COME BACK TO ME by Sharon Sala is the newest installment in her Blessings Georgia series. Welcome back to Blessings for those following this series. And a hearty welcome to those newcomers. Although I must admit that COME BACK TO ME doesn’t give readers a very welcome feeling for this small town. The sins or missteps of youth are center stage in COME BACK TO ME. Sharon Sala’s story centers around two young people whose futures are scripted by events peripherally related to them.
But that didn’t stop the snowball of anger, accusations and regrets driving what appeared to be a permanent wedge between two people destined to be together. Everyone knew it and yet no one handled this young love with the kid gloves deserved. Instead they were unintended victims of hatred and spite. Small towns are magical when it comes to having each other’s back. But what happens when a tragic event occurs and all eyes turn toward one person as the guilty party. The verdict was in before the fire was out and Aidan Payne and his family became instant outcasts of their once beloved hometown of Blessings.
Although facts proved George Payne innocent the damage was done. A virulent rumor spread with a life of its own. And in the ashes were the Payne’s so with regrets they moved leaving behind their hometown Blessings, Aidan’s grandfather Preston and Phoebe Ritter – the love of Aidan’s life.
Fast forward twenty years and Aidan is back in Blessings to settle Preston’s estate. Aidan has a good life in New Orleans but it appears as if Blessings had stayed much the same as when he left.
But had it? Phoebe has raised her son Lee now a college student. She has had a difficult life. The one truly joyous part of Phoebe’s life is Lee. Together they managed with some assistance from Preston, Aidan’s grandfather. For the past twenty years she has endured innuendo – single unwed mother nonsense – from her hometown. Phoebe’s personal life stalled with Aidan’s abrupt departure. It seems as though she has been waiting for him to come back to her.
Now Aidan is back but Phoebe knows it is temporary. In the ensuing time Aidan will have the pleasure of meeting Lee, the son he never knew existed. Phoebe and Preston had an agreement that Aidan not learn of Lee unless he actually asked about Phoebe.
Hard not to love Lee and Aidan is immediately taken with this amazing young man who flourished under Phoebe and Preston’s love and care. Phoebe is careful to guard her heart against any hope for a renewed relationship with Aidan. He is enjoying his time with Lee but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a future for the two of them.
Blessings truly needs to get its act together. Lots of fences to mend. Phoebe is no longer that doormat for her mother or the town. Aidan realizes he has to win back her trust and love and learn that he is back for Lee and for her.
There is quite a storyline in COME BACK TO ME. At COME BACK TO ME’s core is a still unsolved crime and Sharon Sala is determined to have that resolved. The supporting cast of COME BACK TO ME is some of the most colorful and candidly unlovable characters ever written. Sharon Sala makes sure to let us know where our allegiance should go. Great story written with care and thought.

Heartwarming, sweetly sexy, action packed and emotional second chance romance that pulls at all the heart strings and kept me reading into the early morning hours and loving every moment.

Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne are high school sweethearts from the sweetly small town of Blessings, Georgia that were torn apart by a tragic event...... Years later Aidan has returned home and finds so much more than he bargained for. Highly entertaining and engaging read.

I know I say this on every review in this series, but I LOVE Blessings and want to live there myself!

This small town has seen its share of ups and downs with the various residents. In this installment, a tragedy breaks apart a young couple with dire consequences. They were in high school and I'm sure we all remember how we were at that age - thought we were invincible and knew it all. Fast forward 20 years and Aidan comes back to town to clear up his grandfather's estate and discovers more than he bargained for - a son. This has a huge impact on Aidan and Phoebe, his former girlfriend and his son's mother. Do they try and rekindle a relationship? Do they become friends for their son's sake?

I can't imagine the emotional rollercoaster that Aidan, Phoebe, and Lee are on when the truth comes out. The author does a wonderful job of describing the varying emotions, actions, and reactions of the characters. I think the townsfolk area also rooting for the two especially once the truth about the crime that broke them apart is exposed.

We are also introduced to a new character, Daniel, that comes to town as a temp worker, but with hints to a deeper story. I can't wait for that story!

