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jendoyleink's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this one! Yes, it helped that it was local for me, taking place in a town north of Boston, but I really liked the aspect of coming back to one's small hometown and confronting the high school demons (on the heroine's side), especially when one of those demons is in the shape of a sexy vet (the hero). I liked that the dark side of a small town wasn't glossed over--and that there was some serious (and realistic) redemption on the side of one of the secondary characters, brief as that scene may have been. And all along, I like that the hero didn't downplay what he'd done, but at the same time, there was a realistic handling of how to address a long ago moment that was handled badly but that's in the past. And what that means for the future.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
When I think of Kendra Leigh Castle, I think paranormal. But she absolutely blew me away with the first book in her Harvest Cove series. A story about going home and second chances.
I really enjoyed Sam. She was witty and often times very sarcastic, but she's learned to protect herself through her sarcasm. She didn't always fit in growing up in Harvest Cove, many times finding herself the butt of the popular crowds jokes, but she was someone who wanted to belong...somewhere. She had run to NYC, figuring she's be able to find that there, but instead she was almost in the same rut. Some when she finds herself without a job or prospects she comes back home to Harvest Cove. As a reader, you could understand her apprehension on returning home. One, because she was returning home to live with her mother. But two, because she didn't want to be reminded of everything that had destroyed her when she was a teenager. But ten years and adult eyes give us a different perspective on things and I think it really opened Sam's eyes. She didn't need to be friends with the popular crowd, or date the hottest guy (even though she totally was) to find happiness. Opening yourself up to one person or maybe two or three, who you know will stick by you can make a world of difference on your outlook.
Jake had his own revelations. Except for college, he never left his hometown of Harvest Cove. He had the same group of friends that he's had since high school. It wasn't until Sam came back, the girl he really liked in high school but caved to peer pressure and broke, that he discovered how insular his world is. Jake liked Sam and knew, pretty quickly, that he wanted a relationship with her. But when his friends started making wisecracks and calling her the names they did in high school, he started to realize he's really outgrown the group he hung with. It hurt him, but her also knew that what he felt for Sam and what they could have together was much more important than hanging onto a group just because they'd always been there. He discovered who his true friends were and that they were accepting of anyone who truly made him happy.
I loved the banter between the characters, especially Sam and Jake. They were witty and played off each other's sarcasm to the point of having laughter. But they weren't the only ones. Sam's sister Emma, is her uptight ways had some great one liners and Sam's boss, Roz, gave the best nickname to the guy I just hope she gets hooked up with (it would serve her right to be Mrs. Treebeard).
I can't wait for more from this series. The author has me hooked!
I really enjoyed Sam. She was witty and often times very sarcastic, but she's learned to protect herself through her sarcasm. She didn't always fit in growing up in Harvest Cove, many times finding herself the butt of the popular crowds jokes, but she was someone who wanted to belong...somewhere. She had run to NYC, figuring she's be able to find that there, but instead she was almost in the same rut. Some when she finds herself without a job or prospects she comes back home to Harvest Cove. As a reader, you could understand her apprehension on returning home. One, because she was returning home to live with her mother. But two, because she didn't want to be reminded of everything that had destroyed her when she was a teenager. But ten years and adult eyes give us a different perspective on things and I think it really opened Sam's eyes. She didn't need to be friends with the popular crowd, or date the hottest guy (even though she totally was) to find happiness. Opening yourself up to one person or maybe two or three, who you know will stick by you can make a world of difference on your outlook.
Jake had his own revelations. Except for college, he never left his hometown of Harvest Cove. He had the same group of friends that he's had since high school. It wasn't until Sam came back, the girl he really liked in high school but caved to peer pressure and broke, that he discovered how insular his world is. Jake liked Sam and knew, pretty quickly, that he wanted a relationship with her. But when his friends started making wisecracks and calling her the names they did in high school, he started to realize he's really outgrown the group he hung with. It hurt him, but her also knew that what he felt for Sam and what they could have together was much more important than hanging onto a group just because they'd always been there. He discovered who his true friends were and that they were accepting of anyone who truly made him happy.
I loved the banter between the characters, especially Sam and Jake. They were witty and played off each other's sarcasm to the point of having laughter. But they weren't the only ones. Sam's sister Emma, is her uptight ways had some great one liners and Sam's boss, Roz, gave the best nickname to the guy I just hope she gets hooked up with (it would serve her right to be Mrs. Treebeard).
I can't wait for more from this series. The author has me hooked!
elliefufu's review against another edition
4.0
For the Longest Time, Harvest Cove #1, by Kendra Leigh Castle
Grade: B+
"Our friends like each other. It's so cute. We can pass notes to them in class."
"I quit being a jerk a while back, Sam. I know you don't have any reason to take my word for it, but I'd like a chance to prove it to you."
