She escaped to survive. He taught her how to live again.
Stella
Leaving wasn’t the hard part—staying in a life that broke me was. After escaping an abusive relationship, I found myself in the quiet town of Love, Saskatchewan. I came looking for safety, but what I found was something a chance to rebuild, to breathe, and maybe even to belong. Surrounded by strong women who refused to let me fall and a community that embraced me as one of their own, I started to believe in second chances. And then there was Calvin, with his quiet strength and haunted eyes—he saw the parts of me I’d long buried. For the first time, I wondered if I was allowed to want more than just survival.
Calvin
I didn’t have time for complications—my family’s lumber farm was crumbling, and the pressure felt like it was on me to save it. But then Stella walked into town with her guarded smile and fire-forged spirit, and everything shifted. She wasn’t just strong, she was the kind of strong that makes you want to be better. I wasn’t looking for love, but now I’d risk everything to protect the peace she fought so hard to find. Even if the past came back to threaten us both.
you wouldn't know it by the cover, but this story was so suspenseful and intense. while also being sweet and healing. Stella is finding herself after escaping an abusive relationship. in a small town called Love, of all places. her story was heartbreaking, but also rewarding watching her stand up for herself. fighting back. Calvin was simply the sweetest, instantly drawn to Stella from the moment he laid eyes on her. and no..it wasn't a fast burn or paced. it was a steady slow burn. and when the fire finally lit, it was all worth it. The town of Love is probably exactly what you'd picture. like a cute little hallmark town with hidden gems within. ☺️
seriously though, just when you thought the characters would get some peace...something more suspicious happens. it kept me hooked and turning those pages.
I really just enjoyed this. the story was sweet while also being full of suspense. there was so much healing and comfort mixed in with it all.
the ending was the sweetest. I couldn't get enough, and the sneak peek to book 2!!! 👀 immediately adding to my tbr. I can't wait to read it.
thank you Jessica and lunaliterary.management for the arc. 🫶🏻
Safe Love was a heart-warming and beautifully written book.
Reading this as a therapist made me pause and reflect. The trauma Stella experienced was real and powerful, but it never defines who she truly is as an individual. Instead, the focus is on what comes after the trauma: how you survive, how the journey can be overwhelming, and how the right support can help you thrive. It provides the reminder that healing doesn’t happen in isolation, but having chosen support and love can be anchors for the healing journey. I will 100% be using this as a reference in the future.
I’m so proud of Jessica Pichula for such a strong and meaningful debut. The characters felt real, and the care and effort put into this story truly shine. Every chapter reinforced why this was an easy five-star read for me.
A fantastic start to the series, and I can’t wait to read more 💗💗
I really enjoyed this story about found family and learning to love yourself again!
You're definitely pulled into and encapsulated with the story as you follow Stella on her journey of a fresh start.
Both Stella and Calvin and honestly most of the characters are so relatable in their own way and have such lovable personality! I really enjoyed this story and how there was romance but it was on the back burner of the story as Stella has a past that she has to work through with the loving help of Calvin.
A heart-stealing, soul-healing small-town romance!
From the very first page, this book had me in a chokehold—and honestly? It never let go.
Stella’s story is raw, emotional, and deeply authentic. After escaping an abusive relationship, she finds herself in the quiet town of Love, Saskatchewan, searching for safety, but what she discovers is so much more. A place to heal. A place to belong. A place where strong women lift her up, a community wraps her in warmth, and second chances feel possible.
And then there’s Calvin. OH. MY. HEART. A quiet, protective lumberjack with a soft soul and cat-dad energy? Say less. Calvin is the kind of MMC who doesn’t just protect, he sees. He never tries to fix Stella, only supports her as she learns how to live beyond survival. Their connection is gentle, powerful, and beautifully earned (with a couple of ups and downs!).
This book delivers some truly top-tier tropes: Small-town romance Suspense Found family Hurt/comfort
The found family aspect is immaculate. I immediately wanted to be adopted by the Hart family. Every interaction felt warm, real, and full of love, making the town of Love feel like a character in its own right.
