Title: A Piece of My Heart by Sharon Sala
Blessings, Georgia Series Book Four
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: C+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
She’s never had a home
Growing up in a troubled foster home, Mercy Dane knew she could never rely on anyone but herself. She’s used to giving her all to people who don’t give her a second glance, so when she races to Blessings, Georgia, to save the life of an accident victim, she’s flabbergasted when the grateful town opens its arms to her. She never dreamed she’d ever find family or friends—or a man who looks at her as if she hung the stars.
Until she finds peace in his arms
Police Chief Lon Pittman is getting restless living in sleepy little Blessings. But the day Mercy Dane roars into his life on the back of a motorcycle, practically daring him to pull her over, he’s lost. There’s something about Mercy’s tough-yet-vulnerable spirit that calls to Lon, and he will do anything in his power to make her realize that home isn’t just where the heart is—home is where their heart is.
Review:
A Piece of My Heart is a cute addition to Sharon Sala’s small-town Blessings, Georgia series. Although this latest release is the fourth installment in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
As someone who grew up in the foster care system, Mercy Dane is a self-reliant, tough as nails waitress who works in a biker bar. When she gets an emergency phone call requesting a blood donation for a car accident victim, she immediately jumps on her Harley and rushes to Blessings. Her good deed yields surprising benefits as Mercy is reunited with Lon Pittman, a man whom she shared one incredible night with several years earlier. But most shocking is the discovery that Mercy is the long lost sister of Hope Talbot, the accident victim to whom she donated blood. The sisters were separated as children after Hope was adopted out of foster care. Mercy does not hesitate to move to Blessings to become better acquainted with Hope, her brother-in-law Jack and his brother Duke. Despite the years that have passed since they last met, Lon would like nothing better than to date Mercy, but will she let down her guard enough to give their fledgling romance a chance?
Mercy is a refreshingly straight forward woman who does not play games nor does she hesitate to speak her mind. With no family of her own, she has forged close ties with the bar owner where she is employed but the chance to get to know Hope is too tempting to pass up. Although she is a little uncomfortable living with complete strangers, she is delighted for the opportunity to reconnect with her sister. While Mercy is a bit wary, she also quickly agrees to renew her acquaintance with Lon in order to see if there is the potential for a relationship between them.
Lon never forgot the night he spent with Mercy and he is stunned when he recognizes her at the hospital. Determined not to let the opportunity to date her slip through his fingers, Lon wastes no time letting her know he is still interested in her. Lon is a steady, reliable man who is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and he is quick to reassure Mercy he will give her all the time she needs to decide how she feels about him.
Despite Lon and Hope’s easy acceptance of Mercy, some of the townspeople are not as quick to welcome her to Blessings. Mercy’s reaction to an ill-spirited verbal attack is quite unexpected and exposes her well-hidden vulnerabilities. Hope’s brother-in-law Duke is quite judgmental but Mercy never hesitates to put him in his place. Some of the residents are quick to stereotype Mercy based on her appearance and the fact she rides a Harley.
The relationship between Lon and Mercy is free from conflict but there is a bit of an insta-love quality to their romance. This is most likely due to the fact that although they have a few dates, their time together is short and often interrupted by a variety of dramatic events. It is also not much of a surprise when someone from Mercy’s past resurfaces although the ensuing situation is rather surprising.
With an eclectic cast of endearing characters and a sweet romance A Piece of My Heart is an engaging novel with a delightful small town atmosphere. Longtime fans of the Blessings, Georgia series will enjoy catching up with their favorite characters from previous installments. Sharon Sala provides enough background information on the various characters that new readers can easily begin the series with this latest installment.
