When I heard there was a new book co-written by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan, I was stoked to read it. I love the twists in Shyamalan’s films, and have enjoyed several of Sparks’ film adaptations (most notably, The Notebook and A Walk to Remember). Remain is billed as “A Supernatural Love Story,” and at its heart, I believe this to be half true. It’s certainly supernatural. Is it a love story, though? Only if you can fall in love with someone you’ve met a handful of times over the course of a week. I’d say this falls closer to the mystery genre. It’s a slow-unfolding Who Done It wrapped in the guise of a love story.

The premise of the story was a lot of fun. This is where Shyamalan’s influence is really felt, though there were certain other details I felt certain came from him as well. I enjoyed Tate as a narrator, even if his character was sometimes irritating. He would rather send out his laundry than learn to use the machine in his house. I suppose this was meant to make him endearing: he’s a child of wealthy socialites, so he never learned basic housework. Instead, it makes him hard to relate to, but these small details help the reader to understand him and the choices he makes.

A glaring flaw to this book was that it does not pass the Bechdel test. I noticed this at less than 20% of the way into my reading, and unfortunately, it was never proven wrong. The women we do get are stereotypical at best. Tate’s best friend’s wife, for example, is portrayed as the nagger. She doesn’t let her husband eat what he wants, instead forcing salads on him. There are a total of six named women in the novel, and half of them are deceased before the story starts. At this point in his career—a career in which he is known for writing romance novels—Sparks should be better at fleshing out women.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good ghost story, though it’s not fully satisfying. There are a few plot points that never reach resolution and a few questions that go unanswered, but it is a quick read and a way to pass the the time. You’ll likely enjoy this book more if you aren’t a woman, but it is what it is.

Loved it! I will admit at first I was a little apprehensive due to the M Night connection, as I am not a fan of horror and so forth. This book will make you think...and wonder about the afterlife and what might really be the case. It is very typical Nicholas Sparks, with some new aspects thrown in. It was a book I could not put down, and read through quickly!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read this ARC!

Remain follows the story of New York architect Tate Donovan as he arrives in Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home. Recently released from a psychiatric facility where he was treated for depression, Tate is still struggling with the deep sorrow of losing his cherished sister, he is looking for a new start. Before passing,Sylvia’s reveals that she can see spirits still connected to the living. Tate has a hard time believing this until the house he is renting while working on his friend's summer house has an unexpected guest!

I wasn't sure what to expect when blending two contrasting styles like Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan, but they truly excelled with this collaboration! "Remain" has it all! It weaves together mystery, love, friendship, supernatural elements, and an overall captivating narrative! I felt a whirlwind of emotions and couldn't put this book down! The character development and the book's pacing were both outstanding! This is definitely one of my top reads of the year!

Five freaking stars!!!!

The moment I saw that Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan had joined forces I was so excited!!

This book took Sparks passion and Shyamalan's creativity to a whole new level.

Tate inherits a special gift from his sister and once his paths cross with Wren, they have an immediate connection but neither know why.

This book was so incredibly written and one that I most definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

I'm a fan of Nicholas Sparks and M Night Shyamalan so I had high expectations for his book. I was sadly disappointed by this. It was well written but it was very boring. There were some twists but they were quite predictable. This book would be decent for the fall and kind of a mindless read. I liked the supernatural aspect and it had some eerienessI but not enough. I would recommend it to people but it wasn't for me.

Book Review: Remain by Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan

I was honored to receive an advance copy of Remain, the highly anticipated collaboration between Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan. From the very beginning, I could sense a different vibe—something that set this book apart from Sparks’ previous works.

It was clear early on that this wasn’t just another love story. M. Night Shyamalan brought his signature sense of mystery and darkness, weaving in eerie undertones that kept me on edge. At the same time, Nicholas Sparks stayed true to what he does best: crafting a heartfelt, emotional love story set against the backdrop of a small town. The combination of their styles worked in surprising and compelling ways.

The result is a book that feels both familiar and entirely new. It’s romantic, haunting, and deeply emotional, with unexpected twists that elevate the story to something unforgettable. Sparks and Shyamalan stayed true to their strengths while creating something that neither could have accomplished alone.

If you're a fan of either author—or both—you won’t want to miss this one.
Thank you NetGalley

Thank you netgalley and penguin random house for allowing giving me a advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! When you put two great minds together, like nicholas sparks and m night Shyamalan, a master peice is bound to come out. This duo makes you think it wouldnt work together but i think people will be suprised with how well it flows easily. They blended two worlds together effortlessly. There were so many times I wanted to hug the main characters. I love how beautiful and flowy the writing was. It was easy to read but with a deep message.

