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Dear John

by Nicholas Sparks (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 184,933 ratings · 8,036 reviews

When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets the girl of his dreams. Savannah Lynn Curtis is attending college in North Carolina, working for Habitat for Humanity, and totally unprepared for th...more

Hardcover, Large Print, 434 pages

Published October 30th 2006 by Warner Books

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Dec 08, 2009 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2009, romance, cover-pda-fave, adult

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks is one of those books I've developed a love/hate relationship with. I love, love, love the first part of the book, and I immediately fell for the main character, John Tyree. But when he gets his Dear John letter, it was all down hill from there, and I have to say I was left in angst. The ending is to some extent depressing, but I do have to give it to Sparks because he paints a realistic picture. However, someone needs to let the man know that he's writing fiction an...more

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May 02, 2010 Cara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, books-made-into-movies, male-protagonist, realistic-fiction, recommended-to-me

This book needs to have a different title like maybe The Rehash or The Tragic Tragedy . Seriously how many times do we have to hear about the same scenes?!?!

Ok so I didn't hate it, but really it was a bit of an overload. I had it coming though, I mean what did I expect by picking up a Nicholas Sparks novel? Sparks is a popular author for a reason. His writing draws you in but not forcefully. The words gently tug you along and before you know it you have to finish the book. I will give him p...more This book needs to have a different title like maybe The Rehash or The Tragic Tragedy . Seriously how many times do we have to hear about the same scenes?!?!

Ok so I didn't hate it, but really it was a bit of an overload. I had it coming though, I mean what did I expect by picking up a Nicholas Sparks novel? Sparks is a popular author for a reason. His writing draws you in but not forcefully. The words gently tug you along and before you know it you have to finish the book. I will give him props for that because I'm not one of those people who has to see a book to the end, if it's not holding my interest I chuck it.

After I finished reading I literally was exhausted. It's like Sparks was sitting at his computer and thought about all the ways to make it romantically tragic. I can just see him now, "Aha! That will definitely be a tear jerker, I'm a genuis!" Way overdone. I cannot say that enough. Don't get me wrong there a scenes where you are like that was good, but he tries to stick in too many. He is a master puppeteer when it comes to pulling your heart strings, basically merciless this guy.

The premise was interesting because I grew up as a military kid and I wanted see the perspective of a soldier without children. John is good in the beginning but then he changes pretty dramatically. In the first half of the book he keeps saying and my love grew stronger at least 4 or 5 times. Really John how much stronger can it get? There was this thing that really bothered me. He kept saying base but in the Army they call it a post, the Air Force calls military installations bases. The terms are of course are interchangeable and people use them both, but for the time John is in the Army he would have known that.

I would have rather read a story focused on John's relationship with his father and have Savannah as a side note. That would have been better. Kind of let down and don't even feel like watching the movie anymore. Basically I'm saying to pick up something else if you are not into sappy, sad, melodramatic stories.(less)

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Mar 28, 2011 TheBookVixen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, re-read, own, c-b

Let me start off by saying that I am not a re-reader. My philosophy is why re-read when you can read something new, right? But when I saw the re-release of Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (with Channing Tatum on the cover!!) and the fact that a movie was made based on the novel, I wanted to revisit John and Savannah.

I think it goes without saying that Nicholas Sparks is one of my favorite authors. If Sparks writes it, I will read it. His books are on my auto-buy list. It all started with the movie...more Let me start off by saying that I am not a re-reader. My philosophy is why re-read when you can read something new, right? But when I saw the re-release of Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (with Channing Tatum on the cover!!) and the fact that a movie was made based on the novel, I wanted to revisit John and Savannah.

I think it goes without saying that Nicholas Sparks is one of my favorite authors. If Sparks writes it, I will read it. His books are on my auto-buy list. It all started with the movie The Notebook. I was completely and utterly captivated with Noah and Allie's story. I wanted more. When I found out the movie was based on a novel, I went to the bookstore and picked it up and read my very first Nicholas Sparks novel. Then I read At First Sight, True Believer, Message in a Bottle....the list goes on and on. I fell in love with his writing style, the characters and with North Carolina (the state itself is a character in its own right in each of his novels). Sparks has a way of getting the reader immersed in his story, longing for more. He has a knack for pulling the reader right into the story.

