Member Reviews

Nicholas Sparks has created another masterpiece. He is extremely talented in the way his characters feel like friends. There are some very sad life events throughout this book yet you cannot wait to read to the end, knowing the sun will shine through. I highly recommend this.

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Whilst I’ve watched the film adaptation of The Notebook, I hadn’t read a Nicholas Sparks book until now.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading and devoured Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks. The book is uplifting and will restore your faith in human nature. I loved that it celebrates the importance of doing good things, making connections and helping people.

The book centres on Kaitlyn, a doctor and single mother based in Asheboro in North Carolina; Jasper, a widower, who lives in the woods with his faithful dog Arlo; and Tanner, a former soldier, searching for his biological father and who is passing through town.

Tanner literally crashes into Kaitlyn’s life and is welcomed into her family. Kaitlyn treats Jasper as his doctor and despite his prickly nature, her son Mitch spends time with Jasper. The seemingly random characters connect.

This was my first Nicholas Sparks book, and based on this book I will most definitely look out for other books by this author.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Little Brown Book Group, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. On the search for the father he has never known, he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mum.

In a way, this is a story about nothing. But it's also a story about everything. As Tanner searches for his origins, he also reflects on his future. Kaitlyn finds her own identity, beyond simply doctor and single mum. And eight-three-year-old Jasper, a local man living alone in his cabin, reflects on his rich and heartbreaking life.

Nicholas Sparks draws us into the characters' lives as they intertwine, leading us to reflect on family, old and new.

I recommend this book to anyone who is feeling lost and looking for a heartfelt story with moving life lessons.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Tanner, Kaitlyn and Jasper.

Kaitlyn is a small town doctor and elderly loner Jasper is one of her patients, as well as a friend of her young son’s. Her teenage daughter meets Tanner when he arrives in town. After that, their lives won’t be the same again.

A story that weaves together characters and their lives, keeping the reader involved every step of the way.

I hadn’t read a book by this author for a few years and I will now be going back and reading some more.

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This is the first book I have read by the author and I enjoyed it, I wish the author all the best with this book

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for this review

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Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks is the first visit to the authors works that I have read. I have heard good things about this author. So, I was excited to give a chance to read it.
Tanner Hughes was raised by his grand parents after his mother died and followed his grandfather’s footsteps by joining the military as an Army Ranger. He spent most of his life living overseas until he returns to America to visit his grandmother who is dying, and she tells him the name of his father.
When he arrives in Asheboro, he has an accident in his with a young girl. Because his car is a classic car. The parts for his car will take a few weeks to arrive. In the meantime, he takes the distraught girl home to her mother whose is not happy she took the car. When he meets the girl mother Doctor Kaitlyn, who does a lot for the local community and spends her time visiting some of the residents of the town. Tanner is instantly smitten.
Jasper lives alone in a cabin near the woods in Asheboro. He has been living they’re since his loving family died and he was left disfigured. Doctor Kaitlyn is the only friend he has and is close to her boy Mitch. Jasper keeps an eye on the nearby woods for poachers as there is rumours of a sighting of a white deer.
This is an interesting introduction to the author Nicholas Sparks works. I like the three individual stories of each character. But I was little confused of the relevance at first of Jasper. I also thought that there was too much back story for this character. That at times felt unnecessary and it made the story become more slower than it needn’t to be. 3.5 stars.

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What can I say, Nicholas Sparks has done it again!

I grew up reading "The notebook" and "A walk to remember", this book isn't any different from Nicholas Sparks other books, you get emotionally attached to all the characters, and I'm now left heartbroken as usual after reading any book written by Nicholas Sparks.
I'm sure this will be a new best-seller.

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3.5 ⭐️
Nicholas Sparks just knows how to write deep, emotional books that pull at your heart strings.
This book revolves around 3 characters, I liked Kaitlyn and Tanners story, at times it did feel a little rushed but it worked. Jaspers story is where it fell flat for me.

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Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks a NetGalley review, published 24th September 2024. Tanner and Kaitlyn have led very different lives. tanner moving from place to place, never seemingly being able to settle anywhere. Kaitlyn is settled with her children in a place she feels she belong but that also doesn’t mean that something is missing. Jasper is drifting, he’s lost everything over the years and is dog is his main form of company. Three very different characters whose lives come together.
There’s no doubting that this is a typical @nicholassparks book and if you have been following me for a while you will know I’m a fan of his books, yet his last couple of books haven’t really hit the spot for me. However despite the obvious signs that you are going to get what you expect with this book, like the obvious romance and the predictability the story, I will say that it’s not as predictable as some of his recent books, nor is the romance as easy as in his past books. Whilst reading this book it occurred to me, not just in this book but in the authors past books, how trusting and naive the woman come across as. They trust these tall, dark and handsome strangers from the beginning, love or attraction at first sight, the main thing being these men are strangers and it’s no different with Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn is a strong, intelligent, loving character, whose love for her children is clearly apparent. I did get annoyed with her slightly when she got annoyed with Tanner for not knowing what his future plans were and where that led her, big questions for two people that had had like 3 dates!
My favourite part of this book was Jaspers story, an elderly man, who had lived an extremely tough and sad life, but had gumption and who was incredibly brave and strong. For me Jasper and his story was what gave this story heart, I wasn’t sure where Jaspers story was going to take me as a reader and it gave the story the twist it needed and which other recent books from this author was missing. I loved the way that eventually Jaspers story connected with the other characters and pulled the story together and made it stand out and feel different. For me it’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and worth a read📚

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Wow. What a wonderful story. A story about love, loss and second chances. Small town drama is one of my favourite genres, and this is up there with the best of them. When Tanner Hughes arrives in Asheboro he gets more than he bargained for. Searching for his dad - a man who’s name he didn’t even know until the passing of his grandmother, leads him to Kaitlyn Cooper and her wonderful family - 17 year old Casey and 9 year old Mitch. Spending time with them leaves him questioning his own choices, but still he’s searching for that missing link. Told in multiple POV’s we learn more about the residents of Asheboro, and their pasts. Emotional in places with a little romance in the mix. Great characters throughout, I especially loved Jasper and his bible verse memories, really made me think about life’s ups and downs - pretty much like Jasper did. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my honest review.

