Come Back to Me

Blessings, Georgia #6

by Sharon Sala

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?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Second Chance, Southern, Second Chance Romance

303 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 28, 2018

About the author

Biography



Sharon Sala is a Native Oklahoman and still lives within a two hour drive of where she was born.
First published in 1991, she is a New York Times/USA Today, best-selling author with a 135 plus books published in seven different genres, including Romantic suspense, Mystery, Young Adult, Western, Fiction, Women’s Fiction and Non-Fiction.

Industry Awards include:
Eight-time RITA finalist. (Romance Industry award)
The Janet Dailey Award.
Five-time Career Achievement winner from RT Magazine.
Five time winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award.
Five time winner of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence.
Heart of Excellence Award.,
Booksellers Best Award.
Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award RITA, presented by RWA.
Centennial Award from RWA for recognition of her 100th published novel.

Reviews

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Release Date: August 28, 2018
Genre: Small Town, Southern, Second Chance Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars

Sharon Sala is my go to author when I need a heartfelt book with incredible characters and undying love. This book swept me away. The feeling of love, heartache, acceptance, and everything in between was emanating from the pages. Come Back to Me is just a truly stunning read and will make readers believe in second chances and fate. If there were ever a book that needs to be seen on the big screen or even the Hallmark channel, it's THIS book and THIS series.

High school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne were pitted against each other when the death of ones Phoebe's father rocked their small community. Having accusations slung at his family for the death forced Aidan and his father to leave their beloved town. But 20 years later, having to come back and face the harsh truths after his grandfathers passing, Aidan finds his world imploding. Thinking he was only going to clear the estate, Aidan finds himself wondering the "what ifs". Can he and the love of his life make amends for their parents wrong doings and misfortunes? Or would it have been better to stay away?

Readers will take the journey with both Phoebe, Aidan, and Lee (I won't spoil who he is) as they overcome their pasts and accept their futures. You will fall in love with the small town of Blessings, Georgia, and the people who live within the limits. And most of all, you will feel your heart soar as these to come back together for a second chance at love.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a genuine and believable love story. It's sweet, romantic, and absolutely gratifying to read.

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

4/5 Fangs

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Edited for grammar errors.

Sharon Sala was able to draw me right in to this story, but the plot was just not for me. This story made me so mad. Please do not read on if you don't want spoilers. I do know that some of my GR friends will want to know some details, so I'm including them.
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This second chance features an H who was a coward and ran away. He stayed away for 20 years, never asking about or looking for the h. It's not like it would've been hard to do either one of those things; she stayed in the same town as before, never moved away, and never got a college education. I kind of loathed him. He wasn't a manho, but he did have the "occasional relationship" until none of them ever went anywhere serious so he stopped trying. The heroine, on the other hand, never had another relationship again. She admitted waiting for him to come back the whole time and even had a framed picture of the H by her bed. I just can't even.

And then there's the fact that the h has been a cashier at the Piggly Wiggly for the entire twenty years that the H was gone. The H's grandfather was kind man, bless him, and gave the h and her son someplace to live, rent free. I'm not discounting what he did, but why didn't he encourage her to get a degree? People can do that online even nowadays. Why did the author make the h practically a nun, stuck in a minimum wage job, while the H had relationships with other women and have a four star restaurant in New Orleans? If I didn't know better, I would've thought that Sharon Sala hated the h and wanted her to have a terrible life.

I'm sorry if my spoilers offend some readers, but I felt the need to warn people. If I'd known that the h would've been celibate the whole two decades the H was gone, I never would've picked this up in the first place.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Eyeballs deep in angst, it's really unbelievable how stupid some people can be. Unless the hero is psychic, just how was he supposed to know she was pregnant when he left? I will grant you that she did apologize for her actions after the fire and death of her father, but her family and the whole town had pretty much driven Aidan and his father away. I get that Phoebe didn't want to be wanted just because she was pregnant, but Aidan had a right to at least know. This book is my very valid reason as to why I'm not a real romance fan and the "unknown baby" is one of my least favorite romance trope.

I will admit that Phoebe began to grow on me as the book progressed. She had the grit and spirit and determination to survive as a single mother for 20 years in a small Georgia town and her son, Lee, turned out to be an awesome young man. Aidan showed his loyalty to his father, left Blessings and never looked back. But he never forgot Phoebe. It sure seems to me that if he still had such deep feelings for her he would have returned after college to get closure on this. Twenty years is a awful long time to lose for two people who were "meant" for each other.

