Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough will star in Safe Haven, the latest Nicholas Sparks novel to be turned into a movie. Lasse Hallström, Oscar nominated for My Life As a Dog and The Cider House Rules, has been assigned to direct the romantic drama for Relativity Media.

Safe Haven revolves around a young woman (Julianne Hough) who becomes the talk to the (small North Carolina) town after she becomes much too intimate with a widowed father (Josh Duhamel). Filming should commence in July. For the time being, the Safe Haven release date is a Valentine’s Day-friendly Feb. 8, 2013.