Samantha Henry never expected she would end up back in her hometown of Harvest Cove but after losing her job and a painting block she has nowhere else to go. Harvest Cove hasn't changed much in the ten years Sam has been gone but the changes that have happened make Sam feel like she might finally belong. What Sam didn't account for was for her high school enemies to still be around or her high school crush Jake Smith. Jake is not the same person Sam knew in high school but Sam struggles to trust this new Jake.
Jake Smith has never forgotten Sam Henry or the way he treated her. With them both all grown up Jake is determined to show Sam that he's a new man, one that's still interested in her. As Jake tries to prove to Sam that he's a different person old friends come back into town that stir up old memories and hurt for Sam that could destroy all the progress Jake has made.
What an amazing start to a very cute new contemporary series. I didn't know what to expect when I started For the Longest Time but from page one I was hooked on this small New England town and I couldn't stop reading. Seriously. I read this book in one day because I just had to know how these two would work out their long and tulmoturous history that left Sam with lots of trust issues. Add on the bullying she incurred by his friends and my heart broke for her.
I liked both Sam and Jake right from the start. They have some great banter and I think their history depend the story. There were a few instances when I thought one of them might get annoying but they pulled away and stayed love able for the entire book. There are a lot of fun side characters and some not so like able ones but they all made the story so fun to read about.
There are also a few great set ups for future books which I am dying to read ASAP.
This was a great surprise of a book and I am so glad I read it. I cannot wait to read Seth and Emma's book which comes out in March 2015 and get back to Harvest Cove. For anyone who has ever been bullied this is a great book and shows that things can and do get better after high school with a few great friends.
Grade: B+
"Our friends like each other. It's so cute. We can pass notes to them in class."
"I quit being a jerk a while back, Sam. I know you don't have any reason to take my word for it, but I'd like a chance to prove it to you."
Samantha Henry never expected she would end up back in her hometown of Harvest Cove but after losing her job and a painting block she has nowhere else to go. Harvest Cove hasn't changed much in the ten years Sam has been gone but the changes that have happened make Sam feel like she might finally belong. What Sam didn't account for was for her high school enemies to still be around or her high school crush Jake Smith. Jake is not the same person Sam knew in high school but Sam struggles to trust this new Jake.
Jake Smith has never forgotten Sam Henry or the way he treated her. With them both all grown up Jake is determined to show Sam that he's a new man, one that's still interested in her. As Jake tries to prove to Sam that he's a different person old friends come back into town that stir up old memories and hurt for Sam that could destroy all the progress Jake has made.
What an amazing start to a very cute new contemporary series. I didn't know what to expect when I started For the Longest Time but from page one I was hooked on this small New England town and I couldn't stop reading. Seriously. I read this book in one day because I just had to know how these two would work out their long and tulmoturous history that left Sam with lots of trust issues. Add on the bullying she incurred by his friends and my heart broke for her.
I liked both Sam and Jake right from the start. They have some great banter and I think their history depend the story. There were a few instances when I thought one of them might get annoying but they pulled away and stayed love able for the entire book. There are a lot of fun side characters and some not so like able ones but they all made the story so fun to read about.
There are also a few great set ups for future books which I am dying to read ASAP.
This was a great surprise of a book and I am so glad I read it. I cannot wait to read Seth and Emma's book which comes out in March 2015 and get back to Harvest Cove. For anyone who has ever been bullied this is a great book and shows that things can and do get better after high school with a few great friends.
merlin_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Ok, this was super cute. I did not expect to love it as much as I did. This was almost a second chance romance story except the couple were never really together to begin with. Gotta love high school cliques and drama.
Back in high school, Sam was the loner girl. The outcast who drew pictures and wore black all of the time. She didn't really have any friends and the popular kids teased her relentlessly. But there was one shinning hope back then and that came in the form of Jake Smith. Jake was one of the popular kids but for some reason, he showed an interest in Sam and her art. They formed a friendship - in secret, of course - but Sam was full on in love with Jake. But as most high school stories do, this one ended in heartbreak. Sam left Harvest Cove and never looked back - until she literally had nothing else. Now back, Jake seems determined to right the wrongs of his past, but life in a small town means things never change and Jake's group of friends are they same people they were in high school. So can these two find their way through all the drama?
I absolutely loved the small town feel of Harvest Cove. As much as I don't know if I could actually live in such a small town, I love reading about them or watching TV shows set in small towns (aka Gilmore Girls). Castle did a great job in showing how Sam felt trapped and smothered in this town but then also that smooth transition into a healing town. She had her special places to go but was also amazed by how the town had changed while she was gone.
