The Wedding Reviews

• Another romantic tale by Nicholas Sparks

  
  By AX54G5AL870Q8 on 2003-12-17
  THE WEDDING by Nicholas Sparks

  I'm a big Nicholas Sparks fan, so I may be somewhat biased as I review this book. THE WEDDING is the sequel to THE NOTEBOOK, the love story of Noah and Allie: a love that almost didn't happen. Now, in THE WEDDING, we meet the next two generations of family members, and a somewhat complex story is told.

  Noah is now living at Creekside, where he and Allie had moved toward the end of her life. He spends his time feeding a lone female swan, distinguished by a dark patch of color on her chest. Noah feels that this is Allie come back to him, and his children feel that he's lost touch with the world. Noah, however, never gives up on his theory and insists that it is his dear beloved wife.

  Noah and Allie's oldest daughter, Jane, is married to Wilson Lewis. They've been married for nearly 30 years and have raised three children, all of whom are now adults. Jane and Wilson's story is told in flashbacks, as Wilson remembers what brought him and Jane together all those years ago. The reason for his reflections, though, is that he knows Jane is very unhappy with their marriage. So unhappy, that she leaves town for a few weeks to spend with their son Joseph. She doesn't say exactly why she left, but Wilson knows she needs to get away to think things over.

  In the meantime, their oldest daughter Anna has announced that she and her boyfriend Keith plan to be married in a few weeks. She doesn't want anything fancy, and plans to marry at the justice of the peace. However, this is not what Jane wants for her daughter. Suddenly, Jane shows a new interest in life, and with the help of Wilson the two of them proceed to organize the best wedding any daughter ever had.

  As the wedding plans take shape, Wilson keeps Noah up to date. During their visits, Wilson notes how Noah dotes on the swan, talking to her and sharing his thoughts with her. A few odd events almost convince Wilson that maybe this is indeed Allie reborn, but he always keeps these thoughts to himself. And all through these visits, Noah reminisces about his wife, while Wilson remembers his own first love Jane.

  The title THE WEDDING is misleading, but this was Sparks' intention. Yes, the entire book is about the family getting ready for the big wedding, but the reader will realize by the end of the book that the story is much more than just THE WEDDING. The ending will surprise you, as it surprised some of the characters in the book. The story of the swan helps round out this tale of eternal love and may turn even the most cynical of persons into a romantic.
  
  

• Boring

  
  By A1IL6W1NK05UW9 on 2003-10-19
  At the risk of getting a gazillion negative votes for this review-I found this latest work by Sparks to be boring and average at best. The first two-thirds of the book are especially dull. The last third is more worthwhile, if you make it that far, where some humor and lightheartedness makes the story mildly interesting.

  The story itself is about a middle-age couple where the spark seems to be out of the marriage because the husband is rather dull and inattentive. With the kids out of the house the marriage has become routine. As Wilson, the husband, realizes his faults he attempts to make amends and reenergize his marriage. He uses his daughter's upcoming wedding (thus the title of the book) as a catalyst to make amends for failings. The real catch for Sparks fans is that Wilson is married to the daughter of Noah and Allie, the couple from The Notebook. Noah plays a peripheral but important part in the novel.

  The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, and A Walk to Remember are vintage Sparks and highly recommended. His last several novels, to this reader, have lacked the easy pacing and evocative prose that made these three novels top notch stories.
  
  

• A Challenge

  
  By A13U138S0AHZY0 on 2003-11-05
  I still remember the exact spot where I was standing in my home when I read the final pages of The Notebook. I had to hide from my kids because I was crying so hard! And I can say the same thing about Nicholas' earlier books - Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember.

  But then I noticed that Nicholas' books were gradually becoming tired and repetitive. I hated to admit it because I love his writing so much and I think he's a great guy. He was really the first author I found who could touch me emotionally in a very real way without his novels being filled with junk. And so I've stayed loyal to him, but I feel as his fans that we need to challenge him more.

