This book was such a nice surprise. I went in blind as a huge Nicholas Sparks fan and knowing nothing about M. Night Shyamalan. I didn't realize this book had a supernatural element until I got to it in the book. I was shocked as a fan that has read all of Sparks books the minute they come out! I wasn't sure what to think at first, but as I kept reading, I was more and more into the story. It ended up being a great read. A supernatural romance that was delightful and interesting. I suggest that everyone picks up this book and keeps an open mind, I wouldn't consider myself a supernatural/sci-fi/fantasy reader at all, but I loved this book, and it pushed me out of my comfort zone a little which was a nice change!

4 1/2 Stars for this haunting tale!

This book is so different ... and I really enjoyed it! It's not Nicholas Sparks normal noval and that's because of M. Night Shyamalan. One brought the romance and the other brought the supernatural. There were so many twists and turns and the mystery had me guessing till the end. I don't want to say too mucn as to wreck it for others. I highly recommend it.

Tate is an architect and has spent the past few months in a psychiatric hospital after the death of his sister Sylvia. When he is discharged, his best friend Oscar hires him to design his summer home on Cape Cod. With the town's music festival coming soon, the only place Oscar can find for Tate to stay while scoping out summer home property, is a bed and breakfast that was closed a couple of years ago. When Wren's grandmother dies, she inherits the bed and breakfast that she grew up in. Wren dreams of leaving her husband and travel the world. When Tate and Wren meet, they are instantly drawn to each other ... but all is not as it seems!

I received an ARC courtesy of Random House through NetGalley.

As a longtime Nicholas Sparks fan since my college days, I was so excited for this collaboration with M. Night Shyamalan—and Remain exceeded every expectation.

The story follows Tate Donovan, a New York architect trying to rebuild his life after a stay in a psychiatric facility and the devastating loss of his sister, Sylvia. On her deathbed, she revealed their family’s gift of seeing spirits—a secret that continues to haunt him. Seeking a fresh start, Tate heads to Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home. There, at a historic bed-and-breakfast, he meets Wren, a mysterious young woman who upends everything he believes about life, love, and what lingers beyond.

Their connection is instant, but Tate soon realizes that beneath the charm of Wren’s small-town life lies jealousy, greed, and dangerous secrets. To protect her, he must uncover the truth about her past while questioning the boundaries of life and death—and whether love has the power to transcend them both.

This book gave me Ghost movie vibes in the best way possible. Sparks’ signature emotional depth combined with Shyamalan’s supernatural tension made for a haunting, unputdownable read. I devoured it and it’s a story that will stay with me for a long time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

It’s been a while since I’ve picked up a new Nicholas Sparks novel. I was intrigued by his partnership with M. Night Shyamalan on this one and it did not disappoint! You get the classic love story vibes of a Nicholas Sparks novel, combined with a paranormal mystery element. It’s very unique and engaging, and this writing partnership adds quite a bit to the descriptive writing style. If you love Nicholas Sparks but are wanting something a bit different from him, this is perfect for you!

The story follows Tate as he navigates life after losing his sister Sylvia, his closest companion, and joins the “real world” again after a therapy stay in the hospital. His grief ripples throughout the story, but he remains level-headed despite the slight suspicion that his sister has left him with a “gift.” He’s been recruited by his close friend Oscar to design a house on the Cape and finds a new friend at the supposed empty estate house at which he is staying. He discovers that not all is as it seems with his new friend and this leads him on a journey of trying to help her while unraveling her past without her knowing. Oscar is the best wingman - you’ll love their friendship. Between Oscar, Tate’s late sister Sylvia, and Tate’s new friend, Tate’s healing is front of mind and they all push to get him to open his heart to something new. This is a story of grief, healing, mystery, and the paranormal - and it’s one that you won’t want to put down!

Fans of Nicholas Sparks will not be disappointed, and perhaps may even be pleasantly surprised, by his newest novel 'Remain'. It is a good example of the romance that the author has built his empire upon mixed with vivid and atmospheric supernatural elements. I'd be quick to read any new paranormal books by Sparks should he choose to delve more into the genre in the future.

However, without adding spoilers, I have to say I was expecting more of a plot twist given Shyamalan's tie to the work. It is important for readers to know going in that this novel leans more heavily into Sparks' forte (romance over suspense). It will be interesting to see how the movie is adapted, and if Shyamalan's influence plays a larger role on screen.

