Close to Home by Lily Everett
Published by St. Martin’s Press on February 7th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
The best journeys take us home…. When Tessa Alexander came to Sanctuary Island, she left behind a marriage to a man who didn’t love her the way she loved him. When she finally found the strength to set them both free, she discovered friendship and self-acceptance in her adopted hometown. Now she’s settled into a quiet life on her own—never expecting to see her husband again.
Johnny spent almost two years deep undercover, unable to let his wife into his cold, dangerous world. He’s shaken to the core when he comes home to find her gone. It’s painfully clear that Tessa is no longer the timid young woman he married—she’s become a force of nature, a brave and determined beauty. Johnny can’t let her go without a fight so he sets out to seduce his own wife. But will passion alone be enough to convince Tessa that her new life should include a second chance at happiness with a man who must learn to believe in love?
This is the first book by Lily Everett that I’ve had the opportunity to read. Although Close to Home is the fifth book in the Sanctuary Island series, I had no problem reading this as a standalone.
Close to Home is the story of Tessa and Johnny. They’ve been married for a long time but it hasn’t been what’s considered a “normal” marriage. Johnny married Tessa to save her at a time in her life that she needed help. Johnny is gone a lot with his undercover work, sometimes being gone for up to a year or more. When he returns from an undercover job that lasted almost two years he finds out that his wife has left him and has divorce papers for him to sign.
Even though Tessa is gone, Johnny’s not willing to lose her. He knows that he loves her, and he believes that she still loves him. Johnny is able to track her down to Sanctuary Island, but she’s changed into a grown up woman who makes choices and decisions without hesitation. Instead of putting him off, this makes Tessa even more desirable than Johnny ever thought possible.
Tessa has also decided that she will not accept a partner who shuts down portions of his life, even if it is for good reason. At the same time, Johnny has learned that if he has to hide portions of his life, he can never truly love someone completely. Together they find a way to balance their lives together.
Close to Home is a heartwarming second chance romance full of the hope for new beginnings.
Lily Everett grew up in a small town in central Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although she’s lived many other places since, from college in Philadelphia to her first job in New York City and her current home in Austin, Texas, she never forgot the beauty and warmth of her little hometown.
She is thrilled to be writing the Sanctuary Island series full time because it allows her to combine her longstanding love of romance with the memories of her childhood home.
You can follow her on her Official Website HERE!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for joining the blog tour and providing my review! Thanks so much St. Martin’s Press!
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