Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Choice

by Nicholas Sparks (Goodreads Author)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 56,213 ratings · 3,855 reviews

Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life -- boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies -- he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in n...more

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published September 24th 2007 by Warner Books

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Nicholas Sparks Books

7th out of 18 books — 1,357 voters

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Nobody's Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Best Ever Contemporary Romance Books

64th out of 1,795 books — 4,047 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 06, 2008 Elise rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nicholas Sparks fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

18 likes · like · see review

Jul 21, 2008 Laura Cashavelly rated it 1 of 5 stars

Mr. Sparks, All my life I believed in order for a wonderful marriage all you needed was true love. And now, knowing that for a relationship to work it needs much more then love, reading your books is honestly quite pathetic and sad. All your books are the same, have you ever thought about writing a book that doesn't involve two people falling in love over the course of twenty-four hours?

44 likes · like · see review

Oct 20, 2008 Annie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Nicholas Sparks Fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This man has the uncanny ability to shatter my heart into a million pieces and put it back together again with the precision of a surgeon. Why is it that life seems so much sweeter after tragedy? Maybe gratitude isn't a natural state - it's just something we come to through experience.

I just finished Nicholas's new book The Choice which tells the love story of Gabby and Travis. Even though Sparks devoted most of the novel to the cute yet predictable narrative of their history together, he made...more This man has the uncanny ability to shatter my heart into a million pieces and put it back together again with the precision of a surgeon. Why is it that life seems so much sweeter after tragedy? Maybe gratitude isn't a natural state - it's just something we come to through experience.

I just finished Nicholas's new book The Choice which tells the love story of Gabby and Travis. Even though Sparks devoted most of the novel to the cute yet predictable narrative of their history together, he made one smart move at the start: a captivating prologue. Oftentimes I believe the prologue is a sign of weak writing. A good author shouldn't need one to draw you into the story - if they do then they're beginning the story at the wrong place. However, this book really needed that. It lent a depth to the first half of the novel which would have been absent otherwise and encouraged readers to keep going even though it seemed a little too fluffy at times.

The other interesting topic he raises is cheating. I have to say this made me a little uncomfortable and did make me a little ticked off. I mean, just because the characters are meant for each other does not justify dishonesty and deception. The other thing is that I am SURE I read in an interview that Nicholas Sparks said he'd NEVER write about adultery. You see, he is openly Christian and doesn't believe in writing about things against his own moral code. If I can find the quote where he says that, I'll post it here. It was a case of 'just when you thought the story was a bit dull the character does something morally repugnant'. That was actually enough to keep me interested. I wanted to see why Sparks made that particular literary decision.

Sparks had some ground to make up after this incident though because as the reader, I thought there was no reason for it. Not having Gabby confront her boyfriend made her seem a little weak. That's when you jump to the next part of the story and where Sparks really shines...the tragedy! God I love it. The thrilling part of reading his work is that you never know if you'll get a happy ending. Right up until the second-last page of The Choice I wasn't sure which it would be. And I cried like a baby the whole time. This wouldn't be Sparks' best work but he's one of those authors you usually can't go wrong with. Well, except maybe for True Believer and Dear John. They seemed a little like mid-career slump novels to me.

He is such a quick-read and the world seems such a richer place when you're finished. People argue that the kind of drama he writes about isn't realistic. I beg to differ. You only have to read an interview with him to know that most of his stories are inspired by real life. Guess what folks, life is tragic. It's the meaning that we gain from tragedy and the love that touches us that makes it all worthwhile.

