The Best of Me

By: Nicholas Sparks

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In this number one New York Times best-selling 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, 25 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?

©2011 Nicholas Sparks (P)2011 Hachette

Couldn’t put it down.

Great story and performance. The characters are dynamic and Sparks keeps you enthralled as to what will happen next. I can’t wait for his next book!

This man is a genius

Like most Nicholas Sparks books as mentioned in my Notebook review, I do find I like the movies better. This also proves true with The Best of Me. Though a fantastic book, I enjoyed seeing the story more than I enjoyed hearing it. But once again, none it could have been possible without the mind of Nicholas Sparks. I look forward to see what amazing stories he will give us in the future!

LOVE!!

What can I say except Nicholas Sparks did it again. I just love to listen or read his books. They are easy to follow, characters are deep and you feel like you are part of the story. Another must read for Nicholas Sparks fans.

The Best of Me

Found the book intriguing. I could see myself as the leading lady and had to keep reading to see how I turned out. Towards the end I was becoming annoyed with how it was going, very disappointing. However the last chapter finally pulled it out from becoming a bad book to a book worth reading!!

The Best of Me

Very good book. Love Nicholas sparks and this one didn't disappoint. Didn't t expect the ending, but liked it nonetheless

Awesome!!

Absolutely loved this story....played it while traveling and found I was hanging on every word! Well worth it!!

Not like the movie!!!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book is very sad, so yes I cried.

Any additional comments?

This book is very sad. Everything about Dawson's life is sad. This book is so much better than the movie. This book is a great listen, and worth a credit, just get the tissues out!

Best of Me

Would you listen to The Best of Me again? Why?

Yes, loved the story

What did you like best about this story?

The Love story inside the tragedy

What does Sean Pratt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

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

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I could have, but I listened on 2 flights

Any additional comments?

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.

so typical, but so good

a quick easy read with some cool turns. carefully constructed characters with the obligatory Nicholas Sparks arguing couple.

AWESOME!!

There were tears, and more tears. This book was Awesome, As all of Nicholas Sparks
Novels are. It has been a week or so since I finished this book and I still get goosebumps
when I think about it. How many of us have wondered, what our lives would be like had
we chosen a different path. This book is great and everyone should read it.