I really enjoyed this one. I haven't read the previous books .

I will be reading more books of this author in the future.

Tessa is married to an amazing man, someone who saved her from a past that was not all the great. She is not set off on her own because he can't seem to love her the way she craves and she hopes to find the independence she craves when she find what feel like home in Sanctuary island. Johnny come home from a hell of a two year undercover operation, he knew if he could just get home and to his wife life would be right again. However she has gone and now he sets off to convince her he needs her to come home, but when he arrives on Sanctuary Island he's in for a surprise of his own and now he doesn't know what to do from here. Can he win her love and convince her there marriage was something beyond name or will it be to late?
I was so excited to get my hands on this book, I have fallen in love with Sanctuary Island and the fun characters there. This story was no different I loved this fun group of characters and I can not wait to read Marcus' story next. I loved how in this story from beginning to the end the storyline grabs your attention and keeps you all the way through. I love how the author throws in a twist just when you think you have it all figured out or you think whats going to happen next. I also really enjoyed the small element of suspense in the book it just seem to tie everything together. I also really enjoyed how she kept the characters relatable. The book does have some adult scenarios and may not be enjoyable for all readers. I will say this if you have or have not been following this series grab this book its so worth the read and you wont regret it.

There is nothing quite like discovering a new favourite author and after devouring Lily Everett’s latest title, Close to Home, I found myself unable to stop myself from buying up her entire backlist!

Tessa Alexander was head over heels in love with her husband, Johnny. Her husband was the embodiment of every single romantic fantasy she had ever had, but their marriage was not the fairy tale she had always longed for. While Johnny had always shown her the utmost of respect, he had never loved Tessa as much as she loved him. Realizing that she could not continue to punish herself by remaining in a marriage with a man who could never give her the love that she wanted, Tessa had realised that she had no other option but to set them both free and walk out on her marriage. Tessa had packed her bags and headed to Sanctuary Island, a picturesque town that had quickly become home. In Sanctuary Island, Tessa has found the fulfillment, happiness and peace which she always craved – even though she knows that a part of her heart will always be broken for it will never see Johnny ever again. But destiny seems to have other ideas for her..

Having spent two years working undercover, Johnny had been unable to let his wife in on his dangerous mission and into his dark and dissolute world. Johnny had been absolute stunned when he had come back home to find Tessa had walked out of his life and every single trace of her removed from their marital home. Determined to get back the woman he loves, Johnny decides to track down Tessa and convince her to come back home with him. However, when he finds her in Sanctuary Island, he soon comes to the conclusion that Tessa is not the shy wallflower he had married, but has matured into a strong, beautiful and vivacious woman. But with Tessa not wanting to give their marriage another try, Johnny realises that he must make his wife fall back in love with him again. But will he succeed in his quest?

Tessa is adamant to let bygones be bygones and to consign her relationship to the past, but resisting her husband proves easier said than done. But are undeniable chemistry and red-hot passion enough to convince Tessa to give their love another try?

Close to Home is a stunning work of contemporary romantic fiction! I was drawn into this wonderfully written, emotionally satisfying and wholly mesmerizing tale from the very first page and I found myself having to force myself to put the book down. Lily Everett is a wonderfully lyrical writer who makes you feel every single emotion her characters are going through. Tessa and Johnny’s love story is tender, believable, heart-wrenching and heartwarming and readers would do better to keep a box of tissues close by because they will be taken on an emotional rollercoaster ride they will not easily forget!

A first class romance from a terrific writer I’ve added to my auto-buy list, Close to Home is a compelling, mature and absolutely outstanding tale I recommend to readers who enjoy smart, intelligent and emotional contemporary romances.

I’m a big fan of second chance romances and I also love reading stories that tackle life after marriage, but somehow – and I’m still not entirely sure why – this book lost me along the way. It started off well, with Johnny coming back to his real life after so long undercover to find that his wife was gone. So he went after her and… well, there was something about Tessa that I couldn’t quite warm to. I understood her need for independence, but the way she went about it was pretty hard on Johnny and half the time it wasn’t independence she was clinging to so much as stubbornness.

