Hollywood’s favorite romance novelist returns to theaters this weekend with The Longest Ride, and it promises to be loaded with the type of movie romance that the target audience can’t get enough of. But there is plenty here for guys, too, who are looking for love.

Move to “The Sticks”

According to Nicholas Sparks, true love mostly flourishes far away from the big city. If Tinder’s not working out for you, try moving to the relaxing beach town found in Safe Haven, the quiet countryside in The Best of Me, or at least the suburbs, where A Walk to Remember took place.

Embrace Your Inner Bad Boy

What do Channing Tatum, Zac Efron, Ryan Gosling, Shane West and James Marsden have in common? They’re all impossibly handsome, but more importantly, they all played characters who were from the “wrong side of the tracks,” so to speak. Some love money, sure, but according to Sparks -- they love a brooding hunk with emotional baggage even more.

Have Your Craftsman Set Handy

Ryan Gosling didn’t lock down Rachel McAdams in The Notebook until after he built her a house; Zac Efron wooed Taylor Schilling in The Lucky One by fixing everything on her property. And Shane West built Mandy Moore a telescope in A Walk to Remember, while Josh Duhamel built Julianne Hough a bike in Safe Haven. If the above are any indication, being a handy man goes a long way.

Go to War

Fight for your country, and if you survive, it will pay off when you return home. If we’re to believe The Notebook, Dear John and The Lucky One, veterans are very appealing. 

Write Her Letters

If you meet the object of your affection before shipping off, make sure you write regular romantic letters that detail both your love for her, and your harrowing experiences overseas. If you have nobody, write romantic letters, anyway, and toss them into the ocean. It worked for Kevin Costner in Message in a Bottle.

Kiss Her in the Rain

If it is wrong to want to pull a Ryan Gosling-Rachel McAdams kiss in the rain, Notebook-style, then who wants to be right? This scenario is a popular set piece in Sparks’ movies. If weather doesn’t cooperate, The Lucky One makes it perfectly clear a shower will do. And if you fear getting hypothermia, follow Richard Gere’s lead in Nights in Rodanthe and lock lips with your partner under a roof while a thunderstorm rages outside.

Meet Her Parents (or at Least Let Her Meet Yours)

It doesn’t matter if they like you or not. Best of Me star James Marsden and Notebook star Ryan Gosling had a tough time impressing the folks, but parents’ efforts to protect their daughters ultimately made them want those guys even more.

Chivalry Isn’t Dead

One of the quickest ways to get noticed by a potential partner is to selflessly help her out, like Channing Tatum did for Amanda Seyfried in Dear John, when he fearlessly took a dive off a pier to retrieve her purse. Or take a cue from Shane West in A Walk to Remember, and have the courtesy to ask your lady’s conservative father for permission to date his daughter.

Prove You Can Protect Her

Unfortunately, several characters in Nicholas Sparks movies seem to be magnets for abusive jerks, much like Taylor Schilling’s jealous ex-husband in The Lucky One, or Michelle Monaghan’s ex in The Best of Me. So make sure you’re ready to handle them in real life. If you’re a lover, not a fighter, at least let your lady know she deserves better.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Skip the traditional dinner date, and go outside the box with an outdoor activity. Boat rides have been a staple in these movies since Kevin Costner took Robin Wright sailing in Message in a Bottle, and Josh Duhamel continued the tradition with Julianne Hough in Safe Haven. No boat? Hiking and a picnic should do.

Take Her to See ‘The Longest Ride’ This Weekend

Not only will you witness all of this priceless relationship advice in action, you’ll experience it together. Which means you’ll get to show off your tender side, one she’ll most likely appreciate it all the more. So get that rain kiss ready…