Customer Reviews

The Choice

5 star:		(159)
4 star:		(64)
3 star:		(42)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
on 09/22/2007

In a small coastal town, Travis Parker has almost everything he could wish. He loves his job, he gets to hang with long-time friends, and he enjoys water sports, motorcycling, and travel. All in all, it's a good life.

Everything he knows is thrown off-kilter when he meets his new neighbor, Gabby Holland, who happens to be in a relationship with another man. For her part, Gabby is excited, scared, and confused by the things she feels around Travis. She's been dedicated to her golf-crazy boyfriend for a long while, but Travis makes her feel new things. At some point, she'll have to make a decision.

Famous for his take on the sensitive hero and tender love, Nicholas Sparks latest offering is THE CHOICE, in which unexpected feelings lead to unexpected things. As the fun-loving guy with a big heart, Travis is easy to like from the beginning. Gabby, on the other hand, is a very mixed bag.

On the surface, Gabby seems to be kind hearted, but she comes across as someone who is easily upset, has doormat tendencies, and can't quite control her emotions. Travis sees her as sweet and having a great sense of humor. Readers are likely to see her as lacking a sense of humor until later, and even then it's sketchy. Characters are supposed to grow throughout a story, and Gabby does, but her introduction makes it difficult to sympathize with her from the beginning, especially in regards to her relationship with family and, well, her steady boyfriend.

A tragedy in the last hundred pages of the novel almost redeems all that went before. It's hinted at in the prologue, but Sparks elects to play a trick on the read, leading them to expect something quite different from what actually happens. It'd difficult to explain without giving it away, other than to say that it straddles the fence of cheap versus clever.

THE CHOICE is an average read for an average day. Sparks fans are likely to feel a bit let down, but there are far worse things a person could read.

3-Books

THE CHOICE by Nicholas Sparks is not a book I'd normally read. Not my favorite genre. My wife has read all of his books, and I've started reading them now too because they are easy to read and Sparks is a great writer. The summary on the inside cover tells you almost everything you need to know about the plot. Travis Parker is a 32-year old bachelor that loves having his married friends over for cookouts. Gabby is the new neighbor who is new to town, has few friends, and wonders when her boyfriend Kevin is going to ask her to marry him. Gabby at first doesn' t like Travis. He seems like an insensitive neighbor. From the plot summary, you know they are going to marry, so the first two thirds of the book covers a couple of days that Gabby and Travis spend together while Kevin is out of town. They go parasailing with Travis's friends. They ride motorcycles. And they fall in love. Sparks writes in a way that keeps you turning the pages, but the first part of the book seemed overly long because you know they are going to get together. There really isn't any conflict except Gabby's doubts about her relationship with Kevin. Even that isn't as strong as it could have been. The boyfriend doesn't really stand a chance when it comes to the true love Gabby and Travis discover. As usual, Sparks creates a girl in Gabby that is, while not perfect, a girl you could imagine falling in love with. Travis has similar qualites. He is adventerous, a gentleman, and although a bachelor, is great with kids and hopes to have them someday.

Part Two begins in the present, when Gabby and Travis have been married for ten years, and here, we find out what kind of "choice" Travis must face. Here, the plot thickens and the conflict increases. As with the two other Sparks books I've read, a lot of things have to be forced to happen for Sparks to come up with the kind of plot and conflict he wants. Still, the conflict Travis faces is real and sincere and there isn't really a right decision.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I wish that the first part, which lasts about two-thirds of the book, had told more of a story instead of detailing every last bit of interaction between Travis and Gabby over a two day period. Men, I'm sure your wives will love this book, and you might just enjoy it too if you are a sucker for a good love story.

I love Nicholas Sparks' books. I am an avid reader and rarely am moved to tears by a male author, but find I am always reaching for the tissues when I read a N.S. book. I love the emotion, the "realness" of his characters. The plot centers around two people who meet and fall in love and the choices and promises they make to each other during their relationship. If you loved THE NOTEBOOK, and it's sequel, THE WEDDING, you will love THE CHOICE. I read this book in a day since it's a short book, but also because I was drawn into the story and couldn't put it down.

This is a book which could be spoiled for the reader if too many details of the plot are given. Suffice it to say that it is a beautiful love story with several emotional ups and downs. It also illustrates the importance of choices and the effect that our choices have on our life. Nicholas Sparks is one author who consistantly touches my emotions, and I was really weeping at the end of this one. Read and enjoy!

I've read a few of Sparks' books and really enjoyed them, but this one... I don't know. It pulled me in several directions. I really enjoyed part one, which left me asking "what happens next". Next thing I know, they're married, two daughters, and tragedy strikes... But what about all the meat in the middle?? I almost felt jilted by the big work up of their growing relationship and then that was it. Part two did little for me but lead you on until you're ready to just flip a few pages and get to the point. Overall, I found myself more interested in the memories Travis shared so I could piece together more of their life together.

Overall, I'm glad I had a chance to read his latest. Five stars to part one, but part two, while touching, was a let down for me. Maybe two stars. Right now I feel like going back and re-reading part one just so I can walk away from the book in a happier mood.

Gabby and Travis fall in love - no spoiler there - but it happens after basically a weekend together. I have no problem with that, except that the relationship between them isn't strong or believable. There is nothing for them to fall in love with about one another, because their interactions are so limited (and shallow). It seemed as though the relationship was forced and the chemistry between them? None. It was a very fast read, and I mean that in a bad way. The language is so simplistic that it's elementary-school writing - Sparks is definitely not a great writer. The book is broken into 2 parts; the first part is the interaction between Travis/Gabby, and the second part is a reconciliation, of sorts. The ending wasn't touching because the characters never make you care for them. If you appreciate quality writing and a solid story then stay away from this book (and his others). Not recommended.

