The Lucky One

 

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

When Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a woman during his time in the Marines stationed in Iraq, he thinks nothing of it. His best friend, Victor, however comes to realize that this photograph seems to bring Logan luck - helping him survive numerous bombings that kill man others in their group - and once the two finish their time in Iraq, Victor urges Logan to find the mysterious woman believing that Logan now owes her for the luck the photograph gave him. Walking from Colorado to Hampton, North Carolina, Logan finds himself on a wild goose chase to track down "E" - the woman in the photograph. When he finally meets Elizabeth, he is stunned by the attraction he feels to her and chooses to keep the story of the photograph a secret; that is, until Elizabeth's meddling ex-husband intervenes, determined not to let Logan interfere with his own plans for his ex-wife.

This was a really sweet story. I must admit that it isn't my favourite book by Nicholas Sparks (maybe a bit too predictable in parts), but as always it is well-written and filled with heart. One of my favourite things about this novel is that there is a dog involved (a German Shepherd named Zeus), and Elizabeth's Nana owns a dog kennel - and, of course, I'm simply biased when it comes to dogs! I really like the way the story played out; despite the predictability in parts, there were other sections that came as a surprise and I was really intrigued and shocked by the way it ended.

The book didn't take me long to finish - it would be a great read for a rainy day when you're stuck inside. It could easily be read in one sitting, and if I could have I would have preferred that. I couldn't wait to get back to the book and continue to where I had left off to see what would happen next. Nicholas Sparks has such an honest, hear-warming way of delivering a love-story, and keeps it real in that the story still has heartbreak, sadness, etc - all of which real-life love stories do. He is a very talented author and I always enjoy reading his novels, this one being no exception. Some of my other favourites of his novels include: The Guardian (also including a dog!), The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and The Wedding. You won't be disappointed by him, no matter which of his novels you choose to read!