You're the One That I Want (Christiansen Family)

** “Have a little faith. … As in the kind that came with looking into the sunrise and knowing that it was created by Someone. And believing that Someone cared. Watched over. Intervened.” **

OK, I admit it. I just might have shed a few tears as I read the final words of “You’re the One That I Want” by Susan May Warren. You see, this is the final book in the Christiansen Family series. And you can’t but help fall in love with this family — a clan that is zany and fun and loyal and flawed. Sometimes deeply flawed. They aren’t these perfect characters on the page. They have real problems and real struggles, but they always, sometimes reluctantly, turn to God in their dark times. Boy, am I going to miss this family.

“You’re the One That I Want” tackles the story of black sheep, prodigal son Owen, who is now working on a crab boat in the Bering Sea. On the vessel he meets the captain’s daughter, Scotty, who is tough as nails yet beautiful — and a cop in the off season. A near disaster ultimately leads to an uncertain relationship and Scotty going home to Deep Haven with Owen.

As we know from the end of the prior book “The Wonder of You,” Owen’s brother Casper, who finally tracked him down, returns to Deep Haven for questioning in a murder. What follows is an amazing story.

This book is a romance, yes, as it follows the rocky relationships of Owen and Scotty, and Casper and Raina. But it is also a suspenseful thriller as Scotty helps the Christiansen clan search out the truth about the murder case, trying to keep Casper out of prison.

But beyond the black and white of the plot, “You’re the One That I Want” is a story with many deeper, beautiful themes: hope, regret, the impact of stubbornness, the need to be needed and wanted, faith, and imperfect and broken prodigals. It shows us that we can never outrun God’s love, no matter what we’ve done, nor can we hide from God. You see, not only does the story deal with the characters learning who is the “one that they want” romantically, it is also a story of them learning that GOD is the “one that they want.” And, that we are the “one that God wants.”

You can never go wrong with Susan May Warren’s novels. They will leave you feeling uplifted and encouraged. They are great stories, but they are also like a breath of fresh air on a deeper level.

I can’t tell you how much I will miss the Christiansens and Deep Haven. I hope the author will continue to visit them in the future. They are just so relatable. As she writes in her author’s note: “When I conceived this series, I wanted a story about real people dealing with real issues of faith and family. I didn’t want to shy away from the mistakes but to tell a story about a family that faces its share of darkness … and discovers a God who is standing at the doorway — even more, launching out in relentless pursuit with the goal of bringing us home.”

Please, Susan May Warren, please let us come home with this gang again someday!

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.

Each story I read from Susan May Warren has me convinced I've read her finest work and then I'm unbelievably stunned by how perfect the next story is. From the insightful opening letter written as positive affirmation from Owen's mom to the opening lines of chapter one, "No one dies tonight , not if she could help it", I knew I was in for a thrilling ride full of excitement and passion from the best of the best, Susan May Warren. I was right. You're the One That I Want is an amazing conclusion to the Christiansen family saga, one of the best collections of stories I've ever had the pleasure to read.

The chemistry between Owen Christiansen and Scotty McFlynn was both tangible and palpable. Their relationship was both authentic and romantic, it may be and probably is, the best in this series. That's saying a lot and readers who are following the Christiansen family should be on the edge of their seats, I was. Their witty dialogue was just the beginning of a heart wrenching journey through danger, insecurities and self-doubt, but a wonderful journey nonetheless to what God had planned for them after all the detours, too.

There are scores of one-liners I'd love to quote but I won't spoil the uncovering of all these treasures for other readers. I will say my copy of this book is highlighted throughout. Susan May Warren did an outstanding job of bringing all the stories of the six Christiansen children to a sigh-worthy conclusion. No small feat and one I wasn't sure could be done, but I'm impressed with how well she accomplished it.

You're the One That I Want is a fabulous love story with a spiritual message, that message is undoubtedly found in one passage as quoted by pastor Dan,
"... I warn you, once you embrace Christ, you too become a rule breaker. Because a life committed to God requires us to live uncomfortably . Inconveniently. Accountably. Bravely. Transparently. Vulnerably. It requires us to love without rules. Welcome to grace".

That says it all, the story of grace lived out in the Christiansen family and the story each believer is called to write in their in their own life.

I LOVED You're the One That I want! It has become one of my favorite books, one I know I'll read again for the sheer perfection of it. I want to express my sincere thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for making a copy of this book available for review. Best early Christmas present ever!

A masterpiece.

I loved this book beyond words.

It must have been hard to do the last book of such a successful series but I’m telling you, Susan May Warren did an oustanding job!

First, if you’ve read all the books, reading this feels like home. You know the characters, you’ve grown with them.

You’ve seen their ups and downs and you know what to expect from each one of them because their personalities are so well- developed.

Now this story in particular could have killed me, honestly.

So much emotion! SO MUCH!