Well, now they are all together and the past is being dealt with. There are only a few questions that remain to be answered and the most important of those is: Can Aidan and Phoebe again find the true love they once shared? I give this one 3-Stars for the Aidan/Phoebe story and a 1/2-Star for the setup to the next book, the Dan/Alice story which looks to be another of my least favorite romance tropes, "The love of my life is dead and I can't love anyone else". 3 1/2-Stars

[Sophia]

DNF'd at 25%

Ah yes, I do love this writer's style, the world of small town Blessings, Georgia she created, the heartwarming romances and friendships, and the engaging people. I've laughed and cried and sighed with happiness over nearly every book I've picked up.

So, why the sudden need to DNF (do not finish) a book in the series?
Well, this is on me. The whole trouble I'm going to relate is personal preference- at least, I'm pretty sure it is. I apologize to author and others for not just skipping this one knowing my preferences. The blurb does a good job of telling the reader what they can expect. I pressed forward because of all the things I mentioned in the first paragraph, but it wasn't enough to overcome a hot button issue that is my own taste.

One of my big nope to the tropes is secret baby. Unless that guy is an ax murderer or has left no way of finding him, I will never be okay with a mother hiding the fact that a guy has a kid. It's not fair to the kid and not fair to the guy.

At first, I thought this one was going to be okay. The guy's family sold up and left town so I figured it would be one of those where she couldn't find him, but it wasn't like that. I let myself get really steamed before I closed the book and knew that, no, I wasn't going to be good with her reasoning.

Instead of telling you to stay away or that I can't recommend the book. I'll just share my synopsis on what I read and let you decide since I know this trope doesn't bug some people or doesn't bug them to the same extent. No worries if you love it and this makes you want to dash out and grab it as soon as it hits the stands.

There was an arson fire in the town and the hero, Aiden's dad gets blamed for setting it for the insurance money and at the same time, accidentally killing the heroine, Phoebe's dad who was next door at his own business. There's no evidence, but the town and Phoebe do a judge, jury, execution and make it pretty rough on Aiden's dad and Aiden.
Meanwhile, Aiden's mom dies of cancer and evidence comes in that his dad was innocent. Aiden begs Phoebe to let him comfort her and help, but she tells him to never speak to her again and leave her alone. She keeps it up for weeks when he tries a few more times even through his own grief for her dad, her family, his own mom is dying and the stress on his own family. People (Phoebe) know they were wrong, but its gone on too long and they won't apologize and ask forgiveness.
Just as Aiden and his dad, grieving and hurt, are leaving, Phoebe gets her head on straight enough from her own grief to realize that he's really leaving. Now, she tries to get him to stay or at least come back with teary-eyed 'I'm sorries'. It's too late and his dad needs him and he was still stinging from the betrayal of knowing that she'd known his family for years and claimed to love him, but never gave him the benefit of the doubt especially since there was no evidence. So, he leaves and moves on with his life with one glance back of regret.
Twenty years later, Aiden comes back to settle his granddad's estate and discovers he has a son that Phoebe kept quiet about and the granddad agreed to keep quiet about too. They had decided between them that Aiden would only get to know about his son if he tried to check on her- come back for her like she begged, in other words. Phoebe raised the boy to believe his dad was a great guy and the son accepts this arrangement because he loves his mom and hopes for the best with his dad. She's never going to love anyone else and he's never found anyone else. Ahhhh... but no.

