Multiple times while reading this I had to remind myself that this was a Nicholas Sparks book. Definitely not like anything else he has written before. While I do realize this was a collaboration, it still didn’t live up to a standard I’m used to with his books. There was still a love story like most of his books, but I didn’t really love it.

I am not a huge reader of this author’s books however the description of this novel intrigued me. The paranormal aspect mixed with romance is a different sort of love story. I quickly became invested in this unusual story routing for Tate and Wren. Not a big fan of the ending because it felt a little predictable but I enjoyed the ride getting there. I can’t wait to see the movie version! Love stories are this author’s trademark but my absolute favorite is an old nonfiction he wrote, Three Weeks With My Brother. Highly recommend this one for those looking for a different type of love story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance eGalley . All opinions expressed are truly my own.
#Remain #NicholasSparks #NetGalley #RandomHouse

3.5 stars - this was definitely unique. Suspense-ish. Romance-ish. But there were moments that it was drawn out. I never really connected with the characters, but still wanted to know what happened.
Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is set in Cape Cod and follows Tate, an architect, as he recovers from the death of his sister. When he found out that she was able to communicate with ghosts, it pushed him over the edge and into a psychiatric ward. After his release he heads to Cape Cod to help a friend design his new house while staying at a charming B&B, where he meets Wren. Love, mystery, and creepy factors fill the rest of the book. Sparks wrote his usual captivating love story while Shyamalan wove in his wonderful paranormal plot. This was a good read, but not my favorite from either author. I will definitely be watching the movie when it comes out!

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Remain is a bold and unusual collaboration—melding Sparks’s signature emotional romance with Shyamalan’s uncanny supernatural touch. If you enjoy atmospheric, emotionally driven stories with a sprinkling of mystery and ghostly intrigue, there’s much to appreciate here.

That said, if you prefer slow-building romances, tightly woven mystery arcs, or more nuanced dialogue, you might find it uneven or reliant on familiar tropes.

I'm a huge Nicholas Sparks fan. I've read every book he's written. This one is no different. I did wonder if it's like it, but it turned out to be a great book. You can feel the M Night Shyamalan vibes, but there's the romance too. I will admit it's not Nicholas Sparks usually type, but it works. I can't wait for the movie.

Not a fan of this book. It seemed to lack depth and emotion, and the writing was too sluggish for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy.

In Remain, Nicholas Sparks teams up with M. Night Shyamalan to create a story that mixes heartfelt drama with a touch of the supernatural. The ghostly theme makes it a great choice for fall reading, when a little atmosphere feels just right.

There were a few parts in the middle that slowed the pace for me, but I still wanted to see where the story would go. Shyamalan’s influence adds mystery and tension to Sparks’ familiar style, and overall the result is a fun and engaging read.

Book Review

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Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this advanced readers copy, due to be published in October.

I sometimes struggle with N. Sparks books. For me, they often take too long to get where they are going, or maybe it takes me too long to get into it. This one, not so much.

I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would. I am not a supernatural fan, but this was not over the top and I do feel like it could be possible.

The setting is Cape Cod, which I’m always here for. Tate Donovan arrives to design a magnificent summer home for his best friend and his family. Tate is an architect and has recently spent some time in a psychiatric facility following the death of his sister.

For Tate, this summer is about starting over. Until he meets Wren. Or does he?

Mystery, death, friendship, resilience, human connection and more. Can a person start over? Can someone you’ve never met help your heart heal?

Read it and find out!

#wrenandtate

Absolutely loved this book! Sparks male protagonist stays at an empty house of a friend where its owner had died many years before and ends up talking to her ghost but doesn’t know she’s a ghost when he first meets her and almost instantly falls for her. The more he sees and interacts with her the harder he falls, even after knowing that he is talking to a ghost eventually. This doesn’t stop his heart from wanting her.
As he gets to know her he realizes that she didn’t die accidentally as everyone thought, her ghosts leads him to believe she was murdered and he sets out, with his friend Oscar, to investigate who it was that wanted her dead. As they get closer to the truth they become the hunted and almost sacrifice their own lives to find out who was responsible for her losing hers.
I couldn’t put this one down, I just had to discover how you can love someone that isn’t really there and what happened to that love in the end. Trying to get to those answers yourself will keep you turning the pages until you know. What a great book! I almost want my own ghost to fall in love with!

