We all have that one person in our lives who we can't let go of, no matter where life takes us. Fate often provides a second chance to the main characters in books like The Notebook.

'Duke', an elderly man, begins reading pages from a notebook to a woman who is also elderly. He tells her the story of Noah Calhoun, a soldier who returned from World War II still thinking about the girl he met one summer when he was nineteen years old: Allie Nelson.

It's fortunate for Noah that he's occupied working on the restoration of his family home and developing a new relationship, but everything changes when Allie reappears in his life.

Despite the fact that Allie is now living with Lon, she is still curious as to why Noah failed to respond to any of her letters. Both realize that someone else had a hand in keeping them apart at this point.

Once his book was published, Sparks went out and bought his wife a new ring and asked her to marry him once more, reports the New York Times Bless.

If you're a fan of books like The Notebook and crave more romance in your life, you've come to the right place.

Books like The Notebook

Letters to the Lost, by Ioana Grey

As in The Notebook, we are privy to a soldier's heartfelt letters to a girl he met while serving in World War II.

Letters to the Lost begins with a young woman (Jess) fleeing her abusive boyfriend in London, where the film is set. A dilapidated house on a quiet street eventually becomes her haven.

She discovers a recently postmarked letter from America, addressed to Mrs. S. Thorne, as she peruses the house. Jess is intrigued by the letter and decides to open it. An American soldier by the name of Dan is looking for Stella, the girl he had an extremely brief but meaningful relationship with.

Jess decides to investigate the fate of these two star-crossed lovers after discovering more letters from Dan from seventy years ago. However, she is discovered in the house by an heir hunter, Will. She tells him about the letters, and they begin their own story together.

You should put this book on your wish list if you enjoy heartwarming love stories like The Notebook.

In Five Years, by Rebecca Serle

In books like The Notebook, the concept of "meant to be" takes on a whole new meaning: sometimes we are just meant to be someone.

When we first meet Dannie Cohan, he's an up-and-coming lawyer with a solid game plan. In the next five years, she has a clear vision of what her life will look like and how she plans to get there.

Dannie is on track with her plan at the beginning of the book, and she's ticking things off her to-do list. She has a successful career and a loving partner. Her life is ideal.

Then she wakes up five years in the future with a ring on her finger and a man she's never met sleeping next to her.

She ignores her dream's significance until years later when she meets the man who appeared in her vision.

Check out In Five Years if you're a fan of books like The Notebook and believe in the power of "the one".

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis de Bernières

Before Benito Mussolini invaded Greece in World War II, we travel to the Greek island of Cephalonia in this story of love similar to The Notebook.

Invading Italian Captain Antonio Corelli falls in love with Pelagia, whose father is the island's doctor, while commanding the Italian garrison. Already engaged to a local fisherman who has joined the Greek partisans, she is planning to marry him soon. There are a number of factors to consider, including the fact that it is wartime and they are on opposing sides of the conflict.

Their relationship has political and personal ramifications that must be dealt with as the atrocities mount and war affects every facet of their lives.

This is a love story and a history book that will leave you exhausted but satisfied in the knowledge that you've just finished reading a beautifully written novel.

Atonement, by Ian McEwan

There are three parts to the story of Atonement, which spans sixty years. First, there's a traditional WWII story, but as the book and timeline progress, McEwan shifts to a more modern structure.

As the story begins in 1935, when Briony Tallis misinterprets her older sister Cecilia's flirtation with the gardener's son (Robbie Turner), Her understanding of sexuality is incomplete because she is only thirteen years old.

At the tender age of fourteen, Briony's mind begins to play tricks on her and her family, leading to events that will forever alter their lives.

After reading The Notebook, you'll find yourself squirming in your seat while still being unable to put it down.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

As far as romantic comedies go, I'm recommending The Princess Bride. It's a fantasy romance novel that borrows liberally from S. Morgenstern's classic, first published in 1973.

It is said that William Goldman's father rewrote the story based on the parts that his father read him when he read the original to him as a child.

Reading aloud to his grandson, the grandfather begins the tale, bringing it to life as he goes...

Buttercup is kidnapped by bandits who plan to start a war because she is engaged to Prince Humperdinck, who she despises. To her amazement, it is the boy from her childhood (Westley) who has come to her aid.

Westley makes unlikely allies along the way to save her, including a giant and a swordsman.

So, if you like books like The Notebook and want some action, sword fights, hilarity, strange creatures, and revenge in your next romance read, pick up The Princess Bride – and then go see the movie; both are excellent!

The Italian Villa, by Daniela Sacerdoti

Diary found by Callie, our protagonist in The Notebook, also takes place in World War II. Now she's an Italian villa owner after discovering that her birth mother left her a small Texan town in the will she never knew about.

An old journal is found by Callie when she visits the villa. When she's not reading about her mother's romance with Leo, Elisa reads about it.

Callie is inspired by her mother's diary entries to embark on her own journey of discovery in Montevino's hillside.

The final pages of her mother's journal, however, reveal a shocking betrayal that leaves Callie in a state of utter devastation.

Every breeze and scent are brought to life by the author as Callie learns about the people and places around her hillside villa. The Italian Villa could help you prepare for a trip to Italy, if you've always wanted to go.

Call Me by Your Name, by Andre Aciman

If you're still looking for a great book to read, I've included a love story that's a lot like The Notebook. A teenage boy and a guest staying at his parents' house on the Italian Riviera embark on a journey of sexual and emotional discovery.

Olivier, who Elio sees as a mature and sophisticated man, intrigues him. After a series of encounters, we learn about Elio's perplexity over his desire for Oliver and the strong emotional attachment he has to him.

It's through Elio's thoughts and desires that the story of their relationship is revealed.

In 2017, a film adaptation of Call Me by Your Name was released and received four Academy Award nominations. However, I strongly recommend reading the novel first.

Is this book on your TBR list? Here are some titles that might interest you, based on the success of Call Me by Your Name:

The Lucky One, by Nicholas Sparks

Two Nicholas Sparks novels serve as bookends to this wonderful collection. Now we have The Lucky One, a story about a US Marine who believes that a photograph of a young woman he found while serving overseas holds the key to his future success and happiness...

His good fortune, including a narrow escape from death, inspires him to search for the woman in the photograph when he returns to his hometown. To find the mystery woman in the photograph, he sets out with his dog Zeus to find Elizabeth (Beth) Green, a divorced mother with a son, in North Carolina.

Logan's story is told from three perspectives: Logan, Elizabeth, and Keith Clayton, who we meet at the beginning of the book and holds the secret to the photograph and wishes to remove Logan from the photograph.

For those of you who haven't seen the film adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel yet...read the book first!

In the above list, you should be able to satisfy your romantic fantasies, whether they take place in a war-torn country or on an Italian hillside. The information you need is right here in front of you.

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