I found Johnny a lot easier to like and sympathise with. He’s a protective kind of guy and once rescued Tessa from a bad situation. Yes, his view of her does need to be updated because she’s clearly not still the waif he originally married, but at least he’s willing to try. He’s a loyal man who has every intention of honouring his marriage vows, even if he isn’t the best at opening up about his hurts. He’s a good man and I liked him, despite his bouts of over protectiveness.

I don’t know why I didn’t like Tessa as much. Part of it is the way she ran away from Johnny and continues to push him away because, boo hoo, he doesn’t lover he like she loves him and she needs to be independent now, so long, thanks for the memories. She doesn’t even seem to want to try when Johnny wants to patch up the cracks in their marriage. I just didn’t have much patience for her, to be honest.

And I never felt any chemistry between them. They have a lot of history together, so I could see why Johnny didn’t want to let that go, but I could never see why they loved each other. Well, I could understand Tessa since Johnny had been her hero for so many years, but since she didn’t want him doing anything for her anymore… yeah. I struggled with the romance.

This was probably not helped by the secondary romance that runs alongside this one, setting things up for the next book. I liked secretive Marcus and his gruff, grumpy ways, but Quinn really got on my nerves. Perky and pushy people are not my favourites to read about, especially when they’re riding roughshod over other people’s wishes.

So overall this was an okay read for me. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I’d read all of the previous books, but mostly I struggled to remain interested in the characters for the whole book and I wasn’t as invested in seeing them overcome their problems as I would have expected. On the strength of this read I’m not sure I’d be interested in trying the rest of the series, but since I’ve already been offered the next one for review, I guess I’ll try again and see how I feel after that.

Close to Home by Lily Everett
Sanctuary Island #5

Johnny and Teri/Tessa – I have mixed feelings. The story is sweet and flows but I have trouble believing it could really happen. That said, it is fiction so it may not have to be believable?

What I liked:
* Tessa’s strength whether as Teri or as she has emerged as Tessa
* Johnny’s kindness and caring
* The supporting characters
* The lead into Quinn and Johnny’s story (hope it is next)

What I didn’t like:
* The lack of true communication between Johnny & Teri during their eight years of marriage – had trouble believing their relationship could have been as it was for so long
* The fact that Johnny was not willing to see that his time undercover impacted his behavior and he had things to work through – he did sort of figure it out, though
* The easy resolution to many issues: marriage, where they would live, etc.
* The twist that brought danger to Teri

All in all this was a sweet second chance at love love story with likable characters and a HEA with a great lead into the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.

3.5 Stars

Johnny Alexander, special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) returns from an 18 month mission, as disguised, and receives a bomb news: 1 year ago his wife had left an envelope for him with a farewell letter and the divorce papers. After 10 years of marriage, Terri left leaving behind only papers.
Wanting to get his life back, and his marriage, Johnny wants to find out the whereabouts of his wife, but for that, he would have to undergo a program of re-adaptation to society, after living in a hostile environment. He goes for Sanctuary Island.

Terri Alexander, or rather, Tessa Mulligan, was happy with her new life, working on Patty Cakes.
She didn't divorce from J because she didn't love him, in fact, she still loved him, but their marriage was a farce and she preferred him to be free to find someone he could love.

Upon arriving in the small town, J barely recognized his wife, more beautiful and smiling, as he had never seen her before. He asks her another chance: 1 month so he could show her that their marriage was worth it. She accepts on condition of both being in therapy together.

This period is one of discovery. Tessa barely knew her husband's past, as he knew all about her past; He paid for the treatment of her illness; and He protected her like no one else had ever done before.

But she didn't want a protector. She wanted a husband indeed. She wanted to be loved.
But J's past contained a history of suffering that led him to believe that he no longer had a chance to love.
Until once again Tessa is in danger and his protective sense is triggered, and the fear of losing her takes care of his soul...

As secondary characters, there are the couple Marcus Beckett and Quinn Harper, who are not exactly a couple, but are just having fun together.
Marcus is 10 years older than Quinn and sees no possibility of any compromise between them, while Quinn, always cheerful, wants to prove to Marcus that he is wrong.

