Marcus an ex bodyguard and Quinn the hometown sweetheart. With a ten year age gap and small sleepy town they both grew up in can these two unlikely people have the love connection Quinn believed in since she was a twelve year old girl?

Unfortunately this book had huge gaps and the flow of the book was very hard to fallow. Here's in lies this readers thought process. The story is somewhere and ultimately it has the potential to be sweet and endearing. It just missed the mark who wants to start fifty percent through the book to like the characters. They are likable just for me I was so board if I wasn't reading it as a arc I would have stopped reading before the book was finished.

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.

Another wonderful addition to the Sanctuary Island series. Thought it's a stand alone, I would recommend that you read book 5, Close to Home , for a better understanding of the relationship between Quinn and Marcus.
Marcus left the island the day of his Mother's funeral. A young man furious with his Father for keeping him away from his mother's last hours promising never to return.
He is back after almost 15 years, and his young neighbor, is now a beautiful woman . Their attraction is powerful, but Marcus feels he is not good for her and Quinn has been hurt more than once by him. Still, she is full of life and hope because she feels Marcus is a man that needs to be loved.
The story is heartbreaking, full of family conflicts, complex relationships, and a town that is very opinionated. But it's also a story that reminds us that loving someone with all your heart, is worth the complications, the disagreements, the happiness and sadness, and everything in between because in the long run, love and that person are worth it.
Definitely a book not to be missed.
I was gifted this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Home at Last by Lily Everett
A Sanctuary Island Novel #6

Quinn Harper had a childhood crush on her older neighbor, Marcus Beckett. In the previous book of this series the two had been together for a bit and then Marcus broke it off – hurting Quinn deeply. This book is the story of their fake return to dating as a ploy to keep Quinn’s parents from divorcing one another. Little did Quinn know that spending time together would lead to a whole lot more than either expected.

I love Quinn – what a sweetheart she is – even if she is having trouble figuring out what profession she wants forever. She is full of life and just what Marcus needs. Marcus…he is a curmudgeonly sort of guy that made decisions after college that caused his life to do a 180 degree turn. I don’t think he regrets that decision but he lets anger keep him from talking to the one person that he really should have. Quinn’s parents – a flaky mom and a diligent dad now in retirement and struggling as they move forward were easy pickings for a con man – will Quinn be able to take the blinders off her mom’s eyes or will her parents leave one another after thirty years of marriage?

I enjoyed this story and hoped it would all work out for all involved. I believe that Quinn brings out the best in Marcus and that Sanctuary Island is a magical place for second chances and healing.

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

3.5 Stars

Quinn is not happy with Marcus but she has loved him her whole life and she wished she can convince him that she worth the risk. When things seem array in her parents life she comes up with a plan and she hopes its a fool proof plan, nothing can go wrong right?
Marcus wants Quinn but with the age difference and with his own secrets he would like to keep close to his chest. He thinks she deserves better but when she comes up with a plan to help her parents he wants help her. But will he be able to keep everyones heart in tact and walk away with his pride?

I love the fun characters of Sanctuary Island the one thing the author is consistent about in all the books is she sucks you in and make you want to get on the next plane and visit just to walk down the streets and meet these fun people and that is the same throughout this book. This book is fun it has you laughing and crying and guessing through out the whole book. The story truly is well written and it wont disappoint. The story has some strong language and some adult scenes in it so it may not be for all readers. Over all if you have been following this series or not grab this book its so worth the read.

Be prepared to be swept off your feet by the most unlikely person – Marcus. So tough and yet probably the most endearing character you will ever meet all thanks to Lily Everett in the next book of the Sanctuary Island series – HOME AT LAST. Hard to say but HOME AT LAST may just be the best of the bunch – definitely qualifies as one of my favorites of a fabulous assortment of stories.

We met Quinn and Marcus as sort of supporting cast in a previous Sanctuary Island story. They caught my attention and lucky for us – Lily Everett felt the same. Quinn and Marcus deserved their own book so here it is.

Undeniable connection between these two people that have actually known each other their entire lives – lived in houses each remotely located at the tip of the island. Quinn always had a soft spot in her heart for Marcus and although ten years difference in age they had a respectful kind of relationship that transcended the age difference. Quinn love following Marcus and his friends around and to his credit Marcus was fine with that.

Their lives were so disparate though. Quinn grew up with a flower child aura believing mother and hardworking dad and lots of love. Marcus’ family life hit a sudden dead end in the passing of his mother. It was no wonder that Marcus’ life would ultimately take him away from the island. Military and secret service became his new life – his family and now returning to Sanctuary Island Marcus has some deep emotional personal wounds that are still raw.

Quinn is the breath of fresh air that Marcus desperately needs. A brief affair went nowhere – because Marcus would not allow Quinn to take on his demons. So he summarily squelched the best thing that ever happened to him in a very long time. And in doing so hurt Quinn and angered the close know community on the island that basically closed ranks around their darling. How dare he hurt their Quinn – totally unacceptable.

But Marcus is Quinn’s fiercest protector and as such agrees to act as her boyfriend in a crazy scheme she concocts to save her parents’ marriage. And of course this is where it becomes complicated. Sorting real from fiction when the lines get decidedly blurry. Especially when it is so obvious to anyone around them that they are in love.
There is something about a Lily Everett story that makes you feel as if you are a participant in a wonderful adventure – a sort of guest at a grand party – with a guest list of your dearest friends. Marcus and Quinn practically jump off the page – a very real almost human creation of Lily Everett’s fabulously talented mind and imagination. HOME AT LAST is one of those books you really don’t want to end. The conversation is smart, sharp, and witty and brings out so much about each character. The vision of each scene is vividly captured. All and all a terrific addition to the Sanctuary Island series which has been a joy to read.

