Nicholas Spark is famous for his blockbuster novels, the likes of which include the well-acclaimed A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. His newest book, titled The Last Song, is longer than any of his past attempts and has earned remarkable success on the New York Times Best Seller List.

The plot revolved around Veronica “Ronnie” Miller who is being forced to spend her summer in Wilmington, North Carolina with her father whom she hasn’t spoken to in three years. Arriving at the small beach town, Ronnie hasn’t changed her mind about her father, and leaves her brother Jonah to keep her father company while trying to find fun in the seemingly sleepy town. She first meets Blaze, a girl who seems just like her, but finds their budding friendship immediately thrown onto the rocks by Blaze’s emotionless and abusive boyfriend Marcus.

And then of course there is Will, the handsome and 100 percent perfect guy that Ronnie can’t believe is falling for her. And honestly, what good romance book would be complete without a Will of its own? The romance between Will and Ronnie, however, is slightly disappointing. Despite the classic love scenes and emotional connection that they share, Will and Ronnie’s relationship seems at times both unrealistic and confusing. There is no tantalizingly awkward transition period in which they realize their hidden feelings for the other.

Instead, Will instinctively seems to know that Ronnie is going to be “the girl,” the one who completes his other half, despite the exchange of fewer than three words between them. This automatic undying love leaves the reader feeling that their whirlwind story is only half told and aching for some sort of buildup and eventual breakdown.

While the romantic component of The Last Song is a bit of a letdown, Sparks makes up for it with strong dimensional character developments and captivating side plots. Sparks pays less attention to Blaze and Marcus than to Ronnie and Will, yet their personalities are complex and well fleshed out. Sparks is a talented writer who brings Blaze’s insecurities to light in a riveting manner, capturing her supposedly harsh and stoic exterior while simultaneously revealing the vulnerable and emotionally wrecked girl inside. Marcus’ character is even more entrancing. He is undeniably a sociopath, who believes he transcends the world and society’s rules, shown through his disquieting addiction to fire which leads to a chain of events that ravages through the sleepy town of Wilmington and leaves a trail of ashes in its wake.

Sparks describes Ronnie’s troubled relationship with her father in beautiful prose. Using pure emotion, Sparks is able to simultaneously describe the turmoil and unadulterated love that surrounds the father and daughter.

Their connection and growth bring both giggles of blithe humor and tears of heart wrenching tragedy. Readers will find it easy to relate to Ronnie’s rebellious stage and hardships with her father, and the surprising plot twists near the end of the book are completely satisfying.

Sparks is a talented writer whose ability to bring characters to life and weave multiple plotlines into one is remarkable. His novels are highly consumable, comforting and easy to read. Although sometimes cliché, The Last Song is a story that will please both fans of Sparks’ work and romance lovers alike.