I won't hesitate to recommend 'Remain' this fall to a romance reader who is interested in trying a paranormal romance, but isn't fully sure they are ready to jump head first into the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Remain masterfully weaves Nicholas Sparks’s tender, heartfelt romance with M. Night Shyamalan’s eerie brand of suspense, creating a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and hauntingly atmospheric. Set against the moody, windswept beauty of Cape Cod, the story follows architect Tate Donovan, who arrives seeking solace after personal upheaval. There, he meets the enigmatic Wren—an encounter that challenges everything he thought he knew about loss, love, and fate.

As Tate and Wren’s connection deepens, subtle danger and hidden secrets begin to surface. The tension here is quiet but persistent, fueled by grief, the hint of something supernatural, and the fragile hope that comes with opening one's heart again.

If you’re drawn to slow-burn romance, atmospheric mystery, and just a touch of the supernatural, this is the book for you. It won’t take you on wild genre swings or deliver shocking twists—but its emotional core hits hard, and leaves a lasting impression.

I give “Remain” 2.75 meh ⭐️. This will probably sell books on the unconventional author pairing alone, but while it’s intended to be simultaneously a supernatural/horror and a romance, (a horrmance?) neither genre is exceptionally well represented here.

Tate as the MMC was fully developed, with quite obvious growth as the story progressed. I loved what Oscar brought to the party! As a supporting character he was well written. Wren was rather flat, and her POV may have been novel and innovative if it wasn’t part of a book penned by M. Night Shyamalan of “Sixth Sense” fame. I will say though that the relationship between Tate and Wren was not a total dud, it’s simply that the writing itself wasn’t that sophisticated. Not every book has to have high prose, but I don’t feel like this was on par with Sparks’ previous novels that I have read.

Also, while this is full of red herrings, I was rather surprised at how easy it was to determine what the twists were, and generally how it would end, prior to the big reveals. I was really expecting more from this based on the description blurb and authors, but came away relatively disappointed.

Not the usual Nicholas Sparks read. A suspenseful psychic, paranormal read with the Appalachian “see-er” powers of interaction with ghosts hung inbetween the afterlife by unfinished business. In this case, murder. The trait abilities of “see-drs” are passed through families. This dual continuation of psychic interaction with ghosts adds layers of belief. True friendship bonds hold as does genuine bonds of love. An interesting read that stretches the mind toward the possibility of paranormal communications.

I took a chance on this ‘fusion’ novel which was written very well. Excellent setting and well-developed characters, but the story just didn’t work as me.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4

I’ve been a Nicholas Sparks fan for many years, so when I saw that he was partnering with M. Knight Shamylan to write a book, I was immediately intrigued. I feel like so much of M. Knight’s work has fallen off a bit over the years, but I was curious to see what kind of influence he would have over Sparks typical style of storytelling.

Remain starts out in a town called Heatherington. Tate is an Architect staying there while helping his friend, Oscar, with the build of his new home in a nearby town. After the recent death of his sister, Tate was released from a Psychiatric facility following a major wave of grief & depression. Sylvia wasn’t just his sister, she was his best friend and he’s still reeling from the loss.

However, when Tate meets Wren while staying at a local Bed & Breakfast, he feels himself starting to perk up for the first time in a long time. They form a fast friendship and he finds himself falling for this woman. But as he uncovers more about Wren, he realizes there’s so much more to her. As their relationship builds, a mystery starts to unravel and it’s up to Tate to solve it.

While I enjoyed this book, and I applaud Nicholas Sparks for trying to do something new, it wasn’t much different than other novels I’ve read. It touts itself as “one of a kind”, but it’s a plot that’s been done in some variation many times in books and movies. All this considered, though slightly predictable, it was still a sweet story with a mysterious element that did keep me interested, even if I did figure out a key plot point very early on.

Overall, I think Nicholas Sparks should stick what he does best…. Romance with a smackdown at the end. Remain was good, and still worth the read, but not as good as I anticipated.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the Author and Random House for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Nicholas Sparks along with M. Night Shyamalan, with several different shifts in the story, especially as it goes on. Some might consider it a thriller, but it seems that this combination of authors has created a new category that is altogether engaging.

I enjoyed every minute reading this story, and would love to see what they could write together sometime.


Pub Date: 14 Oct 2025

Many thanks for the opportunity to read 'Remain'!

Not for me. I always love a book from Nicholas Sparks and while I knew this would be a different type of story, with the super natural aspects, it just wasn’t for me.

