The Best of Me

The Best of Me (2010) is a love story by the best-selling American author Nicholas Sparks. It was adapted into a feature film by the same name in 2014. The novel is about the conflict-ridden love story between Dawson Cole and Amanda Colliers, high school lovers who were separated by social circumstances. Twenty-five years later, they get together to honor the memory of Tuck Hostetler, a father-figure who was their silent supporter and well-wisher. Once the former lovers meet, the memories of their romance come to life, and they are forced to make difficult choices. The story weaves between the past and the present, invoking the power of true love to transcend time and death. The novel explores the themes of love, guilt, redemption and flawed human relationships.

Other works by this author include Dreamland, Safe Haven, and Nights in Rodanthe.

This guide references the 2011 edition by Grand Central Publishing.

Plot Summary

Dawson Cole, 42, works on an oil rig off the coast of New Orleans. He leads a solitary existence, with no social life or emotional commitments. His only contact with his hometown, Oriental, North Carolina, is through Tuck Hostetler, an aged mechanic who gave him refuge and employment when Dawson was a high-school student.