The Best of Me is the final book in Sharon Sala’s sweet romance series set in Blessings, Georgia. The story begins with a young woman and her daughter getting off the Greyhound bus in Blessings and walking to the police station. While waiting in the lobby, the mother’s heart stops and she dies. The mother, Shirley, brought her daughter to Blessings because she knew she was dying and wanted Ruby Dye to finish raising her daughter. Shirley had worked at Ruby’s hair salon when she was a teen-ager.

Ruby Dye is now married to Peanut Butterman and they take the 7-year-old girl, Carlie, home with them. They are childless and happily make adjustments to their lifestyles to accommodate precious Carlie. A sub-plot involves a former co-worker of Shirley’s who wants to become Carlie’s guardian so he can get her life insurance pay-out.

Characters from previous Blessings novels appear in this book: Chief Lon Pittman and his wife Mercy; Jake Lorde; police dispatcher Avery; Lovey and Sully from the diner; Melissa from the dry cleaners; Dan Amos; Vesta, Vera, and Mabel Jean from the Curl Up and Dye Beauty Shop; psychic Elliott Graham; and little Melvin Lee. Melvin Lee befriends Carlie and champions her at school. As with all of the Blessings stories, there are bad guys but they get what they deserve.

A secondary subplot involves a couple reuniting in their 30s after going their separate ways after high school. Deborah Ryman is a veterinarian who comes home to help her mother, Maggie, while her father, Josh, has been in a nursing home for four years recovering from a stroke. She sees her teen-age lover get attacked by a different neighbor’s bull and transports him to the hospital.

The Best of Me is the best of all of the Blessings books and is a must-read for all Sharon Sala fans and clean romance readers! While some of Sala’s books contain more descriptions of intimacy, the Blessings series is closed-door romance. There are so many funny situations and dialogue in this book, and the Southern expressions are authentic.

After reading 13 books in this series and pretty much of them being 5 star reads I think it's safe that say that Sharon Sala is an incredibly gifted writer. I have never read a book that can truly nail every trope it encompasses like hers do. Absolutely exquisite! I honestly never want this series to end!

This was such a heartwarming story. It’s bittersweet because this is the last book in the series. It was a perfect ending. There were some very sad times in the book but it had such a happy ending. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and on the last page I finished reading with a smile on my face and my hand on my heart. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I have read all the Blessings georgia books and have loved them all. anything sharon sala writes is good..if you enjoy books about small towns you will love this series.

I loved this book. I read all the blessings books and I hate to see it end. Sharon writes beautiful stories that I find hard to put down. This was an emotional book but dealt with death so well. Hope she comes up with another small town series.

The last title of this series was rather a bit too slow-moving for me. But there was also a lot of sweetness! You could read this book to learn how to deal with a young child who just lost a parent! I loved how tenderly and sensitively the author dealt with that situation.

As always it was great reading about how people cared for each other in Blessings. And I really liked how Deborah, the main female character, can almost be like Wonder Woman, the superhero!

For people who prefer clean, there is some intimacy between the two main characters.

Peanut and Ruby are two of my favorite characters in Blessings, Georgia in this series and this story does not disappoint. When Peanut and Ruby realize they are going to be the guardian of a wonderful little girl, they do everything in their power to help her. I loved revisiting these characters and this city. It’s like coming home to the hometown we all wish we grew up in, especially during these times.

This book had me a blubbering mess the entire read, right off the bat too!

It's sad this is the last book in the Blessings series, but holy moley what an emotion last book Sharon Sala gave us. Best part, the amazing Ruby and Peanut are the stars of this show, and no one more deserving.

While this book can be read as a standalone, why do such a disservice to yourself by not reading the entire series. Blessings, Georgia is the sweetest little town with the best people living there. What a perk of this place, or moreso these people, existed in our world today. Oh what hope we'd have that there was a place like this.

Ruby and Peanut could not have received a better gift than Carlie. Such a traffic and sweet story. So many secondary people join in the sweetness... Marvin Lee adorable.... Elliott insightful...Lovey just as lovely as ever.

Great book that I highly recommend.