Dear John is story of love, loss and emotion. It is a story that begs the question 'what if...?'. What if you took a different path in life? Would you still end up at the same destination? What if you made the wrong choice? Would you live to regret it? And what about the tougher questions, like how long would you wait for the one you love? Can love survive the distance?

John is a bit of a rebel but never fell too far off the right path. He was raised by his father, though the two weren't all that close. John had a hard time relating to his father. His father's coin collecting hobby kept them close for a short while. Over time, the two grew further apart. After high school, John realized he wasn't going anywhere in life so he enlisted with the Army for a 4-year tour.

Savannah is a girl who is pure and full of naïve innocence. She's an all-around good girl; you could even call her a goody two-shoes. She lives in a small town and is very close to her parents. She dreams of opening up a horse ranch for autistic kids. It is on a break from school, when she's volunteering for Habit for Humanity, that she meets John and the two fall quickly in love.

Neither John or Savannah were expecting to fall in love but their attraction was inevitable. His two-week furlough is up and he has to return to Germany. Savannah promises to wait for John to finish out his tour. The two continue their relationship through handwritten letters. Savannah writes first.

Dear John,

There's so much I want to say to you, but I'm not sure where I should begin. Should I start by telling you that I love you? Or that the days I've spent with you have been the happiest in my life? Or that in the short time I've known you, I've come to believe that we were meant to be together? I could say all those things and all would be true, but as I reread them, all I can think is that I wish I were with you now, holding your hand and watching your elusive smile.

The two continue their relationship through romantic letters, then the events of 9/11 happen and John re-enlists. The distance and time apart put a toll on their relationship. And the questions of "what if...?" begin.

Dear John is one of my favorite reads by Nicholas Sparks. It is a story you will not soon forget. You will cry. Your heart will ache. You will find yourself asking "what if...?". Dear John is about a love lost but not forgotten. I don't agree with some of the choices made by either John or Savannah but John's selfless act at the end of the story made me proud. Have the tissues ready! If you love a good, seamless love story that pulls on your heart strings, then you need to read Dear John. In fact, you need to read everything by Nicholas Sparks. His stories of timeless, endless love will captivate your heart and stay with you.

A movie has been made based on this novel. To date, there have been 6 book-to-movie adaptions for Sparks' works. I have yet to see Dear John but I will definitely be getting the DVD once it gets released for my collection.

You can find this review, and many more, on my blog The Book Vixen.(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Buggy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: shelf-09, contemp-rom, lit-boyfriend, men-in-uniform-af-spc-op, not-so-hea

Opening Line: "My name is John Tyree. I was born in 1977, and I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina..."

You can always tell you're reading a great book when you find yourself skipping ahead into the final chapters to see how things will be resolved, even though you've vowed you wouldn't. Love doesn't always have a happy ending (especially when it comes to a Nicholas Sparks novel) and this is a wonderful, albeit quick tear-jerking romance.

Our hero John grew up with a silent, meticulously organi...more Opening Line: "My name is John Tyree. I was born in 1977, and I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina..."

You can always tell you're reading a great book when you find yourself skipping ahead into the final chapters to see how things will be resolved, even though you've vowed you wouldn't. Love doesn't always have a happy ending (especially when it comes to a Nicholas Sparks novel) and this is a wonderful, albeit quick tear-jerking romance.

Our hero John grew up with a silent, meticulously organized father that he didn't understand. In his teens he began to rebel, hanging out, playing pool and drinking. This continues for a number of years with John working menial jobs, getting several tattoos and going nowhere fast. Eventually John decides its time to grow up and he joins the army. In fact it's during 2 weeks leave that he first meets Savannah, diving into the ocean to rescue her sinking purse. Savannah is your stereotypical good-girl; raised in a stable family she's kind, pretty and hopes to save the world. It's also love at first sight for our couple despite the warnings from her tattoo phobic college friends. Together the pair plans a future together, counting down the days until John's discharge as Savannah helps him understand his father and he in turn feels contentment for the first time in his life.

