“She often asked when I recalled last having a sensation of wonder or awe, emotions she experienced regularly, and I never knew quite how to answer.”
💜
A pairing that I wouldn’t have thought about and honestly why I requested it, I was curious to see what Sparks and Shyamalan could put together and while I didn’t love it, there were parts that I definitely enjoyed, a case of liking the idea more than the product.
✨
A mix of romance, mystery, and some supernatural events it’s set up to be a great intro into spooky season. The romance felt very true Nicholas Sparks - a bit of a grumpy, quiet man and a damsels in distress (ish) woman, but for some reason it works lol Tate sister passed away so he’s also working through his own grief, I loved the videos from his sister 🥹 I think if you ever lost someone close to you, you will treasure those moments. There is a mystery surrounding a death of a woman in the community, that one is a little harder to talk about without giving something away, it won’t keep you up at night, there were parts I figured out, but it keeps ya moving through. The supernatural moments were interesting, there was a mix of creepy, gruesome chapters and tender, heartwarming ones, you’ll understand if you decide to read! Now I moved through this pretty quickly and I going back and forth about my rating, I really needed to see how it ended and it was okay! I liked this one a little more than his other recent book, which I also got the arc for, Counting Miracles, but still missing something for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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(This review will publish on Instagram on September 4.)

I loved reading this and it’s the first book in a long time that was hard for me to put down. I thought about it in between and looked forward to getting back to the story. Even with books I love, this doesn’t always happen. Maybe it was due to all the anticipation for this collaboration but I was fully immersed.

If you know the work of Nicholas Sparks and/or M. Night Shyamalan and think you know what this book will be like, you’re probably right. To me, that’s a good thing!

This review will be short and vague to avoid giving anything away. I’ll just say that Remain is a perfect blending of what each author is best known for. The story has both vibes and will make a cool movie. I could picture the spooky and/or horror elements as I read and they are going to be compelling on screen. I enjoy books that blend genres and this is an excellent read for anyone else who is a fan of multi-genre stories. You’ll be scared, you’ll be intrigued, you’ll smile, and you may even cry.

The only thing I’ll say that isn’t glowing is that the ‘why’ behind the explanation of one of the central mysteries was underwhelming and pretty predictable. I used to be a tougher reviewer and probably would have lowered my rating in the past, but I couldn’t give this anything but 5 ⭐️based on how much I enjoyed it.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for access to the eARC!

What a collaboration of two amazing story tellers! A story of love but mixed with some suspense. What more could you want? Loved this book and I can't wait for everyone to experience this book as well!

Nicholas Sparks meets M. Night Shymalan?!? Sign me up.. you get the love story from Nicholas and the suspense from M. Night that’s a win! I loved this book so much! I don’t like to give spoilers in my reviews so everyone can dive in for themselves. Just know you won’t be disappointed.

This book is an interesting change for Nicholas Sparks. A story with a romance where things aren't as they seem. The tale unfolds in a way that you couldn't ever imagine.

Nicolas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan - together?? I don't usually read Mr. Sparks unless I need a good cry. But M. Night Shyamalan? Bring on the chills! I really liked this ghostly romance. The feelings and atmosphere that both authors brought is unique to both of them but a great combination.

There are not enough stars to rate this book!!! Sparks and Shyamalan are fantastic together and definitely need to write a few more books together & this book REALLY needs to be made into a movie. Blending a love story with the supernatural was brilliant - the reader will hear both of these author's voices in the story & their character development was right on point! I cannot say enough about this book!!! Thank you so much for the ARC!

Remain is basically Nicholas Sparks meets M. Night Shyamalan, a love story with a paranormal twist. Tate, an architect trying to heal after his sister’s death, heads to Cape Cod for a fresh start and ends up falling for Wren, a mysterious woman who makes him question everything he thought he knew about life, love, and even death. It’s got small-town drama, secrets bubbling under the surface, and that classic Sparks-style romance with a spooky edge.

This one wasn’t quite what I was expecting but it was still enjoyable. Interested to see what’s next for Nicholas Sparks.

I’ve always loved Nicholas Sparks’ writing and was a little skeptical of a paranormal story, but overall it worked. It was a little slow in the beginning, but the suspenseful moments later made up for it and boosted my rating.

This will definitely be a really good, spooky read for fall! I cannot wait to see the movie next year.

Thank you NetGalley and company for the advance reader copy.

Thank you, NetGalley & Random House, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this one.
The murder mystery aspect was the only thing keeping me engaged.
I found the romance portion to be quite stale and boring.
The plot twist was predictable and easy to spot right away due to the way the characters were written. There was no wow factor at the end.
2.5 stars – round up to 3, because this had potential, and I was hooked when reading it.

From the opening chapters, Remain gave me a strong Ghost meets The Sixth Sense vibe—which makes perfect sense given the authors behind it. I went into this book curious to see how Sparks’s trademark romance would blend with Shyamalan’s signature suspense, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The pacing begins slowly, easing readers into Tate’s grief and his tentative bond with Wren. But as the mystery unfolded, the tension steadily built, and I found myself on edge more than once—especially during the eerie bathroom scenes that had my heart racing. The story creates a constant undercurrent of unease; I never quite trusted any character fully, which kept me guessing all the way through.

Even though Wren’s story is revealed fairly early, there was always the sense that something more was lurking beneath the surface. At times, I felt like pieces were missing—but then, at the end, everything clicked together in a twist that left me smacking my forehead, saying, “I should have seen that coming!” That moment of revelation made the journey worthwhile.

Character-wise, Tate and Oscar stood out as a strong pair; their interactions added depth and balance to the tension. The chemistry between Tate and Wren was subtle but compelling, just enough to pull me in without overshadowing the suspense.

