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allysonmurphy31's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I enjoyed this read, I just can’t really get behind the whole falling in love in 2 days plot. Overall a good story, but maybe a bit longer time span on meeting someone and falling in love
rmarcin's review
4.0
Travis Parker is a great guy, with great friends and family. All of his friends are married with children, but not Travis. Gabby Holland moves in next door and is annoyed by Travis's parties and his dog. She confronts him, and they get off to a rocky start. Yet, when they meet again, Travis does everything he can to break down her defenses. She is involved with another man, and doesn't think she should get close to Travis. But, their attraction is undeniable.
Now, 11 years later, Travis is faced with a life or death choice. He knows what he promised Gabby, but he doesn't know if he can make the choice.
Sweet and touching love story with a lot of humor - and also some serious parts. Enjoyable.
Now, 11 years later, Travis is faced with a life or death choice. He knows what he promised Gabby, but he doesn't know if he can make the choice.
Sweet and touching love story with a lot of humor - and also some serious parts. Enjoyable.
smithrachaelynn's review against another edition
3.0
There were moments where this was good, but they were just moments. Overall, I felt really bored reading this and then sad. So not the best experience.
shrutichhapia's review against another edition
4.0
Another great Nicholas Sparks’ novel. Full of a roller coaster of emotions and ups and downs but amazing as always!
crystine124's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
crying like a baby after finishing this! if you are looking for an unexpected romance, with a little bit of comedy mixed in- this is your book! i am so broken with how the book finished, but what a beautiful love story.
doomslugreads's review against another edition
1.0
SPOILERS. You've been warned.
The 1 out of 5 stars says everything, right? Well, here's a bit more...
I got this as a free audiobook.
Definitely wish I hadn't.
Pros of the book? The reader (Holter Graham) was great and did the book better justice than it deserved. The personalities of the dogs were cute.
Cons of this book? (Yep. That's all the pros.) Super weird character development. Which is likely what killed the rest for me - I LOVE character development. Good, strong, well-developed characters are my favorite part of any book. However, in this novel, Sparks spends a tremendous amount of time teaching you about these characters only for very little of what you learn to be relevant. To anything. And by the time you start to feel even just slightly attached to their story, you're suddenly in Part 2 of the book, thrown years into the future and none of what you learned really matters anymore. None of it! Speaking of Part 2? That's a con in itself. The entire part. Way too drawn out ramblings about whether or not he's going to take his wife off life support after she goes into a coma - which, of course, he doesn't, since that would give the story actual substance or purpose - and again, I lacked enough emotional connection to the characters to even CARE if she lived or died.
Overall, really disappointed (that I wasted my time). Though, to be fair, I don't know how I went in expecting much else. Not a choice I'll repeat anytime soon. If I hadn't been listening to this on my car ride to/from work, I would not have had the patience to finish.
The 1 out of 5 stars says everything, right? Well, here's a bit more...
I got this as a free audiobook.
Definitely wish I hadn't.
Pros of the book? The reader (Holter Graham) was great and did the book better justice than it deserved. The personalities of the dogs were cute.
Cons of this book? (Yep. That's all the pros.) Super weird character development. Which is likely what killed the rest for me - I LOVE character development. Good, strong, well-developed characters are my favorite part of any book. However, in this novel, Sparks spends a tremendous amount of time teaching you about these characters only for very little of what you learn to be relevant. To anything. And by the time you start to feel even just slightly attached to their story, you're suddenly in Part 2 of the book, thrown years into the future and none of what you learned really matters anymore. None of it! Speaking of Part 2? That's a con in itself. The entire part. Way too drawn out ramblings about whether or not he's going to take his wife off life support after she goes into a coma - which, of course, he doesn't, since that would give the story actual substance or purpose - and again, I lacked enough emotional connection to the characters to even CARE if she lived or died.
Overall, really disappointed (that I wasted my time). Though, to be fair, I don't know how I went in expecting much else. Not a choice I'll repeat anytime soon. If I hadn't been listening to this on my car ride to/from work, I would not have had the patience to finish.
nikosuave's review against another edition
3.0
The stereotypical Nicholas Sparks book.
