Book Review: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

I was recently given the opportunity by Harper Collins to preview and read bestselling author Nicholas Sparks's new novel, The Last Song.

If the title sounds familiar, that's because you probably heard
that Sparks wrote a screenplay BEFORE turning it into a novel, after Miley Cyrus said she wanted him to pen a movie for her. It was pretty big news due to the popularity of both Sparks and Cyrus. The movie is already in production in Georgia (apparently a last minute budget issue with Disney, as the original screenplay and book are set in North Carolina, Spark's home state).

The novel is listed as a "compelling family drama and a heartrending tale of young love".

The story follows seventeen year old (just about to make 18 and BECOME an adult) Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life when it gets turned upside down when her mother decides that she and her younger brother, Jonah are to spend the summer staying with their father on the beach in North Carolina. Ronnie and her mother have been at odds with each other, there is more than just the typical mother-teenage daughter angst, and you can understand Ronnie's mother's decision.

Ronnie is still bitter with her father- her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City back to his hometown in North Carolina three years earlier. She has not forgiven him, blaming him for the divorce, and refusing to talk to him at all during that time. She had been trained as a classical pianist by her father (who taught at Julliard and was a concert pianist before the divorce) and after he left, she gave up the piano, refusing to touch one again. So the scene is already set for drama.

Ronnie's father, is living a quiet life in his beach town, immersed in creating a piece of art in his backyard, that will become the centerpiece of a local church. It is a far cry from the life he left behind in NYC and while his son embraces it, Ronnie fights it in typical teenage fashion.

The story is from Ronnie's perspective and follows her as she finds her way in NC, making friends, losing friends, trouble finding her yet again and maybe finding the love of her life (echoes of The Notebook). The story covers the many aspects of love- parental love, first love, love of 2 people even after divorce, love for friends, love for places and love for God. The finding of love echoes Ronnie's "growing up" over the summer and coming to realize things are not always what they seem.

Sidenote: I have to admit I knew I should be picturing Cyrus as Ronnie as I read the book, but somehow I just couldn't do it. This is why I like to read books BEFORE I see movies-I make my own movie of it in my head. Personally I wished Sparks had written the book first and Disney got the movie rights, and put Selena Gomez in the movie as Ronnie. I'm just not a big Cyrus fan (sorry guys- please don't email me or hate me-I don't have a tween, I just don't get the appeal of Cyrus over Gomez who just seems a better actress to me based on parts of their movies I have seen), Selena just fit Ronnie better in my head. Try it which ever way you like....that's the BEAUTY of reading fiction- it can be who you want it to be....

I can't give any more away without spoiling the rest of the book. BUT I will forewarn you, this is one of THOSE Nicholas Sparks books- you WILL need a box of Kleenex for the last 1/4 of the book! It's a very quick read and would be great for teens to read, to understand the many complexities of growing up.

Pick it up and enjoy it over a lazy weekend!