I walked into this book not knowing it was part of series - in fact, I didn't know it was a series until after I finished it, which goes to show how wonderful of a standalone this book is! Quinn and Marcus have some serious chemistry, and I love that the author jumps right into the middle of it.

The book starts with a quick jaunt to the past, where Marcus is twenty two and Quinn, twelve. The longing of a first crush, the deep, dark rage that's over Marcus...it's so real! Then we jump forward into the here-and-now, more than a decade later, where Marcus has returned, opened a bar, and slept with - and subsequently broke up with - Quinn.

The struggle these two have with each other is alternately frustrating and exhilarating. Marcus doesn't think he's good enough for Quinn, but his real problem is the simmering anger he has from a lifetime of perceived disappointments. Quinn is bouncy, bubbly, and happy - but her transformation from happy-go-lucky to, well, wiser and more grown up is well paced through the story.

The subplot with Quinn's parents had me fully invested in their relationship, too - but no spoilers on that one. It was as romantic as Quinn and Marcus, but with such a gut-wrenching journey! Somehow, Everett managed to keep them in the background, but I was hooked on what was going to happen next.

This story had me smiling and laughing, covering my mouth with surprise, and tearing up. I went on a Lily Everett buying spree immediately upon finding out this is a series! Highly recommended.

reviewed by Jem Stone

I loved this book and i just adored Marcus and Quinn he was such a great guy trying to do the right.I just love the fake relationships books and this was a super read and a great addition to the series.

There is something about a fake relationship that makes it all that more enjoyable when they fall for real.

Lily gives us this and so much more in Home at Last. Marcus is back in Sanctuary Island after being gone for too long. Looking for a change of pace, he seduces the town sweetheart. If only it was that easy. When things go wrong, and it seems that the entire town is now mad at Marcus, Quinn comes to his rescue.

Overall this was a great read. There was humor, emotions ran high, there was heartbreak. This book has everything including the romance. This was my first read by Lily and it most definitely will not be my last. There was so much to love. If you're looking for something to make you smile, with just enough drama, there is no need to continue looking. Lily has written the book just for you.

I liked this book. It dragged a bit with the back and forth angst but the message was great. I hope she keeps writing about this Island.

After reading Close to Home, I was anxious for Marcus and Quinn's story. While this is a stand alone- I think the reader would greatly benefit from reading Close to Home and get the beginnings of Marcus and Quinn. They have already broken up in this book and you miss the hot-sexy romance they initially had.

The story line with Quinn's parents was one I still can't wrap my head around and give a review of. I wanted to smack Ingrid for falling for bull and the stupid Dr. Ron doesn't even come across as believable. I guess this shapes up the story that Quinn got her carefree, jump here to there attitude so in that sense it's spot on.

Marcus has a wall around his heart that we get to see crumble and for that this story was very sweet, heartwarming and romantic.

This is only my 2nd book by this author and about Sanctuary Island. In my opinion it does not stand alone. You really must read the book right before this one called Close to Home., it introduces Quinn and Marcus and you also get the beginnings of Quinn and Marcuses relationships. This book really doesn't go over what happens in that book so for you to get the best impact of their prior relationship I suggest you read it before.

While I enjoyed Close to Home, this book I LOVED!! A million times more.I fell hard for Quinn and Marcus in Close to Home and they were even better in this book.

This story was really terrific, like the previous book which featured two love stories this book also featured two love stories. It continues Marcus and Quinns romance but it introduced Quinn's parents romance. I totally found that really special about this story and loved it.

The book starts with a prologue which takes place 10 years before when Marcus' mother has just died and Quinn is 12 and has a huge crush on Marcus. Marcus is enlisting and leaving town and she is comofrting him about his loss and saying goodbye.

The book then opens up in the present and takes place right after the previous book ended. In it Quinn and Marcus are neighbors and since he dumped her the town won't visit his bar. Quinn comes to him with a proposition where they fake get back together in the hopes it will help her parents relationship while it will also get the town to forgive him for dumping her and start visiting his bar again.

