Safe Haven

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks, 2010 Grand Central Publishing

     Katie has been running long enough to wish for a place to stop. In Southport she finds that place. A cabin at the end of a gravel road and a job in town make the small town in North Carolina a safe place to stop. Before long a woman moves into the cabin next door and befriends Katie--Jo is a relief from the loneliness and encourages Katie to find her home in Southport.
     With her new friend's encouragement Katie allows her interest in the mysterious widower who runs the store on the edge of town to bloom into a relationship. Alex and his two children worm their way into Katie's heart and she becomes more and more comfortable with the idea of home.
     As deep as their connection becomes, Katie tries to keep her past from washing over this family. But when the past finally catches up to her, Katie doesn't have time to protect the family she loves.
     Katie and Alex surmount their obstacles and after some pussyfooting around create a home she had never dreamed possible. The domestic abuse that forced Katie from her home and marriage is addressed, as well as the mentality that so many women fight to escape--Kaite is one of those successful women who survive their abusers.
     Safe Haven is more than just a romance. The issues it tackles are often overlooked in the romantic genre or solved with a hero saving the damsel in distress. The high tension many in Katie's place experience can be difficult for younger readers; the story is directed toward older teens and adults.