Safe Haven - Review

Safe Haven

By: Nicholas Sparks

Published: September 14th 2010 by Grand Central Publishing

340 pages

Source: Borrowed from my sister

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository)

Goodreads description--Love hurts. There is nothing as painful as heartbreak. But in order to learn to love again, you must learn to trust again.

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.

As I said in my review of The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks, the stories Mr. Sparks creates are, in my opinion, better fitted for film than for books. There's no doubt that he's a gifted storyteller, but each book has repetitive themes and events.

In each Nicholas Sparks book or movie I've experienced one character dies. There's not too much that surprises me within the plot. However, Safe Haven struck me particularly because of the abusive relationship that Katie or Erin and her husband, Kevin, have. I know abusive relationships exists, and nothing about this relationship seemed particularly different from most abusive relationships you've probably heard of, but I don't read about these relationships very often. It was interesting to see the mindset Kevin has. Along with being abusive, Kevin is also apparently an alcoholic.

If I'm being truthful, the abusive relationship as described in Safe Haven hit home because I've recently discovered a situation close to home where emotional abuse resides, and it breaks my heart because I don't know how to help.

As books go, Safe Haven was an average read for me. It wasn't overly exciting or anything new, but there was nothing bad about it either. Safe Haven gets 3 stars from me. Have you read Safe Haven? If so, what did you think? Let me know!