Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg

Published by

Sarah Ann

on

March 4, 2011

Home Safe is one of many amazing novels by Elizabeth Berg. This one is my favorite so far, and I’ve read them all.

Helen Ames is a recently widowed bestselling author. Lately, she’s been struggling with writer’s block while adjusting to life without her husband.

Before he died, Helen’s husband was in charge of managing their finances. So when Helen discovers there’s very little money left in their bank account, it comes as quite a shock. Why are thousands of dollars missing, and what on earth did her husband spend it on?

Now, Helen is tasked with paying her bills with no savings account to fall back on, and no inspiration to fuel her latest novel. She decides to look into her husband’s secret financial affairs, and makes a discovery that shakes up her entire world.

I love how intimately this book is written. I felt strongly connected to Helen, who I found incredibly relatable.

Also, I like how Helen is described as a closet people-watcher, and that it’s how she gets inspiration and ideas for her books. There are lots of cute tidbits thrown in here, such as, the fact that Helen enjoys smelling dog paws because they remind her of corn chips. Relatable.

All the other characters in Home Safe are just as charming as Helen, including Helen’s 27-year-old daughter Tessa, and Helen’s parents. One of my favorite parts is when Helen tries to pick out clothes for her daughter—an editor of a prominent beauty magazine. Helen is convinced a particular sweater is stylish, but the author makes it perfectly clear not stylish for anyone under the age of 70. Anyway, the humor in Home Safe is so cute and funny, you’ll have to take my word for it.

Home Safe will keep you guessing until the end. It completely caught me off guard, why is another reason I think this novel is so grand.

Other novels by Elizabeth Berg include:

What are your favorite novels by Elizabeth Berg? Did you enjoy Home Safe?

Last Updated on January 21, 2026 by Sarah Ann

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