Review: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

The Best of Me

Author: Anne Greenwood Brown 
Pages:292
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: October 11th 2011
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Library

THE BEST OF ME is the heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they've taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past.

My Take:

Ever wish you could have one more shot with the first person you fell in love with. For Dawson life was never really easy because of his last name and where he lived, everyone knew his kind would end up in prison. What changed for him was finding Amanda who he didn't see was also looking for him. Amanda was from a well known family and expected to be with someone her parents were proud of, but falling for Dawson Cole was the easiest thing  for Amanda. She knew he would always be their for her, and the thing was she didn't care what his last name was and what reputation it came with. But with great love comes a heart stopping breakup and for Dawson finding someone else was never in the cards, it would always be Ananda. With years passed and both of them grown up, things have changed but, one thing was constant over the years, that was staying in touch with Tuck Hostetler. Tuck was the one to let Dawson in when his own father didn't want to see his face. For Amanda, spending time with Tuck was something she looked forward to even after so many years went by. She told him all her secrets and he just listened which was something Amanda desperately needed.

But life goes on and getting one single phone call can change everything, for Dawson it was traveling back home, the one place he doesn't like going to. With the family hating him and of course his cousins hell bent on killing him going home should have been the last thing for him to do, but for Tuck he would venture into the one place he thought he would be. For Amanda finding out that the one man who gave you something without actually giving you anything wasn't really easy, she knew her mom would of course find out she was in town. But she had to pay her respects, what seemed like a one weekend getaway, turned out to be a trip to the past. Because when two people love each other like they did its hard not to look to past and hope for a better future. Emotions run high and sometimes the things in reality escape the mind for Amanda seeing Dawson again brought back all her feelings, getting to know someone who you knew all those years ago had never felt so easy. She trusted Dawson and repeatedly said she was married, but with lingering eyes and his soft touch its hard not to think about reality and to just live in the now.

This was a roller coaster for me because it touched my heart, I knew because it's a Nicholas Sparks book that I would get emotionally attached with both characters and hope for a brighter ending. While reading though I could guess the ending because of the fact that she was married, even though it broke my heart when they broke up the first time. The second time toke my heart and split it in two. Love was evident, with the way he spoke to her and was even evident when she spoke to him. Yes they were basically strangers but love never really leaves it just lingers until they can't feel it. These two had it all that time ago and for a brief moment they had it again in that weekend. What my favorite thing was that he really did give her his best of himself and she gave him the same. After reading though I needed a pick me up because when it comes to Sparks you need something just incase.

5/5 stars