Helpful Score: 2
This is not a typical Nicholas Sparks book. I am a fan of this author and am glad to see him branch out in this different direction. The husband of the main character, Katie, has major issues and the author does a great job of going into the mind of this guy.
Definite page-turner towards the end and the ending is "wow!"
Definite page-turner towards the end and the ending is "wow!"
Helpful Score: 2
I zipped right through Safe Haven. It was one of those books that "catches" you and you don't want to put it down until you finish it.
Helpful Score: 2
I absolutely loved this book and as for the ending I thought it was super....did not see that coming at all. This is one of his best books by far and I highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
Such a great story with a SURPRISE ending! Battered wives will take hope again.
Helpful Score: 1
As I read this book it brought out several emotions in me. At times it angered me because one of the characters was so twisted and cruel. But there was also sadness and happiness within the story too. At times I wasn't sure where the author was going to take the story, but he really brings it all together at the end. Overall, a great read!
Helpful Score: 1
This book deals with the difficult issue of domestic violence. I found part of the ending to be far-fetched and unnecessary. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
I enjoy reading Nick Sparks' books, he frequently touches on things in life that are a little atypical. Reading how Katie/Erin was treated by her husband broke my heart, and I realize ugly things like spousal abuse do happen. Fortunately for Katie, she was able to get away and make a new life for herself.
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed the book and I loved the ending...I did not see it coming until ch 40 and then I knew and it was so good. I think this is definitely one of his better books and I literally flew thru it..a real page-turner!
Helpful Score: 1
That woman's husband was nuts....Sparks describes mental illness...obsession with great detail.
I must admit I haven't read a Nicholas Sparks book in awhile. IMO his writing has matured in a good way. Even thou the story was about abuse it was very interesting to read. There is a surprise in the story near the end of the book.
Safe Haven is a great book that I could not put down and read in one week. Sparks has done it again.
Much too predictably Sparks to be anything special. Or my head just wasn't into it.
Radically abused wife of police officer finally escapes him and finds herself in a small Southern town. He goes nuts, starts drinking way too much, gets himself suspended and decides to hunt her down and bring her back. Meantime she is just beginning to feel safe and begins to trust people shortly before he finds her. Things turn sour very quickly.
Best part of the book:
"She'd put the steaks in the marinade the day before:
red wine, orange juice, grapefruit juice, salt and pepper.
The acidity of the juices made the meat tender and gave it extra flavor. It was in a casserole dish on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator."
I think I am going to have to try that marinade.
Radically abused wife of police officer finally escapes him and finds herself in a small Southern town. He goes nuts, starts drinking way too much, gets himself suspended and decides to hunt her down and bring her back. Meantime she is just beginning to feel safe and begins to trust people shortly before he finds her. Things turn sour very quickly.
Best part of the book:
"She'd put the steaks in the marinade the day before:
red wine, orange juice, grapefruit juice, salt and pepper.
The acidity of the juices made the meat tender and gave it extra flavor. It was in a casserole dish on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator."
I think I am going to have to try that marinade.
Read the book without having seen the movie. Loved the story very much. So no need for me to see the movie now :)
Typical Nicholas Sparks but a good and quick read.
I enjoy reading these after I've done some heavy reading like the Game of Thrones.
I enjoy reading these after I've done some heavy reading like the Game of Thrones.
Safe Haven is such a great book, couldn't turn the pages fast enough, can't wait until it comes out in the movies in February
great story some interesting twists i didn't pick up on till the end!
This is one of my favorite books that Nicholas Sparks has created. The characters are fully developed and the relationships believable...there is a theme of domestic violence that he treats with care and I admire him for taking it on. If you're a Sparks fan, you will LOVE this novel!
Nicholas Sparks never disappoints. Safe Haven is now my favorite Sparks' novel. Loved the way the story unfolded, the character development was wonderful, and the suspense kept me reading past my bedtime.
Loved it, love Nicholas Spark's Books, very quick read
Great book....typical of Nicholas Sparks' interesting writing material
Having seen the movie I was anxious to read the book. Loved both and book was more thorough.
This wasn't one of my favorites. I liked the characters fine. Though I wasn't as invested in them as I usually am. This book was very different than Sparks usual brand. Seemed more like a thriller than a love story. I loved the character Alex, and Kevin was even crazier than I originally believed. Though at most times, I found the story to be too predictable. I felt like I had already experienced this story in the form of a lifetime movie.
I love Nicholas Sparks books. This was very good--not his best--but because i live in the area he writes about--it makes the books more meaningful. He is one of my favorites.
As always, Nicholas Sparks delivers. I read this book in a day because I just couldn't put it down. Loved every minute of it.
I love anything that Nicholas Sparks writes and this book didn't disappoint. A very good read with a big surprise twist at the end.
This way my first Nicholas Sparks book, and a better choice I couldn't have made. I laughed, I cried and loved the ending. I wanted the story to keep going. A major success in my book.