Aah Nicholas, a man after my own heart. I'll forgive you the cheating but only cause it was such a satisfying ending. (less)

7 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2013 Célia Loureiro rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: meus-books-i-own, lixo-literário-literary-garbage

This must be the 10th Nicholas Sparks book that I read, after a few years break. The last one I had read had been “Dear John”, and I hated it to the point that I never thought I’d read one book from this man again. To be clear: he’s still the same. If you want to know his “formula”, mix up these ingredients:
- Many dialogues (to make it lighter) with easy and random jokes;
- Really cool and sexy guy with little holes on his chicks who enjoys his beer;
- Pseudo-independent and strong woman who drink...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 16, 2008 Julianne rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 20, 2007 Bethany Andrews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

For all you Nicholas Sparks fans out there, rest assured, he's done it again. He's written another ridiculously perfect, impossible not to cry over, romance. I'm usually not a fan of this type of work, but as I've said before, there's something about a Nicholas Sparks book I can't resist. It's like my guilty pleasure or something.

This one is about Travis, a small town vet, who has everything he could ever want out of life. He's got excellent friends, a cool dog, his own house and a great job. Su...more

23 likes · like · see review

Oct 04, 2008 Lisa rated it 1 of 5 stars

The Choice has assured I will never read another Nicholas Sparks book. I found this novel to be a long-winded, tedious waste of time. And I got really irritated with his lack of research. If you are going to write about a dog whelping – get your facts right. If you are going to write about comatose people – get your facts right. Oh yeah, and if your leading lady is an accomplished P.A. , you might want to try giving her a brain. And I’m sorry, but I see nothing redeeming about defying a person’s...more

26 likes · like · see review

Mar 16, 2009 Vivian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Vivian by: mom

This has been my favorite book and my plan is to read every Nicholas Sparks book. I read this book last summer and this book is also about love and promises. I learned not all promises should be kept (even though they should). This married couple has been together quite some time and they had there good and bad times. In the time of there marriage a promise came up- If anything ever happened to Gabby and needed be put on life support, then her husband Travis, would only let her be connected for...more

12 likes · like · see review

Nov 26, 2007 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Nicholas Sparks, readers who like sentimental love stories

Shelves: adult, romance

When a new Nicholas Sparks novel comes out, you know what you're in for - a southern romance between a romantic, lovable, handsome man and an intelligent, independent, naturally beautiful woman. It will be a fast read that makes you long for the simple, small town life. I'm not a big fan of romances, but Sparks books are simply good stories and always enjoyable reads. Also, one never knows whether the ending will be a certifiable tear-jerker or joyful happiness. "The Choice" is about two neighbo...more

9 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2008 Nikki De Los Santos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pulled at my heart strings and ended up crying for about 5 mintues at the end. His writting has a way of getting in your head and you can imagine yourself in the situation. What would you do......

18 likes · like · see review

May 04, 2012 J.N. rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a book I decided to re-read. I forgot how much I actually do like Mr. Spark's writing. It's beautiful, his characters really come to life, and the descriptions are very accurate (I live in North Carolina, the same as him, and he almost always sets his books here). I really liked the two main characters in this, Travis and Gabby. I thought they had a great love story, (view spoiler)...more This was a book I decided to re-read. I forgot how much I actually do like Mr. Spark's writing. It's beautiful, his characters really come to life, and the descriptions are very accurate (I live in North Carolina, the same as him, and he almost always sets his books here). I really liked the two main characters in this, Travis and Gabby. I thought they had a great love story, (view spoiler) I loved how they met and how their dogs got involved. I actually love the first part of the book a lot. Well, minus me rolling my eyes when the two said they loved one another after ONE weekend. Okay, I told my first boyfriend I loved him too after meeting him but I was also still in college and very young and naive. While Travis and Gabby are youngish, they are still in their mid-twenties and it felt a little unrealistic/soon for them to be saying they loved one another and wanted to be together forever and all that.