Phoebe's a cutie and a hard worker and a great single mom, as described. She's sacrificed and endured to raise a good kid. Bless her heart. Yes, I'm being a little facetious because it didn't have to be like this. There are tons of single moms who would boot her in the butt for living on little because of that sort of unwarranted hurt pride that wore well on a teen girl, but not a thirty-something. She chose it because she makes this rule that he has to come back for her before he gets to know that he has a son. She took 20 years from them because of her stubborn insistence that he had to come back to her or at least ask about her. And the grandfather went along with this even while coming out to visit him and not allowing him to know about his own dying or funeral until afterward to keep him from spending his granddad's last days with his grandson because the secret. Sorry, I couldn't get on board with her reasoning and it didn't strike me as romantic at all. She claims all along that she loved him. That behavior is not love for Aiden or their son. It was selfish and all about her even if she didn't badmouth him and turn his son against him. Then I have to deal with her acting all mad and self-righteous when she springs Lee on him, conveniently forgets about all those weeks twenty years back of denying the guy until he's pulling out of the driveway, and still spouting her 'you never came back for me' one-trick pony act.
Lee is well adjusted and Aiden is thrilled. Shocked, hurt that she did this, but he doesn't lose it on her or toward the boy when she just shows up spitting nails at him 'you have a son and he wanted to meet you, but I don't ever want to see you'. He's generous and kind and wants to be around them both. He regrets and tells her so, but she's not having it and stays angry. Why is he the one doing all the bending and apologizing here????

And, then yeah, her dander's up so when some jerk lips off to her, she punches him and breaks his nose. Now, I got no issues with a jerk getting a comeuppance, but she'd already poured beer on the guy and told him off. The hitting was just one more thing.

So, that's about it. I stopped at that point. A couple of teens catch some bad breaks, tragedy, and impossible situations and it pulls them apart. Now they have a second chance as adults. Go for it or don't. No worries.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sixth book in the Blessings, Georgia series by Sharon Sala. Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne were high school sweethearts until a tragedy destroyed their relationship. Aidan moved away from Blessings, Georgia without looking back. Twenty years later when his grandfather dies, Aidan is forced to come back and settle his estate. Very quickly he discovers he has a son. Phoebe raised her son on her own with some help from Preston, Aidan's grandfather. She requested that Aidan not be told of his child. She held out hope he would someday come back for her. She didn't want him to come back feeling obligated because of his son.

This is a series that has connected characters and I have not read the previous books in the series. I did not feel lost but I think I might have appreciated the story a little more if I had. There were a lot of characters that didn't seem necessary to the story and I can only guess that they already had a story or their stories will soon be told. For the most part I really enjoyed the story. I have been a fan of Ms. Sala for many years. Even her worst have been good in my opinion. There were little things that bugged me to a degree, like how easy the main characters fell back into a relationship. Overall, I enjoyed it and will continue to read this author.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

[E-Reader Addict · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It always is a treat to visit Blessings. Each story reveals new layers to this little town. Aiden and Phoebe are quite a match.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2018/09/toris-t...

Sala welcomes readers back to the small town of Blessings, Georgia in her sixth installment with a second chance romance brimming with love, loss, and forgiveness. Two high school sweethearts are torn apart by tragedy only to discover years later that sometimes life gives you what you need when you least expect it. Sala’s small town inspirational saga continues to entertain with multiple subplots that almost flirt with melodrama while offering readers some homegrown truths about religious hypocrisy, double standards, and the ties that bind family. Though I normally enjoy this series, this one felt a little too contrived and overstuffed as Sala attempts to reunite a family, solve a mystery, and offer redemption across the board.

High school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne are forced apart when Phoebe’s father is killed in a fire and Aidan’s dad is falsely accused of the crime. Aidan’s family leaves town to never come back. 20 years later, Aidan returns to settle his grandfather’s estate and is shocked to discover he has a son. His anger fades to delight when he meets Lee and discovers he and Phoebe still carry a spark for one another. As they spend more time together, they discover that nothing that happened that fateful night was what it seemed and unless they can solve what happened in the past, they will never have a future. Grade: C+

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book continues the story of Blessing Georgia this time talking about Phoebe and Aidan. They were high school sweethearts torn apart by horrible crime. The town blamed Aidan’s family for the death of Phoebe’s father and even though he was proved innocent the town wouldn’t forget. Phoebe’s mother leaves her alone in town knowing that Phoebe is pregnant at age 18. An interesting story that could’ve been better without some crude parts.

[Jasmyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed books by Sharon Sala in the past, but this one just didn't work as well for me. The beginning starts off with a high-adrenaline fire at the store Aiden's father runs. And so begins a very sad and upsetting story as the fire spreads to kill he girlfriend's father in the shop next door. While this was a horrible tragedy, the fallout of the town's emotions set the stage and conflict between our couple in such a detailed way that made me feel so much for these two.

