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Message in a Bottle

by Nicholas Sparks (Goodreads Author)

3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 · rating details · 95,937 ratings · 2,384 reviews

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,...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published April 1st 1998 by Grand Central Publishing (first published January 1st 1998)

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Mar 03, 2013 Debra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Check out my review below:

Debra's Book Cafe

Debs :-)

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Oct 20, 2008 Annie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Nicholas Sparks Fans

Shelves: read-in-2008

For those of you (like me) who have seen the movie of the same name starring Kevin Costner, the end of this novel will come as no surprise. I knew what I was getting in for when I started this book and kept the tissues well-stocked. In fact, I had to stop reading it on the bus for fear of crying in public.

Instead of going into a detailed review, I'd like to share with you an excerpt of an interview Nicholas Sparks did with the NY Times after writing this novel. He shares his inspiration but I ha...more For those of you (like me) who have seen the movie of the same name starring Kevin Costner, the end of this novel will come as no surprise. I knew what I was getting in for when I started this book and kept the tissues well-stocked. In fact, I had to stop reading it on the bus for fear of crying in public.

Instead of going into a detailed review, I'd like to share with you an excerpt of an interview Nicholas Sparks did with the NY Times after writing this novel. He shares his inspiration but I have to warn you, it is gut wrenching...

"Message in a Bottle was inspired by my father after the death of my mother. In 1989, six weeks after I was married, my mother and father went horseback riding. They were avid riders and very comfortable on horses, and were simply walking the horses along a scenic trail. For a reason that no one can explain -- we assume it was the horse, a rather skittish Arabian -- my mom fell out of the saddle, off the horse, hit her head on a rock, had a cerebral hemorrhage and died.

My mother and father had married at the age of twenty-one and my father was absolutely crushed by her death. They'd been married twenty-seven years and my father didn't have the slightest idea of what it meant to be a grown-up without my mom. A lot of people wear black to a funeral. My father wore black every day for four years. He pretty much became a recluse. He pulled away from his family and friends, he stopped going out, he stopped doing pretty much
everything. All he did was go to work and back home again. It was heart-breaking to watch.

After four long years of worrying about him, my father finally
started taking baby steps out in the world again. He started reconnecting with family and friends, eventually he started to date again -- think more years passing -- eventually he met someone in particular, eventually he fell in love again. And then one day, about seven years after my mom had died, I got a call from my father. "I'm engaged," he said.

Now, I was happy about that, not because I didn't care about my mom -- I adored her -- but because I'd been so worried about my father. Kids worry about their parents the same way parents worry about their kids, and I was glad that he'd finally found someone.

Two days after that phone call, my father was driving home late one night, fell asleep at the wheel of his car, crashed, and died . . ."

Is it better to have loved and lost then never loved at all? Nicholas Sparks says yes and after reading Message in a Bottle, I'm inclined to agree.

PS It's 100% just as good as the movie. Promise.(less)

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Mar 14, 2010 Abby rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 14, 2010 Deanna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read this book while vacationing in Cancun in 1998. Read the final page watching the dawn on the beach. Perfect experience!

If I remember correctly, it was one of my favorite books during that time. The book made me compelled to write a letter and throw it out to sea, which I never did.

It's a heartfelt story that should be read. However, it's not memorable because after all of these years, I am not interested in reading it again. It's a one-time-good-book read. If you like Sparks's writing, the...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I resisted reading this book for a long time because the movie is one of my favorites. There were differences that, at first, I found difficult, but I got over that without much effort. Having just struggled through a long difficult read of David Copperfield, this read was smooth and easy and fast.

I am a very emotional person and that emotion seems to be more readily let loose now that I admit to getting old. I have always been emotional and have never been shamed by letting others see that emot...more

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Apr 08, 2008 Erin Olsen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book used for fifty cents at a book sale.

I'm glad I didn't spend more money on it. What a disappointment. It dragged pretty much through the entire book & then BLAM, the end SUCKED so hard it just pissed me off & any good feelings I'd had from this book were quickly forgotten.

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Apr 15, 2010 PurplyCookie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-novel

If you thought "The Notebook" was a tearjerker, then get ready to have a hanky on hand and be on an emotional rollercoaster ride with Sparks's second star-crossed love story, "Message in a Bottle".

When Theresa Osborne takes a much-needed summer holiday at Cape Cod, she finds a lot more than a break from the hustle and bustle. On an early-morning jog along Cape Cod Bay, she comes across a corked bottle with a scrolled-up message inside that reads, "My Dearest Catherine, I miss you." Subsequent p...more

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Jun 12, 2008 Wee!wawaLAA!!! rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

haha, haven't been reading a bunch of Nicholas Sparks's books lately...
I have no idea how the movie is, but it must be far beyond the level of this book. But the ending is SOOOO damn sad. Seriously.
And because of that thing called my short-term memory span, I can't remember their names, so I'll just phrase it with pronouns. :D
So she finds a message in a bottle (thus the name) and falls in love with the way the man (OMG, I REMEMBERED HIS NAME, just now :P) writes and expresses his most definete t...more

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Apr 18, 2008 Laurelina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just like many, if not most, the movie did NOT do justice to this book. Nicholas Sparks wrote a very detailed, vivid story of Theresa and how she found Garrett through clues in the letters that eventually were found offshore. The difference lies in that the characters described in the book were more human, they were much more flawed, but definitely real. The movie portraied Garrett as a victim of the circumstances that was lied to and that somehow did not have any say in what occurred. It also p...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Diana~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, author-nicholas-sparks

I remember reading this book a long time ago and I suddenly started to remember it today. I remember that it made my heart ache, and it made me cry so much. Nicholas Sparks does have a way with his stories and I am glad that I gave him a try once upon a time. The ending was extremely sad... so if you're into romances with happy endings, I don't think this book is for you. But if you're into romances with heartbreaking moments and an ending that will have your heart cry out, then you should defin...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Julia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-hate

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 11, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

Beautiful, touching, endearing, emotionally moving...I cried, and I was at work. I knew there was a reason why I didn't read romances, they move me too much. But, I did love the book. Is it possible to be loved in that way? Does such a love exist in this day and age? I've watched all of the Nicholas Sparks books that have been made into movies, I have never read one of his books until now. Nicholas Sparks has touched my heart strings and has set them to music, I hope to find that kind of love so...more

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May 17, 2013 Ali Avan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ali Avan by: Kinza

When I started reading this book, it came to me as a typical love story we see in the movies: Two lonely people who have given up hope and are too reluctant to try to go and find someone they could spend the rest of their lives with. But this was no ordinary love story. No love story is ordinary as they are unique in their own way but I guess what I am trying to say is that I felt differently about this one and I wouldn't have anticipated how it would end the way it did. As much as I wanted it t...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Novy Ummai rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel is similar to Nicholas Sparks novels others, always with the theme of love.
The story begins with the discovery of a letter in a bottle by Theresa Osbourne, a columnist of The Boston Times. Theresa recently divorced it was touched by the expressions of love and sorrow contained in the letter. The message in the bottle made by Garrett to Catherine the dead. Feeling curious about the contents of another letter, Theresa posted a message she found in her magazine column. Someone call The...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I though this was a nice, heart warming book but a little bland in places. The best things about the book was the plot and the real life situations.

The plot idea has a nice feel to it, as I suppose do all love stories, but the originality of the plot is what really makes this book stand out. A message in a bottle is so often related to mystery but as shown here, it can be used as the basis for a love story. I like the fact that she had a son and all the worries that came with it. Also, that she...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Masniaty rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: koleksi-pribadi

Berkisah tentang Theresa Osborne, janda satu anak, yang menemukan sebuah botol berisi pernyataan cinta yang tak pernah padam dari seorang laki-laki pada seorang wanita yang telah diambil darinya. Laki-laki itu bernama Garret Blake. Surat itu begitu menyentuh hatinya hingga ia penasaran dengan laki-laki yang menulisnya. Apalagi setelah itu, Theresa juga menemukan surat-surat lain yang ternyata ditulis secara rutin oleh laki-laki itu.

Lewat perjuangan panjang tapi mudah akhirnya Theresa berhasil be...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Annadetord rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Deciding on which novel I wanted to read during my Winter Break was hard because I had to ensure myself that I was going to enjoy it to be capable of finishing it. I choose to read Nicholas Sparks because he had impressed me with other of his works such as The Last Song, Dear John, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and The Lucky One. After reading the review of this book, Message in a Bottle, I knew this was the one.

I would recommend this piece of work because Sparks really makes you get into t...more Deciding on which novel I wanted to read during my Winter Break was hard because I had to ensure myself that I was going to enjoy it to be capable of finishing it. I choose to read Nicholas Sparks because he had impressed me with other of his works such as The Last Song, Dear John, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and The Lucky One. After reading the review of this book, Message in a Bottle, I knew this was the one.

I would recommend this piece of work because Sparks really makes you get into the feeling and emotions of the characters to the point that you start crying. I never thought that I would ever start bawling over a book but I should have induced that because this writer always makes me cry in the movies based on his novels. When you read the novel you can feel like if this were your life and this was actually happening to you because everything is explained meticulously, just like a memory.

This book is for both genders and is suitable for all audiences because it’s a romantic book and does not contain any strong performances a child could not read about. The reader has to be interested in love between a couple and has to have faith that love can rise anywhere and between any two people. I love the fact that it is as if this love was destiny because Theresa got the message in a bottle by coincidence while she was doing her daily morning jog.

In addition, a great factor that makes this novel so well written is the fact that it’s not as fictional; for instance she does not find Garret by sending him another letter and then magically receiving it by sea. She tracks him down making you nervous to see if she would actually find him and if he is appropriate for her age. Not too old or too young. Another factor that is not fictional is that she doesn’t find the rest of the letters from Garret to Catherine at the shore; but she receives them by people that send them to her because they read her column in the newspaper

I really appreciated that the love that they felt was real and strong because they are capable to confront any obstacle that stands between them. This is the main difference between good and bad romantic novels. The fact that the love is pure and that since the first moment they knew they were meant for each other makes me want to pick the book up and read it once again. This book, as well, makes you want to be optimistic about the fact of finding love to this level because you can feel it through the spaces between the lines of the pages.

A factor that makes this book to be so good is the characters. I liked that they come from two parallel worlds. One is a divorced woman with a child that works by publishing in the newspaper. She is a lady that would never make time for herself because she was always to busy working. However, the man lives close to the sea and dedicates his life to the sea and has all the time of his life to himself because his wife passed away two years earlier. The beauty of the novel is that the destiny of love makes them meet even though they have distinct lives and this love would have never been possible without the factor of love that these people feel.

The book follows the simple steps of the creation of a book: introduction, climax and ending. These make the book to be so astonishing and surprising because you can expect what will occur next. However, these steps are a bit altered because they don’t exactly follow the typical fairytale of Disney everyone hopes to see at the ending. This makes the novel so good because the conclusion is not evident and you do not expect such thing.

The ending was spectacular, I recommend everyone to read the book just because of it. It surprised me and it was magnificent. I wish I could someday live and experience similar to this one. Usually the end is a moment in which everything comes together but sometimes this can change. I just want to add my opinion about the conclusion because I believe that Sparks has created this moment because he knows how to play with his audience’s emotions. To be sure I mention this I’ll say it now; remember to have tissues prepared when you come along to the end because Sparks always has a special way to end his numerous quantities of novels.

The messages that conclude the book are Catherine’s, Garret’s and Theresa’s. As well they are very powerful letters that I believe I should explain because they comfort you because you know how the characters feel after this journey they have experienced.

The letter that Catherine leaves in the ocean without any specific reader tops the book off. This letter makes the book hundreds of times better because you can tell that the Garret and Catherine love each other and as well it’s kind of an acceptance to Garret that he should be with Theresa from Catherine. I thought that this letter allowed Garret to be comfortable about loving another woman and that he wasn’t being unfaithful to his wife that had passed away. This makes him think that he should be blessed that he has had the wonderful chance of loving infinitely twice in his life.

This letter from Catherine leads to Garrets last letter to Theresa bringing closure to his relationship and Catherine’s and opening him to another phase in his life with Theresa in it. This letter explains that he was actually in love because he explains that he would also want to have children with her and watch Kevin grow, Theresa’s son.

Finally, the last letter of the novel, from Theresa to Garret, is an answer to him because of his death. She expressed her love for him and that he has brought her hope to love once more and that “love can’t be denied”(370). This represents that she thanks him for opening her eyes and she will never stop the opportunity of loving someone just because Garret died; she will take it will never forget about him because he will always be in her heart just like Catherine was in his heart. I believe that this last letter closes a door and opens a new one for Theresa because she has been fortunate to be with him and she does not regret any moment and that they don’t have to say good-bye because she will always take him with her, in her heart.
(less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Amiel Jansen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: with-reviews

The story revolves around a columnist named Theresa Osborne whom had a tragic love story with his ex-husband, from whom she had a child named Kevin, named David who had extramarital relationship and who became a preacher of religion (insert face here) and a diving instructor named Garret Blake who lost his wife Catherine three years ago (prior to the novel's time setting) and who has not loved since then.

