Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. At twenty-eight, he's focused only on walking in a straight line - getting his teaching degree and avoiding all the places and people that proved destructive in his past. The last thing he's looking for is a relationship. But when Maria Sanchez, a hardworking lawyer and daughter of Mexican immigrants, crosses his path one rainswept night in North Carolina, the foundations of his carefully structured life are completely upended. Before the couple has a chance to envision what a life together might be, ominous reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface. And as the threat of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will their respective demons destroy the tentative bonds they've forged, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour? The new epic love story from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Notebook, The Lucky One and The Longest Ride. Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved authors.