The Choice

by Susan Lewis

There are some choices no parent should ever have to make  Nikki Grant has her whole life ahead of her when she discovers she is pregnant. But she welcomes the news with joy—the baby will be a wonderful addition to the happy household she shares with the love of her life, Spencer James, and three close friends. Nikki's parents have a very different view of what the baby is going to mean to their daughter's future. Deeply disapproving of Spencer and the friends Nikki has chosen, their frustrations reach breaking point when Nikki refuses to be controlled by them any more. A rift opens up between them that breaks their hearts, but they are all too proud to back down. Baby Zac arrives, and with Spencer's career taking off they are ready to make a big move to London. But sudden events rush them down a very different road, and nothing could have prepared them for where they find themselves—a frightening and alien place with Zac at the center and Nikki desperately trying to hold onto her baby, her life, and her dreams. As they become more embroiled in a world they cannot escape, the love between Nikki and her son is put to the kind of test no parent should ever have to face.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Novels, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Modern

532 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.


Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.

Reviews

[Stephanie (Stepping Out Of The Page) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible. It was compelling throughout, but I actually couldn't put it down during the last 200 pages. The pace is very good (though the book is 500+ pages long, I never once got bored), the descriptions and several characters too. Though I usually enjoy first person narrative, I thought the writing style was great. So much happens in this book and it tackles an incredible number of issues - a blurb could not cover it. This book really makes you think and the diversity of characters opinions towards the main 'crime' and each other allow us to realistically consider different views after having grown a good relationship with the characters involved, particularly Nikki. The plot was full of twists and unexpected events, with the last 200 pages really shocking me and uncovering lots of new details about the characters. The Choice is extremely moving too and it's hard not to tear up or sympathize at many points throughout - you really do feel as though you're making a journey with the protagonist. Though this book was packed, it was not hard to follow at all and made for great reading. Lewis also managed to neatly conclude almost everything towards the end. A very impressive and compelling book.

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took until halfway through this book before anything actually happened, nearly gave up reading the book The last half of the book i couldnt put down.

[Cjh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm actually rather annoyed with this book. Obviously, it is fiction, but the way the characters behave is just too far fetched to be believable. This gave me a disconnect with pretty much all the characters.
The ending - she was convicted of manslaughter - people would not have stood by her. There would not have been a big crowd of people waving her off on her new life in London.

The relationships between Nikki and her parents could NOT have been resolved so quickly. They would not have been having a civilised meal out at the end of the book.

I don't why The author would write that the couple were thinking they could adopt in the future - Nikki has a criminal record!!!

[Faye · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've abandoned reading this, which is unheard of for me but it just didn't pull me into the story after several chapters and I ended up feeling like I was forcing myself to continue reading.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Choice

Nikki and Spenser have good things happening to them, they have great friends, that share the home they live in and the luck is working for them too. Spense has an opportunity to direct, which is a dream come true, Nikki has been writing articles for magazines, hoping to write scripts, their friends end up with jobs they love too. . Spence’s boss offers Nikki a spot to develop her scripts. Everything looks like it’s going to go their way, until Nikki gets pregnant. When Zac, is born he has a breathing problem and they take him to emergency. Once there the doctors test him and find out Zac, has a serious genetic disease. Things start to take a turn for the worse for Nikki, her friends try to help her, but she is too upset about Zac’ s future. She wonders if things will ever get better for them.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 200 or so pages dragged as the plot was slow going, however once the story developed and the twists came about the book become a lot more enjoyable. The main character Nikki who is starting out in the world as a writer and lives with her boyfriend Spence and friends in a shared house in Bristol. Nikki falls out with her parents when they find out she is pregnant and once the baby is born Nikki's strength of character is put to the test. There were a few moral questions raised and it made me wonder how far people are willing to forgive under such extreme circumstances?

[Lorraine Collyns · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest it’s a good job the second half of the book was so gripping as the first half was very long winded, with nothing much to keep me interested.
The second half was much better, fast moving, full of twists and turns although not convinced by Nicki’s decision at the end, seemed a bit far fetched.
Not as believable as some of Susan Lewis other books.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm I really liked this book while I was reading but I felt like it wasn't that great towards the end. I began reading this at the end of my trip and finished it at home. It was easy to read but started to drag... Mixed feelings!

[Jane Olive · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one.
The pacing was incredibly slow, and there were many unnecessary and extremely boring scenes—especially in the middle—that almost made me put the book down.

However, I have to give credit where it’s due: this is one of the first books that genuinely made me cry.
The last quarter of the story completely pulled me in—it was emotional, intense, and kept me hooked.

That said, I don’t think the title fits the story at all.
She never really had a choice, did she?