[Spoiler Alert!!!!]
It started when Theresa, who took a few weeks off work, vacationed with D...more The story revolves around a columnist named Theresa Osborne whom had a tragic love story with his ex-husband, from whom she had a child named Kevin, named David who had extramarital relationship and who became a preacher of religion (insert face here) and a diving instructor named Garret Blake who lost his wife Catherine three years ago (prior to the novel's time setting) and who has not loved since then.

[Spoiler Alert!!!!]
It started when Theresa, who took a few weeks off work, vacationed with Deana in Cape Cod, Managing Editor of the paper she’s working for, took a jog before daybreak (which she does, always) and found a bottle which washed up on the shore. Inside the bottle was a letter which deeply moved her, and then, the following weeks, after she published the letter in her column, subsequent to Deana’s suggestions of it being new to readers, calls after calls of appreciation led her to finding another one from someone who also got a bottle of Garret’s moving letters for Catherine. And then another one from a professor who published it in a magazine.

The series of events pointed her towards heading down Wrightsville, where she took chances of meeting Garret which she admitted while NS narrated in third person, she had an infatuation on. And then, that’s how their story started, Garret in impulse invited her to sail with him which led them to a dinner and… you know the rest.

Sadly, problems emerged. Garret still confused of his feelings for Theresa and Catherine kind of decided it was not worth the try but they did try in the end, long-distance relationship that is. Occasional visits, nights of hours talking with each other on the phone, it all paid off when Garret finally admitted to himself that he loved Theresa. But then, they had this little confrontation when Theresa’s secrets of her true intentions going down Wrightsville were divulged by Garret himself, while alone in her apartment. And then, they said their good byes, lead by Theresa.

In the end, Garret died because of a storm while he’s out in the ocean to drop another letter for Catherine, saying good bye and making it clear that it would be his last letter for her.
I actually liked the book being a Nicholas-Sparks-first-timer-and-hater and all. I basically ignored his books, even if I had all his books (pdf and mobi files, ebooks are much practical, same as reading a real book, isn’t it?). For those who love to read tragic love stories, this book is perfect for you. Even with its statistical impossibilities and heartbreaking twists it looks pretty non-fictional. It’s realistic even. (less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Marjorie Cocjin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

I didn't expect to cry. But it hit hard, mostly because the book is about loving, losing and hoping. It's about never giving up and having the courage to move forward even though it seems impossible in the beginning. What struck me most was the protagonist (Garett) in the story. I can't imagine the pain he must be feeling, I can't imagine the confusion of falling in love again even as he continually mourns (yearns and loves) his ex-wife.

The last few pages of this book was simply beautiful. It r...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Ann General rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Synopsis:

The story begun when Theresa found one of Garretts message in a bottle, during a trip that she took while Kevin is on his dad’s company for a vacation. Theresa can’t help but cry because she felt the sincerity to every words that Garrett written on the letter for Catherine. Theresa printed the letter to her column, but omitting the names of Garrett and Catherine for privacy. Next thing she knew, she received an urgent call from someone stating that she found a letter years ago which is...more Synopsis:

The story begun when Theresa found one of Garretts message in a bottle, during a trip that she took while Kevin is on his dad’s company for a vacation. Theresa can’t help but cry because she felt the sincerity to every words that Garrett written on the letter for Catherine. Theresa printed the letter to her column, but omitting the names of Garrett and Catherine for privacy. Next thing she knew, she received an urgent call from someone stating that she found a letter years ago which is similar to what she published on her column. The caller agreed to fax the copy of the letter to her office. When Theresa received and read the letter, she can’t believe that she was able to find a second letter from Garrett. After reading the second letter and felt the same passion that she had when she read the first letter, Theresa cant help but imagine what Garrett looks like in person. She then begun her search for thinking that maybe she could find some clue that can lead her to Garrett. While gathering some information on where she could find Garrett based on the information written on the letter, Theresa found Garrett’s third letter on the internet which was found by a man who also made a column about it many years ago.

What happened next is history. Theresa found Garrett. They fell in love and found happiness again. But things didn’t end up just like what they are expecting it to be. Theresa felt that Garrett is still trap with his past. And Garrett on the other hand, is in-denial about him still holding on to his lost love. Until one day, they decided to end their relationship even if they both know that they’re not sure if they can find happiness and love again.

Garrett died in an accident while he was out sailing to send out his last letter for Catherine in the sea, since he realized that he needs to move on to be completely happy with Theresa.

Theresa might have a few regrets after the tragic ending of their love story. But she knew that if Garrett was able to found love after Catherine, she knew that one day, she can find her love and happiness again.

