Dear John

Title: Dear John

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Date Finished: September 11, 2010

Personal Book Count: 42 out of 100

Rating: 3 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: fiction

First Line: What does it mean to truly love another?

Why did I pick this book?: sometimes you just need some Nicholas Sparks schmaltz.

Summary and Review: taken from goodreads.com-

“An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life”

This book is typical Sparks. Love, death, laughter and tears. At the same time that it is comforting, it also makes it hard to read too many together. But it had been a while since I had read one, and when the movie for this one came out this summer, I knew it was one I wanted to read before I saw the movie. DH and I are both fans of Amanda Seyfried, and knowing she was in the movie, it was her I pictured in the book, despite the fact the description didn’t match at all. I liked the settings, and his descriptions of them, it added to the romance of the story. And with 9/11 being a central event, in the books, and one that is fresh in my memory, it made it more relatable. And it was almost more tangible, being linked to an event in time, rather then just the vagueness of some of his other books. Little bit of a twist ending, I’m not sure if I am satisfied with it or not… left me feeling a little… incomplete I guess…

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D