A delightful story with a sweet and calm narrative and an ending that leaves the reader wanting to know the rest of the series.
This is the first book of this author I read and I really enjoyed it.
5 stars

They are calling this Sanctuary Island #5 but I have read every book in this series and it goes back to 4 books in the The Billionaire Brothers series and then 4 books in The Billionaire Bachelors series were all Sanctuary Island books and totally entertaining and enjoyable. Now we have the previous 4 books in the "official" Sanctuary Island series to which we are not adding this book "Closer To Home" and a month later adding "Home At Last" which will most likely be about a couple we see in this book and to be honest some of the most unlikable parts of this book are actually about THAT couple and not our main couple of Johnny and Tessa.

The stumbling "romance" of this book was a bit strange since our couple have been legally married for several years but it was a marriage of pity to get Tessa some much needed medical treatment and he has never really seen her as a "wife" which is the main point of this story.

There is a bit of mystery "bad guy" that adds to the excitement and you will never see coming, it was a nice touch and did not get blown into a full "thriller" type plot so it did not detract from the romance of the story but does give the story a bit more depth.

Bottom Line: Another great entertaining romantic story of Sanctuary Island and as I mentioned earlier, most of the distasteful parts of this story had to do with the "other" couple that we will be seeing much more of in "Home At Last" so 4 Stars it is and highly recommended. I should mention that this book really requires no previous knowledge of previous books but I would recommend reading them because they are all great and will add a bit more enjoyment to this story.

My first time reading this author. This is a clean romance story about second chances.
Tessa ran away from her home at the age of seventeen. Her family lived in a commune and never ventured out into town. But Tessa gets sick and her mother takes her to the doctor and she is diagnosed with seizures, that can b treated with meds. Her father refuses, she runs away and ends up in a barn on Johnny's farm. He is a couple of years older and takes her in and marries her at eighteen.
Johnny was in the Army and the joined ATF. He was undercover for twenty seven months, when he comes out, Tessa has left and left him divorce papers to sign. Johnny isn't giving her up without a fight. So he locates her on a tiny island working in a bakery. Happier than he's ever seen her. They both agree to couples counseling.
Tessa has loved Johnny from the moment she meet him and eight years later hasn't changed that. But she needs his love in return and he doesn't believe in love. He believes in his promise to protect her. Can they work past their problems to find their way back to each other?
Secrets. Secondary characters interesting. Not exactly a cliffhanger but you know there will have to be a book about them. Better than I expected.

Sometimes we don't realize what we have until it's gone. How late is too late, though?

Johnny and Tessa had a marriage of convenience. It wasn't a relationship based on love with a solid foundation. Well, at least it wasn't for Johnny. Tessa, though, she wanted to be Johnny's wife. One person can't hold a marriage together on their own. Johnny learned this when the Dear John letter arrived.

As the marriage is unraveling Johnny may have discovered that there was more to his feelings. Maybe he wasn't done after all. What if he's too late, though? Lily brings us a story of a couple on the verge of an ending marriage if you can even call it that.

This was an emotional read, I wanted nothing more than for Johnny and Tessa to work through their problems, with a side of he doesn't deserve her, and a splash of she isn't ready for this. I was sucked in from the beginning and was more than happy to be held captive throughout this book.

4 - "Give us a month." Stars!

Close to Home takes me back to one of my most favorite places; Sanctuary Island, this is the fifth book in Lily Everett’s captivating series.

IMAGE.

I absolutely adored Johnny and Tessa Alexander’s story, a couple who have been man and wife for years, but have never really lived as man & wife so much so that Tessa decides it’s time to up-sticks and make a fresh start for herself on Sanctuary while Johnny is deep undercover and knows nothing about it.

"I’m not the meek, mousy weakling you married."

