This 4th installment in the Fostering Love series didn't disappoint. Each installment deals with deep topics, but Jacquelyn treats them all with care. *triggers listed further into the review*

We FINALLY get Alex's love story in this one. I have wanted to read his for quite a while now, as he was a character that always interested me. I wanted to know what truly kept him away from his family that you could tell that he so dearly loved.

The "meet cute" for Alex and Sarai was SO PERFECT for who Alex is, and I love that it was from his perspective. Sarai in so many ways is the perfect counterpart to Alex, and it's so apparent in their first meeting.

Though the relationship moves quickly, it's still not insta love. (Or at least it didn't bother me.) They spend a lot of time together in a short amount of time, and then make some decisions that lead to them growing more and more in love. By the end of this book I had cried more than once, and it was so well done.

I hope with all of my heart that you all will check out this beautiful series. I will continue to pick up any books that come out in this series.

Potential triggers: Death of a loved one, domestic abuse, (side couple, but still there and on display on occasion) car accident, depression, thoughts of suicide.

Piece of My Heart is the forth book in Nicole Jacquelyn’s ‘Fostering Love’ series. To be honest, this was my most anticipated one of the series. Alex is one of those supporting characters that you fall in love with and I couldn’t wait for his book. I was so happy when this one landed on my kindle and Alex didn’t disappoint. I adored him just as much as I knew I would.

Alex Evan’s is in the Army. He’s an amazing brother, son, and friend, but the last thing he wants to do is to help an army buddy out by going on a blind date. But he goes. The girl he happens to be set up with is named Sarai and he falls head over heels for her. It’s love at first sight for him, but she needs a little more time. Sarai is a busy lady and she’s focused on work and school. She doesn’t have time for a relationship, but Alex wears her down. Once Sarai gives in, these two fall hard and they fall fast for one another.

Alex is the best of the best. Seriously, there could not be a more perfect hero. He’s genuine, a great brother and friend, a kind and sweet man, and a romantic boyfriend. I couldn’t have loved him more. It took me a bit longer to warm up to Sarai, but I really liked her too. These two were a great match and though their romance moved quickly, it was believable. I mean, who would let a guy like Alex go?

This book was a lot lighter on the angst compared to some of the others, but it was still uber emotional and heartbreaking. My heart shattered for this couple. There is a lot of struggle toward the end, and I wish that there would have been more of a focus on the healing. The last 10% of the book felt a bit rushed to me, but aside from that, I loved it.

Family is such a strong point when it comes to these books. The support this family gives is huge. The problems this couple faces seem insurmountable at times, but love can truly conquer all. This series has been so great for me, and this was a nice addition. If you’re looking for an emotional read that’s full of heart and has a flawless hero, pick this one up.

Piece Of My Heart is the fourth book in the Fostering Love series by Nicole Jacquelyn and is told from Alex and Sarai’s point of view.

Sarai has every moment of her life planned. She plans to avoid surprises, not realizing that some surprises are unavoidable. With only a few more months of college under her belt she’s more focused than she’s ever been. That’s why meeting Alex is the worst thing for her planning mind.

Alex is a man that lives life one day at a time, he welcomes surprises, and isn’t afraid to put his heart on the line. When his co-worker invites him on a double date, he nearly refuses, but the promise of a free meal is too good to pass up. When he first sees Sarai, he knows deep in his heart that this girl is the one he’s been searching for, and she’s not afraid to give him a run for his money. He just needs to show her he’s worth pushing her plans to the side for.

My Thoughts:

Holy emotions.
When I started Piece Of My Heart, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I read the first three books in the fostering love series, so what I did know, there was going to be either a hint or a hell of a lot of angst. Either way, I was invested as soon as I read the blurb.

I always love when an author forces characters to step out of their comfort zones. There’s a hint of awkwardness that is quickly followed by a freedom that comes along with doing something different and realizing that the world isn’t going to end if you veer off the path. These moments are the most real for me, which made me love Sarai’s character that much more. I felt her fear and her pain straight through my heart, bone deep.

