Write your own review!
Anita F. (Clayton, MO)
(11/13/13)
Disappointing
I'm certain I've read this book before. But, it was by another author and done in a much better way. The characters were flat and the writing was uneven.
Rebecca G. (Havertown, PA)
(11/13/13)
Great Family Drama
I loved this book. It's a short read, the language isn't fancy. But the story of two mothers struggling to come to grips with their circumstances is very profound. As a mother, especially the mother of a daughter, I found myself attempting to put myself in the place of these women. Its was very difficult and I found myself on the verge of tears as I read. I don't know if I could cope with the facts of either woman's life and I am not sure which would be more difficult; losing a child or living a life of fear. This is a great book for women struggling with abuse. I give this book a good instead of excellent because I felt the ending was unsatisfactory but I did enjoy the book overall
Leah L. (Lawrence, NY)
(11/13/13)
Grief, abuse, IVF, nurturing, separation....It's a book for the 21st century!
Hannah's and Olivia's worlds intersect in what some may call serendipity and others say G-d. Does it matter how? In any event, each woman has made life decisions, journeying different courses yet bonded in a way unfathomed. They and Maddie benefit from the friendship which appears initially contrived, yet proves true the age old adage, "Blood is thicker than water." Hatvany creates believable characters. The reader is able to climb into each person's head, get what's going on, and then enjoy a deceptively simple story that raises the question each stage in each character's life: What would I have done?
J W. (Davis, CA)
(11/13/13)
Not a 'feel good' book
This was a story of tragedy and grief in many domestic forms. The book was quite well written but it certainly didn't leave this reader feeling anything akin to happiness. The voices of Olivia and Hannah seemed genuine but Maddy sounded much too mature for a 16yr old. Especially one who had little social interaction until she was 16. The accidental meeting of the two mother's and Maddie was handled in a realistic way. I could see it actually happening in that situation.
All in all, this was a good read and I'd recommend it to older teens as well as adults.
Carol T. (Ankeny, IA)
(11/12/13)
A good book for a rainy afternoon
This is one of those relatively light-in-plot-and-character books that pulls the reader in anyway. I hunger for a book with well developed characters and character/plot driven responses, but until I find the next one, Amy Hatvany's Safe with Me will do.
Sally H. (Geneva, OH)
(11/10/13)
A Compelling Read
With the exception of a few incidences of "that would never happen" (a personal pet peeve), this is a well-told story and a well-written book. The entire book is written in the present tense, except for when a character's past experience is related, and the author succeeds in accomplishing this consistently. Only Maddie's account is in the first person, making her stand out as the most important character. Ms. Hatvany deals well with the subject of organ donation, exploring the perspectives of the physician, the donor's next of kin, and the recipient and family. However, I wish she had left the domestic violence out of this book; I don't think it really added anything and it was so egregious that (for me at least) it distracted from the overall story line. For those reasons, I probably would not recommend it to my book club.
Marylou C. (Fountain Hills, AZ)
(11/10/13)
One social issue, one health issue
The authors combines the stories of a social issue, domestic abuse and a health issue, transplant is a fairly interesting, but highly unlikely scenario. But I must admit that many times I couldn't wait to get to the next page as my attention was all consumed by the writing. Hopefully there will be a sequel as the ending begs for more. Not sure I would recommend it to my book club.
Vy A. (Phoenix, AZ)
(11/10/13)
Safe With Me
Safe with Me would make a great book group discussion because it deals with ethical and moral issues on many levels—organ donors, spousal abuse, women's friendships, the loss of a child and fragile parent/child relationships.
Similar to a Jodi Picoult novel with difficult subjects at its heart, it grabs you early on and holds onto you. I didn't want to put it down until I knew how these characters would comes to term with their challenges.
Characters are well-developed and their actions are believable. I highly recommend it.