So good it became a Major Motion Picture?

Dear John (2006)
Sparks,Nicholas
Fiction
9/10

Warnings: It is a romance novel and does have some mild sexual content. Other than that, all you need is a fuzzy blanket and a box of extra soft tissues! 







Like all love stories, there has to be a beginning. Growing up as an only child, to a single father,  John Tyree is an angry rebel and has enlisted in the army right after high school, not knowing what life holds for him. During a visit home John meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah Curtis. Summer is so much more than John ever hoped for. With Savannah by his side, as proof of love at first sight, John feels like he's in "heaven." Endless nights arm in arm and fun filled days at the sandy beach, John is literally falling in love. The mutual attraction was quick and nearly too good to be true, but John and Savannah were committed to making love work.  By the end of summer John still has to leave and finish his tour of duty but Savannah vows to wait for him and write as often as she can. You can't help but feel sorry for the couples separation. It makes you long for their return. Leaving your loved one can't be easy especially when your only contact is letters. Being apart for Savannah is so hard but their love seems so strong that nothing can break it apart,or so they think. That's when 9/11 changes it all. John is now faced with the hardest decision, returning to love or fighting for his country. Truly heart-wrenching!

This story shows the longing for love and the fight to keep it alive. It has twists and turns that are unexpected and definitely heart-breaking. You gain a longing for John and Savannah to keep their new love strong and to receive their Happily Ever After. It shows that love truly is sacrifice and doesn't always happen the way we want.

Dear John is a romantic love story with twists and turns that make it unique. Bringing a new perspective, Nicholas Sparks shows that every love story has its very own ending. Sparks writes with wit and love but also provides feelings of sadness and longing. He truly makes it easy to turn every page and feel every word. 


Dear John is intended to be a young adult book for those that are chick-flick loving movie watchers and romance reading enthusiasts. I would recommend this mainly for girls that enjoy those sappy-feeling love stories and don't mind reading with a box of tissues. Also, for those that would want to see the movie (yes, Channing Tatum is in it!) I would suggest that they read the book first. It is actually very different from the movie and comparing the two almost lets you decide the ending for yourself. It is fun to read a book that helps you feel what the character feels and to see what they see. It provides a perspective that is almost realistic and a plot that "overcomes" you with the desire to turn the page.

I would absolutely recommend this, but not to everyone. It's one of those books that is "A Heart-breaker." and tear jerking. Not everyone enjoys that type of literature and for some it may be too much. I love how it is described by Good Housekeeping, "Bittersweet....a testimony to love." I couldn't say it better, as I read this book I was stuck in a love-hate relationship with the ending. It seemed so sweet and yet bitter all at the same time. However, I think it really is a story worth reading! I usually love Nicholas Sparks books and this is one of them that I would read again!