Sarai is your typical bookworm, and what makes her unique is the fact that she can keep a man on his toes with her clever puns and quick wit. I loved the fact that she was independent and didn’t take no shit when standing up for herself and her friends. This woman is sassy and fierce.

Alex is the boy next door, with a sweet smile and a jokester attitude. I absolutely adore his type of character. I loved his down to earth vibe, and considering he’s Abraham’s twin really threw me for a loop. These two may look identical, but they couldn’t be more different where personalities are concerned.

Alex and Sarai’s first encounter was awesome! I loved the fact that Nicole Jacquelyn built this relationship from the ground up. They started off as acquaintances, then verged into the friend territory, before finally jumping in head first. The development in the relationship only made the angst that much deeper. My heart was ripped out of my heart and stomped on. If it’s possible to be shell shocked from a novel turning in a direction I didn’t see coming, then that’s what I felt. I literally wanted to curl under a blanket and have a good cry for a few minutes…. Or hours…. Or days….

That’s the absolute worst but also the best thing. When you’re riding a high from a couple that is soooo damn cute and irresistible and then the rug gets pulled out from underneath you and you feel like you’re falling flat on your face. That’s is exactly what Nicole Jacquelyn did to me! I didn’t see the outcome ending like that, I felt immediate rage and wanted to throw my kindle.

Overall, Piece Of My Heart was an intriguing read that captured my attention from the start. The reason why I dropped a star on my rating was simply for the fact that the ending felt a tad bit rushed. I wanted just a little bit more raw and emotion in order to tip it up to a full five star rating. Besides that small fact, I loved everything about this novel from the heat, to banter, to the angst. It was a great read and one that I recommend to all that love those romances that come out of nowhere.

From the beginning, the Fostering Love series from Nicole Jacquelyn has been one of my favorites. Starting with Unbreak My Heart, which broke my heart in a million pieces before putting it back together better than new, I loved this series. Four books about an extended family of foster siblings, the Fostering Love series met every requirement I have for books to land on my all-time favorite list.

Ending the series with steady, always happy Alex Evans was the only way to go. Throughout the series, Alex has been the proverbial best friend/big brother to everyone. He was quick with joke or a calming hand, always making sure those he loved were happy. And, just like Alex, Piece of My Heart is steady and strong in the face of adversity. It’s a quick read, the pacing fantastic as readers fall in love with Alex and Sarai, but doesn’t shy away from the angst that this series is known for.

Alex and Sarai are perfect for each other and their relationship is wonderfully written. Their courtship is fun and romantic. As they barrel towards a lifetime commitment there’s a sense of impending doom only because it feels too good to be true, especially with a toxic person in their lives. Even so, these two characters light up each page together as they navigate their relationship through happiness and heartbreak.

Jacquelyn achieves a nice balance of romance and family with Piece of My Heart, though the Evans family really steals the show at times. Loving, interfering, loyal, and always supportive, they provide a blanket of warmth over the entire book. I could gush about them all day while yearning to be a part of their circle. This dynamic is one that takes a book or series to another level for me each and every time and I can only hope that Nicole Jacquelyn will continue to give us snippets into their lives for a long time to come.

I think I've read every book in this series and loved them all. Jacquelyn has a talent for writing great characters and Sarai and Alex and further evidence of this. Of course, we've met Alex in the other books. The twin of Bram who's polar opposite in many ways. He's jovial, the peacekeeper, compared to Bram's darker more aloof personality.

Sarai is serious, focused on her studies. She's got a plan for everything and Alex doesn't fit. There's just something about Alex that she can't resist though. Initially, she works time with Alex around her busy schedule which means they're not together a lot but soon she's making more time for him. In a totally uncharacteristic move, the couple gets quickly and secretly married.

