Review: Safe Haven 2 (2025)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Safe Haven 2 (2025) is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2013 romantic drama that captured hearts with its tender exploration of love, healing, and second chances. Returning to the screen, Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough reprise their roles as Alex and Katie, bringing their undeniable chemistry back to the forefront. This time, however, Safe Haven 2 introduces new layers of emotional depth, with a more complex storyline that delves deeper into the pasts of our beloved characters and the challenges they face in moving forward.

Picking up a few years after the events of the first film, Safe Haven 2 follows Katie (Julianne Hough), who, after finding peace and love with Alex (Josh Duhamel), now faces a new set of trials. While their relationship has flourished, the ghosts of their pasts are far from gone. Katie is still haunted by the memories of her abusive marriage, and Alex, despite his deep love for Katie, struggles with his own personal demons. As they begin to settle into their new life together, the arrival of new threats forces them to confront their fears and insecurities once again, testing the strength of their bond.

Duhamel and Hough deliver powerful performances that truly bring their characters’ emotional journeys to life. Julianne Hough, in particular, gives a standout performance as Katie, capturing the vulnerability and inner turmoil of a woman who is learning to trust again, while still facing the painful remnants of her past. Josh Duhamel’s portrayal of Alex is equally compelling, balancing tenderness and strength as a man who is fiercely protective of his family but is forced to face the flaws within himself in order to move forward.

What makes Safe Haven 2 stand out from its predecessor is the way it builds upon the themes of healing and forgiveness. While the first film focused on the power of love to overcome trauma, the sequel delves into the more difficult aspects of recovery—dealing with fear, guilt, and the weight of past mistakes. It’s a testament to the film’s direction that it doesn’t shy away from the complexities of real-life relationships, particularly when trying to rebuild after pain.

The pacing of the film is steady, allowing the emotional moments to breathe and the tension to build naturally. While the film contains several heartwarming and uplifting moments, it’s not afraid to explore the darker aspects of its characters’ experiences. The balance between hope and heartache is what gives Safe Haven 2 its emotional punch. There are moments where the film takes unexpected turns, adding suspense and drama that keeps the audience engaged. The twists in the plot—though somewhat predictable for fans of the genre—are executed with enough sincerity to keep the film feeling fresh.

The cinematography of Safe Haven 2 is as beautiful as ever, with breathtaking sH๏τs of the serene coastal town where the couple lives. The setting provides a sense of peace and tranquility, serving as a stark contrast to the inner turmoil the characters experience. The visual beauty of the town serves as a metaphor for the healing journey the characters are on—appealing, but still fragile.

The soundtrack is a perfect complement to the film’s emotional tone, with a mix of soft ballads and uplifting songs that enhance the scenes without overwhelming them. The music, much like the film, gently tugs at the heartstrings, creating a sense of intimacy and connection with the characters.

However, Safe Haven 2 isn’t without its flaws. While the emotional moments are strong, some of the plot twists feel a bit too familiar, as if drawn from the same well of formulaic romantic dramas. The tension in some scenes could have been dialed up a bit more, and certain secondary characters are left underdeveloped, which detracts from the overall depth of the narrative.

In conclusion, Safe Haven 2 is a heartfelt and emotionally resonant sequel that will please fans of the original film while introducing new themes and challenges for the characters. It’s a touching exploration of love, healing, and redemption that pulls at the heartstrings without resorting to melodrama. While it may not break new ground in the genre, it certainly offers an enjoyable and satisfying cinematic experience for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with depth and emotional resonance. Duhamel and Hough once again prove their chemistry, making Safe Haven 2 a journey worth taking for fans of romantic dramas.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.