Home at Last

Fantastic finish to a great series. This is book six in the Sanctuary Island series and although the prior books give just a little backstory for Marcus and Quinn, it's not really necessary to read previous books to enjoy this one. Marcus and Quinn had a very brief fling years ago. He left town after his mother died leaving behind a heartbroken Quinn and a town with a long memory. Now he's back looking for some peace and tranquility hoping to run his small town pub and relax. Problem is that long memory of the townspeople is leaving his bar empty. When Quinn approaches him with a crazy fake dating proposal his first instinct is to say no but her pleading voice and reasoning that this will show the town that she's forgiven him convince him to give it a try.

I highly recommend this wonderfully written book.

We first met Marcus and Quinn in the previous book, Close to Home, and the two finally got together after years of Quinn following Marcus about in a sort of hero worship daze for years. Now they get their story, and I had great hopes for something wonderful.

Marcus is a hometown boy who left after his mother’s death and made a career as a bodyguard. He’s decided he doesn’t want that stress, so he’s back home to run a bar and avoid Quinn at all costs. From finding her a pesky little girl, to letting his guard down and acting on the attraction he now feels, he knows that he isn’t the one for Quinn, no matter how much he may want to be. Even if she does accept him unconditionally, and life always looks brighter with her around.

For her part, Quinn is the ‘girl from town’ a bit flighty, not known for her ability to stick with things, but she is the town’s Little Girl. EVERYONE watches out for her – and when she is totally serious about Marcus and making him see her as all grown up and worth taking a chance on, she doesn’t seem to be able to get anyone to believe her.

When you add in her parents’ marriage difficulties, and the potential of a ‘fake engagement’ playing in to help Quinn get what she wants (Marcus) it seems as if things are ready to roll forward. And this is where I had problems: Marcus very much showed us that he has lots of issues that he hasn’t come face to face with, yet totally out of character he agrees. And Quinn – well, from the ridiculous “marriage counselor’ that her parents were consulting (think a cross between a lounge lizard and the worst Yahoo answers advice ever) the whole opportunity for the ‘tension’ was lost in caricature. I was disappointed as there was such a wonderful introduction for these two in the earlier book, and the full story fell short.

It’s sad, for Everett’s writing is always wonderful, and the characters are well-built, if completely opposite from expectations, and this does fit into the Sanctuary Island series trajectory, I just wanted more.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility

Thank goodness that someone made tissues. They came in handy in this book. This series is one of my top favorites. Lily always comes up with stories that are real. We met Quinn and Marcus in the last book. Quinn has followed Marcus since she was 12. He is older by 10. Quinn works and studies how to help with a therapy program with a barn with horses. Spoiler. Marcus has built a bar/Inn with Quinn and then he leaves. Spoiler. He had been in the Army and went into the Secret Service. Spoiler. In the past, he was in College and shunned his Dad because he wouldn't let him tell his Mom he loved her before she died.Now he is home again. They have come together and split several times. This is where our tissues are needed. Quinn helps her parents to get together again with Ron, a fraud who wants to get them to sell their home. Spoiler. I really liked this story. Read this story. Don't regret you lost it. Enjoy reading your book! I volunteered to read and review this book.