"Dear John" is a very quick read that skims the surface of his characters" lives, occasionally moving closer for a few moments of honest emotion, but never getting too close or too personal. Sparks deals quickly with 9/11, Kosovo and the Iraq war, focusing always on the love story that is as hazy and creased as an old photo. The characters" motivations at times are stereotypically prosaic, with an underlying message of sacrifice before love or happiness. The ending is not a big surprise, although there are moments when Sparks threatens to pull it off. Melodrama wins out in the end and Sparks does what he does best, touch the reader"s emotions.