The Last Song [Hardcover]

Nicholas Sparks (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 8, 2009

#1 bestselling author Nicholas Sparks's new novel is at once a compelling family drama and a heartrending tale of young love.

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Product Description

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

Go Behind the Scenes of the Motion Picture The Last Song (Touchstone Pictures, 2010)
Starring Myley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
(Click on each image below to see a larger view)

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Nicholas Sparks is the author of 14 books. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children. You can visit the author's web site at www. nicholassparks.com.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (September 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446547565
• ISBN-13: 978-0446547567
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.2 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (640 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved storytellers. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers, with nearly 80 million copies in print worldwide, in over 45 languages, including over 50 million copies in the United States alone, and his popularity continues to soar.

Sparks wrote one of his best-known stories, The Notebook, over a period of six months at age 28. It was published in 1996 by Warner Books. He followed with the novels Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), True Believer (2005) and its sequel, At First Sight (2005), Dear John (2006), The Choice (2007), The Lucky One (2008), The Last Song (2009), Safe Haven (2010) and The Best of Me (2011), as well as the 2004 non-fiction memoir Three Weeks With My Brother, co-written with his brother Micah.

Safe Haven is scheduled for release on February 14, 2013, and marks Sparks's eighth film adaptation, following The Lucky One, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John and The Last Song, which thus far have a cumulative worldwide gross of nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars.

Sparks lives in North Carolina with his family. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually. Along with his wife, he founded The Epiphany School in New Bern, North Carolina. As a former full scholarship athlete (he still holds a track and field record at the University of Notre Dame) he also spent four years coaching track and field athletes at the local public high school. In 2009, the team he coached at New Bern High School set a World Junior Indoor Record in the 4 x400 meter, in New York. The record still stands.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#32 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#4 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#4 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#7 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#7 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#7 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

#4 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#4 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#7 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#7 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#7 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

379 of 390 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love comes in different forms September 9, 2009

By Shon VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

When I began reading The Last Song, my first thought was this is the perfect book to read to finish out the summer. I thought it would be light, but an enjoyable read. To my delight, it became so much more as I read more of Ronnie's story.

Ronnie and her brother Jonah are sent to North Carolina to spend the summer with their estranged father. Their father left his prestigious position at Julliard to pursue his dream of being a concert pianist. His time away put a strain on his family and eventually ended his marriage. He now calls Wrightville Beach, NC home.

Ronnie never forgave her father for ruining their family. In fact, she hasn't spoken to him in three years. She's livid that her mother is forcing her to do this. As soon as she sets foot in her father's house, she's determined to plan her return back to New York. As soon as she enters her father's house, she puts distance between them by spending her first night away from his home. It's on this night that she first meets Will followed by Blaze. It's this night that will change her summer.

The Last Song is told in four differing points of view: Ronnie, Steve, Will and Marcus. Through each perspective, Mr. Sparks reveals more of the story and at times flashing back to the past to provide more history. Each character has something to add to the events of that summer and reading it in his or her own voice adds to the realness of the story.

Early on I had a hint of how the novel would end. As I realized my assumption was right, it didn't prepare me for the emotions I felt as I continued to read. The Last Song isn't only about love. It's also about learning how to forgive yourself for your past mistakes so you can move forward. This is evident as Ronnie struggles to forgive herself for allowing her anger and hurt to prevent her from having a relationship with her father. During this summer, Ronnie realizes despite her behavior, her father's love remained unconditional.

Steve, Ronnie's and Jonah's father, spends time quietly reading his Bible. It's during these devotionals, that Steve has forgiven himself and draws closer to God. Mr. Sparks did a fantastic job of using Steve's devotions to illustrate that through God, new beginnings are possible, despite your past, if you have faith, believe and put your trust in God. He continues to illustrate new beginnings by restoring broken relationships between a parent and child, the destroying and reconstruction of a church and learning to love and respect yourself.

The Last Song is an emotionally charged novel, one that I highly recommend. I suggest you read with tissues nearby. It will grabbed the reader and won't let go until the very last page.

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Touching Story September 12, 2009

By Dave

Format:Hardcover

I shudder to think what writing this review is going to do to my Amazon recommendations. But I enjoyed this book so much I just had to review it regardless. Admitedly I haven't read much of Nicholas Sparks' stuff in recent years but with a recent move to the same town that he calls home I felt obligated as a good neighbor to run out and buy his book when it came it out. Okay not really - I am really a sucker for good romance and I loved "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember" among a few of his other earlier works and with all the local hubub around his latest release I figured I would check his latest book out.

I must say that when I first started reading this book I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I'm 40 years old now and happily married with three great kids - so a summer romance between teenagers just wasn't up my alley. As I read it though, "The Last Song" slowly began to grab a hold of me. What Sparks has a knack for is creating absolutely great and likable characters. You really get to see how an immature girl grows into a beautiful young woman in this story. I just loved the character development and it is what truly had me enamored throughout the whole story. True - it is a summer romance - but as you get into the book you quickly learn that there is much more to it. There is also a spiritual element to this story that is really touching. Though not preachy - the story is convicting - if that makes any sense. This is definately one of my favorites by Nicholas Sparks and one I'll likely read again.

I know that teenagers will love this book - but I really think this book is just as much for the young at heart as well. "The Last Song" greatly exceeded my expectations.

110 of 119 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Read the book before the movie. September 10, 2009

By Falling Off The Shelf (http://fallingofftheshelf.blogspot.com)

Format:Hardcover

Veronica "Ronnie" Miller is being forced to spend a summer in Wilmington, North Carolina with the father that walked out on her family. She detests him, and wants absolutly nothing to do with him. It's been 3 years since she has last spoken to him, and she doesn't plan on doing so now. It's out of her hands though, because her mother has made the decision to send both Ronnie and her younger brother Jonah to visit with him, and now Ronnie has to deal with it.

Ronnie usually spends her time hanging out at the clubs of New York City, and when she's forced to a town where the only fun you can have is fishing and surfing, she's bummed. She doesn't fit in with the people around here, and knows this will be the worst summer of her life. On the brighter side, she's met Blaze, a misfit just like her, but will their friendship last throughout a summer filled with drama, violence, and grief?

It's been a long time since I've picked up one of Nicholas Sparks' novels, and I'm kicking myself for it. This novel has to be one of the best that I have read this entire year. It was not only filled with a heart wrenching story of father and daughter, but a love story that will have you sighing with pleasure. I honestly had a hard time putting this book down, and am actually quite sad that I even had to finish it! This was one of those books that I wish would just go on forever, so that I could continue to read the story of Ronnie.

I cried multiple times during this novel, for reasons that you will understand when you pick up this novel. Ronnie's character is driven by her emotions, and you can feel each and every one of those emotions emanating from the pages. I personally felt for her each and every step of the way.

This was the third novel I have read by Nicholas Sparks, and I'm more than positive that it will not be the last. In the past I have read The Notebook, and Message in a Bottle, and both of those stories were just as passionate and full of emotion as The Last Song. I have a special place in both my heart and my bookshelf for Sparks' work, and am delighted that I was given a chance to review this novel. Thank you Miriam Parker from Hatchette Books for allowing me to review this book, it has been an absolute pleasure.

Thankfully we can also look forward to a film production of The Last Song, coming January 2010. Miley Cyrus will be playing the character of Veronica Miller, and I'm interested in seeing how well she portrays her. I'm more than thrilled to be reading about this on Sparks' website, and can't wait to see the novel played out on film.

Here's a few facts you probably didn't know about this novel :

1. Miley Cyrus chose the name Ronnie for the main character.
2. Nicholas Sparks wrote the screenplay before he wrote the novel.
3. The Last Song is the longest novel that Sparks' has ever written.
4. The Last Song is both a love story and a coming of age novel.

If you haven't read any of Sparks' work, I highly recommend it. Make sure you have a steady supply of tissues on hand as well.