On Sept 11 everything changes as John in a moment of patriotic loyalty chooses to re-up in the army, putting a hold on their marriage plans while he enters the war in Iraq. The two try to maintain a long distance relationship but the war changes John and the years apart put a strain on their deep love. When John's father grows ill he returns home but will he be too late to save both his relationship with his father and the love of his life?

I fell in love with John's character and surprisingly his father too. Each is well written and they felt like real people. I also enjoyed reading about John's military career and the reasons that take men into a war. Savannah as the heroine was a little too perfect for me but their heartbreaking love story and the regret that they both share will keep you up into the wee hours, and leave you wondering about John long after you've finished reading its bittersweet ending.

Another great read from Nicholas Sparks that I would definitely recommend. Oh, and John if you're out there, I'm single... (less)

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Aug 01, 2007 Melanie Chapin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone

This was a great book! I'm a huge Nicolas Sparks fan & have read all of his books now:) This is one of my favorites! Great story, easy to read, & it really sucks you in!
Ok, I loved it!!! When is Nicolas coming out with a new book!?!?!?

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Apr 26, 2013 Katsumi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: asperger-autism, romance-erotic-affairs, never-again

I would recommend this read to anyone who wanted something easy to read that would NOT make you think.

Dear John,
Next time fate smiles on you: Finish your time in the Army, let fate take its course with the husband of the woman you love, Marry your soul mate, raise the autistic child of the fore mentioned and now deceased husband of the woman you love, keep your father's coin collection to honor his memory, have two children with your soul mate, and... OK finally sell the coins to pay for your c...more

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Jan 27, 2010 Katia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, best-sellers, chick-lit, romance

OK, so...I finally finished. Like a lot of other people, I read this simply because I saw the preview for the movie and I HAVE to read a book before I see the film adaptation. In this case, I really wish I wasn't so anal retentive.

Anyhoo, the book. Typical Sparks fare - star-crossed lovers, torn apart by fate, life, what have you. I really enjoyed the interaction between John and his father a lot more than I did his relationship with Savannah, maybe because it seemed far more real. I never warme...more

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May 13, 2011 Ummu Auni rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, borrowed, inspirational

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As much as this book affected me in some ways, I couldn't give this book a higher rating due to:

1. The relationship between John & Savannah - too fast paced, with small rift can cause tonnes of issues that escalated more than intended. Letters to John were simplistic enough, and it wasn't the core of the story. I would prefer more letters written, exchanging the love between the lovers.

2. John's time in army was painted too simple, there's nothing than can make me associate how army actually...more As much as this book affected me in some ways, I couldn't give this book a higher rating due to:

1. The relationship between John & Savannah - too fast paced, with small rift can cause tonnes of issues that escalated more than intended. Letters to John were simplistic enough, and it wasn't the core of the story. I would prefer more letters written, exchanging the love between the lovers.

2. John's time in army was painted too simple, there's nothing than can make me associate how army actually is. The author should have done more research.

3. Savannah - how can she simply let John go even though she loves him?

But, there are plus points in the novel, what I love most is the fact where the story started off with John describing his childhood memories, but the one thing that struck me most is the relationship between him & his father. I actually pitied John's father from the start, when John rebelled against him but he kept his silent, when he was trying to fit in, but then when John started started to scold him for his father's obsession on coins, his father tried his best to make John happy by putting away their only picture together (John grinning from ear to ear holding minted coins), or the fact his father raised John single handedly.

When Savannah told the possibility of John's father suffering Asperger's Syndrome, it made him angry, but then John mended his relationship with his father. Then, he understood why his father keeps silent, and conversation would be one sided or the obsession with coins, or the fact that his father follows certain protocol without fail. That part teared me up. I imagined how hard it must be for his father to raise him up as a single father, and then trying his best to fit in and cope with John's demands. The final years of his father was pro-founding & had me crying. It was wonderfully written on how John trying to mend his relationship with father, or the fact how he had taken his father for granted all these while.

