I recently joined a book club and our first assignment was this book. I have to say I was apprehensive, not because I don't like Nicholas Sparks, it was just that I've read so many of his books like; Dear John, The Notebook and The Last Song, that I knew whether I wanted to or not, I was going to cry. I wasn't disappointed.
This sweet story starts out introducing us to Katie, who works as a waitress and just recently moved to Southport North Carolina. She doesn't have a car, and walks to work from her little cottage down a dirt road. We are also introduced to her friend Jo who moves in next door to her in the only other run down cottage on that road. Early on we get a sense that something is a little off about Katie. She's not openly friendly, she works all the time and spends very little money on anything but food, saving the rest. Jo immediately asks her if she's dating anyone, which she promptly denies. But Jo doesn't let up there, she asks her if she has met the general store owner with the grey hair. I immediately suspect something about Jo, she seems to have her own agenda, but more on that later.
We are then introduced to the grey haired store owner, Alex, and given his perspective. He has noticed Katie, has tried to talk to her, but she keeps her head down and doesn't linger in the store when she's shopping. She only pauses long enough to talk to Alex's daughter, Kristen. His son, Josh, usually fishes out on the dock behind the store. Alex's wife passed away several years ago. I knew immediately that Katie and Alex would fall for each other. Alex also notices something about the way (spoiler alert) that Katie tends to twist a ring on her finger that is no longer there. He knows exactly what has happened to her and what she is running from.
As I continued to read, I knew exactly where this story was going, because I had read a similar story many years before - Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen. There are many similarities between Black and Blue and Safe Haven. I like Safe Haven better though, much happier ending.
Now, I really like how Alex accepts Katie for who and what she is but I also know that Jo is being pretty hard on her about not leading him or the kids on if she is not in this for the long haul. Katie eventually tells Alex that she is on the run from her abusive husband, and I do mean husband because she is still officially married to the man, who just happens to be a police detective. This is where the story got weird for me. It starts to tell his perspective, not Alex's, but the wife beater husband, Kevin. I really didn't care to read about how he justified hitting Katie or how he thought she actually enjoyed being locked in the house all day, unable to leave or make phones calls or even go for a walk. That part really creeped me out.
Anyway, Kevin eventually finds Katie in Southport. She just happens to be babysitting Alex's kids for the evening at their place when Kevin decides to burn the place down. Katie manages to escape, saving the kids but running into Kevin outside. There is a great fight and death scene that I would love to describe, but you're just going to have to read it. And then, the kicker, we find out that Katie's friend, Jo, was really... wait for it ... the ghost of Alex's wife all along and there was never really anyone at the rundown cottage next door!! I told you there was something about her, didn't I!!
This was a sweet little story and overall I really did enjoy reading it. I give it a 5 out of 5, even taking into account the creep factor with the husband.
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