[Review] At First Sight - Nicholas Sparks

Title of Book: At First Sight
Series: Jeremy Marsh & Lexie Darnell #2
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Year: 2013
Language: English
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 349

There are a few things Jeremy Marsh was sure he'd never do: he'd never leave New York City; never give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage; and, most of all, never become a parent. Now, Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message re-opens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couple's marriage.

Dramatic, heartbreaking and surprising, this is a story about the love between a man and a woman and between a parent and a child. More than that, it is a story that beautifully portrays how the same emotion that can break your heart is also the one that will ultimately heal it.

While the novel picks up the tale of Lexie Darnell and Jeremy Marsh that started in True Believer and will delight fans of that novel, it stands on its own as one of Nicholas Sparks's most deeply moving love stories.

At first Sight is the sequel of True Believer. It picks up right after the end of True Believer. I’ve written my thought about True Believer here and how it didn’t exceed my expectation. Well, this book is the remedy. At First Sight fills up my expectation of True Believer. Although some say that you could read it on its own, I highly suggest you to read True Believer first. Because that way you’ll get the whole story. 

This book opens with Jeremy narration five years after True Believer. He questions whether it’s possible to fall in love at the first sight. He’s reminiscing the time when he met Lexie and decided to move to Boone Creek. Then the story back to where True Believer left off. That’s how I know that things are going to get ugly. There’ll be no sunshine or rainbow in the sequel. So I prepared myself for the worst and I also warn you to do so.

In my review of True Believer, I wrote that I didn’t like Jeremy and I also explained why. The ‘flaws’ that I mentioned on that review, are actually one of Jeremy’s problems that’ll be healed by the right person. Since in the previous book we learn that Lexie is the one for Jeremy, her love is what he needs to help him become a better person. This book makes me see another side of Jeremy which I came to love.

Also, remember that in my review how True Believer’s plot seems like missing an important element? It’s here, ladies and gentlemen. The missing piece is in this book, which makes me realize I should have seen True Believer and At First Sight as one big story. I believe that in Sparks’ pattern, True Believer is the first half and At First Sight is the last half. That means, this book has the part where the main character will face a great loss that would change his/her life.

The ending of this book could make some people hate it, because it’s sad. Yet, seeing the big picture I’d say that this book serves its purpose; which is to show what love can do and answer Jeremy’s question in the prologue. If you’ve watched How I Met Your Mother and follow Barney Stinson’s adventure till the end, or even watched an anime titled Clannad and love them both, you’ll like this book. Because this book kind of has the same message (in HIMYM, I’m highlighting how Barney’s adventure comes to an end). Keep in mind that not every Sparks’ book has a happy ever after ending. So if you’re not prepared for that, you might want to think twice before picking up this book.

“Is love at first sight truly possible?”