This book was baffling that in this day and age, a woman would grow up to be so subservient and naive that she was completely unaware of her surroundings and how to survive. I understand the religious aspect and can appreciate it but it was inserted at unnecessary times.

"There were only three words in the English language that I hated with all of my being: bless, your, and heart—specifically in that order."

Every Southerner knows what it means when someone blesses your heart, so it's no mystery why Posey Love hates hearing that phrase, especially after a lifetime of having her heart blessed by someone. But then, her life hasn't exactly turned out the way she'd planned, either. She thought she would be a teacher, married with a couple of kids. At 32, she was married, had no children, and is a receptionist at her husband's church, Love Ministries. She's content with her life—for the most part—and feels completely blindsided when she discovers that not only is Chad having an affair, he's also mismanaged their money and sold their home without telling her.

With no money and nowhere else to go, Posey goes home to her mother, Lark, whose lifestyle and youthful escapades were the source of most of the "bless your heart" comments Posey received throughout her life. With the help of her younger sister and her best friend, she's able to clearly see her husband's true character, and how he manipulated and controlled her throughout their marriage. After years spent following all the rules imposed on her by Chad, Posey is feeling more than a little rebellious. She starts breaking rules for a change—working her way through each of the Seven Deadly Sins—and starts living the life she dreamed of... on her terms this time.

The title alone was enough to spark my interest, but when the blurb mentioned it had "just the right amount of Southern sass" I was sold. How could I resist that?

Posey Love has earned a spot on my favorite characters list. She made me laugh so hard. I nearly died when she took a pole dancing lesson at the Pole Cat... SO funny! That scene is a treasure, trust me. The banter she had with her friend, Liza, always brought a smile to my face. I'm pretty fond of Liza, as well. I could completely relate to the moments when Liza is a sleep-deprived mess because her baby isn't sleeping through the night. New motherhood isn't always pretty, and I loved the realism of all those scenes.

Another character I particularly liked was John. He definitely had flaws, but he was a good guy. I really enjoyed seeing how things unfolded between him and Posey, and I liked that it wasn't always easy. Whenever there was a conflict between them, it made sense to me that (things I won't mention) would be an issue for one of them. Chad, on the other hand, was a character I disliked him almost as soon as he appeared in the story. Later on, I came to despise him for something he did. I won't give away what it was, but he committed a particularly heinous betrayal against Posey that made me so mad, I had to take a moment and say a few choice words before I could go back to reading.

I adored this book. All the characters (including several I didn't mention above) are incredibly well written and (with the exception of Chad) delightful in every way. Posey's growth as a character was outstanding, and I loved the way she was able to take charge of her life and do what was in her best interests, and not worrying what someone else would think about it. While the ending came a little too soon for me—I wasn't ready to let go of the characters yet—I loved the final line of the book.

Kilpatrick's writing is superb throughout, creating a fabulous cast of characters that I won't soon forget. This is the first book of hers that I've read, but it won't be the last. She definitely has a new fan in me.

Be sure to put this one on your TBR list, folks! Trust me when I say you do NOT want to miss out on this little gem—this book is most definitely a book worth reading.

Excellent tale of overcoming bullying and abuse.

Posey Adams Love, church receptionist, is married to Chad Love, head of Love Ministries. Longing to be a mother, she submits to mind numbing manipulation. When she finds herself abandoned, moving home to her former hippie mother, Lark Adams, Posey must face her decisions and move forward with help from her half siblings.

Reconnecting with her former self, her friends and career goals was an inspiring story with funny parts that kept the story moving quickly.

A thoroughly enjoyable book.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. I read this book in less than 12 hours. I really enjoy reading about females, who through adversity find their voice as well as themselves. The book was funny, relatable characters, and a joy to read. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!!

Posey Love hates three little words. Every time someone says, "Bless your heart," Posey sees red.

But who could blame her? Her life hasn't exactly turned out the way she pictured it would. After a decade of marriage, Posey hoped to be raising a child with her pastor husband. Still aching each month as she hopes for a positive instead of a negative indicator on a pregnancy test, Posey finds her world turned upside down when her husband absconds with another woman and leaves her with a repossessed car and a pile of outstanding debt.

Moving back in with her mom, Posey decides that she'll "give up" going to church for the Lenten season and follow her younger sister's advice to experience each of the seven Deadly sins during those forty days.

Delightful and authentic, Sally Kilpatrick's Bless Her Heart is another winning novel from one of my favorite authors. Posey's world and story is at times heartbreaking (finding out just how far her husband was going to ensure Posey never got a positive result on her pregnancy test when he knew it was breaking her heart each month), at times charming (Posey's flirting with the piano tuning John who she's had a crush on since high school) and at times completely uplifting (Posey's continued reconnection and understanding of her mother). Like real-life, the answer to Posey's problems isn't straight-forward nor is it always the easiest way.

Told from Posey's unique point of view, Bless Her Heart offers hope and redemption for Posey without necessarily wrapping things up in a pretty bow by the time the last page is turned. Kilpatrick wisely avoids the "and she lived happily ever after" ending, leaving the door open for a return visit with Posey or a cameo in future novels. And while Posey (and readers) may not get every answer they want, the story provides enough answers and a sense of closure to this portion of Posey's journey to be completely satisfying.

I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record here when it comes to the praise for Kilpatrick and her stories. Each story has grown more assured and confident and each one has a satisfying reading experience. The only issue I keep having is that the books seem to fly by and I find myself wanting more after that final page is turned. And while Bless Her Heart doesn't center around University of Tennessee football as her delightful Orange Blossom Special does, this book still hit home in all the right spots.

Bless Your Heart is another winner from Sally Kilpatrick. If you haven't picked up a story from her yet, this is a great entry point.

Highly recommended.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I will also add that I knew Sally back in the day when we were students at the University of Tennessee together.

Sad, funny, honest and hopeful Sally Kilpatrick's Bless Her Heart was a joy to read with characters and settings that felt so real and vivid even when I have no prior connection with the subject matter. Watching Posey's journey from what she hoped for, to what she got and how she dealt with it afterwards was such an adventure.

Oh my gosh, what a trip. I found no redeeming qualities in Chad and it would seem no one else did either. In fact I I could have cheerfully throttled him for the way he treated his wife, Posey. . Posey , finally free from the oppression she suffered n her marriage, tries her wings and manages to commit all 7 deadly sins. We are all lucky enough to be along for the ride.. Bless her heart, this is a great book!

This was my first book by this author,, and I really enjoyed it. Loved the trip down memory lane of my VBS and Baptist church days. Enjoyed the story and the relationships of the characters. Will definitely read this authors other books.

Poor Posey Love, All she wanted was a staid, respectable life, unlike the one her hippy dippy mother provided when Posey was growing up. So Posey married the traditional guy and became an old-fashioned wife, but after finding out he’s been screwing around on her, Posey returns home to her mother with a plan. If being respectable didn’t work, she’s going to live a life of hedonism and sin, at least for a while. I found myself snickering in the doctor’s office while I was reading this while waiting for an appointment. Snarky, sarcastic and fun