This is a wonderful series but start at book 1 so that you can follow the different characters of the town and their story.

This is Book 6 in the Blessings, George series. I have to say that this is the first book in the series that I’ve read, and it was so good. It can be read as a stand-alone with no problems. Phoebe and Aidan were high school sweethearts when some really bad things happened that tore them apart. Now Aidan’s grandfather has passed away and he comes back to town to settle his estate. He’s never forgotten Phoebe but the things that ripped them apart are still there between them. But life has a way of making unexpected things happen. The chemistry is still there between them and other things are popping up. This is such a good book that if you like a little suspense and a lot of sweet romance, then you really need to read this book. I don’t think Sharon Sala could ever write a bad book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book that I received from Netgalley.

After a crime pitted their families against each other, high school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne were forced to say a tearful goodbye. Phoebe stayed behind in Blessings, Georgia, while Aidan and his father left town for good.

Twenty years later, after the death of his grandfather, Aidan comes home to Blessings--only to discover he has a nineteen-year-old son. Aidan is hurt, but thrilled to meet Lee. And as Aidan and Phoebe spend more time together, they realize their old feelings are as strong as ever. But with a complicated past riddled with drama and betrayal, can they truly forgive and forget?

Enjoyed Aidan & Phoebe's story! Very well written and heartfelt. Sweet second chance story! Good summer read!

Sala's Blessings, Georgia series is a gift to readers and this latest entry is no exception. She focuses on small-town life trials and tribulations, and breathes life into her characters and settings. If you haven't discovered her books yet, start now since each book can be read as a stand-alone (although you'll enjoy them more when read in order).

Anything she writes is awesome! I just love her books! She is a great writer! I can not wait for her next book!

Sharon Sala turns tragedy into triumph in this heartbreaking and beautiful second chance romance.

I was absolutely crushed at the events that tore apart Aidan and Phoebe’s young love. I almost couldn’t finish the book because of the severity of the destruction. I was emotionally and physically affected by the story. I cried several times and almost had to put the book down. I’m glad I didn’t.

This is not just a love story, it’s also a story of strength and redemption. And of comeuppance. The characters are diverse, the romance is sweet, and the love is bountiful.

I recommend this read to all who enjoy a good contemporary romance. Just don’t forget the tissues!

The Blessings series is one of my favorites. Reading the story makes one feel like they are going home to a place, and the people they love.

I loved Phoebe and Aiden's story. Of young love and all the possibilities yet to come! Then when tragedy strikes, each gets caught up in the drama expecting the other to understand. A tragedy, that inflicted more damage upon a family, already struggling with a terminally ill family member.

Aiden's family was shunned and left Blessings to start a life somewhere fresh. Phoebe has tried to plead with Aiden that she was sorry, but Aiden's raw emotions took precedence over his heart. Years later, Aiden returns to settle estate matters after his grandfather's passing, and Phoebe decides that Aiden deserves to hear news from her, rather than the townspeople. The impact, which will change both Phoebe and Aiden's life.

I would like to thank NetGalley via Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book centers around the story of Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne who were high school sweethearts and whose love got torn apart by family tragedy, Phoebe’s less than upstanding mother and other misunderstandings. Hurt and resentful, Aidan left Blessings with his father and never looked back. Twenty years later, Aidan must return to deal with his grandfather’s estate. Almost immediately he learns that he has a son! The town of Blessings is holding its breath just to see how this plays out. Will Aidan decide to stay in Blessings now? Will he and Phoebe fall in love again? Will they forgive each other for the mistakes of their youth? Or will some other secret be exposed that will tear them apart for good?
I love how we see old characters intertwined in the new stories and we learn more about this great southern town and its people. There’s so much more to Phoebe and Aidan’s story but you’ll have to just read it! I’m not giving anything away!

This author is a favorite of mine and has been for many years. I started reading her romantic suspense and loved it. I was skeptical when I began this series because I was just so used to reading her other books but I have fallen in love with the town of Blessings! I already can’t wait for the next one! I have a feeling it’s going to center around a certain cowboy!

This book was provided to me by Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley for my review.