Marcus is pretty done for with Quinn and he agrees to help. The issue with Quinn's parents is much bigger than anyone would guess and Quinn and marcus end up living with Quinn's parents. The book includes Quinn and Marcus' view point but also her father as he struggles in his relationship with his wife.

I really love that we got to see Quinn and Marcus' fun lovig relationship but it was great to see a relationship of a 60 year old coupe as they faced their issues.

When it came to Quinn, Marcus always made time for her, “we’re supposed to open up the bar in half an hour,” he said, already reaching for her." I liked this book, Marcus was a good guy.

This book picks up immediately where [book:Close to Home|30989295] ends and honestly I would recommend reading that book first to see how the relationship between Marcus and Quinn started and ended before this series entry. This was a sweet contemporary romance with the fake relationship trope that turns into love. In this novel perhaps more so than others the healing powers of Sanctuary Island are really put to the test not only for Marcus and Quinn but also for Quinn's parents. In some ways watching the relationship of Quinn's parents at times took higher priority in the story than Quinn and Marcus. But then their failing relationship was the whole reason for the engagement charade.
This was a great entry in the series and I look forward to seeing more of Sanctuary Island.

Although there are a few books within the Sanctuary series, they do not have to be read in order. I have not read all of them and yet I do not feel lost when I do pick one up. This is the third I have read though and let me warn you, once you start reading these you will not want to stop.

This one was really exciting because we meet Quinn and Marcus in Sanctuary Island #5. I knew enough about their relationship thanks to the brief encounters the other characters on Sanctuary Island had with them so getting into this one was really easy. Also, fortunately some of the older characters make a come back as well, although not very often.

Quinn and Marcus started their relationship with a bang in Close to Home but they both have some issues they have to work through before they can figure out if they really want to be together or if it would be better to stay apart.

The push/pull of these two is wonderful. The other characters in the book have just as much to say also so it always keeps the plot moving. Quinn’s parents are a huge part of this story line and are just as much a part of this as Quinn and Marcus. Quinn would do anything to keep her parents happy, including faking a relationship with Marcus to keep them happy, which as I am sure you can imagine, causes all kinds of problems!

Although this is quite light-hearted there are also some deep issues in this one. Chapter 14 really had me holding my breath! This is another non-putdown-able book! Lily Everett is great at making characters and plots that will keep those pages turning!

For those that prefer R rated sex, these are pretty light portions in this. A bit of petting and making out but it doesn’t get any sexier than that. I prefer it that way but others may like a more heated read.

In short: I’m becoming a fan of Lily Everett’s. I think everyone who needs a good, tantalizing book should pick this series up!

Marcus and Quinn's story is superbly told in 'Home at Last', the latest in the Sanctuary Island series. There is a poignancy in Lily Everett's writing that touches the heart and leaves a lasting impression. This, like her other books, is about love, and self-discovery and growth and redemption. Sanctuary Island is a beautiful place, one I wholeheartedly recommend you visit. You will not regret it.

I was asked to read this book via the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I had never heard of the author prior to the two books I received but I am totally a fan now. Marcus, I wanted to shake him. What had caused his heart to turn black? He seemed like a good man in the previous book but you knew that there was something eating away at his heart. Would he realize that he a gem in his grasp when he let Quinn go? But when Quinn needed him he couldn't turn away. You glimpsed into the heart that is Marcus.

The story has depth, I couldn't get my mind around Marcus, loves old people, respectful to women, has another man's back. Everything that one could want but he felt that he couldn't handle it all. Now the question is why? Lily Everett takes us on an amazing journey that made me wish that Marcus would kick some tushie at times and take names but made for a better story that he showed self control.

Quinn has always been told that she can't stay put. But when her parents marriage is at risk she does everything in her power to show them all that she is more than on the surface. I loved the journey of self exploration that she took along with her family and Marcus.

It is well written and I enjoyed this story more than the one before but both are solid stories. There is passion, angst, lies, truths that are hard to handle and twists that I didn't want to see.