The second part of the book is okay, but I did get a little bored after a while. The situation was sad enough to bring tears to my eyes and sounded very realistic. (view spoiler)

Overall, this was a pretty good one. I liked it much better than The Notebook.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Ash rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: _nicholas-sparks, mushy-chicklit, ownold-dup, favorites, 2012-read

" How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?"
This kind of summarizes the novel. As usual I cried while reading the novel, a typical Nicholas Sparks' book. His characters are so real that sometimes I wonder if he writes true stories about real people. Travis' characterization, his thinking was very real. I would have thought and acted in exactly the same way as he did in those circumstances. Part two of the book was simply brilliant.
Definitely this was one of the most realistic novels...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 18, 2009 Kit rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: any silly romantic lover

Shelves: romance, nicholas-sparks

This book is very interesting. Like most of Nicholas Sparks romance books you fall in love with the characters and what the best to happen for them, but in a small way some thing goes wrong, but it always ends up leaving you all warm inside.
I find this one different because even though the back cover describes the book to be about Travis, most of the story line is about Gabby's side of view in there whole time of getting to know each other.
The first part of the story starts out in Feb 2007, an...more This book is very interesting. Like most of Nicholas Sparks romance books you fall in love with the characters and what the best to happen for them, but in a small way some thing goes wrong, but it always ends up leaving you all warm inside.
I find this one different because even though the back cover describes the book to be about Travis, most of the story line is about Gabby's side of view in there whole time of getting to know each other.
The first part of the story starts out in Feb 2007, and Travis is going to the hospital where is wife worked to see her. Unsure of the choice he was going to make. It dates back to when they first met and how they came about to fall in love. Gabby moved in next door to Travis. She has a purebred collie who is pregnant and believes Travis' dog is responsible. As she goes over to his house to tell him to take responsiblitiy everthing thing goes wrong. She ends up leaving like a stupid person and finds out that Travis is the vet. Evenutally they spend a weekend together while Gabby's boyfriend is out of town, as friendly neighbors with all of Travis' married friends. By the third day they know they are in love and she decides to be with Travis.

In the second part of the story, Travis is sitting at the hospital going over his memories of the past and how they get married and have two girls. Some of the fights they have, and why things started to go wrong. Travis and Gabby were in a horrible car accident and she went into a coma. As Travis sits at the hospital he is trying to make "the choice" that will change his life. Gabby made Travis sign a living will, where if she was ever in a coma; after three months if she didn't wake up, he promises to let her die. She made him do it because of some one she met a hospital who the husband went insane because the wife was put in a nursing home and after six years was still in a coma. The kids went off the deep end too, and Gabby didn't want that to happen to her family. After three months Travis makes his decision . . . I can't spoil the ending for you all, you'll just have to read it.
I will say during the second part have some tissues handy it was a tear jerker. It does end well as all his books do, I closed the book feeling satisfied. (less)

5 likes · like · see review

Dec 18, 2009 Jana rated it 1 of 5 stars

I surely have a problem. I read another book from Sparks. He is trying to be Jodie Picoult, but it's not going for him. His characters are awfully shallow and stereotypical - his story is so so, but he doesn't know how to describe it.

He is a Budweiser guy, she is shy and naive. He is uber sexy, she is not so. And he tells her he loves her after 2 days (although he was a complete vagabond for his 30something years), and she does as well, but he tells her that first.

Sparks' popular psychology ana...more

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 21, 2008 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to be in a certain type of mood to read a Sparks book. A friend told me this was a good, but I get irritated with Sparks tendency to kill off his protagonists by the end.

The Choice is a great read (and thoughtful...who doesn't need to be reminded that we all need Living Wills.) I loved the Part One where Travis and Gabby "grow" in love. Part Two moves too quickly, but this might not be a bad thing. As a reader, I wanted more details, but admit this would have muddle the plot and ultimatel...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2009 Lesli Spafford rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book wasn't one of my favorites, although it did have a happy ending which isn't that common with books written by Nicholas Sparks. I think the reason that I didn't love the book was because of the female character, Gabby. I thought she was rather dull and kind of bratty.
I was inspired by Travis Parker. I loved his zest for life, his commitment to family, friends and good health. He had a good head on his shoulders. He gave me a renewed appreciation for the simple things in life...especiall...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2011 Jo Guasque rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: tear-jerker

