This book had a very interesting concept, and it being by Nicholas Sparks; I really doubted anything would go wrong with it.

I was wrong unfortunately. Don't get my wrong, I really liked this book. I loved Theresa as a main character, I like the way it started, and I liked how some of it was set in Boston instead of always in North Carolina. His writing was incredible as always. The story he told was wonderful and heart breaking.

There was one flaw in the book though. The character that is Garrett Blake. He was whiny and annoying and I just really hated his character. I think Sparks tried to make him too perfect and the character just came off wrong. But because of Garrett... This book only got three stars.

Another wonderful book by Nicholas Sparks!!! I was very upset that Theresa and Garrett did ever get to be together though. It was sad that Garrett realized how much he loved her and was ready to let go of Catherine to be with Theresa but didn't ever get to be. It was a great book though!!!

Hmm. Spoiler alert...His writing style can be poetic, and the plot was okaaaay (creepy woman stalks good writer to death?). But this one felt like it was alternating between being a How-to book (making steak, scuba diving, raising a child etc) and being an overly melodramatic Mills and Boon bodice ripper. Maybe I'm not divorced enough to get it. *shrug*

Every once in a while, I pick up a book thinking "Oh, well, humour me". And this book - like I expected - was one big, sad cliché. Typical Sparks: sentences that make you gag with corniness, you can't be a complete human being as a single, dramatic plot twists, perfect (but boring and utterly flat) characters, a fair share of first world problems, lots of romantic BS about true love, plot-propelling secondary characters, the obligatory tearjerker moments and a sprinkle of God.

I don't even know why I still do this to myself.


Spoiler P.S.: what kind of experienced sailor (and diver, to boot) leaves his emergency kit in a place that's practically unreachable when your boat's in danger of sinking, and/or isn't wearing his life jacket when sailing in stormy weather?

3 STARS

"Thrown to the waves, and to fate, the bottle could have ended up anywhere. Instead, it is found just three weeks after it begins its journey. Theresa Osborne, divorced and the mother of a twelve-year-old son, discovers it during a seaside vacation from her job as a Boston newspaper columnist. Inside is a letter that opens with, "My Dearest Catherine, I miss you my darling, as I always do, but today is particularly hard because the ocean has been singing to me, and the song is that of our life together." For Garrett, the message is the only way he knows to express his undying love for a woman he has lost. For Theresa, wary of romance since her husband shattered her trust, the message raises questions that intrigue her. Challenged by the mystery, and driven to find Garrett by emotions she does not fully understand, Theresa begins a search that takes her to a sunlit coastal town and an unexpected confrontation. Brought together either by chance or something more powerful, Theresa and Garrett's lives come together in a tale that resonates with our deepest hopes for finding everlasting love." (From Amazon)

I picked up this book for two dollars so thought why not. Not one of my favourite Spark's novel and I did not much care for the movie either. It is a cute romantic story but I just did not feel anything for the characters' romance. I was more interested Garrett and his first love than Garrett and Theresa.
emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Nicholas Sparks has always been and will forever be one of my favorite authors. His stories take you to a place where true love exists and is found in the most interesting ways. "Message In A Bottle" is just one of his incredible stories. This incredible book is told in a way where you can feel what all of the characters are feeling and you can see what they are seeing. That is why I gave this story five stars. Not only is this book written a beautiful way, it also tells a wonderful story about two people who live a thousand miles apart and find love. Unfortunately, like all of Sparks' books, there is a devastating ending that just makes you want to cry.
lighthearted sad medium-paced

So cute and romantic. This book only reinforces my love for Nicholas Sparks! I cried like a total baby at the ending, like I typically do for most of his books. Couldn't get enough of this one. And definitely WAY better than the movie, the movie honestly sucked. Worth the read!