“Think The Notebook meets The Sixth Sense, Remain is an atmospheric, emotional ghost story that blends romance and the supernatural with mixed but memorable results.” — Ryan Steck, The Real Book Spy and Author of Gone Dark
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Two powerhouse writers combine for a book that’s more meh than earth-shattering, though fans of their individual works should find the romance between a swanky architect and a ghost struggling to accept her fate intriguing.
When the announcement dropped that Nicholas Sparks—the king of sweeping, emotional love stories—was teaming up with M. Night Shyamalan—the master of supernatural thrillers and eerie twists—it sounded like one of the most unexpected team-ups in publishing. Remain is the product of that pairing, and while the book isn’t flawless, it’s certainly one-of-a-kind: part ghost story, part romance, part mystery, and to their credit, wholly ambitious.
The story follows Tate Donovan, a New York architect still reeling from the loss of his beloved sister—who, before her death, confessed that she’s among those in her family who can see beyond the earth-bound realm and into the spirit world—and a stint in a psychiatric facility to treat his subsequent depression. Hoping for a fresh start, Tate takes on a project designing a summer home for his best friend in Cape Cod. There, while staying in a historic bed-and-breakfast, he meets Wren—a beautiful, enigmatic young woman with secrets of her own. Their connection is immediate, but Tate soon discovers Wren isn’t who she seems to be. As their relationship deepens, Tate is pulled into a supernatural mystery that forces him to question love, death, and the very fabric of reality.
I can’t say this was a collaboration I had on my 2025 Bingo card, but here we are. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ll admit that my initial interest came from M. Night Shyamalan’s involvement rather than Sparks, whose books don’t usually fall within the genre I tend to cover (though my wife has forced me to sit through many of his movies). Still, there’s no denying it’s an intriguing pair, and I was genuinely excited to see what kind of story two such accomplished and different storytellers might create together.
Where Remain shines brightest, at least for my money, is in its atmosphere and themes. The Cape Cod setting is richly drawn, with a windswept, melancholy charm that perfectly matches the book’s exploration of grief and healing. Sparks brings his trademark emotional weight to Tate’s vulnerability. At the same time, Shyamalan adds a subtle layer of unease—quiet, ghostly encounters that keep you wondering and engaged enough to want to see how things play out.
Tate, for his part, is not your typical romantic lead. He’s soft, thoughtful, wounded, and emotionally open in a way that feels refreshingly real. His journey through grief and the tentative steps he takes toward hope give the story its emotional core. Wren, meanwhile, is compelling if mysterious; she’s less fully developed, which I think was by design, but her presence anchors the supernatural thread.
In many ways, the novel also deserves credit for its handling of mental health and loss. These themes could have easily slipped into melodrama, but Sparks and Shyamalan treat them with care and honesty in a way that comes off as heartfelt and haunting.
That’s all the good.
However, treading into the bad, this book felt really, really uneven to me. The first quarter is weighed down by exposition and dialogue that feels forced and unnatural, distracting at times and even eye-roll-worthy. The romance—though central—is rushed, more of an instant connection than a believable build, which is familiar territory for Sparks but might frustrate readers looking for more nuance. To that end, the mystery aspect works better than the romance, but it’s also predictable. Many readers will see the central twist coming well before the reveal, and the finale, while satisfying emotionally, isn’t the shocking, layered conclusion one might expect from a Shyamalan story.
Think The Notebook meets The Sixth Sense, Remain is an atmospheric, emotional ghost story that blends romance and the supernatural with mixed but memorable results. Predictable at times, yes, but also moving, and with a cinematic quality that all but guarantees a screen adaptation. Sparks’ and Shyamalan’s fans, at least those willing to embrace something a little different, will find plenty to discuss.
Not perfect, but somewhat haunting, heartfelt, and unlike anything either author has done before.
Book Details
Author: Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan
Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 979-8217154043
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: October 14, 2025
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor in addition to running TRBS. He is the author of FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” LETHAL RANGE, OUT FOR BLOOD, GONE DARK, and TED BELL’S MONARCH. For more information, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and BookBub. For even more content and book news, subscribe to The Real Book Spy Substack!