#ComeBackToMe #SharonSala #Blessings #BlessingsGeorgia #SmallTownRomance
#SourcebooksCasablanca #Sourcebooks #NetGalley

At times the injustice of Aiden and Phoebe's story made you want to throw something against a wall, but the well written prose made you keep reading. Throw in a great kid and some maturity--this was a satisfying read from Sala.

4.5 Stars

While this is my first visit to Blessings, Georgia, it certainly was a fun one. Aidan Payne and Phoebe Ritter were a happy teenage couple until a devastating fire broke up the young love. Their father's businesses were destroyed by fire, and Phoebe's father lost his life. Aidan's mother was dying of cancer, and it was rumored that Aidan's father started the fire for an insurance payout. When Phoebe in turn blamed Aidan's father, and then when his mother died, Aidan and his father left town with their heads hanging in shame. Their love seems lost forever.

Fast forward twenty years later and Aidan returns to Blessings after his grandfather dies. He is in town settling his grandfather's estate and he soon discovers that he is a father to a nineteen-year-old son, Phoebe's son. He is a father. While initially hurt, Aidan has never forgotten Phoebe. He not only now wants a relationship with their son, Lee, but with Phoebe as well. And, she has never lost her feelings for Aidan.

What a wonderful book! The story was truly fantastic. I felt a rush of joy while reading this book. At points, I had a lump in my throat the size of a golf ball. Beyond the sentimentality of the story, there is a bit of mystery involved. The person responsible for that awful fire two decades ago had never been caught, and that had that had to be addressed. In all, the story was quick and delightful and I read it in just one brief sitting. I could not put this book down. While this is book six in the series, it did quite well as a standalone.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

The arsonist wanted George to know it was him.

Really? A building blows up and nobody in a small town notices?

Phoebe was weak, that's the only thing I can say about that. And the townsfolk are simple-minded.

Wait, did Preston have something to do with the fire?

Whoa, I feel bad for that college girlfriend.

That was weird, Elliott.

Aw, Lee is so cute, trying to impress his father. Aidan's first reaction was very well-done of him.

The house tour is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time.

It's so nice that people know each other so well that someone can take your child to the bathroom for you.

Yikes. Drunks beware. Don't talk about her son.

Attagirl, Yvonne.

No one can say Corey came from a bad home, which makes the way he lives his life now look even worse.

Sonja is a witch.

Poor Betty! I hope she and the truck driver are okay!

This is better than if the customers did a slow clap!

Get it, Ruby and Peanut!

God works in mysterious ways.

I'd say dirty trick, but Corey deserves it.

Sigh. But I am glad that Aidan was able to forgive an old dead man walking.

Er, hello Dan. You don't sound scary at all.

Live with that, Joe.

I need to know Dan's story. Now!

I'm so happy for Alice and her kids. This is a great thing Phoebe is doing.

Yay, Chief!

Lee's reaction to their news is hilarious.

I love secret baby stories. Love them. No idea why.

I also love romances that take place in small towns.

This story should have been right up my alley. Instead it had me completely scratching my head and asking, “Did I just read the same book all these other reviews read?!”

Aiden and Phoebe were 18 and madly in love when they were separated after a tragic event. When they are reunited 20 years later, the hero is shocked but pleased to find out he has a son, and falls in love with the heroine all over again.

There’s a bunch of other characters from the small town of Blessings, Georgia, which add some color to the story. Also a mystery surrounding the tragic event that happened 20 years ago (although even that was a bit disappointing - I wanted the crime to have been even more sinister than it was, to add some much needed soap-opera style drama!). These are all things I love in a story.

So, I wanted to love this one. But I just couldn’t.

One of the most important aspects of a book (for me) is the character dialogue. If the dialogue is good, I’m willing and able to overlook a good many writing sins. If the dialogue is not good, then I have little patience for such a book.

Unfortunately, I found the dialogue in Come Back to Me to be stilted, unnatural, and very dated for a contemporary novel. The first chapter about the tragic event and the ruin of Aiden and Phoebe’s relationship was pretty good (minus the dialog), and the narrative throughout the book was decent. But good grief, I just couldn’t get past how these people spoke to each other.

