The Best of Me

WITH FEATURETTES FROM NICHOLAS SPARKS AND THE MOVIE CAST, DELETED SCENES, MUSIC VIDEO, AND MORE! IN THEATERS OCTOBER 17, 2014! Starring Michelle Monaghan, James Marsden, Luke Bracey, and Liana Liberator "Everyone wanted to believe that endless love was possible. She'd believed in it once, too, back when she was eighteen." In the spring of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths. Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back to Oriental for the funeral of Tuck Hostetler, the mentor who once gave shelter to their high school romance. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. As Amanda and Dawson carry out the instructions Tuck left behind for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew -- about Tuck, about themselves, and about the dreams they held dear -- was not as it seemed. Forced to confront painful memories, the two former lovers will discover undeniable truths about the choices they have made. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

Get swept up in a timeless story of lost dreams and redemption, in which former high school sweethearts get a second chance at first love--from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Notebook. "Everyone wanted to believe that endless love was possible. She'd believed in it once, too, back when she was eighteen." In the spring of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths. Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back to Oriental for the funeral of Tuck Hostetler, the mentor who once gave shelter to their high school romance. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. As Amanda and Dawson carry out the instructions Tuck left behind for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew -- about Tuck, about themselves, and about the dreams they held dear -- was not as it seemed. Forced to confront painful memories, the two former lovers will discover undeniable truths about the choices they have made. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

“Genius… It is miraculous to read these pieces… You must read The Best of Me.” —Andrew Sean Greer, New York Times Book Review A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice A CNN and Christian Science Monitor Best Book of the Month For more than twenty-five years, David Sedaris has been carving out a unique literary space, virtually creating his own genre. A Sedaris story may seem confessional, but is also highly attuned to the world outside. It opens our eyes to what is at absurd and moving about our daily existence. And it is almost impossible to read without laughing. Now, for the first time collected in one volume, the author brings us his funniest and most memorable work. In these stories, Sedaris shops for rare taxidermy, hitchhikes with a lady quadriplegic, and spits a lozenge into a fellow traveler’s lap. He drowns a mouse in a bucket, struggles to say “give it to me” in five languages, and hand-feeds a carnivorous bird. But if all you expect to find in Sedaris’s work is the deft and sharply observed comedy for which he became renowned, you may be surprised to discover that his words bring more warmth than mockery, more fellow-feeling than derision. Nowhere is this clearer than in his writing about his loved ones. In these pages, Sedaris explores falling in love and staying together, recognizing his own aging not in the mirror but in the faces of his siblings, losing one parent and coming to terms—at long last—with the other. Taken together, the stories in TheBest of Me reveal the wonder and delight Sedaris takes in the surprises life brings him. No experience, he sees, is quite as he expected—it’s often harder, more fraught, and certainly weirder—but sometimes it is also much richer and more wonderful. Full of joy, generosity, and the incisive humor that has led David Sedaris to be called “the funniest man alive” (Time Out New York), The Best of Me spans a career spent watching and learning and laughing—quite often at himself—and invites readers deep into the world of one of the most brilliant and original writers of our time.

For as long as I can remember, I've been the dark to my sister's light-the awkward loner to her social butterfly. Growing up, she had it all: our parent's unyielding approval, perfect grades, a permanent spot at the popular table, and the attention of the hottest guy ever-Duke Kincaid. After eighteen years of living in her shadow, I couldn't wait to escape-to finally be my own person. Yet here I am, I'm back in my hometown, once again in Valorie's shadow. Only now, it's eternal. I had life all planned out: join the force, marry Valorie Parsons, and start a family of our own. I have the job, but the girl and all my dreams died before my very eyes.At the urging of my friends, I agree to a blind date. Imagine my shock when I arrive and find, Valorie's twin sister, waiting across the table from me. Mallory should be a reminder of all that I've lost, but instead she feels like my redemption . . . like maybe life's giving me a second chance. But, how can I be enough for her when I've already given her sister the best of me?

Fifteen children from a school in North Carolina offer short passages in prose and verse that explain why they prefer their eyes, feet, hands, and other body parts, with accompanying photographs of that particular area.

