Title: Close to Home (Chicory Inn Series #4)
Author: Deborah Raney
Pages: 304
Year: 2016
Publisher: Abingdon Press
My rating is 5 stars.
For those not familiar with this series we are introduced to the Whitman family who are the central characters to the novels. The series novels start with Home to Chicory Lane, followed by Two Roads Home, Another Way Home and now Close to Home. There is to be a fifth and final novel in the series titled, Home at Last, but I have no knowledge right now of when it will be released.
In each novel, a member of the Whitman family is highlighted and then their individual story is told within the folds of the larger and extended Whitman family. Here the character focus is on Bree who was married to Timothy Whitman when he was killed in action over in Afghanistan. It’s been almost five years since she lost him and now perhaps she thinks she might be ready to enter the social scene again and perhaps marry someday.
While this is occurring, Grant Whitman, who is the father of the family, has a mother, Cece, who is starting to show signs of dementia. Along with life happening in the other adult sibling’s life and running Chicory Inn, Bree is struggling in her first relationship with a coworker, Aaron. However, it becomes apparent to Bree over a couple of weeks that she and Aaron aren’t exactly matching up well in the dating arena. Now Bree is contemplating her next move and hoping her job won’t come to an end because of her decision to date a coworker.
Each novel for me has been a thrill to read. The story takes on a life of its own and it is very easy to get lost into this world of fiction. There are things that happen in the Whitman family that are both good and trying. I love the themes of romance, family togetherness, time made for extended family to gather weekly, and faith. Deborah Raney crafted her characters to appear lifelike and my heart was touched several times during the reading of the tale. Each book has been a pure delight for me to read, review and share with you. I look forward to the last novel with bittersweet emotions, sweet as the books have been so heartwarming and bitter because it will be the last book of the series.
I hope before the final book is released that you have a chance to read each novel and be prepared to enter into the Whitman family home one more time before moving on to whatever the author pens next for her readers!
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I decided to stay indoors today as it was over 100 degrees where I live so when I had a break this afternoon I jumped at the chance to read Close To Home by Deborah Raney. I curled up in my favorite reading chair and lost myself in the pages of this novel.

Close to Home is the 4th book in The Chicory Inn series. I spent this afternoon laughing, crying and cheering Bree and the Whitman family on as I progressed through the story. By the end of the book, I had a big smile on my face and a warmth in my heart that comes from reading a really good book.

What did I like the most? How Ms. Raney has the ability to create characters so real they truly feel like friends you know and love to hang out with. She also builds a realistic world, great characters and weaves in real life issues/struggles for her characters to experience, learn from and overcome. Ms. Raney is a wonderful writer and I look forward to reading more of her work!

Thank you to Abingdon Press and Netgalley for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )