Rating: 
Summary: somewhat disappointed
Review: If I had not already read Message in a Bottle, I may have enjoyed this book much more. It seemed a like I was re-reading it with slightly different circumstances.
Rating: 
Summary: so trite, so disappointing
Review: This book was exactly what I imagined it to be from the title and description. No surprises. I predicted everything. It had no more depth than the four-hundreth Daniel Steel-recipe. That Alex came back to her in the end and was merely waiting in the wings for her to "understand" was beyond hokey. The only opportunity for some originality was by utilizing the "first Alex" for something significant; but that was never developed. What a waste of time!
Rating:
Summary: Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas
Review: This was a very moving love story. I could place people that I knew in similiar situation within this book. This made me really feel the emotions that the characters and my friends were going through. I read this book within a day and I am very grateful that I did. I haven't been moved by a love story in a long time.
Rating: 
Summary: If You Like Nicholas Sparks~You Might Like This
Review: I know James Patterson has been receiving some acclaim for stepping outside of his normal genre & I know that the inspiration for this story is based on his own personal loss of love. However, that is the only reason I can come up with to give this novel 2 stars. I'm all for a sweet romance, but this was too much. The writing was too syrupy and the "pop culture" references were corny. I found it tacky that he used JFK Jr & Carolyn Bissette Kennedy as the means to which his main characters met one another. If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks writing, you may enjoy this one, but both are a little much for me. I really wanted to like this one, because the concept the novel was written in was clever (as a diary) and the story could have been a tear jerker, but I didn't get to feel for the characters.
Rating:
Summary: Too Syrupy, Too Predictable
Review: This is definitely not the worst book I've ever read - but it certainly isn't one of the best. "Suzanne's Diary..." too often reads like the smarmiest of self help books. Every page is packed with cloying life lessons, cliched explanations of joy or sadness ("...happiness flooded our hearts and every room of the beach cottage. It came like the high tide on a full moon"), and enough warm sentiment to make you gag. The whole book is designed to warm your heart and change your life - but goes about it in such a way that you feel like it's being shoved down your throat. The worst part is how predictable the book is. From page one it is easy to see exactly where the story is going, and Matt's "secret" about his past with Suzanne is not hard to figure out. I'm sure there are people out there who would love this book for the very qualities I just denounced - and in its favor I will say that the book is at least a very fast, light read. For me, it's just too much.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful, touching love story.
Review: I had my doubts about reading this book as I am a great fan of Patterson's Alex Cross series and also have recently read First to Die which I really enjoyed. I was afraid that I'd be disappointed with one of my most favorite authors. Well, I wasn't disappointed. This truly was quite a switch for Patterson and he has done is so well. Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas is a beautiful, extremely well written love story. I read it in one day. It's one of those books that you just can't put down even though you know the end may be teary.
Rating:
Summary: sweet! so sweet!
Review: all i can say is that this is just such a sweet story! I couldn't put it down. i had to know what happened at the end, even though I kind of knew anyway. i think it was odd though that suzanne wrote to her son and referred to his father as Matt. why not refer to him as "dad" ? Also, why would she write a diary to her son and reveal her intimacies with Matt. I found that odd, yet still enjoyed the book immensely. i wonder if anyone else felt this way. It was way too sweet and everyone is so perfect in the book in an almost unrealistic way. It ended kind of quickly. i would have liked more details about Matt and Katie. I did really enjoy this book, despite some flaws.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Written
Review: It's been almost two years since I've sat down and actually read an entire book from cover to cover. I read this one in less than a day. I feel like I know Suzanne, Nicholas, Katie, and Matthew and reading the end was heavy. My son is almost two, and this story was a timely reminder of how we should never take anything for granted. Hats of to James Patterson!
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Patterson writes a love story???
Review: A friend loaned me this book telling me I needed to read it I would not regret it. I was skeptical as I only read historical and suspense romances. A romance written by James Patterson...no way! Well, I loved it. I would recommend having a box of tissues nearby. Matt, Katie's really recent former lover sends her a diary written by his wife to explain why he is no longer going to see her (Katie) Suzanne, Matt's wife is writing the diary for Nicholas, their son so he can read it when he grows up. It is very touching and you can't help but love Matt, Suzanne, Nicholas and Katie. All of course are terrific people. I will say no more as I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. Suffice it to say it is great, beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: James Patterson Writes from His Heart of a Personal Tragedy
Review: When I met James Patterson at a recent book signing for this book, he told us that when he was in his early 30's he fell in love with a girl named Jane. One day they were in the post office and she just keeled over. It turned out she had a brain tumor and lived only two more years, but instead of being sad they said each day how lucky they were to see the sun rise, to share a walk on the beach, etc. After Jane's death, he knew that he would one day write a book for all those who have loved and lost and learned to love again. This book is not only an outstanding tribute to his love for Jane, but one of the most engrossing page-turners I have come across. I started it yesterday afternoon and literally could not stop until I finished. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, I closed the book and cried uncontrollably. I knew it was going to be sad, but a most unexpected shocker near the end left me stunned.Everyone who reads this book will come away with not only a great story, but a great piece of advice about five balls that we must all balance in life. The story of Matt, his wife Suzanne, his son Nicholas, and the diary he leaves for Katie to read will literally break your heart. Patterson writes with a genuine understanding of what love is and how it survives tragedy. Just reading it will hopefully make each of us appreciate the gift each day is. Happy Reading!
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