Dear John was an excellent book that really showed what the true meaning of love is. Nicholas Sparks has a way of writing that truly makes the characters jump out of the book, they seem real and alive. The love story between Savannah and John begins when John is home on a leave from the army. As they fall in love during the warm summer months, they become inseparable. It seems that their love will be indestructible as John is required to return to the army and Savannah promises to wait. However, just when John is about to return home from the army the horrible and striking day of 9/11 faced every soldier with a choice between love and serving America. His decision makes the world around him change forever. Because of this one choice he is then forced to make several decisions that were even harder than the first. Yet, one thing remains constant through the whole book, love and the meaning of it. In John’s words, “love means that you care for another person’s happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.” This book is not your traditional love story and you will find your heart aching for each character in the book.