But then we get back to "now" and things didn't go as well as I had hoped. While I'm not a huge fan of the secret-baby, there are times that it is both appropriate and believable that will not lead me to dislike the heroine. Unfortunately, this book did not do well in that area. Not only did Phoebe not tell Aiden about her son (for 19 years), but the whole town knew, including his grandfather, and no one seemed to think it might be a good thing to let him know. I instantly disliked all of them. That is not a cool thing to do to someone.

Aiden's reaction to finding out about his son, Lee, was a very underplayed. I wanted him to go through the stages of grief and anger. He lost an entire childhood with his son, and he seemed to just be a little annoyed about it. Lee also didn't quite act like I expected a nineteen-year-old to. I kept thinking that he was much younger because of the phrases he used and some of his behaviors.

There were some really good spots woven amongst this, and if you enjoy the secret-baby stories, then this will be a great read for you. The mystery of who set the fire threads through the story, and I enjoyed how it came to its conclusion and the way the town reacted once the truth finally came out.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

[Stephenee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by author Sharon Sala, and while it was a little slow it wasn't bad. The author needed to spend more time on the actual storyline and less time with all of the little side stories. The reader lost their focus at times and became a little bored when the author went off on a tangent.

The plot was complete about halfway through the book and the author just drug it out. It seemed like the author could have wrapped the story up much quicker than they actually did. The characters were kinda eh - it wasn't the best story, but it was ok and gave the reader a happy ending...

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, flirty and a whole lot of sweet, Come Back to Me was one of those feel good, hometown, heartfelt, romances you can't get enough of while still keeping the intimacy more implied and not detailed or described.

I received this ARC copy of Come Back to Me from Sourcebooks - Casablanca. This is my honest and voluntary review. Come Back to Me is set for publication August 28, 2018.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Stars: This Blessings, Georgia novel opens with high school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne saying angry words to one another. It seems there was a fire in Aiden's dad's store that caused the bakery next door to catch on fire. Phoebe's father was trapped in the bakery and died. Phoebe's family blamed the Ritter's for his death and drove Aiden and his father, George, from town. Aiden's grandfather still lived in Blessings, but he asked Aiden not to come there. He visited him instead. Twenty years later, his grandfather has died and Aiden has returned to Blessings to take care of his affairs. Aiden plans on a quick in and out, but when he arrives and finds out that he has a twenty year old son he knew nothing about, plans change.

Even though I really enjoyed this story, it was not very realistic. I can't imagine someone finding out that they have a twenty year old child and forgiving the mother enough to give them a chance to rekindle what they had when they were in high school. I love the characters, especially Lee, the young man, and I wish that I could be as forgiving and open as they were. Once again the people in Blessings added to the story. There were busybodies, smart alecks, estranged family members, older sick people and kind and generous ones, all adding their own stories and personalities. There were a few side stories going on, but at the end, Sharon Sala brings them all together in a satisfying way. Am I glad that Aiden and Phoebe get together again? You bet, but this one was a bit too sweet for me.

[Diane Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story brings us back to Blessings, Ga. Aidan and Phoebe were high school sweethearts who were torn apart by events beyond their control. Phoebes Mother and Uncle blamed Aidan’s Father for a fire that started in his Fathers hardware store and spread to the bakery owned by her family. Phoebes Father was killed in the fire. The end result is Aidan and Phoebe breaking up and Aidan and his Father leaving town.

Twenty years later Aidan is returning to Blessings after his Grandfathers death. Aidan is a successful restaurant owner in New Orleans. Phoebe has spent the last 20 years a single Mother to her son Lee.

