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The Lucky One
Written By: Nicholas Sparks

Logan Thibault has just returned from his 3rd tour of duty with the US Marines from overseas and is on a new mission. He will track down the girl from the photograph he found in the desert, to thank her for saving his life.
He walks across 5 states to find this girl but when he finally sees her he can’t bring himself to tell her the truth.
Instead he works for her and her grandmother as a way to thank her. He becomes close with her son Ben, and her Nana and ultimately with Beth herself.
But what does Beth’s ex-husband Deputy Sheriff Keith Clayton (son of Sheriff Clayton and grandson of Judge Clayton) have to say when he discovers his ex-wife’s new friend is the mysterious man he met by the lake.
And how will the truth affect Beth & Logan’s relationship.
And just who did the photo of Beth that was found in the desert belong to?
Why was Logan meant to find it?

I wanted to read this book before I saw the film (film review coming up), I feel it’s better to read the books first as they are the inspiration for the film. You get of more of a story this way. I have never read a Nicholas Sparks novel before, I didn’t know how his writing style would be. I am a fan of a few of the films that are based on his books; The Notebook (love), A Walk To Remember (so good), Nights in Rodanthe.
So I read this not knowing really what to expect apart from little bits I’ve read and seen in the movie trailer. Well I can say that I was very pleased.
Sparks writes in such a way that it keeps you informed, seduced, captivated, and never bored. The chapters move along swiftly and it is written so well that you are not struggling to make it through each chapter.
Each chapter would focus on a particular character and the chapter would be titled with their name: Thibault, Beth or Clayton.
I loved that we got to delve into every characters lives. Everyone was explored with the same amount of backstory. You never felt a lack of information.
Logan Thibault has quickly become one of my favourite book characters of all time. I found him, sweet, strong, caring, fun, romantic and protective with a good balance of humor. I easily pictured Zac Efron in this role while reading it. I think that was pretty perfect casting. But more on that in the movie review.
Apart from the main three characters you also had Beth’s son Ben who you can’t help but fall in love with. What a sweet child who is severely misunderstood by his alpha male father. Ben would rather play chess, piano and violin rather than play sports. Heaven forbid!
You have Beth’s grandmother Nana who ended up raising Beth and her Brother Drake. This woman is feisty and funny. You can hardly understand a thing she says because of all her puns and phrases but she’s lovely and an absolute riot.
Logan’s dog Zeus is another main character and a fantastic one at that. This is the most trained and protective dog. This dog will never leave your side and will always protect his owner.
Judge Clayton is Keith’s grandfather and is a strong willed man that will protect his family. Does he like Beth, of course, would he hesitate taking Ben away if she were to do something wrong, of course not.
Victor is Logan’s best friend from the Marines and is the one pushing for Logan to find the girl in the picture and thank her. According to Victor who is quite superstitious, he believes that Logan finding this girl is his destiny. He was meant to find that photo for a reason. And until he goes to find her her won’t know what that is.
Drake is Beth’s brother. Another Marine. Beth’s best friend and Bens hero.
Apart from the obvious human and canine characters there are another 2 characters I have not yet mentioned.
The weather and the treehouse.
The weather can help fuel a story along. From the seductive heat to the dangerous storms. A powerful tool when telling a story like this.
The treehouse is a beast of a character. This is Ben’s hideout whenever he needs to get away. It was built by Beth’s grandfather and has withstood many years. This is a significant character in the book and it’s one that won’t be forgotten.

I am so glad I read this book. I absolutely loved it. Even stayed back at work to finish the epilogue. I read this in 2 days over 10 hours. I was addicted and felt so sad when I finished it. Not because of the ending but because I wasn’t getting to read more about these lovely characters I had fallen in love with.

I would recommend any Nicholas Sparks fans or avid readers to read this book. It is beautiful. So much detail, so much story, so much beauty, so much love.

I think I might read Safe Haven next (it’s being made into a film) and The Notebook.

For more insight into the movie/book comparison please keep an eye out for my movie review coming up shortly.