Spoiler Alert Tuesday

As promised, here's our review on the prologue and first 6 chapters of The Choice.

Prologue - Here is where we're first introduced to the main characters of the book. We don't learn names, ages, etc...we just know it's a husband and wife. The husband is delivering flowers to the hospital where his wife works.

He's lamenting the fact that he and his wife argued the last time that they spoke and knows delivering flowers won't do any good, but he's at a loss for what to do.

Why do you think he's bringing his wife flowers and why do you think he's so sure they won't help?

MiMi: I think he's bringing her flowers because he's a big 'ole jerk and said something stupid to cause the argument in the first place. Sounds like he's made some mistakes, maybe he's even cheated on her?

Jessica: MiMi hit the nail on the head. Although, I didn't get the feel that he had cheated on her for some reason.

MiMi again: That would be because Jessica is more intelligent than I, and she doesn't see the bad in people as much as I do. : )

Jessica again: MiMi, I'm just naive!

MiMi: This back and forth is fun! Naive...pfft. I'm just mean.

Chapters 1-6
In chapter one you are further introduced to the 2 main characters. You learn that they are neighbors. He is Travis Parker and has lived in the small town of Beaufort his entire life and has 3 close friends who are married and have kids. Although he isn't married and doesn't have any kids, he has remained close with his friends and their families. He does a lot of outdoor sports such as boating. He is single at the moment, having dated a lot of women, but none of them really "fit." You also learn he has a sister, Stephanie, who he seems to be close with.

She is Gabby Holland, and you don't learn too much about her character, other than she has just moved into this house recently, to be closer to her boyfriend of several years. She would like the relationship to move forward but has had no sign of proposal or even moving in with her boyfriend.

Gabby has a collie named Molly (ha ha, just got that, molly the collie.) who is pregnant. Gabby knows that it is Travis's dog who has gotten her dog pregnant and is working herself into a pretty good stew about confronting Travis about his wandering dog.

What do you think you would do if you were in the same situation as Gabby?
Would you go confront the neighbor? How would you feel if you got there and broke down as Gabby did?

MiMi: I'm so boring....cuz like I said before, I would've known the neighbor already, would have introduced myself. I would have discussed with him that I thought his dog got my dog pregnant. I don't think I would have sobbed over the crap that has or hasn't been happening to me lately. Of course, I would have my dog fixed already and wouldn't even have the unfortunate "knocked up dog" situation in the first place. But that's just me. If I did actually break down in front of the neighbor, I probably would be pretty embarrassed, and would have apologized like crazy while I was leaving.

Jessica: I would never act like Gabby. It's not in my nature to confront the neighbor and yell at them. Well, actually, I did yell at my neighbors once. It was actually the neighbor's brother. But I was being verbally attacked. So, I guess I was more like in Travis' shoes. Travis held it together pretty well, must have been because he thought she was cute. If that would have been a man coming over to yell at him, it would had been a totally different story. Plus, if she was so concerned about her dog not getting pregnant, she should have put up a fence.

MiMi: Hey, that reminds me of the fight with my neighbor. Lots of naughty words. Mr. Rogers, he is not.

Chapters 2 and 3 finds Gabby at the vet's office where she will get Molly checked out to verify that she is indeed pregnant.

When the vet walks in and she sees that it is Travis, her neighbor, she is seriously embarrassed.

What would you do if you found out that your neighbor that you bawled out, is the vet? Would you feel betrayed?

MiMi: I probably would have been pretty taken aback and would have had to crack a joke about it. When in doubt, make yourself sound stupider by saying something inappropriate: that's my motto.

Jessica: I would have been totally embarrassed. I would have thought--well, that figures. Just my stinky life. I really am a optimist... :)

Chapter 4 is all about Travis. After his 2nd encounter with Gabby Holland at his office, he is really intrigued by her. You learn a lot about his past girlfriends, his school years, his decision to live in the same town he grew up in. You sorta learn a little about what makes him tick. And you learn that he is very interested in this new neighbor.

If you were in Travis's position, how would you feel about Gabby? Would you think she had a screw loose?

MiMi: Hmm. It's hard to put myself in this position. I think after her initial visit to my house, where she broke down, and wouldn't let me get a word in, I probably wouldn't have liked her. But I'm a girl and I need to remember he's a man, who thinks this Gabby chick is pretty hot. So...I guess if I thought she was hot, like hawt, I would've thought it was pretty funny that she came in and was basically sucking shoe leather cuz she had her foot so far in her mouth. Then I would've wondered if she was super flexible like that and maybe I could nail her. That's my best assumption as a guy.

Jessica: Men are from Mars, remember! They don't think with their hearts as much as their privates. I'm generalizing people! I'm sure your husbands all think with their hearts... hehe. If that would have been me and a guy came over and chewed me out, everyone (and especially the reader) would want that guy to hit the curb. But when it's a hot female...they can do whatever they want...

Chapter 5 is back to Gabby. She's pretty embarrassed about her 2 encounters with Travis so far. So she tries to avoid him as best she can and focus her energies on taking care of her pregnant dog.

When she discovers that Molly has had per pups, she also sees that something is terribly wrong and she has no option but to go to Travis and ask for help. He comes and takes care of her dog and reassures her. He even takes the dog to his veterinary office and monitors her over night to make sure all is well.

After avoiding him for a couple weeks, she now needs his help. If you were Gabby would you have went to him for help, or would you have been to embarrassed? After seeing him take care of your dog, whom you love more than anything, and then take extra care of her later, would this change your impression of him or endear you to him more?

MiMi: Yep, I'd go over and get him. I'd be used to the flavor of sticking my foot in my mouth and being an idiot and I'd beg him for help. But, I don't have much pride so it'd be easier for me then it would be for you, I'm sure. And since now I'm starting to notice how hawt he is, I'd probably be endeared to him like superglue sticks stuff together.

Jessica: Of course I would go over and get him! I would be so worried about the dog I would forget about it. He would be the one person I would do anything to see.

In chapter 6, after the doggy drama is done and Gabby and Travis have seen more of each other than she is comfortable with, you start to learn more about Gabby's longtime boyfriend. She is in love with him, and she wants to marry him.

She is getting to know Travis a little bit and beginning to see him for what he is. A kind, intelligent, handsome professional. Not the partier she took him for in the beginning. At this point, Travis actually asks her to come out with him and his friends for an afternoon of parasailing.

If you were Gabby, would you go? Even though Travis points out that it's not a date, would you feel that because you are slightly attracted to him that you were cheating on your boyfriend?

MiMi: I'd TOTALLY go! I know I'd feel guilty, but hey, I'm not married, and he's hawt, remember?! Yep, I'm a hoochie, I'd go. Sorry. Just sayin'.

Jessica: I would feel guilty but I would go. I would be lying to myself just like Gabby did. She wanted him and she was fooling herself into thinking it was just "friends".

Okay, Ladies, what do you think? What are your thoughts? Are there other questions you would have asked and what are your answers?