  All the stories are beginning to sound alike. And for the first time, with The Wedding, I didn't feel anything for the characters. I tried to because I want to have that excitement again of picking up a Sparks novel and getting sucked into it and feeling something deeply for 250 pages.

  But it's not there anymore. And so rather than continue to simply applaud Nicholas for his efforts, I think we need to tell him that we expect more. He's making millions of dollars on every novel and if you were honest with yourself and picked up this book and didn't know it was by Nicholas, you'd struggle through it. And I'm afraid to say it but I think maybe he used the whole Notebook tie-in with Noah and Allie just to sell books because I didn't see how it was relevant to this story.

  So I want to challenge my favorite author to perhaps pick a different setting, something that will help him write passionately again so we can feel the characters and the magic.

  And I want to challenge my fellow Sparks fans to try some other authors who write with that passion and with an intensely human feel to their writing such as Richard Paul Evans and Kirk Martin. Check out richardpaulevans.com and kirkmartinbooks.com and see if you can feel that moving, personal human touch that first captivated you with Nicholas' work. If you don't absolutely love their novels, I would be shocked.

  And Nicholas, please, please take your time with the next novel and let us feel the passion again!
  
  

• Very Disappointed

  
  By on 2003-09-30
  I have been a fan on Nicholas Sparks for about 5 years now. I buy everyone of his books as soon as they come out. I am afraid to say that is going to change now...this book was a huge disappointment. I must say that the last three have disappointed me. Bend in the Road was the first to let me down, Nights in Rodanthe continued the downward trend and The Wedding was the final straw. This was the story of an average marriage; a man and a woman growing apart over time. In my opinion using the characters from The Notebook was a cheap ploy to pull in readers. These characters were average and pulling Noah and Allie into was unnecessary. Those two should have been left alone. If you are looking for the magic of Noah and Allie skip this book and read The Notebook again. I also suggest trying a new author, Kirk Martin and read Shade of the Maple, the love story is ever bit as moving as The Notebook.
  
  

• Another great one from Sparks

  
  By on 2004-01-02
  I started reading The Wedding the day that it arrived in the mail. I was finished by the next evening. I couldn't put it down for long. I'd cook...read...clean up...read...put my 3 year old to bed...read. My husband and I have fallen into the same type of rut that Wilson and Jane had fallen into in the beginning of the book. It has given me hope and encouragement. I have already started my new year's diet, and working on making myself closer to the person that he married. Not just weight wise, but being more attentive to him. The story was great. I saw the lady's review that said his books are all the same. That's what I like about Sparks. I know that when I pick up his books, I will laugh, cry, and finish the book with something to think about. Marriage is work. It is not easy and Sparks reminds us of that. Great book!!!
  
  
• No magic here
  By on 2003-10-30
  I can't believe what I'm reading. After finishing The Wedding,
  I was anxious to see how terribly awful the reviews from
  Booklist, Library journal, etc., must be. I am shocked.
  What? Magic? This seems, for pages and pages and pages, nothing more than the details of a wedding being planned.
  The cake tasting, the flowers, the rushrushrushrushrush to
  try and find a gown, and a photographer, and oh my! so much
  to do.
  We know, page after page, how we just aren't sure we can have music and how in the world can we get a caterer on such short
  notice? But not to fear, her man came through because, why? Well,
  because he forgot their anniversary, of course. How mundane.
  How totally uninspired. This is just a disappointment. It IS
  sugary-sweet. No doubt about it. When Noah finally decides to
  win her romance back, he ..... sprinkles rose petals and draws
  a bath; leaves a note that says "pick the bath oil you want." Yawn. Brilliant. This is a sad case of we all went

  out and bought a book based on the first, and someone sat in
  his chair typing this thing out knowing we would all along.
  