I love that phrase, “Home is where the heart is…” as it fits HOME AT LASTby Lily Everett like Cupid and Hearts. Two people grow up together, neighbors, but when life bears down on Marcus, he leaves for parts unknown, leaving Quinn behind with her quirky style and crush on him. Their brief fling was only enough to hurt Marcus’s rep around town and Quinn has an offer he cannot believe to help him out. Should her take her crazy challenge? Can he take being so close to her for one whole month? He is everything she doesn’t need, but he is also everything she wants.

Life has brought Marcus back home and he is trying to re-plant the roots he tore out. Meanwhile, Quinn is caught up in a major family crisis that her mother believes a couples guru can fix. Think Snake Oil Salesmen, here. Is it possible her parents will sell the only home she has ever known because of its negative vibes? Has their marriage really devolved into something so hollow that even this guru sounds believable?

Acting out being a couple in love is torturous for both of them, but could it be a rehearsal for the real thing? Right now, it is the best idea Quinn could come up with to stop her parents from making a huge mistake! (While getting her Marcus fix, along the way)

This time out, Lily Everett has splashed a large dash of humor, fun, and some farfetched marital tips that may have sinister designs underneath. Absolutely wonderful reading that will both make you smile and get your heart racing as love takes center stage on Sanctuary Island.

I received an ARC edition from St Martin's Paperbacks in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (March 7, 2017)
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from:Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Marcus & Quinn grew up on Sanctuary Island down the road from each other. She had a crush on him & tagged along behind him. As she grew older, he feelings began to deepen. Then she has her chance. Marcus came home from the service & opened a bar. They briefly dated & then he dumped her. The town loves Quinn & is boycotting Marcus's bar. Then Quinn comes in with an idea to help him.

Quinn needs help too. She has been house sitting until her parents returned from a long trip. Instead of being happy & relaxed, they've returned home on the brink of divorce with an extra passenger, a "relationship guru". He's urging them to sell their place of negative emotions & has even tried to put them in contact with a realtor he knows. Quinn is trying to get her hippie mother under control & save her parents marriage. She proposes a relationship of convenience. Marcus helps her by being her fake boyfriend & she helps get the community to accept him & his bar.

This story pulls the reader in from the beginning. The descriptive dialogue paints the visual scene of a war hero, bitter from his experiences, sitting alone in an empty bar on opening night. The only bar on a small island would not ordinarily be empty. Marcus is on a journey to open his heart to Quinn & the islanders. He has to take control of his past & confront the father he feels so bitter towards. Quinn has to grow up & realize that everything isn't going to go her way & you have to fight for love, not run away. The writer has a talent for making her written word touch the readers' heart & feel so realistic.

Home at Last by Lily Everett is a fascinating tale. The emotional journey inside is what really stands out to me. A young man's pain. A past that has held him hostage even now. Then, there's one woman who makes him want more in life. But he's too sacred. Life is complicated, messy, and hard. He wants her to have the best. But what he doesn't know is that he's not only pushing her away forever but the town people as well. They love her. In their eyes, he's the bad guy. Unless he changes...

Home at Last is beautifully written. Engaging, sweet, and knocks readers off their chairs into the to story. Never a dull moment. The intensity is shocking but good. I can feel the characters emotions coming off the pages. Their chemistry is there. But one chooses to ignore it. That only sends them both down a lonely miserable road. Unless fate intervenes...both will be unhappy. Lily Everett has once more sent me on an unforgettable journey. A chance for love. Second chances. A happily ever after is in the air. Only time will tell, if it will happen. I loved characters. A broken man and a strong hearted woman. The plot is exciting. The other characters only add to it. Highly entertaining and suspenseful. When they do open up...readers will fall deeeply in love with this book as much as I did. I can't get enough of Lily Everett's novels. She has talent in creating the perfect worlds where her characters feel so real. Overall, I highly recommend Home at Last to readers worldwide.