The heavier themes are handled with incredible care and authenticity. You can feel that this story was written by someone who understands trauma and healing on a deeply personal level. The suspense keeps you hooked, but never overshadows the emotional journey, you’re fully invested, turning pages without even realising how much time has passed.
This book is completely bingeable, emotionally satisfying, and one of those rare stories that leaves your heart feeling full. While I haven’t personally lived Stella’s experience, I know many women who have similar experiences, and this story resonated deeply. I was right there with her; every step of her journey toward reclaiming herself.
I am officially obsessed and cannot wait to read the rest of this series.
Highly, highly recommend 💖📚
Thank you to the author and Luna Literary for an early copy. All opinions are my own.
Safe Love by Jessica Pichula is a well written small town romance focused on healing, safety and second chances.
While this isn’t my usual type of read…I typically gravitate toward much darker romance…I can absolutely appreciate this book for what it is: a strong story told with care, emotion and intention.
Stella’s journey after escaping an abusive relationship is handled thoughtfully and respectfully. The themes of rebuilding, learning to feel safe again and finding belonging are central to the story and the supportive community around her adds real warmth and depth. The female friendships and found family elements were especially well done.
Calvin is a steady, protective MMC whose strength lies in patience and consistency rather than intensity. Their relationship develops slowly and naturally, fitting the tone of the book and reinforcing the overall theme of safety.
The romance is soft, comforting, and emotionally driven, with a spice level that sits somewhere between closed door and open door…present, but not the main focus.
Although this wasn’t a personal favourite in terms of trope preference, it was a genuinely good book with solid writing and an engaging story. The teaser for the second book particularly intrigued me and left me curious to see where the series goes next.
A strong recommendation for readers who enjoy small-town romance, healing journeys, found family and gentle love stories with heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
✨ • Book Review / ARC Review • ✨ Safe Love by Jessica Pichula
Book Review : 4.5⭐️ Spice Level : 2 🌶️
Guys, to say I’m obsessed with this story is an understatement. I want to say Thank you to Jessica Pichula and Luna Literary Management for trusting me to be apart of her team and for the opportunity to get an ARC of this book!
Some stories don’t just tell a love story, they hold your hand while you heal. This book was exactly that.
Watching Stella escape an abusive past and slowly learn that she’s allowed to want more than survival was emotional, raw, and incredibly empowering. Her journey felt honest, the fear, the quiet strength, the way healing isn’t linear. I loved how the women in this town wrapped around her and refused to let her fall.
Found family always gets me, and this one delivered.
Calvin was the perfect steady presence, quiet, loyal, carrying his own weight while never trying to dim Stella’s fire. Their connection grew softly but deeply, rooted in safety, respect, and choosing each other even when the past threatens to creep back in.
And listen… Grandma Trixie? Absolute ICON. I loved her so much. Every scene with her added warmth, wisdom, and that kind of no nonsense love that makes you feel instantly at home. She was hands down one of my favorite parts of this story.
If you love small town romance, emotional healing, strong women, found family, and love that feels earned.. add this one to your TBR immediately.
Thank you Luna Literacy and Jessica Puchula for the Advanced Reader Copy of Safe Love.
Do you ever read a book description and see the tropes for a book and just know you need to read it ASAP? That was Safe Love for me.
WHAT TO EXPECT 💚 Found Family 💚 Emotional Healing 💚 Romantic Suspense 💚 Slow Burn 💚 Caretaking 💚 Heroine in Hiding
After escaping a life that nearly broke her, Stella arrives in the quiet town of Love, Saskatchewan, looking for nothing more than safety and a place to breathe. What she finds is a community of fierce women and a second chance she never thought possible.
Focused on saving his family’s struggling lumber farm, Calvin has no room for distraction. That is until he meets Stella. Her fiery spirit challenges him to be better, and her presence turns his world upside down.
As Stella learns that she deserves more than just survival, Calvin realizes he’ll risk everything to protect the peace she’s worked so hard to build. But with the shadows of the past looming, can they find a way to live happily ever after? I was absolutely not expecting the plot twist at the end. I usually can guess how a “mystery” is going to solved, but this book kept me guessing until the end. I like that although this is a romance book, it didn't overtake the whole plot. The whole premise is a feel good book about second-chances, survival, and finding the people who will love you for you.
