Book review: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks – with a passion that would change their lives for ever. But life would force them apart.

Years later, the lines they had drawn between past and present are about to slip …Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again, and forced to confront the paths they chose. Can true love ever rewrite the past?

Nicholas Sparks has written sixteen novels to date, all of which have been international bestsellers. Six of them have been made into films and I have a copy of Dear John sitting on my ‘to read’ pile but despite all of this, I haven’t read any of his books until now! The Best of Me is Nicholas Sparks’ latest novel, released today and before I get into the review of the content, I have to say that I love the new cover designs for Nicholas’ books including this one – they feel very fresh and certainly made me look twice.

The Best of Me is the story of Dawson and Amanda. In flashback we learn that their early relationship has a classic tragic storyline with rich, beautiful, well-respected and popular Amanda falling for poor, unloved and abused Dawson. Their families are united in trying to control them and destroy their relationship and as the book opens in the present day, Dawson and Amanda are leading separate and very different lives. The main story takes place over a long weekend as Dawson and Amanda return to their hometown following the death of Tuck Hostetler; a man who has played a key role in their lives and is now about to reunite them for the first time since they were teenagers.

The novel is written in the third person allowing us to get to know Dawson and Amanda equally. I found Dawson’s story intriguing from the start, particularly his spooky sightings of a dark haired man which add an element of mystery to the story. Amanda’s story is more straightforward and I found the plot a little slow at the start as the background was filled in and the two finally meet in their old hometown. As the events of the weekend progress The Best of Me becomes much more than just a story of childhood sweethearts reunited and the final third of the book in particular had me absolutely gripped! Sparks cleverly weaves minor characters into the main plot and then brings them all together in a dramatic climax. Coupled with the element of ‘will they? won’t they?’ between the two main characters, I can certainly see why Sparks’ novels are bestsellers.

This is a book for those who like novels packed with emotion as Sparks analyses the consequences of his characters actions past and present from all angles. For me, the ending was a little too convenient but it didn’t make The Best of Me any less of an enjoyable read and I’ll definitely be reading more from Nicholas Sparks in the future.

4/5

If you’d like to win a signed copy of The Best of Me please check out my giveaway.

I’d like to thank publisher Sphere for sending me a copy of this book for review.

You can find out more about Nicholas Sparks and his novels at: http://www.nicholassparks.com/