This book was plain terrible. Nicholas Sparks' writing seems very amateur and there was nothing that made me want to keep on reading. This book was filled with cliches and forced moments to make it even more sickening and syrupy. I think I quit reading after 75 pages because Sparks, in my mind, did not create very likable characters. I did not care what would happen to Noah and Allie. The movie, however, is decent, but probably because I didn't have to sit through Sparks' mediocre writing. I think his target market of lonely housewives will soak it up, though. The only tissue I needed for this was the crying I did for wasting my time and money.