Thank you to the publisher for my free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, I had given up on reading Nicholas Sparks books because they have become a MAJOR hit or miss for me the last few years, but when I saw this collab with M. Night Shyamalan, I was intrigued. Unfortunately, this book just didn't do it for me. It didn't grip me, it felt a bit redundant, and nothing original - I was hoping for so much more!

Remain was exactly what I expected. A typical Nicholas Sparks story mixed with the letdown of an M. Night Shyamalan twist. I kept hoping for a wild or unique premise, but it ended up feeling pretty generic. The character development was so thin that I honestly thought the main character was a woman for half the book. While it didn’t work for me, I think die hard Nicholas Sparks fans will probably still enjoy it.

Truly disappointing. I was excited when I heard of this writing duo and expected way more than I got. Simplistic to the point of juvenile and just corny. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

While I enjoyed the premise of this, I really wish the book was longer.. It felt like it was missing something the entire time. I wish there was more background between the Reece and Wren that we got to see, but it just felt to....easy?

The creepy nighttime scenes were described pretty well! I could picture then vividly, ew, lol.

All in all, it wasn't the worst, but it sadly wasn't the best! :(

Thank you Net Galley and Random House for the ARC!

This is the collab I never knew I needed!
Picture a heartfelt Nicholas Sparks love story wrapped in the eerie, supernatural edge of M. Night Shyamalan—it’s every bit as captivating as it sounds. I devoured this book and have already recommended it to all my book-loving friends.
On a personal (and slightly spooky) note… two names in this story matched my real life. The grandmother shares the exact name of my beloved grandmother, who passed from COVID in 2020, and one of the husbands even has my last name. 😳
Goosebumps alert!
#Remain #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of Remain by Nicholas Sparks. While Sparks delivers the emotional storytelling and romantic tension he’s known for, I found the female characters to be somewhat stereotypical and two-dimensional, which made parts of the story feel predictable. That said, the novel still explores themes of love, loss, and the impact of past choices in a way that can be moving for fans of his work. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I wish the female perspectives were more fully developed.

I could not resist hitting the request button with gusto when I saw the two names attached to this story. Admittedly, while I always appreciate a ghost/spiritual element, this story was too much of a slow burn. In M. Night fashion, I expected some twists and turns, dark elements of spook and suspense lurking within the pages, that did not come to fruition. A little tame for my expectations.

I was intrigued from the start to see how the book would unfold with a collaboration between Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan. Loved the mysterious vibes that started right from the beginning!
I was on the edge of my seat while reading, trying to figure out how the book would unfold. Good twist at the end! I enjoyed the different supernatural spin on things. Will recommend!!

I love a good genre mishmash and was so excited to see a collaboration between Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan. Cheesy romance meets sci-fi horror with possible jump scares? I’m in!

Alas, that is not what this is. “Remain” is a paranormal romance by Sparks in the same vein as “Safe Haven.” Sure, there’s an underlying mystery made more interesting because one of the protagonists is a ghost, but I just don’t sense Shyamalan’s influence. There isn’t much depth to the characters, there aren’t really any twists or scares that you don’t see coming, and I bet most of us can determine who did it by the halfway point.

I’m not surprised to hear that this book is being made into a movie. I bet, with this collaboration, that had been the concept all along. I have a feeling I will like the movie better. We’ll see.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Remain
by Nicholas Sparks; M.Night Shylamalan
Pub Date: Oct, 14, 2025
Thanks to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A one-of-a-kind novel that grapples with the supernatural mysteries of life, death, and human connection—an unprecedented collaboration between the globally bestselling author of love stories like The Notebook and the renowned writer and director of blockbuster thrillers like The Sixth Sense.
For me this collaboration did not work as well as I had desired. I wanted more. More Sparks.