Every now and then—okay, maybe more often than I care to admit—I get curious about something different or a big-name author I don’t normally read and decide to give them a shot. Good for me, right? Trying something new, expanding my horizons, and all that.
This time, it was Nicholas Sparks the king of tearjerkers, seaside romances, and all that. And I was ready for a tearjerker

Well…

I was actually into it at first—the themes were solid, the characters had potential, and I even caught myself thinking, Okay wow, maybe I’ve been missing out on this guy. And then... the Bible quotes started pouring in. Like, a lot. And that was my cue to exit. Not for me. I officially called it quits.

Final verdict? A classic trope of “wrong reader, wrong book.” Sparks fans might eat it up, but for me? Not the right kind of miracles to save this one.

I find Nicholas Sparks books can be pretty hit or miss for me. I loved this one. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. Looking forward to a movie adaptation some day.

Title: Counting Miracles
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: September 24, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Touching • Hopeful • Predictable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I have read everything Nicholas Sparks has written thus far, so when Counting Miracles was announced, of course, I added it to my TBR. His more recent work has definitely veered away from being romance-centric, yet I often have found it to lack the emotional depth I craved in his earlier work. I was excited this one feature an older main character, because that is a sub-trope I absolutely love.

Told through multiple storylines, this is a story of love and loss, of self-discovery and found family, and ultimately, hope. For whatever reason, I failed to connect with the characters early and so found myself at a distance throughout the entire thing. The storyline do eventually intertwine, yet I could see the connection coming a mile away.

There is a lot of pain, loss, and trauma throughout the both storylines, yet it somehow lacks the emotional depth I was desperately hoping for. The plot thread also reminded me a little too much of The Wish, so nothing felt fresh or surprising.

Overall, Counting Miracles was an okay read, just not one that blew me away. Everything seemed a little too convenient to be believable, which had me rolling my eyes. While Nicholas Sparks used to be an auto-read author for me, many of his more recent releases just don't have the same emotional depth that originally drew me to his work. Yes, I'll probably continue to read what he writes, but there is no longer an urgent rush to do so.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Christian themes
• this author's work
• written for the big screen books

⚠️ CW: fire/fire injury, injury/injury detail, death, death of partner, child death, suicide, grief, abandonment, animal cruelty, medical content, medical trauma, suicidal thoughts, alcohol, death of parent, war, sexual content, PTSD

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"I remind myself that my broken heart also means that there was a time when it wasn't broken, when my heart was light and full."

Another masterpiece by the author. It gave me all the feels and the pacing of the book was perfects. Will recommend!

This novel was not at all what I was expecting. I know with Nicholas Sparks you will get a love story with a major tragedy. The writing is always good.

This book was good, well written. I bawled my eyes out at the end like you are suppose to. But I didn’t enjoy the heavy religious tones of this book. I even went back to see if I missed this mentioned in the synopsis but it was not. I do believe in 2025 if we are releasing books that are this heavily religious then it should be mentioned.

Counting Miracles is another emotional rollercoaster from Nicholas Sparks. The story follows Hope Anderson, who has been struggling with the grief of her mother’s illness and her own uncertain future. While on a trip to help care for her mother, Hope reconnects with her high school love, Lucas. As old feelings resurface, they face the complications of their past and present lives.

As a fan of Sparks' work, I was drawn into the heartfelt emotions and complex characters. The romance is tender, and the story is packed with emotional depth, as Sparks does best. It’s still a solid 3-star read, perfect for fans of Sparks’ emotional, love-centered stories.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the advance reader copy.

Gosh this story is beautiful. 4.5/5.

I think some folks may struggle with the overall biblical references and faith based tone. That being said this story is emotional, gorgeous, and thought-provoking. A modern-day reimagining of the biblical story of Job, Counting Miracles reminds us of how each moment in life leads to something else. Miracles are everywhere, even if we can't see them. The side plots of the white deer and Tanner and Kaitlyn are also lovely. The ending sits heavy, like a warm stew in the winter, comforting, and complete.


Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks you will love this latest novel from him. When Tanner's grandmother died she leaves him with the name of the father he never knew. He has plans to leave for his next posting abroad in a couple months and decides to spend some time searching for his father now that he has a name for him. What he finds is so much more. He finds a chance to feel at home for the first time, to have a sense of community, and maybe a chance at found family. It is a story of second chances, not just for Tanner, but for many of the main characters such as Jasper and Kaitlyn.

I really enjoyed this one, gobbling it up in only a day.