This isn’t your standard romance in the respect that this is a married couple. But I liked that the author took their situation and ran with it. Tessa’s early life plays a huge part in the reasonings as to why they were married in the first place, and Johnny with the ghosts in his past and a massive hero complex, just cannot accept that she has moved on and no longer needs his protection, as such it takes him the length of the journey to arrive on the Island to decide he is going to win her back, but she’s not the girl he left behind, she’s a woman, and one who has been managing on her own very well, thank you very much.

"I want to live. I want to love, and be loved."

Their reconnection was sweet and poignant, both of them have secretly been lusting after the other the whole time they have been married, but it takes the threat of divorce for Johnny to step up and admit to his feelings.

"You’re every fantasy I’ve had for years. Give me a chance to prove what kind of husband I can be…"

There is a little suspense running through the plot as well as great inclusion from Marcus and Quinn, this is the couple who the next book in the series focuses on, and from what you see of their coming together in Close to Home and subsequent separation, I am expecting great things from their story Home at Last, which is due for release early March.

"Sanctuary Island is pretty wonderful. I can’t imagine ever wanting to live anywhere else."

I love this series, the Island, it’s inhabitants, it’s like taking a holiday in your mind while sitting on the periphery and watching a really good love story unfold.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.

Review:

A beautiful book written with a simple and elegance that translates into a storyline that will captivate you till the very end. While the main element of romance has been given full reign to bloom, its the shadow of the suspense and thrill that gives a punch of flavor that made it a more interesting read.

The lead characters can only be described as beautiful - with their strength of personality and multiple facets of behaviour, it becomes quite easy for readers to fall in love with them and root for their romance. However, though I understand the ourpose of introducing secondary characters, considering this is a series, I did not like the fact that a whole new plot was happening within the main plot and which in my opinion, was not required at all.

While the title is perfect for the book looking at the characters and how they interact within the plot, the cover image does look more like a Nicholas Sparks book rather than reflecting its own identity.

My opinion: A sweet and quick read that will make you want to start the complete series.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Tessa and John did not have much of a marriage so while John was working undercover Tessa went off to discover who she really was and she started a divorce proceeding thinking she would free John. Turns out John did not want to be free. This was a lot about learning about yourself and trusting your partner. Both Tessa and John had a lot to overcome and had to discover who the other really was. A nice romance with several premises that are unusual in romance stories. Both were wonderful characters who pulled at my heart strings and had me pulling for them from the very first page of the book. This was not my first visit to Sanctuary Island and it was good to be back. The next book is out soon and it was easy to see who the next two to find an HEA will be. I received a free copy of Close to Home in return for an honest review.

Tessa had spent years waiting for her husband, Johnny, to return the love she so freely gave to him. After wait so long with no results, she has given up hope and found the strength to walk away. She loves him just that much. She left to give him the freedom to choose the one he did want. Johnny had been keeping more than his love away from his wife. He had been living a completely, separate life. Now that he was free of the obligation that tied his hands and his words he was ready to make things work out with his wife. It was just a bit too late to do so.

I found this installment of Sanctuary Island to be beautiful. A man that wanted the idea of a life with that one woman but had not the foresight to see that what he had was not going to wait forever. A woman that gave up the idea of having that forever. Opting to live again and not wait on the sidelines. I found a rich compelling romance of taking that second chance and making it more than a lifetime with that someone. Johnny and Tessa had much to overcome. The needed to get to know each other all over again. Everett had me turning pages and consuming the read like it was all that I could think of. The connection and passion Johnny and Tessa shared was lovely. The words on the pages made you want to sit up and take notice.

How do you find your way back home? Johnny is back from being undercover but his wife has left him and he can't accept that. He needs Tessa more than ever and he will find her and let her make up her own mind. Tessa had to leave, she was dying inside everyday as she loves her husband but it is a loveless marriage and she deserves more. So she is shocked when he comes to look for her and asks for another chance.
Can Johnny really want a real marriage with her or will she be the one that he will always want to save? Tessa wants to give him another chance and she hopes that he wants a proper marriage and that they can move forward but he has shown her that things will not change.
Tessa knows that Johnny needs to let her go so that they can both move forward even though she loves him. Johnny knows that something is going on with his new landlord Marcus, he is hiding something and Johnny wants to know what it is. But Marcus isn't willing to talk and he wants no one to know his business even the pretty little thing from his past. Will Johnny be able to trust him even to look after Tessa if need be.
Will Johnny & Tessa get another chance at happiness or will someone from her past take it all away?
A great story of love, forgiveness and new beginnings. I was lucky enough to receive a copy for my honest thoughts via Netgalley & the publishing house.