The book could have a happier ending, I mean that's what fictions are right? But then, maybe Sparks try his best to put a more realistic approach, that the lover won;t be united in the end.

If you want a tear jerker, this is it. I stayed up late trying to finish this book, and that ends me giving a 3.5 to this book (less)

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Aug 29, 2007 Kristy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mom recommended this one- I hate Nick Sparks' writing. It's too simplistic and yet too formal. In my opinion, no one in this day and age is allowed to use "for" when they mean "because." Too plot driven and he spells everything out. I might have loved this in 7th grade...

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Feb 10, 2013 Nazia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, most-favourite-of-em-all, books-wch-made-me-cry, so-glad-i-read-this, sexy-male-characters

I can read this book a million times and i am sure that i'll cry each time. Why does love has to be so difficult,why does Nicholas Sparks always has to make me cry? Why does he has to write such books which are so amazing and wonderful and frustratingly good?.I mean this is so unfair,everytime i pick Nicholas spark's book I know at the end I am gonna cry and amazingly I am gonna love the book immensely.I cried a little reading The Notebook and A walk to remember which were good but Dear John is...more I can read this book a million times and i am sure that i'll cry each time. Why does love has to be so difficult,why does Nicholas Sparks always has to make me cry? Why does he has to write such books which are so amazing and wonderful and frustratingly good?.I mean this is so unfair,everytime i pick Nicholas spark's book I know at the end I am gonna cry and amazingly I am gonna love the book immensely.I cried a little reading The Notebook and A walk to remember which were good but Dear John is just awesome so hope everyone would understand how much I have cried reading it. I really don't have any idea how am i suppose to write a review on a book like this,I don't think i am smart with words,I dunno how I am gonna write all the emotions I have felt while reading it.When I completed this book I felt as if my heart has broken into a million pieces for John. I have loved the character of John sooooooo much. I know to get someone like John you really have to be god's favourite.
The book started with angry rebel John getting tired of his life and joining army,I must say his character was really strong and intense,incomprehensible in the beginning but lovable. He meets a girl named Savannah during his holidays and falls in love with her right away. Savannah changes John's life in the ways one can change a human. But unfortunately John has to leave at the end of his break, their keep correspondence through letters and phone calls but Savannah grows tired of waiting for him and falls in love with someone else,but John loves Savannah from the depth of his soul,he loved her to the limit where a human can love another human. I hate Savannah for being so vain and forgetting him,how could she have forgotten all those days,i seriously can't understand.
The end part was the most difficult for me to read when John visits Savannah after she is married. With each line i felt like crying,by the end i was frustrated and angry at Nicholas Sparks, why did he had to end the book by breaking John's heart.This book is so unfair but then I guess love was never fair to anyone. This book shows the actual meaning of love. This book would be hated by people who think falling in love is being together all the time,going on dates,spending rest of the life happily ever after,even I thought the same before reading this book but I was utterly and shamelessly wrong. Love is not about being together physically,its being together in each other's heart and memories.Love is'nt only about spending rest of the life together it's about spending your life for the person you love,sacrificing everything you have for that one person even if you don't get to be with that person.Love is not only about being in one's heart,it's about being in one's soul,in one's memories like John and Savannah did.That is what Dear John has taught me.This book is a fresh change for me. I just love this book immensely and irrevocably. I am gonna treasure the memory of John in my heart for as long as I shall live.
(less)

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Sep 25, 2007 Erin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Spoiler Alert - Though it started out really well, I hated the ending! In typical Sparks fashion, your not left with a happy ending. Though I have been a fan of his (The Notebook is one of my favorites), I am growing weary of these endings. I just don't like to invest my time and the roller coaster of emotions he sends you through only to be left unsatisfied. (If you've seen the movie Cold Mountain, you may get what I mean. I felt the same way at the end of it, "Hello...I spent 3 hours watching...more

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Jan 17, 2008 Caroline rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was looking for a book to read for the El trip home but didn't have time to really search. This was in the discard section of the library and I grabbed it thinking that it couldn't be that bad. After all, the Notebook was a good guilty pleasure. Could not have been more wrong. Ugh. I wanted to tear my eyes out and stomp on them after reading this. I felt dirty and compromised as if I had too much to drink one night and woke up next to a naked Mike Huckabee. This book was beyond preachy and con...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

