You're the One That I Want

Praise for the Christiansen Family Series

The Wonder of
You

“Book five in the Christiansen Family series is as compelling and delightful as its predecessors. . . . Faith, family, and all the complexities of life’s roller-coaster ride can be found in this engaging romance.”

BOOKREPORTER.COM

“The contemporary romances in the Christiansen Family series are drool-worthy, but they have a subtle, edgy realness that adds depth, too. . . . This story was impossible to put down. . . . Get this book for yourself and see why!”

SERENA CHASE,
USA TODAY

“Warren is truly gifted with her characterization and her ability to write a spiritual message that is organic to the story.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

“This novel confronts the importance of honesty and trust in relationships, the devastation that secrets can wreak, and the hope that forgiveness brings. Readers will delight in the continued antics of the Christiansens and revel in the devotion to family, community, and faith that underpins this series.”

RELZ REVIEWZ

Always on My Mind

“The fourth book in Warren’s Christiansen Family series shows this writer’s gift for creating flawed yet redeemable characters. . . . As always, the spiritual message shines and is an integral, purposeful part of the story.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

“Readers will . . . delight in the romance that unfolds in spite of Casper’s and Raina’s intentions.”

BOOKLIST

“
Always on My Min
d
is a beautiful story filled with hope and faith that is captivating and powerful from page 1 to the very end.”

FRESH FICTION

When I Fall in Love

“[
When I Fall in Love
is] an exquisite romance. Profoundly touching on the topic of facing fears, this book is a true gem.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

“Readers who are already enamored of the sprawling Christiansen clan will feel even more connected, while those new to Warren will be brought right into the fold.”

BOOKLIST

“Warren has a knack for creating captivating and relatable characters that pull the reader deep into the story.”

RADIANT LIT

It Had to Be You

“
It Had to Be You
is a sigh-worthy, coming-into-her-own romance highlighting the importance of family, the necessity of faith, and how losing yourself for the right reasons can open your heart to something beautiful.”

SERENA CHASE,
USA TODAY

“This character-driven tale with a beautiful love story . . . gives excellent spiritual insight and a gorgeously written look at what it means to surrender and let go.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

“Susan May Warren delivers another beautiful, hope-filled story of faith that makes the reader fall further in love with this captivating and intriguing family. . . . Powerful storytelling gripped me from beginning to end . . . [and] lovable characters ensure that the reader becomes invested in their lives.”

RADIANT LIT

“A gem of a story, threaded with truth and hope, laughter and romance. Susan May Warren brings the Christiansen family to life, as if they might be my family or yours, with her smooth writing and engaging storytelling.”

RACHEL HAUCK, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
THE WEDDING DRESS

Take a Chance on Me

“Warren’s new series launch has it all: romance, suspense, and intrigue. It is sure to please her many fans and win her new readers, especially those who enjoy Terri Blackstock.”

LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Warren . . . has crafted an engaging tale of romance, rivalry, and the power of forgiveness.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Warren once again creates a compelling community full of vivid individuals whose anguish and dreams are so real and relatable, readers will long for every character to attain the freedom their hearts desire.”

BOOKLIST

“A compelling story of forgiveness and redemption,
Take a Chance on Me
will have readers taking a chance on each beloved character!”

CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES

“Warren’s latest is a touching tale of love discovered and the meaning of family.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

Visit Tyndale online at
www.tyndale.com
.

Visit Susan May Warren’s website at
www.susanmaywarren.com
.

TYNDALE
and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

You’re the One That I Want

Copyright © 2016 by Susan May Warren. All rights reserved.

Cover photograph copyright © Ammentorp Photography / Alamy. All rights reserved.

Designed by Jennifer Phelps

Edited by Sarah Mason Rische

Published in association with the literary agency of The Steve Laube Agency, 5025 N. Central Ave., #635, Phoenix, AZ 85012.