This novel started a little slow but finally picked up about 1/3 of the way through. In it, architect Tate Donovan is helping his best friend, Omar design a summer house in Cape Cod. He stays at an empty "bed and breakfast" that he believes he is the only occupant of. This is where he meets Wren who makes him feel connected and happy again. He has struggled since the death of his sister and has hardened himself to the idea of finding love.

An interesting mix of the supernatural and everyday life occurs. A rare and deep connection begins. Parties start to fall in love. Meanwhile, a mystery is unfolding and the three main subjects are being watched. As Tate explores the small town in search of answers his devotion to Wren grows. Is he crazy and only imagining her or is she really there.

A story about the power of love, belief and the fine line between of life and death.

Wow! What an interesting combo to bring together for this book - Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shymalan. I wasn't sure what to expect, but if you like a romance that features a hint of supernatural - then you'll like this genre-bender.

Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan blends heartfelt romance with a touch of the supernatural. It follows Tate Donovan, a grieving architect, who moves to Cape Cod and meets Wren who is a woman with a mysterious past. The story mixes love, loss, and mystery with real characters and strong emotions. This is an engaging read for fans of romance with a paranormal edge.

I often find Sparks’ novels too sappy and I don’t overly enjoy ghost stories, but this was a good read. I liked the vulnerability of the main character and his willingness to discuss his mental health. Good who-dun-it.

First, a thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read an early copy of Remain in exchange for my honest review. I do not shill for books, I give my honest opinion, take it or leave it. My real rating here is a 3.5 but rounded up since we can't do half stars. It deserves more than a 3.

Next a HUGE WARNING. Don't make the mistake I did. I read a few chapters of this book over lunch. When I went to bed that night, I planned to read a few more. The book was good, but predictable. Well, let me tell you... this predictable book had me up until 3am because I just couldn't stop reading until I finished it.

Let me be right up front, I'm not a Nicholas Sparks fan. I have never read one of his books and have no desire to. It's not my genre. However, I love M. Night Shyamalan movies. I admit this pairing made me go "huh?" and of course I had to give it a try.

Is the story ground breaking? No. Is it super original? No. Does it have a cool amazing wicked twist at the end like you expect with Shyamalan's work? Sadly, no.
BUT and seriously BUT ... something about it grabs you and reels you in. You will "just a few more pages" yourself all the way to the end of the book. You just need to keep going. And that my friends, is good writing. Yes, even realizing immediately what Wren's situation is. Yes, even with the world's laziest writing device of "I'm disgustingly rich so I can do what I want". Yes, even with having a 95% sure idea who the villain is. Even with those predictable things...the story keeps you reading. And at the end you go, wow that was pretty good.

It seems to be labeled as "paranormal romance" and while I don't know that I would call it such, I don't know what else you would call it. That label really doesn't fit but I guess it's the best we got.

Basically, if you are a romance reader you are probably gonna find this cool and mysterious. If you are a paranormal reader/movie watcher you will spend a lot of time thinking "uh-huh" and "yep" and "of course". But you are still gonna like it. The story is solid. The writing is good. It's a definite read. If you are a Sparks fan, I can't help you with how this compares to his usual fare. But hey, give a chance and expand your genre horizons, you won't be sorry.

Extra comments
As should be clear from the description, Tate is going through some heavy grief. If that's hard for you to read about, this might be a skip for you. However, it's the only thing that made me feel connected to him as most of the rest of him is pretty caricature. It's a needed element.
Everybody needs a ride or die friend like Oscar.
Paulie's nonchalance throughout the book is awesome and I'm here for it.
I've seen a lot of complaints about Tate's "investigating". And yeah, I get that. It's kinda unrealistic. Maybe I've watched too many Hallmark movies or read to many cozy mysteries, but it didn't really bother me. It's similar to those tropes. Sure, the lady that runs the bakery is the best detective in town? Okay. The guy who just moved to town suddenly can find and get everyone to talk to him. Okay. So I guess add on to the list of people that should read this book as Hallmark movie and cozy mystery fans.

It's a quick, fun read. Give it a go.

This is a unique story from Sparks. A mix of his normal romance BUT with a much different twist than we are use to seeing from him. I’m not typically one for the supernatural, but it’s Sparks of course I was into this one.

Remain is SO GOOD! These two powerhouses behind this story were all I needed to know I wanted to read this. It's fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy.

I think I was just expecting more due to the two powerhouse authors. This is a decent ghost story but it really stops there and doesn't go any farther. I was waiting for the typical Shyamalan style to come though but it really didn't.