Review: Safe Haven

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.

Title: Safe Haven
Author: Nicholas Sparks | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: September 14 2010
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 044654759X
Length: 343 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Typical Nicholas Sparks cover... I like the film tie-in cover also but it has a silly sticker about winning a trip to the premiere so I didn't want to use.
Point of View: 3rd person, following multiple characters

My Rating: 4 Stars

Many years ago I found myself reading a lot of novels by Nicholas Sparks.   He does have a way with storytelling and the romance is always so sweet, but then I started to notice a trend.  You are not always guaranteed a happy ending with Sparks and that scares me.  I’m not saying I must always have a happy ending but I seem to gravitate toward them.  I don’t mind characters being put through multiple trials and tribulations but in the end... well in the end I want them happy and together.  I want to see that through it all, the ups and downs, they find their way to their very own happy ever after.

So why now, you may ask?  Why go back to a Nicholas Sparks book when I was unsure as to how it was going to end?  I was at the cinema last week and saw the preview for the film due to be released soon and that sealed it for me.   The story looked great and when I want to see a film and I know for certain there is a book it is based off of then I always want to read the book first so, I did.  And I am very happy to say I was not disappointed.

“That's the thing about life. A lot of the time, it isn't easy at all. We just have to try to make the best of it.”

Safe Haven has just enough suspense, mystery and of course romance.  You can’t help but fall in love with Katie and Alex and cheer for them to make it through all the crazy that is Katie’s past.   What is that crazy?  Katie is running from her abusive, alcoholic husband Kevin.  And to say he is crazy is a true understatement.  The man is a lunatic and the scenes that follow him were intense.  I was on edge waiting to see what he would do next and rooting for Katie to get free.

“I've come to believe that in everyone's life, there's one undeniable moment of change, a set of circumstances that suddenly alters everything.”

Katie is a loveable character and Alex is sweet, caring and romantic.  But above all I fell in love with Alex’s children, Josh and Kristen.  They are adorable and you instantly fall in love with them both.

Sparks has always had his own style of writing.   You not only get drawn into the characters but also the location.  Safe Haven is no exception, it takes place in Southport, North Carolina and it is beautiful.  The cozy cottages, the small town, the ocean... it is lovely and is the perfect backdrop for a new romance.

“‎When she looked up at him, it was suddenly easy for her to imagine that her fears were pointless. That he would love her no matter what she told him, and that he was the kind of man who loved her already and would love her forever.”

So... through everything are you wondering if there is a happy ever after?   Well I am not going to give that away because I strongly recommend that you read this if you enjoy Nicholas Sparks or if you enjoy a nice romantic story with great characters.  I have to say that this has probably been one of my favorite books by Sparks.  Yes it took the film being released to get me to read it but thankfully I did because it really is a lovely story.

“I love you, Katie. You might not be ready to say those words now, and maybe you'll never be able to say them, but that doesn't change how I feel about you.”

MORE QUOTES FROM SAFE HAVEN