Title: The Rescue
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: bought
Published: January 2000
When confronted by raging fires or deadly accidents, volunteer fireman Taylor McAden feels compelled to take terrifying risks to save lives. But there is one leap of faith Taylor can't bring himself to make: he can't fall in love. For all his adult years, Taylor has sought out women who need to be rescued, women he leaves as soon as their crisis is over and the relationship starts to become truly intimate. When a raging storm hits his small Southern town, single mother Denise Holton’s car skids off the road. The young mom is with her four-year-old son Kyle, a boy with severe learning disabilities and for whom she has sacrificed everything. Taylor McAden finds her unconscious and bleeding, but does not find Kyle. When Denise wakes, the chilling truth becomes clear to both of them: Kyle is gone. During the search for Kyle, the connection between Taylor and Denise takes root. Taylor doesn't know that this rescue will be different from all the others, demanding far more than raw physical courage. It will lead him to the possibility of his own rescue from a life lived without love and will require him to open doors to his past that were slammed shut by pain. This rescue will dare him to live life to the fullest by daring to love.
My relationship with Nicholas Sparks began with The Notebook, the movie. I LOVE that movie. It's one of the few movies I can watch over and over. I was so infatuated with the story (I wanted to be Allie and where was my Noah and plantation house?!!) and when I found out there was a novel behind it, I searched it out and picked it up; It was love at first page. From there, I've been picking up his books and waiting for his new releases.
Nicholas Sparks has a craft of bringing his characters to life. He doesn't just paint a story; he brings it to life. His character development is superb. He pays attention to detail, not so much that it's overload, but enough to allow you to be there.
My only complaint with this book, and many of his other books, is the book cover. There is no wow(!) factor; It doesn't draw me in.
The title (as with most of his books) has a double-meaning; not only is there a rescue in the beginning of the book, there's a more important rescue that takes place towards the end. Nicholas Sparks picks the perfect title for his books, making you wonder what it really means because he's not referring to the obvious.
As with most Nicholas Sparks books, have the tissues ready. You won't find lots of sex in this book. Nicholas Sparks is a romantic-sizer, not a sex hound.
The Book Vixen’s Rating:
I love his books too and I turned a girlfriend onto him. I LOVE the notebook.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my all time favorite Nicholas Sparks novel. I loved the way it became a triangle lovestory between man-woman and child.
ReplyDeleteI agree about his covers. They're so blah.
ReplyDeleteJulie & Leontine - isn't NS the best love story teller ever? It's no wonder they turn most of his books into films. I can't believe they already got a movie for The Last Song! I just saw the movie poster for it yesterday.
ReplyDeleteStephanieD - it's a shame about those covers. I wonder if he has any say in the matter.
Uhm...new movie?? From NS?? The Last Song...needs to know more!
ReplyDeleteLeontine - I just found out today that his book, Dear John, is being made into a movie! I was so excited that I did a post on it. Still waiting for a good trailer for The Last Song to show up. Not happy at all that Miley Cyrus is going to be in it.
ReplyDeleteAh, I think you are a Sparks fan! I wonder if I will turn into one of those. I'm not too sure about this one for a number of reasons. Firstly, it involves a fireman. (I once when on a date with a fireman and it was the worst date I have ever been on - so I have an unfair prejudice against them)
ReplyDeleteSecondly, you say it doesn't have a wow factor. Thirdly, both have past failed relationships and when I am newly married I do not like to think about marriages failing (okay I know that's ridiculous but I do have a love of melodrama. Thanks for the honest review.
Becky - I am a huge NS fan! Even though every single one of his books has made me cry like a baby.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the lack of "wow factor", I was referring to the book *cover* :)