This managed to weave light and shade in the most tender way. It had all the ups and downs you want from a book. And it held my heart alot more than I expected it to.
Eli was on such a journey. One that old hurts needed to heal from in order to move on. So much she had to work through. It didn't help thst she was grieving, and her one love was also back in her life after she returns home for a will reading. A will reading thst leaves her spinning and makes hard decisions for her.
This was deeper than I thought it was.
But that's not bad thing. Especially this time of year when we could use a few prompts to help us reflect on life too.

Heartbreakingly beautiful. I laughed and cried but following this story as heartbreaking as it was it was so wholesome. I love how it spoke about grief and how it affects people differently.

I did struggle a little with the back and forwards between the past, the book series and the present so if your someone who really can’t handle that this isn’t the book for you

Overall a great book, it flowed nicely and has so many aspects that you didn’t get bored, sometimes a book can feel dragged out but I didn’t feel that with this book.

A not so ordinary Christmas story.
Eli is an author.
Her past promised something different, but when her heart was broken twenty years ago, she gave up that path and became successful with her stories, which are very much about her home, her great love, her broken heart and her somewhat damaged family.
But of course that is only remotely according to Eli.
This Christmas will be a very difficult, sad one and one full of unexpected twists and turns.
Her beloved grandmother has died and her inheritance has thrown her life and that of her brother into enormous disarray.
Suddenly everything is not as it always was.
She cannot leave Maple Park after just one day, as she has done so often in recent years.
She has to face her pain, her loss and the woman who caused everything that has made her run away for so long.
Flashbacks and insights into Eli's books have made it something special. Everything comes together beautifully. It's touching, but nerve-wracking. A typical family, and yet not typical at all.
Thanks to the Author, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for this Arc!

Thank you Netgalley and bold strokes books for the ARC copy!

This was a very cozy Christmas book that also described a lot of relatable family struggles.

I really liked Eli and could really understand her thoughts when it came to fleeing your hometown and the fear of going back.

I’m giving it 4/5, the thing that brought it down was the back and forth between timelines. It confused me slightly if it gave me a good backstory of Eli’s relationships with the other characters.

Re for editing when releasing book - There are a few pages that are using the justified setting, causing unneccessary gaps between words but it did not happen very often.

Close to Home is a great home-for-the-holidays story of second chances which is a weakness. I adore second chance romances. It does involve some serious topics like grief, addiction and family drama. I absolutely loved the two main characters, Eli and Aracely and enjoyed the interactions between them and the other characters in the story.

Eli is an author who has been forced to return to her hometown ahead of Christmas following the death of her grandmother who had raised Eli and her brother following the death of their father and subsequent addiction struggles of their mother. She ends up staying longer due to her grandmother's will that involves her ex. The broke up senior year in college due to Aracely not wanting to hold her back.

Meanwhile there is all the family drama that causes multiple issues between everyone and Eli and Aracely have to find a way to let go of the past and make a better future together.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*Close to Home* by Allisa Bahney is a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of returning to one’s roots. Eli Thomas reluctantly comes home for Christmas, burdened by the recent loss of her grandmother and the unresolved tension within her family. What makes this visit even more poignant is the unexpected presence of Aracely Hernandez, the woman Eli never quite forgot. Their past, filled with both love and heartache, looms large as Eli navigates her way through the holiday season.

Bahney does a brilliant job of capturing the emotional weight of returning to a place filled with memories, both painful and joyful. Eli’s extended stay, prompted by a twist in her grandmother’s will, forces her to confront long-buried feelings. The chemistry between Eli and Aracely is undeniable, yet layered with hesitation and vulnerability. Eli’s internal struggle to open her heart again forms the emotional core of the story, making readers deeply invested in her journey.

With its small-town charm and emotional depth, *Close to Home* is a tender story about second chances and the courage to face the past. Bahney’s writing shines through in her vivid portrayal of complex relationships and heartfelt moments, reminding readers that healing and happiness often come from returning to where it all began.

this book feels like so much more than a christmas story, sure it takes place during the christmas season but the author, allisa baheny, really has wrote a masterpiece.

this book tackles grief, loss, addiction and family drama and so much more.

allisa bahney has truly wrote a beautiful story and the character development was done so beautifully.

Eli Thomas is going home for Christmas just like she does every year—only this time it’s different. Her grandmother has died, and she’s forced to reckon with her past, her broken relationships with her remaining family, and Aracely Hernandez, the girl who got away.

