Blessings, Georgia Book #13
e-ARC, NetGalley
Author: Sharon Sala
The latest and final installment in the beloved Blessings, Georgia series, this book can be read as standalone. However, since it’s the 13th book set in the small town, I am sure I missed quite a few of the “Easter eggs” peppered throughout when secondary characters popped up. It didn’t take from my overall enjoyment of the book, though.
The story starts with a punch: little Carlie Duroy and her mom Shirley walk into the police station with the little girl hauling their suitcases and her mama desperately trying to breathe. To everyone’s shock and surprise, Shelley passes away right there after she tells the chief to hand little Carlie to Ruby Dye, the local hair salon owner.
Ruby and her husband Peanut never had children is Carlie is an unexpected blessing, but they will have to navigate through the shock of this surprise (Ruby hadn’t talked to Shirley since she left Blessings years ago) and the new challenges of instant parenthood. But like everything in this town, Carlie is a Blessing indeed.
The book is filled with other secondary plots, including a sweet second chance romance between Ladd and Deborah, who were sweethearts as teens and now find their way to each other again; Shirley’s co-worker, who she was afraid would go after Carlie for the money she’d get from her mother’s life insurance, and so on. They are fun stories, but it deviates from the main focus of the book a bit.
All in all it’s a heartwarming read. It brings you all the charm of little southern town. Very sweet book and I and sad to hear it’s the last one and we won’t see Carlie and Melvin Lee grow up and fall in love. Their romance is screaming to be told, considering he’s already half in love with her at the tender age of 9!
Possible Triggers: death from heart failure on page; grief; bullying; a farming accidental involving a bull attacking a farmer on page
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, NetGalley, Sharon Sala and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.
