Counting Miracles.

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where to find him. 

Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. To Kaitlyn, Tanner is mysterious, exciting—and possibly leaving in just a few weeks. 

Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog, Arlo, for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers. 

As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.

 

 🌷

 
A beautifully written, yet heartbreaking story that you will never forget. 

Another astonishing story by Nicholas Sparks. I shouldn't be surprised given that I've been reading his books since I was 16 years old. He's the author who got me into romance books. I own most of his books and look forward to his new ones. I received Counting Miracles as a gift last year, and now that I finally had a chance to read it, I wish I had read it sooner. I loved most of Nicholas Sparks that I read over the years, but I think this one has become one of my favorites. My heart broke several times while reading Counting Miracles, but I couldn't stop reading; I wanted to see the characters find their happily ever after, or at least I hoped they would. 

Counting Miracles is told from three perspectives: Kaitlyn, Tanner, and Jasper. I knew there was a reason why Jasper's story was told separately, and I couldn't help but wonder how the two stories would connect. It came together in the most unexpected way; again, Sparks surprised me, and I loved it. His writing, particularly from Jasper's point of view, was so vivid and almost poetic that I could see the story playing in my head, like a movie. I was so intrigued by the white deer that I conducted my own research after finishing the book. I loved the descriptions of the setting; I felt transformed there. Reading Sparks' books, I feel as if I'm learning so much about North Carolina. 

At the beginning, I was as into Jasper’s story, I was more interested in what would happen with Kaitlyn and Tanner. However, as the story progressed; once Jasper heard about the white deer, his story got more intriguing for me. I adored Tanner and Kaitlyn's relationship, but I wondered how it would work when Tanner left. I couldn't get enough of this book; every page left me craving more. Even if you haven't read Nicholas Sparks but love stories about family, love, loss, and faith, I would recommend checking this book out! I'm already looking forward to his next one!