Sarai's friend is dating Alex's co-worker in what turns out to be a really bad situation which ultimately results in a devasting loss for Sarai and Alex. Can they ever come back from such a trauma? It's quite a struggle and Jacquelyn does a superb job with walking us through the effects on each of these sweet people and their relationship.

Piece of My Heart tore at my heart. It's so rife with strong feelings that had me in tears more than once but also had the lighter moments and the ultimate HEA. I'm glad I read this wonderful book!

The Fostering Love series never fails to deliver. These books are packed so full of emotion, delightful family banter, and angsty, heartfelt romance, I have lost my heart to every single one of these books.

Piece of my Heart was no exception.

This book hooked me immediately. The writing is so smart and engaging, it was impossible not to get sucked in. Y'all, Alex Evans is something special. He's perfection. Strong, solid, safe, and dead sexy to boot. I adored him and his steadfast love for Sarai. I loved his playful, cocky attitude and the way he slowly chipped away at the walls Sarai had built around her life. I loved how easily they fell into each other.

That said, the pacing was a little off for me in this one. Sometimes things felt like they moved too quickly and other times I found myself a little impatient, like things were moving too slowly. I lost the thread of it a little bit in the middle, but then was sucked back in by the time I reached the lovely, emotional ending.

Like the other books in this series, there are some serious emotional punches and challenges for Alex and Sarai. I lost my heart to the Evans family collective a long time ago, so it was a treat getting to reconnect with them all at various points throughout the book. Over all, this is another fantastic read in this wonderful series!

I have absolutely loved every single book Nicole Jacquelyn has written!!!! Piece of My Heart is the fourth installment in the Fostering Love series and if you haven’t started this series, do yourself a huge solid and start ASAP!!!

Piece of My Heart centers around Alex and Sarai and I let me say I have been looking forward to Alex’s book for awhile and it lived up to all of my expectations (and more)!!! Instead of going into details about the storyline, I would highly recommend going into this book pretty blind and just know that it’s simply fantastic!

I honestly think I felt every emotion possible to the fullest extent!! If you’re familiar with Nicole Jacquelyn, you know she packs so much depth into her books that always make you “feel”— my heart literally hurt at times and I cried tears of joy at other parts. I adore reading and authors like Nicole Jacquelyn are the reason why!! I’m not sure how many more novels are planned for this series, but I am hoping there are many, many more— it’s that flipping epic!

3.5 STARS

Incase I haven't said so a bazillion times before, I am completely obsessed with this series. Nicole Jacquelyn's Fostering Love series is comprised of interconnected standalone novels and it surrounds the most captivatingly colorful cast of characters that so vividly depict what it truly means to be a family. As each of the Harris/Evans children find love in their books, the family that raised them and the circumstances of their childhood play a hugely pivotal role in their individual stories. Alex's story of finding love and almost losing it evolves in Piece of My Heart and the richly layered histories of both his love interest, Sarai, and himself come full circle.

I really enjoyed this book even though it felt like it was missing a little something. I can't even say what that something was because as I reflect back on this book, I'm certain it was thoroughly fleshed out and well done. It's romantic and emotional and full of tender, heartfelt moments. I think I just constantly compare the books in this series to the first. Unbreak My Heart is my all time favorite and the angst and emotion and heartache in that book set a bar that few books live up to. But I KNOW that isn't a fair gauge and because of that, I tried to remain objective. What this story lacks in angst, it makes up for with its sweet romance and blistering attraction. Piece of My Heart is a satisfyingly readable romance and there's so much to love about it.

I'd give all the stars in the sky to Alex Evans. He's the sweetest, kindest, most genuinely good character and he made this book. He and Sarai face a lot in this novel and through it all Alex is a rock. His fierce loyalty, his inherent strength... he's just delicious and I couldn't get enough of him.

All in all, this is an enjoyable read. I pretty much devoured it in one sitting and I highly recommend not only this book but this entire series. It's special and unique, consistently heartfelt, and it's a beautiful testament to family, to military service and to love.