Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Review : A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
PublisherWarner Books
Publication date: 1999
Pages: 224
Source: Own

The Story:
Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High.
It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister.
A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out.
Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood…
No other author today touches our emotions more deeply than Nicholas Sparks. In A Walk To Remember, he tells a truly unforgettable story, one that glimmers with all of his magic, holding us spellbound - and reminding us that in life each of us may find one great loved, the kind that changes everything…
RatingFOUR GOLD STARS!!!!!

My Review: One Word: UNFORGETTABLE

A Walk to Remember was the first book I read authored by Nicholas Sparks. I was a goner from then on. I read A Walk to Remember back when I was a baby teen and it remains one of my favorites.

The story takes place in Beaufort, North Carolina. The year is 1958, when women wear dresses and men don hats. To add the icing on the cake, the town is as religious as it gets. There is no getting around going to church on Sundays (Hint hint: there reason why I mention this is because it ties in heavily to the overall story.)

Landon Carter is the narrator of the story. He is in his senior year at Beaufort High. He is not much of a jock but made fun of people if they are different from him and his crew of popularish friends. For the most part, he is an average teenage boy who gets into the run of the mill trouble -- Daddy issues can do that to a child. And doesn't know what he wants to do with his life . . . until his eyes are forced open and standing in his vision is Jamie Sullivan.

Jamie Sullivan is as good and kind as it gets. And friendless, spending her lunch period sitting alone. Being the town's Baptist minister's daughter and wearing the same sweater everyday has encouraged several of her classmates taunting of her -- Landon's crew included. But being the gracious girl she is she doesn't let it get to her. I suppose maybe because sometimes there are worse things than being teased . . . such as your mother dying during childbirth. She has a strong belief and trust in God and spends her free time helping children at an orphanage which helps her get through her dilemmas. And even through everything, she is at peace and generally happy. Jamie has plans and goals, knows how she wants to spend the rest of her life. And she Landon's complete and total opposite in every sense of the word.

Insert the high school play.

Against his wishes, Landon is casts as the lead and has absolutely no interest or experience in acting. With no other choice, Landon's begrudgingly seeks Jamie's help. Reluctantly, they team up to prepare for the play. And destiny takes the lead from there . . .

A Walk to Remember is a good southern romance. The story is believable, it's wholesome and heartbreaking. Readers are able to embark on a journey of self-discovery with Landon, one filled with real, honest to God (*Pun intended :)*) love, tearjerker moments and more. I would definitely recommend A Walk to Remember to anyone who is a sap for a genuine young adult romance. is an amazingly unforgettable story that will make you smile, swoon and cry. Nicholas Sparks is a phenomenal storyteller who makes readers feel as if they are in the story alongside the characters.

*** Check out Nicholas Spark's website for more information about his and A Walk to Remember: HERE 

*My review on Goodreads

Happy Reading!

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