Marcus was born and raised on Sanctuary Island, left to go to college, came home only for his mother's funeral, left again and is now back after losing his charge while in the Secret Service.. He runs into Quinn, his next door neighbor he has a history with. Quinn has always loved Marcus but, now she is dealing with a relationship guru her mother has brought into their home to help mom and dad to ''reconnect.' Quinn and Marcus decide to conjure up a fake engagement in order to figure out just what this fake guru wants. This book is about forgiveness, acceptance, self-reflection and the fact that love does, ultimately conquer all.

Marcus and Quinn have such a history in this book. They dated awhile back and he dumped her. Now, Marcus is back and running the bar, but almost no one is coming in. Quinn will do almost anything necessary to keep her parent's marriage together. This includes making a deal with an old ex. She'll bring customers into his bar if he agrees to play her fiancee for four weeks. What they don't count on is what happens when they start to be honest with each other and real feelings develop.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Can you forgive? Marcus knew coming home would be hard but he never knew that someone from his childhood would change everything. Quinn has loved Marcus forever and she was hoping that he would come home eventually but not this broken.
Marcus just wants to lick his wounds and get on with his life but Quinn won't allow him and he knows that there is no stopping her.
Marcus & Quinn enjoy their time together but he can't see a future with her as he has nothing to offer her, he can't give her happiness and his love as he doesn't belong in them.
Quinn needs his help and he gives in and goes along with her crazy plan to save her parent's marriage but all it does is make him realize that he has to let her go.
Quinn was hoping to change his mind but he has gone without saying goodbye and it has broken her heart as she knows that she could never love anyone as much as she loves him. Marcus needed to make peace with himself and his past and now that he has made up with his Dad he knows that he needs to go for the woman that he loves but will she take him back after all the hurt that he has caused?
A beautiful love story of forgiveness, taking chances and just letting go

3 - "Only with you..." Stars.

Lily Everett takes her readers back to Sanctuary Island for the sixth book in the series Home at Last. This is Marcus and Quinn’s book and I was eagerly looking forward to reading their story.

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Unfortunately, the story the author delivered fell way short of the expectations I had, especially after the way this couple were with each other in the previous book from the series Close to Home, it was made very clear that Marcus is a man with a number of personal demons that he wasn’t really dealing with, and Quinn was the woman that helped calm, stormy waters. So to have everything that was implied in the small amount you see of them in the previous book almost brushed under the carpet in this one left me really disappointed.

"Face it. You’re in a pickle."

The other thing that really bugs me is when an author gives you a secondary character in a book, and you get to know them, then when they get their own book, completely acts out of the character that you have already got a general impression of. That was 100% the case with this one, and the things Marcus agreed to in an effort to help Quinn out with her family issues were totally out of character for the guy I had previously got to know.

"I may be an optimistic idiot when it comes to romance, but even I have my limits…!

And that is where we hit the motherlode of my issues, the whole ridiculous situation with Quinn’s parents, and Dastardly Doctor Ron, the marriage guru/con-man. It was beyond ridiculous, and took what could have been a sweet, poignant second chance romance between her and Marcus, and turned it into a bit of a farce.

"What a mess."

I’ll be honest, I had high expectations for this book, the author gave me them and they were built on the couple and their budding relationship that she teased me with in the previous book, so to take that story-line make it secondary, and to put everything Quinn’s flaky mother, and spineless father were bumbling through in the forefront felt like a huge let-down to the story that this couple could have had if the author had kept the focus on them. The parts when they were together (and there weren’t a huge amount, sadly) took me to the place I wanted to be with them, but it just kept being overshadowed by the unnecessary familial drama between her parents.

"You’re my hero…"

"I’m nobody’s hero."

"If you want me to buy that… You’re going to have to stop being there for me when I need you the most."

I love visiting Sanctuary Island, and my disappointment on this occasion won’t stop me visiting again in the future, I just wish the author had stayed true to the couple that deserved to have the focus on them and their story in this one, rather than being put on the back burner for what quite frankly was a ridiculous and childish level of unnecessary drama.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

It was a cute book, but the main female lead got on my nerves. Just seemed like a story told too many times.

Well finally got to the end of another Sanctuary Island novel and loved it, the hero Marcus is easy to hate because he is so buried in self loathing that only a angel like Quinn could love him.

Sadly, we have to go through a lot of angst and a bit of a evil side plot to make things interesting, add in some really odd plans for helping Quinn's parents and you have what ends up being a very enjoyable novel that fits right onto the heels of the previous novel Close to Home and so you might as well get these 2 books together.

4 Stars for an enjoyable day of reading.

First off, I really liked this book. And although it is not the first in the series I had no problem following along with the story. I liked how the family worked to expose the crook, and I liked how they all worked and played together. The only thing that I felt was a little off was the attitude and reaction that Marcos had towards his father. I could understand parts of it, but more was needed to make it seem to warrent the extreme anger he still held. Other than that, I highly recommend this book and author, and I'm currently reading the book just previous, which is Tessa and Johnny's story. Good stories for a fun escape to a great place.

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

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.

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.