Katie is a first-grade teacher who hasn’t had an easy life. She spent years in foster care, being sent from place to place. Some places were good, some not so good. She ages out, puts herself through school, and has a job she loves. She’s engaged but gets dumped by her fiancé by phone. Dealing with this heartache is bad enough, but then there is another life-changing event that happens to her. I gasped out loud after this incident. Katie loves teaching and has a way with kids, but she can’t return to the job she’s on leave from. Instead, she applies for and is accepted for a teaching position in Borden’s Gap, Tennessee. She’s hoping for a fresh start where no one knows her name or anything else about her.

She’s fitting in well with the residents of her small new town and even has a romantic interest. As she’s building her new life, her ex-fiancé is having issues of his own and regrets dumping her, but Katie no longer has feelings for him after what he put her through.

This was such an enjoyable story full of heartache, loss, new beginnings, hope, and a happily ever after. There were times I had tears in my eyes. This story does deal with a couple of tough subjects so it might not be for everyone.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall, this was a good story but there are so many mini stories in this book that I don’t actually define this as a romance. Yes, Katie and Sam’s romance was sweet (and his twin girls so cute) but overall, this felt a bit disjointed with stories about townspeople and even Katie’s ex. Still, an emotional good read!

Thanks to NetGalley , author and publisher for an early read.

I have been a fan of Sharon Sala for many years. Sweet Baby and Tallchief stay in rotation in my reread Kindle file and I have hard copies. While this book isn't as good as those two, I do feel it is the best book that Sala has put out in a while. The Blessings books are good, but got kind of boring. This one is not boring, but it is also not fast paced. I actually have no idea why our focus kept being redirected towards her ex, Mark. Most of that could hav been left out or just information imparted by her best friend. I didn't need to be in his head.

Other than that, though, I loved Katie and Sam as a couple and Sam's girls were awesome. An entirely sweet read. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review!

After two life changing events Katie McGrath moves to Borden’s Gap, Tennessee.hoping to build a new life and find happiness, With a new teaching position and a wonderful little cottage she is adjusting to a new beginning. Her neighbor is a widowed police chief and his twin daughters. As they help her come out of her shell, Katie is wondering if a brighter future is ahead for her. Wonderful book! Sharon is a great writer and I look forward to every book. She writes about everyday life and events that we can all relate to!


Thanks to Sharon Sala and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the book!

DNF I stopped reading this 79%

While the circumstances of Katie leaving Mexico to go to Tennessee were issues prevelent in today's society, there was a sub plot line with the ex fiance and drugs and cheating that were totally irrelevant to the central storyline. THEN Katie moves to Tennessee, finds a sweet little family, starts new job THEN a new plot line thrown in with no warning, very triggering and totally cliche if you're trying to highlight every single hot topic issue nowadays. Cheating, drugs, murder, school shooting, PTSD, widow with children falling for poor pitiful single neighbor, struggling teacher with children with every single scenario you can think of for parents. Abuse of all types, child sexual abuse, neglect....on and on and no trigger warning whatsoever.

The subject matters in The Next Best Day are issues that are making headlines and have to be dealt with on a regular basis by teachers and school personnel. This is a story about Katie McGrath, a teacher who just loves her littles - her students and moves to a small town in Tennessee to escape memories of a horrific event. Ms. Sala handled this issue with compassion and sensitivity yet leaving us with a believable, positive story.

Katie McGrath is one heck of a heroine who has very good taste in choosing her favorite authors to enjoy.

I give this book 5 stars.

I received this book from NetGalley for a fair review.

This was a really good book. It Started off with a woman who went through heartbreak and a tragedy and then came back on top with starting over again. I thought the twin girls were cute. I am grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