  

• A New Beginning
  By A28DARLSZPAS7E on 2003-11-07
  Ashley Wheeler
  English 111
  November 6, 2003

  Nicholas Sparks most recent novel, The Wedding, is an incredible story of a lost love between a husband and wife renewed. It is the sequel to the novel, The Notebook, which was written by Sparks. When the story opens, Wilson and Jane have become very complacent with their love and relationship. Through out the novel Wilson attempts to rekindle the sparks that he once shared with Jane. Wilson and the couples oldest daughter have deceived Jane into believe that she is planning a wedding for their daughter when in reality, she is planning her own wedding. When the couple married, some thirty years before, it was on the front steps of the courthouse and Wilson wants to give Jane what she has always dreamed of. Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, along with every other novel that Sparks has written, there were numerous happenings that I had no way of relating to. I am not married and I felt that this book related in many ways to what most married couples have experienced or will experience at sometime during their marriage. Putting what knowledge I gained from The Notebook and The Wedding together, I see that marriage is much more than a bed of roses and actually takes work and compromise.
  
  

• weak writing
  By A3APMJK34UP9XE on 2005-09-06
  I do not understand how one becomes a bestselling author writing rubbish like this.
  
  My complaints are not so much about the story itself as they are about the prose. There is nothing fresh about this book. The prose is cliche, predictable and lacks depth. Therefore, if you are cliche, predictable and lack depth, you will probably love this book.
  
  There are so many amazing writers out there, I do not recommend this one.
  
  
• Good but not great...
  By on 2003-10-01
  As a huge fan of Nicolas Sparks i was excited to hear about him bringing back some of the characters from The Notebook,that part of the book was really good. This book was a true love story but not exactly his best work..I'm currently hooked on Kirk Martin books. Kirk Martin is a new author who has the same style as the OLD Nicolas Sparks..kirkmartinbooks.com you will be truly amazed at the stories he creates and the feeling they leave you with, wanting more and more....
  
  
• WOW I SECOND THAT!!
  By A4L4U0NEMAD10 on 2003-09-19
  I just finish this book, and what a book it is: ) I thought is was a beautifully written story about remembering why you felt in love in the first place. I just love all the people in this book, I felt the love that Wilson felt for Jane and he is trying to make up for all thoe times he hasn't been there for her. My heart went out to Noah, missing his wife Allie it is so touching the way he loved her. I love the part of the SWAN :) This book is a keeper for me :)
  Happy Reading
  Lisa
  
  
• Fabulous Sequel!
  By A2RX6TVTHT4WPJ on 2006-07-14
  I loved this sequel to The Notebook ... maybe loved it even more! I "read" the audio version, expertly read with great emotion & character by Tom Wopat. This story picks up with the children of Allie and Noah. Noah is now residing in a retirement center. This is the story of Noah's daughter Jane and her husband Wilson. Their marriage is in trouble. He's forgotten their anniversary and it's just the way their marriage has been going lately... he's been neglecting Jane and the family for years. With a bit of advise and encouragement from Noah, he decides he must save his marriage. He loves his wife desperately... just doesn't know how to show or say it. He has a plan.... it will take the next year to carry it out. This book will warm you all over and I guarantee you'll never look at a swan the same way again!! I give this book a full 5 starz! JMHO //(*_*)\\
  
  
• Don't Mess with Noah and Allie
  By on 2003-09-16
  I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to read this book. For me, Noah and Allie are tucked away like Rick and Ilsa, Francesca and Robert, their story was so romantic, sweet, wonderful, I didn't want to taint it by reading more about them or having any gaps filled in. I don't want to know how Rick and Ilsa got together, I don't want to know what Francesca and Robert did after they said goodbye, I don't want to have Noah and Allie be anything other than the perfect love story they are.

  In the end I decided to read The Wedding and was glad I did. It is its own separate story and it thankfully doesn't mess with the original story in The Notebook. Noah is in this book quite a bit, but he's just Noah and he's there for Wilson's story, not to re-write his own. That was a huge relief!

  On its own, this is a very sweet and touching book. Its a quick easy read, but gets the point across that even the most time tested love needs an update every so often.
  
  

• I believe in fairy tales
  By A2ZVO95BI3ER0P on 2005-09-05
  I loved this book. If you think it's a fairytale - maybe, but why not one that can become true.
  The author is inspiring, if you have not lost your passion for life or even then, I can immagine you would get it back.
  How he describes the ways of the main character, who tries to rescue his marriage with a woman he stills loves and touches all areas that we have in our lives as job, friends, family members as kids and parents is amazingly joyful and seriously truthful at the same time!
  Who likes passion in his life and still believes in it should also read "Instanteanous Transformation" from Ariel and Shya Kane
  They helped me finding my passion for life back and until I met them I didn't even know I had lost it! I thought this is the way life is supposed to be.
  Don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself and don't listen to what your mind tells you, your heart knows better!
  
  
• Gimme a Break
  By A1UEGXIEWVH28B on 2005-12-29
  I've got to admit, I've never been a Sparks fan, but this is the worst of the worst. This book is poorly written, lacks imagination, is hokey beyond belief, and has nothing redeemable about it. It was clearly written for sappy women that are looking for the "ahh" factor from books. Anyone that reads anything of substance will just be annoyed by this drivel. If I hadn't had to read it for book club, it would have gone in the trash. I gave it one star because I couldn't give it a 0.
  
  
• Good sequel to his first book
  By A91LE0MPYE8GJ on 2003-09-10
  The Wedding is a sequel to his first novel The Notebook. Wilson Lewis is having marriage problems with his wife Jane. His daughter is getting married. He wants to fix his problems--OK won't give the rest away this is A great book. Can't wait for his non-fiction book Three Weeks With My Brother due out Spring 2004! Read The Notebook first.
  
  
• Sparks does it again...
  By A31GUQ31T0E4OF on 2003-09-18
  What an amazing book. I wasn't sure what to expect since I am so fondly attached to the Notebook, and often times sequels fall flat and disappoint. This book however just goes to show how good Sparks is at his craft. Not only does he manage to create another love story for the ages, but he does it while weaving in characters we've all grown to love. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, another twist occurs and you're left reeling. I thought I knew exactly how everything was going to turn out, but to my surprise there were twists I wasn't expecting. Definitely a great read that will make you cherish the ones you love!
  
  
• A Great First Experience With Nicholas Sparks
  By A2V0CFD0TQ1LQ1 on 2003-12-21
  I enjoyed "The Wedding" very much. It was very sweet, very sad. Sad not in the way you might think. Sad as in time is passing and it's sad because you can't change past mistakes. Just ordinary things that pass every day in your life, but it's sad because you don't treasure it, because you look back and you wish you had.

  "The Wedding" is about a man who realizes that after 30 years of marriage, his wife might not love him anymore. He recounts all of his mistakes, including the day when he forgot their 29th anniversary. So, as he prepares the ultimate present, he tries to change himself, to go past the barrier he has set himself. (He is a man of routine and uncomfortable with sentimentalities.) Also, more things are happening and changing around him. This "unsentimental" man struggles to express his unexpressable love for his "swan" (you'll understand if you read) and also keeps a great secret from her and the reader, who will find the most delightful surprise at the end of this story.

  Please read this if you ever have the time. If you see it in the library, give it a try or ask to borrow it if you ever find it on a friend's bookshelf. I promise your time won't be wasted. There's no great excitement, no danger, no fantastical journey to save the world. It's just a man, you know, who asks his wife, "If you had to do it all over-and knowing how everything would turn out with us-would you marry me again?" When you get to the end, you feel all happy and peaceful because you know that there is always hope.
  
  

• Life's Reality... Rediscovery of love...
  By A27BMOYRWBTH1P on 2004-01-31
  Nicholas Sparks provides an in-depth story to follow his earlier book - THE NOTEBOOK, extending the story of Noah & Allie. In simplistic fashion using descriptive words and conversations, the author writes as though the character (Wilson) who narrates is talking directly to the reader, burrowing inside the characters creating an impossibility not to get involved in the story. The author's simplistic style is poetic, heartwarming, and beautiful... as if reading a letter from a friend, a relative, or being told about 'a life' in person - one-on-one.