Loved this and loved returning to Sanctuary Island! This is a wonderful story of Tessa, a woman who loves her husband with her whole heart. She loves him enough to let him go so he can find a woman who will fill his heart. Johnny is a man who loves deeply but doesn't quite know how to show it. He thinks he's giving his wife what she needs but when he returns from an undercover assignment to find her gone, he has to face the fact that he needs to fight for her and show her exactly what she means to him. Their marriage may have started out unconventionally but anything worth having is worth fighting for.

I highly recommend this one.
Don't miss the hilarity of this book. I definitely recommend it.

Girl in crisis, Man with a savior complex, and a marriage-of-convenience story is born.

I enjoy a good marriage-of-convenience story and because the wedding happened 8 years prior to the beginning of this book, it's actually a marriage romance story. I love this since married romances are under-represented within this genre. Usually, it's all leading up to a wedding.

Johnny has just completed a successful and long undercover stint with ATF only to discover that his wife has left, leaving behind divorce papers. Johnny married Tessa to rescue her from a life that was detrimental to her health. Tessa was young and being honorable, Johnny would only allow the marriage to be in-name-only. Tessa loved Johnny, but never felt it returned and was relinquishing him of his vows. Making a new life on Sanctuary Island, Tessa becomes a stronger and more independent woman. Johnny wants his wife back and Tessa wants his love.

This story had all the elements of a great romance novel with some added suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved that I finally delved into Lily Everett's Sanctuary Island life. I immediately fell for Johnny and rooted for his recovery and reconciliation with Tessa. Both of their back stories were unique and heartbreaking and added to a potentially grand love story. My only qualm was that I feel like there could have been more development to the their overall story line. This may have been due to secondary story line that intertwined with Johnny and Tessa's romance. I didn't mind reading about Marcus and Quinn's beginning romance, but I wish it hadn't taken away from what could have been devoted to more of Johnny and Tessa's. At the same time, I look forward to continuing Marcus and Quinn's story in the next book. I've already purchased some of the previous books and look forward to discovering more about this fictional place.

Tessa and Johnny had a marriage of convenience. Johnny had married Tessa to protect her but he had never touched her intimately. They had been married for close to eight years and he had never touched her. Not that he didn't want to but she was innocent and he was not. His job made him a dark, dangerous person and he didn't want to hurt her. He had his own demons to deal with.

Johnny was an ATF agent and had been working deep undercover for the past year and a half after having been gone for multiple tours of duty in the army. Now he was finally coming home and all he wanted was to see his wife, Terri. However, when he got home, Terri wasn't there. She had left him a note telling him that she was leaving him along with divorce papers for him to sign. He was crushed but determine to find her and win back his wife. He didn't love her. He just couldn't love anyone anymore, but he cared deeply for her and wanted to protect her.

He finally found that she had moved to Sanctuary Island to start her life over. She had changed her name and now went by Tessa instead of Terri. She had cut her hair and she had made friends and was happy. He had never seen her really happy before. He knew he should let her go but he just couldn't leave her. He wanted her with everything that was in him but he just couldn't love her.

Tessa had loved Johnny from the first day she had met him but she wanted more from him. She wanted a real marriage with love and intimacy. She knew he could never love her so she needed to let him go. It was the only fair thing to do but she was going to miss him terribly. He agreed to sign the divorce papers and leave if they would go to couples counseling together and the equine therapy center on the island.

Could they both open up their hearts again and risk the heartache that might bring? Would it be worth the risk?

I enjoyed this story. Tessa had started out kind of mousy and dependent on Johnny for protection but she had blossomed and become strong and independent and realized that she wanted more from her life than she had had in her marriage. She wanted to be loved. Johnny had secrets and pain from his past that he had never shared with Tessa because the pain was just too great. These were two damaged souls who needed to learn to communicate with one another in order to have what they really wanted.