In this New York Times bestseller, follow the author of The Notebook as he travels the world with his brother learning about faith, loss, connection, and hope. As moving as his bestselling works of fiction, Nicholas Sparks's unique memoir, written with his brother, chronicles the life-affirming journey of two brothers bound by memories, both humorous and tragic. In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah, set off on a three-week trip around the globe. It was to mark a milestone in their lives, for at thirty-seven and thirty-eight respectively, they were now the only surviving members of their family. Against the backdrop of the wonders of the world and often overtaken by their feelings, daredevil Micah and the more serious, introspective Nicholas recalled their rambunctious childhood adventures and the tragedies that tested their faith. And in the process, they discovered startling truths about loss, love, and hope. Narrated with irrepressible humor and rare candor, and including personal photos, Three Weeks with My Brother reminds us to embrace life with all its uncertainties . . . and most of all, to cherish the joyful times, both small and momentous, and the wonderful people who make them possible.

Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, Mason Deaver's stunning debut will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal from tragedy and celebrate life in the process.

Lucy Donovan has always subscribed to the finer things in life. That is, until a fateful trip to the Bahamas and an even more fateful encounter with the sexy, cynical Chris Maddox. His take on the world leaves her speechless. So does his gorgeous body. Lucy knows he brings out the best in her, but can she give everything up for him? For them? Chris Maddox is totally amazed by the incredible woman who keeps surprising him at every turn. Lucy is unlike anyone he's ever met, and she's the only one who's ever really gotten to him. He's not just taken with her beauty and sophistication—it's the woman inside that's captivated him. Chris knows she brings out the best in him, but can he ask her for all and let them risk having nothing instead?

The Best of Me Poetically is an inspiring book of poems that captures the hearts and minds of those who love to read poems. This book teaches those that have loved and lost that letting go is a process toward healing and that any tragedy can be turned into triumph. My prayer is that someone else may find healing from the poems in this book by just letting go and forgiving after being hurt emotionally or physically. My desire is to inspire, and I hope that in some way the poems from this book wil

In the follow-up to Once and Again—hailed by bestselling author Claudia Connor as “a beautiful second-chance love story”—Elisabeth Barrett returns to the Briarwood, an unforgettable place where legacy and longing make dreams come true. Jane Pringle never meant to fall for her boss. After landing a job as a pastry chef at the exclusive Briarwood Golf and Yacht Club in Eastbridge, Connecticut, she just wants to keep her son in a good school district and find some peace and quiet, far away from her manipulative ex-husband. But when Briarwood’s charismatic co-owner takes an interest in her, Jane’s best-laid plans go awry . . . in the sweetest way possible. Rich and handsome, the grandson of one of the most powerful men in New York City, Preston North hasn’t lived quite the charmed life everyone believes. His family taught him everything he needs to know about betrayal—and Press wants no more of it. What he wants is Jane. The gorgeous single mom is selfless and kind, plus she’s got a backbone. To win her trust, Press just needs to shake off his playboy reputation. They’ve each been burned in the past. But now Press and Jane will have to choose between letting their fears get the best of them . . . or breaking free and following their hearts. Praise for The Best of Me “Elisabeth Barrett takes readers on a real—and sexy—emotional journey without ever losing sight of the good in people or the sweetness of family, friends, and community.”—Serena Bell, USA Today bestselling author of the Returning Home series “Humor, flirting, and sizzling sex give Preston and Jane an opportunity to move beyond their pasts.”—Library Journal “As Preston and Jane begin to fall in love, they have genuine reasons to worry about the stability of their relationship, and Barrett gives them both a degree of emotional intelligence and a good set of priorities.”—Publishers Weekly “[A] wonderful author whose characters come to life page by page.”—Fresh Fiction “A heartwarming and romantic story of a single mom not just trying to make it on her own but succeeding . . . a wonderful, emotion-filled path to happily ever after.”—FicCentral “I loved how both characters were portrayed, highlighting the best of them without overlooking their flaws. The romance was wonderful and the challenges they both faced were realistic and expertly woven into their relationship development. I really enjoyed this story and am very much liking the direction of this series.”—The Book Nympho “This book has very developed characters and I loved reading their story.”—Pages of Comfort “[A] rather edgy environment, with lots of high emotions, broken people, and one little boy in the midst of them.”—Books and Spoons Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