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’re specifically looking for a very emotional read and are willing to push through a painfully slow first half.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book very hard to get into with what felt like alot of pointless information about the characters jobs, i skim read quite A few pages. Unnecessary characters in Drake, blue coat lady and the racist neighbour, none of them added enough to the story to be worth a mention.
Being a young mother myself I didn't feel I could relate to the character of Nikki and her life at all. The living set up, the over involved health visitor (trust me they aren't that helpful even if they're a friend!), just everything about it didn't feel true to life.
Didn't like the ending, think Lewis would of been better to have Nikki smother the baby to end his life before it got worse. That I think most mothers could understand, discuss and debate and make it a book worth recommending to a friend. This however was not and has put me off reading another Lewis book I bought at the same time.
S

[Debbie Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nikki and Spencer met at University along with David, Danny and the awful Troll Kristen who is a diversionary slapper as Spencer would not go there no matter her vivid memory. At one point I did think we were going to find her sneaking into beds for a little staging.
But Nikki is happily pregnant, Spencer is overjoyed, her mummy and daddy meanwhile are not. Pregnancy and birth quite straightforward but a quick emergency stop at A&E when Zac is a few weeks old leads to a heartbreaking diagnosis.

Its a slow burner, I did find myself skipping pages

[Poorvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to abandon this book, but it's not in me to do so. I soildered on. Took me a really long time to get into it, must say only really enjoyed the last quarter. Too many irrelevant characters as usual and too much irrelevant info about them. This author seems to love packing in excess characters who lend nothing to the main plot, and it becomes tedious for the reader to keep up with all the nonsensical info.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikki and her boyfriend share a house with some friends- and together they hope to make their fortune in the film business. Nikki is expecting a baby and becomes estranged from her family. Her boyfriend and David make a contact and start to work in London. The baby is born and has a health scare at a few months old. I loved this book- although the story line was quite harrowing in places.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled across a Susan Lewis book by chance, and have been hooked ever since. Slowly working my way through them, so hard to put down once you’ve started.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* I really enjoyed this book and was desperate to know what happened at the end but that’s where it loses some points from me. It felt like such a weak ending after such a huge build up! So much time was spent on the build up to the baby arriving that the conclusion felt a bit rushed.

I’m also not convinced it would have ended quite so happily ever after either. Would you really forgive that easily? Would you really be so pleased when you’re found guilty? You would still have a criminal record.

Note to the proof reader - why is Nikki 19 on the book jacket and 21 in the story? Irrationally annoyed me all the way through 😂

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisty and turny and the twists were unexpected. However I just cannot get over that a paediatrician caring for an acute respiratory illness is a Mr. This is completely incorrect and irked me through the whole story - a consultant surgeon would not be treating respiratory illness. A very simple fact to check why did no one do this?! It then makes you wonder about other medical facts in the book and how true they are. If you write a medical related thriller you probably need a medic to read it through at some point to check for obvious flaws.

[Christina Rochester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god this book broke my heart. I honestly thought from the blurb you'd find Nikki being pulled into some nasty London underworld, but the truth is so much worse. No London underworld. No drugs. No crime. Unless you count a murder trial.

Because this is the book where Nikki finds herself accused of murdering the one person she can't live without. Accused of killing them with love.

I can't imagine being in Nikki's position and I sat here bawling my eyes out like a baby. This must be read.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a challenge to get into and I found the characters weren't that likeable at first and the plot slow moving.

Once it got into the main plots it became a much better read and has some twists along the way.

It's also makes you think in places as some moral questions are raised.

Not at all bad for a book I picked up for 50p in a charity shop.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable

This book was a very predictable to read, which took away the suspense of the story. The first half of the book didn’t keep me engaged, but the second half was better. I had a hard time with the main character Nikki who I thought, even though the author tried to make her a strong and a good person, I saw her as weak and ungrateful. Nikki had all the friends and support in the world and she would have never made it on her own. Spencer was portrait as almost perfect with Nikki which made it that much harder to get into the story of their relationship. Putting that into consideration, took away from the rest of the story line for me.

[Stephanie Gardiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nearly gave up on this book found it very slow and boring until over half way through things changed wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be a very good last half , can’t say much or I would spoil it but worth a read

[Diane701hotmail. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was expecting some suspense and heartbreak in this book, but so dull. Weak storyline, no charisma around the characters. Only managed to finish as I scanned most of it and still unclear of how the description actually fits what happens in the story.

[Emma Jeffreys · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slog to start with but in the end a good read. It doesn't go where you think it's going to go making it seem almost like 2 different books. It's doesn't make me want to read any more by this author

[Lynette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of regret putting time into this novel. On the whole it was pretty boring and I wish I had chucked it in. By the time I decided it wasn’t for me I thought I might as well keep going. Very far fetched …..

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Used to enjoy this author but won't be reading any more of her books.

[Siobhán Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a heartbreaking book. I do get emotionally connected to a lot of books and their characters but very few times have I found a book that act makes me cry.

[Chloe Dorey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a bit to get into it, but once into the first few chapters, things take off and you're really drawn in.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow start to this upsetting story, it got better but not one of Susan Lewis' best.

[Linda Leedham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read by Susan Lewis , although the last chapter was a bit of an anti - climax . It was a heart breaking Story with a happy ending

[Dina Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a long time to finish this. I just couldn't get into it from the beginning. Finally made myself finish it and it ended up a decent story.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping story that kept you guessing. Loved it. Read it every chance I got.