At times I just had to stop reading because what I felt was so strong.

There were things Casper said, for example, that made ME mad. That’s how involved I was.

The plot is interesting, enganging. There is always something keeping you awake.

I couldn’t be indiffent. I was in the story with the characters. That’s a fact.

I tried to read it slow since I know is the last book of the series I’ve come to love but as I was approaching the end, I just couldn’t wait anymore. I HAD know what happened next.

Owen was never my favorite but in this book I learned to like him and understand him better.

The purpose of the author with The Christiansens has always been to create real people that deal with real situations and she did.

Owen is so real. Broken. Trying so hard to move forward with God’s help.

He’s going through a process just like everyone else and you can easily identify with him.

I’m not so sure about how Owen’s future will look like since there are things without proper closure but I think he’ll figure it out with God’s help as years come and go.

For me, maybe if I had read this book apart from the rest, I would have liked it as well, but reading it as part of that bigger story made it absolutely perfect.

It’s heartbreaking to see everything to end.

I desperately want to go to Deep Have so I can eat Grace’s cookies, talk to Eden about writing and spend some time with Amelia, but I’m thankful for the time I could have with them through those pages.

**I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own**

If you have read any of the Christiansen Family Series, then you already know how amazing they are. I have loved every single bit of them. Warren is one of my absolute favorite authors, and she never disappoints. If you haven’t read any of this series, you can totally read this one and love it without reading the previous ones. That being said, did you miss my opening lines that said how amazing the whole series is? I was not ready to say goodbye to this wonderful family. You’re the One That I Want follows Owen as he eventually returns to his hometown and Evergreen Resort.

Owen is the hometown hero. Making it to the big leagues as a hockey player is a big deal in Deep Haven. After an injury ends his hockey career, Owen feels like his life is over. He has always felt like the odd man out, and loves a good adventure. His family doesn’t know where he is, and the last time they saw him was when he fought with his brother. Not a good memory to dwell on. He longs to go home and make amends, but it is easier said than done. Work on a crab boat keeps him busy, and he is trying to be the man he should be. Scotty the captains daughter sees him as the new man, and he can’t help but feel attracted to her. Will they get off the ship and say goodbye to each other forever? Or does God have bigger plans for them? Will Owen make amends with his family before it’s too late?

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a great Fiction/Romance. Warren makes her characters so interesting, and relatable that I almost hope to one day run into one. I have read a bunch of her books, and can’t wait to read more. She mixes the perfect amount of romance, suspense, and humor for the perfectly imperfect family. There is so much I would love to discuss with you about this story, but that would take away all the fun of you reading it yourself. What are you waiting for? I am so thankful I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Susan May Warren’s sixth installment of her Christiansen family saga, “You’re the One that I Want”, brings the story of youngest son, Owen. Hailed by hockey fans as “The Next Gretzky”, Owen’s life is plunged into the depths of despair and self-recrimination when an on-ice fight results in a career-ending injury. Owen runs, taking increasingly dangerous jobs to replace the rush he felt playing hockey. When he takes a job on an Alaskan crabbing boat he begins to see that God still has a purpose for his life. He also crosses paths with Elise (Scotty) McFlynn, the daughter of his captain.

Scotty has always been “one of the guys” on her dad’s boat. She’s been working with her dad since she was a kid and has worked her way up to the position of first mate. She can skipper the boat as well as her dad and demands respect from each of the men working for her father. She crews the boat during crab season but she’s a cop when she’s off the boat. She doesn’t see herself as a beautiful woman but Owen sees beneath the gruff exterior to the woman she is.

When Casper Christiansen arrives to drag the prodigal home by his ear, the family drama is almost more than only-child Scotty can handle. When Scotty’s boss at the Anchorage PD receives word that Casper is wanted for questioning in a murder case back in Minnesota, Scotty volunteers to escort the brothers home.

Can Owen get past his youthful mistakes and forgive himself? Can Scotty see herself in the life Owen wants with her? Will the obstacles be more than they can overcome?

Wow! I’ve read the entire Christiansen series and I’m pretty sure this was my favorite. The beginning was like watching “The Deadliest Catch” on TV, only Ms. Warren uses words to paint the picture of how dangerous fishing in the Bering Sea is. I love how, as flawed as Owen is, he is still, at his core, a man of honor who lost his way for a time. Watching Scotty as she observes the Christiansen family’s interaction made me realize what a gift family is. Scotty has no experience with a family who stands in solidarity behind one of their own who is wrongly accused or who welcomes home the prodigal with love in spite of what he’d done. This family forgives, something Scotty has really never encountered. As she is sucked into the Christiansen vortex Scotty begins to see a different future than she had ever expected for herself.