Review:

This book really moved me. I cried and smile — then cried and smile again. Though this book didn’t have the usual happy ending story, I can say that im not disappointed on how it ends, since the message was written clearly.

Love comes when we don’t expect it, and leave us as fast as it came. Sometimes, people tend to forget the meaning of love and happiness when they heart got broken on the first try, they tend to take it as if its the end of their world. Love works miraculously in each of our lives. We may take it for granted once in a while, but we can’t still deny the fact that love is the one of the few reason why its nice to wake up every morning and be excited to what the day can offer.

Love comes to those who wait.(less)

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Nov 25, 2012 Blueberry rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meine Meinung:

Als ich dieses Buch beendet hatte war mein erster Gedanke: "WOW". Mein zweiter: "Oh nein, es ist zu Ende" und mein dritter: "Sparks ist ein Genie!"

Der Autor Sparks nimmt einen auf eine Reise voller Emotionen und Gefühle mit. Man taucht völlig in die Geschichte ein und kann sich nicht mehr davon entziehen. Es ist wie ein Strudel der Ereignisse, der einen immer tiefer hineinzieht und aus dem es kein entkommen mehr gibt.

Der Autor Sparks kann mit seinen Worten richtig umgehen. Er kann...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Angiie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

well as you should all now most of Nicholas Sparks books have a pretty sad or just to say a not happy ending!... i had this book for a while and i really did not want to read it because i knew i would cry but then finally i got into the mood and of course i cried especially at the ending. The story is really good i liked it at the beggining the story caught me and i really felt emotional though all the book i really wanted for them to be happy, for the male character to finally feel good and for...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Anastasia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Υπεροχο βιβλιο. Για αλλη μια φορα ο Nicholas Sparks απεδειξε ποσο ταλαντουχα μπορει να εξιστορησει την απολυτη αγαπη, αλλα και την τραγικη απωλεια αναμεσα σε δυο ανθρωπους. Καποιοι ισως να νιωσουν οτι στην αρχη ειναι λιγο βαρετο(εξαιτιας του προλογου που κανει μια αναφορα για ταξιδια των μηνυματων σε μπουκαλια γενικοτερα), αλλα δεν ειναι παρα μονο για λιγες σελιδες στην αρχη. Απο την αρχη μπορεις να καταλαβεις το μεγαλειο της αγαπης του Garet προς την, αγαπημενη του γυναικα, Katherine, οπως εκαν...more Υπεροχο βιβλιο. Για αλλη μια φορα ο Nicholas Sparks απεδειξε ποσο ταλαντουχα μπορει να εξιστορησει την απολυτη αγαπη, αλλα και την τραγικη απωλεια αναμεσα σε δυο ανθρωπους. Καποιοι ισως να νιωσουν οτι στην αρχη ειναι λιγο βαρετο(εξαιτιας του προλογου που κανει μια αναφορα για ταξιδια των μηνυματων σε μπουκαλια γενικοτερα), αλλα δεν ειναι παρα μονο για λιγες σελιδες στην αρχη. Απο την αρχη μπορεις να καταλαβεις το μεγαλειο της αγαπης του Garet προς την, αγαπημενη του γυναικα, Katherine, οπως εκανε και η Teressa μεσα απο ενα απλο, οπως νομιζε εκεινη, πεταμενο μπουκαλι στη παραλια με το γραμμα του Garet μεσα. Ενα γραμμα που θα μπορουσε να γραψει μονο καποιος που εχει αγαπησει και εχει δωθει αληθινα σε καποιον αλλο. Αυτο ακριβως ηταν και αυτο που εκανε την Teressa οχι απλα να συγκινηθει, αλλα και να κλαψει απο τα μαγικα λογια του Garet προς την αδικοχαμενη γυναικα του. Και αυτο ειναι που την ωθει να τον ψαξει. Να ψαξει εναν αθρωπο που δεν γνωριζει. Εναν ανθρωπο που δεν γνωρισε ποτε. Εναν ανθρωπο που βαθια μεσα της ομως ηξερε πως επρεπε να γνωρισει. Και γνωρισε. Και συνηδητοποιησε μετα απο πολλα χρονια στη ζωη της, πώς ειναι καποιος να αγαπαει αληθινα. Πως μετα απο τον απιστο αντρα της γνωριζει καποιον που μπορουσε να ειναι πιστος ακομα και μετα το θανατο της γυναικας του. Ξαφνικα βρεθηκαν δυο ανθρωποι οι οποιοι ειχαν σταματησει να ελπιζουν. Ειχαν κατα καποιο τροπο σταματησει να ζουν τη ζωη τους. Ο καθενας με τις δικες του πληγες. Και τωρα ολα αλλαξαν. Μπορουσε και εδειχνε ο ενας στον αλλο οτι υπηρχε και για εκεινους αγαπη. Την ειχε βρει ο ενας στα ματια του αλλου. Η Teressa που ειχε βαρεθει τους ματαιοδοξους και ρηχους ανδρες, και κυριως ο Garet που μετα το χαμο της Katherine δεν πιστευε οτι θα ξανα αγαπουσε αλλη γυναικα, πιστευε οτι εκεινη ηταν η μοναδικη, ωσπου ηρθε η Teressa και του εδειξε ποσο λαθος εκανε. Οπως λεει και ο συγγραφεας:“Someday you'll find someone special again. People who've been in love once usually do. It's in their nature.” Οσο επικα ομως κι αν ξεκινησε αυτη η ιστορια αγαπης, τοσο τραγικα θα τελειωσει. Οσο τραγικα ξεκινησε. Με καποιον να πεταει ενα μπουκαλι στη θαλασσα, ενα μπουκαλι που μεσα προστατευει καλα ενα γραμμα, ενα γραμμα που εχει ολα εκεινα τα συναισθηματα που εζησε και ενιωσε απο εναν ανθρωπο που δεν θα ξεχασει ποτε...