The Next Best Day is the Perfect title for this book. Everyone looks forward to the "best day ever" until the next best day comes along. Katie is a survivor on so many levels. She definitely has strength of character. With all she has been through a lesser person would have shattered a long time ago. Sam, a widower, father of twin girls and the local sheriff is a survivor as well, but his reasons are completely different than Katie's. Can combining their shattered worlds make them whole again? This is a riveting, edge of your seat story. Katie has had such a disastrous life yet continues to look for the positives. Sam just wants to protect Katie and take away all the nightmares and PTSD she experiences. Will she trust him to always be there for her? Sharon Sala books always pull you into the story from page one. I want to live in every town she has ever written about. I want to be friends with her characters. I am in awe of her creative writing skills. She is the ultimate storyteller!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablance for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Love Love Ms. Sala's books especially her series Blessings, Georgia. I was so happy to see this new title of a new community based in Borden's Gap,Tennessee. Katie McGrath has had a tough life abandoned as a child raised in the foster system but overcame all of this to become a teacher. We meet Katie getting ready to be married to the man of her dreams or so she thought only to find out he abandon her the day of the weeding to marry his bosses daughter. Just when we the audience think this is the main issue of her overcoming being dumped another incident happens while she is at school that throws her life in total array. After the incident at the school Katie decides to start a new life in Borden Gap Tennessee where she hopes she can start a fresh. She moves into her new place only to find she lives opposite the police chief of the town Sam and his two adorable twin daughters Evie and Beth. With both Sam and Katie they were not looking for love but somehow found it with each other getting to know each other everyday. Reading this book had me smiling and grimacing in the challenging parts but mostly smiling. I enjoy reading characters like Katie overcoming all odds to triumph through the hardship only to come out being better overall. The twin girls were the icing on the cake reading and imagine them how they are was such a great fabulous touch to the storyline.. As stated there are some sad sick things that transpires in this story but has positive ending to them. Review on goodreads and eventually amazon

I really loved this story about Kate who was abandoned as a baby, and ended up in foster care . She was a teacher of the first grade at a school in New Mexico. She and Lila were getting reading for the wedding ,when Mark called to say he had married his boss' daughter in Vegas the day before, see how that works out for them.
Kate returns to school and there is a shooter. Several people are shot and killed, some are injured. Kate gets her students as fat as Lila's room and finds 2 are missing. Down the hall she goes and takes a bullet and then she sees them and huddles over them to protect them and takes another bullet then someone dies beside her.
She is in the hospital , goes home and try to get better. She does get better physically but mentally it is a slow process. After going to the school to say goodbye to her students. She decides the best thing to do is start over somewhere else. She applies for jobs and then moves to Bordan Gap ,Tennessee. It is a slow process for her but the people of Borden Gap become her friends, especially her neighbors, Sheriff Youngblood and his children. To see the strength it takes for her to get better is amazing to read . She also has her best friend Lila as they talk on the phone every couple of Days

Katie's life hasn't been easy, but with a new move, a new job, and a new family, things are looking up. In some ways, I really enjoyed this book. It addresses several sensitive topics, and does so well. Toward the beginning of the book, Katie is involved in a school shooting, taking a couple of bullets to protect her young students. This is adrenaline pumping and well written. Throughout the book. Katie is used to taking charge of bad situations to save herself, and I have to commend that in a romance novel. Later on, the author addresses spousal and child abuse. The main story line is right there, and it carries the book. I even had tears in my eyes at various parts.

There are a few things I did not like about the book, however. The secondary story line of being jilted at the alter and her ex-finance's involvement with his new wife's drug running family didn't add to the story. In fact, as snippets popped up in the book, fewer as the book progressed, they really just served to detract from the main story line. There were some editing issues which could easily be fixed. There were a couple of times where almost an entire paragraph had been copy and pasted again. The book doesn't claim to be religious but starts inserting religion into the story line at some point. These instances felt like they were added in after the fact. The style of writing felt different and it also detracted from the book. Lastly, for two main characters who have no intention of dating, and really don't even date much in the book, they are quick to declare their love to one another and jump into a marriage.

Overall, it isn't a horrible book. The main disappointment is that it had the makings of a great romance novel and fell short.

Sharon Sala brings you a story where the past changes the course of your future. We meet first grade teacher Katie McGrath as she faces tragedy after tragedy prompting her to make a move from big city Albuquerque to small town Borden's Gap, Tennessee. This is the fresh start that Katie needs to be able to move on with her life and forget about the events that led her here. But with small towns where everyone knows everyone, Katie is the newest resident where everyone will try to figure her out. As she maneuvers small town living with overcoming her demons, the residents and her students start to help Katie come out of her shell. Will Katie be able to get past what has been plaguing her and find peace and contentment in Borden's Gap, or will she allow the demons to run her life and stay hidden?

Sharon Sala brings us the story of Katie and her journey as she faces life-altering events in her life that lead her to to Borden's Gap and her interactions with the residents shape their view of the new teacher in town. Will this town help heal her heart and soul so she can open up to new possibilities, or will she allow what has happened in the past to shape her future? Read along and see what choices she makes and how they affect not only her but those around her. I have always enjoyed the stories from this author and look forward to what she brings me next.