  Written in the first person, narrative style, author Nicholas Sparks takes the reader through a story of love, joy, sadness, laughter, tears & hope, with love to be rekindled. The story evolves around a married couple in their early to mid 50's... Jane - falling out of love, and Wilson - the narrator, who desires to recapture the "magic" of why they originally got married. Wilson begins his soul-searching, admitting to and identifying his frailties as a husband & father - working long hours while spouse Jane tends to the children through their growing years with a passion. Wilson and Jane come from two different types of families who reared their children differently... Wilson is more or less a loner, left to create his own way albeit strong and intelligent... from parents who were "busy" with their own careers and talents; Jane is raised with siblings by parents who spend a lot of time with children, instilling manners in them which are carried forth by Jane and her siblings into their own marriages. Jane is grounded in Southern roots, God & family, with confidence that is instilled in children Anna, Joseph & Leslie.

  Wilson admits that their children had been nurtured from babyhood to adulthood mostly by their mother. Knowing that something is amiss in his marriage -- each living separate lives, with a wall of indifference between himself and Jane, Wilson embarks on a search which leads to varying decisions and methods of re-courting Jane; the journey takes him back in time, searching to the days when they first met. Wilson questions the reasons why Jane married him in the first place, why did she choose him?

  This reader is compelled to provide potential readers of this tome with a few of Sparks' quotes:
  "When the next brilliant flash illuminates the sky, I often find myself filled with longing, though I'm at a loss to tell you what it is that I feel my life is missing."

  "But Love... is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day."

  How can this writing not be a page turner with the flow from page-to-page coaxing the reader to "hear" how the conversation ends. Thank you Nicholas Sparks for this beautiful read and gracious 'Swan song'.
  
  

• A Waste of Time
  By A3Q7ZL6TPRX2Y on 2004-05-04
  The Notebook was a wonderfully romantic book, but this - The Wedding - is uninvolving and repetitive. This is supposed to be a contiunation of The Notebook and follows the story of Jane and Wilson; Jane is the daughter of Noah and Allie from The Notebook. Wilson and Jane have drifted apart from one another during the course of thier 30 year marriage, and this is Wilson's story of how he gains redemption for his misdeeds all those years. The characters are flat, the dialogue is repetitive, and I felt like I was reading the same chapter from beginning to end. Every chapter is almost identical to the one before it (in terms of words and descriptions), and I found this book to be boring and badly written. There is no depth here, and the writing is as if someone is speaking to you all the time. For instance, "I got up. I went out. I went to the store. I felt happy. Then I did this..." It is pretty childish writing and a very flat story.
  
  
• Over the top sappiness
  By A2809SZQJMC9XU on 2004-08-19
  Wilson is a boring man who has spent his life letting his wife do everything else while he makes the money. The big surprise is that suddenly he realizes that he needs to make her happy so he starts cooking veal and reading poetry. He also starts walking and miraculously loses all his extra weight. It is all just so easy! The author is obviously trying to sell books to bored housewives with stale husbands. I finished the book because I was on vacation and didn't have another one to pick up.
  