"If all the world’s a stage, then are all the men and women really merely players? For Sakuya, it all started out as an innocent game: "Why don’t you pretend to be a girl and approach my brother?" Yuuki said. "That’s a great idea!" responded Sakuya who unbeknownst to him would begin to discover he and Yuuki’s brother shared not only many things in common but mutual feelings for each other. Known as Sakura to Yuuki's brother, Sakuya finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place as his feelings for Yuuki's brother continue to increase. Will Sakuya have the courage to confess his real identity and feelings to Yuuki’s brother and will Yuuki’s brother be able to accept Sakuya for who he really is? Find out in "You Haven’t Seen the Best of Me," a light-hearted rom-com sure to make you smile.

"If all the world’s a stage, then are all the men and women really merely players? For Sakuya, it all started out as an innocent game: “Why don’t you pretend to be a girl and approach my brother?” Yuuki said. “That’s a great idea!” responded Sakuya who unbeknownst to him would begin to discover he and Yuuki’s brother shared not only many things in common but mutual feelings for each other. Known as Sakura to Yuuki's brother, Sakuya finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place as his feelings for Yuuki's brother continue to increase. Will Sakuya have the courage to confess his real identity and feelings to Yuuki’s brother and will Yuuki’s brother be able to accept Sakuya for who he really is? Find out in "You Haven’t Seen the Best of Me," a light-hearted rom-com sure to make you smile.

"If all the world’s a stage, then are all the men and women really merely players? For Sakuya, it all started out as an innocent game: “Why don’t you pretend to be a girl and approach my brother?” Yuuki said. “That’s a great idea!” responded Sakuya who unbeknownst to him would begin to discover he and Yuuki’s brother shared not only many things in common but mutual feelings for each other. Known as Sakura to Yuuki's brother, Sakuya finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place as his feelings for Yuuki's brother continue to increase. Will Sakuya have the courage to confess his real identity and feelings to Yuuki’s brother and will Yuuki’s brother be able to accept Sakuya for who he really is? Find out in "You Haven’t Seen the Best of Me," a light-hearted rom-com sure to make you smile.

"If all the world’s a stage, then are all the men and women really merely players? For Sakuya, it all started out as an innocent game: “Why don’t you pretend to be a girl and approach my brother?” Yuuki said. “That’s a great idea!” responded Sakuya who unbeknownst to him would begin to discover he and Yuuki’s brother shared not only many things in common but mutual feelings for each other. Known as Sakura to Yuuki's brother, Sakuya finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place as his feelings for Yuuki's brother continue to increase. Will Sakuya have the courage to confess his real identity and feelings to Yuuki’s brother and will Yuuki’s brother be able to accept Sakuya for who he really is? Find out in "You Haven’t Seen the Best of Me," a light-hearted rom-com sure to make you smile.

Welcome to More Of And The Best Of ME & SNAP. This isnt just a book, its a time machine. It will take you back to magical, happy, safe times and safe places. Youll laugh and cry as you tag along on these adventures. And, when the book is finished and the time machine returns you to NOW youll want to go back. One of my readers wrote to me and said, John, THIS BOOK MAKES ME HAPPY!

From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them. “My land tells its story if you listen. The story of our family.” Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman’s only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa’s tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family. The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

