Safe Haven?

Honestly speaking, I have never felt so accomplished after I finished reading a good book. Especially when you finished reading in less than 12 hours.

Notes : Quoted lines with Verdana (font and bold) are some of my favourite lines that I picked from the novel.

A book worth 4.9 out of 5.0 from me with special mixture of themes definitely deserves a soft spot here, in my blog.
I have always thought that all Sparks's books must be romantically touching with some sadness in between or at the end. Or the usual male character with war/marine background with long distance relationship or such?

But THIS book (to my surprise), it's nothing related to war, sad love story or religion.
It's about family, love, friendship, kindness, courage, violence, (chronic) alcoholism, power, fear, innocence and imagination. (with very little sex scenes throughout - bonus! less distracting, I mean haha) Well...I can't deny, I love this combo!


The plot started off with a general introduction of the (main) female character, moving on to the (not so important) side characters, then the (main) male character and from there, the story starts. Quite naturally. Actually I like how the plot is twisted with suspense as I read on. It didn't bore me at all! 
Truthfully speaking, introductory part is always the slowest part and it gets me a while to get used to the characters and their roles and once I am familiar with it, (BUMM!) the suspense creeps in slowly, in different forms!

"Giving voice to the truth of her past meant opening the door to the future." 



There are 2 different kind of suspense Sparks is trying to put in here. One is romantically suspense, y'know the usual adrenaline rush in every romantic book you read. Two is the kind that will make you criminally ill, in which you'll start to worry whether the devil will kill the good character/the innocence or the otherwise. Yep. 
These two suspense is slotted in well and I must say, that was a good job done, Mr. Sparks! #clapsclaps


"That's what courage is. If she weren't scared, she wouldn't need courage in the first place."



Somewhere along the themes of family, friends and love, there is a "violence", "power" and "courage" in between, and followed by "kindness" and back to "love".




"I truly believe that while love can hurt, love can also heal."



It's not the typical love story that will make you say, "Ah, love stories like this will only exist in books or movies." This, however (I don't know why) the whole story just felt so relatable and real. Although I was a little taken aback by the "imaginary" ending, it is still possible that things like that does happen in real life.


"No buts.", he said. "because there are none. You see yourself as someone who couldn't get away. I see the courageous woman who escaped. You see yourself as someone who should be ashamed or guilty because she stopped it from happening ever again. Not many women have the strength to do what you did.."


And I must admit, I absolutely love the courageous, strong and independent characteristics in the female character. Although she was quite stupid in the past, to be blinded with abusive love (well that is why love is blind), I am glad that she made the decision to leave and fight to love herself more. 
In this book, the main male role is (of course) the man of one in a million. I simply love his sensitive character in the novel. I like how love, believe and simplicity shape him into an understanding and kind human being that I think man like this still exist in this real world but too bad, it's kind of really really rare these days. #ohtheregoesmydescendedhope

but I swear that I'm gonna marry this kind of man, someday....... ..............(hopefully.)


I guess the man's genuine heart and simplicity (in this story) melt my heart every time I read. Not to forget, those heartwarming lines from both characters makes me smile from ear to ear as I flip the pages. <3
On the other hand, the violence part in the story was pretty good. The effect of chronic alcoholism and mentally ill thinking are quite scary sometimes. It was quite well described and it stimulates my sympathetic nervous system every single time there is a negative intention of the devil in this story.


And....... that's about it! Will definitely place this book together with 'Jane's Melody' on my bookshelf so that I will know that these are the books that I won't mind rereading again and again.



"It had my heart racing by just sitting here, reading it. When a book does that, then you know that it's a good book." :)




xx