  
• Beautiful story about love
  By A1W3M4PL5VUSHN on 2004-10-04
  In this sequel to "The Notebook" we follow Noah and Allie's son-in-law, Wilson and his family. Wilson had forgotten he and his wife Jane's 29th wedding anniversary last year and like many empty nesters, have had a hard time adjusting and communicating with each other after the children had left home. Wilson was always the provider--working long hours at the law office, often missing out on family events. Jane was the caregiver, never missing a single moment of their 3 children's lives. But when their oldest daughter Anna comes home and announces she is getting married and next Saturday, the day of her parents 30th wedding anniversary, Jane is still determined to give her the wedding of her dreams despite only having a week to plan. Jane and Anna are gone most of the week with preperations and Wilson even steps up to the plate and helps. He also visits Noah and keeps him informed, often seeking advice about he and Jane. Wilson, determined to make their 30th anniversary very memorable has been working on a special project for nearly a year with the help of family and friends. He plans to present to her a few days before the wedding. The ending has a surprise twist, one that I was a little expecting, but not exactly how it happened--it was better than I envisioned. The book is so romantic and so full of truths. Romance is something you have to work at in a marriage, it just does not happen. So for those who think this is science fiction or farfetched, I am sorry you don't get this kind of romance in your life, but I know several men who under the same circumstances, could most certainly have done what Wilson did. There is not enough romance anymore and I believe that is why so many marriages fail. Romance you have to work at. Don't confuse it with lust. It is not the same. Wilson was not always romantic like this, there were events that lead to a realization and a desire to do something about it. A desire to save their marriage and put his wife as a priority. The Wedding was a beautiful story. Mrs. Sparks must be a lucky lady!!
  
  
• LOVED it!!!!
  By AUYWS40MXONYP on 2005-05-31
  This book was amazing. It brought tears to my eyes after I read what Wilson Lewis did for his wife, Jane. Since their marriage was failing, Wilson decided to try to save it by reliving his past. After a year of planning, Wilson must pull off the biggest and grandest surprise of all for Jane. While this is happening, their daughter Anna announces that she is getting married on their anniversary. As the wedding day and the thirty year anniversary arrives, Wilson pulls off a twist that surprises everyone, including myself. This book made me realize that true love can never be lost, just misplaced.
  
  
• Yeah, right!
  By A22T80732XQNO8 on 2006-07-21
  First of all, men like this don't exist, which is probably why I thought of it as so sickening.
  
  Next, to the review. Wilson and Jane are a middle-aged couple having some marital troubles. He forgets their anniversary, so the next year, he plans some freakishly odd gift where he leaves notes and little presents around the house all leading up to them meeting at her parents old house for a dinner date. Then we have to read through a page and a half of them having sex in what was once Jane's parents' room. Am I crazy, or do we all feel sick when we read something like, "Down to the floor went her new dress and my jacket." (Yup, I thought so.)
  
  So, unless you like reading about what goes on in a 40 year old bedroom (yes, everyone does it, and I enjoy reading romances, but Sparks makes all of his sex scenes graphic.)
  
  This is all I shall leave you with my friends. Take it or leave it!
  
  
• Sparks is only getting better!
  By A1DQZBHEU98PBT on 2007-04-25
  I have been reading Sparks since The Notebook was written, and have read his books faithfully since. I have added his books to my library shelf and have not been disappointed yet! The Wedding is no exception, and I am beginning to think that Sparks is only getting better with experience and age.
  
  The Wedding is about a marriage that's on the rocks, not from any major event that has happened, but moreover from erosion of dedication and communication over time. And as the couple is nearing their 30th wedding anniversary, the question of whether they will spend the next 30 years of their lives together looms heavily over their heads.
  
  I think this story is one many of us can relate to, even if we are not in similar circumstances, it may be something we have seen our friends or parents go through, or something we fear for ourselves down the road. For me, this book was a welcome reminder that a marriage takes work and dedication and that no matter what else is going on in your life, you can always infuse a little romance! Which, of course in traditional Sparks style, he does!
  
  I enjoyed this book because it was very well written, at times I felt it was poetic in sharing sentiments. I also loved how the story was weaved together and how it was brought to a wonderful ending. Plus, the romantic side of me was not disappointed at all either! If you haven't read Sparks, I highly recommend picking up a book of his to try, in addition to being great stories, the are all easy reads and at usually around 300 or so pages, not super time consuming as well.
  
