Member Reviews
A truly fascinating insight into life after loss from a child's perspective and one I enjoyed. Great descriptions of the Scottish locals and landscape and the wildness of the Island of Seal.
Omg talk about a roller coaster read wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat threw out I just couldn't put it down this writer keeps you hooked and once your hooked your not letting go I found this book thrilling the characters were fantastic and well thought out and the little clues all the way threw keep you guessing until the end this book stays with you long after you close the book this book is well worth the read I promise you wont be disappointed
Good characters and a nice setting make this heartwarming read a positive one. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Great story by Daniel Sacerdoti. Really fantastic heartwarming read, great characters and an enjoyable story. Highly recommend to others!!
When Toby leaves Anna and their sweet daughter Ava, Ava retreats into herself not speaking for days. When she finally emerges, she speaks of her "other" mother and the life she used to have. Obviously, this is more than unsettling to Anna. As Ava continues to speak of this other life more and more, Anna decides to explore it. Anna schedules a vacation to Seal (the place Ava speaks of) and this sets off a life-changing course that allows Anna and Ava to find so much more than they expected. The story unfolds in a beautiful way and you really feel as though you are in it.
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!
I’ll confess from the start that I don’t read a lot of romance or fantasy so this book was perhaps always going to have to work hard for me to love it.
There were quite a few things I did really enjoy:
• The theme of the healing qualities of the natural world
• The engaging picture of an island community, where everyone knows everyone else and you’re not just an anonymous figure amongst thousands
• The exploration of grief and guilt following a bereavement and how silence can be a barrier to healing
• The process of learning to trust and opening up to another person after a failed relationship
In the end, however, I found the supernatural element didn’t really do it for me and I found it hard to believe in the relationship that Anna forms when she arrives on Seal. It all seemed too sudden and convenient although I appreciate the author was probably trying to explore the idea of fate or destiny. I also felt the introduction of two new points of view towards the end of the book was unnecessary.
Keep Me Safe is undoubtedly romantic, though, and I’m sure there are many readers who will simply adore the story. In my case, I enjoyed it but didn’t fall in love with it.
I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers Headline in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This is my first book with this author and I was left with a lump in my throat at her clear sensitive writing. Author Daniela Sacerdoti writes the book with a heavy hand of emotions and tears.
When Ava after 3 days of silence asks for her other mother, Anna is devastated. Yet to get to the bottom on these memories in Ava's mind, Anna takes them both to the island of Seal. And the secrets are revealed...
The characters in the book are all special and the grandmother is especially loving. The descriptions of the island landscape are vivid and mind blowing.
I read this book with an open mind, not trying to guess, so to me, the ending was unexpected and apt.
The book touches on spiritual and extra sensory perception along with love and emotions and author has done a brilliant job with the story.
Good story - The romance was a little flowery towards the end but the story line was good, the characters well developed and it was well writing. An enjoyable read overall. I would definitely read more books by this author. The story surrounds a newly single mom and her daughter who is traumatized by the sudden departure of her father. After shell shock the girl starts to remember another life in another place at another time. Slowly pieces of a past meld with the future for mom, daughter and the townsfolk, bringing things full circle in many different aspects of their lives. .
Absolutely fantastic story, do not want to ruin it for anyone. Fab book hopefully read more from author soon
When Ava is 6 her father Toby decides to up and leave for a new life in Australia - Anna his partner is devastated not because she still loves him but because their daughter Ava is heartbroken and Ava has a bit of a breakdown not talking or eating for 3 days. When she starts talking again though she keeps asking for her other mummy on the island of Seal. Anna is at a loss as to where this is all coming from, she has never even heard of the island of Seal, but eventually decides to take Ava there on holiday to get it out of her system
Arriving on Seal she finds a magical island and staying at the inn with Shauna, who lost her young daughter to the sea she soon starts to feel at home........especially with the lovely Sorren.........but how does Ava seem to know places and sing with the school children in Gaelic, and how can the possibly leave again?
A lovely heart warming story - great characters and definitely a place that it makes you want to go and visit - so definitely looking forward to the next ones in the series
This started off slowly and I almost gave up. I'm pleased I didn't as it turned into a very good read
I wanted to read this because of the connection to Seal Island- a place I know well having driven over the Bridge over the Atlantic and across Seal to get to another island where we lived for a few years. That was my mistake. This Seal Island shamelessly borrows bits of various Hebridean islands- which wouldn't have been a problem if it had been called something else. However, that was my problem & won't be an issue for many readers who have no knowledge of the real Seal.
