THE LUCKY ONE by Nicholas Sparks
Nicholas Sparks is that rare exception, a man who writes stories of romance. He does it in a uniquely masculine way as his books do not contain graphic sexual sequences, the characters are always more important than the story, and the endings though sad always make a point. Such is certainly the case with THE LUCKY ONE which is Sparks’ best book in ages.
The central character in THE LUCKY ONE is Logan Thibault, a loner who has just gotten back from serving in Iraq. While serving there he found a picture of a young woman. It indicated her name started with an “E” and had some other evidence of where she lived. Logan kept the picture with him and was “lucky” many times during his tour. His best friend Victor told him it was because of the picture – it kept him safe.
Now back in the states he decides to find this girl. To do this he walks from Colorado to Hampton, North Carolina, accompanied by his faithful German shepherd. In Hampton he does manage to meet Elizabeth “Beth” Green. She is a divorcee’ with a small son named Ben. A teacher by profession, she lives with her grandmother and helps run a kennel for animals.
Logan and Beth’s lives begin to intertwine but there are complications. Paramount is Beth’s ex’s hatred for Logan. They have a run in before Logan meets Beth and it festers until it reaches a boiling point. Keith Clayton, the ex, is determined Logan will not have any part of Beth and his son’s lives.
The characters in this book come vividly to life and make you care about them as well as want to know more about them. Sparks delineates them in full force and they all stay with you long after the book has ended.
There is a love story threading its way through the book and it is a sweet one. Sparks does not force it but rather lets it evolve in a natural way. Beth may be Logan’s lucky charm but he is also her salvation.
Fans of Nicholas Sparks will love this book. It has everything they want in a Sparks' story and more. Plus you can just imagine how great the movie version will be. I wonder if they will be able to get Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling back to play these roles.
If you are a romantic at heart but don’t want the gushiness of most romance novels then this Sparks story is one you will delight in reading. It tells a sweet and dramatic story in a way that draws the reader into another world. While you are there you will forget all your own problems and just focus on Logan, Beth, Ben and Keith. Escapism is one of the main reasons for why we read, and this is escapism at its best.
THE LUCKY ONE is published by Warner Books. It contains 336 pages and sells for $24.99.