A seemingly purposeful error in Grandma’s will keeps Eli in town for longer than she planned and brings all the conversations she’s been avoiding for twenty years to a culmination. While her attraction to Aracely has never faded, Eli remains apprehensive to follow her heart and risk having it broken again.

This is a beautiful story. Bahney expertly weaves together family drama with themes of addiction, grief, and loss, while also repairing and building the relationship between Eli and Arecely. I loved their relationship, but also I loved the cast of strong secondary characters. I want more of Angie in the next book! Excellent holiday novel! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

From the cover design and the book description one would assume that Close to Home is a book about Christmas. Although the book largely takes place during the holiday season, this story is about so much more than the holidays. The themes of the book including grieving, lost love/second chance romance, substance abuse, and lost family ties. At multiple times throughout this book, I was left in tears as the story unfolded.

The story revolves around Elisabeth ("Eli")Thomas returning home to Maple Park, Iowa, as a successful author following the death of her beloved grandmother. Eli has plans to stay in Maple Park the minimum amount of time to attend the funeral and deal with everything that comes with a close relative's death. Then she will be promptly returning to her life in Minneapolis. She has outgrown where she grew up. However, an apparent mistake in her grandmother's will keeps Eli in town much longer than planned as she tries to sort out the details with her brother, Tommy.

During this additional time in town, Eli comes face to face with her high school sweetheart, Aracely Hernandez. Aracely broke up with Eli as they were finalizing their college plans so that Eli could chase her dreams of becoming a writer on a paid scholastic/athletic scholarship. Eli's personal life hasn't been the same since the breakup, although she has achieved notoriety as a successful author.

Close to Home is structured with about 60% of the book focused on the present, about 30% focused on the past, and about 10% being excerpts from the fantasy trilogy that author Eli has penned, that somewhat resemble elements of people in Maple Park.

This was an exceptionally good book that makes a reader ponder death, grief, familial relationships, and priorities in life. I would highly recommend this book to other readers. 5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Close to Home is a lovely home-for-the-holidays story of second chances that still manages to take on serious issues including grief, addiction and family drama. I absolutely loved the two main characters, Eli and Aracely and enjoyed the interactions between them and the other characters in the story.

Eli is an author who has been forced to return to her hometown ahead of the Christmas period following the death of her grandmother who had raised Eli and her brother following the death of their father and subsequent addiction struggles of their mother. What is intended to be a short visit to town ends up being extended due to an apparent error in her grandmother's will. Aracely is Eli's ex-girlfriend from when they were at school who pushed Eli away when they were due to head off to college as she didn't want to hold Eli back from her potential including her college scholarships.

Both women have never overcome the pain of the separation. Eli is still angry with Aracely and would rather have nothing to do with her. However, the more time they end up spending together while Eli is in town, the more Aracely's sweet and caring personality helps to win Eli over to the idea of giving her a second chance.

Meanwhile there is all the family drama including Eli's brother expecting a babies with two different women and the increasing appearance of Eli's mother on the scene with all the angst that brings between Eli and her mother, as well as between Eli and her brother.

Thank you to Allisa Bahney, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

I LOVED this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning but then boom I was hooked!! I finished it in one sitting! My first by this author but will not be my last!!

This was a beautiful novel about grief,loss, addiction, family drama, and so much more. The characters and story were developed beautifully. An amazing Christmas story!

This book is truly the perfect holiday book! Thank you so much for the ARC copy, I am so grateful! I loved every moment of this book, it was so cozy and perfect!
I loved the extracts from Eli’s book, I really liked them and I liked how there was clear similarities in Eli’s book characters and the people in her life, even though Eli struggled to admit it at first.
I also loved the situation with Tommy, Angie and Tara, I definitely need a book about Angie and Tara next year!
Aracely was such a beautiful character too, I loved her so much, I love her and Eli and I love their story and they were made for each other and they are forever falling in love. The purple ribbon on the mistletoe was such a cute feature too, that was so sweet!
This truly is such an amazing and perfect holiday read, I loved it so much, thank you for my copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for the ARC!

Wow! All I can say is this is so much more than a Christmas story. Yes it takes place during Christmas but Alissa Bahney wrote a masterpiece that tackles grief, loss, addiction, family drama, etc. It was a beautiful story and the character development was phenomenal. I usually am not a big fan of Christmas books because I feel like they can be limiting. But I would read Close to Home any time of the year!!