The Best of Me in Baltimore County Public Library Summer Reading BCPL SRC

Dec 23, 2015 Devon rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio-books, adapted-into-movie-or-show, 2016

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Yet another really good Nicholas Sparks book. And yet another death. I have to admit, I would have never guessed at the start of this book that it would end with Dawson dying and giving his heart to Amanda's son...

While this book was really good, it was not one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books.

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Update June 2022: Movie Update

Apparently, I have been living under a rock because I did not realize that this was made into a movie until a week ago. It wasn't available w Yet another really good Nicholas Sparks book. And yet another death. I have to admit, I would have never guessed at the start of this book that it would end with Dawson dying and giving his heart to Amanda's son...

While this book was really good, it was not one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books.

_____________________________

Update June 2022: Movie Update

Apparently, I have been living under a rock because I did not realize that this was made into a movie until a week ago. It wasn't available with streaming so you can bet that the first thing I did when I found out was request the DVD from the library. The movie was already out when I read the book so I do not know why I did not know this was a movie.

I think I am glad I waited because WOW was that an emotional rollercoaster. I did not remember the plot so it was like watching/reading it for the first time. I think I cried through 90 percent of the movie. There was maybe a brief moment at the very beginning where I was dry-eyed but that didn't last long. I absolutely loved it. And I felt sure the world would agree with me but clearly, Vanity Fair does not... I'm going to copy what they had to say when they ranked it as the worst Nicholas Sparks movie in a 2015 article...

The latest cinematic offering culled from the Sparks oeuvre, this 2014 outing is rife with Mad Libs–styled Sparks elements that make it almost impossible to differentiate from any of his other films. Like a hideous Frankenstein’s monster of recycled plot points, The Best of Me has it all, from fated teenage sweethearts to disapproving parents, to kindly old people, to a merciless disease. There are car accidents and gardens and candlelit dinners. A dead child is a plot point. People are offered money to abandon their lovers. Someone drinks a lot and is a real jerk about it... Still, for all its kitchen-sink bits and pieces, the whole thing just doesn’t work.
- https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/...

WELLLLLL I do see their point about the combining of every bad thing that could possibly happen into a single movie... BUT I disagree- I think it totally works. I loved the actor/actress who played the younger version of the couple. The older version couple was not AS good but they were still great. And I loved Tuck. I had forgotten every single thing about the book so most of the plot was a complete surprise-- except for the heart bit which I spoiled for myself in my review from above, haha. Silly me for wanting to look back and see what I thought before watching the movie... I ruined that part for myself. ...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Ellon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I always find Sparks's books enjoyable. He has an ability to make the plot and characters so real (for the most part). I love/hate that not every love story has a happy ending. I don't want to spoil the ending but just one little piece of the epilogue in this book seemed really farfetched but at the same time I really liked it. I liked how the different families were integrated into the storyline. Can't wait to read more of Sparks's work! ...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Jamie rated it it was amazing

Loved this book although I wish it would have ended differently!

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Jan 09, 2012 Guin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved listening to this story!! I think Tuck is such a great character and so unexpected in many ways. His love affair with Clara was inspiring and heartfelt. While I eventually guessed the end of the story, there was one twist that I was not expecting and I loved it. I think this is a Sparks book that is right up there with The Notebook.

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Jun 09, 2011 Book Reader marked it as to-read

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