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Blessings, Georgia #0.5
Count Your Blessings
An original short story by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala links to her full-length contemporary women's fiction novel, The Curl Up and Dye.
The novella centers around the four women who run the Curl Up and Dye hair salon and their relationships with the quirky customers of small-town Blessings, Georgia. Their meddlesome efforts at match-making run awry, but there's always another makeover just around the corner.
The novella centers around the four women who run the Curl Up and Dye hair salon and their relationships with the quirky customers of small-town Blessings, Georgia. Their meddlesome efforts at match-making run awry, but there's always another makeover just around the corner.
70 pages, ebook
First published September 3, 2013
521 people are currently reading
837 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Sala
279 books2,298 followersBiography
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
January 19, 2021
It took a kick-ass, take no prisoners heroine to get me out of my sad sack romance slump. Minus a star for being a novella/short story and not a full-fledged book, I would have loved Patty Jean to get her own complete story.
Patty Jean, the mousy preacher’s wife, has her fears confirmed at The Curl Up and Dye Salon. She goes way past GO, doesn’t collect her $200 and takes the path least taken by the usual dormat aka forgiving heroines that have been cheated on. I guess being a preacher’s wife she knows something about the fear of God because she lets Armageddon loose on her husband as well as his sidepiece.
I laughed so hard at her revenge which is multi-dimensional.
Patty Jean, the mousy preacher’s wife, has her fears confirmed at The Curl Up and Dye Salon. She goes way past GO, doesn’t collect her $200 and takes the path least taken by the usual dormat aka forgiving heroines that have been cheated on. I guess being a preacher’s wife she knows something about the fear of God because she lets Armageddon loose on her husband as well as his sidepiece.
I laughed so hard at her revenge which is multi-dimensional.
June 13, 2021
This is very different. Not a romance at all. The preachers wife finally confronts her husband's mistress and shaved a line in her red hair and broke her nose and it was humorously written. Very short and the men in this book were all weird or despicable.
March 20, 2017
Omg! So funny and it pulled me right in.
I can't wait to continue this series!!
I can't wait to continue this series!!
June 11, 2021
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Liked it!
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He looked down. He’d had some damn good blow jobs with his fists wrapped in hair that color.
“Conrad has been fornicating with Bobbette Paulson, and I’m tired of pretending I don’t know about it. The money is mine. I’m leaving him his last month’s salary, and it’s more than he deserves. Move it all now, please. I will wait.”
Her husband was a cheat. Her marriage was over. She’d known it for months, but today it was final.
Conrad had just met up with Bobbette at the Hollywood Motel and wasted no time getting naked. He was, as his daddy used to say, primed and ready to go. They were about to get down to business when his cell phone vibrated all the way across the end table beside the bed.
“Shut your mouth, Conrad. There is nothing on this earth I want to hear from you. You have defiled me. You slept with me at the same time you slept with your whore.
He’d blown a career and a marriage for the pleasure of Bobbette Paulson’s blow jobs. Looking back, he could honestly say it was not a good trade-off.
September 25, 2021
Now that’s how you treat a cheating husband! 😆😆😆😆😆
September 30, 2014
Check out my other reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!
When I saw who the author was on this, I really wanted to read it because I enjoyed another book by her last year. Granted, this one was only a novella but it was a good one. Better than a lot of novellas that I have read, actually.
First of all ... have you seen the movie Friday ... the one with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker? Great movie. Hilarious. Anyway, there is a scene in the movie where both guys say the word "DAMN!!". If you don't know what I'm talking about, Google it immediately. You need to see them say this because that is the EXACT way that I said damn when I was reading this book.
Getting dropped into the story like you are in this one is great. The author gives you a little moment of sink or swim because there are a lot of things going on. That's not necessarily a bad thing ... there are just quite a few names to keep track of. But it clears up really quickly and you get down to the nitty-gritty of the book and man, was it good. Have you ever heard that saying "A happy wife is a happy life"? Well, it's totally true. Especially in Color Me Bad. If you are a dude, write this down ... don't, under any circumstances, piss off your wife. You don't know how close to the edge that woman is and believe me when I say this, it's easier to just behave yourself than play Russian roulette with your junk. That didn't happen in the book and maybe it's a bit extreme ... but that is probably what goes through a woman's mind when you piss her off to the point that one poor sap did. Stupid, stupid man.
Anyhow ... this novella is full of humor and "damn" moments. Worth the read and it really piques your interest for the first novel in the series!!
