Nicholas Sparks is known for his romance novels and how those novels are brought to the big screen, making girl’s hearts melt with the brooding lead male character and the story of how love can truly conquer all.
On Oct. 17, one of Sparks’s recent novels, The Best of Me, hits theaters in film form. In honor of the arrival of this latest chick flick, here is a countdown of the top six Nicholas Sparks-inspired movies:
6. Safe Haven
Katie arrives in a small town in North Carolina to escape her past. While there, she meets Alex, a widowed storeowner, and her female neighbor, Jo. Of course, Katie starts to let her guard down and falls in love with Alex, even though she is still haunted by her past. Safe Haven is No. 6 because it is a movie that moves very slowly and although the plot of having Jo “leading” Katie and Alex together is adorable, the main characters just don’t have that special chemistry that most Nicholas Sparks movies have.
5. Dear John
In Dear John, John is enlisted in the army and then meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. As they get to know each other, Savannah and John start to fall in love. As she waits for him to finish his tour, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 happen; John feels that it is his duty to re-enlist. This movie is ranked at No. 5 because after all that John and Savannah had been through, the least she could have done was wait to tell him that things had changed, that she loved someone else. John’s love for her was forever…and seeing Channing Tatum heartbroken is just heartbreaking in itself.
4. The Lucky One
Logan, a U.S. Marine, finds a photograph of a young woman while he is on tour. He decides to keep the photo with him and finds that it brings him luck. So when his tour ends, he decides to go out in search of this woman (Elizabeth) and finds her and her son. The Lucky One is No. 4 because, at the end of the day, when a man—specifically Zac Efron—comes to search for you to thank your for saving his life and falls in love with you and your son in the process, you don’t question it.
3. The Last Song
Ronnie is an angry, rebellious teenager who is forced to spend the summer in North Carolina with her estranged father and little brother. While there, Ronnie meets and falls in love with Will. As she goes through the summer, she starts to reconnect with her father over their shared loved of music and the arts. The Last Song is ranked at No. 3 because, well…Liam Hemsworth. But overall, this movie teaches us a lesson that no matter how estranged a relationship is or how different we are from people, we can always work on things to make them better. And the love of a parent is unconditional.
2. A Walk to Remember
Landon Carter is the resident “bad boy “ at his high school, while Jamie Sullivan is the daughter of the town’s minister and is sweet, innocent and caring. Landon and Jamie meet through a school trip, and as Landon starts to get to know Jamie, he learns that there is more to her then just her “nerdy” appearance. As they start to spend more time together, he starts to fall for Jamie like he promised he wouldn’t do. A Walk to Remember is ranked at No. 2 because—let’s face it—it’s a heart-wrenching love story. It shows the power that one person can have over another to make them realize their true potential. No matter how bad something is, love will always be stronger!
1. The Notebook
Noah and Allie…where do I begin? This movie doesn’t need a synopsis because it is amazing, and if you haven’t seen it yet I highly recommend you do! The Notebook truly proves that love is powerful, eternal, and can get people through anything. And if it’s meant to be, it will be. Let’s face it: Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are both beautiful people who make this couple and their story come to life! If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.
Sparks has been crafting stories and making people of all ages feel the feels since the ‘90s, and his career shows no signs of slowing down. The Best of Me is sure to tug on the heartstrings of hopeless romantics and eternal introverts alike. So make it a girls’ night—or a date night, if you can drag your guy there—and check it out in theaters this Friday!