There was mystery, as well as romance in this story. This story wasn't without some descriptive sex scenes, which I don't particularly enjoy. I realize that is a personal preference, however.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love visiting Sanctuary Island and the wonderful local community of friends and family. Johnny has been undercover for two years serving the ATF. Now he's finished and looking forward to coming home to his wife. Tessa loved her husband Johnny with all her heart but was sure he only married her to protect her. She delivered divorce papers to his boss and relocated to Sanctuary Island, becoming an apprentice baker. Now Johnny is moving onto the island, determined to win his wife back. Great writing and a love story that is an insight into communication and sacrifice. All the books in this series can stand alone but you'll want to read them all. Lily Everett is a great writer and the series Billionaire Brothers is also available.

In Close to Home by Lily Everett, when Johnny comes off a long, gruelling undercover assignment with the FBI, he's looking forward to going home again. To his wife. He is shocked to discover that in his absence, Terri, as he knows her, has left him, left their home, and worst of all left divorce papers for him to sign. Johnny is not giving up his marriage without a fight, even if it was more of a marriage of convenience. He's always wanted more with Terri than he's let on, and with Terri living her life without him, he knows he has to try to get one last chance with her. His agency has mandated him to take time off and get therapy after his undercover life...which sends him not only to Sanctuary Island for just that, but to Terri who has made her home there. John is the last person Terri expects to see walk through the bakery door where she works, and this unexpected version of his wife, who actually prefers to be called Tessa now, is a surprise for Johnny.

Tessa is finally living life for her, doing what she needs to do even if she is saddened at the thought of a marriage that never really was breaking up. Feelings had been left unspoken, desires not acted upon. On Sanctuary Cove they might have their last chance at finding what they both really want if they can be open, honest. Along with the help of couples therapy, do they stand a chance? Can their marriage work a second time around?

I really enjoyed Close to Home by Lily Everett. She brought the characters to life for me in a setting I'd love to visit! Johnny and Tessa have both been through a lot, and how they came together initially led to more of a convenient marriage. But as their feelings towards one another changed, neither of them would admit it, being sure that the other couldn't possibly feel the same way. Watching Johnny and Tessa work through this, acknowledge each other and their feelings, really made me feel for them separately and together. I admired Tessa and what she was doing, even if I didn't necessarily like how she tried to end things with Johnny. Johnny I really liked as well, and I really felt bad for him, coming out of a dark assignment to find out his wife had left him...via a "Dear John" letter. I liked how he pursued Tessa without being stalkerish,and really tried to understand. I liked that finally the communication seemed to be happening between them, because even if neither had declared their love, I could sure feel it between them. With Johnny's job not on Sanctuary Island, and Tessa's new life on Sanctuary Island, I was intrigued to see if they could make things work between them, what would happen next?

Lily Everett also gives us a little mystery/suspense in Close to Home, in a very unexpected way!

I liked the side story that is woven in and connected to the main plot. It worked very well to enhance the main plot and at the same time made me wonder what will happen in the next book in this series.

The setting of Sanctuary Island was the perfect place for Tessa and Johnny to try to pick up the pieces. I loved the sense of community I felt, the connections, and the caring. There are some great secondary characters that are a strong part of this community!

Close to Home has great flow and I fell into this story easily. The conclusion was unexpected and made me feel so good! Close to Home is part of the Sanctuary Island series, but can easily be read as a stand alone. I'd recommend Close to Home to any romance reader!

Tessa has moved to Sanctuary Island to start over after leaving her husband because he believes he doesn't really love her. She is now blooming as a baker and loving her new home. Johnny has spent the last 10 years
working undercover for the government and loving the wife he has spent so much time away from. When he comes home to divorce papers, he tracks Tessa down and is determined to win his wife back. Lily Everett is in a class of her own when it comes to writing love stories that rip your heart out then, put it back together piece by piece. This book does not disappoint..