Nights in Rodanthe

Rating:
Summary: An in-between read.
Review: This book was a bit Peyton Placeinish, but this type of literature historically reads well, so you can't blame Sparx for perpetuating his formulaic success. This book reads pretty well, but you would dump it if a better book came along.

Rating:
Summary: A Woman's Love Story
Review: Nights in Rodanthe is the love of a mother for her daughter who needs to know about her own special love affair that was short lived. It's a moving story that will remind readers of Bridges Over Madison County, but that's ok. It's a great love story that kept me reading to the end.

Rating:
Summary: well below his bar of excellence
Review: It is obtuse to belittle an author for writing in the same style and genre that has been so successful for them in the past. When you buy a Nicholas Sparks novel, this is the kind of literature you will read---it ain't Hemmingway. However, formulaic writing doesn't mean knocking off your own best efforts and that of other successful authors. This book could rightfully be called "NOTEBOOK IN A BOTTLE IS FOUND UNDER THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY." The one sin that installment writers must be chastised for is: Predictability. To Mr. Sparks then I must say, "Shame; shame," and "Tisk-tisk" for this novel.

Rating:
Summary: Too Predictable
Review: I was so excited to read a good love story, only to find I had to FORCE myself to finish this book. We never even get close to having feelings for these characters, I could have cared less about Adrienne, the first words she said to Paul used improper and unladylike language. Like she's not going to be alittle creeped out about staying in a B & B alone with some strange man she doesn't even know!!! How stupid! This was by far one of the sappiest, predictable books I've ever read! Sorry Nicholas, I won't read you again!

Rating:
Summary: Get out your hankies!
Review: NIGHTS IN RODANTHE by Nicholas Sparks

Another love story by the author of MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE and other tragedy-laden romances, NIGHTS IN RODANTHE recalls an older woman's memories of a love lost, but not forgotten.

Adrienne Willis is 60 years old and is trying to help her daughter Amanda deal with the recent death of her young husband. Amanda does not seem to be able to cope with the death, ignoring her young children's needs and falling apart before them all. Adrienne decides to tell Amanda the story of a man she loved many years ago, but due to circumstances that kept them apart, they did not have a "happily ever after". She hopes that this story will help Amanda with her own loss.

Fourteen years ago, three years after Adrienne's husband Jack had left her for another woman, Adrienne honors a request to help take care of a friend's Bed and Breakfast Inn while her friend goes away on vacation. Adrienne has yet to move on with her life since the divorce, and time spent at the Inn may be what Adrienne needs. There is only one guest that weekend, and it is Paul Flanner, a surgeon who is going through his own nightmare of a past, and happens to stay at the Inn while he conducts some business in town.

Adrienne and Paul connect and as they get to know each other, they fall in love. Paul, however, has already committed to spending time in South America and be with his son, who also happened to be a doctor. He tells Adrienne that as soon as his work is done there, he will come back for her and they would have plenty of time to be together.

Obviously, things did not work out for Adrienne and Paul, since Adrienne was sitting in her kitchen with her recently widowed daughter. What happens after that week in Rodanthe is Adrienne's story to her daughter, and what Amanda learns from her mother helps bring her back to the world of the living.

This was yet another heartbreaking story by Nicholas Sparks and I highly enjoyed it. I have read all of his books, and I still come back for more. What I find interesting is that people he knows inspire him to write most of his books, and this book was no exception. Inspired by his own courtship with his wife, Sparks yet again has written a winning book.

Rating:
Summary: Rodanthe is Bridges Revisited
Review: Nicholas Sparks has written a fine book containing all the necessary elements for success. Unfortunately, the embarrassingly blatant use of Bridges of Madison County reduce its effectiveness. Though no actual paragraphs have been duplicated, only the names and location seem to have been changed. This is sad to me because I, too, think Nicholas Sparks is a good and sensitive writer. Maybe he was under pressure to create on demand and took the easy way out. Yes, this is a good book, but James Waller deserves the credit.

Rating:
Summary: I Really Wanted To Like This Book
Review: I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this book, since I have loved his other books, The story between Adrienne and Paul to me there were not believable as a couple in love, it did not keep my interest. I even feel bad giving it two stars
Happy Reading Lisa : ) Smile

Rating:
Summary: Back to the drawing board for Sparks
Review: I bought this book the first week that it came out, and I was really disappointed. Like most people, I bought this book simply because it was written by Nicholas Sparks. His last couple of novels haven't been that great, although I still think he is a great writer, he could do better than this.

If you haven't read any Nicholas Sparks books, pass up on this one and pick up ANY of his other novels.

Rating:
Summary: Tear Jerker!!
Review: As always, Nicholas Sparks has written a good book!!

Rating:
Summary: same ole same ole
Review: I have read all of nicholas sparks books. After a BEND IN THE ROAD...i was feeling that they all seemed very similar. I felt that even more so after NIGHTS IN RODANTHE. It seemed a repeat , in many ways, of his other stories; some things so familiar......the growing romance while fixing dinners and eating together, lovemaking in storms, unexpected death of one of the romantic charachters. A WALK TO REMEMBER was the first Sparks book i read, and thought it was the most charming and inspirational story i have read in a long time. I had seen MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, but decided to pick up the book and read anyway, and couldnt put it down. But since THE RESCUE, it seems i am reading the same story over and over again. I want to love Nicholas Sparks, but the predictability is causing me to lose interest.

sheila shepard, richmond va.