I will fully admit that I don't read this author, I find his books a little too schmaltzy. The only reason I picked it up was I was looking for a book that took place in Delaware for a challenge, sadly the list that I used had it wrong, so I missed the challenge, but I ended up enjoying the book.

John was an interesting character. At the start I didn't really like him, he was so self involved and selfish, but then again most teens are. The one thing that I seemed to agree with him about was his relationship with his father. I was mad at the dad, couldn't understand why he couldn't talk to John. I actually thought that John did the right thing by joining the army.

Savannah is an interesting character for me. I think when they first met she was just what he needed. But overall I didn't like her, thought she was selfish and wanted everything on her terms. It seemed like if she didn't get them she threw a passive aggressive fit.

I was so angry with her actions when John was on leave and then for the final letter. She said that he understood his decision, but if she did she wouldn't have written that last letter. I also thought her actions at the end were reprehensible. It was like she wanted out of her current life when it got hard and since the old one was visible reached out to grab it. It was these actions that really made me hate her.

When all of this was going on I was impressed by the actions of the men as both were willing to pay the ultimate price, but only one could. That he did it without anyone knowing made me admire him.

For me the best aspect of this book was the relationship between John and his dad, once John understood things. It seemed to even the playing ground and allow each of them to really enjoy the others company. I loved that in the end John found out just how much his father loved him, the things that he left behind were so in character, yet showed how much he cared in his own way.

I plan on checking out the movie to see what the differences are between the book and movie.