Το συστηνω ανεπιφυλακτα. Η μονη συμβουλη μου, οταν φτανεται στο τελος κατα προτιμηση να μην ειστε σε δημοσιο μερος, και πολλα χαρτομαντηλα.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Fasya Fauzani rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(1)
Theresa tercinta,
Bisakah kaumemaafkanku?

Di dunia yang jarang bisa kupahami ini, berembus angin takdir yang datang pada saat yang tak pernah kita duga. Kadang angin itu datang dengan kekuatan badai, dan kadang sekadar berupa elusan halus di pipi. Tapi angin itu tak bisa ktia hindari, sebab ia membawa masa depan yang tak mungkin diabaikan. Kau, kasihku, adalah angin yang datang tak terduga, yang berembus lebih kuat daripada yang kukira mungkin. Kau adalah takdirku.

Aku salah, salah besar, karen...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Iris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read the whole book review here: http://paperbookworm.blogspot.com/200...

I could say that this book took my heart away. This was one book you couldn't put down - unless you really have to go to the bathroom. But even though, I still took this book to the bathroom because the story is heartwarming that even if you think that it is likely to be predictable, you would still find yourself holding the book till the end, determined to finish it. The plot is greatly arranged and small details weren't l...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Nina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nicholas Sparks. Anybody who hasn't heard his name has been living under puddle of magma that eventually cooled into a metamorphic rock which then underwent a series of alternating phases of cooling and heating and became an igneous rock which then(!) proceeded to suffer through intense weathering and erosion forming tiny rock particles that eventually cemented into a small sedimentary rock. This process, of course, spans several hundred/thousand years. (Okay just reread that, makes no sense but...more Nicholas Sparks. Anybody who hasn't heard his name has been living under puddle of magma that eventually cooled into a metamorphic rock which then underwent a series of alternating phases of cooling and heating and became an igneous rock which then(!) proceeded to suffer through intense weathering and erosion forming tiny rock particles that eventually cemented into a small sedimentary rock. This process, of course, spans several hundred/thousand years. (Okay just reread that, makes no sense but my point is, I don't have a point.)

My Rating: 2 stars

Eh, it was all right. The prologue was written well. I was really excited to continue reading. Seriously, I wouldn't have minded if the whole book was just the prologue. I would've liked it better.

But seriously, no. This whole novel was no. Wayyy too contrived. Sparks could not for the life of his pet rock make me sympathize with the characters. I didn't like them. I didn't feel sorry for them. And I didn't root for them.

Clearly, every word was carefully chosen to get a certain reaction out of the reader, to build up the relationship between Theresa and Garrett. It was manipulation, and in a way, that's what writing is. But, the fact of the matter was that it was so clearly blatant. The ending. I was so frustrated. I didn't even care about the characters but, really? That was such an awful ending I wanted to throw my book. I didn't even feel an ounce of sadness. And that's saying something! I'm a crying machine, I empathize with everyone and their freaking grandma's dog!

But nope. Nothing. Just frustration that I read the whole book and (view spoiler) I felt cheated. Not that bad endings are bad, but I didn't even connect with these characters. So to see it end like that was like a disappointment, although I was relieved it was over.