Liked it but a little drag. I like Travis a lot since where can we find a guy like him huh? Very vocal about her feelings towards Gabby. I mean, I would love to have someone like him. Don't you? Well I like this book mainly because I love the way it was written. I so love the way Nicholas Sparks wrote those words. I mean, It really do made Travis desirable. haha. light read but it took me months to finish it since the first few chapters are very boring but in the middle, I cannot put it down. ha...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 06, 2013 Jordan Wyatt rated it 4 of 5 stars

"The Choice" written by proclaimed author Nicholas sparks is a typical love story that captures the readers heart by a string just about instantly. The book is a romance and encourages the thought of true love, and finding a soul mate.
"The Choice" sets up off the shore of a small town in North Carolina. Travis Parker, the towns favorite (and only) veterinarian is older than 30 and is the only one amongst his friends that hasn't settled down yet. He is use to the dating scene being that his frien...more "The Choice" written by proclaimed author Nicholas sparks is a typical love story that captures the readers heart by a string just about instantly. The book is a romance and encourages the thought of true love, and finding a soul mate.
"The Choice" sets up off the shore of a small town in North Carolina. Travis Parker, the towns favorite (and only) veterinarian is older than 30 and is the only one amongst his friends that hasn't settled down yet. He is use to the dating scene being that his friends have been desperately trying to find him a match. Travis begins to give up on finding that soul mate until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Travis then begins to believe that there is someone out there for him, that someone being Gabby. He soon finds that all it takes to fall in love is one short weekend. Gabby and Travis create themselves a life together, with two kids and an amazing house over looking the ocean. Nothing could be better, and it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.... that is until Travis and Gabby find themselves in a horrible accident. Travis manages to walk out with just a mangled arm, while gabby doesn't walk out at all. As Gabby sleeps for months, Travis can't help but remember the promise he had made her, it haunted him like a recurring nightmare. And he's left to make a choice, a choice he never thought he'd have to make.
You're left to wonder if someone dies, does the true love die with them? And is keeping a promise as easy as it seems?
I would recommend this book to any girl in need of an inspiring love story, to warm the heart and fill hopeless romantics with a sense of hope. This book is hard to put down (unless you're reaching for a tissue that is). If you're in need of a great love story, a love story that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what choice will be made, then this is the book for you. Sparks then leaves you feeling as if you were the main characters having to make the choice yourself. And when you read the last sentence, you'll be able to smile to yourself without a single regret, because it's truly an inspiring, lovely novel.
(less)

like · see review

Apr 19, 2013 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I originally rated this 4 stars but after thinking about it for a day I downgraded it to 3. I love Nicholas Sparks' books in general. They're like a comfy old sweater. You know what to expect, you feel cozy reading them, the characters are so predictable for the most part that they're like old friends and even though the books might not be flashy or even book-club-worthy they're always satisfying.
This book was interesting in the beginning, I enjoyed the banter and few surprises between Gabby an...more

like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Rose Ancheta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nothing-but-extraordinary

How far should a person go in the name of love?

Could you still hold on if things seems to be heading in the wrong way?

A different kind of love story that will touch your hearts. You'll see in this that love knows no boundaries. Even time can't speak how much you'll offer just for him/her to stay in your arms.

In life, there are things you just get in the flow. There are also instances that you need to make a choice. A choice that could result to two things and that's where you need to weigh your...more

like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Foxfire rated it 2 of 5 stars

A boring book made of three parts that don't fit together.

The first 3/4 is a mellow Harlequin-style romance. After an initial rocky meeting, a couple falls in love over a single weekend.

