I was so excited when I saw that I was approved for this ARC! Omg, what a mash-up of different genres. I did not know at all what to expect when I opened this one. I was pleasantly surprised. It was quite gripping.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It stood out as quite different from the other works I've read by this author, in a refreshing and engaging way. While the writing style remained familiar, the story ventured into new territory, especially with the inclusion of supernatural elements, which added a unique and captivating twist.

The supernatural characters were particularly compelling—they were well-developed and added depth and mystery to the plot. But it wasn't just the otherworldly figures that drew me in. Every character, whether human or not, felt vivid and purposeful, each contributing to the narrative in meaningful ways. Their personalities, struggles, and interactions made the story feel immersive and emotionally resonant.

Overall, this book offered a fresh experience from an author I already admire, and I appreciated the creativity and risks taken. I would definitely recommend it to fans of character-driven stories with a supernatural edge.

Remain is a hauntingly beautiful fusion of Nicholas Sparks’ signature heartache and M. Night Shyamalan’s mind-bending storytelling. What starts as a deeply moving tale of grief, love, and memory slowly unravels into something far more mysterious, chilling, and unforgettable.

The story follows a man named Caleb who is drowning in the grief of losing his wife, Elena, in a tragic accident. He retreats to their secluded coastal home in North Carolina to escape the world, surrounded only by silence, crashing waves, and his unraveling thoughts. But as he begins to see and hear things that shouldn’t be possible, Elena’s voice in the walls, a shadowy figure at the edge of the woods, the question arises: Is this grief, guilt… or something more?

The characters are deeply human, raw, broken, and achingly real. Caleb’s pain feels like a living, breathing thing, and Elena’s presence lingers on every page like a ghost. Sparks brings the emotional depth we expect, but under Shyamalan’s influence, the story takes on a layered, suspenseful tone that will make your pulse race as much as your heart aches.

Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s happening, the twist comes, and wow. It’s not just shocking; it redefines the story. Every moment clicks into place with devastating clarity, leaving you stunned, emotional, and eager to re-read everything through a new lens.

Remain is a masterpiece, a love story wrapped in mystery, soaked in atmosphere, and driven by the universal question: What does it mean to truly let go… and what happens if we can’t?

Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan may seem like an unlikely pairing, but this novel proves they are storytelling soulmates. Their collaboration is seamless, powerful, and unforgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. Remain is one of those rare books that stays with you, not just in your mind, but in your bones.

I absolutely loved this book. Loved the story the plot everything about it! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. This is probably one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books. Hoping that they write another book together!

Nicholas Sparks brings a new story with M. Night Shyamalan where we meet Tate who arrives in Cape Cod to design a summer house for his best friend and their family. At the nearby bed and breakfast, he finds himself spending more and more time with Wren. When he discovers her tragic past, he must work against time to unravel her mystery. There must be a reason why they meet two years after her tragedy and one year after losing his sister prompting his stay at a psychiatric hospital. There must be a reason why they feel a connection between each other. Tate enlists his best friend Oscar as he tries to unravel the lies embedded in truths before it is too late.

Nicholas Sparks brings us a story of meeting someone who will change your life. M. Night Shyamalan brings us a story of mystery and a touch of the unknown. Together, they weave a story that is familiar to everyone yet adds a dash of the supernatural and opens a world of wonder and what ifs. You keep turning the page to see what Tate and Wren will do next and if they will be able to figure things out before it is all too late. I truly enjoyed reading their story and look forward to further collaborations between these two authors.

I have received and read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House for this privilege.

Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan are two names I never expected to see on the same book cover. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. The suspenseful, supernatural elements blended seamlessly with Sparks’ signature romantic style, creating a story that felt fresh yet familiar.

Though I don’t typically gravitate toward paranormal romance, this novel was well done. It delivered a compelling narrative without relying on shock value or over-the-top twists. I recently learned the story is headed to the big screen in Fall 2026, and I’m getting genuinely excited to see how it translates to film.

Without giving anything away, my best advice: go in blind and just enjoy the ride.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I stopped all my books to read this ARC when I got approved. I was so happy to have the opportunity to read this early. I enjoy both the love stories of Sparks and love Shyamalan movies. The character development was incredible, and the plot kept me turning pages. The suspect for me was predictable, that is why I removed a star. I will sure be watching the movie next year.
Thank you so much, Random House, for sending me this ARC
4 star

I am very very familiar with the work of both these creators so I was extremely curious to see what they would do together. What we got is exactly what I imagined we would get from a collaboration between the two.

Remain is romantic in a very quintessentially Sparks way but has that Shyamalan paranormal style in top. The latter is known for his twists endings but this one doesn’t hit quite the way his others do. It’s very safe and I wonder if that happened because of Sparks’s involvement. I could tell what came from who, which isn’t a bad thing by any means. It was just obvious.

Overall I think it was good. It felt like a movie you’d stumble upon late at night while channel surfing (back when that was a thing). I would have stayed on it and watched it. I had a good time with this. I liked the leads, I liked the supporting cast, especially Oscar. And I did appreciate the mystery that unfolded throughout. I’m excited to see what the movie ends up like.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, not typically my cup of tea but I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this story! It was a nice break from my usual psychological thrillers.
The themes of love, loss, and the boundaries of life and death, with also a supernatural element genuinely had me in tears and sometimes even laughter. I did feel it was a bit predictable throughout but I was still shocked during the ending thanks to the Shyamalan twist! This unique collaboration between Nicholas Sparks, known for his romance novels, and M. Night Shyamalan is about Tate Donovan, a New York architect trying to rebuild his life after a psychiatric hospital stay, he travels to Cape Cod for a fresh start and to help his best friend Oscar build his family's dream home when and encounters a mysterious woman named Wren.
I am definitely looking forward to the movie adaptation which is currently filming in Rhode Island!

