Love is dead -- at least, according to Nicholas Sparks fans.
On Tuesday, Sparks, the wordsmith behind The Notebook and A Walk To Remember, announced that he and wife Cathy are divorcing after 25 years of marriage.
"This is, of course, not a decision we've made lightly," Sparks told People. "We remain close friends with deep respect for each other and love for our children. For our children's sake, we regard this as a private matter."
It wasn't news that fans of the best-selling author took lightly, either. Many on Twitter were verklempt; how could the man whose beautiful mind gave us the timeless, sweeping love story of Noah and Allie fall prey to something as humdrum, something so un-Nicholas Sparks-ian as divorce?
Some waxed poetic about the end of romance:
Some blamed the split on the new year. (Damn you, 2015.)
Nicholas Sparks have separated from his wife? wtf is wrong with you 2015?
— the woods are lovely (@marythequeenie) January 6, 2015
Some wondered why Sparks didn't do a better job of showing his love in some Nick Sparks-esque way. Like, why didn't the dude just sweep his lady off her feet for one of those sloppy lift-and-sit kisses in the rain? Why didn't they stargaze in a cemetery until their love came back to life?
Some questioned how we, as a people, could ever again trust the words he's written.
And some? Some gave up entirely.
RIP love.
For more devastated reaction to the news, check out the slideshow below: