Book Review: The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

Hi again, readers!

I promise you this is my last post for the day. I just needed to wrap up reviews for the growing stack of books by my desk!

Yesterday, after finishing The Quickie, I had that empty hole in my heart that needed to be filled by another great book. I was staring at my bookshelf, waiting for one to jump out at me. I asked Matt what he thought I should read. Usually, he tells me he doesn't care as long as it's one I already own...maybe he's saying I own too many? Nonsense! Anyway, this time he gave me a solid answer: "How about that one that's becoming a movie? Every time you see that preview, you tell me you need to read that soon. Either read it now or stop telling me you need to read it every time you see the preview!"

He's right.

That movie trailer? It's for Nicholas Sparks' The Lucky One. I've had the book on my shelf since last July and haven't gotten around to reading it. He's not exaggerating about me telling him I need to read the book every time I see the trailer, either. I realize it after I say it, once I've seen the trailer. Here's the trailer that's prompted this dementia:

I will no longer be telling Matt now that I own this book and need to read it soon!

Here's the summary of the book, courtesy of Goodreads:

When U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman half-buried in the dirt during his third tour of duty in Iraq, his first instinct is to toss it aside. Instead, he brings it back to the base for someone to claim, but when no one does, he finds himself always carrying the photo in his pocket. Soon Thibault experiences a sudden streak of luck—winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat that kills two of his closest buddies. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph—his lucky charm.
Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the photo—and the woman in it—out of his mind. Believing that she somehow holds the key to his destiny, he sets out on a journey across the country to find her, never expecting the strong but vulnerable woman he encounters in Hampton, North Carolina—Elizabeth, a divorced mother with a young son—to be the girl he’s been waiting his whole life to meet. Caught off guard by the attraction he feels, Thibault keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate and all-consuming love affair, the secret he is keeping will soon threaten to tear them apart—destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, The Lucky One is Nicholas Sparks at his best—an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

I'll admit that I am a pretty big Nicholas Sparks fan, even though his novels are basically all the same. There's the background, then the meeting, the tension, the first "date" setting. That's followed by more time spent together, admitting they love one another, conflict, and then happiness. Yes, I am aware all his novels are similar, but there's something about them that just draws me in.


The Lucky One developed some excellent characters. The storyline, although highly improbable, is extremely sweet and romantic. I was so wrapped up in this novel that it killed me to put it down even to eat. The ending, although predictable in a way, tugged at my heartstrings. Seriously, you need to read this.


Here's my rating information:
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
Rating: 5/5
Pages: 326
2012 Reading Goal: 7,181/15,000


I really hope the movie relates to the book very well. Many of the movies from Sparks novels have, but there are a few *cough* The Notebook *cough* where the storyline and characters were obliterated by how horrible the movie was.


Happy Sunday and Happy Readings! :)