I started reading the book "Always by Your Side" by Nicholas Sparks without hesitation, and I almost didn't realize how quickly the pages were flying by from the beginning.

The story begins with the moments of a couple, Ross and Vivian, who are preparing for the birth of their daughter, London. The scenes in the first pages are hilarious. Along the way, we see the couple spending time with their child, with Vivian taking on a large part of the child's upbringing due to Ross's difficult work schedule. Despite the arrival of London in their lives, the first clouds in their relationship soon appear. Somewhere here, the reader will identify with the book's characters if they are a spouse and/or parent and will understand that all relationships and families have problems. The breakup of Ross and Vivian's relationship will soon affect their relationship with their child, while Ross will have to face unemployment and the upbringing of little London almost entirely. Despite the difficulties, a wonderful relationship will develop between father and daughter, which Ross did not have the opportunity to create earlier due to lack of time or the influence of Vivian on the child. Of course, this is not the whole story of the book. The reader has much to see, read, and learn. But mainly, they will get to know the power of trying and fighting with all their might for themselves and the people they love. They will realize how important it is to have people who believe in them by their side, even when they don't believe in themselves!

"Always by Your Side" is the third book by Nicholas Sparks that I have read, and I can say that I really liked it. At first, it seemed a bit slow. However, as I observed the characters gradually building up and the story flowing smoothly and steadily, I found myself not wanting to let go of it. As someone who loves children, I couldn't help but love little London (who was fluttering around like a butterfly with wings on her back), sympathize with Ross, and get extremely annoyed with Vivian. I was very angry, mainly because I once again confirmed how selfish parents can sometimes become by putting themselves above their children. This book also discusses the difficulty of raising a child in a single-parent family and the impact it can have on the child's and parent's psychology. I won't hide the fact that I cried while reading the last pages, and now, two days after finishing the book, I often find myself thinking about it and smiling.

If I could change something, it would perhaps be some elements of the story, mainly in the last chapters of the book, which had to do with the relationship between Ross and Vivian. Somewhere there, I would have liked a more detailed narration about the choices of the two heroes. However, the touching ending, I would say, overshadowed these doubts I had about Vivian's behavior. The truth is, I expected something more at the end, but Sparks chose not to make the story predictable and left it at a realistic point, which I ultimately appreciated.

It is a relaxing book, with a simple story, simple plot, and simple vocabulary. It is one of those books that you want to have on your nightstand to read a little before falling asleep. Do you want something simple, sweet, beautiful, but at the same time realistic? If you are looking for something like that, then you will definitely love it.

P.S.: For the composition of the photo, I was inspired by the wings that London wore in many scenes of the book, which accompanied her even until the last emotional scene.

Rating: 5/5