This was my first Nicholas Sparks novel and given what I expected, I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't blown away by it, either. The characters weren't complex and the plot was predictable. However, I appreciated that Sparks didn't dish up your standard, run-of-the-mill love story. It was a growing up story more than anything else; we went on a journey, following main character and narrator, John Tyree, as he learned, among other things, how to love, how to forgive, and how to accept the people...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The novel Dear John by Nicholas Sparks is the second novel that I have read by him and I was most defiantly not disappointed. Never wanting to set my book down flipping through pages and pages. Sparks illustrates the tale of two people falling in love, but one leaves the other for another.

Sparks introduces the main characters John and Savannah. John is returning home to his father for just two weeks from fighting in the war. Floating on his board in the water, gazing at the sun John notices a...more The novel Dear John by Nicholas Sparks is the second novel that I have read by him and I was most defiantly not disappointed. Never wanting to set my book down flipping through pages and pages. Sparks illustrates the tale of two people falling in love, but one leaves the other for another.

Sparks introduces the main characters John and Savannah. John is returning home to his father for just two weeks from fighting in the war. Floating on his board in the water, gazing at the sun John notices a beautiful brunette girl on the pier. While watching her from the water, she jumps up to sit on the ledge but accidentally knocks over her bag letting in plunge into the water. John quickly swims over to retrieve it and returns it back to her.

This spark leads to many days and nights spent together. On John’s last day, Savannah and him confess their love for each other. They both promise to write back and forth to each other. Savannah also promises that she will wait for him to return back home. Months and months pass by and John comes back home. He is only staying in town for a few days. They spend countless amount of hours together and then as soon as you know it John has to leave for two years. Savannah promises to stay together forever no matter how far apart they are. While away at war John receives another letter from Savannah. She writes that she can’t go on everyday without him and needs to move on and says her final goodbyes. John is heart broken. A few months later John gets another letter, this time its about his dad, he is very sick and is in the hospital, John flies home to take care of his father. While in town John finds out Savannah in married to Tim. Later on John’s dad passes away and Tim, Savannah’s husband, is diagnosed with cancer. John decides to sell his fathers valuable coin collection to help pay for Tim’s medical needs. 

John is all alone now, his father is gone and Savannah has moved on. Even though Savannah shot a bullet through his heart, John is still there for her and will always love her. The theme of the novel is loving someone so much that you can let them go. I recommend this to all readers and look forward to read another one of Nicholas Sparks novels.
(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Пүрэвбазар rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all i have to mention this is the first maybe the last novel which i read from endless number of romances of Sparks. It's more than a romance!

I don't usually surf in the romance section in the bookstore. One day i accidently saw Dear John on the shelf of deserted counter. There were many novels of him including "The Notebook", "A walk to remember", "Message in a bottle" so on..

After reading the question on back of the book i bought it without hesitation. The question was : ".. can they...more First of all i have to mention this is the first maybe the last novel which i read from endless number of romances of Sparks. It's more than a romance!

I don't usually surf in the romance section in the bookstore. One day i accidently saw Dear John on the shelf of deserted counter. There were many novels of him including "The Notebook", "A walk to remember", "Message in a bottle" so on..

After reading the question on back of the book i bought it without hesitation. The question was : ".. can they survive the distance?"

This is life story of John Tyree, american special forces soldier and his distance relationship. John was a trouble maker in his youth. After dropped out from his high school John enlisted into army. He had problems with his attitude. In the army John has been changed.

He's a tall, calm, well-built average soldier who has no friends apart from army. He lives on side of the beach with his dad. His dad has some serious mental disorders. One time on the leave John met Savannah.

Two weeks. That's all it took to fall in love with her. After two weeks Savannah had to leave to the college. They made a promise that they will write to each other.

They kept a promise till 9/11. The day shook the world John decided to enlist back to serve his country some more years. Unfortunately Savannah couldn't bear the time&distance again. She fell in love with someone another. Fate brought them together but distance kept them apart.

