The story reads like a novel about three different people. It describes each person in vivid detailing of their thoughts, what they are like, and so forth. It takes a few short chapters for one to realize that these characters are all a part of the same story in some way, which was part of the charm of this book for me. It is not an ooey gooey love novel, neither does it focus solely on two persons attempting to create a relationship with one another. It is a truly unique story about love, sacrifice, and the life in between.
I do not wish to give the story itself away, but if you like novels which revolve around those in the military, or just out of it, this is a wonderful find for you. It is about a former marine who found a photo lying in the dirt in Iraq. He attempts finding the original owner of the photo, but with no luck, he keeps it to himself. Shortly after making this decision, he begins having a streak of good luck which continues throughout the remainder of his tour. Upon returning to his hometown, he continues to wonder about his miraculous survival in the war and is further encouraged by a friend to find the subject of the photograph, a young woman on the East Coast. Pressured by his own memories and the grief of a tragic loss, he begins walking with nothing but a backpack, his dog, a few supplies, and the photo. He sets out in search of the young woman determined to pay back what he feels he owes her for the luck he had in the desert.
Sparks certainly keeps good humor in this novel as well as a wise viewpoint of the spiritual side of things, though the characters are by no means religious or otherwise devout. They are introduced as "real" people with problems just as we face on a daily basis.
What attracted me to this book the most was that it is not a sappy story, while still having a romantic flavor to it. It seemed more realistic than many of the romance novels out there.
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