Review of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Spoiler Alert: I don't give away the entire book, but I do tell enough that it will ruin it for you if you have not read it.

I read Nicholas Sparks' The Choice yesterday. (It was an easy read). I am admittedly a fan of all of his books. I think he exhibits an overwhelming ability to capture human emotion at its rawest. His story lines are full of hope, love, and redemption. I don't think I have made it through a book of his yet without tearing up. The Choice was no different.

It starts out in the present with the main character, Travis Parker, going to visit his wife at the hospital. It then flashes back eleven years earlier to their first meeting. Gabby, his wife, moved into the house next door. They have an instant connection, despite the fact that Gabby is in a long-term relationship. Long story short, she and Travis fall in love, get married, have kids. Sparks relays this series of events with much more eloquence than I have exhibited here.

It then flashes forward to the present with Travis visiting his wife who is in a coma as a result of a traffic accident that Travis was responsible for. The book looks at the unbearable grief and guilt that Travis feels all while grappling with the decision of whether to keep his wife alive or pull the plug, something she made him promise to do in an event like this. Ultimately, he doesn't and she comes out of the coma to return to her life, just as Travis and his daughter's are learning to live their lives without her.

While it is a bit unbelievable at the end you find yourself hoping and praying that Gabby does emerge from the coma. As a parent you put yourself in the position of both the children and the surviving spouse, as well as the spouse in the coma. I sometimes worry about the effect my absence would have on my children. I hate to even think about if something were to happen to me. The sadness is too much, both because of what I'd be missing and because I know how sad they would be.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a Sparks fan or who is looking for a quick, romantic read. It's an emotional roller coaster; one you can't help but be caught up on.

Has anyone read this? If so, what did you think?