adds to the story. All of the characters do and you get to see her begin to trust people and grow as a character. A very good book.

A Piece of My Heart is the 4th book in the Blessings, Georgia series. I have been a fan of this series from the beginning. Each one of them can be read as a stand alone as they deal with different characters and different story arcs. For the most part, I enjoyed this one. It's a sweet story about finding home and a place to belong.

I thought Lon and Mercy's love story was really sweet and definitely put a smile on my face. Although, it was a little fast for me. There is a lot packed into this book and some of my favorite characters from the Curl Up and Dye salon make an appearance. While not my favorite of the series ( that would be book #2), it was definitely entertaining and worth picking up.

A Piece of My Heart by Sharon Sala
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not everyone gets a second chance but for Mercy Dane it suddenly comes true. I loved Mercy and how strong she was. She told it like it was and had made a good life for herself even if you was alone with no family. She had strong friends and often did for others. When she arrived in Bessings, Georgia to give blood she found more than just a big thank you. A great story with great characters. This is book four in the series but works well as a stand-alone.

Every time I read one her books, it sends me to a happy place and I always love her characters. This story is about a Harley driving heroine named Mercy and a police chief named Lon. After walking in on a robbery of her apartment, Mercy is devastated and when her neighbor offers his hand and many other things, Mercy's night take a sexy turn. Mercy did what any other person who has a one-night stand would do, she sneaks out in the wee hours of the morning and not expecting to see this kind stranger again. Fast forward seven years and now we have the big meet up with Mercy and the sexy, stranger/ neighbor as the police chief in Blessings, Georgia. Mercy was raised in the foster care system and was separated from her sister, which will play a major role in this story, and she is working as a waitress at a rundown bar. After getting a call that her rare blood type is needed for a blood transfusion, she jumps on her motorcycle and takes a ride to Blessings that will change her life forever. Lon is the police chief in Blessings, Georgia and when he sees the motorist on the motorcycle going well over the speed limit, he attempts to stop the stranger. After tracking the motorist to the hospital, Lon comes face to face with the woman that he thought that he will never see again.

First off, Mercy was a bad ass and I absolutely loved her and her big heart. Her character was well developed and I felt what she felt because the writing was spot on. Mercy was independent, passionate, and would risk her life for someone who needed help and I could not have asked for a better female lead. I was so glad to see Mercy get the happy ending that she deserved. I really miss when books were written like this and there is no specific point of view and it allows the author to explore different characters. By allowing different character point of views, it allows each character in this small town to contribute to the story and to display the love and compassion of this small community without taking the attention from the main characters.

The only flaw was the lack of character development of Lon. I had no idea where he came from or how he got to where he was now. The chemistry between Lon and Mercy was there and I enjoyed the "tamed" heat that took place between the two.

This was a simple, heart-felt story about finding love in unexpected places and I enjoyed myself with every page that I turned. This small town story serves up emotions, enjoyment, and a touch of heat. This small town grasped me once again and I did not want to leave.

Mercy and Lon are absolutely adorable together. He gets her, which she really needs in her life. She's been alone for so long - on her own, without any real support and feeling like she can only really count on herself. Most of that is self-inflected thanks to spending most of her life bouncing around the foster system. She never had the opportunity to make any real connections ... except for one night almost a decade ago. A night is all they had then but it definitely isn't the end for them.
Thanks to that meeting when they find each other again there is a connection that they can't resist. Some may have a little trouble with the almost insta-love between them but they work together so well. I love her bluntness and the way she faces so much head on. Even when she's nervous about meeting family after all this time she does it with spirit, like most things she does. Lon is almost too perfect. He's a hardworking lawman, caring about the people in his town and understands & appreciates Mercy.

Sala is a master at the small-town romance. Her characters are realistic and full of personality, the plots are engaging but not overly complicated, and there's enough home-spun emotion to keep you coming back for more again and again.

I’ve read Sharon Sala before and I like her books. Always based on faith and hope, and of small towns with their idiosyncrasies, care and support, her stories always leave my heart warm and content of an happy ending.

“A Piece Of My Heart”, the fourth book in her Blessings, Georgia Series, is a story of second chances, tenacity and the willingness to open your heart to possibilities even in bad situations.

Having being shuttled from foster home to foster home, Mercy Dane finally becomes her own person as she becomes an adult, working in a bar. But a night of extraordinary circumstances take her to Blessings, Georgia to donate blood to a victim for a chance to live, and brings her face-to-face with her own sister separated during adoption. Having survived on her own for so many years, Mercy has some rough edges to smooth out and Blessings Police Chief Lon Pittman is the perfect complement.

Lon Pittman is after the biker who comes racing into Blessings, but comes face to face with a past that he could never forget. Having helped Mercy a long time ago and a night of unforgettable passion, fate seems to have given him a second chance to give him his heart’s desire and life mate. An honest and hardworking lawman, he would make sure Mercy is protected and given all the happiness she finally deserves.

Sharon Sala gives a really heartwarming story of two sisters reuniting, of a small town opening their hearts to new people and giving a chance for two people to make a future.

'A Piece of My Heart' by Sharon Sala is book Four in the "Blessings, Georgia" series. This is the story of Mercy Dane and Police Chief Lon Pittman. I haven't yet read the other books in this series so for me this was a standalone book.
Wow...this was such a sweet and emotional book! Will a little bit of a second chance at love theme. Just loved it.
Mercy has had a hard life alone and feels that no one is there to stay...so she doesn't try to form attachments. She just goes it alone. There was only one time that she gave in to letting someone get close and that was just for the night after a robbery.
Now years later she is working at a bar with her still hard as nails attitude. It is once again Christmas alone but she get a call that her rare blood is need after a car accident putting that person in dire need. Mercy goes the hour and half drive to Blessing Georgia where her life start to change.
This is one book you can't put down!
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A sweet piece of writing, great for a happy holiday read.