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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was the most boring, uninteresting book I’ve ever read. Even ~spoiler~ the death of his best friend was anticlimactic and unemotional. I was listening through an audio book and had to rewind when I realised I had missed the entire scene.
Taylor McAden has to be the worst male protagonist/love interest - did someone say daddy issues? That dude invented the term “f$ck boi.”
10/10 would not recommend. Mr Sparks has let me down ☹️
Taylor McAden has to be the worst male protagonist/love interest - did someone say daddy issues? That dude invented the term “f$ck boi.”
10/10 would not recommend. Mr Sparks has let me down ☹️
This has to be my last Nicholas Sparks novel. I made it a goal to read all of them. I already know that NS stories have a sort of formula but I have always enjoyed the majority of them. The prologue was different from how most NS books begin but I was surprised with how this novel touched on children with special needs. Incidentally, the book I read before this, To Tempt A Viking, had that subject as well. I really enjoyed that novel and one of those reasons was because of that subject.
Denise Holton is struggling to make ends meet. She is a single mother taking care of her son, Kyle who is delayed in terms of speech. The difficulties she face nearly make her want to give up but she pushes on for her son. Having a child with special needs is no easy task. It was eye opening to see how Denise home schooled Kyle, the emotions she faced, struggles as well as challenges. As I said before, it is not often that you come across a novel where one of the character has special needs. I admired Denise throughout the book.The patience and love she has for her son despite his difficulties. However, when Taylor came along, she did not make the best decisions for herself.
Many would consider Taylor quite a romantic character. He offered to help Denise when they first met and that is how they began to become close. Taylor was attentive, sweet and seemingly perfect. He even bonded with Kyle, hardly anyone bothers to try with her son. Another miracle which touches her. In Denise's words, he was the prince in her fairytale dream but this could not last. Taylor has demons and unfortunately he ruined what he had with Denise. He has PSTD, that is what I feel anyway. He feels the need to "rescue" people. Including Denise.
Their courtship was really sweet but predictable. Romantic dates, nice conversations and then sex constantly. They spent everyday together during the summer and when Taylor starts to pull away, Denise worries. I felt her worrying was unreasonable. Even though, there was a problem there and she was right to suspect but she cannot expect Taylor to see her every day, more than once a day just because they have been doing so for three months. It seemed that when he wouldn't talk to her it was a cause for a disaster. In real life, a couple needs space, a guy needs his space. Denise had such an unrealistic view on relationships. Then Taylor messes up but she forgives him. I felt disappointed. He was great for Kyle but he needed to sort himself out first. He let Denise down so many times and keep coming back to her even though he walked away What is worst is that she let him.
I felt that the rescue scenes at the bridge and the warehouse were realistic and gritty. They made me scared for the rescuers and the victims. Some scenes might be considered disturbing such as Taylor's nightmares, what really happened with his father and the fire at the warehouse. I was surprised by how consuming and strong a fire could be.
The end was too fake for me to feel pleased. There is a nagging sense of not right when I finished the book. I liked the relationship between mother and son but not the love story.
My fave quote:
"Even though Mitch and I have been together for a long time, I still don't understand everything that makes him tick. But in the end, it's worked out because we both wanted it to. As long as you two have that, you'll be able to make it through anything."
Melissa, Page 246
Denise Holton is struggling to make ends meet. She is a single mother taking care of her son, Kyle who is delayed in terms of speech. The difficulties she face nearly make her want to give up but she pushes on for her son. Having a child with special needs is no easy task. It was eye opening to see how Denise home schooled Kyle, the emotions she faced, struggles as well as challenges. As I said before, it is not often that you come across a novel where one of the character has special needs. I admired Denise throughout the book.The patience and love she has for her son despite his difficulties. However, when Taylor came along, she did not make the best decisions for herself.
Many would consider Taylor quite a romantic character. He offered to help Denise when they first met and that is how they began to become close. Taylor was attentive, sweet and seemingly perfect. He even bonded with Kyle, hardly anyone bothers to try with her son. Another miracle which touches her. In Denise's words, he was the prince in her fairytale dream but this could not last. Taylor has demons and unfortunately he ruined what he had with Denise. He has PSTD, that is what I feel anyway.
