Some stories don't have happy endings and some do. This one of course can't really have a happy ending because a wife and mother have died. But, this book tells the story of a man's journey through grief, and anyone who has been through the loss of a loved one knows that the pain never ends. Nicholas Sparks did a wonderful job of reminding us of that, it was not a week love story, someone dies, someone else comes along and they live happily ever after. Instead it spoke clearly of the struggle and inner turmoil of a man wanting to get on with his life but never really being able to let go. He had the flashbacks and constant memories that we all have when going through grief. This aspect of the book was excellent and could not be faulted.
Whilst I loved the character of Sarah I struggled to make that emotional connection to Miles. For me I found him to be a little bit of a typical macho kind of guy and that at times annoyed me. I will say however that it is possible that I had this issue because I listened to this book on audio and sometimes the droning of characters can get on your nerves. This is however the reason I gave the book a rating of 3 (although, it would be 3 1/2 if it where possible) and not higher, I just didn't fall in love with the main character the way that I wanted to.

This was your standard, predictable Nicholas Sparks novel with two people who have complicated stories that come together and find common ground, struggle to make it work, and then have a happy ending. For the entertainment factor, it was okay. There was enough mystery around the "who done it" aspect of the plot, but there was nothing that made it stand out from the stack of other similar storylines that Sparks has written in the past.

I think you should read this book. I am not sure I have read any of his other books, but I saw the movie of Message in a Bottle. That ending was enough to keep me from reading any of his other stuff.

This book was great. It totally redeemed him in my eyes. There is just enough suspence to keep you going, but not too much to make you afraid for the characters.

Please don't read Nicholas Sparks.

It's always the same thing - so predictable.

There's always a couple in love that can't be together for some reason and usually someone from one of their families cannot stand the boy/girlfriend.

Then there's a war. That he's drafted off to in some way or another.
There's always some sort of disease or illness that someone dies of (bonus points if it's one of the lovers).
Then throw a kid in there somewhere and you've got a Nicholas Sparks book.

Oh, yeah, there's always that really really overwritten reunion of the two lovers when they haven't seen each other for so long and realize at that moment just HOW MUCH they love each other.

One of them usually dies.

Even though I began this book a bit disappointed but I think that was mostly my own doing. I haven't read a Sparks book in such a long time and my expecatations were "Notebook" good and it's just not. I am however going to give all four stars for the pure pleasure of the suspense. I was shocked when I was reading the first confession of murder, I hadn't guessed who could have been. I had some wild idea's but I still shocked. It's wraps up in a good old Sparks way with a love story but still a very real, emotional feel to the charectors. I didn't feel like the scenerio in the could never happen in real life just that emotion of love, fear, the desire for a new love and hope.

Brilliant story - heart warming at the end.

Guessed the plot twist halfway through and was bored the rest of the way.