Safe

Haven
By
Nicholas Sparks
(Book Review)
 Author’s Background

Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks is a 57 year-old American novelist, screenwriter and a producer. He was born
in December 31, 1965 at Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. He is known as one of the best author all over the
world. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers. As a former full scholarship athlete in
track and field, he spent four years as a coach in his specialization at the local public school. Nicholas
Sparks is currently living in North Carolina. He has been doing a lot of charities, local and national. He
is also a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame,
where he gives scholarships, internships and many more. Year 2011, he decided to build his own
foundation labeled as The Nicholas Sparks Foundation where he continues his good deed.

His life as an author, Nicholas Sparks wrote 24 books, both in fiction and non-fiction. While
studying at the University of Notre Dame, he wrote his first novel, The Passing. And recently, in the
year 2022, he released his latest book, entitled, Dreamland. At the age of 28, he wrote his one of the
best-known story in six months, The Notebook, published in the year 1996. Followed by the novel,
Message in a Bottle(1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road
(2001), Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), True Believer (2005)
and its sequel, At First Sight (2005), Dear John (2006), The Choice (2007), The Lucky One (2008), The
Last Song (2009), Safe Haven (2010), The Best of Me (2011), The Longest Ride (2013), See Me
(2015), Two by Two (2016), Every Breath (2018), The Return (2020), and The Wish (2021).
 Safe Haven Characters

Major Characters

 Erin Tierney/Katie Feldman – the female lead, wife of Kevin Tierney, lover of Alex
 Alex Wheatley – the male lead, ex-wife of Carly Wheatley, lover of Katie
 Kevin Tierney – a Boston police detective, husband of Erin

Minor Characters

 Carly Jo Wheatley – ex-wife of Alex, imaginary friend of Katie

 Josh Wheatley – son of Alex and Carly, older brother of Kristen
 Kristen Wheatley – daughter of Alex and Carly, younger sister of Josh
 Joyce – an old woman who helps Alex manage his grocery store
 Ivan – the owner of the restaurant where Katie works
 Ricky – the chef at Ivan’s restaurant, he tried to hit Katie but he rejected him
 Melody – a waitress at the restaurant where Katie works
 Roger – a man who works at the grill in Alex’s grocery store
 Coffey – a cop who works for Kevin
 Ramirez – a cop who works for Kevin
 Bill – Kevin’s boss
 Todd – Kevin’s partner at work
 Amber – the girl who Kevin met at the bar
 Larry Feldman – Kevin and Erin’s neighbor
 Gladys Feldman – Kevin and Erin’s neighbor
 Katie Feldman – deceased daughter of Larry and Gladys who resembles Erin
 Karen Feldman – older sister of Katie, daughter of Larry and Gladys
 Rachel – Erin’s hairstylist
 Book Analysis
This is my first time reading a book written by one of the most famous author in the field of
novel, Nicholas Sparks. I was first attracted by the title of it, and when I read the description written
about the story, it made me wonder about how the plot works. The story started in the point of view of
Katie, while she is working at Ivan’s restaurant in the late April in North Carolina town of Southport. It
continues showing her usual routine in her everyday life. But suddenly, everything turned different when
Jo, her new neighbor came. During their first conversation, Jo asked if Katie knows about the store
nearby. She also asked if she already met the owner named Alex. By the sudden attention given to
Alex in the way of Jo, Katie’s view on Alex changed.

As their interaction continues, it turns out that the first time Alex saw Katie buying in his store;
he is already attracted to her. That’s why Alex tried building a conversation between them whenever he
have a chance, just like when Katie was about to pay for the things that she decided to buy or when
she is walking around the store finding the things that she needs. Katie found it creepy when Alex
asked him about the things that she need or when he asked her who her favorite author is while she’s
looking at the book section. She felt like Alex was stalking her and watching all of her movement.

Katie is aware that Alex is attracted to her; she knows that she is also attracted to him. But her
fear from her unknown past is overpowering her. Jo keeps on persuading her to be more open to Alex.
Therefore, Katie decided to tell Jo a brief summary of her past but she pretended that it was her friend's
story. Eventually, Katie gave in a few days later. It was when Alex asked her to a date, Katie agreed but
in one condition. She said that it will be in her house and she will be the one who will prepare the
foods. Alex agreed and that night, while having their wine in the porch of Katie’s house. Alex opened
the topic about Katie’s past, he told Katie about his assumptions about her. Katie was shocked and
wanted to leave the place immediately. She felt betrayed by Jo since she assumed that it was her who
told Alex about her past. Seeing the reaction of Katie, Alex said that no one told him about it and it was
just his observation.

Looking at the sincerity that is visible in Alex’s eyes. It is when Katie chose to be more open to
Alex. Katie even decided to learn how to drive and get her own driver’s license. This is where their story
started. But at the same time, it is also where they showed Katie’s past and the current point of view of
his husband. Here is where everything became complicated. Kevin, Katie’s husband, started to have a
clue about her where beings after the wife of Larry Feldman, their neighbor, died. He connected the
dots and when he already confirmed the location of Katie, he went there immediately. And the time
where he reached Katie’s house in North Carolina, she wasn’t there because she went to Alex’s house.
Kevin slept to Katie’s bedroom while waiting for her. Alex and Katie, together with Josh and Kristen
went to a carnival. And by the time that Kevin woke up, he also went to the carnival where he saw Katie
with Alex and the kids. He followed them by running but he can’t catch up. So he went to his car as fast
as he can, but he didn’t catch them. He roams around the neighborhood and keeps on checking every
garage to find the four bicycles they used.

Kevin found it in the back of the store that Alex owned. At that time, Katie and the kids where
left alone in the house because Alex needs to do some errand for Joyce, his helper in handling the
store. Kevin decided to put the store and the house on fire. He bought gas and a lighter and waited for
Roger, the one who’s managing the store at that time to leave. And when Roger left, Kevin started to
put the gas all over the premises of the store. When he’s done putting the gas, he used the lighter to
start the fire. At that moment, Katie was sleeping and dreaming about Jo, waking her up. Katie realized
that the fire was on fire, she immediately went to Josh and Kristen’s room to wake them up. She
realized that they were trapped so they went to the master’s bedroom and helped the kids to jump out
of the window.

They got out safely but Kevin suddenly showed up with a gun on his hand. Prioritizing the kids’
safety, she distracted Kevin and let the kids run for their life. Katie kept on fighting for his life until Alex
saw the kids in the street and brought them to Katie’s house. After that, he showed up to where Katie
and Kevin are and tried to smash his car to Kevin but he got away and rode his car. Katie went to Alex
and let him rush because she saw where Kevin’s car is heading to, and it is in the direction of her
house. Worrying about what might happen to Josh and Kristen, they drove as fast as they can to go to
Katie’s house. When they reached the house, they are relieved that the kids were saved but they did
not notice Kevin entered the house. He hits Alex head and that made Alex fall into the ground. Katie
grabbed Kevin outside the house and there is where they confront each other. Kevin died after Katie
shoots him.

Alex was brought to the hospital and after his recovery, they went to the store. Alex requested
to find the safe box where he put all the important files that he have, including the letter Carly made for
his future wife. He gave it to Katie, after that, Katie gave Alex a ride to Joyce’s house where they stay
temporarily. When Katie reached her home, she saw the house next to hers. It is the house where Jo
lives but she saw it almost rotten and there’s no one there. While she’s confused, she read the letter
Carly gave her, and after reading it. She realized that Carly, Alex’s ex-wife and Jo, her neighbor and
friend is the same. Jo was the spirit of Carly.