August 29, 2013
Dollycas’s Thoughts
What a fun way to kick off a series!! Think Steel Magnolias but light! The beauty shop where this story kicks offs reminded me of the fun in that beauty shop. Plenty of drama but hilarious drama. I can’t remember the last time I laughed this much and hard when reading a book and I read books with quite a bit of humor.
Ruby Dye runs the Curl Up and Dye in Blessings, Georgia. She opened it after her divorce 12 years ago. Vesta and Vera Conklin, 40 something identical twins, work for Ruby. Mabel Jean Doolittle, the youngest of the group, does manicures, pedicures and the occasional shampoo. You know what happens in small and not so small town beauty shops – women and even men tell their hairdressers things they don’t even tell their friends and family. And gossip runs rampant through these towns and these shops.
Today a client walks in the Curl Up and Dye and when she leaves Blessings, Georgia will never be the same.
Sharon Sala herself says in the dedication “a fresh start is always a good idea”. This fresh start is just what I needed to read. I needed a funny story and this one served it up perfectly. The only bad news is that the we have to wait until February for the first full length book in this series. Try this novella and I guarantee you will be pre-ordering The Curl Up and Dye.
What a fun way to kick off a series!! Think Steel Magnolias but light! The beauty shop where this story kicks offs reminded me of the fun in that beauty shop. Plenty of drama but hilarious drama. I can’t remember the last time I laughed this much and hard when reading a book and I read books with quite a bit of humor.
Ruby Dye runs the Curl Up and Dye in Blessings, Georgia. She opened it after her divorce 12 years ago. Vesta and Vera Conklin, 40 something identical twins, work for Ruby. Mabel Jean Doolittle, the youngest of the group, does manicures, pedicures and the occasional shampoo. You know what happens in small and not so small town beauty shops – women and even men tell their hairdressers things they don’t even tell their friends and family. And gossip runs rampant through these towns and these shops.
Today a client walks in the Curl Up and Dye and when she leaves Blessings, Georgia will never be the same.
Sharon Sala herself says in the dedication “a fresh start is always a good idea”. This fresh start is just what I needed to read. I needed a funny story and this one served it up perfectly. The only bad news is that the we have to wait until February for the first full length book in this series. Try this novella and I guarantee you will be pre-ordering The Curl Up and Dye.
August 20, 2013
So happy I was able to read an ARC of this cute snappy little novella.
This e-book novella was just the little pick me I needed. I was feeling a bit blue but this book had me smiling and cheering in no time. Filled with Ms. Sala's trademark great characters, this fun and heartwarming novella will have you wanting to return to the town of Blessings again and again. Don't miss out on the start of what promises to be a great series
This e-book novella was just the little pick me I needed. I was feeling a bit blue but this book had me smiling and cheering in no time. Filled with Ms. Sala's trademark great characters, this fun and heartwarming novella will have you wanting to return to the town of Blessings again and again. Don't miss out on the start of what promises to be a great series
January 16, 2021
Patty June the Baptist pastor’s wife takes the buzz clippers to Bobette’s long red hair in Ruby’s Curl Up and Dye salon. She then puts all her bank money in her name alone and throws cheating hubby’s stuff outside the house.
And confronts the 3 church board guys that night.
The women end up championing her and she gets a new look and buys tickets for a month-long vacation in Italy.
And confronts the 3 church board guys that night.
The women end up championing her and she gets a new look and buys tickets for a month-long vacation in Italy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
I’m hooked. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.
August 17, 2020
Very short ends at 41%
Ok so this was a very short read of 4 chapters and ends at 41%.
With that being said it was actually kind of funny and entertaining. It doesn't just follow the Master and Party though. It has many characters. Reminds me of "cheers" where everyone knows your name.
Not sure yet if I will read the serious if it's humorous like this I just might.
Ok so this was a very short read of 4 chapters and ends at 41%.
With that being said it was actually kind of funny and entertaining. It doesn't just follow the Master and Party though. It has many characters. Reminds me of "cheers" where everyone knows your name.
Not sure yet if I will read the serious if it's humorous like this I just might.
February 23, 2014
excellent novella to introduce us to the characters of Blessing. Everything changes when Patty Jane, the pastor's wife, discovers that her husband is cheating on her. She wises up and decides she is not putting up with it and dumps him, gives his "floozy" a new hairdo and decides to change her look and her life. Her actions cause the other women in town to take a look at their own relationships and many find out there are things they never would have guessed.
There is a sneak peek into The Curl Up & Dye which is the new book released this month (Feb 2014). Definitely one I am going to have to pick up. Gotta love a small town!
