Genre Fiction
![Nicholas Sparks - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_nicholas_sparks.jpg)
The Return
In the romantic tradition of Dear John, an injured Navy doctor meets two extremely important women whose secrets will change the course of his life in this #1 New York Times bestseller.
Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, North Carolina. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he'd inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any.
Tending to his grandfather's beloved beehives, Trevor isn't prepared to fall in love with a local . . . yet, from their very first encounter, Trevor feels a connection with deputy sheriff Natalie Masterson that he can't ignore. But even as she seems to reciprocate his feelings, she remains frustratingly distant, making Trevor wonder what she's hiding.
Further complicating his stay in New Bern is the presence of a sullen teenage girl, Callie, who lives in the trailer park down the road. Trevor hopes Callie can shed light on the mysterious circumstances of his grandfather's death, but she offers few clues-until a crisis triggers a race to uncover the true nature of Callie's past, one more intertwined with the elderly man's passing than Trevor could ever have imagined.
In his quest to unravel Natalie and Callie's secrets, Trevor will learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness . . . and that in life, to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.
Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, North Carolina. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he'd inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any.
Tending to his grandfather's beloved beehives, Trevor isn't prepared to fall in love with a local . . . yet, from their very first encounter, Trevor feels a connection with deputy sheriff Natalie Masterson that he can't ignore. But even as she seems to reciprocate his feelings, she remains frustratingly distant, making Trevor wonder what she's hiding.
Further complicating his stay in New Bern is the presence of a sullen teenage girl, Callie, who lives in the trailer park down the road. Trevor hopes Callie can shed light on the mysterious circumstances of his grandfather's death, but she offers few clues-until a crisis triggers a race to uncover the true nature of Callie's past, one more intertwined with the elderly man's passing than Trevor could ever have imagined.
In his quest to unravel Natalie and Callie's secrets, Trevor will learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness . . . and that in life, to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.
Editorial Reviews
"As much a family drama as it is a love story . . . If you, like Trevor, are looking to slow down and focus on what's really important, The Return is the heartwarming read you've been waiting for."―BookPage
"A pleasant read that moves like honey."―BookTrib
"Take a trip to rural North Carolina, sit back, and enjoy the lush descriptions of the rambling creek and croaking frogs. Beautiful sunsets, meandering boat trips, exotic wildlife, buzzing bees, and small-town farmers' markets abound. Keep Trevor company as he navigates mysteries and spends time recovering from his personal demons . . . The Return [makes] for a perfect beach read or a fall/winter sitting-by-the-fire read."―Bookreporter.com
"There are few things we love more than a heartwarming Nicholas Sparks book, and his newest novel has definitely satisfied our craving."―Reader's Digest
"Deeply reflective . . . Sparks's latest novel reminds [us] that we're all human . . . Will pull you in from the very first page."―POPSUGAR
"Will sweep you off your feet . . . [a] story of secrets, seduction, and forgiveness you'll want to read over and over again."―CNN Underscored
"Sparks fans will love it, and readers new to his romantic fiction will be hooked."―Northern Virginia Magazine
"The Return reads at times like a fine mystery, but with the added benefit of Sparks's mature writing in crafting a love story that will inflame his longtime fans."―Mountain Times
"[Nicholas Sparks's] descriptions of the charms of downtown New Bern and the beauty of Brices Creek made me want to . . . rush to spend a few days there."―Chatham Journal Newspaper
"A pleasant read that moves like honey."―BookTrib
"Take a trip to rural North Carolina, sit back, and enjoy the lush descriptions of the rambling creek and croaking frogs. Beautiful sunsets, meandering boat trips, exotic wildlife, buzzing bees, and small-town farmers' markets abound. Keep Trevor company as he navigates mysteries and spends time recovering from his personal demons . . . The Return [makes] for a perfect beach read or a fall/winter sitting-by-the-fire read."―Bookreporter.com
"There are few things we love more than a heartwarming Nicholas Sparks book, and his newest novel has definitely satisfied our craving."―Reader's Digest
"Deeply reflective . . . Sparks's latest novel reminds [us] that we're all human . . . Will pull you in from the very first page."―POPSUGAR
"Will sweep you off your feet . . . [a] story of secrets, seduction, and forgiveness you'll want to read over and over again."―CNN Underscored
"Sparks fans will love it, and readers new to his romantic fiction will be hooked."―Northern Virginia Magazine
"The Return reads at times like a fine mystery, but with the added benefit of Sparks's mature writing in crafting a love story that will inflame his longtime fans."―Mountain Times
"[Nicholas Sparks's] descriptions of the charms of downtown New Bern and the beauty of Brices Creek made me want to . . . rush to spend a few days there."―Chatham Journal Newspaper
Readers Top Reviews
Kim Kimberley O
I’ve read every single one of his books but I would put this at the bottom of pile and one never to be read again. I found the love story so bizarre and really couldn’t understand how they fell in love or why. In the end I was only invested to know the story behind Callie and literally couldn’t care less about the main character. Really disappointed.
CJKim Kimberley
From: Carolyn Linderman <ladyoftheloons@hotmail.com> To: "Amazon.com Customer Service" <cust.service03@amazon.com> Subject: Re: Great news! You saved additional money on your Amazon pre-order I am an avid reader of Nicholas Sparks (the reason for five stars) and I'm happy to have saved money, but probably spent that much in gas to retrieve my purchase from a former address!! I am quite disappointed that my change of address more than six months ago -- which has worked for our several purchases since then -- wasn't applied to this purchase. Someone there really dropped the ball on this one!
MistyCaseyCJKim
3.5 stars I've said it a million times before that Nicholas Sparks is my all time favorite author. I preordered this book and by the time it came in the mail I had been fighting off a slump for over a month. I decided to pick it up in the hopes that it would help me out of said slump and I think it did the job. It was a little slow going for the first half of the book but I was intrigued enough to want to keep reading and find out what happened. Like I said the first half was pretty slow going but the last half things picked up for me. I loved Callie's story the most. That was what I was most interested in while reading this. The romance however fell a little flat for me and was way too rushed. I would have more time with it. I did enjoy the mystery included though. There are 3 characters that all have secrets of sorts and we learn them throughout the book. That was another thing that kept me reading. I had to know the truth about each of the characters. Overall it was an enjoyable read and while it's not my favorite book by him I still had a fun time reading it and got teary eyed toward the end.
Joanne McCormickM
The book I received had no cover on it!!!!! Imagine my surprise to open my box that was so anticipated, to find a plain white book. Where is the cover? Why did I not receive a complete book????/
A LowryJoanne McC
Nicholas Sparks has brought us back to New Bern, North Carolina for another heartwarming story about love, compassion, sacrifice and self-exploration…Oh, and a bit of romance and mystery. There is no doubt about how much I enjoyed reading this book. From the moment I picked it up, I knew I was in for a special treat. The Return is a multi-thread story that explores real life issues such as PTSD, loss, and heartbreak (but not in the way you think…going to have to read the book to find out what I mean). Sparks keeps these threads flowing throughout the story smoothly while incorporating beautiful scenery and real emotions. The characters are fully developed, and you feel as if they are your own friends. You will care about everything they are experiencing and feeling…Especially Callie. This story really spoke to my heart. In our current world, we seem to be surrounded by hate, animosity and fear. The characters in The Return brought so much kindness, generosity, compassion and warmth to the story, and this is something I really needed. I love how Sparks has a way of describing the intricacies of relationships within both families and friendships and even those looking to make a connection with others. How Sparks can create so much in the realm of emotions in one book is beyond me. Sparks did an amazing job with his research, and the story was full of amazing and fascinating details pertaining to PTSD and bee keeping.