The love story was also just the right amount of drama and angst. I really liked Jake and felt bad for him. His friends refused to grow up and move past high school. And the girl that he was in love with is back and no matter what he does or how much he tries to explain, Sam won't give him the time of day. Now I get this. High school is brutal and can leave scars. I completely understood why Sam wasn't having any of it with Jake. But being able to see Jake's side and knowing that he knew nothing of how his friends acted back then endeared him to me. He wanted to grow and he was stuck in a rut and didn't know how to move on. Until Sam came back.
There were also adorable animals. Jake was a vet so we got to meet the litter terror cat known as Loki and the excitable lovable dog known as Tucker. As a dog person, Tucker just made me melt every time he was on the page. And Loki- well, the name says it all.
I cannot wait to read the rest of this series because I just love this town and love these people.
Back in high school, Sam was the loner girl. The outcast who drew pictures and wore black all of the time. She didn't really have any friends and the popular kids teased her relentlessly. But there was one shinning hope back then and that came in the form of Jake Smith. Jake was one of the popular kids but for some reason, he showed an interest in Sam and her art. They formed a friendship - in secret, of course - but Sam was full on in love with Jake. But as most high school stories do, this one ended in heartbreak. Sam left Harvest Cove and never looked back - until she literally had nothing else. Now back, Jake seems determined to right the wrongs of his past, but life in a small town means things never change and Jake's group of friends are they same people they were in high school. So can these two find their way through all the drama?
I absolutely loved the small town feel of Harvest Cove. As much as I don't know if I could actually live in such a small town, I love reading about them or watching TV shows set in small towns (aka Gilmore Girls). Castle did a great job in showing how Sam felt trapped and smothered in this town but then also that smooth transition into a healing town. She had her special places to go but was also amazed by how the town had changed while she was gone.
The love story was also just the right amount of drama and angst. I really liked Jake and felt bad for him. His friends refused to grow up and move past high school. And the girl that he was in love with is back and no matter what he does or how much he tries to explain, Sam won't give him the time of day. Now I get this. High school is brutal and can leave scars. I completely understood why Sam wasn't having any of it with Jake. But being able to see Jake's side and knowing that he knew nothing of how his friends acted back then endeared him to me. He wanted to grow and he was stuck in a rut and didn't know how to move on. Until Sam came back.
There were also adorable animals. Jake was a vet so we got to meet the litter terror cat known as Loki and the excitable lovable dog known as Tucker. As a dog person, Tucker just made me melt every time he was on the page. And Loki- well, the name says it all.
I cannot wait to read the rest of this series because I just love this town and love these people.
marjolaine_lafreniere's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this. It wasn't earth-shattering or anything, but I liked it. It was mostly a story about two people who wanted to be together, and who needed to change to make that happen. They had already changed some, but they needed the final push. It was sweet.
melwasul's review against another edition
4.0
La suite de ma chronique ici: http://lune-et-plume.fr/un-amour-sans-fin-de-kendra-leigh-castle/
Ah enfin ! Enfin un roman de la collection Promesses qui m’a fait passer un vrai bon moment (autre que leur série en cours des Lucy Valentine dont le dernier tome était encore chouette)(Moon vous en parlera très prochainement). Un amour sans fin n’est certainement pas le roman du siècle mais c’est une vraie petite douceur que j’ai pris grand plaisir à lire.
Nous rencontrons Sam qui vient de vivre des mois difficiles à New-York où elle vivait depuis une dizaine d’années et qui se retrouve contrainte de retourner dans sa petite bourgade natale, Harvest Cove, ce qu’elle s’était promis de ne jamais faire. Ville qu’elle n’a jamais vraiment considérée comme étant son foyer même si elle y a grandi, elle y a bien trop souffert lorsqu’elle était adolescente. Elle y a beaucoup de mauvais souvenirs : elle y était taquinée, moquée, insultée et le seul ami qu’elle pensait avoir (et dont elle était follement amoureuse) l’a humiliée, l’a trahie. Vous comprendrez donc pourquoi elle n’est pas ravie de retourner vivre chez son excentrique mère (qu’elle adore). [...]
Ah enfin ! Enfin un roman de la collection Promesses qui m’a fait passer un vrai bon moment (autre que leur série en cours des Lucy Valentine dont le dernier tome était encore chouette)(Moon vous en parlera très prochainement). Un amour sans fin n’est certainement pas le roman du siècle mais c’est une vraie petite douceur que j’ai pris grand plaisir à lire.
