Book description
A mother always knows best. Doesn’t she?
What if your choice for your child could harm someone else’s?Every mother faces impossible choices. Vaccination is one of the hardest. For single mum Kate O’Hara, there was no decision to make. Her daughter Rosie is one of a small percentage of Irish children who can’t be vaccinated against measles. All Kate can do is hope that her little girl is safe.
For mummy blogger Madeleine Cooper, it was a leap of faith she wasn’t prepared to take when she and her husband declined controversial measles jabs for their daughter Clara. All she can do is pray that it’s the right decision.
But when classmates Clara and Rosie both become sick will Kate pay for Madeleine’s choice?A stunning and addictive new book club read from beloved bestselling Irish author Melissa Hill that explores every mother’s worst fear
My review
I decided to read Keep You Safe as I was intrigued by the book description it’s the first book I’ve read by Melissa Hill and what a book it turned out to be, it’s a thought provoking read, and it’s one that will certainly cause heated debate amongst its readers. My own son was vaccinated and there was no doubt in my mind at the time I was doing the right thing, back in the early 1990’s it wasn’t something you questioned, with the lack of internet you took everything medical experts told you as gospel. Keep You Safe certainly gave me food for thought. Although I was expecting a controversial read from the book description I wasn’t expecting to find Keep You Safe to be such an emotive and compelling read.
Keep You Safe is the story of two mum’s, Kate and Madeline, who like any parent want to keep their children safe and do the best for them. Both of mum’s decide not to vaccinate their daughters for very different reasons, and when they both contract measles one women’s decision becomes the basis for a legal battle. The story is told alternating from the point of view of each Mother, from the off I found Madeline to be a character I disliked, not because of the choices she made, but because she’s not a particularly endearing character, but that said her character fitted the storyline perfectly. As for Madeline I couldn’t help but have a great deal of empathy for her plight, in fact I became so involved in her heart breaking story I became very emotional (tears were shed). I always think if an author has managed to evoke strong emotions in me they’ve done a remarkable job.
Melissa Hill has written a well crafted book full of emotion it offers a compassionate look at both sides of a controversial topic. The author’s writing and structure of the novel reminded me very much of author Jodi Picoults books, with a moral dilemma and court room scenes, so although not highly original the author has still managed to make Keep You Safe a throughly captivating read.
Every character in this novel seems to have an opinion on the Pro and Anti Vaccination debate, Should vaccinations be mandatory or should it be down to personal choice? Are parents who don’t let their children have vaccines irresponsible? this book raises so many questions, it’s a minefield that’s for sure. Melissa Hill has obviously researched the subject in great depth, and manages to present both sides of the argument in an unbiased tale. Keep you safe is full of emotion and engrossing, it’s heart warming and heartbreaking in equal measures, it’s a story that will pull on the most hardened heartstrings and it’s definitely a book I would recommend.
Buying links: Amazon UK 🇬🇧 Amazon US 🇺🇸
Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: HQ (21 Sept. 2017)
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