Counting Miracles: A Novel
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed author of The Longest Ride and The Notebook comes an emotional, powerful novel about wondering if we can change—or even make our peace with—the path we’ve taken.
“Sparks is superb at what he does. The setting is postcard perfect. The characters are immensely likable. . . . This is a tidy miracle you can count on.”—The Washington Post
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.
“Sparks is superb at what he does. The setting is postcard perfect. The characters are immensely likable. . . . This is a tidy miracle you can count on.”—The Washington Post
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.
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Community Reviews
DNF'D at 59%. 🫠🙃 I could not do it. One star ⭐️
I had really, really high hopes for this one. I have enjoyed Sparks' previous books, and the more recent read of "The Guardian" was a top one for me. But this?? Sparks, what HAPPENED??
The synopsis of this book sounded promising: intergenerational storylines and friendships, an adult love story (typical of Sparks, but I digress), a romance (again, typical but still), a mysterious white deer, and the interlacings of faith and its restoration through making peace with your past and your present decisions.
Unfortunately, this felt like a rinse and repeat of every Hallmark movie to ever exist, and lacked the emotional depth I feel Sparks' works are known for.
Kaitlyn and Tanner's relationship was SO RUSHED, which is astounding considering it took me to 200 pages to see any real connection outside of overdrawn conversations about topics no one cares about, and Wattpad-coded physical descriptions that came right out of the diary of a Y/N commentary. There was ZERO spark for me with them, as they were intended to be the MMC and FMC, to my understanding. I was physically rolling my eyes the whole time- Kaitlyn's 'traumatic backstory that Tanner just HAD to know more about' felt so shallow, and so...lame. So, she's divorced and her ex left her for a pilates instructor? Gross. Also, her kids were annoying. I was cringing due to the intended 'sibling love' between her and Mitch. He was calling her 'bubble butt' as a 'haha funny older sister nickname' game, and instead it landed as a "Remarkably Bright Creatures" nod...i.e lizard breath. IYKYK.
Tanner felt superficial as well. His chapters, of what I got through, were long and boring. Seriously, his and every other chapter was filled with lackluster dialogue that did not propel the story or his mission to find his dad at all, and I found myself skimming.
Jasper. Somehow, he became Job from the Bible. The faith themes in this book were not a problem for me; again, it was actually a component I was aware of and looking forward to. But its application and execution felt forced and unnatural. Several verses were taken out of context (1Cor. 10:13) and the verses themselves as a leeway to Jasper's past was choppy. Plus, it felt 'off' because we were already introduced to the fact that Jasper was struggling with his faith, hence his obsession with the deer. Why would someone who believes God has abandoned him reference verses so often in his day to day? I expected more scorn from him- a genuine anger with his faith and a character arc that lead him BACK to God, through miracles. But that was not the case and it just felt bland. Arlo was fine, but he didn't do much.
Josh the highschool bully and 'villian' in this story was nothing more than a spoiled brat of the town's rich leaders and top of the social hierarchy. He attempted to poach the deer then left Jasper for dead after he (Jasper) fell, and that was it. He didn't actually DO anything bad, but was intended to add tension and propel the storyline of the deer along. But I felt like it did not. Then he just...was forgotten about?
The 'twist' with Tanner being Jasper's grandchild was predictable, which I didn't hate because let's be real- all Hallmark and Sparks books are- but it did not deliver the emotional punch I am sure it was intended to be. I gathered all of these closing details by skimming, by the way. Jasper got his family, and Tanner did too, in a way, and it was supposed to layer into the whole miracles bit, but I was just 'meh'. Nothing felt like a miraculous change of fate brought on by a higher power, and the tensions were annoying.
Plus, the whole bit when Tanner and Kaitlyn's relationship ultimately 'ended'- after 2 weeks and 3 dates, mind you- it was because Kaitlyn was ticked he didn't HAVE to work (surprise, he invested in Apple before the iPhone) and didn't want to stay with her in Asheboro to quote: "see where things would/could go between them." After 3 dates and twice being banged. Gross.
Too many details about food, and food Jasper doesn't even eat. Confusing flashback timelines. Rushed and superficial romantic relations. Annoying kids. A doctor with no common sense. Too much military jargon and filler fluffy chapters. I know too much about Kaitlyn's body (surprise, so curvy) and her preferred sleeping habits (surprise, naked) and her neck (surprise, flushed with heat). Not enough white deer. The faith implication was too heavy handed. The depictions of hunting were inaccurate and stupid. How hard is it to do research and change a jaguar to a leopard? You cannot hunt Jags. And honestly, Littleton's dad did nothing wrong with his whole 'the more exotic the better' bit. Wealthy guys go hunting overseas all the time. They kill the country's native animals for either ego or sport but it cannot be faulted because it was done legally. Representing those ideas as something malicious and evil to set the stage for his sons' poaching (attempted) the white deer is in poor taste.
I didn't want to DNF this one, but the pacing was agony, and I had ZERO interest in any of the characters with over 200 pages to show for it.
I had really, really high hopes for this one. I have enjoyed Sparks' previous books, and the more recent read of "The Guardian" was a top one for me. But this?? Sparks, what HAPPENED??
The synopsis of this book sounded promising: intergenerational storylines and friendships, an adult love story (typical of Sparks, but I digress), a romance (again, typical but still), a mysterious white deer, and the interlacings of faith and its restoration through making peace with your past and your present decisions.
