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.