ARC Review: Home by Rachel Smith

I will admit that I was a little unsure about this book when I first started it. The blurb sounded so good, but with it being Rachel Smith's debut novel I didn't know what I was in for. With a debut novel, there is always the risk that the story won't live up to the promise of the blurb. I was pleasantly surprised with Home though. It was so good, and honestly it felt nothing like a debut novel. Home was better than I ever could have expected. The story was solid, the characters likable, and I was invested right from the start. I really loved Rachel Smith's writing style, and I thought that the pacing was great. I absolutely cannot wait to see what else Rachel Smith writes in the future.

Lillian Raftzen always loved to sing. She was determined to make it her career even at the young age of eleven. The only person that really believed in her was her best friend Justin DeLuca. So the day she graduated, she packed her car and took off for Nashville. Twelve years later, she has everything that she always dreamed of. She is a huge star, but things aren't as she imagined they would be. She no longer recognizes the Lily she used to be and decides to leave the business behind and head home. When she arrives home, not everyone is happy about her decision to leave her music career behind though. Lily and Justin get off on the wrong foot, and they both realize that they are not who they used to be. But they both still care deeply for each other and decide to get to know the people that they are now. Can Justin and Lily find a new dream together? And what happens when Lily's life becomes threatened as a result of her leaving her music career behind?

I really liked Justin. He was so sweet and supportive of Lily. I loved that he always believed in her and encouraged her. He stood up for her every time and was really protective of her. He definitely had his alpha moments, but he really cared about her and you could tell that it was always love that motivated him. He was also really sexy, and I loved that he wasn't afraid to tell Lily how he was feeling. He knew that this was his second chance and he wasn't willing to waste time. Lily was strong and determined and had been through so much. She really kept so much to herself and you could tell that she struggled because of it. She was afraid to be vulnerable, and with very good reason. It was really great to see her start to open herself up to Justin though and begin to heal and move forward. Lily and Justin had so much history together and they had a bond that was undeniable. They were always meant to be together, and it was clear from the start. They also had great chemistry together, and I liked that they took things a bit slower and got to know each other again. They were perfect for each other and you could really feel the attraction between them.

Overall, this story was fantastic. It drew me in and I didn't want to put this one down for anything. It was sweet and sexy and had a really great story of finding out that sometimes life has a different and better plan for us that we never expected. This story had some absolutely heartbreaking things that happened, but it was also filled with hope and showed that we can overcome even the most painful things. I really liked seeing the journey of Lily and how she and Justin found their way back to each other. I loved everything about this story, and I will say that there was a twist that I absolutely didn't see coming. This story is definitely one that I will be re-reading in the future, and I highly recommend this book. I really think that this book is one that all romance fans will really enjoy. Lily and Justin are so easy to fall in love with and are characters that I will always remember. I really look forward to seeing more from Rachel Smith and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

**ARC Provided by Book Plug Promotions**

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