‘Home Safe’ by Elizabeth Berg

  In popular author Elizabeth Berg’s new book, “Home Safe,” recently widowed Helen Ames navigates a river of grief while trying to come to terms with what life will be without her husband.
  Helen, an author, always has been able to find solace in writing, but her loss leaves her unable to put her thoughts on paper. She begins to lean heavily on her 27-year-old daughter, Tessa, hiding from her own problems by nosing around in her daughter’s personal life.
  When Helen discovers that her husband kept a secret from her, she’s forced to confront her grief head-on and find her way back to life and love.
  Berg, who has written numerous books, including “We Are All Welcome Here,” “Open House,” “Durable Goods” and “Joy School,” again tugs at readers’ heartstrings with “Home Safe.”
  The story captures Helen’s slow healing. She takes a job teaching writing just to get out of the house for a little while, and this portion of the story is characteristically charming. The characters she teaches are each unique and strongly painted.
  The weakest part of the story, however, is Helen’s daughter, Tessa. While the book is supposed to capture both Tessa’s and Helen’s journey of self-discovery and growth, Tessa comes off as bratty and ungrateful. She seems to care little that her mother is grieving, and Berg fails to adequately explore the young woman’s own reaction to the loss of her father. For a story about a mother and daughter, it’s a gaping hole.
  That said, “Home Safe” is worth readers’ time. Berg is a dependably good writer and Helen’s emotional recovery is touching and believable. The book just might not be Berg’s best, but that's not really saying much considering the author’s successes.