There is a sneak peek into The Curl Up & Dye which is the new book released this month (Feb 2014). Definitely one I am going to have to pick up. Gotta love a small town!
March 3, 2015
This is a novella named "Color Me Bad" which is being re-introduced as "Count Your Blessings" . It is the prequel of the Curl Up and Dye series. The "Count Your Blessings" edition also includes the first few chapters of "I'll Stand by You", which is another in the Curl Up and Dye series. I am not sure it should be characterized as a romance, as there is no Happy Ever After in this story. It is just a humorous story, introducing the colorful characters of small town Blessings.
August 17, 2015
There really wasn't much story in this novella.. but just enough to make you want to read The Curl Up abd Dye right away.. which is my plan :)
May 22, 2021
2.5 Stars
I read this in conjunction with listening to the audio of book 1 (You and Only You.) While the beauty shop owner and employees, as well as a few townsfolk are mentioned in book 1, this isn't necessary to read prior to the rest of the series. It was mildly entertaining, but mostly introduced the reader to a few characters that might or might not be mentioned in later books. After also reading books 1&2, I can attest that you can skip it if novellas aren’t your thing. No romance. Mostly marital strife and women finally standing up for themselves.
August 20, 2019
Count Your Blessings
This is a great novella. I can't believe I had read all of the Blessings, Georgia series, yet had somehow never read Count Your Blessings. A great book to give you a taste of how wonderful a storyteller Sharon Sale truly is. You won't want to miss any of them.
This is a great novella. I can't believe I had read all of the Blessings, Georgia series, yet had somehow never read Count Your Blessings. A great book to give you a taste of how wonderful a storyteller Sharon Sale truly is. You won't want to miss any of them.
March 6, 2020
I’m enjoying the Blessing series & will read them all. My first in this series was her latest release The Way Back to You. I read it for My Brenda Novak book group & loved it. Sharon’s suspense books are also great
Read
March 1, 2023This is a very cute little novella with some charming characters. Very lighthearted.
September 4, 2013
In the tiny town of Blessings, Georgia the center of all social activity revolves around Ruby Dye's beauty shop, the Curl Up And Dye. Here Sister Dye (as everybody calls her) holds court with her two assistants, twins Vesta and Vera Conklin and manicurist Mabel Jean Doolittle. Eventually all the news in town comes through this little shop, good, bad, funny and sad.
Patty June Clymer, the wife of Conrad, the preacher at the Freewill Baptist Church, was in for her weekly appointment, and all was going well until the moment Bobette Paulson stepped in for a quick nail repair. That's when the hair went to flying as Patty June flipped out and Bobbette got an unexpected haircut of her own, as well as a bloody nose! Seems Patty June's revered husband had been cheating with Miss Bobette, and Patty June had had just enough of it.
As word spread like wildfire throughout Blessings of Patty June's explosion, the town husbands are set to scrambling to try and convince their wives that they are innocent and faithful. But when an off-hand remark by Patty June had Willa Dean Miller wondering about her own husband's activities, attitudes throughout the town began to change.
Funny how one little visit to the beauty shop can change an entire town!
This introduction to Sharon Sala's new series is just adorable. The main characters, Ruby Dye, the Conklin twins and Mabel Jean, are feisty and full of personality, and the secondary characters are just as full of sass and brass! They are the kind of folks you feel like you've known forever by the end of the first chapter! And Blessings, Georgia sounds like a fun little town with lots of adventures and calamities!
This is Southern fiction at it's absolute best! This new series shows off Sharon's great writing talent to a perfect shine, and I, for one, can't wait to visit Blessings, Georgia again! And the wait won't be too long - the full-length novel, "Curl Up And Dye" will be coming out in February, 2014! Mark your calendars now!
Patty June Clymer, the wife of Conrad, the preacher at the Freewill Baptist Church, was in for her weekly appointment, and all was going well until the moment Bobette Paulson stepped in for a quick nail repair. That's when the hair went to flying as Patty June flipped out and Bobbette got an unexpected haircut of her own, as well as a bloody nose! Seems Patty June's revered husband had been cheating with Miss Bobette, and Patty June had had just enough of it.
As word spread like wildfire throughout Blessings of Patty June's explosion, the town husbands are set to scrambling to try and convince their wives that they are innocent and faithful. But when an off-hand remark by Patty June had Willa Dean Miller wondering about her own husband's activities, attitudes throughout the town began to change.
Funny how one little visit to the beauty shop can change an entire town!
