As a mom, this book was incredibly hard to read, but also incredibly important. The opposing perspectives of the two families, and attitudes of the community, were well presented, emotionally engaging, and at times so heartbreaking. I loved this book and I'm bummed I waited so long to read it.

4.5

Kate is a single Mom to Clara. At a very young age, Rosie had a bad allergic reaction to a vaccine. Because of the, Kate decided to not have her daughter get any more vaccinations. Madeline and Tom chose to not have their daughter Clara vaccinated for personal reasons. Both girls come down with the measles. While Clara recovers quickly, little Rosie ends up with serious, life changing side effects. When the thought is that Clara gave the measles to Rosie, a battle starts to brew between the two families.

This was written in 2017. It is now 2019 and we still have the vaccination debate. I have a feeling this issue will still be around when I am no longer on this earth. It is a very touchy subject and I think the author did an outstanding job of giving us both sides of the issue. I thought going into the story that I was very firm on my stance with regards to vaccinations. While I still feel the same way, at least now I better understand why some people choose not to vaccinate.

My thanks to Harlequin - Mira and Netgalley.

This is a compelling read that will make you think, very timely and insightful. Both sides of the issue are presented in this book, highlighting whether mothers have a responsibility not only to their own children but also the greater good, and at what time do you consider both? Very good read.

WOW this book was amazing! Now let me warn you since we live in a world divided by parents who believe in vaccines and parents who don’t believe in vaccines, this book is all about it. You can see that Melissa Hill sees both sides of the vaccination debate; I love how I got both sides of the debate throughout this book. I am a mother and I have always vaccinated my children but I will not lie when I tell you I secretly held my breath when they got the shots so I too see both sides. But this is a review not what does Stephanie think about vaccinations. Again that is one of my favorite thing about this book you as a reader will get both sides, and as a human being you will be able to be like “yeah that’s true” to both sides. And honestly at the end of the day it is up to the parents.

Keep You Safe was an amazing book, as much as it being fiction you can totally learn so much from the story for both of these moms and their kids. It was amazing how I was able to relate to both mothers. I was literally glued to my kindle and my box of tissues! This is a must read!!! Hands down one of my 2017 favorites!!!

To vaccinate your child or not? Certainly this is a very interesting and important question and one handled quite well by Melissa Hill in her novel Keep You Safe. One family opts out for their child because of allergies, another due to concerns about the vaccine possibly causing autism. When these children who are in the same classroom contract measles who, if anyone, is to blame? The book certainly held my interest and tugged me in many emotional ups and downs.

I loved everything about this absorbing and thought provoking novel from the exquisite storytelling and the wonderful range of characters to the awesome storyline and the thrilling and totally unexpected twist in the story. I also love courtroom debates and dramas, moral dilemmas and stories told from different viewpoints, so in this novel lay complete and utter satisfaction, especially as it had two very different families at its very heart, each with their own very different story to tell. Just what more could I wish for?
Single mum Kate O’Hara, widowed two years before the story began, lives happily with her five-year-old daughter Rosie. She is a nursing professional and she and Rosie have well rehearsed routines and a wonderful, close relationship. Rosie is flourishing, she loves school and has a range of interests and is an outgoing and friendly girl. They both have friends and life is good even though money is short.
Another local, ‘Mummy Blogger’ Madeleine Cooper, lives with her husband Tom and two children, Jake and Clara. They are also a happy and well bonded family. Like Kate these parents want the best for their children. But they have made choices that Kate didn’t have. Kate’s daughter was unable to be vaccinated against measles because she suffered allergies that made having the vaccination very dangerous for her. Madeleine and her husband decided against vaccinating their children against measles because they believe that it could trigger the onset of autism.
Then one day young Clara Cooper is unwell. Madeleine decides to send her to school as she is scheduled to take part in a TV discussion show. She cannot cancel at the last moment so she phones her friend to ask her to be on standby to collect Clara if she should be deemed too unwell to stay at school. Rosie and Clara are in the same class. And that night Rosie tells her mother that poor Clara was sent home because she was too poorly to stay in school. Then Three days later little Rosie is also unwell and her mother immediately knows that she has measles. As Rosie’s condition worsens and a coma is induced, Clara recovers relatively quickly and easily, and so the story continues. This is the story of two families, two choices and two very different outcomes. Can parents rely on herd immunity to protect other children from catching measles? Do you have a duty of care? The debate is fascinating and divisive and the story told is absolutely compelling.
This is most definitely an all round 5* read in my opinion. The story is well paced, full of emotion and presents the two stories using well researched facts and information. It is engrossing; heart warming and heartbreaking in equal measure and the courtroom scenes are exciting and very realistic. Issues of responsibility, accountability and blame are thrashed out whilst the human costs are still being counted. The ending is really dynamic and all I really wanted it to be. I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher HQ for my copy of this excellent novel, sent to me in return for a fair review. I highly recommend this as a superb read.