Overall, Remain is atmospheric, unsettling, and surprisingly moving. The blend of supernatural suspense and tender romance makes it a unique read—and one that I could easily see adapted into a movie. It might start slowly, but stick with it: the payoff is satisfying, and the story lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, that after having absolutely devoured this book, that my opinion on this author may have shifted dramatically. I also think that it's ironic that the only two books I've read by this author, had ghosts in them.

This novel was a paranormal romance at its finest. We start the novel not quite knowing what's going on with the girl Tate meets inside the house he's renting. She vanishes completely, only to reappear days later in a different part of the house. At first I thought that maybe the house was a time paradox and they existed in two timelines at once within the walls of the home, like The Lake House. But the reality of it all was much more tragic. And [spoiler ahead] we spend over 50% of the book knowing that, while Tate and the reader both fall a little harder for Wren, it's never going to work out. It was only ever going to end in tragedy. Which was a certain kind of heart break I wasn't prepared for. Wren may just be one of my favorite characters from any book.

The rest of the cast had personalities all their own, and I especially loved Paulie. For those worried about the feline in a horror/thriller novel, I am pleased to say that you can set those worries aside.

It was a mystery to the reader who it was that actually committed the crime, and only until the end did I start to suspect who it really was. There's a couple that, those who have read the book will know what I'm talking about, that served as the perfect red herring.

This book was entirely unexpected in the best way, and I am so glad that I requested it. I enjoyed this one so much, I may very well buy a hard copy when it releases.

This book was as page turner for me but in the end I feel it fell flat. You could easily tell which portions were headed mostly by Nicholas Sparks and which ones were lead by M. Night Shyamalan. The love story was beautiful in true Sparks fashion and very sad. However, I really started to lose interest when the main character and his friend started questioning everyone about the murder. This may just be a personal thing as I don't particularly enjoy "who done it" stories. Also, disappointing is that I was not at all surprised by the revelation of who killed Wren at the end.

I was surprised to learn that Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamala had co-written a book together, but I wasn’t disappointed. It read like your typical Sparks novel with a supernatural twist.

While it doesn’t scream M. Night Shyamala, so if you’re not really into supernatural, you might still want to try this one. Tate is a guy trying to move on from his shattered life. He’s helping his best friend build his dream summer house, but what he wasn’t expecting is falling in love with a ghost who’s stuck in the house she died in. He’s in a race to find out what really happened to her before she’s stuck as a bad spirit.

The book starts out a bit slow, but it definitely speeds up and you’ll have a hard time putting it down. I must admit, though, that I did have a feeling about the end. But still, a solid 4 stars.

When the king of rom-com romance collides with the king of the supernatural…. SPARKS FLY! ☺️ (see what I did there?)
This book is unlike anything Nicholas Sparks has written previously. Sure there’s a North Carolina beach town setting. Yes, there’s a jaded main character trying to fight their inner demons and find love. With help from M. Night Shyamalan this novel has a spooky supernatural main character that lends this book more towards the thriller/suspense genre!

Tate is the MMC who recently lost his sister and his mind. After a recent stint in a psychiatric hospital, Tate is ready to get back to work designing a summer home for his rich best friend Oscar. Needing a place to stay, Tate books a long term room in an old B&B with a creepy history of its own. Eventually Tate runs into the current owner, Wren who exhibits some odd behavior. As he learns more about local events, Tate discovers a woman died in the very B&B he is staying in. What’s even more intriguing is the death was ruled suspicious and not accidental like the towns people believe. Will Tate be able to solve this mysterious death or will he become the next victim? 🤔

Thank you NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review! I had a blast reading and reviewing this novel!

Thank you Random House & NetGalley for the ARC!

This was my first ever Nicholas Sparks book and I LOVED it! I am still a fluffy romance girl at heart, but this really helped me see that you can still kick your feet at the sweet things they do romantically while still being on the edge of your seat waiting for the mystery to reveal itself.
I definitely had my suspicions on the plot twist, BUT the way it was revealed still made me gasp. Again, I am not a mystery girl so it could be plain as day and I would still be surprised. I genuinely would recommend this book to other readers that enjoy romance MORE than the mystery as this could be predictable to those who find interest in thrillers/mysteries. I am so thankful for this story and the messages surrounding grief/mental health.

This was a really unique take from Nicholas Sparks. I love M. Night and adore his movies. You could definitely feel M. Night in the story and didn’t feel like Sparks typical stories. I enjoyed the plot twist at the end. I think that this would make a really good movie and hope that Sparks will consider making movies again.

This one is not your typical Nicholas Sparks book. Still a very good read for sure. A grieving, depressed architect takes a job to design his friends new home. While staying on Cape, our main character rents a house to stay in while working. The house seems to have a beautiful ghost who hangs out at times but does not seem to know that she is a ghost. What comes next is a telling of Wrenn. A young woman who died in the house. Tate, our architect, is able to see her and talk to her. The spend time together and through scenes he sees her death. He wants to try to find out how it really happened and starts investigating her husband and the people in her life. Then danger happens. I have read every Sparks book. I have read none of M. Night Shyamalan books. This seems to be a wonderful mix of two styles. Heart wrenching at times but I really did love this book. Thank you you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC.

I haven’t read a Nicholas Sparks book in many years. When I saw that this was written with M. Night Shamalyn, I had to read it! This is a pleasant romance mixed with a little ghost story. Recently discharged from an inpatient stay in a psychiatric facility after the death of his sister, Sylvia, Tate heads to Cape Cod to begin an architectural project with his best friend and continue to heal from his loss. I was hoping to see more M. Night shine through. It left me wanting more ghost story and less romance. However, there were some darker scenes that clearly were influenced by him. Overall this was an entertaining read! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader’s copy. I am so so grateful!