You can read my Notebook fanfiction, “First & Second Loves,” on Wattpad. Read on to learn more about what inspired me to take on this project.
The Notebook may not capture the popular imagination the way it once did, but it still holds a special place in my heart as a formative film of my youth. I’ve loved it ever since high school, when Nick Cassavetes’ 2004 film starring Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, and James Marsden came out.
Back then, I really rooted for Noah and Allie’s relationship. They seemed like star-crossed lovers destined to be together. But as an adult, I no longer believe they’re right for each other. Or better yet, that they’re not good for each other.
The film portrays their relationship as volatile and at times even violent (Allie hits Noah on at least two separate occasions). When they fight, they often yell “I hate you” and call each other names (notably, “a smug son of a bitch” and “a pain in the ass”). It would be one thing if they traded insults offhandedly or with some humor, but every jab is delivered with such animosity.
What troubles me most is their so-called meet-cute at the carnival. Noah won’t leave Allie alone even though she explicitly tells him she’s not interested. He forces his way into her Ferris Wheel car and tries to cajole her to go out with him. When she rejects him yet again, he climbs out of the car and dangles from the top of the Ferris wheel, threatening to let go if she doesn’t agree. She capitulates only because he scares the shit out of her.
It’s seriously psychotic. When I was a sixteen, I thought it was funny and romantic, too young and naïve to understand how manipulative and psychologically abusive Noah’s behavior actually is.
Despite their contentious relationship, the movie portrays Noah as the forgone conclusion for Allie, conflating volatility with passion as so many romances unfortunately do.
My younger, less-discerning self never really considered Lon Hammond, Allie’s fiancé, as a real option for her. But now, I can’t help noticing how funny he is, how sweet and playful and endlessly supportive. More importantly, Allie appears genuinely happy when she’s with him and totally enamored. They seem to bring out the best in each other, which makes them a much better match.
This is why I decided to write fanfiction for The Notebook—I wanted to push back against the idea that love and passion have to be volatile, and I wanted to give Lon Hammond the serious consideration he deserves.
To be clear, my fanfiction stems specifically from the film, not Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 book of the same name. The characters in the book are quite different than they are in the film—Noah and Allie are portrayed as two sensitive, artistic souls who support each other and are never cruel. Lon, meanwhile, isn’t fun at all, and it’s clear Allie is unhappy and quite lonely. And though I also loved the book as a teen, it’s a bit too tame and slow for my current tastes—yet another reason I wanted to write my own story.
My fanfiction is set in modern day and focuses on the characters when they’re in their 20s, because I cannot with the Alzheimer’s. It’s too damn heartbreaking and real life is hard enough.
Below are a few of my favorite quotes from my story, “First & Second Loves.” I’ve published half of it on Wattpad so far, and plan to post a chapter a week . I hope you’ll read the full story!
Excerpts from First & Second Loves:
“He let out a tantalizing moan as he popped the tart into his mouth. A moan that made Allie’s skin tingle. She couldn’t help wondering if she could provoke that same sound behind closed doors.”
“He stared at her with such intensity, like she was the only person in the whole world who mattered. It was intoxicating.”
“She felt like she was on the brink of something big, like she was teetering on the edge of a precipice and everything could change in an instant. What would happen if she let herself fall?”
“She felt like she was blasted into another dimension, an infinite cosmos filled with blindingly bright stars where no one else existed but the two of them. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t see, she couldn’t hear, she could only feel Noah and the pulses he sent rippling through her body.”
Melissa Rose 
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