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Wow!! Such z powerful story. Thank you for allowing me to review this book. It began slowly and I wondered how the three characters were coming together. Tanner an outsider, passing through on his search for his biological father. Kaitlin, a single mother and a Doctor, Jasper a reclusiveold man who had lost his family in a fire. , Each story was told from their individual perspective. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking in turn. It felt good yo be reminded that although we can't control everything in our lives and sometimes bad things happen, good can still come of them. Then ending was beautiful as it was unexpected.
Nicholas Sparks writes well, his characters are realistic. The scenery was also well written. I shall be reading more of his books.
Highly recommended.

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I really enjoyed Counting Miracles and seeing how the 3 stories became intertwined. It had twists and turns too and I liked the ending.

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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 he's off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her 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 he might be found. Tanner is due his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around.

When Tanner Hughes finds out who his father is, he sets out looking for him. There are a lot of biblical references and verses in the book. This is a really emotional read. Jasper's story is truly heartbreaking. I liked all the characters in this cleverly crafted story that's told from multiple points of view. I did guess the big twist correctly, but that never spoils a well-written book. Jasper was my favourite character for many reasons, but mostly for what he had endured his entire life.

Published 24th September 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #LittleBrownBookGroupUK and the author #NicholasSparks in exchange for an honest review.

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3 strangers who've never met are about to collide with each other. Tanner who's never known his father, Kaitlyn who just wants to get on with her life with her 2 kids after her divorce and Jasper who has lost everything numerous times. Lots of twists and turns that you don't expect

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Nicholas Sparks never fails to deliver a heart-punching story, and Counting Miracles is yet another testament to his undeniable talent. This novel beautifully weaves together themes of love, loss, and redemption, and I was completely engrossed from beginning to end.
Sparks has a remarkable way of creating characters that feel so genuine, and this book is no exception. From the very start, I found myself deeply invested in their lives, feeling their joy, their pain, and everything in between. Each character is thoughtfully developed, with their own unique struggles and triumphs, making them both relatable and unforgettable.
The plot delves into deep and emotional territories. I found myself moved to tears on more than one occasion, and at times, it felt as if Sparks had reached into my heart and tugged at every string. The way he navigates through moments of sorrow, intertwined with hope and renewal, is nothing short of masterful. There’s always that glimmer of light in even the darkest moments, and it’s this balance that makes his work so powerful.
As always, Sparks’ writing is both elegant and impactful, allowing the story to unfold at just the right pace. He knows how to draw you in slowly, building the tension and anticipation until you’re completely wrapped up in the narrative. And while the emotional depth of the book is its driving force, there are still moments of tenderness and beauty that remind you of the fragility and resilience of the human spirit.
Counting Miracles is a novel that will stay with me for a long time. It’s a poignant, bittersweet story that speaks to the power of love and the miracles we sometimes overlook in everyday life. If you’re a fan of Sparks’ work, you won’t be disappointed—he’s once again delivered a deeply moving tale that touches the soul and reminds us of the beauty in second chances.

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Heartbreakingly beautiful story with a lovely, uplifting ending. The characters are well written both the good and bad making you feel part of the story as it goes back and forward in years. The tragedy of the old man in the woods with his burnt body was described with feeling, the loss of his whole family was awful but the addition of the Bible extracts helped to understand his whole ethos. Add in a white deer, some lost, untrusting souls, a will they/won’t they love story and you’ve got a book that keeps you enthralled until the end

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

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A tender and beautiful story about the human condition and how our childhoods shape our future.
Tanner, Jasper and Kaitlyn are either likeable or interesting characters.
Despite anticipating the darker elements in Jasper’s story, his back story was what made me keep reading this book and Spark’s prose.
Certainly a compelling read, and there is the strong romance; however this could easily be a compelling, shorter, slightly faster paced book and unsure if we needed the Bible verses.

I highly recommend this book to Sparks’ fans, romance lovers and slow-paced novel readers.

3.5 stars

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This was an enjoyable romantic novel from someone who is clearly gifted at telling stories like these. Not one which will live in my memory but a nice little story to keep me entertained

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3.5 Stars.

An enjoyable read. The book focuses on the importance of family and references Christianity/bible verses in the context of one of the characters.

Two stories run concurrently. At first I was confused by how they could be linked but I enjoyed how the story came together. It’s a light, heart-warming read.

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Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC

I was really looking forward to this read, as a massive fan of the notebook, I couldn't wait to read more of Nicholas sparks work.

Unfortunately this book just wasn't it for me, it was enjoyable enough but I just felt I didn't bond with the characters like I have previously with books ive read. It just felt a little flat. I was considering DNFing but wanted to stick with it for a fair review.

I felt I wanted to skip a lot of Jasper's parts of the story. I did like Kaitlyn and Tanner I just wish we had more depth with them it just felt very rushed.

2☆

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