A parent’s worst nightmare must surely be the death of a child. It disrupts the natural order of things. Children are supposed to outlive their parents. There’s nothing that can be done to prepare for such a loss. And when the death is sudden and unexpected it must be that much more difficult.

Hannah Scott is a successful business woman who is also a single mom by choice. The owner of a thriving salon, she made the decision to conceive daughter Emily through artificial insemination. Emily is the center of Hannah’s very happy and full world. Olivia Bell is also a mother, but her life is not as pleasant. Daughter Maddie has been in and out of the hospital since she was a toddler and will die without a liver transplant. Olivia also has problems in the form of an abusive, domineering husband. These two women couldn’t lead more different lives. However, their worlds collide when Emily’s life is tragically cut short and Hannah must make the difficult decision to allow her organs to be donated. What follows is a story of so many things-grief, illness, friendship, domestic issues.

This was my first Amy Hatvany book but it definitely won’t be my last. She writes with such emotion that it’s impossible to not be drawn deeply into the story immediately. Reminiscent of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah, her writing is true to life and entirely believable. This book tackles real-life topics without being preachy or presenting an overly optimistic “happy ending” for all and reads true to life. A warning for those of you who get emotional when you’re reading: this one may require Kleenex. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Safe with Me: A Novel