You know Nicholas Sparks for his iconic romances, including The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Dear John, to name just a few of his massive successes. His latest work is another love story, but it’s got a supernatural twist — and it’s guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Remain, Sparks’s newest release, follows a New York architect who’s just lost his sister. He seeks a fresh start in Cape Cod, where he meets a mysterious woman with a complicated past lurking beneath the surface — and she challenges everything the protagonist thinks he understands about the world around him. As the book’s jacket describes: “A story about the power of transcendent emotion, Remain asks us all: Can love set us free not only from our greatest sorrows, but even from the boundaries of life and death?”
But there’s more: Sparks collaborated on Remain with M. Night Shyamalan, a master of Hollywood suspense. The story in the book is being concurrently adapted into a film, which Shyamalan will direct. The movie version, which will star Jake Gyllenhaal, is set for release on Oct. 23, 2026. Expect a perfect collision of these two titans’ sensibilities — there will be thrills, there will be romance, and there will be deft direction that calls out to be seen on a big screen.
As lovers of amazing book-to-film adaptations, we’re thrilled to sink our teeth into a great story in print, knowing we’ll also be able to watch it just one year later. But for bookworms like us, a year is a long time — so we sought some recommendations for what to read in the interim from Sparks himself.
Below, the bestselling author shares the titles he’s loved most throughout his life — the things he returns to again and again, always finding something new to appreciate with each read. And while he’s widely known for romance, his choices veer toward religion and classics, so if that’s your speed, it’s time to clear some shelf space.
Nicholas Sparks’s Favorite Books
The Bible
Sparks: “As a Christian, the Bible is central to my life and is a continual reminder that good and evil can exist simultaneously, but that Christ died for our sins and our salvation. If I were limited to one book for the rest of my life, this would be it.”
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer
Sparks: “This non-fiction work is not only a detailed history of the evil associated with both Hitler and the Third Reich, it also provides a thoughtful examination of personalities, psychology, sociology, and mass pathology, all of which remain relevant today.”
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Sparks: “I find this book intriguing, partially because of what is written, but also because of Marcus Aurelius. He was the most powerful man in the world at the time, and yet he continually strove to be a better person. While the stoic philosophy has limitations, much of the wisdom in this book is timeless. This is the book I give to young people on important graduations.”
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Sparks: “This book was adapted from four lectures C.S. Lewis gave on the subject of Christianity. It’s not only timeless, but it’s regarded as one of the greatest explorations of Christianity in evidence today.”
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Sparks: “While it’s really three books, the story is magical and well-written, with fascinating characters, brilliant writing, mythology, love, danger, trust, and friendship, all framed by an epic quest to save the world. Is there anything more one can want in a novel?”