Scripture quotations are taken from the
Holy Bible
, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

You’re the One That I Want
is a work of fiction. Where real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales appear, they are used fictitiously. All other elements of the novel are drawn from the author’s imagination.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Warren, Susan May, date.

  You're the one that I want : a Christiansen family novel / Susan May Warren.

    pages ; cm.
 
— (Christiansen family)

  ISBN 978-1-4143-7846-6 (sc : alk. paper)

I. Title.   II. Title: You are the one that I want.

  PS3623.A865Y685 2016

  813'.6
 
—dc23 2015032258

ISBN 978-1-4964-1222-5 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4143-8498-6 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-4964-1223-2 (Apple)

For Your glory, Lord

I
JUST LOVE THIS SERIES.
I love the characters, the plots, the themes . . . It’s turned out better than I could have asked or imagined, and I have so many people to thank for their help! My deepest gratitude goes out to the following people:

Rachel Hauck, my writing partner, who pesters me with that ultimate question: But
wh
y
?

David Warren, my in-house story crafter, who helped me get Owen and Casper’s brotherly relationship right. “But, Mom, brothers love each other one second, and the next they want to throttle each other.” Right. Got it. Thank you!

Karen Watson, fantastic editor and captain of the ship, who kept us going in the right direction. Thank you for the gift of partnering with me on this series!

Sarah Mason Rische, my line editor, who has the amazing ability to get inside the stories to pull out the best elements, smooth out my prose, and turn the story from raw-edged to sparkling. Wow.

Steve Laube, my agent, soft-spoken, wise, and the guy who believes in me. Thank you.

Sarah Erredge and Neil (her cute hubby), Peter Warren, and Noah Warren, who land on the pages with their antics more often than not. Thank you for helping me write what I know!

Andrew Warren. The guy who taught me what grace looks like in the flesh. Where you are, I am home.

And my amazing readers, who continually encourage me to dig deep, write stories of family and faith, and remind me that we are all in the journey together. Thank you for blessing me with your friendship and enthusiasm!

Finally, yes, the God of heaven, who, as I struggle through every scene, shows up to shower upon me truth and His words on the page. I am overwhelmed by the grace, responsibility, and joy of this calling. Thank You.

My dearest Owen,

From the moment I first held you in my arms, I knew you were destined to leave us and make your own mark on the world. Whether it was your curiosity, your desire to keep up with
 
—and surpass
 
—your brothers, or your insistence that you could do it “by myself,” I knew that the moment I let go of your hand, you would follow your heart into adventure.

Armed with your charming smile and your desire to confront and conquer your challenges, you can become anyone you want to be. You are so much like your older brother Darek
 
—bearing his determination, his focus. And also like Casper, with your thirst to discover something beyond the borders of Evergreen Resort. But unlike them, you also have a zealous, no-holds-barred passion for life. It’s what will propel you into an amazing future, no matter what you do.

However, it will also litter mistakes in your wake. And, I fear, regret. Because a person doesn’t plunge himself into life without the occasional misstep. Without wanting to reel back time and rethink, redo, relive.

It is a normal, expected part of life to make mistakes. But in order to live without the haunting voice of regret, you must learn to forgive yourself. To embrace mercy. To open your eyes and see God in your past and His grace in your future.

Your mistakes don’t define you. Your past doesn’t define
you. You are not the sum of your bad decisions. You are the decision you make right now. You are the decisions you will make tomorrow.

Most of all, you are an impulsive, valiant, giant-hearted child of God, deeply loved, created to be exactly the person you are.

God has a special place in His heart for messy, passionate, live-out-loud people. The young. The inexperienced. The blindly brave. The ones who dive in, not looking back, believing they can slay giants with a stone.

Because God loves faith. The wild belief that yes, everything will work out for our good, according to God’s plan, if we simply remember we are safe in His hands.

And this, perhaps, is the gift you bring to us. A life of faith. Of believing big, hoping long, and swan diving into life.

Do not feel guilty for wanting to fly from the nest. You were created to soar.

And I, for one, can’t wait to watch.

Your loving mother