Title: Safe Haven
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publication Date: 2010
Length: 340
Katie shows up alone in Southport, North Carolina, quiet and mysterious. Having run away from an abusive husband, she's reluctant to form relationships. However, she soon finds a friend in her next door neighbour, Jo, and becomes rather attached to Alex, the widowed owner of the general store, and his two children. Now she has to decide between the relative safety of remaining on the run, and risking settling down in one place for the chance of happiness.
It took me a while to get into this book, simply because of the writing. The writing is not good. It's hard to describe, but the closest I can think of is "dumbed-down".
However, eventually I did get sucked into the story. And at that point, I was willing to forgive the writing. Sparks paints a striking picture of life in an abusive relationship. I found it to be terrifying, without seeming overdone or exaggerated, which I really appreciated, because abusive relationships need no exaggeration.
The romance in this story is beautiful. It develops gradually, with difficulties along the way, in what I felt was a really realistic way.
I read this book for the Out of Your Comfort Zone Challenge. Romance is not really my thing. But this book made me feel like maybe I could read some romance, if it was the right kind.
4 stars.
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