I devoured this book. Stella, our sweet FMC took a risk and ran in the middle of the night from her abusive relationship. She drove nonstop and ended up across the border in the little town of Love, Saskatchewan. She thought she was just passing through but Love had other plans. Our MMC, Calvin is a hulking lumberjack of man with a heart of gold and the sweetest soul in the world. You can’t help but fall in love with Calvin, his family and the community of Love. Stella ended up exactly where she needed to be to heal, to move forward and to find herself again. Even when her past tries to stop her from moving on, the community of Love supports her in a way that lives up the town name. This book is for real lovers, real yearners. God, the yearning in this book 🥺🥺🥺 bring back men who yearn!! Calvin, Garret and Patrick are the best men in the world and I can’t wait to see Patrick and Garret find their happily ever afters. Calvin and Stella were written in the stars and I can’t be convinced otherwise. The way they love each other…that’s the type of love you burn the world for and I feel so lucky to have been able to read their love story. Be warned that it’s not all rainbows and sunshine, this book has some heavy scary moments so please read with care.
I was so blessed to receive this book as an ARC! I crushed out the first half in one sitting and if not for work and children, I would have finished it the next day. THIS BOOK YA'LL! 🫣🥲❤️🩹🌸💗😱🥰 I adored this story!
The town of Love is whimsical, welcoming, with just a hint of 'too good to be true' wonder. The characters were well fleshed out, Grandma Trixie healed my inner child with her words of wisdom, Melody and Olivia warmed my heart with their acceptance and support, and oh boy if Calvin ain't the perfect Canadian man! The setting and general plot give me major Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon vibes. The goals of these games are typically: Find your place in a new town, make friends, fall in love, save the community. And although this book is so much more than that, the basics are the same. I DEVOURED IT. As a huge fan of these cute farming simulator games this book gave me something I never knew I needed! I mistakenly thought this would be a simple romance, but I was so wrong. Safe Love is cozy, romantic, inspiring, and suspenseful! The town of Love was possibly my favorite part. It was vividly described, filled with charm, and every store has a cute love themed name! I want to be strolling down those streets right now! Bottom line this book made me smile, cry, blush, and gasp in shock. I highly recommend it. 💐🪓
Love is a small town set in Saskatchewan prairies of Canada it was so cute I enjoyed the no cell service making it even cozier and a more intimate small town. It also had the cutest names for all the businesses.
Seeing Stella rediscover herself again with people who wanted to lift her up and show her she was important while seeing the budding and growing relationship between her and Calvin was heartwarming.
While it did have the danger and suspense of what she was running from and him coming for her and the darker theme of self worth it still held the comfort of a warm blanket with the connections she has and how the whole town and Hart family wrap each other up in love and friendship. Grandma Trixie was my favorite!
I was surprised by the saving grace to the Hart business and wasn’t expecting that at all. It was truly a slow burn with more emphasis on friendships, family and the town as well as the feelings between her and him over the sexual part to their relationship. Jessica brought us a great first book in this new series looking forward to Melody and Garrett, hopefully since she made me want their stories too.
Firstly, thank you so much to the author and literary agency for an ARC of Safe Love! I was super excited about this one as a Sask girl myself!
Safe Love was a darling debut novel! Taking place in a small Saskatchewan town, this novel has all the sweet homey feels you want in a small town story. The descriptions of the scenery, the fun local businesses, the characters... it all blends together to make a wonderful picture of small town life in Saskatchewan.
This story is a romantic suspense novel so you are going to get those sweet moments of falling in love, but there is a decent amount of tension as well as Stella navigates leaving an abusive and toxic relationship and the odd (and sometimes.es downright sinister) things that keep occurring to her. As with any suspense story, there is a twist. I (sorta?) saw the twist coming but it didnt occur in the way I thought it would. The players were expected, the outcome was not, which made me very excited! I love being able to be surprised by a story.
