At a glance
The Notebook
Romance
The Notebook
Book 1 of the The Notebook series
214 pages · First published 1996
In a nursing home, an elderly man reads from a notebook to a woman whose memory is failing, telling the story of Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson. Noah and Allie fall in love as young people in North Carolina despite differences in social class, then are separated by family pressure, war, and time. Years later, Allie’s engagement to another man collides with the persistence of the relationship she thought she had left behind. Nicholas Sparks’s romantic novel frames youthful passion within aging, memory, and long-term devotion, making the act of remembering as important as the original love story.
Paired for this story
Jump to the pours ↓Apocalypse Later + Sloe Gin Fizz
Choose your bookseller
Find the Book
Print retailers offer a search when an exact edition is unavailable. Kindle links open a specific edition. Audiobook links may open an edition or a search.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Book Bartender earns from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org links also earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. Your price is not affected. Read the full affiliate disclosure.
No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Wartime/battle violence and peril · Mild romantic content, including kissing
Alcohol-Free Pour
Apocalypse Later
A bright, refreshing sip suits romantic anticipation and a little escapism.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Combine the noncarbonated ingredients in a glass or shaker and stir or shake until mixed. Pour over ice, top with any carbonated ingredient, and stir gently.
- Garnish: Use a matching citrus wheel, berry, or herb to the cola.
- Glassware: Highball glass.
Shop glassware & tools
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Highball glass ↗Cocktail shaker ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Sloe Gin Fizz
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
A crisp botanical pour suits romantic anticipation and a little escapism.
What you'll need
- 2 oz sloe gin
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice ↗
- 0.25 oz simple syrup, adjusted to taste ↗
- 2–3 oz club soda ↗
- Ice
Shop the spirits 21+Search Total Wine for Gin · 21+ ↗
How to mix it
- Shake sloe gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice, top with club soda, and stir gently.
- Garnish: Lemon wheel.
- Glassware: Highball glass.
Shop glassware & tools
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Highball glass ↗Set up the bar cart
Shop the Barware
Find the glasses and tools for your next pour.