Dear John

By: Nicholas Sparks

Narrated by: Holter Graham

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life - until he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart.

But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read, and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love - and face the hardest decision of his life.

©2006 Nicholas Sparks. All Rights Reserved (P)2006 Hachette Audio. All Rights Reserved

Critic Reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Romance, 2007

"[Dear John] brims with longing." (Publishers Weekly)
"Sparks, a perennially popular novelist whose name is synonymous with romance and bittersweet endings and whose work translates so readily to movies, lives up to his reputation with his latest novel, a tribute to courageous and self-sacrificing soldiers." (Booklist)

As always my favorite

I love Nicholas Sparks and he didn't let me down! Great book for us romance people. Ending wasn't what I expected but still loved the way it ended. Can't wait for his next!

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Dear John

The listen was wonderful, I listened to it while crossing the country, and it tugged at my heartstrings and the ending just made my heart melt. I would definately recommend this.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Thankfully not a typical love story

In the beginning of the story, I thought it was too detailed and the dialogue a little bland. At one point Savannah says "Duh!" which isn't really a good fit for the linguistics of the late 90's. I held on though, and was rewarded in the end. The detail from earlier helped create the emotional climax near the end...and the characters had grown and blossomed into extraordinarily complex people. I found myself surprised at several twists in the road, both by the way the story was unfolding and the depth of emotion I felt for the characters. The reader did a good job with voices too. I would definitely recommend it as a sweet emotional journey that isn't too typical of love stories.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Have the kleenex ready

I enjoyed the book, but I had to get the kleenex out several times.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

book vs movie

My second Sparks and a different type of review. I saw the movie adaptation to this book circa 2011 and enjoyed it, even watched it twice. I told myself to remember the title of the movie and the author so I could watch it again sometime or maybe get the book. Of course, after a couple of months I forgot both. But the story stuck with me and from time to time I'd look for it thinking who wrote books set mostly in the Carolina's? I checked Pat Conroy and others but wasn't familiar enough with Sparks to make the connection until recently.

The book stayed fairly close to the movie, often you read the book then see the movie and are disappointed as the movie typically doesn't develop the characters as well. In this one, soldier is home in Wilmington, NC on leave and meets gal on the beach one day and it's love at first sight. But he's stationed in Germany then 9/11 happens and life gets in the way. It's a good story, a typical Sparks from what I can tell looking at his body of work.

If anything I liked the ending in the movie better than the book. Maybe I'd better go watch it again!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Yes...I've seen the movie....and Yes....

the book was better than the movie....and Yes....they both made me cry....BUT probably not for the reason you might be thinking.

John's father is autistic and such a sweet soul in his gentle way. At the end of John's first leave....when he has just left Savannah after saying a heartbreaking goodbye...John is sitting in the kitchen with his dad and his so very sad and hurting and his dad comes over and does something that I have done so many times in my life when my children have been hurting...His dad put a gentle hand on his back and just stood there saying nothing but feeling everything....just wanting to take all the pain away thru his touch.....to save his child from such heartbreak. I cried and cried and cried.......such a beautiful and tender moment. Nicholas Sparks can write something so simple and make it touch you in a HUGE way.

This was a good book......and it does pull at the ole heartstrings a few times and causes you to reflect on your own life and the times when you were dealing with a broken heart and loving someone you can't have. Listening to this book was great for the narrator did a fabulous job of making the characters all come to life with their own personalities and voices.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Best book I have ever read

It's beautiful told, you really get into the character because of the emotions and not-emotions in the voice. It's emotional but at points not like you here him choke or something.
Hope you will enjoy it, and have some tissues next to you while reading!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Lovely

Lovely. A heart warming, heart wrenching listen.

Better than the movie. Some cheese, but every love story has to have a little of it I suppose.

It's refreshing to pretend for a while that love can be so innocent and free of worldly taints.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great Audio

I loved this book and the narrator was great. I enjoyed on my commute home everyday.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

EXCELLENT!!!!

I couldn't turn it off. This book was amazing. I loved the story and can't wait to see the movie!!!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful