#bookreview: Keep You Safe by Melissa Hill

Format: Hardback
Publisher: HQ Stories
Published: 21st September 2017
Pages: 384 Pages

The Blurb
For readers who love issue-driven fiction, Melissa Hill has written a breakout novel exploring the “to vaccinate or not” debate and the tragic consequences of one mother’s decision on another.

Single mom Kate O’Donnell is living her worst nightmare. Her young daughter, Clara, who has a medical condition that doesn’t allow her to be vaccinated, becomes critically ill when one of her classmates, Lauren-whose family chose not to vaccinate-contracts and spreads the virus. While Lauren has no trouble recovering from the disease, Clara’s condition worsens. With time spent by her daughter’s bedside, Kate loses her job and slides deeper into medical debt. But when another school parent points the blame at Lauren’s mother, Lucy, and the media begins an attack, we see two very different views on parenting and how badly things can spin out of control when all either of these two women wanted was to keep their daughters safe.

Purchase the book: Amazon UK

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The Review

Keep You Safe is something completely different and a story that you’ve probably not heard much about – I know I certainly haven’t. This book is designed to cause some serious debate and quite rightly so. As someone noted on their Goodreads review, it’s definitely a ‘two sides to every story’ kinda thing.

You’re introduced to two families, both with younger children and both unable to vaccinate their daughters with the MMR jab. However, their reasoning’s why they’re unable to are incredibly different:

• One cannot due to medical reasons, and;
• Two won’t because of morals and ethics.

Which one would you agree and disagree with?

Personally, I don’t know what I’d choose. I am, myself, allergic to most injections due to the nature of what it’s mixed with, so they always made me poorly, but I think I’m grateful not to have succumbed to one of the nasty diseases you’re preventing. Then again, I don’t have children, so who knows?! Lots of questions!

My short paragraph above demonstrates just how much the issue of vaccinating your children is debated amongst groups. Melissa dealt with the issue brilliantly – not only was it provoking, it was written diplomatically. I liked how both families received the same amount of time within the book because I think it would appear biased otherwise.

Visit the other hosts on the tour – for stops see the photo below!

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