The narrator performed well...wasn't boring or monotone. But I'm sorry to say that this is my least favorite NS book of all time! I had a hard time staying interested in the story, and I didn't really connect much with the characters. But I stayed with it! It felt like a sob story from the beginning. I am so disappointed...I don't know if Mr.Sparks was going through a depression or grief stage when he wrote this, but it sure was rough. I listened to the whole thing (to get my credit's worth), and, despite the gray story, the ending did choke me up a little and brought some tears to my eyes. If there is one thing Mr.Sparks CAN ALWAYS DO, it's make me cry. Damn you, Nicholas Sparks! Unless you are a completist, spare yourself the time and the tears.

Yes, loved the story

The Love story inside the tragedy

I was not impressed with his voice, thought it could have been with a different voice someone with a little more emotion

I could have, but I listened on 2 flights

No I love Nicholas Sparks and his writing skills, just need to select the voices and the story tellers in the reading a little more carefully. The percentage of listeners are woman. So more emotion when reading would have been more dramatic when listening.

I thoroughly enjoyed this listen...Sweet reunion of two first loves.

Left a knot in my stomach...but sometimes life just happens that way.

Once again, Nicholas Sparks has come out with a good book. I was sad when it was done.

As I've found with N.Sparks books I can just escape listening to them. This one is very predictable but still a few little twists along the way. Nothing mind blowing.

I wasn't a fan of her southern accent. Being a Southerner, it was a bit off putting.

yes-the narrator really brings this book to life.

The meeting up of the characters 20 years later, and the true love they shared.

Releasing the ashes

Amanda-because of the difficult choices in life she made-similar to our own.

Would recommend for romantics out there.

Being a Nicholas Sparks fan, no, there's nothing I'd change about the plot and characters, etc.

I could identify with Amanda. Reading of her dilemma made me feel vindicated in my own life.

Considering he had to read out 6 or so character's voices, he did it as well as this could be done.

Yes, I could see it as a movie, a depressing one, but yes. Merryl Streep could play Amanda well.

I did not at all enjoy listening to a man's voice trying to imitate both male (old and young) voices as well as old and young female voices. It was ridiculous and detracted from my ability to form voices in my own mind. I thought books "on tape" were to be READ, not dramatized and acted out like cartoon voice overs. If this is just "the way it is", I mean, if that's the standard way audible books are created, I don't plan on ever ordering another audible book again in my lifetime. Absolutely ridiculous.

I loved this book. Found it a bit different than his others but I really enjoyed it. The same old same old, gets boring this one is really worth listening to!

The ending

Tuck, I LOVE older people and their stories!

This is my favorite N. Sparks so far!

The strong love connection that they carried over the years!

Love love love!

“The Best of Me” is the story of a first love of Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier, 2 high school sweethearts from different side sides of the track that were force to part and take different paths. Twenty years later they are reunited at the funeral of their mentor and friend, Tuck Hostetler. Together they must take care of Tuck’s estate and remains and forced to deal with the choices each have made and rediscover that sometimes first loves never die.

Sparks tells this story through various people point of view which allows you the reader to get intimate and close to the various characters in the book. I stopped reading Sparks because many of his books are depressing and make me sad – finding that characters is the book find happiness to only have it yank away from them. This is more of a 3 ½ star book mainly because I found the ending of this book very predictable and sad.

Sean Pratt narrated this book and in general I enjoyed his rendition.