I bought this book hoping that Nicholas Sparks had finally brought back the magic he had once captured in his earlier works (The Notebook, A Walk To Remember) but was very disappointed.
The book is seperated into two parts. It took me forever to get through the first part because the story was dragging, and I saw no promise for improvement. The second part, however, got a little bit better but not much.
Overall, the book left me feeling like I had been cheated. Sparks could have done so much more with the storyline. Instead, it appears he has lost his touch.

When I began working as a counselor, I started gathering "tools" that would help patients recognize the underlying issues of their problems. One of those tools is called SUD'S, an exercise that encourages people to examine Seemingly Unimportant Decisions. THE CHOICE reminds me of that exercise and reinforces the theory that all choices, no matter how seemingly unimportant, have consequences. And the choices often have far-reaching, rippling effects.

Nicholas Sparks has become a favorite storyteller because of his ability to take ordinary people, put them in extraordinary situations and create unexpected outcomes --- though, I confess, I sometimes rewrite the endings in my mind. For example, in MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, the ship definitely was not wrecked! Regardless of our wishes, however, his stories never fail to tug on the heart and bring tears of sorrow and joy to the reader.

THE CHOICE has all of the elements that we have come to expect from Sparks, not the least of which is characters a little larger than life who have made some choices that were bolder than the ones we ourselves made. For example, Travis Parker chose to backpack around Europe instead of settling into a job right after college. Gabby Holland chose to move away from where her boyfriend lived in order to establish her individuality. Neighbors and family members go beyond the call of duty to help one another and expect nothing in return.

Yet, despite the seemingly idyllic life that people lead in Beaufort, North Carolina, and regardless of the fact that Travis Parker epitomizes the man from "Venus" who so many women are searching for, Sparks manages to reveal conflicts that keep us turning the pages to see how the characters will work them out. And we care because these are individuals we can empathize with and feel sympathy for. Even so, we pause to ponder what we would do in the same situation if we were faced with the consequences of a seemingly unimportant decision that we made a long time ago and then quickly forgot about.

It would be difficult to say more about the plot without spoiling the ending. Suffice it to say that THE CHOICE is a great choice if you're looking for a change of pace from the mysteries and thrillers that you usually enjoy reading. Like a scoop of sorbet during an Italian feast, it cleanses the palate with an enjoyable romance (sans the seamy sex) and provides subtle lessons in love and hope. While you may not need as many tissues as you did while reading THE NOTEBOOK, it wouldn't hurt to have them handy.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. [..]

Having read True Believer and Message in a Bottle and watched the film version of The Notebook, it is safe to say that I have become a big fan of Nicholas Sparks. He writes the sort of tear-jerking love stories I love, and he writes them with a great deal of passion, creating wonderful characters that feel real. The Choice is his newest effort, and my favorite from the ones I've read so far. The story sort of reminds me of The Notebook, which is definitely not a bad thing, but more on that later. At thirty-two, Travis Parker is a confirmed bachelor. All three of his best friends are married with kids, and their wives have fixed him up with every single woman they encounter, no matter how much he wished they wouldn't. Why would he want to get married? He has it all -- a great job, a full life and a beautiful house in a small town in North Carolina with a gorgeous river view. Nothing is missing in his life, or so he thinks until Gabby Holland moves in next door. The beautiful redhead, though standoffish and downright rude at first, intrigues him from the very beginning, and he doesn't let a small detail like a boyfriend stand in the way of getting to know her better. I don't want to tell too much (though I'm certain that many reviewers have done so already), but this seemingly simple (at first) love story is heart wrenching and memorable...

And the aforementioned qualities make this novel not only a must-read but also an absolute keeper. The Choice is a gorgeous read, perfect for this holiday season (not a holiday-themed book though). The four-hour train ride from Manchester to London was a breeze because I couldn't put this book down. Travis faces a difficult choice, and those crucial chapters pulled me at the heartstrings, making me want to know what would happen next. I am glad the book ended the way it did. My breath caught in my chest as I read the epilogue. I loved it. The love story is wonderful and Travis and Gabby will remind many people of Noah and Allie from The Notebook. A friend of mine who has read both books said that reading this book was like getting reacquainted with those old characters again. Sparks loves his native North Carolina. His passion for the place shines through in the writing. I love the way he describes the surroundings. At times, I felt I was there, feeling the breeze stir in the air as I gazed at the ocean along with the main characters. The Choice is a fine read and I cannot recommend it enough. I look forward to reading Sparks's backlist.

The Choice
I am truly at a loss for words as to how to review this novel. I just closed the book after reading the emotionally charged ending and my heart is heavy with all sorts of emotions, not to mention my throat, which has this huge lump in it that I can't seem to swallow.

It almost seems impossible to relate the story to you without giving away crucial elements that will give away the ending, and what a grand ending it was. Suffice it to say that this is a story about true love that can best be understood and treasured by those who have experienced it. If you're a fan of Sparks you will grasp my meaning.

To have the depth of love that existed between Travis and Gabby, though, is probably something that many of us will never experience and that is a shame. Sparks brings this idyllic experience of bliss to the pages of the book like no other author can, and he stresses the fact that making the correct choices in life makes all the difference in the world.

The setting, of course, is North Carolina, and the characters are ones that you will find yourself wishing you knew in real life. Sparks, again, did a fabulous job in that he makes the reader feel as if they are a part of the scene, feeling every emotion along with the characters, from pain to anguish to love of the most precious kind. His knack for incorporating that very special twist toward the end of the book is something I truly envy as an author myself.

Bravo to you, Nicholas.