The story lured me in and kept me committed, but I found my head arguing with my heart about whether the story was laudable. The difficulty is that Sparks initially portrays it as a true story fictionalized (he both introduces and concludes the novel with author input). While I'm sure similar experiences play out these days, I've never fallen for someone in the space of a few hours or days, jumped into bed, and discovered a love so intense it can withstand years of separation.
When the main character contemplates marriage (to the man she had been with for six years, instead of the man she fell for in one day) the author writes, "She had no desire to smile through the faux romance of a fairy tale wedding. By then, after all, she understood the nature of romance, and knew it had little to do with trying to create a fantasy. Real romance was spontaneous, unpredictable, and could be as simple as listening to a man read a love letter found in a lonely mailbox on a stormy September afternoon." I don't buy it. Real love, for me anyway, is not spontaneous, unpredictable, and simple; it is, instead, covenant-oriented, stable, and often quite difficult to live out well. And then I think, "I'm over thinking this whole thing - the author simply meant it to be a stirring love story - why can't I enjoy going along for the ride?"
So, if you're up for an intense ride of passionate love at first sight, and you have no problem with knee-jerk sexuality, you might be swept away by this love story. Hope Anderson wonders whether her surgeon boyfriend of six years will ever be ready to commit, settle down, and provide her with much-longed-for children. Then, on a solitary stay at her parent's Sunset Beach cottage, she meets Tru Walls, a beautiful man from Zimbabwe and, in short order, falls in love. Their time together is intensely romantic (and the intimacy expressed in great detail). But at the end of the week, Hope attends her girlfriend's wedding, her boyfriend makes a surprise appearance, and Hope must decide whether she will follow duty or passion (perhaps that was where I bristled, too).
The book wasn't a clean read, and it didn't align with my personal values, but it was well-written. I still think of Nicholas Sparks as an outstanding storyteller and I wouldn't shy away from his future books because this one didn't gel for me. Certain elements were incredibly enticing - the idea of the letter repository at Kindred Spirits, contemplating the life of a safari guide, the desire for children overpowering the desire for romance, etc. I would love a girlfriend trek (since my husband is travel-averse) to visit and deposit a letter in this real-life mysterious mailbox on Bird Island or to cross oceans for a safari experience. I could even see someone making a movie from this novel. It would, no doubt, be a beautiful cinematic experience (especially given the idyllic locations on the coast of North Carolina and the bush regions of Africa). Although it is not a book I would read again, it seems to garner sufficient praise from other readers.
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