The Longest Ride

By: Nicholas Sparks

Narrated by: Ron McLarty, January LaVoy

From the dark days of WWII to present-day North Carolina, this New York Times bestseller shares the lives of two couples overcoming destructive secrets -- and finding joy together.

Ira Levinson is in trouble. Ninety-one years old and stranded and injured after a car crash, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together - how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can't possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.
A few miles away, at a local bull-riding event, a Wake Forest College senior's life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward -- even life and death - loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans -- a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he's keeping doesn't destroy it first.
Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

Critic reviews

"Sparks is a poet . . . a master."—Philadelphia Inquirer

"Epic Sparks . . . showcases the author's most accomplished work to date . . . There are moments of perfection . . . Reaching not only young and old, the novel is commingled with enough cowboy action, literary flavor, and a maturing gift for dialogue to reach across the sexes."—Mountain Times (NC)

"These parallel love stories are each rich in their own right, but together, they tell a broader and more complicated tale of love's growth and evolution over time . . . some surprising twists right up until the very end."—BookReporter.com

One of my favorites

Such a great book! I love this story and the deep meaning reflected behind it

not perfect

this love story was wonderful, Ira and Ruth, had some rough years but they truly l9ved each other in spite of the difficulties they experienced.
today everyone seems to believe if life isn't all sunshine and roses then its time to split.

sometimes no matter how hard one person tries their partner just gives up and stops loving, which begs the question did the really love to begin with.

my favorite of the Nicholas sparks books

I understand that I am an empathetic person but I cried more then once! I just love the story and how it all falls into place

Entertaining

It is another Nicholas Sparks great books. I could figure out what was going to happen pretty much but still had some surprises and turns. I enjoyed the introduction and growth of the characters. It’s worth a read or listen.

like but what?

I love the book but with the audiobook it was skipping paragraphs and I was so confused and lost so that took a lot of time for me to read it because I keep on losing my place.