A) Theresa? Her relationship with her kid was confusing. Although she said she cared about Garrett, I think Sparks falls short in showing that besides a few times. One second he's in the back of her mind, the next he's the reason she can't move in with Garrett? Too bad he's 12 and has plenty of time to adjust to new surroundings. Garrett had clearly taken a big step to discuss their relationship and she did not even try to compromise. She just refused! Way to give and take. Especially given his inner turmoil.

Which leads me to their relationship. Sex the second day they've met. For people who haven't been with anyone horizontally, that was a little unrealistic. If he had such a hard time getting over Catherine, how could he just accept someone so easily and intimately? And clearly they both thought sex was intimate. Their relationship just progressed too fast to be believable. And, OH MY SATAN. Their conversations? So. Boring. Do people really talk like that? They really only talked about themselves in the most mundane ways, clearly only to reveal insight to their past/ sometimes their feelings. Either way, it was so obviously only a way to get the plot moving and it felt forced. I don't know how they fell in love because their conversations were so awkward to read. They did not show their personalities. Both Theresa and Garrett were flat and dry. I don't know what they were like. Which is disappointing because Sparks had over 300 pages to show me.

But, to be fair, the premise was interesting. Nicholas knows how to write, and there is a reason he's so famous, but in short-- not my cup of tea. :)(less)

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Jun 15, 2012 Veronica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Theresa, la giornalista del Boston Times, mentre è in vacanza con due suoi amici trova sulla spiaggia una bottiglia. In un primo momento la sta per calpestare ma quando vede qualcosa all'interno di essa s'incuriosisce. Dentro la bottiglia c'è una lettera romantica e triste allo stesso momento, scritta da un uomo di nome Garrett. Lei si emoziona molto e, forzata dalla sua amica non ché direttrice, la pubblica nella sua rubrica del giornale. Fa subito scalpore, tutte le donne ritagliano la lettera...more Theresa, la giornalista del Boston Times, mentre è in vacanza con due suoi amici trova sulla spiaggia una bottiglia. In un primo momento la sta per calpestare ma quando vede qualcosa all'interno di essa s'incuriosisce. Dentro la bottiglia c'è una lettera romantica e triste allo stesso momento, scritta da un uomo di nome Garrett. Lei si emoziona molto e, forzata dalla sua amica non ché direttrice, la pubblica nella sua rubrica del giornale. Fa subito scalpore, tutte le donne ritagliano la lettera e la incollano al frigorifero con la speranza che il loro uomo scriva una cosa del genere per loro, in futuro.
Riceve una telefonata improvvisa di una donna che le dice di possedere una lettera molto simile e Theresa, ansiosa e curiosa, se la fa spedire.
Attesta che l'autore è lo stesso, così, spronata dalla stessa amica di prima, cerca il misterioso e romantico Garrett che ha invaso la sua mente e anche il suo cuore.
Una volta trovato l'affascinante uomo in una località di mare lontana da Boston e dopo aver passato delle ore con lui, scopre molte cose sul suo conto e si innamora perdutamente dell'uomo. Theresa, però, non gli rivela di aver trovato le sue lettere e di averlo cercato. Si finge una turista e fa accadere il loro primo incontro come se fosse casuale.

Vivono una storia d'amore intensa, piena di passione, ma che è incline a non durare molto. Theresa deve ritornare nella sua città, lontana da Garrett. Promettono di rivedersi una volta ogni tanto. L'amore tende a diventare più forte così come la voglia di stare assieme.
Si incontrano nella città di lui tutte le volte ma, la prima volta che Garrett va a Boston, succede qualcosa di inaspettato e non programmato: lui trova le lettere e, furioso, va via. Lasciando Theresa in lacrime.
Vi ho già rivelato troppo, quindi non vado oltre. Lascio a voi la scoperta del resto del libro e del finale.

Le parole che non ti ho detto narra non una ma bensì due storie d'amore. La prima è tra Garrett e la sua defunta moglie Catherine e la seconda è tra Garrett e Theresa.
Personalmente mi sono accanita alla prima di queste due. La più profonda e duratura. Che supera perfino la morte. L'amore che ognuno di noi cerca da sempre. I personaggi di questa storia mi hanno accompagnata di un'emozionante lettura, forse un pò scontata.

