Thursday, August 18, 2011

Safe Haven-Nicholas Sparks

Safe Haven
Nicholas Sparks
Grand Central, Aug 2 2011, $14.99
ISBN: 9780446547604

Katie fled her abusive alcoholic husband Kevin the cop who kept her a prisoner in their home and battered her constantly; she left when he put a gun to her head as she knows he will one day pull the trigger or break her skull. She rents a cabin in Southport, North Carolina and obtains a job at Ivan's restaurant.

As a little time passes since her last battering, Katie relaxes her vigil somewhat though she remains an enigma to the townsfolk. Widower father of two (Kristen and Josh) Alex the shopkeeper is attracted to the mystery woman. His kids feel the same way about her and she does likewise towards them. As she falls in love with the father and his children, Katie dreams of a happy family with her as the wife and mother. Humiliated by his wife running away, raging Kevin hunts her with plans to kill Katie and this man she is with who enabled her to escape.

Obviously the theme of a psychopath husband and a victim wife is not new (see Don’t Tell by Karen Rose – the spouse is a cop too), Nicholas Sparks provides an exciting romantic suspense with a touch of the paranormal. The cast is solid as kind Alex is the polar opposite of brutal Kevin; ironically both insist they love Katie but display it differently.

Harriet Klausner

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