  
• Afraid I've Lost My Favorite Author
  By A9HDSNGWYG3OS on 2003-09-25
  Something seemed to happen after Nicholas became a bestselling author. I loved The Notebook and Message in A Bottle, even A Walk to Remember. But as time has progressed, his other novels have been spotty. There have been glimpses of creativity and superb storytelling, but for the most part his writing is now flat and uninspiring. Each new book seems to be merely a string of cliches, and I can't believe his editors let him get away with some of the awkward sentences and horrid lines. I'm sorry, but it seems like he is content to churn out novel after novel, like he is taking his readers for granted and not giving his best. I used to overlook the holes in the stories, the contrived plots and predictable endings because I liked his simplicity and the emotion he tapped into, but now it just seems like an old, uninspired formula. And I'm truly sad because I fear I have now lost one of my favorite authors. At the same time, I think he should feel ashamed because he has an incredibly loyal fan base who anxiously await each new novel with his name on the cover, spent their hard earned money on his books...but then open them up and find that the magic is gone. It's very sad.
  
  
• Another Winner from Nicholas Sparks
  By A2F6N60Z96CAJI on 2003-10-04
  The essence of THE WEDDING, Nicholas Sparks's latest novel of self-discovery and self-redemption, is that a man can consciously effect change in himself. THE WEDDING is the story of attorney Wilson Lewis, the son-in-law of Noah and Allie Calhoun, the well-remembered couple made famous in Sparks's debut novel THE NOTEBOOK. Throughout THE WEDDING, Sparks refers to the relationship that endears his readers to the Calhouns. Wilson questions his own ability to romance his wife Jane when he completely forgets their twenty-ninth anniversary. For the next year, he plans an occasion she will never forget.

  When Wilson and Jane's daughter Anna comes home with the news that she is to marry, Wilson finds the vehicle to effect his own plans for a renewal of the lost emotion in his own marriage. Anna requests a simple, quick wedding, but Jane rejects this. A compromise is reached to have the ceremony the following weekend, but it will not be the "go-to-the-courthouse, justice-of-the-peace" type ceremony that Anna had first outlined. With her husband's assistance, Jane helps Anna carry out plans for a small family-and-friends celebration.

  Sparks effectively uses flashback techniques to keep the story line moving toward Anna's wedding day, the climax of the weeklong activities. Throughout, Wilson remembers his first date, first kiss, courtship, wedding and marriage with Jane. The realization that their relationship has changed, and not for the better, gives him the impetus to make changes in himself. Anna's wedding is the catalyst for effecting that transformation.

  Wilson's close friendship with Noah, now widowed, is the undercurrent for the emotion he needs to move forward in his plans for a better marriage. Noah is a gentleman, now living in a retirement center. His and Allie's home remains in the family but is uninhabited. Noah spends his time at Creekside with food outstretched to a white swan that glides across the pool for his daily attention. The act gives him purpose, after Alzheimer's disease has taken Allie from him. Wilson is the recipient of his wisdom in the unfolding story.

  Wilson becomes involved in Anna's wedding plans when he suggests that Noah's house be the chosen site. He arranges for the renovation and restoration of the interior as well as the rose garden, accomplished in a short week. He romances Jane as well during this time, becoming the family "chef" when her days are filled with shopping.

  One wonders how Wilson can attend to his own business during the frenetic days following Anna's wedding announcement. But THE WEDDING is a story of renewed efforts to make a man's personal life better. Sparks has the ability to tell a simple story with rich emotion and give his readers a sense of fulfillment.

  --- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad
  
  

• ONE OF HIS BEST
  By A2GDAN3EJAV841 on 2003-10-09
  I was hesitant to read this book after reading some of the reviews, man am I glad I gave Mr. Sparks a chance. I am a huge fan of his early work. Yes, I have been a little disappointed with some of his more recent work but with The Wedding he has returned to his roots--a pure romantic. I loved how they incorporated the character from The Notebook. This book made me cry and made my heart ache (in a good way). I would put it down on my lunch break at work to compose myself then would pick it right back up to finish. It was just a love story for the hopeless romantic in all of us. It is a quick read and very enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to his fans. It is one of his best in my opinion.
  
