FOR THE LONGEST TIME is Book one in Kendra Leigh
Castle's Harvest Cove series. I love this book! FOR THE
LONGEST TIME focuses on the story of Sam Henry's reluctant
return to her home town of Harvest Cove, Massachusetts.
She's an artist and hasn't had much luck living and working
in the big city so she comes home to re-charge. It's back
in Harvest Cove that she runs into Jake Smith -- cutie and
local vet but also the cool guy in high school who broke
her heart.
I like that this story is told from both Sam and Jake's
point-of-view. I think this is crucial to understanding the
characters, especially since they don't always express
everything they're thinking to each other. In spite of the
fact that they do struggle to communicate, I like that Sam
and Jack do try. Some of my favorite moments in FOR THE
LONGEST TIME are the ones when they reveal themselves to
each other. I also really like that Jack is not at all
hesitant to admit to his teenage mistakes and he realizes
that his group of friends might be more flawed than he
thought they were. His introspection and the sweet way he
treats Sam make Jack a great character.
The romance that develops between Sam and Jack is both
sweet and sexy. In addition to the sparkling romance, I
love the various supporting characters scattered throughout
the story. FOR THE LONGEST TIME is a very character-driven
story, and that's exactly the kind I love. I enjoyed the
friendship and easy banter that develops between Sam and
Zoe. I look forward to reading Zoe's book and seeing who
she winds up with. I like that Samantha has a great support
system in FOR THE LONGEST TIME made up of both family and
new friends.
FOR THE LONGEST TIME is both a poignant and fun romance
with a wonderful collection of characters. There are one or
two characters who are obvious villains, but I like that
some characters had shades of gray. I look forward to the
next book in the Harvest Cove series.
For Samantha Henry, it took a ten-year absence to
appreciate
the close-knit New England town with an appeal all its
own....
After a perfect storm of events leaves Sam high, dry, and
jobless, she has to head home to Harvest Cove to regroup.
Growing up, she was the town misfit, and a brief high
school
romance that resulted in heartbreak made her realize she
was
never going to fit in. But now with the support of her
mother and an unexpected circle of allies, Sam starts to
wonder if she’s misjudged the town all these years.
Life’s been good to Jake Smith. He transitioned from
popular
jock to town veterinarian without any trouble. But Sam’s
homecoming makes him question his choices. The sharp-
tongued
beauty was never a good fit for the small community, but
he’s never forgotten her—or how good they were together.
While she makes it clear she’s not about to repeat the
past,
Jake’s determined to convince her to give him—and Harvest
Cove—a second chance.