I have an autistic son. There was a noticeable uptick in the number of kids diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders starting with kids about his age. Of course the big question is why. One thing that changed with kids about his age was "baby shots". For quite some time before he was born, the shots given to babies had been the same. A year or two before he was born, the HIb vaccine was put in and shortly thereafter they started giving hepatitis B shorts to infants in the hospital. A few years later a doctor from England published a paper that stated that the preservative in the shots, a mercury derivative called thimerisol, was responsible for the increased number of autistic children. I don't know if there was an "anti-vaxx" movement before that paper (which has now been revealed as a fraud), but since that time not vaccinating your children has become an option in many more parents' minds than it had been prior to that time.

I am also the mother of a child who was born after my autistic son and after I began doing a lot of research on autism, its prevalence and its causes. I was well aware of the purported link between vaccines and autism and well aware that the medical establishment consistently denied such a link. I am also well aware that tobacco companies for years provided medical "evidence" that smoking didn't cause cancer and that asbestos companies had medical experts who declared asbestos to be safe. Nevertheless, I decided to vaccinate my youngest, though I always cringed when they did so, and I delayed the shots for a few months.

This book is about one mother who chose not to vaccinate her child, and one whose child was not able to be vaccinated due to allergies. First the child whose mother chose not to vaccinate got measles, and then got over them. Then the child who couldn't be vaccinated got them, and was far sicker.

The mother whose child became very ill hired an attorney to sue the parents of the child who infected her. The story is set in Ireland and while I don't know anything about Irish law, I was not happy with the outcome of the court case or the general resolution of the book. Nevertheless I enjoyed the story and liked the way the author had these moms actually knowing each other--both that the seriously ill girl's mom knew how her daughter became ill and that the other mom knew that her child had infected the seriously ill child. In other words, the cause and effect were right there to look at for both of them, it wasn't hypothetical.

Another thing I liked about the book is that one of the moms was a blogger.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B+

Kate O’Donnell’s 5-year-old daughter, Rosie, attends Applewood Primary. Kate works part-time as a nurse and they live not far from Dublin, Ireland. Kate’s husband, Greg, died suddenly two years ago.

Kate learns that a student in Rosie’s class has developed chicken pox. While, it is worrisome, Kate is somewhat relieved because Rosie has already had chicken pox. However, she has not been vaccinated against any other childhood illnesses. Rosie is very allergic to the gelatin components in most live vaccines which had caused her to experience a life-threatening reaction to her earlier immunizations. Thus, Kate has chosen to not vaccinate her again.

Tom and Madeline have two children, Jake and Clara. Tom is a successful banker and before their children were born, Madeline had a good job as an account executive. While home with their children as babies, Madeline started a blog called Mad Mum which has proven to be very popular. Both Tom and Madeline are determined that their children will not be vaccinated as they are concerned about the possibility of autism.

Rosie starts to develop spots as does Clara. They are both diagnosed with measles, not chicken pox. While Clara gets over the disease easily while Rosie quickly worsens and ends up hospitalized in critical condition which turns into viral encephalitis necessitating that she be placed in a coma. Her recovery is uncertain. It appears that Tom, Madeline and the children have just returned from Orlando, Florida where they think Clara may have come in contact with a child infected with the measles as there had been an outbreak in the general area.

Kate decides to hire an attorney to sue Tom and Madeline. The trial brings out numerous opinions and so-called experts.

This is a well-written book that provides a platform for discussion about vaccination. In Ireland, it is not mandatory that children be vaccinated. Should it be mandatory? There are two sides to this controversy and I think readers will find themselves deciding which way they would go. There are some surprises as well so don’t think this is just a boring discussion book. It’s great! I think bookclubs will love it!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I didn't have high hopes for this book but I was proven wrong. This is a story of two families in Ireland: one doesn't vaccinate their children because of their beliefs that the vaccination ingredients pose a greater danger to their children than the diseases they prevent; the other cannot vaccinate the child because of a series allergy to an ingredient in most prophylactic injections. When an outbreak of measles strikes down both children, scandal arises.