Jess has been in love with her best friend, Kate, for seven years, but her feelings have never been returned. One night they sleep together, and Jess finds out how much it is possible to be hurt by someone close. Jess and Kate struggle to redefine their friendship. They spend a week at Jess's family holiday house in a small seaside town, Awatangi, intending to make the time to talk things through, but the conversations never happen. Kate makes vague promises, but begins to have second thoughts. Jess wants Kate, and nothing else, and is heartbroken that isn't enough.Jess decides – while everything is changing in her life – that she doesn't want to go on living in the city, that she wants to return to Awatangi. Part of her hopes some physical distance between them may help things with Kate, and part of her – frustrated and upset – simply wants to leave Kate behind. In Awatangi, Jess meets Keri, a local lawyer who has also recently returned home. Like Jess, Keri surfs, and like Jess, she seems to feel some attachment to her family roots in Awatangi. Jess is drawn to Keri, but forces herself not to let anything happen. Despite everything, Kate is still Jess's closest friend, and she has loved Kate all her life. She feels she has to give the situation with Kate as long as she can to work itself out. Awatangi is about coping with feelings for a close friend that are not returned, set in a small holiday township on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is an exploration of getting what you've always wanted and it not being enough, of being in love with one person and wanting another, and of finding out that life doesn't always turn out as expected.

For readers of Shannon Stacey and Susan Mallery, the heartfelt Briarwood series begins with a tale of forbidden love, broken promises, and second chances. Growing up in Eastbridge, Connecticut, Carolyn Rivington was a young debutante who did whatever her parents asked. So when her father demanded that she break things off with the boy from the wrong side of the tracks or else, she did. Now Carolyn’s family is deep in debt. She’s no longer a member of the Briarwood Golf and Yacht Club, she’s an employee. And the tanned, tattooed, dangerously handsome stranger who saunters into her lobby isn’t just her new boss . . . he’s also her first love. The last time he saw Carolyn, Jake Gaffney was in the back of a police cruiser, handcuffed and humiliated. But seeing her again stirs other memories: a blanket on the beach, the moon above their heads, and the most expensive bottle of wine he could afford. Now the tables have turned. As a real-estate magnate and Briarwood’s new owner, Jake doesn’t have to answer to anyone. But now that he’s back home, he’s finding it hard to live down his old reputation. Before they can move forward, Jake and Carolyn must face their pasts. But it’ll take more than sizzling chemistry for them to heal old wounds and return to the love they once shared. Praise for Once and Again “Elisabeth Barrett’s Once and Again is a beautiful second-chance love story. A great summer read!”—New York Times bestselling author Claudia Connor “Engaging, sexy, and immensely touching, Once and Again is a wonderful start to a new series.”—Marina Adair, #1 bestselling author of Summer in Napa “Elisabeth Barrett weaves true-to-life characters, sizzling sexual tension, and gripping emotional intensity into a heartwarming story of forgiveness, family, and second chances.”—Lia Riley, author of the Brightwater series “A sexy reunion romance overflowing with second chances to make friends, reconcile with family, and rekindle lost love.”—Tracy March, author of Should’ve Said No “Once and Again is a fantastic read with a set of equally fantastic characters. It’s also a fast-paced, smooth-reading tale that is deeply rooted in honest emotion and filled with intriguing characters and crisp, rich setting details that so easily allow readers to picture the story, people, places, and events. I loved this book!”—Okie Dreams Book Reviews Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

This classic work of science fiction is widely considered to be the ultimate time-travel novel. When Daniel Eakins inherits a time machine, he soon realizes that he has enormous power to shape the course of history. He can foil terrorists, prevent assassinations, or just make some fast money at the racetrack. And if he doesn't like the results of the change, he can simply go back in time and talk himself out of making it! But Dan soon finds that there are limits to his powers and forces beyond his control.

A smart, funny take on the Charles Dickens classic BLEAK HOUSE—for anyone who’s ever held on to a dream just a little too long. New York writer Ricki Carstone knows the odds of Hollywood actually turning her debut novel, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, into a movie are slim. But Moxie Bernard, the most famous teen on the planet, has signed on to star in the option. Plus, the producer is throwing her a super fabulous party in Hollywood (with Moxie!) to celebrate the relaunch of her book with a younger, sexier cover. Maybe it will happen after all. Quitting her dead-end paralegal job to move out to Los Angeles and keep an eye on the project, Ricki meets a handsome out-of-work actor who encourages her to try her hand at screenwriting, and an experienced screenwriter who is willing to help her for a fee, which only starts out small. And then there's her cute neighbor Simon, who thinks her new friends are just taking advantage of her. Will Ricki ever see her name in lights and make it big in Hollywood?