‘Your child asks for her mother
But she doesn’t mean you’
Keep Me Safe is ‘a heartwrenching novel of a mother and daughter seeking safe haven on an island called Seal.’
Written by Daniela Sacerdoti and just published by Headline on 6th April, Keep Me Safe is an emotional journey of love and hope with a rather unusual story at it’s core.
I was lucky to receive a copy from Frances Gough of Headline and my review is voluntary and honest.
Please read on for my full thoughts…..
Book Blurb:
My daughter wants to go home….
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?
‘Where I am, there’s no day and no night, there’s no time. There’s nobody but me, and all these little flames that move and flicker, even without wind’
Taken from the opening lines of the prologue, immediately my senses were alerted to the fact that this was a book that was going to be quite different to what I have been reading recently.
Anna Hart has suffered from a very traumatic childhood. Her mother an alcoholic and her father long gone, Anna never truly felt what it was like to be loved. Apart from her grandmother, Leah, who she has very warm memories of, Anna’s life has been one very lonely and hard existence. But life changes for Anna when she meets Toby. He said he loved her, he would mind her and, though his lifestyle was slightly erratic, she was looking for someone to look after her, so she believed his promises and she married him.
As the years pass, Anna realises how unreliable Toby is but after the birth of her precious daughter Ava, Anna is determined to give her the life that Anna herself never had. She WILL make it all work.
But life has a funny way of changing with the seasons and it’s not long before Toby, unable to cope with the challenges that fatherhood brings, packs his bag and leaves.
After Toby left, Ava goes into her shell for a number of days. Anna is really frightened for her but it is when Ava wakes up and utters these three words ‘Where’s my mum?’ that Anna is startled to the core.
So begins an almost spiritual journey for Anna, a journey of self-exploration to an island off the coast of Scotland, Seal.
Described as a place of such beauty, Anna steps off the boat and at once falls in love with this mystical island. Ava seems at one with her surroundings and her face just lights up with every sight and sound.
Keep Me Safe is a very compassionate read.
Daniela Sacerdoti writes in a very sensitive manner touching on the supernatural and the ‘second sight’, amidst the rolling seas and dramatic backdrop of a remote island. There is a very human story running through the pages about someone trying to find out where home really is and the obstacles that need to be overcome along the way.
Keep Me Safe is a book I would recommend for a Sunday afternoon, snuggled up on a sofa. It’s what I would term a ‘comfort’ read!! You know the one…where you just want to lose yourself in the pages for a couple of hours!!
So go on,,,,,,,what are you waiting for?
Purchase Link ~ Keep Me Safe
Author Bio In Daniela’s own words:
‘I was born and raised in Italy, but I’ve lived in Scotland for fourteen years. I have now come back to live in my tiny Alpine village, with my husband and sons. I have a degree in Classics and I work as a full time writer and mother, which makes me two people, somehow.
I write adult fiction (the Glen Avich stories), Young Adult (the Sarah Midnight Trilogy) and children’s fiction (Really Weird Removals.com, shortlisted for the Scottish Children’s Book Awards). My books are translated in twelve languages and have sold nearly a million e-copies. I have also written for the BBC and several newspapers.
When I don’t write, I spend time with my children, I cook, I walk in my beautiful village home, or I think about writing. If you fancy a chat, drop me a line. I’m always happy to hear from my readers!’
To find out more go to http://danielasacerdoti.com/
or on Twitter @Danisacerdoti
This really sounds like a unique read! I love the human side it seems to have but the supernatural element might be a turn off, even if there’s only a tiny amount, as I am way too down-to-earth!
It’s dealt with very sensitively Donna but I know what you mean!! There is a somewhat ‘ghostly’ presence throughout but it doesn’t take from the book. It’s a very gentle read. xx
It’s such a lovely book isn’t it! I love that little twist of supernatural so it was right up my street.
It really is a gentle rolling read….if that makes sense Vicki!!