The Lucky One

This book is about a young Marine who finds a picture of a young lady while in Iraq. He picks up the photo putting it on a bulletin board in hopes that the owner will find it. Days later, it's still there so he takes it, feeling drawn towards it for some reason. This young man, Logan, keeps the photo safe in his pocket and is later told how it is obviously a lucky charm for him because he has been saved many times when other comrades haven't been so lucky. Logan, being single without kids finishes his time and sets off to find this woman in the picture with his trusty companion, Zeus a german shepard. Logan walks half way around the country to find this woman whom he feels he owes something to. And whom Victor, Logan's best friend says show more it's his destiny to find this woman.
Logan is this strong, caring, mysterious guy who is willing to work for almost nothing, as we see throughout the book. He has been through so much in his short life and has no one to confide in, so of course he is drawn into the family life of Beth, her son Ben and Nana. It's not surprising then when Logan doesn't admit why he's there in the first place, and slowly begins to fall in love. Beth is a perfect match for Logan, I feel. For all she has done to protect her family, Logan is the best thing to come along and make her feel special again. Ben is a great and crucial addition to the story too, but apart from Logan, Zeus has to be my favourite. He is such a loyal dog and is by Logan's side the whole time. All these characters fit right into the setting of a little southern town. And with the narrative being different, switching between Beth, Logan and Clayton, the ex-husband, we are continuously engaged in the story.
Nicholas Sparks is a unique author. Not in the sense that his stories are unique, (because they are all in the end so similar to the last) but his ability to tell the story is unique and makes us all fall back into reading another one of his stories.
I'll be honest here, the reason I read this book was because of the movie. I hadn't read a Sparks book in quite some time and happened to see a movie (Titanic 3D to be exact) and saw the movie trailer for The Lucky One, and I'm not going to lie, it was kind of those sexy sex scenes that made me want to get all over him, err, I mean all over the book.
But seriously, the book is so intense and well written that I was glad to read it. If your looking for that romantic love story, with the added suspense (the last chapter and the epilogue will have you racing through the pages!) or just need a great, quick and easy read, try The Lucky One.

(The movie is also really good!) show less

Interesting story about a former Marine, who found a photo of a woman in the sand near his camp in Iraq. After doing some research, he sets off on a walk across the US to the Atlantic coast. He finds the woman, and finds himself as a farm hand at her dog school. That they would fall in love is to be expected (it's a Nic Sparks, after all). But the more interesting part for me was actually how he got the picture, and why he thought it important to meet her.
The end felt a bit rushed, but you actually felt some compassion with the villain (Clayton). Definitely not a cardboard character, even though not a very likeable guy.

Oh, Nicholas, Nicholas, Nicholas. I've been a fan for so long, reading each book you've offered up, year after year. I feel like I've really gotten to know you, like I can I can finish your sentences, like I know how the book is going to end before you've finished telling the story. Oh, wait... That's not a good thing.
Ok, yes, this was a decent story and I did enjoy it, but I couldn't help feeling like I was reading an inland version of Message in a Bottle. I also struggled with the idea of the main character, Logan Thibault, walking from Colorado to North Carolina -- not saying it can't be done, just that I can't quite wrap my head around someone actually walking that far. I bet he was a big fan of The Proclaimers.
As always, Sparks has show more woven a beautiful story of love between an unlikely pair...full of drama and sweet romance that, although perhaps almost too familiar and predictable by this point, always leave me waiting for his next novel. show less

Siempre que siento que tengo que leer algo más ligero me gustar recurrir a autores como Nicholas Sparks, casi nunca me defrauda y en esta ocasión ciertamente no lo ha hecho.

Es una historia sencilla, tranquila incluso, que cuenta como Logan, nuestro protagonista se embarca en un largo viaje en busca de una persona. Me ha gustado mucho Logan como personaje, creo que le ha faltado un poco de profundidad, pero aun así me ha gustado.

Me resulta curioso que Sparks siendo hombre tenga más facilidad para dibujar personajes femeninos que masculinos, tal vez sea el género que escribe, pero lo cierto es que sus personajes femeninos siempre son mucho más complicados.

En fin, una historia sencilla, nada complicada, con su dosis de romance, show more su dosis de drama, tal vez un poco cliché, chico conoce a chica, se enamoran y en el fondo está el personaje malo que busca que esa relación no funcione... sí bueno, cliché, pero me ha gustado.

Al final del día me gusta mucho como escribe Sparks, tiene una manera sencilla y fluida y nada pegajosa de escribir novela Romántica. show less

Pretty typical Nicholas Sparks romance - I am glad I did not see the movie first because when I finished the book I looked up the trailer and I did not love the casting. I would have been sad if I read the book with those actors in mind. While serving overseas after 9/11 - Logan uncovers a laminated picture of a beautiful girl. He keeps it on him and suddenly his luck starts changing. He starts winning at card games - he makes it through numerous battles that his military brethren don't. He stays alive over there BECAUSE of that picture. When he makes it back stateside he is determined to find the woman in the photo. All he has is some geographical markers in the photo and her initials, but that doesn't deter him. He walks from Colorado show more to the East coast with his dog - to clear his mind and to escape his demons. He doesn't expect that he'll actually find her, but when he does he is blown away by her beauty and charm. He even starts falling for her little boy too. What he doesn't take into consideration is her conniving ex-husband. How can he get her to trust him and how on earth can he ever tell her the truth? Cute, sappy, and a little over the top. Memorable characters make it a fun read. show less

WARNING: this review DOES NOT have spoilers and may or may not have anything redeeming as a book review.

I snagged this at a second hand shop on the cheap. I haven't read NS in a long while and was needing a little fluff after bending my brain around a textbook for an exam this last weekend. Yes, feel very, very jealous.

This book was easy-reading for me. A palate cleanser. A poolside beach read, if you will. Its like a raspberry sorbet book to cleanse the reading palate. So clean, in fact, it makes your mother weep and you've managed to plow through a Nicholas Sparks novel in one sitting.

I read it. I effectively growled at the bad guy, ooohed and awed at Zeus (aka badass doggy), and giggled at Grandma's sass.

I also refrained from show more internally yelling (this goes for external yelling, too) at Logan to get a haircut and shave. Am I the only one who does this with fic characters?

I really liked Logan's quiet strength and Gran's quips and ability to let her granddaughter work things out on her own.

Overall, an easy read. I'm off to graph parabolas now. show less

A solidly built narrative that sinks into a quicksand of improbable coincidences and cringe-inducing tropes. The stereotyped characters are manipulated like the parts of a well-oiled machine. The manly self-reliant war veteran, the warm and beautiful divorcee with her precocious son, the wise and understanding grandmother, the mean and corrupt ex-husband. Oh, and the loveable dog.

Suspense and a cliff-hanger ending are provided by the raging torrents of a flooded river. Tension is generated by increasing the pace of the POV switches with ever-shorter chapters.

So predictable and gooey that I was skipping more and more pages the nearer I got to the end, interested only in which of the characters the author would kill off.

I've watched a show more couple of movies based on Nicholas Sparks' books, but wasn't overwhelmed by either. I would probably never have read this, my first Nicholas Sparks book, if I hadn't seen a lively debate on IMDB about the authenticity of the movie based upon it.

Not for me, but I can see why Mr Sparks sells so many books. show less