Review: The Final Note by Kevin Alan Milne

Title: The Final Note

Author: Kevin Alan Milne

Genre/Audience: Contemporary, romance, adult

Publication: 2011

Source: Library

Summary: While studying abroad for college, Ethan and Anna fall in love while Ethan plays his guitar on the streets for money. Just a short time later, when they get married, they are very much in love, and hope to be together for the rest of their lives. Ethan promises on their wedding day that he will write Anna her own song for their first anniversary. Flash forward a few years, and Ethan has still not written that song. Instead, he works long, late hours to provide for his family, and the relationship is falling apart. Then, one night, a tragic accident involving Anna tears their family apart. While Ethan wonders if Anna will ever recover, he thinks about his regrets and sorrow for the decisions he's made over the last few years. He hopes that he can finish Anna's song, and that she'll be around to hear it.

My Thoughts: What a breathtakingly beautiful story about love, loss, regret, and ultimately, forgiveness. It broke my heart and brought out so many emotions for me. I am such a sucker for a good love story and this was a great one. The love was so realistic, true, and intense and I really appreciated that. These are the kinds of stories that have always made me believe in real love. While it could be a bit cheesy at times, sometimes, I have to admit, I really love the cheese! Anna was amazing and sweet. She loved when Ethan played the guitar for her, and always left a "True Love Note" in his strings after every time he played. Ethan could be a jerk at times, but after the tragedy, his true character was once again revealed, like at the beginning of the novel. Together, they endured many things such as miscarriages, and setbacks early on in their marriage and I thought this was really true to life. I also thought the first part of the book was really cool, where it showed the two of them in Europe beginning their courtship. If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, I strongly suggest you pick up a copy of this book. I've already put his other books on hold at my library and can't wait to read them!

My Rating: 4.5/5