Great beginning to a series. I'm looking forward to book #2.

I am really glad this series got a cover makeover this month because I had passed it several times without reading it. Also, this year I realized that Lily Everett is a pen name of Louisa Edwards (whom I’ve read and enjoyed in the past) so I was excited to see what her Sanctuary Island was all about.

This was maybe a bit more subdued than I was expecting, but definitely a book that leaves you happy after reading it because of the human connections. Ella and her sister go visit their estranged mother in Sanctuary Island to try and mend their relationship (at her sister’s insistence). The image of her mother Ella has carried for many years is not the reality of the person she has now become and Ella has to struggle with accepting the two very different realities and try to overcome her past reservations of not wanting their mother in her life.

While dealing with this internal battle she meets Grady. He’s very different than any man she’s met before. The strong and silent type. Grady is very reserved and likes his privacy which is why the quiet of Sanctuary Island is the only place he feels comfortable at. But the spark between him and Ella can’t be denied and puts them bot a bit out of their element to hopefully meet halfway.

There are some elements in this story that read a bit like women’s fiction, even though the romance elements stand out. I actually enjoyed this because it had a more laid back feel and really made for a great feeling of connection with the surroundings characters. The town has a nice vibe that I’m dying to explore more of, and we get just enough glimpses from the side characters that make me want to read on.

Overall, SANCTUARY ISLAND is a feel good romance. Uncomplicated and tender. I am looking forward to reading more by this author now.