The Choice Book Review

Oh doggies! I’m so happy that I’m reading a novel with dog characters again! And I wasn’t expecting this. First was The Guardian and second is this, The Choice. I guess Nicholas Sparks is also a dog lover like me and I’m loving him more because of that. More dog stories to come, please!

However, The Choice is not fully about the pup characters, unlike The Guardian wherein Singer, a Great Dane, is a main lead. Here, Molly and Moby only served as a bridge for Travis Parker and Gabby Holland to turn these two from being neighbors to young lovers. They met when Gabby was miserable because her pooch was pregnant and she was blaming Travis’ male mutt. I think, she just blamed Travis because she was annoyed to his behavior, judging him already as irresponsible even though they haven’t met yet. She went to Travis’ house and endlessly accused his dog to the point that the only thing Travis could reply is to bring Molly to a veterinarian. She followed his advice and went to the clinic only to find out that the town vet was Travis. He confirmed that Molly was pregnant but he assured her that Moby wasn’t the father because his dog was neutered. She couldn’t believe all of this but all she could do was to feel sorry. She felt sorry not only for accusing Moby, but also judging a well-respected vet as irresponsible.

It was a funny first meeting. I think, Travis and Gabby are both childish when it comes to love, which is something new on Nicholas Sparks novels. Don’t get me wrong because I honestly find it cute. It gives me a hint that The Choice is just a light story which is far different from his collection. Usually, books have dull introductions. But The Choice is an exception. It may not be as intense as A Bend in the Road or The Best of Me, but this, I must say, is fun to read.

From that day on, they started enjoying each other’s company as Travis invite Gabby to his weekend activities with his friends and sister, Stephanie. This left Gabby amazed to the true identity of Travis. Because of this, they quickly fell in love with each other despite of the fact that Gabby has a boyfriend.

Yes, The Choice is mainly a love story of a third party. Although I admit that it was easy to fall in love with their love story, I still stand on my belief that what they did was wrong. If I were Kevin, Gabby’s boyfriend, my heart would shatter into pieces knowing that my girlfriend, or boyfriend rather, loves someone else.

However, there’s nothing we can do if Travis and Gabby are really for each other as what they proved on the second part of the book. Part two starts years after they married. And by that time, Gabby was comatose due to a car accident with Travis. The doctors say she probably never will awaken. Therefore, Travis is forced to make the choice between taking Gabby off life support or to sending her to long term care, knowing that she may never wake up. He decides to take his chances and move her to long term care. Three months later, Gabby wakes up from her coma and moves back into their house. How lovely is that!

I can’t say that The Choice is the best novel out of the collection but I also can’t say that it isn’t a great novel. It’s just that the power isn’t enough to make me cry like most Nicholas Sparks creations do. But I would like thank the author for writing a happy ending. We know that Nicholas Sparks mostly ends tragically. But now, my heart is relieved.