Reading Nicholas Sparks’ novels is a comfort for me. It’s the reason I picked Message in a Bottle because I wanted to read something emotional and romantic. The story follows Theresa Osborne, a journalist in Boston, who finds a message in a bottle on a beach during a trip. She is determined to solve the mystery of the author of the message.
Theresa Osborne is a divorcee with a 12-year-old son. She finds a bottle with a message on the beach where she is on vacation. The message is from Garrett to Catherine, a woman he loved and lost. Being a journalist by profession and the lack of romantic life, Theresa is intrigued by the message she finds. She sets out to find out about Garrett and Catherine from the message. By faith, life brings her in front of Garrett.
Theresa and Garrett’s paths cross in a small coastal town by chance. Theresa has trust issues, understandably so, because of her ex-husband. When she meets Garrett, there is chemistry between them. Both are going through a tough time, but when they come across each other, that is a sign of hope. The suspense and mystery about Catherine and what happened kept me interested too. This book was a perfect blend of suspenseful mystery and romance.
Both the characters have their struggles and a past that haunts them. They are not in the best emotional space when they first meet, but slowly, they start coming out of their shells. Their romance is sweet and passionate. The characters of Garrett and Theresa are written in a way that makes them relatable. As a reader, you root for them on their journey. The story is an emotional rollercoaster. It keeps pulling at your heartstrings and by the end, makes you weep.
The main theme of the novel is love after grief. This theme is woven throughout the story from two perspectives of it; one Garrett’s and the other Theresa’s. I won’t go into the details of this because it will be a big spoiler. It will kind of give away the essence of the story. But, I will say that what happens towards the end of the story is not something I was prepared for. From the start, the characters’ arc made me emotional, and the end was the final emotional blow. I guess it is not a Nicholas Sparks novel until I cry while reading it.
Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks was different than what I imagined going into it but in the best possible way. It passed any expectations I had about the story. The combination of romance and mystery works really well to keep you hooked. Also, the characters are written well. The book is emotional, sweet, and even hopeful. I loved reading it.
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