This introduction to Sharon Sala's new series is just adorable. The main characters, Ruby Dye, the Conklin twins and Mabel Jean, are feisty and full of personality, and the secondary characters are just as full of sass and brass! They are the kind of folks you feel like you've known forever by the end of the first chapter! And Blessings, Georgia sounds like a fun little town with lots of adventures and calamities!
This is Southern fiction at it's absolute best! This new series shows off Sharon's great writing talent to a perfect shine, and I, for one, can't wait to visit Blessings, Georgia again! And the wait won't be too long - the full-length novel, "Curl Up And Dye" will be coming out in February, 2014! Mark your calendars now!
August 16, 2013
4.5 Stars
I absolutely loved this story. I was hooked from the dedication. This is one of the best introductions to a series I’ve read. It had the feel of one of my favorite movies… Steel Magnolias. I was laughing so hard at one point my DD came to check on me. Let’s just say I might me giggling every time I see red hair for a while ;) I will not spoil any of this novella, you must read it. It doesn’t take long and will introduce you to many wonderful characters. It is a quick read and was over before I was ready. The pace is fairly fast, but flows nicely. The world building is complete and I could see the town and beauty parlor perfectly. For a novella the characters are remarkably complete and believable; I loved some and really disliked others. I’m looking forward to the next installment of the Curl Up and Dye series that’s going to be a full length novel.
(Copy received from publisher for honest review!)
Darker Passions
etc: typo
I absolutely loved this story. I was hooked from the dedication. This is one of the best introductions to a series I’ve read. It had the feel of one of my favorite movies… Steel Magnolias. I was laughing so hard at one point my DD came to check on me. Let’s just say I might me giggling every time I see red hair for a while ;) I will not spoil any of this novella, you must read it. It doesn’t take long and will introduce you to many wonderful characters. It is a quick read and was over before I was ready. The pace is fairly fast, but flows nicely. The world building is complete and I could see the town and beauty parlor perfectly. For a novella the characters are remarkably complete and believable; I loved some and really disliked others. I’m looking forward to the next installment of the Curl Up and Dye series that’s going to be a full length novel.
(Copy received from publisher for honest review!)
Darker Passions
etc: typo
May 19, 2015
This one is free right now.
This novella is the prequel to "I'll Stand by You" which comes out on June 2, 2015. I loved ISBY and when I saw this one was free, well, I snapped it up.
Count Your Blessings introduces us to Blessings, Georgia...a small town with a wide variety of folk. Some are great, some are not. Some are cheaters, some are survivors. I loved it.
Ruby Dye, the owner and proprietor of the "Curl Up and Dye" beauty salon is the thread that runs through this new series. Patty June (the preacher's wife) is getting her weekly wash and style when her husband's paramour waltzes in. Oh my gosh...I GASPED and then LAUGHED!
This just reads so real. Ms. Sala knows small towns, and the people who inhabit them.
As much as I loved this novella, I loved book 1, I'll Stand by You, even more. Read this one first, then grab your copy of it when it comes out tomorrow.
This novella is the prequel to "I'll Stand by You" which comes out on June 2, 2015. I loved ISBY and when I saw this one was free, well, I snapped it up.
Count Your Blessings introduces us to Blessings, Georgia...a small town with a wide variety of folk. Some are great, some are not. Some are cheaters, some are survivors. I loved it.
Ruby Dye, the owner and proprietor of the "Curl Up and Dye" beauty salon is the thread that runs through this new series. Patty June (the preacher's wife) is getting her weekly wash and style when her husband's paramour waltzes in. Oh my gosh...I GASPED and then LAUGHED!
This just reads so real. Ms. Sala knows small towns, and the people who inhabit them.
As much as I loved this novella, I loved book 1, I'll Stand by You, even more. Read this one first, then grab your copy of it when it comes out tomorrow.
May 5, 2015
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads
This short, wonderfully quirky read has filled my brain with fabulous, larger than life caricatures which I will be thinking about all day. The most exciting thing is that this is called pt 0.5, which suggests that there is more to come - for which I am delighted.
This is such a quick read that I would recommend it to anyone with an evening to spare, as it is fun, and full of promise for future installments. And I reckon most of us would recognise the people and the settings too!
This short, wonderfully quirky read has filled my brain with fabulous, larger than life caricatures which I will be thinking about all day. The most exciting thing is that this is called pt 0.5, which suggests that there is more to come - for which I am delighted.
This is such a quick read that I would recommend it to anyone with an evening to spare, as it is fun, and full of promise for future installments. And I reckon most of us would recognise the people and the settings too!
