The story follows an elderly man named Duke who regularly visits a woman in a nursing home and reads to her from a notebook. The tale he tells is about Noah Calhoun, a poor country boy, and Allie Hamilton, a wealthy young woman, who fall deeply in love during the summer of 1940.
Despite their strong bond, Allie’s parents disapprove of Noah because of his social class, and they are separated. Years later, Allie becomes engaged to another man, Lon, but she reconnects with Noah after seeing a newspaper article about the house he restored—one he had promised to build for her.
Allie must choose between her fiancé and her first love. She ultimately chooses Noah, and the two spend the rest of their lives together.
In the end, it is revealed that Duke is actually Noah and the woman is Allie, who has Alzheimer’s. He has been reading their love story to help her remember. In a touching finale, they pass away peacefully in each other’s arms.
