Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

September 14th 2010 by Grand Central Publishing

Hardcover, 340 Pages

Purchased

 

Book Synopsis

 

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family. But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.....(Goodreads)

 

Review

On the run from an abusive husband, Katie has been place to place, when she arrives in Southport a sense of peace overwhelms her and soon she finds an old, rundown cottage to rent. With what little money she has, Katie begins fixing up her place and finds a job waiting tables at a local diner. As the months slowly go by she starts to feel a sense of freedom and lowers her guard enough to strike up a friendship with Alex, a widowed bachelor of two kids. Soon friendship grows into love and Katie begins making subtle mistakes. The guard that once protected her can do nothing when she opens herself up to do things she never could when married to Kevin. Also it doesnt help that someone Katie never factored, just happens to pass on information to Kevin that helps him find crucial facts about her new life. Love may have to wait for Alex and Katie with all these obstacles heading their way.....especially with Alex not wanting to let go of his deceased wife and Katie’s evil husband hot on her trail.

I found it interesting that Sparks wrote the novel from Katie, Alex and Kevin’s perspective and it defiantly gave the story a much developed and suspenseful feel. At times Kevin’s thoughts bordered on annoyance, reading from a drunken wife beater has its own creepiness factor, but after awhile, Kevin seems to ramble the same thoughts over and over. The ending was explosive and knowing Sparks usually kills off a character, I was in knots thinking it could be Katie or Alex….or the kids. While the ending wrapped up very convenient, I thought the subplot with Jo was truly a shocker. Unlike most of Sparks work, Safe Haven offered a twisted and dangerous character which immediately I grew to hate. Honestly I didn’t know Sparks could write so many twisted thoughts on a page, where he seemed a little uncomfortable even in the writing from this POV (hence the rambling) he pulled the menacing character off. The suspense and mystery surrounding the story kept me up way into the night and reading until the last page.

Rating

Safe Haven is recommended to adult readers and contains: Language, domestic violence, drinking, sexuality- graphic sexual and murderous thoughts from Kevin- grief, death and loneliness.

 

4/5- Romance-Thriller-Page Turner