Parents' Guide to

The Choice

By Mary Cosola, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Cloying, formulaic romance milks the tears.

Book Nicholas Sparks Romance 2007
The Choice Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

somanybooks solittletime
somanybooks solittletime Parent of 3-year-old
May 2, 2023
age 14+
While written for adults, Sparks keeps his novels relatively clean and can be read by a younger (high school age) audience. Parents should know this is a romance and the protagonists do enter a sexual as well as romantic relationship-with the descriptions being kept very minimal PG-13esque.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Gabby Holland moves to Beaufort, North Carolina, choosing a job there to be closer to her boyfriend of several years, Kevin. Her next-door neighbor is Travis Parker, who grew up in Beaufort and has lots of friends and family nearby. Unlike Gabby, Travis is not big on serious relationships. He's had plenty of girlfriends over the years but doesn't see the need to get married. Gabby is stressed from her move, her new job, not having friends nearby, and not being totally sure where her relationship with Kevin is going. To top it all off, she believes Travis' dog got her dog pregnant, so she unleashes all her frustration out on him during their first meeting. Travis takes it well, and despite their rocky beginnings, a friendship and romance ensue. The title of THE CHOICE refers to a few crucial choices Gabby and Travis must make: she at the outset of the relationship, and he much later on.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Cloying and formulaic, The Choice is another Nicholas Sparks story of love with a twist of sadness. The book is not unpleasant, if you like escapist romance with barely flawed people living idyllic lives in idyllic places. It's a light and fast read for those looking for a quick diversion. And though romance novels thrive on an element of fantasy, The Choice pushes the limits of believability too far at times, especially at the end. About two-thirds of the book is dedicated to Gabby and Travis' burgeoning romance, with lots of dialogue. That in itself isn't a problem, but these characters aren't interesting at all.

The main issues they face are Gabby's decision over whether to date Travis and Travis' decision about Gabby later in the relationship. His decision certainly will be seen by many readers as illegal and immoral, but in this story it's depicted as OK because it's in the name of true love. Sparks drops a few clues and some deliberate misdirection about what Travis is facing, but it comes across as forced rather than suspenseful.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about love and how much or what you'd do for someone you love. Give up your own life? Break the law? Are you sure?

  • Have you read other Nicholas Sparks books or seen movies adapted from his books? How does this story compare?

  • Have you ever changed your goals or plans based on family expectations? Do you regret it? Or were there times when your family was right?

Book Details

  • Author: Nicholas Sparks
  • Genre: Romance
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date: September 24, 2007
  • Number of pages: 304
  • Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: December 29, 2015

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