In the end they couldn't survive the distance. Novel ended up John seeing Savannah from a distance. However the movie ends by their meeting after a long time. I am not sure which one to prefer. But i strongly believe what's meant to be always finds its way.

Sometimes i want John's life. No friends, special duty for his country, a beach house, surfing on the sea all day. So much lonely but real.

This novel made me realize about distance relationships as well was military duty seriously.

I'm going to take motherland's call of duty very soon. To serve my country and be a better person, be a real man. (less)

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Aug 26, 2010 KM rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: girly-wonderfulness, little-brown, big-girl-adult-books

This is, by far, one of the best books I've ever read. :: WARNING - This book doesn't have an "emotionally satisfying ending." :: But that's what makes it so good. I couldn't figure out what was going to happen, and I was enthralled until the very last page.

I fell in love with the character of John and found myself wanting to slap Savannah. Any book that can raise that kind of emotion is worth reading. The first person narrative from John's POV gives an insight into his personality and how his e...more

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Jan 14, 2010 Monica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

john is a young man confused about his life so he joins the army. his dad is a quiet routine guy and he doesn't know his mom. he has leave in the army and is surfing one day and this young girls purse got knocked into the water. he grabs it for her and when he gave it back he looked at her and he felt as if hes known her forever. Savannah is the girls name. Savannah and John spend two weeks together and fall in love.John goes back after his leave is up and him and Savannah try to write each othe...more

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Jan 14, 2009 Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

John Tyree is a soldier first, and then a man. So he thinks, until he meets Savannah Lynn Curtis. While on leave he falls desperately in love with Savannah, the proverbial girls of his dreams. Savannah is sweet, intelligent, and giving. But it doesn't take long before Johns military career and own personal struggles interfere with the promises made to his new found love.

I think it goes without saying that Nicholas Sparks is a master storyteller, and there is a reason he is so successful. This st...more

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Nov 09, 2009 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

***Spoilers***
I really loved this book but the ending just killed me, I hated the ending. After everything John goes through he doesn't get to be with the person he loves. Of course in the beginning of the book it states that they don't end up together but I still had hope and I thought they weren't gonna end up together for different reasons, but Savannah leaves John! She doesn't wait for him! She said she truly loved him and then she falls in love him someone else while John is away, which is...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Jessylyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here's the last sentences from the epilogue that really made a deep tug at my heartstrings.

"She pauses then and crosses her arms, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one has followed her. Finally, she seems to relax. And then I feel as if I'm witnessing a miracle, as ever so slowly she raises her face toward the moon. I watch her drink in the sight, sensing the flood of memories she's unleashed and wanting nothing more than to let her know I'm here. But instead I stay where I am and stare...more

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Jul 24, 2008 Amy (amyb2332) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, romance, 2008-audiobooks

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

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Feb 01, 2010 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book! Which I was not expecting. It got to me, but I loved it. I just felt like I had to find out why (loved the way Sparks started it). Took a turn or two I was not expecting and it showed a few relationships I was not expecting, which I loved too. Not just a love story but about a man truly finding himself.

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Apr 08, 2013 Bailey Kapitzke rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this touching tale. Nicholas Sparks, once again, does an exquisite job describing the lives of two young lovers who are consistently kept apart. Savannah and John do everything to make life bearable, but they soon realize that good things come to an end too. Or do they? I recommend this novel to young women who are looking for a romantic story, because it demonstrates the ultimate vision of true love.

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Mar 23, 2010 Samir is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: english-1, ssr

this book is about how john was a good student at school but one day when he found out his dad doesn't care about his grades all his dad cares about is coins so then john's grades dropped and he dropped out of school to find a job because they were poor.one day john thought about joining the marines because he didn't find a job.the character that changed a lot was john because before he went to the marines he smoked and drank but after he came back for a visit he was done with all of that

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Jan 06, 2009 Katie Hutchison Irion rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What can I say, I had NOTHING to read. I am not the biggest fan of Nicholas Sparks and this made me even less of one. Don't waste your time unless you are up for a sad book with poor writing.