I use to read every Nicholas sparks book when they came out. And then I would watch the movies. I haven’t read one in a very long time and after reading this one I need to fix that. This book was so good. There is just a way that Nicholas Sparks writes that makes me cry. I don’t cry at books and he gets me every time.
We follow tanner who is trying to find his birth father. We also follow Kaitlyn a single mom who is trying to raise her kids and be a doctor. Also a side character named jasper who is a recluse who live in the woods and keeps to himself.
You need to read this, you won’t be disappointed.

This book felt like a typical Nicholas sparks book. Nothing earth shattering, but also enjoyable. I really liked the characters, but wish the ending had more of a twist or excitement. I do feel a lot of people would enjoy this book though!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Tanner has been raised by his loving grandparents and doesn't really feel like anything is missing from his life. until his grandmother tells him the name of hs father right before she passes and tells him to find where he belongs. Tanner's journey to find his roots and ultimately find himself was a wonderful adventure to follow along on.

This author's books always leave you feeling satisfied with a well written story, memorable characters and wonderful scenery. This book was no exception. It was a good read. I look forward to more books by this author.

I was over the moon when I received an early copy of this book! I have been reading NS books for years, and have loved many of them.

I know going in that his stories are ones that will pull on your heartstrings, and give you all the feels! This one was no different! It was a story of family, love, and loss, and you can't help but feel for the characters are you read. I was hooked from the beginning and loved getting to know the characters throughout. I am a big fan of the multiple POVs, and the dual timeline. I love trying to figure things out before they happen, and I really enjoy the elements he puts into his stories.

Thank you so much for the early copy! I look forward to hearing what others have to think about this one.

Another beautiful Nicholas Sparks story. He has such a great way of writing a great story filled with true life lessons and deep meanings. Some biblical references so this was a nice aspect.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Counting Miracles. I loved Jasper’s character and the story of his life. The love story between Kaitlyn and Tanner seemed to take a backseat to the main story. A little predictable and simple at times. I enjoyed Arlo and the white deer spottings. A solid 3 stars.

Nicholas Sparks is one of my favorite authors. They are a fun and get away from the real world indulgence. I enjoyed this one for the most part. At times the story seemed disjointed and truthfully a bit boring and slow. Possibly it was more due to what was going on in my own life and not so much about the book.

The characters were well-developed - however not totally likable or relatable. The ending was a bit anticlimactic.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Mr. Sparks can really do no wrong. Always beautiful and heartbreaking stories. Always written beautifully.
Thank you @netgalley for the free copy in exchange for a honest review.

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book. I chose to review it and this in no way impacts my opinion of it.

I used to be a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks when I was a teen and read all his books in a very short time span, but I fell out of his works in the last 10 years or so. This is the first of his novels I’ve read in a long time and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t the amazing novel I remember him writing.

This novel opens up with Tanner going in search of his father, a man whose identity was hidden from him from the day he was born. While his grandma lay at deaths door, she divulged his fathers name and city to him and so the search began.

Jasper, a frail old man, sets out to protect a rare deer that has made an appearance in the woods surrounding his cottage home. Jasper is a man of God who has suffered immeasurably throughout his life and that has him questioning his faith.

While I enjoyed the plot behind the novel, it just felt lacking. The pacing was slow, and it wasn’t very exciting. It felt like you could guess the father by page 2. Unfortunately, this novel didn’t drag out any emotions in me throughout reading but it was still a good comfort read.

If you want a cozy read that you know will have a happy ending, this novel is for you.

Throughly enjoyed this book from a favourite author since high school! Sparks knows how to craft a story that pulls you in and doesn't let you go.

Nicholas Sparks never fails to write a book that tugs on my heart strings! There are some authors that I just know are going to take me on an emotional journey every time, and Sparks is certainly one of them. This book was no exception!

This story is about a man who finds out the true identity of his father, and then goes on a journey to find him. The journey brings him so much more than he ever could have thought - so much love, family, and comfort.

One thing I did not like about this book was the amount of biblical references throughout. While I understand some of the questions raised and struggles the MC was facing, it just wasn't for me.

I am really enjoying how much Sparks' newer books are feeling just like some of his first works. It is both nostalgic and so comforting, feeling like I am coming home when I read each new story.

I love that Sparks always finds a way to give us the unexpected. Even after so many books published and reading every single one he manages to pull on my heart springs and leave me slack jawed. This is one that will definitely stick with me and leave certain scenes burned in my brain. And I love a book with great animal characters, we all know hes a hero to!