Safe Haven: Nicholas Sparks

Product Information

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.

Wow. So, I guess I have some issues. Anyway, I vow that this really really was my last Sparks novel. This time I mean it! The ending ruined it for me. The ending is dumb, contrived, unnecessary, insulting even. It made me feel stupid for spending the time to read this book. All the way until the end I was debating whether to give this book three stars or four because for all its faults (up until that point) it did keep me reading. Kevin, I've never been so scared of a character. I mentally flinch at the way he thought. And how much he believed what he was telling himself. I know that there are most defiantly people like that in the world. So wound up in their lies that they just become one. Not only lying to others but to themselves. Becoming the lies they tell. It breaks my heart, to think of all the people like that and how much they are suffering. Though most don't even know they are having never felt the joy/love to miss it. Sparks is a mediocre writer at best. His plots might have a seed of promise, but the writing reads like someone who is taking their first creative writing class. Or maybe he's channeling an average writer from the past. His style is flowery yet stilted. All the characters talk the same. The movies made from his novels are much better than the books, so that pretty much says it all.

Inspiration

That’s all I can say about the plot without spoiling anything. But this story… All the feels. All of them! I bought this book on a whim. All the ladies at my workplace seem to be reading it and I keep overhearing them rave about it. It's Nicholas Sparks best book yet! When I got up to the register the lady ringing me up said, "Ooh, Nicholas Sparks! I love his books. They're soo good. Oh, and look! It's going to be a movie. Gotta see that one." Mind you I had two other books in the pile, not a word about those.

Katie is a strong woman. She lived with a psycho for so long. Hercourage to stay with her physically and mentally abusive husband is admirable. She tried her best to love and look after him by cooking delicious food and housekeeping. I am sure there are so many Katies that exist among us. So I thought. Because suddenly, Nicholas Sparks made a detour. Unlike the first 3 books, he tried to become something that he hasn't done before. He tried to write a suspense thriller novel. Ala Ken Follett. Sparks caught my attention. He pulled it off as he stole some of my sleeping time. I slept only for only 3 hours that night as I got caught up with the mystery behind Katie (who turns out to be Erin) and how is her life being a battered wife. Totally unexpected. Definitely no hums-hums in the wee hours of the morning! The roles these actors & actresses *nearly* played". Glamour. May 23, 2017. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Yes, you read that right. Per the author himself, the lessons within Safe Haven are “not to be attempted by nonprofessionals.” More important, he’s clear that he’s not even conveying an approach to investing that could be attempted “by most professionals.” As Spitznagel sees it, “professionals” would likely struggle with his approach the most precisely because it’s so unorthodox. It just seems like every male character and every female in all of his books are really just the same people only with different names and occupations. And they are all so boring. Just once i would like a Sparks character to say f*** or talk about their periods, or not like kids and have it not be because they are the villain. Having said that, I had the pleasure of talking with a 96 year old lady at the hospital the other day and she had this book sitting on her bedside table and told me she likes N Sparks' novels "because they aren't too racy for me" which I thought was adorable so hats off to Mr Sparks for providing a good read for people of a certain age and disposition.Barefoot and covered in blood, a terrified Erin runs to an elderly neighbor’s house for shelter. After cutting and bleaching her hair, she arrives at a bus station. Cops appear and start looking for her, but she gets on a bus and escapes. For the sake of their younger sister and brother, they have to travel. Their journey is going to be filled with danger and too many unknowns. If they don’t travel far north, they will certainly die. They need to travel to find a safe haven. The ending closes the past chapters of the couple’s lives. Katie is finally free from her abusive husband. By giving Katie the letter written by Carly, Alex also puts his past behind him. Katie and Alex are finally ready to start a life together. The two lovers can now look to the future, which looks hopeful for them now that they are with each other. We get a scene of Alex, Katie, Josh, and Lexie, now a complete family, on a boat headed for a picnic. Carly’s expository letter beautifully explains Katie’s role in completing the family. The story begins for Katie and Alex, with each facing circumstances that make living difficult for them, and ends by highlighting the thing that makes life worth living: love. What Happens to Jo?