  
• For Us Guys
  By A1CHM200OEN65X on 2003-11-06
  Since "The Notebook," I've followed Sparks' books with varying degrees of interest. They hit all the right notes in some places; in other places, they become saccharine and sticky-sweet. "The Guardian" tried to be grittier, but failed to generate long-term suspense.

  "The Wedding" is a sweet and satisfying sequel to "The Notebook." Again, we see Noah. He is a wise and lonely man, who passes on his romantic notions to his son-in-law, Wilson. Soon, the hasty wedding plans for Wilson and Jane's daughter take over the family's life. Along the way, Wilson makes plans of his own to rekindle the romance he and Jane once shared.

  As usual, the story has a few surprises (most of them not that hard to figure out, but cute), and there is never any doubt of the ultimate outcome. My wife loved the book, whereas I found it a bit slow and predictable. Overall, though, much closer to what Sparks does best...reminding us all to share our romance and keep it alive. Not a bad message--especially for us guys.
  
  

• 30 years of marriage isn't always a bed of roses
  By on 2003-11-07
  It is so easy to take things for granted when you are married for 30 years. Sometimes that can lead to a yearning for something more in life and with the biological clock ticking away the years, that yearning pushes everything that a couple becomes accustomed to away. Nicholas Sparks depicts this perfectly and details how it is never to late to attempt to rekindle that passionate love that brings people to marriage in the first place. Another winner by the King of romance novels.
  
  
• Moving tale with a great ending
  By A2HM0BZWQRV1EF on 2004-02-27
  I've long been a fan of Nicholas Sparks (think MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE,
  A WALK TO REMEMBER, etc.), so when I heard he had written a
  follow-up to THE NOTEBOOK--his first novel--I anxiously sought it out.

  THE WEDDING did not disappoint. It is the story of a man dearly in love
  with his wife, but who has trouble showing that sentiment. He learns to
  do so, in part because of the shining example set by his in-laws, Noah
  and Allie Calhoun, and their 50-year love affair that was so movingly

  recounted in THE NOTEBOOK).

  I must admit that I don't cry often; however, this tale did cause me to
  mist-up at times. A surprise ending further added to my enjoyment.

  And because I'm roughly the same age as the main character, I
  do believe that fact helped me further relate to his experiences. Also,
  I've experienced some of what he went through.

  Sparks' writing, as always, kept my interest. There were several
  memorable passages; among them:

  He smiled. "That's what I mean when I say that I did it for me. Every
  time I read to her, it was like I was courting her, because sometimes,
  just sometimes, she would fall in love with me again, just like she
  had a long time ago. And that's the most wonderful feeling in the
  world. How many people are ever given that chance? To have
  someone you love fall in love with you over and over?"

  Jane, however, had been making my plans difficult to keep. She seemed
  to enjoy my company. She listened with interest, teased me playfully,
  and always reached for my hand whenever we were together. The first
  time she did this, I remember thinking how right it felt. Though if
  sounds ridiculous, when a couple holds hands, it either feels right or
  it doesn't. I suppose this had to do with the inter-twining of fingers and
  the proper placement of the thumb, though when I tried to explain
  my reasoning to her, Jane laughed and asked me why it was so
  important to analyze.

  This week, I hadn't been focusing on my problems and doing my best
  to correct them. This week, I'd been thinking of her; I'd committed
  myself to helping her with family responsibilities, I'd listened with
  interest whenever she spoke, and everything we discussed seemed
  new. I'd laughed at her jokes and held her as she'd cried, apologized
  for my faults, and showed her the affection she both needed and
  deserved. In other words, I'd been the man she'd always wanted, the
  man I once had been, and--like and old habit rediscovered--I now
  understood that it was all I ever needed to do for us to begin enjoying
  each other's company again.
  
  

• The Notebook
• A Bend in the Road
• The Rescue
• A Walk to Remember
• The Guardian