If you are looking for a feel good read this book is for you. It is part of a series but could easily be read on its own. It is filled with romance, great characters and some moments when you might want a box of Kleenex handy. The author captures the feeling of a small town perfectly. There is a new character introduced towards the end of the book that I suspect will be the subject of the next story. I always look forward to reading a new book in this series, I recommend them all. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Sharon Sala many many years ago and she was writing wonderful romances. Over the years she has added a lot of intrigue and action books but I always check out her new titles. I'm especially happy when I see a new addition to the Blessings, Georgia series and this one is a 5 star happy ending read. Phoebe and Aiden were high school sweethearts destined to do great things in Blessings but when there is a suspicious fire in his dad's garage the town turns against them, including Phoebe's family who lose a family member in the fire. When his mother dies the same week they leave town vowing never to return. A week after they leave Phoebe discovers she is expecting and raises her son Lee with the help of Aiden's grandfather. This story is not preachy but does reference church and thanking God throughout the story. Love this book, # 6 in the series, and can't wait for the next couple's story that is started at the end of this book. Can be read as a stand alone but you'll be intrigued by past characters and rushing to buy the series. I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come Back to Me (Blessings, Georgia) by Sharon Sala  
The odds were never in their favor. One selfish act broke two young hearts and started a feud that left years of damage blowing in the wind. Nineteen years later one explosive secret could right the wrongs of the past or destroy any hope for the future. Come Back to Me is a tale of young love that spans many years and harbors a great deal of secrets. Aidan and Phoebe are victims of their own circumstance. From hidden agendas to heartbreaking betrayals and the potential for a second chance. Sala weaves a tale of intriguing mystique and heartbreaking delight. A new beginning that proved years in the making.

[Chasidy Kaye Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for review.
I like to read something a bit different from my mystery detective novels alot of the time. So I read second chance books!
This one was a good one! I started it yesterday afternoon and I'm already finished. Could not put it down and stayed up until after 2am reading. Lol
I almost made it but finally had to sleep!
Sharon Sala is always good but this one surpassed the others in my opinion!!
Far better than most second chance books I have read bu any author.
Way to go!!

[Bobbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Robin Rider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come Back to Me, by Sharon Sala, sixth in the Blessings, Georgia series is a heart-warming and feel-good tale of Phoebe and Aidan, high school sweethearts who are separated by trajedy. The writing makes the reader want to become a part of this very small town--eat the food, shop the stores and get to know the Blessings inhabitants. To be released August 28. Rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

[Love love · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it to page 49 before giving up. I'm surprised I actually stuck with it for that long. The writing is amateurish and the characters 2 dimensional. How is this the same author who wrote Out Of The Dark?? This will probably be the last book of her's that I buy.

[Marie Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

It was a pleasure to be back in Blessings, Georgia. Book 6 in this series gives us a second chance romance between childhood sweethearts Aiden and Phoebe. As teenagers they are torn apart by a death and 20 years later another death brings them back together.

My favourite thing about the love story between Phoebe and Aiden is even after all their time apart, they can put their differences aside for the good of their family. They are both such good people with big hearts. It would have been easy of either of them to hold a grudge but their love and connection overrides all the troubles.

Sharon Sala has a unique writing style. She writes in the third person in a very matter of fact way that I find can sometimes take a few pages to get used to, but with Come Back to Me it didn’t take long to adjust and I was tearing up by the end of the Prologue. I found it so satisfying seeing our couple find each other again and to see that the bad guys get what is coming to them.

I'm a big fan of small town romance and I love Blessings because it is a town full of loving, fun and interesting characters. Come Back to Me is a wonderful edition to the Blessings series and I look forward to reading more stories from this series.

[Dione · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are ready to settle into another feel good series romance by Sharon Sala, Come Back to Me is for you! Sala takes us back to her fictional town of Blessings, Georgia where we meet Aidan and Phoebe. High school sweethearts torn apart when a fire started in his father’s store kills her father. Aidan’s family feels betrayed by the town’s reaction and decides to move away. Twenty years later, Aidan is a successful restaurant owner in New Orleans and returns to Blessings to deal with his grandfather’s estate. When he arrives he meets his son.

Phoebe has spent the last twenty years of her life working at the Piggly Wiggly and raising her son, Lee. Lee is a college student on a full ride scholarship but home for the summer. Phoebe and Lee must decide whether to let Aidan into their lives or continue on as they have been living.