Although we get extensive backstory on both characters, and their every thought is explained, it is still difficult to understand their actions. Why does the hunky hero who likes playing the field fall for the brittle heroine? How can the emotionally cool heroine fall in love and have sex with a new man without...more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Jacob Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

So naturally, because I read a book written by my favorite author, I loved it. I can’t say that it was necessarily my favorite of all time, but I did enjoy the book. Nicholas Sparks knows how to really bring out that true romance that lay inside all of us, some obviously deeper than others. The Choice had my full attention from the first sentences of the book, ‘Stories are as unique as the people who tell them.’ And if there is one thing I’ve learned from my other thrills of experiences with Sp...more So naturally, because I read a book written by my favorite author, I loved it. I can’t say that it was necessarily my favorite of all time, but I did enjoy the book. Nicholas Sparks knows how to really bring out that true romance that lay inside all of us, some obviously deeper than others. The Choice had my full attention from the first sentences of the book, ‘Stories are as unique as the people who tell them.’ And if there is one thing I’ve learned from my other thrills of experiences with Sparks’ series of romance novels, is that he is definitely a unique writer. I didn’t know what to expect when beginning this book. Like that first sentence continues on to say is, ‘the best stories are those in which the ending is a surprise.’ Sparks isn’t your typical romance author. It’s not always the typical Happily Ever After like is expected. He has a way of, well I hate to say this, letting his fans down. We see such in A Walk to Remember and The Lucky One. What is expected to happen is for Jamie to get some sort of miracle and not die of leukemia, but instead Landon becomes a widower and of course we all cried. And we see again when the evil ex Keith dies after saving his son, Ben. Sure it’s a happy ending because Logan and Beth end up together, but now poor baby Ben doesn’t have his father, a critical character to the growth of a young man. The twist was enough to shock any one of us and though it disappointing to some of his fans, I believe that’s why they continue to stick around. These are a few examples of how Nicholas Sparks always has a surprise ending. But small town hunk Travis makes a decision that ultimately saves his wife’s life, giving us that happy ending that we all so deeply cherish.
His set up of the book was fantastic in the way that he had his characters set up. Travis is almost perfect, he loves animals plus he’s a veterinarian, which means he is making that money and he lives a carefree life traveling the world and participating in adrenaline pumping activities. He gorgeous and has some of the best friends a guy could ask for. They are very supportive of him throughout the novel. And we can’t forget about that little sister of his, Lord knows she’s a firecracker! And then you have precious Gabby. She comes from wealth, growing up living life of higher standards. But she has her own goals and dreams and really she just wants to settle down and have a small, quiet, peaceful life with a caring spouse. I think one of the reasons that this book was so great was how the author appealed to the readers. The character choice was so easily detectable in true love. By these two characters, I could feel that love. Another great feature of these well picked characters is their strength. Another reason the book is such a success for me. It takes a strong woman to awake from a coma. And it takes a strong husband to deal with the possibility of losing his wife and having to raise two daughters without the help of his wife. But these two both overcome their obstacles proving that love is a powerful thing.
All in all, this was definitely a great read and I would suggest to anyone who is looking for hope, strength, or will. And also anyone who is a sucker for a cute love story, like I am, finally to anyone who actually enjoys a happy ending. I’ve really enjoyed reading this book, I knew I would. But I look forward to adding more of the Sparks romance novels to my collection of great reads.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Elaine Tabbuac rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

This probably is the fifth novel I read from Nicholas Sparks’ collection of heartwarming novels. And I must say, this one is my favorite so far. I just finished reading through the last chapter this morning, and man, it brought me o tears- really. I’m also aware that i has sobbed in between too. I could never imagine a love story, so pure and unending- exactly what Travis and Gabby shared. Travis before, he had relationships with a number of ladies until finally, his new neighbor, Gabby changed...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Taylor Douglas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book Review: The Choice

How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive? Would you break a promise? Would you continue to fight even when you're barely hanging on? In “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks you will find out just how far Travis Parker will go in order to be with the woman he loves, Gabby Holland. You will go on an adventure with Travis and Gabby starting at the very beginning and stopping at what could be the very end.
I believe Nicholas Sparks did a really nice job in writing this...more Book Review: The Choice

