The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

★★★★☆
Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life-- boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies--he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the appealing redhead seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him . . . and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn't help. Despite himself, Travis can't stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both to the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, The Choice ultimately confronts us with the most heart wrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

I really enjoyed The Choice!  I wouldn't say it was one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks novels, but it was a page-turner nonetheless.  I don't want to say too much to give away any of the plot!  But you really grow to love Travis' character, and Sparks weaves a great love story between him and Gabby. 

Also, as a sidenote, since I've read Sparks' memoir Three Weeks with My Brother, I am convinced that Travis was based off his brother Micah!! 

Both are great reads.

Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks

★★★★★
As moving as his bestselling works of fiction, Nicholas Sparks's unique memoir, written with his brother, chronicles the life-affirming journey of two brothers bound by memories, both humorous and tragic.In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah, set off on a three-week trip around the globe. It was to mark a milestone in their lives, for at thirty-seven and thirty-eight respectively, they were now the only surviving members of their family. Against the backdrop of the wonders of the world and often overtaken by their feelings, daredevil Micah and the more serious, introspective Nicholas recalled their rambunctious childhood adventures and the tragedies that tested their faith. And in the process, they discovered startling truths about loss, love, and hope.  Narrated with irrepressible humor and rare candor, and including personal photos, THREE WEEKS WITH MY BROTHER reminds us to embrace life with all its uncertainties...and most of all, to cherish the joyful times, both small and momentous, and the wonderful people who make them possible.

I had heard of Three Weeks with My Brother quite a while ago, but at the time it just didn't seem like anything I would like to read.  Though I love Sparks' fiction novels, I just didn't know if I wanted to read a nonfiction memoir.  But when I recently borrowed another Nicholas Sparks book from my mom, she said I just HAD to read this.  So I did!

Goodness, it was SO good!  This book chronicles Sparks' once-in-a-lifetime trip around the world with his brother in addition to reflecting on their lives growing up.  It's unbelievable the tragedy these brothers dealt with throughout their lives.  It makes you understand why not all of Sparks' books have happy endings.  His own life was so riddled with sadness and hardship, there were many spots in the book I was reading with a lump in my throat, just as in his novels.

I really enjoyed learning about Sparks' personality (overachieving, type-A, introspective), and I loved seeing how he has been able to accomplish pretty much anything he's wanted to through sheer determination and hard work... even helping his autistic (they think) son.

I also enjoyed getting to 'know' the members of his family... I'm currently reading his novel The Choice, and I'm convinced the main character is very closely based on his brother!

Having read this book, it makes me appreciate his other novels on a much deeper level.  I would definitely recommend this book!!  It was surprisingly great!

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

★★★★★

After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck — winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph — his lucky charm.

Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother — and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart — destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
 

Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

How did I not know about this book before now??!!  The Lucky One has been one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books!  I saw that the movie was coming out, so of course I had to read the book first.  :)

As always, the characters are vivid, the storyline unique, and it's a love story you can't help but to fall in love with.  I can't wait to see the movie, just to re-live the story again.  Recommended!

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
In the fall of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths.


Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back to Oriental for a funeral. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. Forced to confront painful memories, the two former lovers soon realize that everything they thought they knew-about themselves and the dreams they held dear-was not as it seemed. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

I was so excited to read The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks.  After reading 3 not-so-great books in a row, I was ready for something good and knew Sparks wouldn't disappoint!  Of course he did not.  This book is definitely a page turner and of course includes a great love story (actually 2 of them).  Sparks has such a knack for creating these stories that make you feel the emotion of his characters.  He did a great job with this novel.

I certainly don't want to ruin the book, so I'm not going to say too much - but there are reasons I enjoyed some of his other books better.  But trust me, this book is most definitely worth the read!

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

★★★★★
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.


Oooooh, Save Haven was such a good book!  I'm a definite fan of Nicholas Sparks, and this book certainly didn't disappoint.  As always, the characters have depth and a history.  There are some heart-pumping scenes in this story and an unexpected twist.  Of course there is a great love story as well.  It was definitely a great book, one I would recommend for sure.