I highly recommend “You’re the One that I Want”, especially if you’ve read the other books in the series. If you haven’t, don’t worry. This book can stand on its own. It’s just easier to understand all of the relationships when you read the rest. The story has it all: romance, mystery, action, adventure.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

If you know me at all then you know that I have been a HUGE fan of the Christiansen family since book one! I have adored every minute of this series and needless to say I loved this one as well, though I admit having to say goodbye to this amazing family was definitely bittersweet. In the previous books I never liked Owen much at all, so I was very curious to see how Susan May Warren would make me come to like him, I knew it would happen but I never expected to completely fall in love with Owen from chapter one, which is what happened! I also loved Scotty, I found myself relating to her quite a bit and I think she was the perfect match for Owen!
Another thing that I loved about this book is how it contains references to two of my favorite things; The Princess Bride, and Les Mis, when I read those moments of the story I got this huge grin on my face, it was so totally awesome that Susan put them in the book!
It goes without saying but I can't recommend this series enough, if you are a fan of contemporary romance and family sagas you NEED to read this series, you won't be sorry!
Words truly cannot express how much I adored this book as well as the entire series, I can only say that the whole series has a permanent spot on my keeper shelf and that I hope to re-read the entire series from start to finish at least once a year in the future!
This was such a great ending to the Christiansen family series and I love, love, LOVED every single minute of it! The epilogue was so beautiful and I will admit that even though I almost never cry at books, that epilogue made tears of joy (as well as sadness at the thought of saying goodbye to one of my all time favorite casts of characters) spring to my eyes!
I can't wait to read whatever Susan May Warren writes next!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tyndale house for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, which I have done.
All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

I could easily say that I loved everything about this book. But to be more specific I’m going to say that I loved the characters. Throughout the whole Christiansen Family series I’ve fallen in love with each and every member of the family and the men and women they’ve fallen in love with. This book was the perfect culmination of the series because it wrapped up everyone’s story while still giving Owen his turn.

Scotty is everything I love in a female character. She is strong, fierce, independent, and hard-working. And Owen may not have been perfect but he certainly had his moments in this book! There were times where I loved that he didn’t think before saying or doing things but there were other times that he drove me insane with his lack of forethought.

I also loved the scenes in the opening chapters and how we got a glimpse into Owen’s life outside of Deep Haven. Warren’s descriptions on the crabbing boat were amazing and I tensed up as I read some of the more dangerous scenes.

You also can’t go wrong with her romance. I always get the warm and fuzzies when I read her books because she writes about love in a way that makes you really feel the emotions of her characters.

I really can’t think of anything to make this story any better than it already was. Unless of course Warren wants to add a seventh book to the series! I truly cannot wait to see what series she comes up with next.

I’m sad to see the end of the Christiansen Family series. I’m going to miss traveling through the lives of these siblings. I love reading as they interact with each other, share their traditions, and love each other so well. I loved finally getting to read Owen’s story and I really appreciate how Warren weaves scripture and faith into all of her stories. Owen and Scotty’s story is proof of second chances in Christ but still doesn’t come across in a preachy manner.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Love it!

You're the One That I Want is the last book in a Christiansen Family series by Susan May Warren. This is the continuation of Owen's story. Owen suffered an injury while playing for the NHL that cost him his career. He is now working on an Alaskan crabbing boat. A storm causes the ship's owner's daughter, Scotty, to get tossed into the waters and Owen goes in after her. When it is believed they are lost at sea, their pictures are on the TV and Owen's bother, Casper sees it. He is looking for Owen to get Owen's permission to marry the mother of Owen's daughter. When Casper and Owen try to fly home to Minnesota, they are taken into custody as Carper is a suspect in a murder. Scotty is in law enforcement and is asked to make sure they get back to Minnesota.
I have enjoyed reading this series. This book brings the family back together and shows the faith they have as well as the love and devotion they have towards each other. This story contains mystery, suspense and romance. While each of the books focuses on one of the family members, it is also a continuation of the whole family. So this series should be read in the order it is written.

I don’t even know where to begin in reviewing this fantastic book… From start to finish, I was caught hook, line, and sinker. What I like best about Susan May Warren’s books are the depth of emotions, love, loyalty, faith and family dynamics that make the characters jump off the page. They seem so real (I secretly want to be a part of the Christiansen clan!).

Oh, Owen! Watching him struggle to accept that grace that God has given him so freely through the book is so hard! I just wanted to hug him. Warren did an amazing job showing us how complicated and messy his life was, giving us glimpses of the “old” and “new” Owen. Then there’s Scotty. Boy, she is one complicated woman! But her fierce loyalty to Owen is exactly what’s needed to begin an awesome romance.

I’m so glad that Owen’s story was last. I don’t think Susan May Warren could have ended an amazing series any better (but I really hope this isn’t the end!). She brought the prodigal home, restored the family relationships that were broken, and most importantly taught each character about embracing their past, their faith, and putting their trust in God. I loved this series and would highly recommend it to anyone!