As always, Sharon Sala has hit the right note with this book. It is full of feel good moments, but with enough sub-stories thrown in to keep you updated on everyone in the town of Blessings. Sala also manages to weave in life-threatening situations and small town eccentric characters. There is also an exciting introduction to a new character, Dan, who I really hope is the star of the next book. If you read my reviews, you know I like series and this is no different being book number six of Sala’s Blessings, Georgia series. If you haven’t read this series and you like sweet romances, try this book!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out promising, but by the end, I was glad to be done. The central conflict - that Aidan left town without knowing Phoebe was pregnant - is resolved way too soon, and there are lots of side plots that might be of interest to readers of the whole series, but which felt totally random and tacked-on to me. I liked the setting and some of the characters, but the story was too disorganized for me to want to read more from this series any time soon.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading a book by Sharon Sala because I know I can look forward to interesting and sympathetic characters and a compelling storyline that will engage my heart and this book does that and so much more. I love reading stories about small towns, but in this case I hated the prejudice and malicious gossip that chased Aiden and his father out of Blessings, Georgia 20 years ago. Aiden reluctantly returns to his hometown to deal with his late grandfather’s estate and he’s absolutely flabbergasted to see a young man that looks exactly like him walking down the street. What I absolutely loved about this book is the heartwarming way this family comes together and celebrates the blessings in their lives, rather than dwelling on the past. The very best part of reading this book is finding out that there are five previous books in the Blessings series and I can’t wait to read them all. I read an early copy of this book provided by NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

[Dawn ♥ romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has a powerful beginning and kept on going. I liked the deep seated strength and forgiveness of the main characters when they didn't dwell on the negative under the circumstances. Childhood sweethearts Phoebe and Aiden where separated by a family tragedy and 20 years later he returns to town and discovers he has a son.

[Donna Repsher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually love coming back to Blessings, Georgia, but this sixth novel in the series just didn't grab me the way the earlier novels did. While some of the series regulars appear and/or are mentioned, the characters in this novel were new to me, and while I like the second chance at love trope, I'm not a huge fan of the secret baby trope, and because Come Back to Me combines the two and starts off with the bang, literally and figuratively, I can only give it a 3 star rating.

At the outset, Aidan and Phoebe are high school sweethearts, but the novel opens with an explosion and fire that destroys the auto parts store owned and operated by Aidan's father. We soon learn that the fire jumps next door to the bakery, owned by Phoebe's dad, who dies in that fire, and her mother and uncle, accuse and blame Aidan's father for the fire and the death, since everyone in town knows that he's nearly bankrupted the family paying for his dying wife's cancer treatments. When the whole town accepts that lie, and when Phoebe, forced to end their relationship by her mother and uncle, tells Aidan she never wants to see him again, and has the whole town believing that Aidan's dad is guilty, the grief-stricken father and son leave Blessings for good, with Phoebe running after their car, begging Aidan not to leave. Why did she wait so long?

Fast forward 20 years, and Aidan is finally back in Blessings, having been the sole beneficiary of his grandfather, Preston's estate, his home, and his real estate interests, even though he didn't bother to attend his grandfather's funeral, and this is where my problems with this novel began. Apparently Phoebe didn't realize that when Aidan and his father left town, she was pregnant with Aidan's child, something she only learned 3 days after their departure. Her mother , Sonja, who was already involved with her uncle, Joe, ordered her to abort the fetus and when Phoebe refused to so so, she woke up one morning to find her 18-year-old self alone, broke, and homeless as well, since Sonja and Joe sold their house before leaving for parts unknown. Preston stepped in, giving Phoebe a rent-free place to live, paid her bills, and supported her and her about-to-be-born son, Lee. My issue is why on earth didn't he tell his grandson, Aidan, that Phoebe was pregnant with his child, missed him and needed him? While Preston is portrayed as having a heart of gold, I simply couldn't understand why he'd allow his great grandchild, Lee, to grow up without his father even knowing he existed. Phoebe raised Lee as a single parent, and didn't turn him against his absentee father, and with Preston's help she managed to scrape by without Aidan, but her reasoning for not contacting him struck me as ridiculous--it was because Aidan didn't come back for her. Did she think the boy she'd loved wouldn't come back for her and support her and his unborn child? Sorry, but I just wasn't buying it. Did she really think the boy she still loved 20 years later wouldn't have cared that he had a son and whose childhood he'd missed completely? Since Lee is the spitting image of his father, everyone in town knew who his father was. Again, why didn't one of them let Aidan know about his son? It just stretched my willing suspension of disbelief a tad too far.

When Aidan finally does meet Lee, he's overjoyed to have a son, and discovering that Lee was his child and that he'd missed the first nineteen years of his life didn't seem anger him in the least. He's never loved anyone but Phoebe, in all his years away from Blessings, and he now has a 4-star restaurant in New Orleans. Phoebe too, has never stopped loving Aidan, but that being the case, I found her keeping his son a secret for all the intervening years was both cruel and heartless, and again, I wasn't buying it. Phoebe had to know that Aidan would have stepped up if he knew he had fathered a child--it wasn't because Aidan was bad person, he wasn't a criminal, and he wasn't abusive, all of which were reasons I could have accepted for keeping Lee a secret, but just the fact that he didn't get in touch with her--sorry, poor excuse for keeping his son a secret.