Sparks è un autore straordinario, riesce sempre a commuovermi e le sue storie mi rimangono nel cuore ma è anche un autore prevedibile.
Sparks tende a trattare sempre le stesse tematiche e tutti i suoi libri hanno delle caratteristiche comuni. Ad esempio le città: quasi sempre si narra una storia avvenuta del North Carolina, dove lo stesso Sparks è nato e cresciuto.
I protagonisti hanno delle caratteristiche comuni: per quanto riguarda gli uomini sono solitari e spesso hanno dei problemi con il loro padre. Per quanto riguarda le ragazze sono sempre curiose e di una bellezza che mozza il fiato.

Ma nonostante ciò io apprezzo molto Sparks. Arriva sempre al mio cuore e alla mia anima. Le sue storie mi entrano nel cuore, quasi tutte. I protagonisti fanno lo stesso. Ha uno stile molto scorrevole, tutti i suoi libri si leggono tutto d'un fiato e con un sorriso e/o le lacrime agli occhi. (less)

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Nov 07, 2011 Vanessa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Message in a Bottle" is about a woman named Theresa, who is about fourty years old and just got over a divorce. Theresa took a vacation on Cape Cod for about a week and one morning when she was jogging along the beach, Theresa found a message in a bottle. She opened the letter and it was a love letter to a woman named Catherine, signed by a man named Garrett. Once Theresa got back from her vacation, she told her friend at work about it and she thought that Theresa should publish it in the newsp...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Liezl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first watched the movie before reading this book. It didn't have the happy ending I was rooting for but it made me understand the other side of love.

This book didn't fail me, it made me cry an ocean of tears. I associated the story to my own love story. It happened during a year before my college graduation. I remember I even wrote about this on my journal. He didn't die but he went away for good and it took me so long to recover.I was left with "What ifs" and "If only's" but time heals everyt...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Haley Hambrick added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011q1

This book was about a woman named Theresa Osborne. Theresa is a divorced, single parent who is trying to live life to the fullest. As she was on vacation visiting one of her friends, she was taking her morning run along the beach and came upon a bottle with a letter inside. She took out the letter and noticed it was written for a woman named Catherine, from a man named Garrett. Theresa opens the letter, and as she's reading, she begins to cry. The love letter was so sweet and passionate that it...more

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About Nicholas Sparks

As a child, Nicholas Sparks lived in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at the age of eight. His father was a professor, his mother a homemaker, then optometrist's assistant. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

After breaking the N...more As a child, Nicholas Sparks lived in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at the age of eight. His father was a professor, his mother a homemaker, then optometrist's assistant. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

After breaking the Notre Dame school record as part of a relay team in 1985 as a freshman (a record which still stands), he was injured and spent the summer recovering. During that summer, he wrote his first novel, though it was never published. He majored in Business Finance and graduated with high honors in 1988.

He and his wife Catherine, who met on spring break in 1988, were married in July, 1989. While living in Sacramento, he wrote his second novel that same year, though again, it wasn't published. He worked a variety of jobs over the next three years, including real estate appraisal, waiting tables, selling dental products by phone, and started his own small manufacturing business which struggled from the beginning. In 1990, he collaborated on a book with Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist and it was published by Feather Publishing before later being picked up by Random House. (It was recently re-issued by Hay House Books.) Though it received scant publicity, sales topped 50,000 copies in the first year of release.

He began selling pharmaceuticals and moved from Sacramento, California to North Carolina in 1992. In 1994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months. In October, 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was published in October, 1996, and he followed that with Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), and Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with my Brother (2004), True Believer (2005) and At First Sight (2005) all with Warner Books. All were domestic and international best sellers and were translated into more than 35 languages. The movie version of Message in a Bottle was released in 1999, A Walk to Remember was released in 2002, and The Notebook was released in 2004. The average domestic box office gross per film was $56 million -- with another $100 million in DVD sales -- making the novels by Nicholas Sparks one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood.

The film rights to Nights in Rodanthe, True Believer and At First Sight have been sold, and Nicholas Sparks has written the screenplay for The Guardian, though he has not offered it for sale at this point.

He now has five children: Miles, Ryan, Landon, Lexie, and Savannah. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children.

His ancestry is German, Czech, English, and Irish, he's 5'10" and weighs 180 lbs. He is an avid athlete who runs daily, lifts weights regularly, and competes in Tae Kwon Do. He attends church regularly and reads approximately 125 books a year. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually.(less)

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Quotes from Message in a Bottle

“Nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy. Remember that.” — 5,518 people liked it

“If you like her, if she makes you happy, and if you feel like you know her---then don't let her go.” — 3,704 people liked it

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