Unfortunately, this felt like a rinse and repeat of every Hallmark movie to ever exist, and lacked the emotional depth I feel Sparks' works are known for.
Kaitlyn and Tanner's relationship was SO RUSHED, which is astounding considering it took me to 200 pages to see any real connection outside of overdrawn conversations about topics no one cares about, and Wattpad-coded physical descriptions that came right out of the diary of a Y/N commentary. There was ZERO spark for me with them, as they were intended to be the MMC and FMC, to my understanding. I was physically rolling my eyes the whole time- Kaitlyn's 'traumatic backstory that Tanner just HAD to know more about' felt so shallow, and so...lame. So, she's divorced and her ex left her for a pilates instructor? Gross. Also, her kids were annoying. I was cringing due to the intended 'sibling love' between her and Mitch. He was calling her 'bubble butt' as a 'haha funny older sister nickname' game, and instead it landed as a "Remarkably Bright Creatures" nod...i.e lizard breath. IYKYK.
Tanner felt superficial as well. His chapters, of what I got through, were long and boring. Seriously, his and every other chapter was filled with lackluster dialogue that did not propel the story or his mission to find his dad at all, and I found myself skimming.
Jasper. Somehow, he became Job from the Bible. The faith themes in this book were not a problem for me; again, it was actually a component I was aware of and looking forward to. But its application and execution felt forced and unnatural. Several verses were taken out of context (1Cor. 10:13) and the verses themselves as a leeway to Jasper's past was choppy. Plus, it felt 'off' because we were already introduced to the fact that Jasper was struggling with his faith, hence his obsession with the deer. Why would someone who believes God has abandoned him reference verses so often in his day to day? I expected more scorn from him- a genuine anger with his faith and a character arc that lead him BACK to God, through miracles. But that was not the case and it just felt bland. Arlo was fine, but he didn't do much.
Josh the highschool bully and 'villian' in this story was nothing more than a spoiled brat of the town's rich leaders and top of the social hierarchy. He attempted to poach the deer then left Jasper for dead after he (Jasper) fell, and that was it. He didn't actually DO anything bad, but was intended to add tension and propel the storyline of the deer along. But I felt like it did not. Then he just...was forgotten about?
The 'twist' with Tanner being Jasper's grandchild was predictable, which I didn't hate because let's be real- all Hallmark and Sparks books are- but it did not deliver the emotional punch I am sure it was intended to be. I gathered all of these closing details by skimming, by the way. Jasper got his family, and Tanner did too, in a way, and it was supposed to layer into the whole miracles bit, but I was just 'meh'. Nothing felt like a miraculous change of fate brought on by a higher power, and the tensions were annoying.
Plus, the whole bit when Tanner and Kaitlyn's relationship ultimately 'ended'- after 2 weeks and 3 dates, mind you- it was because Kaitlyn was ticked he didn't HAVE to work (surprise, he invested in Apple before the iPhone) and didn't want to stay with her in Asheboro to quote: "see where things would/could go between them." After 3 dates and twice being banged. Gross.
Too many details about food, and food Jasper doesn't even eat. Confusing flashback timelines. Rushed and superficial romantic relations. Annoying kids. A doctor with no common sense. Too much military jargon and filler fluffy chapters. I know too much about Kaitlyn's body (surprise, so curvy) and her preferred sleeping habits (surprise, naked) and her neck (surprise, flushed with heat). Not enough white deer. The faith implication was too heavy handed. The depictions of hunting were inaccurate and stupid. How hard is it to do research and change a jaguar to a leopard? You cannot hunt Jags. And honestly, Littleton's dad did nothing wrong with his whole 'the more exotic the better' bit. Wealthy guys go hunting overseas all the time. They kill the country's native animals for either ego or sport but it cannot be faulted because it was done legally. Representing those ideas as something malicious and evil to set the stage for his sons' poaching (attempted) the white deer is in poor taste.
I didn't want to DNF this one, but the pacing was agony, and I had ZERO interest in any of the characters with over 200 pages to show for it.
Counting Miracles felt very on brand for Nicholas Sparks. It’s emotional, comforting, and an easy read that pulls you in without feeling overwhelming. I found it entertaining and heartfelt, with that familiar mix of love, loss, and hope that Sparks does so well. A good choice if you’re in the mood for something emotional but not too heavy.
I liked this book and its characters. At first, I was a bit confused about Jasper and his role in the storyline, but it becomes apparent later on. Tanner is looking for his roots and travels to Asheboro, NC in search of his father, however, with a last name like Johnson, he is not easy to find. After a slight fender bender, he meets Cassie and her mother, Caitlyn. He is immediately drawn to Caitlyn and the feeling is mutual. However, Tanner is scheduled to leave the U.S. to start a job in Cameroon in a few months. Jasper is an old man, a survivor of a horrific fire that killed his entire family and left him disfigured. He is a kind man, but a loner, and seeks solace in whittling. He begins teaching Mitch, Caitlyn's son, how to whittle. Jasper is also an environmentalist of sorts, and is very concerned about the irresponsible teenage hunters who looking for a rare albino deer, so he sets off into the woods with the hope of frustrating them by stealing the corn they had left out to lure the deer and also spraying the area with deer repellent. He takes his faithful dog, Arlo, with him. However, Jasper is injured in the woods and needs to wait for rescue. He begins to reminisce about his wife and six children.
The start of the book was great! Really drew me in. The 3 different viewpoints threw me off though because the stories didn’t align until the very end. But overall a great read!
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