All 11 Nicholas Sparks Romance Movies, Ranked

The Choice is the most recent Nicholas Sparks adaptation, and it’s definitely the weakest. The author definitely has a formula in his work, but this one is way too predictable and just doesn’t have an interesting plot. There’s romance, yes, but there’s some serious cheating involved that makes this love story one you have trouble rooting for, despite the chemistry between Benjamin Walker and Teresa Palmer.

The Best of Me has, like many Nicholas Sparks books, a wild plot. Switching between the present and past, the viewer really gets to know Amanda Collier (Michelle Monaghan) and Dawson Cole (James Marsden) and the flaws, strengths, and passion that connects them.

After years apart, the two reunite for a funeral. Sharing an intimate night together, tragedy soon strikes. The Best of Me is a real tearjerker that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. However, when you think about it once the credits roll, you realize it’s not all that good.

Melodramatic and predictable at times, Safe Haven is a walking contradiction as it also has some plot twists that no one saw coming. Were they necessary? Probably not.

The combination of an abusive ex-husband and a dead ex-wife assures an interesting dynamic. It also makes you think, has no one ever considered healing before jumping into something new? I guess not.

However, despite its many negative aspects, Safe Haven is still enjoyable to watch. Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel have an easygoing, natural chemistry with each other.

Zac Efron was destined to make a Nicholas Sparks movie, right? He’s always such a great leading man. With all the elements to make a riveting romance movie, The Lucky One feels a little rushed. Despite never fully understanding the thinking behind certain character’s decisions, the chemistry between Logan Thibault (Efron) and Beth Green is still extremely palpable (Taylor Schilling). Fresh off the High School Musical trilogy and right before Orange Is the New Black, this duo was definitely something to watch on the big screen.

Richard Gere is another Hollywood leading man who was meant for a Nicholas Sparks movie. Paul and Adrienne (Diane Lane) get a second chance at love after heartbreak and loss. They get swept up in the tides of Rodanthe, but as most Sparks stories go, their happy ending is short-lived. Nights in Rodanthe is a little too heavy on the sad, rather than the romance.

Okay, let’s cut to the chase. If it wasn’t for the younger counterparts’ story, The Longest Ride would’ve easily been in the top three. But alas, for most of the movie, the focus is on Luke Collins (Scott Eastwood) and Sophia Danko (Britt Robertson).

Although, it is still a pretty good romance storyline. Luke, the wild bullrider, and Sophia, the idyllic college student, cross paths and the rest is romance history. First stumbling upon an old man, Ira Levinson (Alan Alda), in a car crash, the budding couple helps him out. When Sophia starts connecting with Ira, the audience gets thrust into a much better love story.

Going back in time to when a young Ira (Jack Huston) and his wife Ruth meet (Oona Chaplin), that’s when the true romance movie begins.

Message in a Bottle was the first-ever Nicholas Sparks movie adaptation, but it kind of gets lost in the shuffle because The Notebook became such a phenomenon just a few years later.

With Kevin Costner, Robin Wright, and Paul Newman, this movie had all the ingredients for success. Despite these legendary actors, the film doesn’t have that magical spark or cult classic status that other films like The Notebook and A Walk to Remember, but it’s still a treat to watch.

Have you ever listened to “Travelin’ Soldier” by The Chicks? Well, if you have, then you know the first half of the premise of Dear John. The latter half kind of derails it, and another tragic happenstance becomes the throughline.

With Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum portraying the main characters, the film’s director Lasse Hallström knew what he was doing. Once again making Charleston, South Carolina, the backdrop, Dear John is a scenic experience that would make even the most cynical stop and embrace this romance drama.

Okay, dying seems to be Nicholas Sparks’ thing. Never able to go through any of his stories without some kind of tragedy, A Walk to Remember is the most devastating.

With touches of comedy, blushing teenage love, and a powerful musical performance, A Walk to Remember is the perfect teen romance movie. For many, A Walk to Remember was the entryway into the world of Sparks. Mandy Moore and Shane West’s journey of first love left a lasting impression on so many teenage girls.

Also, just a sidenote, did anyone actually believe Moore’s character was an unattractive nerd? I definitely did not.

The Last Song is the movie that started it all for the Miam shippers. Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth’s real life love story… Boy, wasn’t that a journey?

And, hey, the amount of good music we’ve gotten from that alone should’ve put this flick at the top. The chemistry between them is undeniable and jumps off the screen.

Yes, The Last Song is sad, plays into the world of a misunderstood teenager’s head, and gives a lesson on loss, and that’s what makes it such a good romantic drama.

The target audience of The Last Song definitely skews a bit younger than most other Nicholas Sparks adaptations, yet this allowed the world to see that his books can grab more than just one age group. So, take a trip down memory lane, listen to “When I Look At You,” and watch The Last Song.

To many, The Notebook is the best romance flick ever made. Two decades later, the Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams-led movie still sparks pop culture references and romantic inspiration.

The film chronicles the incredible love story between Allie and Noah from teens to their final breaths. Climbing up a Ferris wheel, kissing in the rain, and rowing a boat on a South Carolina lake were just a few of the most romantic snapshots of their decades-long romance.

Therefore, it would be impossible not to give The Notebook the first spot it deserves. I mean, can you think of another story that made dying as romantic? Allie and Noah just couldn’t live without each other. True love at its finest.

The cultural impact of The Notebook will withstand the test of time. Allie and Noah forever.