Romance
The Notebook
In a care home, an elderly man reads aloud from a notebook to a woman who no longer remembers her own life. The story is of a summer romance between a mill worker and a wealthy girl in 1940s North Carolina, and what happened afterwards.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1996
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 213
- Format
- Book 1 of 2 in The Notebook
Read this if you want a short, sentimental love story that leans into tears and long devotion.
Skip this if you dislike sentimentality or want a plot with much tension or complexity.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about The Notebook
- What is The Notebook about?
- In a care home, an elderly man reads aloud from a notebook to a woman who no longer remembers her own life. The story is of a summer romance between a mill worker and a wealthy girl in 1940s North Carolina, and what happened afterwards.
- Who should read The Notebook?
- Read it if you want a short, sentimental love story that leans into tears and long devotion. Skip it if you dislike sentimentality or want a plot with much tension or complexity.
- How long and how fast is The Notebook?
- It is a medium-paced, short read of about 213 pages, first published in 1996.
- Does The Notebook have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Grief, Mental illness.
- Can I borrow The Notebook for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Notebook; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Notebook?
- Readers who liked it often move on to A Walk to Remember, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Bridges of Madison County.
Your shelf
Saved in this browser only. Open my shelf
Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Bookshop.org | Check price | Buy new from Bookshop.org |
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Libro.fm | Check price | Buy audiobook from Libro.fm |
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
Prices appear here as retailer feeds are connected. Where none is shown, check the store. Links open the store in a new tab.
Some store links, including Kobo, are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Library links are never affiliate links. How this works
Share this pick
Because you might love it
If you loved The Notebook
-
A Walk to Remember
Same author and the same gentle, tearful tone, but with a younger couple.
-
The Time Traveler's Wife A larger, stranger love story about lifelong devotion through impossible circumstances.
-
The Bridges of Madison County
Another short, wistful love story about a brief connection that stays with someone for life.
Romance
