'Happily ever after' books

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Happily ever after books

Nicholas Spark's See Me is predictable, but makes for a very honest read.

By Enid Parker

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Published: Fri 20 May 2016, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 21 May 2016, 2:45 PM

Bestselling American novelist, screenwriter and producer Nicholas Sparks, whose foray into writing as a teenager was reportedly inspired by a remark from his mother, has impressed us over the years with some thoughtfully crafted tearjerkers - The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember to name a few - and we'd have to grudgingly admit the film versions of these stories were quite memorable as well.
Despite the obvious cynicism and nitpicking (guilty as charged) that comes with the territory of reviewing 'chick-lit' (though we're not sure if Sparks really belongs in that category), personal experience has taught us that it's not easy to harden our hearts against his novels; however 'cheesy' and simplistic they might appear (those book covers aren't helping), it's clear (at least from the ones we've read), that there are unmistakeable elements of honesty and sincerity in the stories that lend credibility to Sparks' writing. We wouldn't begrudge him his fame or fortune in a million years, because of his exceptionally forthright manner in real life (even when he spoke about divorcing his long-time wife Cathy) as well as when weaving a story.
There are always those textbook ridiculously beautiful people in his novels, and the plotlines at times may seem far-fetched, but we feel it is Sparks' enduring self-belief as a writer that redeems his stories from sinking into literary oblivion (I've read A Walk to Remember over five times, and still have to keep the tissues handy).
The unusually titled See Me hasn't changed our opinion of Sparks, in fact it only elevates him in our esteem. The novel starts off with a chapter about an unnamed person wanting vengeance, which of course piques our interest right away (who wouldn't want to read a love story with a bonus mystery/thriller element?)
The two protagonists - Maria and Colin - are polar opposites in terms of personality and character but end up connecting with each other thanks to a chance late night meeting where Colin fixes Maria's car. Sparks imbues Colin with plenty of bad boy appeal - tattoos, crew cut, violent past - and here's a bonus for those of you who like that kind of thing: he's an MMA fighter too. Not really the kind of guy who floats Maria's boat, but we guess the old cliché of opposites attract applies here.
Getting hooked to the story took us a while, to be completely honest, as the background details of both characters are delved into quite a bit, but it's worthwhile to plod on because the pace picks up and things eventually get interesting, especially after Colin and Maria's relationship develops and ghosts from her past begin to re-surface. Will their love survive these obstacles? Will he be able to protect her from hidden enemies? Will they live happily ever after? If you're familiar with Nicholas Sparks or, in fact, any conventional romance novel, you know the answer to all these questions is an unequivocal 'yes'.
Despite becoming fans of Colin, who we failed to mention earlier, was on the road to redemption prior to meeting Maria, our favourite character was the perky Southern charmer Lily, girlfriend to Colin's best friend Evan, who keeps an eye on him and is steadfastly loyal. Her old school manners and etiquette infused some comic relief into an otherwise serious tale.
Despite its predictability, See Me is worth a read on a laidback afternoon when you want to throw cynicism out the window for a while and believe happy endings exist.
enid@khaleejtimes.com


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