August 5, 2016
Count Your Blessing, formerly titled Color Me Bad, by Sharon Sala is a short introduction into the Curl Up and Dye series that revolves around the ladies in a small town called Blessings, Georgia – and the beauty & hair salon they either work at or go to.
This was a fun read, especially if you enjoy revenge stories, or, like so many women have felt vindictive towards cheating, lazy, know-it-all husbands. Of course this was more a caricature than reality, but it’s entertaining to read how the Patty June Clymer put her cheating husband and his mistress in their place, and how she finally took ownership of her life.
Fun, fun, fun!
This was a fun read, especially if you enjoy revenge stories, or, like so many women have felt vindictive towards cheating, lazy, know-it-all husbands. Of course this was more a caricature than reality, but it’s entertaining to read how the Patty June Clymer put her cheating husband and his mistress in their place, and how she finally took ownership of her life.
Fun, fun, fun!
August 30, 2013
I received an ARC of this short story being released in September 2013. The women of Blessings, Georgia immediately pull you into their lives. As you turn the pages, you want to know more about the dramas within the town and how the women come together. If you are a fan of Steel Magnolias, this book will be a fun read to see whether the ladies from The Curl Up and Dye capture your heart. Looking forward to learning more about the ladies in Curl Up and Dye coming out in February 2014.
June 25, 2016
I got this as a free e-book from Barnes & Noble. While the story is amusing, it lacks any real draw or punch for me. The pace is slow overall despite being dramatic. It's okay because it is amusing and does a good job of painting very clear pictures. I can't rate it as more than that since it didn't really hold my attention or leave me wanting more of these characters in the end. Sad since I've really enjoyed some of Sala's other works in the past.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2013
I love Sharon Sala. She is a great author from romance to mystery and spy thriller. This is a delightful short story about a hair salon in a small southern town. The girls get the scoop on everyone and when the preachers wife goes after another patron with the clippers, the sparks fly. Enjoy this quick read and the first of a series.
May 12, 2015
aka Count Your Blessings
December 31, 2015
Nice quick story
Read
June 24, 2015*3.5 stars*
October 16, 2025
Author: Sharon Sala
Title: Count Your Blessings
Series: Blessings, Georgia, #0.5
Cover Rating:
Bronze star
Book Rating:
5 stars
About the Book:
As the respectable wife of the town preacher, Patty June Clymer never thought she'd have to worry about a cheating husband. But when things come to a head, Patty decides to take charge of her life by kicking her no-good husband out her house, and getting a total makeover at the popular local salon. With a new spiky black haircut and a new outlook on life, Patty goes from mousy and meek to living large and in charge, and fairly starts a revolution in the small town of Blessings, Georgia.
My Thoughts:
I thought Count Your Blessings was a fantastic story of rebirth and finding yourself again. I know plenty of people that have had to start their lives over again after a failed relationship crashed and burned. There are so many out there that can understand the emotional pains it takes to rebuild both your life, reputation and your self esteem when it all falls apart. Count Your Blessings is a story that sets a perfect example of rebuilding yourself and the world you live in and the process it takes to face it all. Its short but every page is delightfully wonderful. Patty is a great reminder to everyone that strength is always within you and that no matter how bad it hurts life is still waiting to embrace you with open and victorious arms. Even for Patty in Blessings.
Disclaimer:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Note:
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Title: Count Your Blessings
Series: Blessings, Georgia, #0.5
Cover Rating:
Bronze star
Book Rating:
5 stars
About the Book:
As the respectable wife of the town preacher, Patty June Clymer never thought she'd have to worry about a cheating husband. But when things come to a head, Patty decides to take charge of her life by kicking her no-good husband out her house, and getting a total makeover at the popular local salon. With a new spiky black haircut and a new outlook on life, Patty goes from mousy and meek to living large and in charge, and fairly starts a revolution in the small town of Blessings, Georgia.
My Thoughts:
I thought Count Your Blessings was a fantastic story of rebirth and finding yourself again. I know plenty of people that have had to start their lives over again after a failed relationship crashed and burned. There are so many out there that can understand the emotional pains it takes to rebuild both your life, reputation and your self esteem when it all falls apart. Count Your Blessings is a story that sets a perfect example of rebuilding yourself and the world you live in and the process it takes to face it all. Its short but every page is delightfully wonderful. Patty is a great reminder to everyone that strength is always within you and that no matter how bad it hurts life is still waiting to embrace you with open and victorious arms. Even for Patty in Blessings.
Disclaimer:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Note:
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews