10 Reasons We Love Nicholas Sparks

OK. We know. Nicholas Sparks can be corny. Our moms like him and, no, he's no Dostoevsky. But hear us out. With four of his books already adapted into film, and two more slated for 2010—including the forthcoming Dear John (the YourTango partner that inspired us to write this post)—perhaps its worth considering that Sparks knows something about love and life that we don't. In ascending order, here are the top 10 reasons we can't get enough of Nicholas Sparks.

10. He doesn't mind when we cry. In fact, he encourages it, gifting us with weep-tastic storylines rife with youthful romance, unfortunate death, star-crossed (or long-term, or tragedy-ridden) lovers, reconnection against all odds and outsized emotions.

9. He's warm and fuzzy. Light some candles. Set the mood. On second thought, don't even bother. When you're reading Nicholas Sparks, there's no reason to set the scene, because Sparks has already done it for you. His words have the ability to make even the most cheesy love scenes come alive, which may explain why so many of them have been brought to visual life onscreen. Erotic Literature: Our 5 Favorites

8. His fiction is based in reality…or at least his reality. While the plots of his novels make us bemoan the fact that such romance does not—or cannot—actually exist, Sparks doggedly continues to be a fictional character come alive. A believer in old-fashioned romantic gestures, he regularly writes his wife, Cathy, love letters, or surprises her with romantic getaways. Sparks gushes that Cathy is the love of his life and, in an interview with Sydney, Australia’s Sun Herald, said, "The moment I met my wife I knew I would marry her." 4 Things You Didn't Know About Romance Novelists