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71 of 75 found the following review helpful:
 Sparks Delivers A Warm, Comforting Book for RomanticsOct 16, 2001
By Antoinette Klein
If you love a love story, cry over broken hearts, and savor the coziness of small-town life, this book is tailor-made for you. I absolutely loved the story of Miles Ryan and his young son Jonah. Their wife and mother, Missy, is struck down by a hit-and-run driver, sending waves of loneliness through the lives of Miles and Jonah. Miles, as deputy sheriff of his small North Carolina town, feels doubly saddened by his failure to find his wife's killer and bring him to justice.When Jonah has trouble at school, Sarah, Jonah's teacher, enters Miles' life and he begins to feel the stirrings of romance once again. Unfortunately, Sarah harbors a secret that destroyed her first marriage, and later discovers an amazing coincidence that shatters her new-found happiness with Miles and Jonah. Written with passion and simplicity, this wonderful book also has tones of Mary Higgins Clark, as readers are able to spend several chapters in the mind of the as-yet-unknown driver of the car who killed Missy. The mystery of unveiling the hit-and-run driver coupled with the romance of Sarah and Miles makes this a comforting, curl-up-and-read pleasure for fall.
29 of 32 found the following review helpful:
What happens to your mind when your world falls apartDec 13, 2001
By Denise Bentley
"Kelsana"
That is what Miles Ryan is up against after the death of his wife Missy by an unknown hit and run driver. Sparks has introduced the driver to us via a series of “italicized” chapters sporadically interspersed within the story as a whole. I enjoyed this aspect of the book and was always pleased to see another chapter by this individual who would reveal a little bit more about the person who perpetrated the crime. Jonah Ryan is a little boy who has lost his mom and been allowed to slip back in his school work out of pity for his loss. Sarah, his new teacher makes friends with the Ryan family when she offers to work with him after school. Sarah and Miles make fast and easy friends, and Miles starts to have feelings that he thought would be long dead after losing Missy. It is when life is back on track for the first time in two years that his world is blown apart, and the madness begins. This is an excellent book and I would rate it 4.5. Sparks’ books are warm and touching but the edge of madness is done well in this particular book. Something to watch for is the up and coming movie “A Walk to Remember” based on another Nicholas Sparks novel that just grabbed me by the heart. (...)
40 of 47 found the following review helpful:
BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND ENRICHED WITH STRONG EMOTION!Sep 04, 2001
By Sandra D. Peters
"Seagull Books"
This is, without question, the most beautifully written book from Sparks since "Message in a Bottle." It is a story of loss and new-found love. Miles is still grieving the loss of his wife in a hit-and-run accident, and struggling with the day-to-day challenges of raising a son on his own. When Sarah Andrews enters his life, Miles is filled with a variety of mixed emotions from guilt and a sense of betrayal to his dead wife, to the earthy qualities of love and passion for an attractive, alluring woman. Sarah, too, is dealing with her own demons of the past. Just as fate has blessed these two people with the chance to find happiness, solace and love together, and put the past to rest, their love and relationship are both tested to the limit. This is a book fans of Sparks will not want to miss. Also highly recommended by another Nicholas - Nicholas Evans, is "Smoke Jumper." Both are excellent books, destined to become best sellers and deserving of five-star ratings.
15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
What Path Would You Choose?May 30, 2002
By Alda
A Bend In The Road, by Nicholas Sparks is a remarkable book that will bring tears to your eyes. In the novel, Sparks weaves together two stories: the story of Miles Ryan's life after the death of his wife, and the story of the murderer of Missy Ryan (Miles Ryan's wife).
Missy Ryan was a blessed mother and wife. The kind that every child would dream to have. However, one night destiny was not with her, and she was killed while jogging at dusk. Having found out about the horrific death of his wife, Miles Ryan takes it upon himself to find out what happened to his wife on that terrible night.
Jonah, the son of Missy and Miles, nonetheless does not take his mother's death lightly. The affect of the death becomes so great, that Jonah begins to do poorly in school. Just when Miles thought life could not get better for him or his son, the charming teacher Sarah Andrews enters and offers to help Jonah with his academics. Sarah and Miles soon fall deeply in love yet their future together may be tattered by a secret tie from their past. Will their love for each other remain strong or will truth keep them apart...
In A Bend In The Road, Nicholas Sparks has the cryptic ability to combine both mystery and romance and roll them into a novel that is a true page-turner. If you have ever read one of Sparks' novels, this one will surpass your expectations. If you are like me, who has never read his books, pick this one up because you will not put it down until the end.
13 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 Not one of his bestJun 01, 2002
By Ratmammy
"The Ratmammy"
A Bend in the Road - Nicholas Sparks Here's another love story written by the master of romance books, Nicholas Sparks. A Bend in the Road is the story of Miles and his son Jonah. Missy was the love of Miles' life; they had a storybook love that was not destined to end on a happy note. Missy dies early on in their marriage, leaving Miles to care for their young son Jonah. The cause of death was a hit and run accident, but despite Miles' efforts to find the "murderer", there are no answers. Miles works as the local deputy sheriff in a small town in North Carolina (where everyone seems to know everyone else) and he uses his powers to track down the person that drove the car that killed Missy. Then in comes Sarah. She's a divorced woman from the big city, looking for a new life in a small town. She ends up as Jonah's teacher in school, and through Jonah she meets Miles. It takes a while, but Miles soon falls in love with Sarah and they begin a courtship. Miles hasn't been happier, not since he lost Missy, but there is always that nagging mystery in the back of his mind: who killed her? Was she murdered? Or was it an accident? I enjoyed reading this book, but I have to admit it was not my favorite Nicholas Sparks romance. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE is by far his best work. A BEND IN THE ROAD didn't seem to flow as easily as some of his other novels, and I guess I felt that the plot was a bit forced. Still, Sparks knows how to write a good romance and I did want to find out how Missy really died. It was a fast read, but if you are a first time reader of Nicholas Sparks, I suggest you try MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE or A WALK TO REMEMER.
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