So much appreciation to Random House for this Advanced Reader Copy! I have read 23/24 Nicholas Sparks books (not including this one) and he's one of my auto-buy authors. Seeing him add a fun twist to his usual romance writing definitely captivated my attention.

"Remain" brings us the warm settings and descriptive writing any Nicholas Sparks reader has come to know and love - and adds a supernatural twist we haven't seen since meeting the Marshes in True Believer and At First Sight. We meet Tate, a man approaching his forties who is fresh into a business project after a grief-related mental health hiatus. While in Cape Cod to build a summer home for his long-time best friend, Tate is the sole guest at a bed-and-breakfast, at least he thinks so. During his stay, he finds himself unable to logically explain some of his experiences, and finds that a past tragedy might not have happened the way the town believes.

The story starts with a steady pace of setting the tone of the main character's mental and emotional state. We learn about Tate's childhood and family, as well as the foundation for his friendship with Oscar. We also get to know Heatherington and receive hints regarding the local lore surrounding Tate's temporary residence. The story pace rapidly picks up when worlds collide between Tate and Heatherington's past tragedy and he begins to question his skepticism toward the supernatural. The "Night" scenes had me on the edge of my seat and added a chill to my spine as I read through them, and made me feel more warmth and comfort in the "Day" scenes.

Going along with Tate and Oscar investigating the different suspects had my jaw on the floor with their audacity and tenacity. Definitely a Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew sort of sleuthing style for them. The suspect list kept growing with each chapter and the ending was a surprise twist that tied up all the loose ends.

Overall, "Remain" is a remix on our usual Nicholas Sparks experience with a spooky vibe hinting of M. Night Shyamalan. Definitely worth the read, especially for the fall/Halloween season. The release date is perfect!

When 2 worlds collide, you get a super interesting concept! The two mix perfectly is this book, a love story and a thriller? Amazing.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for sending me this as an eARC to read ahead of its release date.

I want to start out by saying that I have not read a Nicolas Sparks book in years. I used to read everything he wrote, especially if it was being adapted for the screen.

This was great, I could tell that this will be a very adaptable novel since M. Night Shyamalan will be directing/producing it as well. You could tell that both creatives put their own unique touches into the story. With the quaint small town and romance that is standard to most Sparks novels and the dark twists and turns that are standard to a Shyamalan film. I hope that Nicolas Sparks is as involved in the film as Shyamalan was involved in the novel.

Our protagonists in this book are fleshed out and make you want to root for them. Tate and Wren are beautiful together and I wish they had more time on the page with one another. I also wish we got more of Wren’s third person POV than we did. After finishing the book I found it interesting to reread her introductory chapter just to see what you could notice when you have the full story. Oscar was a great secondary character for Tate to soundboard off of and as a guide to move the hunt for the truth forward as well.

I will admit that the antagonists in this book were really predictable but I enjoyed seeing how we got to the climax of our story.

Again I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House for sending me this book in exchange for my opinions.

This book was nothing like what I expected it to be, but I enjoyed it anyway. It was interesting to see how someone the collaborative efforts come together. I liked Wren and seeing everyone twist their stories of who she was hit home for me.

The only reason this book didn't get a full five stars is because it lacked in both the earth shattering heartbreak of Sparks and the chilling thrills of Shyamalan that I'm used to from their work.

If I could give this book a 6/5, I would. Sparks expertise in romance combined with Shyamalan’s expertise in the supernatural combined for a once in a life time read. Thank you for providing me with this ARC!

The agglomeration of M. Night Shyamalan's and Nicholas Sparks' storytelling into a paranormal romance is a pleasant surprise. I appreciate that these writers chose to focus more on the romance side, but I would have appreciated an intensification of Shyamalan's suspense, thriller, and supernatural talents. Maybe, readers will see another co-authorship? I hope so!

The blurb provides the story's premise. This narrative is for readers who enjoy considering the possibilities of afterlife, who contemplate how mental health affects a person's response to love and trust, and who enjoy the works of the authors.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #RandomHouse, #MNightShyamalan, and #NicholasSparks for my ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

This book is set to be published October 14, 2025. There are rumors of a movie, but I have not confirmed that.

I was really excited about this book. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into it. The author combination sounds wonderful in theory but this one didn’t hit the mark for me.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, a nd the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love, love Nicholas Sparks and adore M. Night Shylaman movies! This book was different and I loved every minute. I can’t wait to see the movie and love how they are both working together.

This honestly combines almost all of my favorite things in a book: takes place close to home (I’m from Boston), the super natural, mystery, and of course romance. The genius mashup of M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks needs to occur again and again. From the moment I started this book I was hooked! The different avenues of suspicion keep you gripped, as does the romance and friendship forming between Tate and Wren. The afterlife is something that fascinates me to no end, with a best friend that passed years ago, I like to believe they’re in a happier place. This read made me really excited to watch the upcoming movie, which is currently being filmed in my favorite city of Newport. I’m definitely going to need M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks to team up again and again in the future! Highly recommend this read!

As Nicholas Sparks says in his acknowledgments “supernatural stories can thrill us, move us, and inspire us to ponder universal mysteries of the human experience.” This book did just that ~ As I was reading I was envisioning a movie through M Night Shyamalan’s eyes. I was hooked from the first chapter and constantly trying to figure out the “who done it”. This book highlighted love, loss and really got you thinking about life after death. Not your typical Nicholas Sparks but overall worth the read.

I’m speechless. Nicholas Sparks always has a way with words but he has really done it. The tension and suspense in Remain was unreal. If you’re looking for a book that’ll keep you on edge and tug your heartstring this is the book! 5 stars all around