John Tyree is back home to Wilmington, North Carolina from a military tour in Germany. While home on leave, John enjoys surfing along the beach at Wilmington. This is where he meets Savannah. John rescues Savannah's purse that has dropped into the deep waters - a simple incident that changes his life forever! After that incident, they two get talking, he teaches her to surf and very soon they fell in love.
Apart from describing the intense love that John and Savannah shares, Nicholas Sparks beautifully describes the relationship between John and his father. John's father is quiet. He likes to do his routine things and never talks much. The only thing he talks about is his extensive coin collection. He has a great passion for numismatics which John could never really understand. One day, John took Savannah to meet his father. After spending some time with his father, Savannah points out to John that his father may have Asperger's syndrome. After that John comes to look at his father differently, finally accepting him for who and what he is. Savannah presents John a book on autism to better understand his father.
Unfortunately, John's leave ends and he has to return back to Germany. He has one more year of service before he can be relieved. They both promised to wait for each other and write to each other during this 12 months separation.
"Dear John, Should I start by telling you that I love you...If you come back, I'll marry you...Love, Savannah."
While reading this, John could think of nothing but going back to Savannah. Thus they both shared their love through letters during their days of separation. Both of them longing to see and embrace each other soon. Both of them longing to start their life soon.
But then happens the tragic 9/11. John faces a difficult choice to make - Whether to re-enlist himself as a patriotic soldier or get back to Savannah..? Really difficult choice to make. But he decides to be a good soldier leaving Savannah with a difficult choice as well - Should she wait for him or just move on..?
But Savannah understands his decision and continues to wait. They continue to write letters, sharing their love. But as days passed on, some lack of intimacy from Savannah. The frequency of letters from decreased. Finally the last Dear John letter arrives from Savannah.
Dear John,
..... So here I am, groping for words with tears on my cheeks and hoping that you'll somehow forgive me for what I'm about to write....I understood your reason for staying in the army, and I respected your decision. I still do, but we both know our relationship changed after that. We changed, and in your heart, I think you realized it, too. Maybe the time apart was too much, maybe it was just our different worlds...please believe me when I say I didn't mean to fall in love with someone else...
It goes on..
I'm so sorry-
Savannah
Through her last letter, Savannah notifies John that she has fallen for someone else. John does not respond to that letter. He decides to continue being a good soldier. John's father become deathly ill and John comes back home to see his father. In a heart touching manner John reveals his feelings to his father about how much he loves him.
In a few days John's father dies and John goes to see Savannah only to know that she got married to Tim, who is stricken with melanoma. Tim is in hospital taking his treatments. At home, John and Savannah have the last heat-to-heart talk. Finally John says "Goodbye Savannah".
He anonymously donates money for treatment that will save Tim’s life, and then checks back to see that that Savannah and Tim are happy. The way John concluded his thoughts about what real love is would make even the toughest hearts melt and toughest persons weep.
If that is not true love, I don't know what is..!