This is a must-read book! You will not be disappointed but Warning - you will need at least 2 boxes of tissues. I boo-hooed through this entire book, starting on page one. The weight of the world, and the responsibility that goes with it, have been on 8-year-old Carlie Duroy's shoulders for 2 years while she took care of her dying momma. Unknowingly, Ruby Butterman has been assigned as Carlie's guardian. Ruby cannot have children, and this is truly a blessing for Ruby and her husband. They are the perfect people to protect and care for Carlie. There are some laugh out loud moments where 8-year-old Melvin Lee is concerned. He is a firecracker and has deemed himself Carlie's protector. The author is fabulous at writing witty banter. I am never disappointed when I read a Sharon Sala book. This is the last book in the Blessings, Georgia series and I am sad about that because I have grown attached to all the characters in this series. I will truly miss them. High praise Ms. Sala - you are one in a million!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Best of Me by Sharon Sala (Blessings, Georgia #13) 5 stars

It is summertime in Blessings, Georgia when Carlie and her mom get off the Greyhound bus and makes their way to the Blessings Police Station. Unfortunately, Shirley, Carlie's mom is terminally ill and needs to deliver seven year old Carlie to Ruby Dye before she dies. The police do all they can, but Shirley doesn't make it, but there are letters and documents for Ruby to explain everything. Ruby is now Carlie's legal guardian and with all the changes in life that accompany a child.

I confess that this was a tearjerker from start to finish when the story centered on Carlie's life. The other couple Ladd and Deborah felt like a mild side story of old friends reconnecting and falling in love again. The best part of this book was the development of Peanut and Ruby and their acceptance of a child into their lives. We get to see the happily ever after for a couple we have been following for years. I read this book in one session and I was recovering from the tears when I read the Author's Letter and found out that this is the last book in this series. I will miss my annual visits to Blessings, Georgia; they provided a joyful read since I my first book in this series: I'll Stand by You in 2015. During the pandemic, these books have been a welcome escape from the news. 5 stars for this book and entire series.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC

The Best of Me by Sharon Sala . Bittersweet visit to Blessings, GA in that it will be the last book in the series. Loved the characters, Peanut, Ruby and little Carlie and Melvin Lee. Will miss them but can see a bright and loving future ahead for Melvin Lee and Carlie. From You and Only You (originally titled Curl Up and Dye) to The Best of Me, a heartwarming and welcoming series., Thank you Sharon for introducing us to the town of Blessings and it's people and telling their stories.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Ruby and Peanut seemed to have settled into a happy existence now that they’re married, but what happens when this single couple soon become a family of three. Carlie has had a tough life trying to help her sick mom, but when tragedy strikes Ruby and Peanut (aka Mr Ruby, haha), try to help her overcome. Their love, patience and devotion to themselves and others help little Carlie bloom. This is a continuation in the series of Blessings, with many familiar faces intertwined in the lives of these three. There is also a bit of a secondary romance , a second chance if you will, between to childhood friends/lovers Ladd and Deborah that is occurring at the same time. This author has an amazing way of blending love and laughter, tragedy and happiness that makes you feel good inside. There are some definite tissue moments but the wonderful nature of these characters, especially Melvin Lee, makes you feel as if they are real. I loved this book and this series, which unfortunately seems to have ended (please give us a grown up Melvin Lee). Even though it is part of a series you don’t have to have read the others to enjoy this one, although I highly recommend that you do because they’re so sweet and really good (especially Ruby and Peanut’s). When you’re in the mood for a quick feel good story with lovable characters I suggest that you read this one. 5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed an arc copy of this book. All thoughts an opinions are my own.

I received an arc from Netgalley for a honest review.

The Best of Me by Sharon Sala is the last of her Blessings Georgia, series and was a lovely way to end things. I love going back to Blessings and I hope I find place just like it to live. I love how they all work together as a community but there is always a lit bit of snark here and there. This story is mainly about Ruby and Peanut Butterman who had their story in beginnings in book #5 of the series, these two stole my heart and now they get a wonderful surprise out of a sad situation. Carlie is a little girl who has just lost her mother and Ruby is listed as Carlie's guardian and what wonderful guardian's they really are. This story made me laugh and feel good, I will miss going back to Blessings but I am so glad to have read this book.

I loved the Blessing book. I hate to see this series end. The story with Ruby and Mr Ruby was heart wrenching and the ending was perfect. I highly recommend this book

Blessings, Georgia is where I'd love to live! Ruby and Peanut are two of my favorite people and everyone needs a Melvin Lee in their lives. This book is like coming home to old friends and I can't wait until the next title!