Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In the quiet simplicity of 1970s Minnesota, Joleigh Moore lives an almost reclusive life on her small farm. But when she witnesses the murder of her boyfriend, Mack, her world is upended. Fearful that the assailants will come after her next, Joleigh decides to hide out until Mack's killers are caught. She stows away in a neighbor's station wagon and lands in a small Minnesota town, carrying with her a secret—a large amount of cash hidden in her journal, which Mack must have stashed there as drug money.

Joleigh takes a summer job and moves into an old, run-down cabin in the woods. As she becomes more involved with the townspeople, the place she once considered temporary could be her chance for a new beginning. But before Joleigh can embrace her future, she must confront her past. What happened to Mack, and why did he hide the money? Can she find happiness in this small town, or will the shadows of her past catch up with her?

"Closer to Home" is a compelling, fast-paced adventure that transports readers back to a simpler time. Anderson's vivid descriptions immerse us in the setting, and we find ourselves rooting for the remarkable cast of characters. Joleigh, with her survival skills and determination, is a captivating protagonist. The small-town dynamics, where everyone knows each other's business yet looks out for one another, add depth to the story.

Anderson weaves suspense, romance, and the warmth of community into a seamless narrative. As Joleigh grapples with her past, readers will be drawn into her journey—a journey that ultimately leads her closer to home.

5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ from this enthusiastic reviewer!

This one had me really immersed and I loved getting to know Josie and Bits. I enjoy stories of unconventional women and Josie fit the bill to a T. The book was easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable.

Closer to Home by Jill Hannah Anderson is a lovely story! Joliegh persevere through tragedy to finding her way to love and hope. This story is filled with small town strength and resilience where the people become family. Truly a great feel good story!

Jill Hannah Anderson, the Author of “Closer to Home” has written a thought-provoking and captivating novel. The Genres for this novel are; Small Rural Town, Women’s Historical Fiction, and Fiction. There is a touch of Romance as well. In this well-written story, the author vividly describes the scenery, the plot and the colorful and dramatic characters. Just after Vietnam, the author gives us a view of the after-effects of those who came back and the effect on their loved ones. The author also brings up discrimination and bias.

The protagonist of the story, Joleigh Moore, has learned to live off the land. Her adoptive parent, Unity was her only family and taught her about survival. I love that Joleigh was caring to her animals. After Unity passes away, Joleigh witnesses the men that kill Mack, her boyfriend. Helpless to do anything she leaves town in order to survive and perhaps start over. She discovers a huge amount of cash that Max had hidden in her possessions, and realizes this must have been drug money.

Joleigh has discovered a small town, and tries to make ends meet, making special friendships. Joleigh has tried to figure out what exactly is home? Before Joleigh can make any decisions, she has to deal with the past, to live in the present. This is such a powerful and emotional novel, and I highly recommend this to other readers.

Jill Hannah Anderson sure knows how to hook a reader and not let go and the ebook, Closer To Home proves this. After a horrible, devastating tragedy where Joleigh witnesses her boyfriend's murder, she flees the only true home she has ever known for her own safety. She goes on a stowaway journey to a new small town in Minnesota. She meets people in a restaurant and a motel, who help provide a new life for Joleigh during the 1970's. I loved reading about this Survivor woman who, during her youth, learned to live off the farm land, taking care of her animals, growing her own vegetables. She loves taking care of the people in Minnesota, especially Bits, a very self-sufficent young child due to her dad's illness. The wonderful characters and the descriptive settings grabbed me from the first to the last page of this arc of Closer To Home by Jill Hannah Anderson!

Love this story set in 1977, and one that not only addresses the after-effects of the Vietnam War, but also the resilience of the human spirit.

This book gives me hope for the human race. It's so sweet, and shows the best of people, community, and family. Oh, there's more--much more. We have murder, and suffering, and the need to start over in a new town. But the protagonist rises to the occasion each time. She's determined to make her life a meaningful endeavor, and it shows in all of her actions. It's a lovely book that I adored reading, and strongly recommend that you read it, too.

I really enjoyed this book, when I first started it, I was wondering where it was going to go as Joleigh left her hometown. As I got further into the book, my heart ached for her and cheered for her every decision and task she went through. Her relationship with Bits is heart warming, yet really reminds you of the hardships both her and others can go through as young children with nowhere to go and without the means to support themselves. By the second half of this book I did not want to put it down. I rejoiced with Joleigh in the end knowing that something finally went right for her.

While some of the book was predictable as characters were introduced, other parts still left you guessing which kept your curiosity picked. I wish more time would've been spent on the scene on the ice as this seemed like a huge part of the plot, but I think we still got enough details to paint the picture of what happened.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Red Adept Publishing for providing an ARC.

Joleigh has going into hiding after the murder of boyfriend.
She is looking for a safe place to live and new life.
A story about new beginnings and friendship.
Thank you to NetGalley and Red Adept Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

A truly delightful read, this book will keep you turning pages! Filled with fun characters (except a few!), I found myself really wanting to get to know the people in the small town of Grandfield. I loved Joleigh’s story and her fight to become an independent and successful woman! And Bits…well, Bits stole my heart! Just do yourself a favor, and read this one!