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Thursday 1 June 2017

Keep Me Safe by Daniela Sacerdoti #bookreview




About Keep Me Safe

When Anna's partner walks away from their relationship, she is shattered. But it is her little girl Ava who takes it hardest of all. The six year old falls silent for three days. When she does speak, her words are troubling. Ava wants to go home. To a place called Seal. To her other mother.

Anna knows to unravel the mystery she must find Seal and take Ava there. She hopes this tiny island will unlock her daughter's memories. But could it also offer a new life...and unexpected love...for Anna too?

My review of Keep Me Safe

I love a good supernatural story with a twist of romance and Keep Me Safe delivered on both counts. This was such a comforting book to read, albeit with a bittersweet aftertaste. It just made me want to hug my little ones that little bit tighter and to be thankful for all the great things in my life, my husband included. This really is a life affirming book.

Anna is a working mum, a newly qualified nurse, and mum to six-year-old Ava. When her long term boyfriend, and Ava's fatter, Toby, suddenly decides to leave then to embark upon a new life in Australia, the lives of both Anna and Ava are turned upside down. The shock of what happens has a profound, negative impact upon Ava, psychologically, and it is during this time that she asks for her other mum. At a complete loss of what to do, Anna seeks help, but as nobody understands what has happened to her little girl, she decides to take matters into her own hands. It is only through Ava's happy drawings of an island where she can be seen standing with seals and a mystery woman,  that Ava seems to find any solace. So, after a search online, Anna finds the remote island of Seal, an island that resembles Ava's drawings, and decides that it would be the perfect place for a relaxing holiday, away from the stresses and strains of the past. 

Once they arrive on the island they find that their hotel reservation has not been booked properly online, and so they have nowhere to stay. It is at this point that fate intervenes and they meet Sorren, the son of the woman who owns a guest house on the island, who then offers them the spare guest room. From this moment on, Anna and Ava become part of island life.

This really is such a beautiful book. The imagery of the sea was so palpable. I could taste the salt on the wind and could smell the sea. It is hugely romantic, both in its depictions of maternal love, in finding that special someone, your soulmate, to spend the rest of your life with and in the island itself. What I also really enjoyed was the multiple first person narration in this book. This allowed me to fully understand the characters and to get a unique insight into who they were. Each voice was distinctive, and I feel that this alternating viewpoint was needed to get the most from this story.  The characters are also hugely engaging, all helping to add to the rich tapestry of the plot. 

This is a book about second sight, about trusting your gut instinct and of making those decisions in life that scare you witless. This is what Anna does for her daughter. She goes to Seal on a whim, as she wants to see her daughter happy once again, but what she gets is so much more from her visit.

I was also thrilled to learn that Keep Me Safe is the first book in a new series, and I look forward to reading the second instalment. If you love a romantic read that is blended with the supernatural and a lot of heart, then you'll love this book. I couldn't put it down.

With thanks to the publisher and Bookbridgr who sent me a hardback copy for review purposes. 

Keep Me Safe is published by Headline Review on 6 April 2017. The book is available to buy from Amazon here.


About the author

Daniela Sacerdoti is a phenomenon. Over one million copies of her novels have been sold in eBook, her debut novel Watch Over Me was the eighth bestselling Kindle book of all time in 2015 and she was also ranked as the eleventh top-selling Kindle author.

Daniela writes beautiful, haunting and bestselling fiction for adults (the Glen Avich series), young adults (the Sarah Midnight trilogy) and children. Her novels have been translated in twelve languages.

Daniela was born and raised in Italy. She studied Classics, then lived in Scotland for fourteen years, where she married and taught in a primary school. Daniela's children's book Really WeirdRemovals.Com was shortlisted for the Scottish Children's Book Awards. She has also written for the BBC.

Daniela, her husband and their two sons make their home in a tiny village in the Alps. To discover more about Daniela and her world, visit www.danielasacerdoti.com.

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