I know this was a reread but I didn't really remember this story from the first time I read this. I gave it 4 stars then, but after rereading it for a book discussion group the rating lost a star.
Honestly I don't know how old I was when I first read this book but I can see how it'd appeal to a teenage/early 20s version of me. But after reading relationships in books like Six of Crows and The Raven Boys the "love at first sight," quick, undeveloped love of a Nicholas Sparks novel just doesn't hit me in that sweet spot anymore.
It's not that the book was bad, in fact I rather enjoyed most of the first part, a lot of it was pretty fun and the book itself went pretty fast. It just fit in with the usual Nicholas Spark's story - so it was predictable and honestly wasn't all that exciting. As for the choice itself, it was heart wrenching in a way, just not 4 stars heart wrenching that I've had with other books.
It's always interesting to see how my tastes as a reader change over time. It's like seeing my own character development in a way lol. The Choice is one of those books that lost its luster a bit but I like to think that's because I've read so many rich, developed characters and stories over the years. It's a good starting off point for a reader, but not where a reader should stay.