Jan Karon’s “Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good” Review & Giveaway

In SOMEWHERE SAFE WITH SOMEBODY GOOD, Mitford’s engaging locals are back, from retired Episcopal priest Father Timothy Kavanagh and his intuitive wife Cynthia, to his loyal canine companion, Barnabas, and an eclectic mix of friends, neighbors and long-lost family. Now a few years into retirement, seventysomething Father Tim is feeling a bit unsettled, “trying to hammer out what retirement is for” while struggling with the realities of this new role. After a lifetime devoted to fixing things, he’s at loose ends and afraid he’s lost his passion. 

But thanks to his earnest, forward-thinking wife and the town’s colorful residents, he discovers that there is still much to be done in Mitford, even if his job status has changed. His adopted son Dooley needs guidance as he and his fiancée learn to live with the scars of the past and forge a new life together. Dooley’s younger brother Sammy, still angry over his mother’s abandonment, is one stumble away from disaster. And the uncertainty of taking the offer of another pulpit sends Father Tim in another direction entirely. Happy Endings bookstore owner Hope Murphy urgently needs the priest’s helping hands in her shop as well as his deepest prayers for a healthy, happy ending to a dangerous pregnancy. 

But above that, what each of them wants and needs is the very thing a wounded young Cynthia Kavanagh had yearned for years earlier: to be somewhere safe with somebody good. Her prayers were answered when a hard-working sixty-two-year bachelor priest proposed during a spectacular sunset.  Mitford’s residents ask for nothing less as they navigate life’s twists and turns, offering powerful lessons for us all.

Part love story, part calming character study, SOMEWHERE SAFE WITH SOMEBODY GOOD is an enchanting reminder of the shared values that hold communities together—if we open our hearts and embrace them.

 I’m Jan Karon’s newest fan.  I’ve never read any of the Mitford books until now, but I’ve been missing out.  Mitford is a small, close-knit town with a very colorful cast of characters, and they have absolutely hilarious interactions.  Father Timothy makes a wise, kindly daddy figure for much of the town as they go about their days, often turning to him for advice or a reaction to the latest disaster.  The father himself tries to be proactive and helpful in the town, through charity work and generally being a good neighbor, all of which put him in the perfect position to lend a helping hand or a listening ear.

Of course, that often means ensuing hilarity, mixed in with sage book quotes, wise advice, and the kind of plot that feels too real to be a fictional story.  I really loved Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good – Father Timothy is wise enough to make the plot thoughtful and the townspeople’s actions zany enough to add levity to the story.  I also appreciated Cynthia’s relationship with Father Timothy and the faith sprinkled throughout, for this really took the drama to a different level and set this story apart from most other dramatic stories.

I’ll be looking up the rest of the Mitford novels soon.  I can’t wait to read the rest.  

What about you?  Have you been to Mitford yet?  Read on to find out how to win your own copy of his book!

Jan Karon is the author of the bestselling series of nine Mitford novels featuring Father Timothy Kavanagh, an Episcopal priest, and the fictional village of Mitford. She is also the author of thirteen other books, including adult fiction, a cookbook and several books for children. She lives near Monticello, Virginia.

I received a free copy of Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good in exchange for an honest review.