Unless your marriage and all of your relationships are perfect it is impossible not to connect to this book. This book takes a close look under a microscope at one family and their relationships. I could really understand the relationship between Maddy and Ben before the accident. You know the conversation is going badly; you know what you should say and want to say; and yet you say the opposite and make matters worse.

Maddy worked with dysfunctional families and yet she couldn't see the dysfunction and even abuse in her own.

I found this book hard to put down and yet the relationships almost painful to read at times. The accident changes everything and yet initially people did not step up to the plate the way I predicted. It keeps twisting and turning to a satisfying end.

I really enjoyed this book about secrets, choices and empowering women. I especially enjoyed the character of Imogene. Her husband changed after marriage. Imogene told him she was passionate about books and learning, but he did not hear her. She became an ornament, but proved to be much stronger. It was a great parallel between Imogene finding herself and Julie exploring her choices. I admired Imogene's strength.

The story kept my interest. I was always sorry to leave one time period and move to the next.

This would make a great vacation read; in fact it was for me.

This book made me think about relationships and ideas. Nothing happens in isolation. We are all affected by the actions and decisions of others. The characters were well drawn. I could empathize with the characters and felt If I met them on the street I would know them.
At the beginning with the death of Emily Hannah is lost. What does she call herself because there is no name for a mother who has lost her daughter. She is not an orphan, a widow or a widower. My favorite character was Maddie because of her strength in sickness and recovery. If a good story appeals to you read Safe with Me. You may find however that you have trouble putting it down.

Song of the Spirits by Sarah Lark is a great vacation read. I love the interconnectedness of the characters not only with each other and with the landscape. The author did a great job making me not only see but feel the landscape. The characters were well drawn especially the women; I felt that if I met Gwyneira, Elaine or Kura on the street I would recognize them.

This book harks back to the generational books I read in my childhood and made a great summer escape. Don't be intimidated by the length; this book reads fast because the reader cares what happens to the characters and wants to find out what happens next.