Of course, there's still a mystery to be solved--who started the fire that destroyed Aidan's father's business 20 years ago, and was responsible for the death of Phoebe's father? Where did Phoebe's mother and uncle go when they left her penniless, homeless, alone and pregnant? Why didn't Preston ever let his grandson know about his child? Why was Aidan so willing to forgive the fact that, thanks to Phoebe and his grandfather, he'd missed his son's entire childhood? While all these questions will be answered, in part, and the arsonist revealed, and while I loved how this story ended, it just was too little, too late for me to love the entire novel.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trip back to Blessings, Georgia will change lives of many of the town's residents. A cold case will be solved, a man who thought he had no family left finds he does. A woman has been waiting for 20 years for the man she loves to Come To Me. Finally, a new face in town causes a stir with the ladies. Sharon Sala takes you back to her Blessings, Georgia series (formerly known as Curl Up & Dye) with a story of lost love that pulls at the heartstrings and makes you cheer for a happy ending and a life deserved together for our main characters.

Phoebe Ritter has lived in Blessings all of her life and has been in love with her teenage boyfriend Aidan Payne for over 20 years, A tragedy tears them apart and sends Aidan and his father from the only home they've ever known. When Aidan and his father leave town Phoebe runs to apologize but its too late to help their torn apart relationship. Fast forward twenty years and Aidan is returning to take care of his recently deceased grandfather's estate. Aidan meets the unique neighbor next door and gets a warning that the past will be resolved. He sees Phoebe working at the local grocery and when a young man shows up to surprise her he figures she's married and that's her son. As he's leaving the boy comes up to talk to him and takes a picture. Lee takes the photo home and compares it to the photo on his mom's nightstand. When Phoebe gets home from work he tells her about who he saw and shows her the photo, They make a plan to go tell Aidan about his son Lee, the next morning. Aidan is shocked and over joyed to learn about Lee. Phoebe to protect herself from being hurt again tells him the only relationship they can have is for their son's sake. Aidan finds a photo album that his grandfather left behind for him, As Lee talks with both parents he realizes that they still love each other so he works situations to put them together, which brings out the truth about what Phoebe went through being a single parent. They realize that their feelings haven't changed and that they need to start from now and not the past. Aidan goes to church with Phoebe and Lee as support. They start hanging out as a family and Aidan shows Phoebe how he really feels about her. They receive another warning from the neighbor and Phoebe and Lee take him seriously. Meanwhile a dying man's troubled son comes back into his life and is told never to come back. Also Phoebe's mother and uncle come back to Blessings to reconnect with her. Phoebe warns Lee and Aidan and a confrontation takes place. Phoebe is warned her mother is coming to see her and another confrontation takes place. A storm comes into town and Phoebe is on the phone with Aidan when her house is struck by lightning and he saves her from the fire. Lee and Phoebe move in with Aidan and a proposal is made and accepted. The dying man talks to the police chief about what happened 20 years ago and finds a cell number for his son. They devise a plan to get him back to Blessings. A call is made to the son and to Aidan. The next day the trap is sprung and a murderer is caught and a mystery is solved. A stranger comes to Blessings and causes a stir with the ladies. He likes Blessings so much he's thinking of staying. Aidan recognizes him. The newcomer takes a tour of the grandfather's business and is thinking of buying. Phoebe comes up with a plan to use her old car and her repaired house. She goes to a newly arrived resident in need and tells her of her story and gives her the start given to Phoebe. Lee, Phoebe and Aidan go to New Orleans and the two get married. After a party celebrating the marriage a secret is revealed and a chance is given for a family to start over.

Sharon Sala has been a favorite author for years and the wit and suspense and emotion she puts in her books is greatly appreciated and always capture and keep my attention. I always look forward to her next book whether it be a series or a single title are welcome and immediately a favorite. I look forward to the next story in the Blessings, Georgia series and hope it continues for a long time to come. Ms. Sharon Sala is always a great read.