The main characters husband is a crazy drunk. I couldn't believe the courage Katie had to risk everything and leave with nothing.
The main characters husband is a crazy drunk. I couldn't believe the courage Katie had to risk everything and leave with nothing.
If you like one Nicholas Sparks book, you'll probably like them all. There's always a mix of sadness and hope. Safe Haven is no different. Katie is on the run from an abusive husband and Alex is widowed single father trying to make it on his own. With a little nudge from Katie's friend Jo, the two are drawn together for a second chance at love. But first, they must escape demons from the past.
This was the first book I have read by Nicholas Sparks. I did not know what I was missing and certainly will read some of his others. It is interesting, sensitive-the ending is great. I would without question recommend it.
I found the novel to be suspenseful, realistic, and entertaining. Sparks' characters are portrayed as people we might know in our own daily lives, with joys, sorrows, hopes, and failings.
My first Nicholas Sparks read, and it was fantastic! Loved the suspense ~ kept you guessing until the end. Excellent!
This was a GREAT book! I was intrigued, mad, scared, hopeful and even cried reading it and loved the 'surprise' injected near the end of book as well. I didn't want to put it down while reading it! If I could give it '10' stars, I would!
Nicholas Sparks - a genre of his own. Sweet love stories with an added element of drama. I have laughed and cried in every one of his books. I have been made fun of for reading his books, but I will always be a fan of Sparks' books.
A woman who has a rough past has relocated to a small town in NC outside of Wilmington to start a new life. She gets a job at a local restaurant and starts renovating a cottage on the beach. After living in this small town for awhile, she falls in love with a man with two kids who lost his wife due to a disease.
As my sister was advised, if you get two thirds of the way through this book, you should sit and finish it. The last 70 pages are hard to put down - so make time to finish it one sitting. I am not sure the men would enjoy this one or most of his books, but the ladies will definitely enjoy this tender and dramatic read.
A woman who has a rough past has relocated to a small town in NC outside of Wilmington to start a new life. She gets a job at a local restaurant and starts renovating a cottage on the beach. After living in this small town for awhile, she falls in love with a man with two kids who lost his wife due to a disease.
As my sister was advised, if you get two thirds of the way through this book, you should sit and finish it. The last 70 pages are hard to put down - so make time to finish it one sitting. I am not sure the men would enjoy this one or most of his books, but the ladies will definitely enjoy this tender and dramatic read.
All of this authors books are great. This has to be up there at the top. Romance with a little bit of mystery & it's a pageturner for me. However I didn't post this book as I keep all his hardcovers. Sorry!
If you know his work, this one is a bit better than 'typical' IMHO. I greatly enjoyed it. Great characters, great suspense, great reading all through-out. If you don;t know and read Sparks, this is a good one to start with.
This was by far my favorite Nicholas Sparks book.
Good book. I know what the ending was going to be half way through it but he through a couple twists in to.
I usually have a general rule to not read a film adapted book so soon after having watched the movie. I feel cheap and cheated by enjoying the hollywood-fed adaption and then reading something that is clearly better but unable to enjoy because I find myself unintentionally frustrated that it doesnt follow "the movie" because the movie was "so good". Waiting several months for it to become a spotty memory helps. Which is why the Harry Potter books have sat untouched on my shelf for years now.
Because of this, I'm finding it hard to get into the book. I dont feel connected with it. Though Im halfway through it and seriously debating putting it down and revisit it when I've forgotten the movie.
Because of this, I'm finding it hard to get into the book. I dont feel connected with it. Though Im halfway through it and seriously debating putting it down and revisit it when I've forgotten the movie.
Another page turner by Nicholas Sparks. Really liked this book which was a bit different than some of his others.
This is the best Nicholas Sparks book I've read yet! It's completely different than what he's written before (in my opinion anyway). The ending twists and took my by surprise. I almost don't want to post this book and read it again.
Good Read! A bit predictable but loved it anyway.
This book kept my interest from the very beginning. It was a great book.
Not one of Nicholas Sparks best books. I have read this book before by other authors on domestic violence. If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks, you will enjoy it. If you are reading him for the first time, I would recommend another of his books.
Nicholas Sparks is a wonderful author and I have read all his books. This was not my all time favorite but it was a nice read. It tells a story of a woman who must learn to trust again in order to love again.
As usual, Sparks does not disappoint, but I admit his books are starting to all feel the same (seems like there is always a widowed male left raising kids on his own...). Safe Haven was full of suspense and touched on a darker side than what is usual, which was a good change but a little too graphic. The characters were not quite as deep and I didn't feel quite as connected to them as I expected. I didn't care for the twist at the end- I like Sparks so much because his books are real- they don't always have the HEA ending- and the twist was not realistic IMHO. Still an enjoyable read, one I will add to my permanent collection along with the rest of his books and most likely read again.
While I enjoyed this newest book by Sparks, it isn't my favorite by far. Rather predictable. However, an enjoyable, quick read for Sparks fans.
