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The One That I Want    by Allison Winn Scotch Amazon.com order for
One That I Want
by Allison Winn Scotch
Order:  USA  Can
Broadway, 2011 (2011)
Softcover, CD, e-Book

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* * *   Reviewed by Elizabeth Crowley

Tilly Farmer's life is picture perfect. She's married to her high school sweetheart, and they have decided to start a family. Tilly couldn't ask for more. In fact, her life hasn't changed much since she was a teenager. While her sister Darcy left Westlake, Washington for Los Angeles, Tilly stayed behind and settled into the cozy life that she had always dreamed of. Tilly works as a guidance counselor at her old high school. Helping teenagers with their daily problems seems like the perfect job for Tilly who had always been the sibling keeping the family together, especially after her mother died when she was a teenager.

When Tilly attends a school carnival and meets up with an old friend who is now a fortune teller, Tilly is told she has been given the gift of clarity. Tilly brushes off the encounter as insignificant hocus pocus. When she begins experiencing premonitions which come true, Tilly realizes she has been given a real intuitive gift which she cannot control. Tilly begins experiencing frightening premonitions, but the worst vision she has is of her husband moving out of their home.

Tilly, who is under the impression that she is happily married and trying for a baby, cannot fathom her husband leaving. But when she discovers that he is considering a job in Seattle, she knows her premonition is slowly becoming reality. Tilly cannot imagine leaving Westlake, but also cannot imagine a life without the only man she has ever loved. Westlake is Tilly's link to her past, which she cherishes more than anything. Her premonitions force her to come to terms with the reality of her life. Can she leave behind everything that she loves for the only man she has ever loved? Or is there another possible future for her?

Once I started reading The One That I Want, I devoured it in one quick and satisfying sitting. The premonitions give the impression that this is a paranormal novel, but the book is really about life choices. Tilly's experiences will leave readers reflecting on their own life and decisions they have made or failed to make. The One That I Want is an emotionally impressive novel that you will want to share with family and friends. If you are looking for a summer read with substance, don't miss it.

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