The Best of Me

In this #1 New York Times bestselling novel of first love and second chances, former high school sweethearts confront the painful truths of their past to build a promising future--together.

"Everyone wanted to believe that endless love was possible. She'd believed in it once, too, back when she was eighteen."

In the spring of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in their small town in North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths.

Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back home for the funeral of Tuck Hostetler, the mentor who once gave shelter to their high school romance. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. As Amanda and Dawson carry out the instructions Tuck left behind for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew--about Tuck, about themselves, and about the dreams they held dear--was not as it seemed.

Forced to confront painful memories, the former lovers will discover undeniable truths about the choices they have made. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

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384 pages

Average rating: 7.91

81 RATINGS

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margardenlady

Dec 27, 2023

8/10 stars

Another audiobook for my many hours in the car. This story of love and loss and redemption was enjoyable to hear. I could empathize with the trials of the main characters. My take away is that we all find someone, like Tuck, to anchor us and for that I'm thankful.

monidipadutta51

Feb 20, 2023

6/10 stars

"The Best of Me" is a romantic novel by Nicholas Sparks that tells the story of high school sweethearts Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole, who are reunited twenty-five years after a tragic event tore them apart. The novel follows their emotional journey as they confront the past and grapple with the challenges of their present lives. The novel is typical of Nicholas Sparks' style, with a focus on romance, small-town life, and the power of love. The plot is well-paced, with a mix of present-day scenes and flashbacks that add depth and richness to the characters' histories. The characters themselves are well-developed and believable, with Amanda and Dawson's complicated relationship serving as the central focus of the story. As a long time reader of Sparks I found the plot predictable and the writing style overly sentimental. However, it should be noted that the novel also contains themes of loss and tragedy, which may be triggering for some readers.

Snickerzbaby

Dec 17, 2022

9/10 stars

High school sweethearts meet again after 20 years and realize that there's still something there! If you want a book that is hard to put down with several emotional twists, then make sure to read Amanda and Dawsons story!

Corarose15

Sep 30, 2022

10/10 stars

Nicholas Sparks always knows how to write a good book! Never let down.

ClaraT

Apr 24, 2022

8/10 stars

Good book. Cute love story.