At First Sight

Synopsis

Read by David Aaron Baker

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 after barely surviving one failed marriage; and, never become a parent.

Now Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, engaged to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the start of their family. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, a mysterious and disturbing e-mail sets off a chain of events that will change the course of this young couple's marriage.

How well do we really know the ones we love? How do we handle the inevitable doubts, fears concerning parenthood, and stumbling blocks that are sometimes placed in our way? Continuing the story of the young couple introduced in Sparks's bestselling True Believer, this novel captures all the heartbreak, tension, romance, and surprises of those who are newly wed.

An astonishing tale about the love between a man and a woman and between a parent and a child, AT FIRST SIGHT is about endings that bring new beginnings...tragedies that lead to unexpected joy...and, most of all, the magic of everlasting love.

Publishers Weekly

When we last left 37-year-old Jeremy Marsh (a scant six months ago, in Sparks's April pub True Believer), the science columnist had traveled from his New York base to Boone Creek, N.C., to get a story-and ended up falling in love with Lexie Darnell, the 30-year-old town librarian. Now Lexie's pregnant-but it's true love (and a portable job) that's allowing divorce Jeremy to move down so they can marry and build a life together. The book centers on the tension-filled runup to the wedding. Sparks pulls out all the smalltown stops-psychic grandmother, meddling mayor, sullen townie ex, jealous best friends-and offers Mars/Venus commentary on what makes his characters tick. Jeremy's writer's block, instead of heightening the will-they-or-won't-they tension, is as enervating for readers as it is for him. More compelling are the mysterious e-mails Jeremy receives that suggest Lexie may not be telling the truth (about who the father is, for one thing), and the character of Lexie's psychic grandmother, Doris, who has correctly predicted the sex of every child born in the town. As the wedding gets closer (and house renovations suck more and more money from Jeremy's dwindling savings), Jeremy and Lexie have some serious talking to do, and Sparks throws in a substantial zinger at the end. It's majorly manipulative and totally effective. Have plenty of tissues on hand. (Oct. 18) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

 Biography

Sparks is a sort of national sweetheart -- a good-looking family man who writes heart-tugging novels that rarely fail to elicit tears or book sales. His wildly popular The Notebook kicked off a steady string of quietly triumphant love stories.