Of course it all ends happily ever after.!
Of course it all ends happily ever after.!
thegazillionthreader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
My thoughts (which are mainly for myself to look back on)
3.5 stars ✨ (my rating system is in my bio on Goodreads)
Short and spoiler free thoughts: I liked it but I love the movie more
.
.
.
The long version of my thoughts where spoilers may occur
📖📖📖
What drew me to the book: I rewatched The Choice and that made me want to read the book. I can not remember if I’ve read the book before as a teen
Format read: I tandem read between physical and ebook. I listened to a few paragraphs on audiobook
Likes: The story itself, the foundation for the movie. The setting. Some of the romance
Dislikes: Don’t condone the cheating of course but that’s just a Nicholas Sparks staple I feel like. 😆 so in a way when it comes to his stories, it’s like a guilty pleasure trope? Idk.
I didn’t really get emotional and found some of the emotional scenes too much, maybe even cheesy
Characters: No absolute favorites, but it was interesting to read this now being close in age to the characters. I was imagining the actors from the movie when reading & I like them.
Book Travis I didn’t really like in the beginning but he’s good in the end.
Would I reread?: Not anytime soon, but I can’t say never… 🤷🏻♀️
Movie vs book: A few differences spotted. I do like the movie more… tbh, that’s how it always is. I love Sparks movies. I’m not a huge fan of his books/writing… but at the same time they are the foundation for the movies so I am a fan in that regard. And I admire his success and that he writes all these romance books.
3.5 stars ✨ (my rating system is in my bio on Goodreads)
Short and spoiler free thoughts: I liked it but I love the movie more
.
.
.
The long version of my thoughts where spoilers may occur
📖📖📖
What drew me to the book: I rewatched The Choice and that made me want to read the book. I can not remember if I’ve read the book before as a teen
Format read: I tandem read between physical and ebook. I listened to a few paragraphs on audiobook
Likes: The story itself, the foundation for the movie. The setting. Some of the romance
Dislikes: Don’t condone the cheating of course but that’s just a Nicholas Sparks staple I feel like. 😆 so in a way when it comes to his stories, it’s like a guilty pleasure trope? Idk.
I didn’t really get emotional and found some of the emotional scenes too much, maybe even cheesy
Characters: No absolute favorites, but it was interesting to read this now being close in age to the characters. I was imagining the actors from the movie when reading & I like them.
Book Travis I didn’t really like in the beginning but he’s good in the end.
Would I reread?: Not anytime soon, but I can’t say never… 🤷🏻♀️
Movie vs book: A few differences spotted. I do like the movie more… tbh, that’s how it always is. I love Sparks movies. I’m not a huge fan of his books/writing… but at the same time they are the foundation for the movies so I am a fan in that regard. And I admire his success and that he writes all these romance books.
leggup's review
2.0
People cry reading these books? Maybe my standards were too high. Maybe I shouldn't have read Tolstoy's short stories right before Nicholas Sparks...
The entire book flouts "Show, Don't Tell." Every single page is "She walked towards door and then she closed the window and then she looked out it and here are her feeling about it." We are dragged around as two phenomenally uninteresting people are like-so-totally awkward around each other while still being freaking-attractive and so-smart-like-look-at-their-jobs!
Character development is dead in the water. I think this book was meant to be a great long list of terrible love quotes and things that people want to see about themselves. A book that a 16 year old girl can make a Facebook status from... for every day of the year.
The entire book flouts "Show, Don't Tell." Every single page is "She walked towards door and then she closed the window and then she looked out it and here are her feeling about it." We are dragged around as two phenomenally uninteresting people are like-so-totally awkward around each other while still being freaking-attractive and so-smart-like-look-at-their-jobs!
Character development is dead in the water. I think this book was meant to be a great long list of terrible love quotes and things that people want to see about themselves. A book that a 16 year old girl can make a Facebook status from... for every day of the year.
sng2098's review against another edition
1.0
It took me TWO WEEKS to get through this book and it's TINY! I just did not like it..