Safe Haven

Second chances are a common trope in romance novels. In this novel, all of the main characters have a second chance at happiness. This begins with Alex, a widower still grieving his wife of five years. Before her death, Carly gave Alex permission to find another woman to marry and raise their children with. Although Alex is not keen on living his life alone, he is also reluctant to marry just anyone. He wants someone who can be a good companion and a good mother to his two children. When Alex meets Katie, he feels that she might be the perfect woman for him because of her interactions with his youngest child, Kristen. As the novel progresses, Alex falls in love with Katie, moving forward wholeheartedly because of the permission Carly granted him. Only Katie’s dark past stands as an obstacle to their happiness.

Katie also embraces the trope of second chances. She escaped an abusive marriage and came to Southport to start over and live her life without fear. Katie does not intend to fall in love when she comes to Southport; she believes love is fleeting. However, when she meets Alex, there is an instant attraction. Katie slowly opens up with Alex and falls in love, but her past holds her back as she contemplates the future. Despite everything, she finds it difficult to break her marriage vows by being with Alex. However, when Jo pushes her to decide if she can commit, Katie takes a big step toward her future, reassuring her that her place is with Alex.

Kevin is the final character who is offered a second chance. When Erin leaves him, Kevin has the opportunity to examine his life. He can stop drinking, focus on his career, and move on with another woman. He even meets a woman at a bar and sleeps with her but is so overcome with guilt that it throws him into a frenzy over how much he misses Erin. When Kevin learns where Erin has gone and chases after her, he has a chance to make amends, apologize, and attempt to work things out. Instead, he takes each one of his second chances and throws them away. In the end, Kevin falls into despair and delusion, convincing himself that nothing that happened to him is his fault, and that it all lies on Erin. Rather than take a second chance, Kevin decides to take revenge, leading to his death.

Katie has never known kind love. Her parents were angry alcoholics who were occasionally violent. Katie claims her father never intentionally beat her or her mother, but he did throw a snow globe that hit her on the head. She recalls good times as a child, but these are overshadowed by darker moments. When Katie turned 18, her parents kicked her out without financial or moral support. Her parents were killed a year later in a car accident, but for Katie they were already gone, having long since abandoned her.

Katie meets Kevin through an act of selflessness. He saves her from two would-be attackers, making her feel as though she had just met someone who could make her feel safe. Unfortunately, Kevin stopped making her feel safe when on their honeymoon he hit her for the first time. This was Katie’s second experience with love, and it was even darker than the first.

When Katie arrives in Southport, she has no expectations. She only wants to find a job and make enough money to feel safe. Then she meets Jo. Jo pushes her toward Alex, and Katie allows it because she is desperate to connect to other people. Katie falls for Kristen and Josh first, finding in these innocent children a simplicity that was missing from her life. She is a bit more wary of Alex, but over time he shows her that she can trust him; she comes to believe he won’t suddenly turn on her and become abusive. Katie grows in her relationship with Alex because his love allows her to blossom in a way neither her parents nor Kevin would allow.

Carly/Jo is another example of love overcoming adversity. Carly thinks only of Alex as she lays dying, afraid of what will happen to him and the kids if he doesn’t open himself up to a new love. This shows uncommon selflessness and strength. Carly transcends death to befriend Katie and encourage her to commit herself fully to Alex and the kids. Carly’s love for her family allows her to do something powerful and life-changing for them, making her the most important manifestation of this theme.