Thursday, April 14, 2011

"If a man who cannot count finds a four-leaf clover, is he lucky?" Stanislaw Lec

GIVEAWAY

See end of the review for details on this giveaway.

While on tour in Iraq, U.S. Marine, Logan Thibault is jogging early one morning. He notices a photo partially sticking out of the sand. An attractive girl was posed in front of a sign that said "Lucky Lady." There was also an inscription, "Keep safe. E."

When Logan doesn't succeed in finding the owner of the photo, before going into action, he places the photo in his pocket.

Members of his Marine unit are injured or killed but Logan excapes injury and comes to feel that the girl in the photo is somehow protecting him.

After his military service ends, he decides to find the woman. He isn't exactly sure why but it's as if fate draws him to her, as if she was part of his destiny.

He sets about walking from his home in Colorado with his dog, Zeus. There was an indication on the photo that it was taken in the town of Hampton and Logan looks at other details and decides that it is Hampton, North Carolina.

When he arrives in the town, his first encounter is with Deputy Keith Clayton, a sneaky man and a bully who had been in the woods taking photos of unsuspecting coeds who were sunbathing. Catching Clayton in this act, embarasses Clayton and causes him to feel an animosity toward Logan.

Later, Logan shows someong in town, the photo and finds that the woman, Elizabeth, "Beth," and that she runs a kennel. Beth had been in need of help at the kennel and had a sign out for help. Logan accepts a job working for her. He doesn't mention the photo but becomes an indespensable part of her operation while becoming friendly toward Beth's son, Ben, and her grandmother.

The themes of the novel are fate and destiny. It could be said that the author had, at least an unknowing influence of Mark Twain and the naturalism movement in literature that was popular at the turn of the last century. The movement dealt with middle class America where a person's fath was already ordained. The literature also had more emphasis on character than on action.

The pacing of the novel was precise with a gradual build-up to a momentus conculsion. Logan and Beth have a romance that is close to Romeo and Juliet without the tragic ending.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1IJZLRBSW5M6X/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002ZNJW0O&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode

GIVEAWAY RULES: To win a hard cover, first edition copy of this novel:


A. Be a 'follower' of this blog.


B. Use the above link to go to Amazon.com books. At the end of the review when they ask if the review was helpful, please indicate "YES'


C. Under comments please indicate that you want to be included in the giveaway and add your name and address.


U.S. and Canadian residents only. Sorry.


Good luck.

22 comments:

Jennifer said...

I have picked up and put down this book so many times at the bookstore. I think I will try my luck at winning it!

bookspersonally said...

Interesting observation about the historical influences, I wonder if it was intentional. Sounds like a nice story.

ok said...

I was not sure if we needed to write in the Amazon comments or here, so I am doing both. Another great review, count me in for the giveaway.

However, I do not want to put my mailing address here, so I will leave my email address:
tiffanyniekro at gmail dot com

I have been a long time blog follower, and I always appreciate the great feedback you give me on Amazon!

Unknown said...

Wonderful review! Nicholas Sparks is definitely one of my favorite authors! I have been wanting to read this for a while as it is definitely on my to read list.

Thank you for this opportunity and for stopping by my blog!

-I am a follower
-I have marked that your review was helpful and left a comment :)

Please enter me in the contest!

Lucy
moonlightgleam(at)gmail(dot)com

dancealertreads.blogspot.com said...

Yes, please enter me! I love to read Nicholas Evans Books. I'm a follower now. I'll post the giveaway to my blog.
Yes I did the Amazon thing for this book.

dancealert at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

Please include me in the drawing for the book. Miriam
mirandell87@yahoo.com

catslady said...

Great review and I did say yes to it! Thanks for the chance at a great book.

catslady5(at)aol.com
follower

BrendaC said...

Mike, I follow your reviews on Amazon, and I am now following your blog. I read alot of Nicholas Sparks and this one sounds great.I am off to Amazon.com to leave you a comment! Have a fantastic week.

kittycrochettwo at msn dot com

Mary Kirkland said...

Hi Mike,
I checked out your reviews on Amazon and clicked yes. I'm now a follower of you blog and would love to be entered into the drawing. But I'm only going to leave my email address so you can contact me if I win :)

miztik_rose@yahoo.com

Heather said...

HI Mike, This sounds like a good book. I haven't read anything by this author before and have now added it to my wish list.

became a followers and clicked that the review was helpful.

heatherdpear at hotmail dot com

Evie said...

Hi Mike! Thanks for letting me know about this great giveaway :) I'm your follower of course and I did the Amazon "thingy" you asked for :)

Thanks a lot!

Unknown said...

Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com

Unknown said...

My address is Victoria Zumbrum 4006 Snyder Road, Glen Rock, PA 17327. Tore923@aol.com

Teresa K. said...

Mike,

I sure hope this Nicholas Sparks book doesn't make me cry like a baby again. I read Dear John and I bawled like a blubbing idiot. LOL.

Thanks for the contest and what a great review.

Teresa K.

Unknown said...

Would love to be a part of this giveaway.I enjoy Nicolas Sparks work and this one sounds no different. Please enter me.
Thanks
tarenn98[at]yahoo[dot]com

Sally Bibrary said...

Not what I usually read, but so much about it sounds interesting, and perhaps even a bit unique (or, at the very least, fresh).

Elizabeth said...

A. Be a 'follower' of this blog.

I am...great blog.

B. Use the above link to go to Amazon.com books. At the end of the review when they ask if the review was helpful, please indicate "YES'

On my way!! :)

C. Under comments please indicate that you want to be included in the giveaway and add your name and address.

Please enter me in the contest.

Can I see if I win before I put my mailing address for everyone to see? :)

silversolara AT gmail DOT com

THANKS, Mike. GREAT REVIEW

Anonymous said...

Hi Mike. I'd like to be entered into the contest.

litendeavors(at)gmail.com

Monique said...

Please enter me.
Monique Burkes
2A Cutlers Ct
Columbia, SC 29212

Unknown said...

I would be interested in winning the book!!! Thank you for asking me to join this giveaway!!!

Stephanie DePue said...

Good quote from Lec, and, now I'm getting confused, but pls enter me in this dwg, do u mean this comments or the AMazon comments?

Rhea said...

I'd love to win a copy of this book, count me in :)
rhea.katyal@gmail.com

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