Sanctuary Island by Lily Everett
Released: July 30, 2013
Contemporary Romance
St. Martins

Reviewed by Mandi

Maybe I’m a sucker for a cover with horses on it, but when I received this book for review, even though I had heard it’s more on the women’s fic side, I still wanted to read it. And yes there are wild horses, and a sexy handyman and a heroine who is looking to reunite with her mother. There was a really nice combination of drama, small town life, romance and humor.

When Ella and Merry were young girls, their father divorced their alcoholic mother and decided to raise them on his own. Now as adults, Merry feels it’s time to reunite with their mother who has moved to Sanctuary Island and has sobered up and now lives a very good life. Ella doesn’t really want to have a relationship with their mother, but she will do anything for her little sister, so off they go.

Sanctuary Island is a place where wild horses roam free and the locals are very protective of their space. When they arrive at their mother’s house, they also meet handyman Grady Wilkes. Grady used to live in Dallas and work on an elite urban rescue squad until a terrible accident. He retreated to Sanctuary Island and healed, but has never left. His scars run deep. While he and Ella initially butt heads, they soon realize there is chemistry between them. But Ella doesn’t want to stay on the island, and Grady has never left it.

I read this book in one sitting and it was just a really fun read for me. Ella is uptight and harbors a lot of anger for her mother not being there when they were growing up. She struggles with her sister who is vibrant embraces this new relationship with their mother with open arms. Ella and Grady actually fall for each other pretty quick, but their tension and romance played out well for me. Grady has issues from his past he has to work through and his overprotective vibe of the island.

A lot of reviews I’ve read say this is more women’s fic. I’m not sure I 100% agree with that. There is a strong romance, but we do get POVs from other people. We are along with Ella’s mother for her journey at reuniting with her daughters, money problems and a romance of her own. Merry’s book is next and she gets setup really well with the town’s vet. I can’t wait for their story.

Sanctuary Island is a fun and engaging story and I’m looking forward to book two.

Rating: B

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