Thank you to Nicholas Sparks, M. Night Shaymalan, NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC!

I was intrigued that a beloved author and film writer came together for this book. I don’t read a lot of supernatural books, but was enthralled with this one. I enjoyed the mystery aspect and the romance.

I absolutely love Nicholas sparks books. They are full of love and heart break. Now bring M.Night Shyamalan into the mix and it creates a suspenseful novel. Perfect!

This book is not good. I'm a very wide reader of many authors and genres and I had to put this book down after 15% of it. The writing is really awful and the characters are unbelievable and overwrought. I hope it's a better movie.

I'm a HUGE Sparks fan, and I devour his book in short time. I've never read the other author before and I don't enjoy supernatural or magic elements so this one unfortunately was a huge miss for me! The romance part was also unsettling and a bit disturbing.
I will be purchasing this book for our library when released, and I appreciate the ARC.

Such a awesome story and so unusual to tie these 2 author's together. I loved it and appreciate so much that I got to enjoy it. Highly recommend it to all. The overall feeling is so very mysterious! It would make a super movie also. Sort of like one I just watched called Presence with Lucy Liu. Give me a good scary ghost story and I am so happy, book or movie! It gets so suspenseful and builds to a great climax. Go read it!

I’m not going to lie. The pairing of Nicholas Sparks and M Night Shyamalan was intriguing, and it actually surprised me on how good it was!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the early copy of Remain.
While the story eventually finds its footing, the slow-burning start made it difficult to fully immerse myself at first. Once things picked up, I found the narrative engaging enough—but overall, I walked away feeling somewhat underwhelmed.
Given the names involved, I had higher expectations. I hoped for the emotional intensity and chemistry of a Nicholas Sparks romance, a stronger dose of the supernatural to make Tate and Wren’s connection feel earned and actually work somehow, and above all, I was bracing myself for an M. Night Shyamalan-caliber twist—something to flip the story on its head and stay with me long after the final page.
Instead, the ending followed a path I’d predicted well in advance, lacking the impact I anticipated. It’s as if The Sixth Sense had been recycled without the shock or suspense that made it iconic—a twist-free ghost story that left me wishing for more risk, more horror, more mystery, and more emotional payoff.
It’s not a bad book, but with a premise and creative team this promising, Remain just didn’t quite live up to its potential.

Remain is a heartfelt and mysterious love story with a supernatural twist. Tate’s journey through grief, healing, and unexpected romance with Wren kept me hooked. Some parts were slow, but the emotion and atmosphere made it worth the read.

Depressed architect Tate puts down the drafting pencil and tries to solve a cold case by annoying everyone. Ignoring his architectural duties because he is already rich, he finds himself falling for a ghost while learning how to be an adult.

This is a ghoulish mystery romance that is hauntingly perfect for the fall. Following Tate on his journey of side quests was sometimes exhausting but I was constantly thinking about this book. Some of the main character conversations and interactions felt slightly repetitive. The romance was fine but nothing I was really interested in. I was expecting more twists and turns but overall I was happy with how the story progressed and ended.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital copy for review.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC. I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book! As both a Nicholas Sparks fan AND a M Night Shyamalan fan, I was so intrigued to see what they could come up with.

Honestly, this was lackluster in every way. All of the characters felt more like caricatures rather than fully-fleshed people. The romance was strange and didn’t make any sense. It was cheesy and almost teenager-ish. Drinking games? Come on.

The supernatural element was interesting, but didn’t meet the mark in ANY way. I was hoping for an eerie tale since it was partially told by M Night, but this was chaotic and all over the place. The one or two twists were kind of silly (very predictable) and the ending left a lot to be desired.

I know this was intended to be a movie initially, so maybe the movie will be better… But wow. I’m super let down.

Love love loved this one!! It’s hard not to be a Nicholas Sparks fan but the supernatural twist with Shyamalan in those one makes it even better🤭

Rating: 3.5⭐️ Genre-bending, heart-wrenching, and a little nightmare-inducing

Remain was a total surprise! The horror/thriller elements really delivered, and I’ll be honest—I might be losing sleep over it LOL... M. Night did his thing.

Once I got past the slow start (the first 30% dragged a bit), I was hooked. The suspense had me flipping pages fast.

The romance didn’t fully land for me, but the deeper message about allowing yourself to be loved tugged at my heart. Nicholas Sparks brought the emotion in classic fashion and had me tearing up by the end.

It’s not a perfect book, but it’s one that lingers after you finish for sure !

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting collaboration of romance and the supernatural. I enjoyed the storyline but the ending was predictable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC