An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.
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Dear John
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
12+
Release Date
October 30, 2006
ISBN
0446528056
Buy This Book
An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.
Editor reviews
2 reviews
Love in its Purest Form
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Dear John is a poignant story about first love, and the strain that serving in the military creates on relationships.
Throughout his teen years, John is a bit of a rebel, and an epiphany of sorts leads him to enlist in the military. The discipline of the army is just what John needs at this time in his life, and he grows up quickly as he is suddenly responsible for his own life and the lives of his buddies on the frontline.
One summer, he returns to North Carolina on leave and is surfing at the beach when he meets a girl that just takes his breath away. Her name is Savannah Lynn Curtis, and she is a student at UNC Chapel Hill. From the first moment he sees her, John cannot take his eyes off of Savannah. Savannah is unlike any girl John has ever met. She just exudes a warmth and beauty that is unmatched, and in just a few hours John finds himself falling hopelessly in love with her. Savannah is in town working on a Habitat for Humanity project, building a house for a family whose house was destroyed in a hurricane. John and Savannah spend the next week together getting to know one another and John discovers that Savannah is everything he has ever wanted, and more. Luckily for him, Savannah feels the same way. When John finally has to fly back overseas to serve in the military, he feels like their time together was much too short. They both know that long-distance relationships seldom work out, but both are dedicated to making their love last.
Savannah and John are confident that their love will survive the strains of time and distance, and they count down the days to Johns next leave, when they can see each other once more. Their next meeting brings joy unlike John has ever felt, and he knows that he has made the right decision. Of course, they have their disagreements, but it is nothing that their passion for one another cannot overcome.
John has less than a hundred days before his service is up, and he is eagerly awaiting the time when he can spend the rest of his life with his true love. Then the events of September 11th, 2001 change everything. Overcome by a wave of patriotism and feeling that it is his duty, John re-enlists for another term. While Savannah is disappointed that he will not be coming home to her, she is completely supportive of his decision. Little does he know that this decision will alter the course of his life and his relationship with Savannah in irreversible ways.
I really enjoyed reading Dear John, and I think Nicholas Sparks does a wonderful job of illustrating the mutual feelings of attraction and love between John and Savannah. So many young couples face the same situation that John and Savannah go through with long-distance relationships. Sparks offers multi-dimensional characters and really develops the personalities of his characters over the course of the novel. This is an excellent contemporary love story, both dramatic and serious, that I recommend with no hesitation to all young adult and adult readers alike!
Throughout his teen years, John is a bit of a rebel, and an epiphany of sorts leads him to enlist in the military. The discipline of the army is just what John needs at this time in his life, and he grows up quickly as he is suddenly responsible for his own life and the lives of his buddies on the frontline.
One summer, he returns to North Carolina on leave and is surfing at the beach when he meets a girl that just takes his breath away. Her name is Savannah Lynn Curtis, and she is a student at UNC Chapel Hill. From the first moment he sees her, John cannot take his eyes off of Savannah. Savannah is unlike any girl John has ever met. She just exudes a warmth and beauty that is unmatched, and in just a few hours John finds himself falling hopelessly in love with her. Savannah is in town working on a Habitat for Humanity project, building a house for a family whose house was destroyed in a hurricane. John and Savannah spend the next week together getting to know one another and John discovers that Savannah is everything he has ever wanted, and more. Luckily for him, Savannah feels the same way. When John finally has to fly back overseas to serve in the military, he feels like their time together was much too short. They both know that long-distance relationships seldom work out, but both are dedicated to making their love last.
Savannah and John are confident that their love will survive the strains of time and distance, and they count down the days to Johns next leave, when they can see each other once more. Their next meeting brings joy unlike John has ever felt, and he knows that he has made the right decision. Of course, they have their disagreements, but it is nothing that their passion for one another cannot overcome.
John has less than a hundred days before his service is up, and he is eagerly awaiting the time when he can spend the rest of his life with his true love. Then the events of September 11th, 2001 change everything. Overcome by a wave of patriotism and feeling that it is his duty, John re-enlists for another term. While Savannah is disappointed that he will not be coming home to her, she is completely supportive of his decision. Little does he know that this decision will alter the course of his life and his relationship with Savannah in irreversible ways.
I really enjoyed reading Dear John, and I think Nicholas Sparks does a wonderful job of illustrating the mutual feelings of attraction and love between John and Savannah. So many young couples face the same situation that John and Savannah go through with long-distance relationships. Sparks offers multi-dimensional characters and really develops the personalities of his characters over the course of the novel. This is an excellent contemporary love story, both dramatic and serious, that I recommend with no hesitation to all young adult and adult readers alike!
G
Guest
User reviews
6 reviews
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
4.2(6)
Characters
5.0(1)
Writing Style
5.0(1)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A(0)
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LOVELY STORY
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
JUST FINISHED READING THIS (IN 3 DAYS) BECAUSE IT WAS TOO GOOD TO PUT DOWN. I HAVE WATCHED THE MOVIE BUT AFTER NOW READING THE BOOK, I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY MORE THAN EVER. I DEF RECOMMEND THIS IF YOU ENJOY A STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH AND CRY BECAUSE OF THE MANY PAGE TURNING EVENTS THAT UNFOLD. I SIMPLY LOVED IT!!!! ;)
E
Edith
Tragedy, Love, and Fate.
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
2.0
Plot
2.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Katie Kramer
I enjoyed the first half of this book, but the last half was horrible. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Nicholas Sparks books. All of his books have twists and turns that you are never ready for and this book has that indeed. Also, if you are a sucker for romance, tragedy, and fate, you would enjoy this book. This book recieved a 2 out of five stars because it is very emotional to read. The book did not end in the way I wanted it to and it left me heart broken. This is the most depressing book I have ever read, but the romance is what helped me get through the book.
G
Guest
romance and sacrafice
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by lindsay
Absolutley beautiful! Loved it from beginging to end. Nicholas Sparks writes a heart-wrenching novel, once again. This book is about working hard for what you want but at the same time making sacrafices, in turn. Shows true love and beauty within a relationship. Aweseom read!
Absolutley beautiful! Loved it from beginging to end. Nicholas Sparks writes a heart-wrenching novel, once again. This book is about working hard for what you want but at the same time making sacrafices, in turn. Shows true love and beauty within a relationship. Aweseom read!
G
Guest
Amazing! Laughter and Tears!!
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Katelyn
John Tyree was a teen gone bad turned army brat, on leave. He meets a very interesting girl named Savannah Lynn Curtis. Sooner or later they fall in love, and John needs to leave for duty again. They begin to write letters to each other, but the unexpected 9/11 attacks extends John's military career, and hearts are broken along the way. This book is amazing, a page turner! I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the author and likes a romantic heart breaking story.
G
Guest
Romance at it's Best
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Ched28
Nicholas Sparks has always been one of the best novelists when it comes to romance, but Dear John is one of those books that you just can't put down. It's touching, and sometimes a little overwhelming. It's a story of a love that is stretched to it's limit, and how sometimes, even when you love someone, you have to let them go.
Dear John is probably a story that, in one way or another, has happened to a couple somewhere in the world. John re-enlists in the military after 9/11, leaving Savannah to wait on him again. He doesn't know that his choice to protect his country will leave his later life lacking the thing that he wants most.
Nicholas Sparks does an impressive job delivering one of his best stories to you from so many different angles. You laugh, you cry, and you love right along with the characters. Even if you aren't a fan of romance, this is a story that you shouldn't miss.
Nicholas Sparks has always been one of the best novelists when it comes to romance, but Dear John is one of those books that you just can't put down. It's touching, and sometimes a little overwhelming. It's a story of a love that is stretched to it's limit, and how sometimes, even when you love someone, you have to let them go.
Dear John is probably a story that, in one way or another, has happened to a couple somewhere in the world. John re-enlists in the military after 9/11, leaving Savannah to wait on him again. He doesn't know that his choice to protect his country will leave his later life lacking the thing that he wants most.
Nicholas Sparks does an impressive job delivering one of his best stories to you from so many different angles. You laugh, you cry, and you love right along with the characters. Even if you aren't a fan of romance, this is a story that you shouldn't miss.
G
Guest
Enjoyably romantic
(Updated: June 09, 2026)
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Dede
Dear John has an incredible ability to get you invested in the main characters of the book early on and continues throughout. It's about love and sacrifice and the consequences of them. John joins the army after being a ruffian most of his teenage years and it gives him a place to feel wanted/needed. He has a strained relationship with his dad, that goes a little beyond the normal father/son alienation. On leave one summer, he meets Savannah and falls for her almost immediately. Savannah does the same. They spend an innocent time together and John goes back to the army and they write to eachother. When he comes back for leave again, they spend time together and they can sense that something has shifted, but they still have their passion for eachother. John leaves again and Savannah waits, he only has a certain amount of time before his enlistment is up. Then comes 9/11 and John re-upps and it changes the course of their love story.
While John is completely believable and relatable in this book, at times Savannah is not at all. When they have a special moment during one leave, Savannah reacts unexpectedly and I didn't really understand why. For such a young couple and so early in their relationship, at times their ability to just let things slide and not ask about what they wonder about is a little off putting. Savannah does something during a visit from John that I can't quite forgive her for. However, this is a great little story about love, forgiveness and sacrifice that hits a chord for me.
Dear John has an incredible ability to get you invested in the main characters of the book early on and continues throughout. It's about love and sacrifice and the consequences of them. John joins the army after being a ruffian most of his teenage years and it gives him a place to feel wanted/needed. He has a strained relationship with his dad, that goes a little beyond the normal father/son alienation. On leave one summer, he meets Savannah and falls for her almost immediately. Savannah does the same. They spend an innocent time together and John goes back to the army and they write to eachother. When he comes back for leave again, they spend time together and they can sense that something has shifted, but they still have their passion for eachother. John leaves again and Savannah waits, he only has a certain amount of time before his enlistment is up. Then comes 9/11 and John re-upps and it changes the course of their love story.
While John is completely believable and relatable in this book, at times Savannah is not at all. When they have a special moment during one leave, Savannah reacts unexpectedly and I didn't really understand why. For such a young couple and so early in their relationship, at times their ability to just let things slide and not ask about what they wonder about is a little off putting. Savannah does something during a visit from John that I can't quite forgive her for. However, this is a great little story about love, forgiveness and sacrifice that hits a chord for me.
G
Guest
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