Home at Last by Lily Everett

Marcus Beckett left Sanctuary Island after his mother's funeral, and he hasn't been back since. Until now. Needing a change from the high-risk, high-stakes life of a bodyguard, Marcus makes a solitary life for himself running the neighborhood bar in his hometown. His only mistake? Seducing and then dumping the town's sweetheart, Quinn Harper. Marcus knows he did the right thing—a good girl like Quinn has no business with a broken man like him. But now no one will come to his bar, and he's watching his last chance at a peaceful life go up in smoke. So when Quinn proposes a fake four-week courtship, he can't refuse...even though he knows it's a bad idea.

It's a romantic charade that will buy Quinn time to distract her mother and father from their own maritial problems—and will help Marcus welcome back some paying customers besides. But what begins as an engagement of convenience slowly transforms into a deeper connection, one that heals both of their hearts...and ignites the simmering passion between them. Could it be that pretending to be together is just what Quinn and Marcus needed to give their real love a second chance?

Series: Sanctuary Island #6  | Publisher: St. Martin's| Release Date: 3/7/2017 | Genre: Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups

Marcus and Quinn were amazing together. They’re both wounded and need healing that only they can offer.

 

It's a romantic charade that will buy Quinn time to distract her mother and father from their own marital problems—and will help Marcus welcome back some paying customers besides. But what begins as an engagement of convenience slowly transforms into a deeper connection, one that heals both of their hearts...and ignites the simmering passion between them. Could it be that pretending to be together is just what Quinn and Marcus needed to give their real love a second chance?

 

Marcus Beckett never thought he’d step foot back on Sanctuary Island. Yet, after the client he was assigned to protect is murdered, this Marine-turned-secret agent needs a change. So, he opened a bar in his hometown, then made the mistake of dumping Quinn Harper, the town’s sweetheart. Now his business is floundering but Quinn, who has been in love with Marcus since she was a little girl, has a plan; if he would pretend to be her boyfriend for a few weeks to help save her parents’ marriage, she’ll help get people back into his bar. Although the lines between fake and real are becoming blurred and Marcus is realizing that, while his goal has been to keep Quinn out, she’s found a way in and he doesn’t really want to let her go.

 

Marcus is one of my favorite heroes. He’s loyal, faithful, yet stubborn. He’s also broken and needs someone to heal his wounds. He’s suffered loss and doesn’t know how to let anyone in. While he’s head-over-heels for Quinn, he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her so instead of letting her in, he pushes her away. I really liked Quinn. She’s just an all-around good person who is willing to do whatever she can to help others. She’s still figuring out what she wants to do with her life and just wants someone to believe in her and Marcus does.

 

I really enjoyed the romance. It’s a slow burn romance. Marcus and Quinn have a past and he broke her heart. They are both in love with each other but they’re cautious. He has a lot of things he needs to work out and she needs to figure out if she can trust him not to hurt her again.

 

There’s a subplot that involves Quinn’s parents. Paul and Ingrid’s marriage is in trouble thanks to Ingrid listening to a marriage guru that’s she’s moved into the house with them. Paul’s a straight arrow while Ingrid is sort of a hippie. I found that I enjoyed their story and rather than taking away from Quinn and Marcus, it added to it.

 

This one was so close to being a 5-cup read, so so close. The only reason that I knocked it down half a point was because, while Marcus’s secret was a weighty secret, I was expecting something a bit more than what I received.

 

Overall, this one is a keeper. While I did miss the start of Quinn and Marcus by not having read the previous books in the series, I had no problem keeping up with what was going on. Although, since I could not put this one down, I plan on picking up the previous books just to see what I missed in this series.

 

Sanctuary Island Series

Sanctuary Island  #1

Shoreline Drive  #2

Heartbreak Cove  #3

Home for Christmas  #4

Close to Home #5

Home at Last #6