Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Completion Date: July 2007
Pages: 276
Publication Year: 2006
Owned Prior to 2007

Reason for Reading: Nicholas Sparks is the author that I pick up when I want something light and uncomplicated.

When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets the girl of his dreams. Savannah Lynn Curtis is attending college in North Carolina,
working for Habitat for Humanity, and totally unprepared for the passionate attraction she feels for John Tyree. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty, and John realizing that he's ready to settle down with the young woman who has captured his heart. Neither can foresee that 9/11 is about to change the world and will force John to risk every hope and dream that he's ever had. Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country. And like all those left behind, Savannah must decide to wait
or move on. How do we choose wisely? How can we face loss-without giving up on love? Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life. An extraordinary, moving story, Dear John explores the complexities of love -- how it survives time and heartbreak, and how it transforms us forever.

It is always weird to even me that I read Nicholas Sparks. He is not my normal read at all, and even though I like some of his books, he is not an author that I can say that I love. I just enjoy reading a book from him once in a while. I only started reading him when The Notebook came to theatres. I really liked the movie, so I bought the book, and then I read all his backlog soon after. I still have to read True Believer and At First Sight, and he has a new book coming out in September, The Choice. Of all the books that I have read by him, though, I do not think anything will beat The Notebook, although I also really liked The Guardian and The Wedding. Those are my three favourite Nicholas Spark novels.

Anyways, I have not been super impressed with the last few books by Sparks. I used to like his books because they had a story outside the romance and he wrote less conventional romance novels, but the last few have been rather dull. This one was okay, but nothing like his earlier sort of writing. The storyline was pretty basic. Guy meets girl, guy and girl fall in love, bad things happen, and nothing that they dream will happen, happens. I think it is very valiant to work in the army, but this book made me think should love of country come so strongly above your family and your own happiness. It's a difficult line to walk and more a rhetorical question than anything else.

So, an okay read, but not by far the best thing I read this month. I also say that there are better Nicholas Sparks books so if you want to read him and are looking for a good start, go back to his earlier stuff. He also has a book about himself growing up and a trip he took with his brother that is very worthwhile.

Just in case you want to know: I posted a review of The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey on Historical Tapestry. (Click here).