How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive? Would you break a promise? Would you continue to fight even when you're barely hanging on? In “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks you will find out just how far Travis Parker will go in order to be with the woman he loves, Gabby Holland. You will go on an adventure with Travis and Gabby starting at the very beginning and stopping at what could be the very end.
I believe Nicholas Sparks did a really nice job in writing this book. It was very suspenseful and I never really knew what was going to happen next. He foreshadows the end, but all his hints and clues led me to believe something totally different from what really happened. Don't get me wrong, everything he says makes complete sense and I thought it was a good surprising twist to come to just when I thought I had it all figured out.
The characters are unique individuals. For example, you have Travis Parker. In the beginning he seems like a go with the flow kind of guy. He appears to go on all the adventures he wants and is kind of carefree. An example is right in the beginning when he is installing a hot tub with his friend, Matt. Travis says, “We'll figure it out. Just think how well we've done so far. We're almost halfway there.” I thought it was funny because they had already been trying to install the hot tub for four hours. Later in the book you realize Travis is kind, caring, and thoughtful. He asks his sister, Stephanie, “How far should you go in the name of love?” He says it in a time of panic and it makes you realize what he really cares about. On the other hand, Gabby Holland appears to be stuck-up and rude. In the beginning of the story she doesn't say thank you for the welcome gift she gets, she ignores her neighbors, and she continues to try and avoid Travis after he saved her dog's life. In the end you realize Gabby is generous and helpful. When Travis started to describe Gabby, Stephanie interrupted and said, “Passionate? Intelligent? Kind? Moral? Funny? Forgiving? Patient? Everything you ever imagined in a wife and mother? In other words, pretty much perfect?” Also, whenever anyone else talked about her they always told a story that proved all of the traits Stephanie said to be correct.
I liked that this book had more of an everyday story. Most of it seemed like it could happen on a regular basis. When you read most stories you usually wonder what the chances of anything happening are, but when you read this one it is just more realistic. Since it is so realistic it is a lot easier to picture in your mind. That just leads to a more enjoyable story to read. However, with such an ordinary story some parts seemed to take forever to read. Sometimes I just wanted to hurry up and get through a part, because it was really boring and I didn't want to wait any longer for it to get more exciting.
Overall, I thought this book was very riveting. Even through the slow parts it still kept me interested enough to find out what was going to happen next. Therefore, if you are looking for a good book to read “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks is an excellent option to choose.
(less)

like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Breanna rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the book, The Choice is about Travis Parker who lives in North Carolina. He has a great job, friends, and can enjoy going boating, swimming, and having bar-becues with his friends. But he has a hard time with relationships, he has had many relationship but none of them seem to last. Until a new neighbor moves in next door, Gabby Holland. When he tries to be neighborly to Gabby, she seems to hold a grudge against him. Gabby soon comes around though, and they start to spend time together and fa...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Stan Crowe rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I felt this was more of a 2.5 star rating. Sparks is a good author, to be sure, and that's actually part of what caused this book to disappoint me--I'm positive he could have done better with it. I felt that so much potential left untapped, and I'm certain (from others of his works I've read/watched) that he could have brought out that potential and done it well.

What I liked:

Sparks excels at building a good romance, and good characters with enjoyable chemistry.

He seems to have mastered the "go...more I felt this was more of a 2.5 star rating. Sparks is a good author, to be sure, and that's actually part of what caused this book to disappoint me--I'm positive he could have done better with it. I felt that so much potential left untapped, and I'm certain (from others of his works I've read/watched) that he could have brought out that potential and done it well.

What I liked:

Sparks excels at building a good romance, and good characters with enjoyable chemistry.

He seems to have mastered the "good, sweet guy"archetype in a way I'd love to be able to emulate. For instance, Gabby initially has every reason to believe that Travis should be an irresponsible, self-centered bachelor. She is quickly proven wrong, and it's easy to really like Travis. And Gabby, despite her short-sighted outburst at the beginning.

Sparks has lean, easy-to-read prose with the right amount of the right kind of details. He even keeps the few sex scenes surprisingly clean, going not further than the outer layers of clothing before neatly skipping the rest with a simple allusion to the act. I really do appreciate the way Sparks keeps the smut out of this one.