I have read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, Sourcebooks Casablanca for this privilege.

I always enjoy Salas books and I enjoyed this one. I liked the story of Katie and Sam with his twin daughters. For me the secondary story of Katie’s ex fiancé wasn’t needed and it took away from the story. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

When I read a Sharon Sala book I expect to get my heart sliced to pieces and then put back together again, and early on that’s what it seemed was going to happen.
Less than 10% in and the incident that led Katie move to Bordens Gap had me crying, but soon after it went off the rails for me.
I loved Bordens Gap and the story threads there. I instantly fell for the sheriff Sam and his adorable daughters.
What let the book down for me was the second story line following Katie’s ex-fiancé. Not only did it not add to the story, to me it took away from it. It made what was happening in Bordens Gap feel rushed and I wanted more. This was a good book but I’ve read better by her I’m sad to say.

This book was intense. Katie was such a strong character, with such a powerful story. Being a teacher would be such a hard job and her story more than most. It was such a well written story. I really felt connected to her. I liked that there wasn't too much romantic drama for her. It was a bit over the top in some parts, but it worked!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

4 ⭐️. I really enjoyed this book - a sweet love story that also dealt with several serious issues. Katie McGrath perseveres through adversity, helping others along the way, to realize her own happy ending. I felt that the secondary storyline was unnecessary, and the beginning was a bit disjointed, but it was still a good read. I’ll look for more from Sharon Sala in the future. Thanks Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.

I was so excited to read this new Sharon Sala book and let me say that she does not disappoint! She really is the queen of small town, inspirational romance. Our heroine in this book is Katie McGrath. To say that this young woman has had a tough life so far is an understatement. She was an orphan that went from foster home to foster home then aged out of the system. She put herself through school and has been working as an elementary school teacher and thought that she had met the man of her dreams only to be left standing alone at the alter in front of her friends on what was supposed to be her wedding day. This determined young lady brushes herself off and returns to work only to be confronted by a school shooter. Suffering from severe PTSD she makes the decision to change the direction of her life and takes a teaching position in the small town of Borden's Gap, Tennessee. Being the new single lady in town, Katie captures the eye of every man but she has no desire to get into another relationship. She wants to find peace and enjoy a quiet life. Fate has other plans for her and that is going to be Sheriff Sam Youngblood and his two young twin daughters. They live across the street and their life is good but a piece of the puzzle is missing and with a lot of hope, laughter, strength and love these two will find their way to become the family that they both need and deserve. I loved this story. It was beautifully written and full of heart. The characters reach off the pages and touched my soul. I hope that there will be more books set in Borden's Gap in the future.

Another fabulous read from Sharon Sala. School teacher Katie McGrath had a tough time and it comes to the point that she relocates to Borden’s Gap, Tennessee. Chief Sam Youngblood lives across the street with his adorable twin girls Evie and Beth. There is an instant attraction but will it go any further…….. Katie wants a fresh start and Sam hasn’t looked at another woman since his wife died in childbirth. This has some serious topics that are sensitively covered but on the whole it’s an uplifting romance., with realistic characters. I read this is in one day and just can’t wait for Sharon’s next book! Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc of this story from Netgalley for a honest review

The Next Best Day by Sharon Sala takes you into the world of Katie McGrath with it's ups and downs but mostly it's downs until she moves to a small town of Borden Gap in Tennesse. Katie is in need of a change, her life has been a series of trials but things are about to get better for her in this small town. Sam Youngblood and his twin daughter's Beth and Evie bring joy and fulfillment into her life. This was a great beach read

The Next Best Day by Sharon Sala once again proves why she is a consummate storyteller.

First-grade teacher Katie moves from Albuquerque to Borden’s Gap, Tennessee a small Southern town after a violent incident at the school she taught at in Albuquerque.

Sadly, these events are all to common in our current world but the author handles it with the upmost care. Katie’s survives but others do not. Katie must now figure out how to navigate her new normal and build a life she dreams of.

Maybe moving to a smaller town will feel less threatening and help Katie find calmness and peace again.

The supporting cast of the story is equally important. Though there are other incidents that occur that are equally difficult to read about they are indeed important to the story .

The Next Best Day is a story filled with second chances , new beginnings and a small town community who lifts up their own.

My heart hurt at times reading this book but I simply could not put it down. The storytelling was simply amazing. I have read many books by the author and once again her writing shines.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.