The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
siobhanward's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Somehow I made it through the early 2000s without ever having consumed a piece of Nicholas Sparks' media. No movies or books up until now, though I definitely know of a lot of them. And for my first foray into his work, this wasn't bad at all. It was a cute read, definitely predictable and really slow at times, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment. It was definitely cliche, and honestly reminded me a lot of Sarah Dessen's work - and since I love her, that wasn't a bad thing.
I liked Maggie's aunt a lot and I'm glad we got to learn more about her through the book. Her parents were ROUGH to read and I just felt awful for Maggie whenever they were mentioned. Definitely a cute read, not super Christmas-y, but still a fun read for the holidays.
I liked Maggie's aunt a lot and I'm glad we got to learn more about her through the book. Her parents were ROUGH to read and I just felt awful for Maggie whenever they were mentioned. Definitely a cute read, not super Christmas-y, but still a fun read for the holidays.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Terminal illness
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Death and War
dixiesmith's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
sara_engquist's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
court3sy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I heard this story takes place around Christmas time and it was available at my library, so I checked it out at 10 PM on 12/12, and couldn't put it down, finishing it a little over 16 hours later and am still in tears as I write this review.
I have to give this 5 ⭐️ because it’s exactly what I needed right now. The resolutions, the characters, the hope, all of it.
The characters are diverse and believable; there's a bit of character growth in the main cast likeMaggie, Bryce, and Mark. A little for Aunt Linda, but she was a sweetheart for the majority of the book. , and even some is suggested for those we don't see as often like Morgan admitting that she was jealous of Maggie. Unfortunately none for her parents, who needed it the most. . As a Seattle girl who's also left and come back, Maggie really resonated with me both as a teen and an adult.
The twists were somewhat predictable but in a comforting and hopeful way, for the most part. Almost like you knew what was going to happen if the story played out the way you hoped it would. This type of optimism isn't prevalent in a lot of books I read (fantasy, sci-fi) and I loved it, even though I felt on-edge for most of the story since I'm not used to reading when things work out!
Thoughts on plot-specific moments; spoilers below.
After they mentioned Mark's age and Maggie's pregnancy, I had a feeling that Mark was her son, and he was definitely giving Bryce vibes. I love that Maggie told him she thinks that some of Bryce rubbed off on him while they were both in Ocracoke, and that they were both able to grant each other's wishes. Her's to see Bryce again, and his to know his mom.
I've read the Notebook and know the general vibe of Nicholas Sparks books; usually they end up together somehow, in life or death. So, I had a feeling Bryce was going to die at some point since they didn't end up together and since Maggie was terminal and he wasn't there with her.
The Nor-easter and downed power lines was a good red herring for Bryce's death, and was the beginning of the tension and of knowing that something was going to happen to him.
I'm glad Maggie pushed Bryce to live out his dream of going to West Point and reach his potential, just like his parents wanted, but that makes it all the more tragic that both of those things put him in the situation that ended up taking his life. It was absolutely heart breaking that he was killed in Afghanistan, and I basically couldn't stop crying once I got to that part. It's one of those times where it's nobody's fault, which makes it harder to process since there's no one to blame or be angry at. Maggie was right to say no to marriage at 16 (!), and Bryce was right to go to West Point (not wait around like Noah from the Notebook). The fact that they didn't get to meet up when she was 24 because he was fighting / already gone broke me, though. I wondered what his parents were thinking at that point. Maybe that's partially why they left Ocracoke after the grandparents passed away; it reminded them too much of Bryce.
I have to give this 5 ⭐️ because it’s exactly what I needed right now. The resolutions, the characters, the hope, all of it.
The characters are diverse and believable; there's a bit of character growth in the main cast like
The twists were somewhat predictable but in a comforting and hopeful way, for the most part. Almost like you knew what was going to happen if the story played out the way you hoped it would. This type of optimism isn't prevalent in a lot of books I read (fantasy, sci-fi) and I loved it, even though I felt on-edge for most of the story since I'm not used to reading when things work out!
Thoughts on plot-specific moments; spoilers below.
After they mentioned Mark's age and Maggie's pregnancy, I had a feeling that Mark was her son, and he was definitely giving Bryce vibes. I love that Maggie told him she thinks that some of Bryce rubbed off on him while they were both in Ocracoke, and that they were both able to grant each other's wishes. Her's to see Bryce again, and his to know his mom.
I've read the Notebook and know the general vibe of Nicholas Sparks books; usually they end up together somehow, in life or death. So, I had a feeling Bryce was going to die at some point since they didn't end up together and since Maggie was terminal and he wasn't there with her.
The Nor-easter and downed power lines was a good red herring for Bryce's death, and was the beginning of the tension and of knowing that something was going to happen to him.
I'm glad Maggie pushed Bryce to live out his dream of going to West Point and reach his potential, just like his parents wanted, but that makes it all the more tragic that both of those things put him in the situation that ended up taking his life. It was absolutely heart breaking that he was killed in Afghanistan, and I basically couldn't stop crying once I got to that part. It's one of those times where it's nobody's fault, which makes it harder to process since there's no one to blame or be angry at. Maggie was right to say no to marriage at 16 (!), and Bryce was right to go to West Point (not wait around like Noah from the Notebook). The fact that they didn't get to meet up when she was 24 because he was fighting / already gone broke me, though. I wondered what his parents were thinking at that point. Maybe that's partially why they left Ocracoke after the grandparents passed away; it reminded them too much of Bryce.
skck09's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This was a beautiful story. It was predictable, but it reminded me of older Nicholas Sparks books, and it is probably one of the best ones I've read of his in a long time. It's sad, but it's also heartwarming and perfect to read at Christmastime.
ariep's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Really liked it! Not much to say, fun holiday read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Pregnancy, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Dysphoria, Death, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: War, Xenophobia, and Sexual content
jmarciniak's review against another edition
4.0
Typical Nicholas Sparks. Which means it’s a good-but-predictable tear-jerker. It makes you think about mortality and forgiveness. There are a few conservative, outdated ideas/features of the storyline, from which I wish Sparks would move on, but the man knows his bread and butter.
nikkilynn's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Nicholas Sparks is probably my least favorite author ever. I find his books to be really boring. He does too much telling and not enough showing, so it's hard to feel the emotions he's trying to evoke.
nicquinn25's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0