"The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks

My friends Olivia and Natasha have got me hooked to Nicholas Sparks novels! I was so excited when Olivia got me "The Choice" and "Message in a Bottle" for Christmas seeing as love stories are my guilty pleasure. Even though I am an English Lit. student and feel as though I should be reading books that are more epic and revered by the literary world, I just enjoy books like "The Choice" far too much. If you have never read anything by Nicholas Sparks, he is one of the most romantic authors out there, writing story after story about star-crossed lovers in various heart-wrenching situations. I recently finished reading "The Choice", which tells the story of Travis Parker and Gabby Holland, two neighbours who despite their rocky start as friends, end up falling in love and embarking on a both romantic and heartbreaking journey through life together. (SPOILER) Although Gabby is already romantically involved, she cannot help but fall for Travis, the athletic veterinarian who lives next door to her. As they become more acquainted, they realize they have a lot in common (including their love of animals) and share the same hopes and dreams for the future. Although it is a little bit unsettling that Gabby is able to leave Kevin, her long time boyfriend so suddenly after spending some time with Travis, their unique love, which Nicholas Sparks demonstrates beautifully, is a good enough justification. Moreover, no Nicholas Sparks novel would be complete without some form of sadness and heartbreak, so when Gabby falls into a coma after a car accident, the reader is left feeling torn as Travis does, not knowing whether he should wait for her to wake up or move on. "The Choice", although a predictable and typical love story, is one that is extremely hard to put down. If you are looking for an easy and more importantly a romantic read, then I definitely recommend this novel, as well as all of Nicholas Sparks's books.

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