Nicholas Sparks wrote the book as a romantic novel which is what he does best. Then it became a major motion picture with a great cast and came to life on the big screen. As a story idea it may seem a bit predictable but it works well on a sentimental level. When a U.S. Marine Sergeant has completed his third tour in Iraq he is determined to find a woman in a photo. Zac Efron (Charlie St. Cloud, 17 Again) is Sgt Logan Thibault, a man on a mission who found a photograph of a beautiful young woman in the sand back in Iraq and believes she was a good luck charm, helping him survive the war.hibault walks from Colorado to North Carolina to find his destiny and meet this woman (Beth Clayton) who has no idea who he is or why he's so interested in her. Taylor Schilling (Mercy, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) plays Clayton, Blythe Danner (The Lightkeepers, Little Fockers) is Nana, Jay Ferguson (Mad Men, Burn Notice) is Keith Clayton. Thoroughly entertaining and heart warming tale of a love connection."