The core idea of The Choice is classic Sparks, aimed right at the soft spots in the reader's heart. And he gets most of the way there. Most of the way. That leads to my next list.

What I felt was lacking:

Sparks spends the first half the book building toward a presumed climax in the conflict between Travis and Gabby's boyfriend, only to sideline that. He then abruptly shifts gears to an emotionally wrenching choice by Travis. The tension building for the "real" conflict felt forced. Further, the real scenario was masterfully disguised as something else entirely. Though it all makes sense in the end, I felt lied to, and what could have been hugely impactful felt more like getting second prize.

These lackings nearly led me to give this book 2 stars, but I liked it enough to go for 2.5 and round up.

Sparks is great. This just wasn't the greatest performance I've ever seen from him.(less)

like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Timothy Springer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Several people had warned me. "Oh, you're reading a Nicholas Sparks book," they had asked. "You're going to cry." It seemed the unanimous assumption to his books.

Obviously, like many people, I had enjoyed the movie of "The Notebook" and heard numerous life-altering stories about the novel. Never feeling compelled to read the source of that adaptation, I picked up another of Nicholas Sparks' novels ("The Choice" being currently up on the NY Times Bestseller list). It also helped that most of the...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Sid Frost rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you love Nicholas Sparks' books, this one might well be your favorite. I know it is mine.

Travis Parker is a young veterinarian who will soon be taking over his father's practice. He has all the toys a man could dream for, a place on the water, boats, motorcycle and good friends. He's happy, but when he sees his friends with their wives and children he sees what he is missing. But, he doesn't want just any woman; he wants that special one he hasn't yet found.

Gabby Holland is a physician's assi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 10, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this sequel to Sparks masterpiece THE NOTEBOOK. Allie has moved on and Noah, aged and infirm, seems a bit demented as he's spending much of his time talking to a swan. Meantime, his son-in-law, Wilson Lewis, married to Noah's daughter Jane, has committed the most grievous of marital sins--he forgot his wedding anniversary.

Wilson has been the classical good husband, faithful, hard working, providing for his family his first priority, and in that endeavor, he spent too much time at the office....more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Nkem Iregbulem rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks is about how the choices we make affect our lives. I really enjoyed reading this romantic, thrilling, and heart warming book due to the complex affection expressed between Travis and Gabby. Written in third person omniscient, The Choice uses flashbacks to investigate the idea of love. Throughout the book, readers were often presented with the question: "How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?". Travis Parker, the protagonist, lives in North Carolina wi...more The Choice by Nicholas Sparks is about how the choices we make affect our lives. I really enjoyed reading this romantic, thrilling, and heart warming book due to the complex affection expressed between Travis and Gabby. Written in third person omniscient, The Choice uses flashbacks to investigate the idea of love. Throughout the book, readers were often presented with the question: "How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?". Travis Parker, the protagonist, lives in North Carolina with a good job and faithful friends. Before Gabby Holland moved in next door, Travis believed that being in a committed relationship could somehow ruin his life. Unfortunately, Gabby holds a grudge against him. Travis continued to make an effort to be neighborly to her. As time passed, Travis and Gabby went from neighbors to lovers: "She was drawn to Travis; she couldn't deny that. It wasn't just that he was handsome and that he made her feel desirable. It had something to do with his natural exuberance and the way he'd made her feel a part of it; it was the fact that he had lived a life that seemed so different to hers, yet they spoke the same language, a familiarity that belied the short period they had known each other" (Sparks 168). The fact that Gabby fell in love with Travis so quickly just shows that the two were meant to be together. She has never met someone like him before. Gabby adores the way he willingly includes he in everything. She was starting to fall for him. But Gabby couldn't understand why it took a single weekend to fall in love with him. Soon the couple expressed their lust and affection for each other:
Travis whispered in her ear, "I love you, Gabby Holland"
Gabby then whispered back, "I love you, too, Travis Parker" (179).
Saying "i love you" to one another is a big step in a relationship. Travis had never felt more confident and sure about anything before. Travis felt as though he had reached the end of a long journey and that Gabby was his fate all along. Gabby didn't want anything more than the moment that had just occurred. All her regrets and reservations were swept aside. She is truly in love with him and he is sincerely in love with her. Overall, The Choice was a great romantic and fun filled book. I recommend it to anyone over the age of 13.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
A World of Poetry : This or That!	13	13	Apr 04, 2013 03:14am
What's The Name o...: wife/mom goes into a coma after a car crash one night [s]	5	137	Oct 23, 2012 02:30pm
2013 Nicholas Spa...: * Discussion - The Choice	1	4	Sep 02, 2012 05:31am

