Allegra Spencer and Tyler Hawk couldn't be more different. As Tyler himself muses, they go together about as well as "oil and vinegar, chocolate and green beans...Seahawks and Forty-Niners." And Tyler would know. As a recently-retired former star of the Seattle Seahawks, he's lived a life of competition, success, and adventure. Allegra...well, she's a different story altogether. Her life is one of safety--and not of the NFL two-point variety. Solid career, solid life plan, solid addiction to latte. Everything in Allegra's life is solid, until Tyler comes along and puts everything she thought she knew--about her life and herself--on shaky ground.

In many ways, Count Me In is a love story as old as any. Opposites attract. Yeah, we know. But in the skillful hands of debut novelist Mikal Dawn, this story becomes something different entirely. The attraction comes as no surprise. The attraction is the easy part. The charm and depth of the story comes about through the process which Allegra and Tyler must go through in order to learn not only who they are, but who they are willing to become.

I loved this book, plain and simple. The dialogue is believable, the characters are endearing, the journey is heartfelt and captivating. (Also...Tyler's a stud, and officially my new book boyfriend!) The author did a beautiful job of capturing the essence and reality of two Christ-following characters who struggle and do not have it all together, but who do their best to honor God. I laughed out loud on several occasions, read through tears more than once, and pretty much had a smile plastered on my face the entire time.

If this is how Mikal Dawn begins her career as an author, I can't wait to see what's next! ( )