Also, I’m not usually one to hold it against a woman for not telling a man he’s fathered a child. Usually the author has the good sense to make that omission for a good reason. But not this time. I can understand Phoebe’s reasoning, to a point. But after a while, you don’t let a child grow up without their father (or a father not know about his child) because of some fight you had when you were 18 and emotions were high. You can make those mistakes as a young adult in the heat of the moment. After that, you put on your big girl panties and be an adult. If you don't, I'm not gonna like you very much.

Add to the fact that when Aiden found out about his son, he’s upset for about 3 seconds, then angry for about 2. Then it was all "Thank you for giving me a son!" Not very realistic, if you ask me. Also not realistic: being ready to jump back into a relationship, with all forgiven, in about a week. It’s not that I want a whole book with angst-filled drama. I do want a book that deals with deep wounds in a way an actual person might.

I really thought this book would be right up my alley. The cover is darling, and apparently Sharon Sala is a very prolific writer, having won several Romance Writers of America awards. And Robyn Carr - one of my favorite authors! - has an endorsement blurb on the cover. I thought, “surely, this will be a great book.” For me, it wasn’t. Not by a long shot.

And now I’m questioning Robyn Carr’s judgement, because her books are WAY better! How could she think this book was good?!

Logically, I know not every author is gonna be my cup of tea. Reading reviews for some of my favorite books will find ones that say “this book is rubbish, how can anyone like it?” But I feel like after reading SO MANY BOOKS the past several years, I know what good writing looks like. And I just don’t think this is it. I’m willing to give Ms. Sala another chance though, a sort of “giving the benefit of doubt” type of thing. Maybe this one is an off one - and she really is an author I will enjoy. In order to be a fair and impartial reviewer, I feel I owe it to myself to not write off an author based on a single book. But Ms. Sala gets one more read from me. Just one…

* thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Want to see what else is feeding my addiction?! Visit my blog: E-Reader Addict

I love this town and characters that Sharon has brought to life. This story is a stand alone but you'll want to go back and learn about all the others and their back stories. A second chance for two high school sweethearts that were torn apart in tragic circumstances. This was a sweet romance and yet a log of angst to get through, you will really want them to happen. Can the past tear them apart or is everything about to come full circle? I loved it and can't wait for more.

I was happy to take another mental road trip to Blessings, Georgia. A small town where everyone knows each other.

This time, our newest couple is actually an old one.

After a horrible fire, Aidan Payne and his father will be forced to leave Blessings when the town turns their back on the Payne family. Aidan not only loses his friends and home but he will lose the love of his life, Phoebe Ritter. She didn't trust him when he needed her the most.

Phoebe lost her father during the same fire. A day later, she lost the love of Aidan by obeying her mother who blames Aidan's dad for the accident. It takes a few days for Phoebe to understand that she has made a mistake but when she goes back to tell Aidan she was wrong, he's packing the car to leave town. The last thing Phoebe does is to run behind his car and to scream for Aidan to come back for her.

Fast forward years later and Aidan is going back to Blessings. His grandfather has died and he has inherited all his real-estate properties. Aidan has not been back since the fire. As he approaches Blessings, he admits to himself that he's not crazy about going back. Worse, he doesn't want to encounter Phoebe. He doesn't want to learn that she's now unavailable. Even after all these years, he has never forgotten her or been able to start a serious relationship with another woman. But Aidan is going to get the shock of his life. It turns out that when he left, Phoebe was pregnant with their son and now their son, Lee is a college student.

I LOVED. LOVED. LOVED how the story unfolds. We get many points of views and each one helps the reader paint a better picture of what's really going on. For the most part, the people of Blessings are all helpful, compassionate and caring. They do like to meddle and gossip but what small town doesn't?

Sharon Sala's books are always heartwarming and sweet. It's exactly what I need between my thrillers and suspense romance.

Even though Come Back to Me is the sixth in the series, I believe you can read them as a standalone.

Cliffhanger: No

I have been reading Sharon Sala’s books for many years, especially the romantic suspense ones. I have only read some of the Blessings, Georgia, small-town romances books. However, I have loved each one that I read. With that said, Come Back to Me fits the suspense category that I so fondly remember reading.