Admittedly, the pacing of the story felt a bit off at times. There were moments that felt too rushed and others that I felt could have taken less space on page as I personally felt they didn’t add much to the story or were adding details that felt unneeded to the outcome and plot.
I did really enjoy the characters and can clearly see who we may get books about in the future! Definitely some characters I need MORE of 👀
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories that include healing, new beginnings, and small town romances.
I finished reading Safe Love late last night. What was supposed to be a short read before bed turned into me reading the last 60% of the book because I could not stop. I was hooked. And I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next. In my head I had a predictions as to what was going to happen Well, let me tell you... things happened I did not expect! My husband was sleeping beside me and it took a lot of will power for me to not shout "WHAT?!?!" This book filled me so many emotions. I laughed, I cried, I was angry, I had hope, and I felt her strength.
I whole heartedly believe Safe Love contains poweful messages. Messages that I think people need to hear. Although the story was fictional, Stella's story is a reality for so many women.
Thank you Jessica and Luna Literary for the early copy of Safe Love.
I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.
Stella is running from an abusive boyfriend and ends up in the small town of Love, where she befriends a local family and falls in love with Calvin, a sweetheart who just wants to protect and provide for his family. The town felt too perfect for me; even though the appeal of books set in small towns is the sense of community and belonging, Love just felt too perfect. Stella becomes friends instantly with everyone, and the only person who doesn't like her is Calvin's ex. The characters also felt one-dimensional; Stella and Calvin felt like they wouldn't exist outside of each other.
It's a good story with a clear villain, a couple of twists and turns, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. But if you're in the mood for something light with a little bit of tension to escape reality, you might like this.
Thank you Luna Literary and Jessica Pichula for the early copy.
Loved!!!! This had me hooked from the very beginning. Stella is leaving a very toxic/abusive relationship and she stumbles upon a small town called Love where ends up at a small bed and breakfast. The owner Trixie is the best! She’s so full of wisdom and I’m not going to lie I was highlighting so much of her advice. Her family slowly starts to become like family to Stella and of course there’s our lumberjack Calvin who does everything to prove to her she’s stronger than what she came from♥️ this is definitely a slow burn with very little spice but the found family in this is absolutely amazing. The last few chapters had me at the edge of my seat with some good twists!!! So good!!! I will 100% be continuing this series💖
Thank you so much Jessica Pichula and Luna Literary for this gifted ARC!
“You made me feel safe when I was in a world full of uncertainty. You helped me breathe when I couldn’t catch my breath.”
Small town romantic suspense with a slow burn. Do I need to say more? A very fun debut, however, I was missing a little bit of depth in character and relationship development. The gorgeous cover deserves a shoutout! 3.5 ⭐️
This book was most perfect small town romance! It had all of your lovable characters, a swoon-worthy MMC and even a touch of suspense! It makes you want to pick up and move to the town of Love to have your own story!
❤️small town romance ❤️found family ❤️protective mmc ❤️slow burn
Thank you to Jessica Pichula and Luna Literary for the ARC!
I don’t say this often: I was really impressed by this debut! I love a good romantic suspense, and this one really had everything I could have wanted. It was sweet, romantic, cozy, but still exciting and a page-turner. It has short chapters (with dual POV), and the Canadian small town and found family in this book are literally perfection.
I’m excited for the release announcement of the next book in the series, and another trip to Love, SK.
This was really good! Small town, romantic suspense, quick paced. The MMC is a lumberjack and struggling to keep his family farm a float. The FMC is escaping an abusive relationship and ends up in the least likely places. For a quick paced and new author to me this was really entertaining and enjoyable.
This was a beautiful slow burn book about Stella and Calvin. I loved how Stella was so strong through everything and how Calvin was very protective of her.
Tropes: -Small Town -Suspense -Found Family -Lumberjack MMC -FMC in hiding
Made it to chapter 9… The writing and I just didn’t get along. As much as I want to know the suspensey, who’s got their sights set on Stella…I’d be trudging thru, hoping for me to get more into it than actually enjoying the story. 😣
This is a fantastic series starter, seriously a must read! Stella and Calvin’s story is full of slow burn, suspense and love! I cannot wait for book 2!