This was definitely a slow burn of a book. There was a lot of "will they, won't they" as there is in all of his books. This one included the element of providing an ancillary character that creeps into the background in a way that is completely expected. I was a real fan of the white deer mirage in this book and the ending was beautiful. I think there should have naturally been some conclusion on that scummy little rich kid. It would have really solidified this book. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

I have always been a huge Nicholas Sparks fan and I was beyond excited to have the chance to read an e-arc of his newest book and this one did not disappoint! I absolutely loved everything about this book- the characters, the setting, the plot…everything was beautifully written and I didn’t want this one to end. 5 stars!

I love a good love story and this book did not disappoint! It was filled with the importance of family, faith, miracles, trials, and love. The title was so appropriate because it was miracles that brought the characters together. I was a little worried that it would be too spicy for me but there wasn’t anything more than passionate kisses. (Thank you!) I really liked all the characters. They each brought a unique layer to the story. My favorite character was Jasper because he brought a spiritual element to the story with his memories of the Bible verses his dad taught him. I found it interesting when he realized that his life was similar to Job’s. It made his story uplifting despite some of the questionable decisions he made. It made me tear up when he learned that he was not the only member of his family still living! I also loved the love story between Kaitlyn and Tanner. It was very touching and they had a great chemistry between them. If you’re looking for a good book to read this weekend, this is the perfect pick!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Nicholas Sparks does what he does best, creating a poignant story that brings tears to your eyes, and "Counting Miracles" is no exception.

Following the different lives of Tanner, Kaitlyn, and Jasper, readers will become immediately captivated by the ways in which they all intersect. While there were several aspects that felt very predictable, it was still so enjoyable nonetheless.

Nicholas Sparks has been an auto-buy author for me for two decades and I was so honored to be selected for this ARC. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for choosing me for this one.

I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley to provide an honest review. If you like Nicholas Sparks books, you will enjoy this one. It follows the general format that makes Nicholas Sparks… well, Nicholas Sparks. This story is the intertwined tale of three different people, an old reclusive man who lives in sadness due to a tragic accident, a young man who has thrown himself into his work to avoid dealing with who he is and where he came from and a single mother who is trying to manage a career as a doctor and parent her two children ultimately losing herself in the process. Their stories converge in a way that is both predictable but also comforting. A story of love, loss and personal growth, Counting Miracles was a quick read and kept my attention. It’s a great read for when you need a story that warms the heart.

For the Nicholas Sparks fan, this book does not disappoint. As with all of Mr. Sparks books, I find that I can engage with all his characters right away - his heroes are heroic and his villains are villainous. I love knowing where I stand This book is no exception to this, as I enjoyed the relationship insights, romance development and the mystery entwined. I knew they would all fit together, but experiencing the strands intertwine was truly enjoyable.

Thank you for another wonderful and enjoyable read.

Beautifully written. Nicholas Sparks does it again! The Bible references appealed to me and I know that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but this whole story was wholesome and made me appreciate what I have. Jasper’s story really moved me. I cannot say enough good about this one!

Counting Miracles is such a heartwarming story about a boy who was raised by his grandparents. When his grandmother dies she leaves him a note to with a name of a man that could be his father. This is an amazing story about family, love and finding peace.

It was a beautiful story of what can happen when you strive to find what you’ve always wanted. Even through the story was predictable at time I find myself enjoying it all the way through. If your looking for next read I’d recommend this one

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Random House for allowing me to read and review Counting Miracles A Novel by Nicholas Sparks on NetGalley.

Published: 09/24/24

Stars: 3.5

While reading I thought the beginning was slow and several times I put the book down. I had fallen asleep while reading and realized I didn't remember anything, I couldn't find where I left off. Aggravated, I decided to start from the beginning and was able to finish respectfully.

Counting Miracles is a slow and steady race. Sparks paced his book well and his characters all have purpose. This is a love story with several moving parts. I found the book easy to read.

I would allow my mid teenaged kids to read. I could justify the content to another parent. It's a book for all ages and can comfortably be read aloud (nursing home). This would make a good travel book; also, a guest room nightstand book.

What was my initial problem? I was not familiar with Sparks and opened the book expecting a mystery.

Counting Miracles was slow paced, but I enjoyed Sparks’s storytelling. It’s simple, not flowery, and gets to the point. I liked how the story fleshed out, but I would have liked a little more depth from the main characters. However, they were overall likeable, and I loved how their stories weaved together!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Romance: fade to black
Profanity: low

I was very fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy from NetGalley but all thoughts are unbiased and my own!

4.5 stars!


In this book yet again, Nicholas Sparks captures so well the incredibly beautiful and tragic moments from characters at all stages of life. He so does a great job having the characters have separate stories, but they all do come together which makes it fun to read.

I also LOVE the way Nicholas Spraks writes stories of the perspective of the aging population and their stories. Jasper, the old man in the story, the way his life was written was pulling at my heart and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was also invested in the story arc of two main characters, but I did find the main couples conflict a bit annoying and I could see both of their sides, but the resolution was cleaned up too quickly in my opinion (which is the only thing that contributed to my 4.5 score)

It was a great book with such diverse stories in a small southern town, and he knocked it out of the park yet again with this one!!!

Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks is the most beautiful story and told in a way that drew me in immediately and made it incredibly difficult to put down. As with all of the Nicholas Sparks books I've read in the past, the character development is excellent, as well as the descriptions of the setting. This one is set in Asheville, North Carolina and although I've never been, I feel as though if I did go, it would feel familiar. Reading this book gave me all the feels and definitely is one that you'll want to have tissue at the ready for the twist toward the end. I could see this as a movie and if it were, I'd be there on the opening night.

So, I've typically enjoyed Nicholas Sparks' books with only one miss over the years which I won't name because it was probably a "me thing." That said, I now read each new release with a sense of apprehension - - hoping that each new book will be another winner. Counting Miracles fell solidly in the camp of "another winner."

In this novel, we meet Army Ranger, Tanner Hughes. He's recently been with his grandmother as she was sick and just passed away. He finds out where his birth father lives - - a clue that no one ever passed on to him over the course of his entire life. So, he sets off for that town with the goal of trying to figure out who his father is. Along the way, he will meet other people who will come to meet a great deal to him. Fate has a funny way of taking you intentions and twisting them into something else.

Katelyn Tanner is a single mother trying to raise two kids mostly on her own. He ex-husband lives in another town and typically only takes the children on weekends and holidays/vacations. He also tends to be all about the good times when he has them and does very little discipline - - leaving that role primarily to her. When Kately and Tanner's paths cross, it seems to be a bad idea. After all, he's only there for a few weeks. Unfortunately, their chemistry has other ideas.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early copy.

Nicholas Sparks is well known for his stories of the power of love and family. Counting Miracles is another book to add to his list of fantastic books with characters that will stay with you long after the last page.

This story is told by three different people.
-Tanner was raised by his grandparents and followed his grandfather's footsteps into the military where he became an Army Ranger and served several deployments in the Middle East. He has no plans to settle down in one place but when his beloved grandmother dies, she gives him a clue that may help him find his birth parents. He travels to Asheboro NC in the hopes of finding out about his earlier life and his parents.
-Kaitlyn is a doctor and a single mother with two children. When she meets Tanner, there are some sparks between them but she knows that he won't be in town long and doesn't want to set herself up to be hurt when he leaves.
-Jasper is an 83 year old man who lives a very solitary life in a cabin near the national forest. His only company is his dog Arlo. He had gotten horrific burns on his face years earlier and stayed as far away from other people as possible. Kaitlyn's son befriends him and he gets to know the rest of her family. 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.

At the beginning of the book, these three people were strangers to each other. As the story progresses, they all become important in each other's lives. 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.

This book about love and the importance of family and friends is a Nicholas Sparks book that you don't want to miss.

*I did receive this book from NetGalley but all opinions are my own*

This book tells the story between three main people, Tanner, Kaitlyn, and Jasper. Tanner is looking for his father, whom he’s never met. Kaitlyn is a single mom who is looking after her two kids. And Jasper is an old man who lives near Kaitlyn in the woods alone. The book alternates between all three protagonists, and the reader watches how Kaitlyn and Tanner started a budding romance and how Jasper is trying to save the white deer from being poached by teenagers. Seemingly, there is no connection - but is that the truth?

This book was decent. I personally do not think this is a book for Gen Z like myself, instead more written for Millennials or Gen X. I almost automatically knew what would happen at the end- though at some points I did question myself. I think there was just a little too much religion and military talk for my liking and honestly I just did not feel the connection between Tanner and Kaitlyn. I did like Jasper and how we learned about his life piece by piece. And the parts towards the end when Jasper was in trouble and we saw chapters that were a page or paragraph feeling his emotions, and then would quickly switch to Kaitlyn and Tanner in their real lives with no trouble. Plus, we got to see Tanner and Kaitlyn put the puzzle pieces together from an outside point of view.

I had high expectations when I got this book. The Notebook, The Guardian, and Safe Haven are some of my favorites. However, this one left me feeling a little lacking. I liked the relationship between Tanner and Kaitlyn, a single mom raising two kids. Tanner, an army veteran, is in N.C. looking for the father he never knew while waiting to take another security position. When Kaitlyn's daughter rearends Tanner in a parking lot and ruins his Shelby, he drives her home and when he meets Kaitlyn the sparks are immediate.

Jasper is the reclusive old man who lives in a cabin and is disfigured by burns suffered long ago. He has lost everything, but tries to remain faithful, likening himself to Job in the Bible. This part of the story is long and drawn out and I felt it detracted a little from the overall story.

I found myself skimming over parts so that I could get back to Tanner and Kaitlyn. Jasper has an important role in the overall story, but it was too focused on him and not the love story I’ve come to expect from a Sparks novel. Overall I think it is a good book, but it just wasn't the best one I have read from this author!

Thank you to Random House Publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Nicholas Sparks has an emotional book that captures the readers attention from the start. The characters are memorable and have a big impact on the story. Counting for miracles was a book by Nicholas Sparks that was like his others book that leaves a heartwarming message. I thought this book was a little to spiritual and didn't have to mention scripture passages.

Loved the scripture in this book. Nicholas Sparks knows how to case an imagination! Everything about this book is spectacular.

Nicholas sparks writes stories that fill your heart. This novel was no exception. Reminded me of his other novels but in the best way. I connected with both the characters and story