By Dani on October 6th, 2008 in Movies

When it comes to romantic movies, how often do you believe art imitates life?

Okay, I’d say hardly ever, but especially when it comes to Nicholas Sparks novels-turned-blockbusters. From his pen came “Message in a Bottle”, “A Walk to Remember”, “The Notebook” and now, just opening this past weekend, is “Nights in Rodanthe”. They are all incredible love stories, but since I’ve never known a couple with such a tale, I wondered if Sparks was just dreaming these things up or if there was any reality in his writing.

Lo and behold, much of the story of Paul and Adrienne in “Nights in Rodanthe” reads like Sparks own love story with his wife Cathy of almost 20 years. They met in a similar way, in a coastal town while looking for safe harbor from their individual lives. Like Paul and Adrienne, Sparks was sure of his love instantly while his future wife wasn’t so convinced.

Sparks has this to say about it:

“On the day after we met, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, because I knew even then that I’d never find someone so perfectly matched for me as she was (again, just like Paul). So I told her how I felt. And Cathy’s first response when I told her that we’d be married someday? She laughed and suggested “that I get another beer.”

Like Adrienne, she didn’t believe it was possible. But it was.”

So it’s a love story, a real one. They don’t just exist in movies.

What do you think of Nicholas Sparks’ movies? Did you think he was just being whimsical and idealistic when he penned his great novels or did you believe that they could be true?