I love reading novels centered around controversial topics, especially when both sides of the subject are argued well. It's hard not to relate to the main characters in this book and put yourself in their shoes, thinking about what you'd do in their situations.

The story moved very quickly and was a very easy read. One thing that kept popping in my mind as I read this book was how similar the "mommy drama" was to that of the book/mini-series "Big Little Lies" and I could see those women as the main characters in this novel.

*I received an advance reading copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*

This book is about a controversial subject, the right to not vaccinate your children against childhood diseases. Two Mothers have not vaccinated their young children. One has done it for a genuine medical reason, the other because she believes the vaccines are potentially harmful to her child. Both children come down with measles. One recovers with no problems, the 2nd child isn't so lucky. The story is told alternating from the point of view of each Mother.

This is a very compelling read that will make you think. It also made me angry at times because of some of the choices made by one of the Mothers. Both sides of the issue are presented in this book. In the end how do the choices of one parent weigh against how they can effect another innocent child. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Mira Books and Melissa Hill for the opportunity to read and review this book - really liked it!

This is the perfect book club pick for a mother's group - there are so many hot-button, contemporary issues to discuss. This book does a great job looking at both sides of all of these issues and it really makes you think.

Set in Ireland, Madelyn is a stay-at-home mom who writes a Mad Mum blog about the less-Facebook perfect side of motherhood. She is definitely more free-range than helicopter parent, anti-vaccination, even has an interesting view on being against maternity leave! Her daughter, Clara, comes down with measles, which she believes she must have been exposed to on a family trip to Florida where there was an outbreak. Unfortunately, another child in her class, Rosie, also contracts measles. Rosie is the daughter of Kate, a single parent since her husband died, and is also not vaccinated due to health reasons. Rosie has a much tougher time and ends up in the hospital.

The opposite sides on this issue play out in their community, the media and the courtroom. I really raced through this book to see how it was all going to end up. Highly recommended!

This book was all I hoped for and more. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Loved the writing, loved the characters and loved the story.

Although Hill deals with the important issue of childhood vaccination and although the story moves along briskly, the book misses the mark. It never really presents realistic pictures of its two main characters and the twist near the ending is really not believable. This book might appeal to readers of so-called women's fiction; I am not among their number.

Whew! Where do I start. First off, I think this is the best book I've read so far this year. Melissa Hill tackled a serious issue of vaccinations: Should we? Or, shouldn't we? What is best for our children?
Set in Knockroe/Dublin, we meet Madeleine and Kate, two mothers, who both share the same desire: Keep their daughters safe. However, both of these women had two different parenting styles. My stomach clenched when I was about 60% through because I had no idea what was going to happen, what the outcome of such a controversial topic would be. Melissa Hill does a phenomenal job of presenting two strong characters and their opposing viewpoints. There is conflict, depth, politics, sensationalism, tension, and the never ending question: What would you do? What is the right thing to do?
All I can say is, not everything can be answered in black and white. I lived both sides with the women, though I found myself rooting for one over the other. I think some might find the court scenes a little difficult to trudge through as it was repetitive - but that's how it is in court. I enjoyed it. So, please hang in there until you get to the end. The ending was one I didn't see coming but it was real. Melissa Hill tied things up neatly, maybe too neatly, but I suppose after such a stomach-clenching ride, we needed that breathe of fresh air.
Absolutely loved loved this read. I can't imagine the research Melissa Hill had to have done to deliver such an authentic tale.
Some memorable quotes:
"Don't child-proof the world, is my motto. World-proof the child."
"I just wonder how many times you can get kicked when you're down before that spirit becomes broken."
Thank you, Netgalley.

This hard hitting novel looks at the controversy concerning parents who believe immunizing their children against childhood diseases can cause autism or even death. Kate O’Hara’s daughter Rosie has a rare disorder that prevents her from being immunized, so all Kate can do is hope that the other children her daughter goes to school with have had their shots. But when another mother and her husband decide not to immunize their child against measles for fear of health repercussions, both their daughter, Clara and Rosie, in the same class at school come down with the disease. AS both children fight for their lives, accusations fly and blame is placed on both parents. This is a timely and deeply disturbing story about the refusal of some parents to vaccinate their children