You're the One That I Want
By:Susan May Warren
This latest from Susan May Warren has been the 2 Chicks' most highly anticipated book of the year! The conclusion to the Christiansen family stories does not disappoint and was everything we hoped it would be.
Storyline
Owen Christiansen has a lot of apologizing, explaining and reconciling to do - even more so than he is aware of. For the last few years, he has been MIA from his family and hometown of Evergreen Lake, Minnesota, where he left behind broken relationships and hearts. Now working on a crabbing boat in Alaska, he is struggling to find his way back to God and a chance at happiness. Could it happen with Elise "Scotty" McFlynn, a no nonsense girl who has her own learning to do about family?
The last time Casper Christiansen saw his brother, a heated argument that led to blows erupted between them . But now, hoping to reconcile and receive Owen's blessing, Casper has trekked all over the country searching for him. Just as he's about to give up and go home, he finally catches a break to learn of Owen's whereabouts. But seeing him again - and bringing him home to face the damage he has left behind - will not be easy, pleasant or quick to resolve.
This story's action begins on the first page and does not stop until the end. The plot, characters and storyline kept us up for a few late nights!
Depth
As readers, we kept asking ourselves how on earth Owen - the wild, lost prodigal - was ever going to find his way back to the family. With a trail of damage in his wake, would it be too late to repair the burned bridges and broken hearts?
Given this and the family drama that's been building up in the last five books, we were afraid this final book would tie it all up in an easy, neat little package - so unlike real life. We knew Owen's story deserved a thorough, difficult, challenging, and in the end, triumphant, conclusion - and that is exactly what author Susan delivers. She masterfully weaves the joy and the pain of the ramifications on the family when a prodigal comes home. It isn't easy, clear or predictable. Everyone wrestles with the right things to do at different times, and the issues are real. In addition, Scotty is welcomed into the Christiansen family as one of their own - and it scares her to death. Will she be brave enough to embrace what it means to finally be a part of a family?
Faith
Scotty thinks that Christianity is only for the weak. Being raised by a single father, she values being tough-as-nails and independent above all else. But she is inspired by Owen's admonition to "have a little faith" and slowly begins to realize her need for a Savior. This story is all about grace and faith, and being accepted into earthly families and into the family of God. One of our favorite lines was, "A life committed to God requires us to live uncomfortably, accountably, bravely, transparently, vulnerably. It requires us to love without rules. Welcome to grace."
Squeal Factor
As is usual in this series, the couples in this book sizzle with their cute chemistry. Owen and Scotty have several very touching scenes and their romance sparkles! This book has powerful emotions the readers can actually feel.
Overall
It took six novels to tell the stories of the Christiansen family and we are sad to see them go! This series is full of faith, depth, squeal factor and is written at a pace that kept us running toward the end. The family has real problems and real love, all tied up together, and gives a great example of what a wonderful family can look like. In fact, these 2 Chicks loved both this book and the entire series so much, we are declaring the series as a whole the newest addition to our Golden List. It's worth it to pay full retail price and give up a little lot of sleep for!
Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review