The story itself is a nice one. Six year old Ava is traumatised by her father abandoning her & her mother. For the first three days after he leaves she doesn't eat or talk. After that she constantly draws seascapes & talks about her 'other' mother. Her mother Anna, eventually discovers where it is Ava thinks she comes from and they go there for a holiday where they are made welcome but there are secrets here too.
This isn't really a paranormal novel, it is more a romance. The characters are interesting and engaging. I'm not a great reader of 'chick-lit' but this is a nice story. I only gave it three stars because it's not really my sort of book & personally I couldn't get past my irritation about the setting. These are my issues & I'm sure it will be a book enjoyed by many.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for giving me the chance to read & review this book.
I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
I really struggled to get into this book. I found the beginning very wishy washy and slow but most of the reviews have been positive so I persevered. I am so pleased I did.
This was a lovely book with such interesting characters that were so realistic. With a slightly supernatural aspect of the storyline, I enjoyed the way it developed. I also liked the setting of the book. It sounded so mystical.
Overall an emotional read. 4 stars
I enjoyed this as a holiday book, it was easy to read - but I did feel it lacked a little depth. The love story was incredibly rushed, as were a lot of the formed relationships, but as the novel was set over such a short time span I understand it could be harder to do anything else. There was an element of setting the scene for a series of Seal books, but I'm glad it was ended as a standalone.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved how it told the narrative from multiple different angles but it was still very easy to follow and not get confused with who's point of view it was. I know this is the start of a series on Seal island but I was very happy that the author concluded the book. It left me happy the ending and curious to see what the next few books have to share!
Anna has just lost the man she thought she would love forever when Toby announced to her that he is leaving to find himself in Australia. Never mind that he is leaving behind their five-year-old Ava who is so devastated that she does not speak for three days after he leaves. When Ava does speak again, she is yearning to go to Seal Island to see it again, but to Anna's consternation, she has never been there. Determined to help her daughter heal from the upheaval of her father's leaving them, Anna finds the real Seal Island, takes a leave of absence from her job as a nurse and books a tour there. It is on this island that things seem almost magical. Ava seems to remember things that she could not possibly know. There is a sadness here that Anna taps into; fifteen years before Shuna and Hamish lost their young daughter Isla when she drowned and Sorren their son lost part of himself when he could not save her. Anna and Sorren form a close bond around Ava and then Toby finds Anna and insists that he wants to return to her life. The decision she must make is a diffficult one, but it is one that will change her life and that of Ava forever. This is a wonderful love story that tells the story of making choices that change the lives of yourself and others for the rest of your life and it is a book that will make you think about your choices.
Keep Me Safe drew me in from the beginning. The author did a really great job with character development and story line. When Ava's father decides to leave she goes through the trauma very deeply and starts seeing herself living in a different place with a different Mum. Anna not having a stable house growing up does what she needs to do to help Ava and takes a trip to the Seal Island where Ava believes she's lived before. Once on the island there are some twists and turns that keep you engaged. The story is told in multiple viewpoints which helped with getting to know the characters even better. Seal Island sounds like a slice of heaven. I would definitely recommend the book. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC for providing an honest review.
"Where's my mother?" How do you answer that question when you are a mother standing in front of your child. Avas dad has walked out and after a few days of saying nothing she suddenly asks her mother Anna this question. She speaks about her other mother and wants to go home to see her. This leads to a trip to Seal to investigate.
I loved this book and wanted to pack my bags and go straight to Seal after reading it. The descriptions of the landscape are superb. I fell in love with the characters, who wouldn't want a friend like Shuna backing you up. There is a strong supernatural element to it all which added to the overall story.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book. My review is my own honest and unbiased personal opinion.
I picked this book up this morning and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I always look forward to a Daniela Sacerdoti book and this has to be her best book yet. I fell in love with the characters and I now want to pack up my life and move to the island of Seal. 'Keep me Safe' is about a six year old girl that has bad dreams and wakes up asking for her other mother and talks about remembering things that happened with her other family on Seal. I absolutely loved this book