Nous rencontrons Sam qui vient de vivre des mois difficiles à New-York où elle vivait depuis une dizaine d’années et qui se retrouve contrainte de retourner dans sa petite bourgade natale, Harvest Cove, ce qu’elle s’était promis de ne jamais faire. Ville qu’elle n’a jamais vraiment considérée comme étant son foyer même si elle y a grandi, elle y a bien trop souffert lorsqu’elle était adolescente. Elle y a beaucoup de mauvais souvenirs : elle y était taquinée, moquée, insultée et le seul ami qu’elle pensait avoir (et dont elle était follement amoureuse) l’a humiliée, l’a trahie. Vous comprendrez donc pourquoi elle n’est pas ravie de retourner vivre chez son excentrique mère (qu’elle adore). [...]
bandherbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Super adorable, with lots of fun, geeky references. I'd compare Castle to Jill Shalvis but with a little more nerd cred. I'm also a true sucker for second chance at love stories, so this was a shoe in for me.
On a spoiler-y note, I was very pleased that Sam (the heroine) didn't let the hero get away with dumb shit like being oblivious to an evil ex trying to steal him from her. Go girl. Also, there was cute kitties, and one was named Loki. High five.
On a spoiler-y note, I was very pleased that Sam (the heroine) didn't let the hero get away with dumb shit like being oblivious to an evil ex trying to steal him from her. Go girl. Also, there was cute kitties, and one was named Loki. High five.
elfit's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Very heartwarming and kinda heartbreaking, but happily ever after with animals and artists and sarcasm. A great afternoon read.
jaimearkin's review against another edition
4.0
I’m going to just straight out say it. I love romance. I love swoony guys. And I love LOVE!!! I was first introduced to the words of Kendra Leigh Castle in the form of a PNR series and when I saw that she had a contemporary romance coming out, I knew I had to get my hands on it.
In For the Longest Time, we meet Sam. Sam’s had a rough go of things lately and she’s headed back to her small hometown to figure out where she goes next. Sam has never considered the town of Harvest Cove home even though that’s where she grew up. The whole place holds a lot of bad memories of being teased and bullied just because she didn’t fit the mold of what people considered normal.
Upon her arrival at her mom’s house, she encounters a kitten who claims her as his own… quickly followed by Jake, the guy who crushed her when she was younger. Jake has had things pretty good for most of his life. He was the popular jock in high school with a pretty girlfriend and friends who he’s stuck with over the years. Now he’s the town vet with his own house and a rambunctious dog, he's still well known and well liked around town. When he comes face to face with Sam he’s reminded of the friendship he had pursued when they were younger … and the way he treated her in the end.
This is something of a second chance story. While these two never really made it to a relationship when they were younger, there were definitely feelings. And the big question for Sam is whether or not she can move past the hurt she experienced at Jake’s hands…. Because he’s interested in her now and he’s determined not to let his friends influence him this time.
The romance here is sweet and sexy and the characters are fun and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them. Both Jake and Sam were likable and it was so fun getting to see them reconnect and build trust in each other.
If you’re a fan of Jill Shalvis or Kristen Higgins you’re going to want to pick this book up… definitely reminiscent of The Lucky Harbor series … and that’s good news for me because with that series ending and this one starting, I won’t have to go on a hunt to find my contemporary romance fix… Kendra Leigh Castle and the Harvest Cove Crew are definitely on my ‘must read’ list from here on out.
Thank you to Penguin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
In For the Longest Time, we meet Sam. Sam’s had a rough go of things lately and she’s headed back to her small hometown to figure out where she goes next. Sam has never considered the town of Harvest Cove home even though that’s where she grew up. The whole place holds a lot of bad memories of being teased and bullied just because she didn’t fit the mold of what people considered normal.
Upon her arrival at her mom’s house, she encounters a kitten who claims her as his own… quickly followed by Jake, the guy who crushed her when she was younger. Jake has had things pretty good for most of his life. He was the popular jock in high school with a pretty girlfriend and friends who he’s stuck with over the years. Now he’s the town vet with his own house and a rambunctious dog, he's still well known and well liked around town. When he comes face to face with Sam he’s reminded of the friendship he had pursued when they were younger … and the way he treated her in the end.
This is something of a second chance story. While these two never really made it to a relationship when they were younger, there were definitely feelings. And the big question for Sam is whether or not she can move past the hurt she experienced at Jake’s hands…. Because he’s interested in her now and he’s determined not to let his friends influence him this time.
The romance here is sweet and sexy and the characters are fun and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them. Both Jake and Sam were likable and it was so fun getting to see them reconnect and build trust in each other.
If you’re a fan of Jill Shalvis or Kristen Higgins you’re going to want to pick this book up… definitely reminiscent of The Lucky Harbor series … and that’s good news for me because with that series ending and this one starting, I won’t have to go on a hunt to find my contemporary romance fix… Kendra Leigh Castle and the Harvest Cove Crew are definitely on my ‘must read’ list from here on out.
Thank you to Penguin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
elfit's review
4.0
I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Very heartwarming and kinda heartbreaking, but happily ever after with animals and artists and sarcasm. A great afternoon read.