Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Description: 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.

First line: As Katie wound her way among the tables, a breeze from the Atlantic rippled through her hair.

My Thoughts: This was my first Nicholas Sparks book and I must say I really liked it! It was different than I expected. I liked the mix of danger and love. The love story was sweet and safe, with no graphic sex scenes. The suspense built nicely. I liked the look into the mind of her ex, the psycho control freak, it was amazing to hear the way he rationalized his actions and strange to hear him repeat how much he loved her. The characters were well developed and I cared what happened to them. There was an unexpected spooky twist at the end which I loved. I will be reading more by this author. It was a fun, absorbing and I think you would enjoy this book too!

Rating:





Quote: She liked it here. Southport was different from Boston or Philadelphia or Atlantic City, with their endless sounds of traffic and smells of people rushing along the sidewalks, and it was the first time in her life that she had a place to call her own.

Links:
Nicholas Sparks