Finding a photo of a young woman in the dirt in Iraq, U.S. Marine Logan Thibault begins his trek on foot from Colorado to North Carolina with his faithful German shepherd, Zeus, by his side after his discharge from the Marines. Escaping death during three tours in Iraq, he is labeled the "lucky one" because of the picture he carries. The last words from his friend were to find the lady in the photo to "balance it."

Logan's search finally ends in Hampton, North Carolina, where he discovers Elizabeth Green, his vision in the lucky photo. Divorced, Beth has a young son, Ben, with her ex- husband, Deputy Keith Clayton. Pillars of the small town, the Clayton family controls Hampton County. Accepting a job at the kennel owned and operated by Beth and her grandmother, Nana, part of Logan's secret is revealed to Beth. Falling in love with each other creates a violent reaction from Keith as he endeavors to sabotage all of Beth's romantic relationships. Withholding a part of the secret from Beth gives Keith the ammunition to convince her that Logan is a dangerous stalker. Violent floods and the endangerment of Ben forces Beth to see reality.

Again, Nicholas Sparks has created another heart wrenching but beautiful love story that touches the soul and is riddled with suspense. Logan's persona is well- portrayed as a strong young man having been through hell and back trying to make sense of his life. I absolutely loved his honest and true character and his will to fight for those he loves. This is a story that kept my heart bleeding for the young man and his destiny.

Book Summary

After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck -- winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. 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 woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother -- and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart -- destroying not only their love, but also their lives.

Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

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