There is something comforting about a community that pulls together, only twenty years ago the community didn’t do so well. My heart went out to Aiden and his father along with Phoebe Ritter. While I was fully vested in the outcome of their relationship along with Lee, I seriously wanted the culprit from twenty years ago, found and brought to justice. I developed some pretty strong emotions for this family. It certainly is a page turner.

Sharon Sala truly is a magnificent storyteller.

Come back to Me is a Heart warming, feel good, grab a box of tissues, cause you will most likely have the sniffles, kind of story. Just the way I like it.

I’ve read quite a few of her books and I’ve loved all of them but her Blessings, Georgia series is not only the best, but one of my all time favorites.

A Small town where everybody knows everybody, and there’s nothing you can do that someone doesn’t know about within minutes. It reminds me of my own hometown and I think that’s what draws me into these Blessings, Georgia stories. It’s like reading about home.

The best part of these books is you get to read about new people, and then you get a chance to catch up with past book characters. It’s like you’ve went out of town and now your back home again.

All you have to do is read the prologue and you’d be hooked. Wow! That was one heck of beginning.

Aidan is back in Blessings to get his grandfathers estate in order. It’s been 20 years since him and his father fled from there, and he’s not looking forward to being back. Unbeknownst to Aidan, he left something much more precious behind, than just the love of his life.

When Aidan and Phoebe finally reunite, all the hurt and devastation from the past is finally out in the open.
Such an emotional journey these two have to take, in order to find peace and love again. But, there’s a second chance waiting for both of them and all they have to do is work past all the pain and regrets.

Between broken bones, a supermarket showdown, and 20 year old secrets out in the open, there is much going down in Blessings.

Before I forget, I have to give a shout out to whoever picked this cover. It’s stunning!

Come Back to Me was amazing and I absolutely loved it. I started in the morning and was finished by dinner. Couldn’t put it down.

I most definitely recommend this book.

It’s been awhile since I’ve visited Sharon Sala’s small town contemporaries books about Blessings, Georgia, but I am so glad I came back for a visit. Ms. Sala never fails to entertain us with her cadre of characters. Aidan and Phoebe were high school lovers until a fire in the small town tore them apart as the fire affected both their families. Theirs is second chance romance after a 20 year absence. I felt like I understood and appreciated both the main characters and was emotionally involved with their lives as they found their way back to each other. And I certainly appreciated Lee, the 19 year old who helped move the story along.

Sometimes it seems that the small town of Blessings, Georgia couldn’t possibly hold any secrets thanks to the gossip of residents and the “everyone knows your business” reality of any small town. Yet Phoebe has managed to keep one very important secret from the man she’ll always love with the help of his grandfather. Now Aidan is heading home to Blessings and he’s about to get far more than he ever expected to find in his former hometown. Once he believed he’d spend his life in this town with the young woman he’d loved forever it seemed. But one devastating fire, a town quick to lay blame and the leaving everything behind that he cared about decision would forever change and haunt Aidan. Now he’s returning to settle his grandfather’s estate, and hoping that he can escape town once again without running into Phoebe, the woman he loves to this very day. Fate couldn’t be that cruel to him twice. But Aidan has surprises waiting for him on this reluctant trip hack home… one he never, ever expected that will either totally devastate him or bring him full circle to the woman he’s never stopped loving.

We all have our “go to” authors when we’re looking for a specific style of romance. For me I can always depend on a Sharon Sala romance for a believable, emotional small town story that could have happened to my real life neighbors down the street. Her ability to always take me back home again is just one of the reasons I return to her stories time after time. Come Back to Me is an emotional romance of what should have been years spent together that was torn apart by events and circumstances beyond their control… and now will either end hope or open up doors to the future for Phoebe and Aidan. I was completely wrapped up in this romance and loved every moment spent back in Blessings, Georgia once again. If you’re in the mood for a romance that will leave your heart melting and your emotions engaged, then I’d highly recommend Come Back to Me to any Romance reader who enjoys small towns, love that lasts a lifetime and happy endings long overdue.

*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.*