I have read several books written by Nicholas Sparks over the years. The Choice is one of the newer editions to my bookshelf. These are the stories that lift your spirit, and it is how I needed to start off my month. The Choice follows the romance between Travis and Gabby, set in a picturesque North Carolina town.
Travis Parker has his life set. He has a good job, loyal family and friends, and a waterfront home in a small town in North Carolina. Gabby Holland moves in next door to him. Their first meeting is not exactly cute with flaring tempers, but Travis is intrigued by Gabby. The book is essentially divided into two parts. The first part is about Travis and Gabby meeting and falling in love. The second part is eleven years later when Gabby and Travis are married, and a horrible event turns their little family has its world turned upside down.
The way Travis and Gabby meet and fall in love is cute. There is no doubt that they have chemistry and compatibility, but I still feel their romance took off a tad bit sooner. I would have loved a little more of a build-up to them finally getting together because there are complications that need time to resolve. After their marriage, they have two kids and are happy together. Travis has been neglecting Gabby unintentionally due to work.
On the day of the accident, Travis is late for a rescheduled dinner date with Gabby. She leaves after he doesn’t show up and has a terrible accident. Like all Nicholas Sparks novels, The Choice takes you through an emotional ride, especially in the second half. Travis has a choice to make, whether to continue keeping Gabby on life support even though she might not recover or take her off it. It is a horrible choice to make for any loved one, and this part of the story is heartbreaking. In the end, they do get a happily ever after, which made me very happy.
It’s a beautiful love story there is no question about it, and it does make you high on emotions. The characters are interesting, and their romance and interactions are fun to read. It’s not my favorite Nicholas Sparks because I had an issue with the pacing of the story and the unrealistically quick romance between Travis and Gabby. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the book. It is exactly the kind of story I need after a hectic month, and love stories always do the trick.
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Books and blues 