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Jun 12, 2012 Sarah Bowyer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you like any of Nicholas Sparks books you will like this one as well. He is brillant writer.

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Mar 19, 2009 Shirelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Another one of my favorites of his.

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Mar 24, 2009 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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May 14, 2010 Sylvia added it · review of another edition

When i first began to read Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks, i had a typical idea of what the book might be like. A love story, just like all: boy loves girl- girl loves boy, something happens, someone dies, the end. I never thought that it would amount to such a intriguing book, not only discussing a love story but tying in other things, such as autism, and fate as well.
As a romance novelist, it is cliche to say that Nicholas Sparks is an emotional writer--one who writes with compassion and sinc...more When i first began to read Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks, i had a typical idea of what the book might be like. A love story, just like all: boy loves girl- girl loves boy, something happens, someone dies, the end. I never thought that it would amount to such a intriguing book, not only discussing a love story but tying in other things, such as autism, and fate as well.
As a romance novelist, it is cliche to say that Nicholas Sparks is an emotional writer--one who writes with compassion and sincerity. With The Notebook being one of my favorite movies, i began to read and think of this book with anticipation that it would either a) make me cry, just as The Notebook did, or b) make be believe that the characters were, to me, were relate-able. I surprised myself, though, that when i began to read, i saw this book in a sardonic and cynical manner. Until, i began to fall head over heels for that the two main characters, John Tyree and Savannah Lynn Curtis.
The plot of this book is based around a girl, and boy she did not expect to fall in love with. John begins the book, and continues in his perspective, with a bitter monotonous, typically army-guy outlook on everything. He returns to Wilmington one summer for two weeks on leave from the army and his station in Germany. He states on page 28, "i thought about paying a visit to Leroy's, but figured that nothing or no one had changed except for me." In this section, he makes a reference to the person he was before. John was considered a hothead, a high school graduate with no college degree, who joined the army. In the beginning of the book, he describes what the army life was like, and what type of people join the army. This is why when he begins to fall for Savannah the summer he meets her, he astonishes himself. In his old life, he used to hold in his anger, and Savannah teaches him to convey it in a better way. Only once, on the beach, does he have an episode of anger, when Savannah requests that his monotonous father may not just be antisocial, but a victim of Aspbergers.
"I pounded down the steps, hit the sand and headed for the house...i looked angry." he says. In the middle of the book, another factor is worked into it. Tim, who is a long time friend of Savannah's and an all around good-guy, has a younger brother, Alan, who is affected by autism. I like that this book does not only focus on the thought of love, but also on other aspects of life.
In conclusion, i believe that love is something a person looks foward to. This book includes wonderful details of what true love is like, and how love can hurt you more than anything. All in all, this book made me question not only what truth and happiness lies in love, but the philosphy of it;s creation behind it.(less)

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Apr 05, 2010 Suhang1 added it · review of another edition

Even the bittersweet love story between John and savannah is very touched me, the change John shows during the book is really impressed me. At the beginning of the book, he was a typical teenage boy, who would cause trouble in school, make wrong decisions, and hand out with wrong friends. when he dropped out of high school, he would like to go to the bar every single night. Finally when John realizes that he doesn't want to be doing this his whole life, he enlist in the army. The boot camp and...more

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Savannah didn't deserve Tim or John (Spoilers)	13	63	10 hours, 42 min ago
Did anyone else think that the ending was kind of sad?	189	621	10 hours, 45 min ago
What's your favorite Nicholas Sparks female character ?	22	51	May 15, 2013 08:02pm
the perfect man	4	16	Apr 25, 2013 12:10pm
Bookworm Bitches : February 2010: Dear John	5	98	Mar 21, 2013 08:28am
2013 Nicholas Spa...: * Discussion - Dear John	8	19	Mar 16, 2013 08:00pm

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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 Dear John

“I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.” — 10,718 people liked it

“When you're struggling with something, look at all the people around you and realize that every single person you see is struggling with something, and to them, it's just as hard as what you're going through.” — 5,696 people liked it

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Dear John

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