Spoiler
For years, he believed he killed his own father and has since volunteered for the fire department to atone for his wrongs.Their courtship was really sweet but predictable. Romantic dates, nice conversations and then sex constantly. They spent everyday together during the summer and when Taylor starts to pull away, Denise worries. I felt her worrying was unreasonable. Even though, there was a problem there and she was right to suspect but she cannot expect Taylor to see her every day, more than once a day just because they have been doing so for three months. It seemed that when he wouldn't talk to her it was a cause for a disaster. In real life, a couple needs space, a guy needs his space. Denise had such an unrealistic view on relationships. Then Taylor messes up but she forgives him. I felt disappointed.
Spoiler
It was cold of him to leave before she woke up as well.Spoiler
The sad part was that Mitch died before Taylor could own up to his problems and accept them.I felt that the rescue scenes at the bridge and the warehouse were realistic and gritty. They made me scared for the rescuers and the victims. Some scenes might be considered disturbing such as Taylor's nightmares, what really happened with his father and the fire at the warehouse. I was surprised by how consuming and strong a fire could be.
The end was too fake for me to feel pleased. There is a nagging sense of not right when I finished the book. I liked the relationship between mother and son but not the love story.
My fave quote:
"Even though Mitch and I have been together for a long time, I still don't understand everything that makes him tick. But in the end, it's worked out because we both wanted it to. As long as you two have that, you'll be able to make it through anything."
Melissa, Page 246
This is the first Nicholas sparks novel I read and I am not disappointed. I’m not much of a fan of romance but even though this can be categorized as romance it was much more than that, you could feel the emotion. 5 stars!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The middle part dragged but the ending was very Nicholas Sparks worthy.
I am a fan of Sparks and this book was exactly what I expected. A touching love story, complete with conflict, a death and a resolution ending in a deeper love.
Single mother Denise lives in her deceased mother's old small home town with her four year old son, Kyle, who has a language disability. She spends all day helping him learn new words and how to communicate and works late nights at the local restaurant.
When she and Kyle get into an awful accident and Kyle goes missing, local fireman Taylor rescues them both, sparking their love story. Taylor has a problem though -- any time he gets close to a woman, and once their relationship gets serious, he sabotages it. Taylor's friends and family have seen this happen time and time again and it seems to be different with Denise.
When the pattern starts to appear in their relationship, Taylor must divulge his deep dark secrets or be forced to lose Denise.
For me, this book was cut and dry Sparks and I enjoyed the story as a quick read, but I didn't really get invested into the characters. Unlike some of Spark's other books. I don't think I'll really spend time after this book thinking about the characters much. Also, the ending was a little abrupt for me and made it a little hoaky. As much as I was glad that there was a Spark's styled happy ending, if was a bit quick and unrealistic for me.
A good quick read for anyone who loves Spark's other works.
Single mother Denise lives in her deceased mother's old small home town with her four year old son, Kyle, who has a language disability. She spends all day helping him learn new words and how to communicate and works late nights at the local restaurant.
When she and Kyle get into an awful accident and Kyle goes missing, local fireman Taylor rescues them both, sparking their love story. Taylor has a problem though -- any time he gets close to a woman, and once their relationship gets serious, he sabotages it. Taylor's friends and family have seen this happen time and time again and it seems to be different with Denise.
When the pattern starts to appear in their relationship, Taylor must divulge his deep dark secrets or be forced to lose Denise.
For me, this book was cut and dry Sparks and I enjoyed the story as a quick read, but I didn't really get invested into the characters. Unlike some of Spark's other books. I don't think I'll really spend time after this book thinking about the characters much. Also, the ending was a little abrupt for me and made it a little hoaky. As much as I was glad that there was a Spark's styled happy ending, if was a bit quick and unrealistic for me.
A good quick read for anyone who loves Spark's other works.