combine
Other Editions (49)

More editions...

Genres

Romance

618 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

167 users

Adult

55 users

Contemporary

50 users

Romance > Contemporary Romance

42 users

Adult Fiction

39 users

Love

36 users

Drama

32 users

Novels

26 users

Realistic Fiction

23 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Sam's Letters to Jennifer
by James Patterson
Safe Harbour
by Danielle Steel
A Perfect Day
by Richard Paul Evans
Angel Falls
by Kristin Hannah
A Thousand Tomorrows
by Karen Kingsbury

About Nicholas Sparks

As a child, Nicholas Sparks lived in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at the age of eight. His father was a professor, his mother a homemaker, then optometrist's assistant. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

After breaking the N...more As a child, Nicholas Sparks lived in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at the age of eight. His father was a professor, his mother a homemaker, then optometrist's assistant. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

After breaking the Notre Dame school record as part of a relay team in 1985 as a freshman (a record which still stands), he was injured and spent the summer recovering. During that summer, he wrote his first novel, though it was never published. He majored in Business Finance and graduated with high honors in 1988.

He and his wife Catherine, who met on spring break in 1988, were married in July, 1989. While living in Sacramento, he wrote his second novel that same year, though again, it wasn't published. He worked a variety of jobs over the next three years, including real estate appraisal, waiting tables, selling dental products by phone, and started his own small manufacturing business which struggled from the beginning. In 1990, he collaborated on a book with Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist and it was published by Feather Publishing before later being picked up by Random House. (It was recently re-issued by Hay House Books.) Though it received scant publicity, sales topped 50,000 copies in the first year of release.

He began selling pharmaceuticals and moved from Sacramento, California to North Carolina in 1992. In 1994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months. In October, 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was published in October, 1996, and he followed that with Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), and Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with my Brother (2004), True Believer (2005) and At First Sight (2005) all with Warner Books. All were domestic and international best sellers and were translated into more than 35 languages. The movie version of Message in a Bottle was released in 1999, A Walk to Remember was released in 2002, and The Notebook was released in 2004. The average domestic box office gross per film was $56 million -- with another $100 million in DVD sales -- making the novels by Nicholas Sparks one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood.

The film rights to Nights in Rodanthe, True Believer and At First Sight have been sold, and Nicholas Sparks has written the screenplay for The Guardian, though he has not offered it for sale at this point.

He now has five children: Miles, Ryan, Landon, Lexie, and Savannah. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children.

His ancestry is German, Czech, English, and Irish, he's 5'10" and weighs 180 lbs. He is an avid athlete who runs daily, lifts weights regularly, and competes in Tae Kwon Do. He attends church regularly and reads approximately 125 books a year. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually.(less)

More about Nicholas Sparks...

Books by Nicholas Sparks

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Choice

9 trivia questions
3 quizzes

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Choice

“Spending time with you showed me what I’ve been missing in my life.” — 833 people liked it

“How far should a person go in the name of true love?” — 462 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Choice
avg rating	preview: The Choice Goodreads rating: 3.97 (56213 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/531350.The_Choice?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1266578473l/531350.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/531350.The_Choice?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Choice by Nicholas Sparks[/url]

The Choice

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website