A heartbreaking but hopeful story of domestic abuse and a second chance at love.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
“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.”
My Thoughts:
Another book I could not put down by Nicholas Sparks. Not just another romance on the beach book, although my sappy heart loves those too! Definitely more suspenseful than others by him that I have read, lots of twists in the plot. His telling of the domestic abuse was heartbreaking. I must say though I didn’t enjoy it as much as others. It was a bit predictable, but why mess with his good formula?
I felt that the movie was a good adaptation of the book. I was on the edge of my seat and cried in all the same places watching the movie as when I read the book, even though I knew what was going to happen. The movie was filmed in North Carolina (my home state), set in Southport and filmed in Wilmington. I love these coastal towns for their quiet white sandy beaches, seagulls, shells and parades of boats. See?…the beach is my favorite photography and reading spot!
Disclosure: This review contains my honest opinion of the book. Purchases made from the IndieBound or Barnes & Noble links above will give me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support of my blog should you decide to purchase.
Are you a fan of Nicholas Sparks? Have you seen the Safe Haven movie Happy reading!
About Nicholas Sparks
From author’s website: “Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers, with over 89 million copies in print worldwide, in over 50 languages, including over 50 million copies in the United States alone, and his popularity continues to soar.
Sparks wrote one of his best-known stories, The Notebook, over a period of six months at age 28. It was published in 1996 by Warner Books. He followed with the novels Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), True Believer (2005) and its sequel, At First Sight (2005), Dear John (2006), The Choice (2007), The Lucky One (2008), The Last Song (2009), Safe Haven (2010), The Best of Me (2011), and The Longest Ride (2013), as well as the 2004 non-fiction memoir Three Weeks With My Brother, co-written with his brother Micah.
Safe Haven, filmed in Southport, North Carolina is scheduled for release on February 14, 2013, and marks Sparks’s eighth film adaptation, following The Lucky One, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John and The Last Song, which thus far have a cumulative worldwide gross of nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars.
Sparks lives in North Carolina with his family. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually. Along with his wife, he founded The Epiphany School in New Bern, North Carolina. As a former full scholarship athlete (he still holds a track and field record at the University of Notre Dame) he also spent four years coaching track and field athletes at the local public high school. In 2009, the team he coached at New Bern High School set a World Junior Indoor Record in the 4 x400 meter, in New York. The record still stands. Click Here to watch the Runner’s World video with Nicholas.
In 2011, Nicholas and his wife launched the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to improving cultural and international understanding through global education experiences for students of all ages. Between the foundation, and the personal gifts of Nicholas and Catherine Sparks, more than $10 million dollars have been distributed to deserving charities, scholarship programs, and projects. Because Nicholas and Catherine Sparks cover all operational expenses of the foundation, 100% of donations are devoted to programs.
On April 19-22, 2012, he launched the inaugural Nicholas Sparks Celebrity Family Weekend and Golf Tournament in New Bern, North Carolina, a weekend devoted to raising awareness and funds for the Foundation. Sparks and his family hosted stars from the worlds of sports, music, movies and television, along with fans, for a full calendar of events, raising over $500,000.”
Hi Tanya, now I’m visiting YOU from SITS! 🙂 I’ve been meaning to look for the latest from Nicholas Sparks…I haven’t heard of this one, so I must have found my book! Yay, summer read!
Nicholas Sparks are great summer reads, although this isn’t his latest, it’s a good one. I love Diane Chamberlain’s books too. Thanks for visiting me back!
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Hi Tanya, now I’m visiting YOU from SITS! 🙂 I’ve been meaning to look for the latest from Nicholas Sparks…I haven’t heard of this one, so I must have found my book! Yay, summer read!
Nicholas Sparks are great summer reads, although this isn’t his latest, it’s a good one. I love Diane Chamberlain’s books too. Thanks for visiting me back!