Review "Love means never having to say you're dead. Sparks (The Best of Me, 2011, etc.) fans know the drill: sweetness and light, darkness and despair, kissing and making up. And always, always, intertwining storylines...Just the sort of thing for Sparks buffs."-- "Kirkus Reviews""Nicholas Sparks' redemptive, emotionally charged novel is an enjoyable change of pace for fans. Thanks to nuanced performances by Ron McLarty and January LaVoy, it's also an instantly engrossing listening experience...LaVoy provides a steady, bright narration and compassionate characterizations that complement McLarty's work beautifully, highlighting the differences in these character's experiences even as they grow inexorably closer together."-- "AudioFile""The two couples could not be more unlike, especially in their present situations. Ira Levinson is ninety-one years old, injured, and stranded, perhaps forever, after a car crash; yet comforted by visions of his beloved wife Ruth, who died nine years before. Not far away is Wake Forest senior Sophia Danko, enraptured head over heels with an equally enthralled cowboy named Luke. In this cinematic novel, Nicholas Sparks weaves together the stories of these two starkly different pairs as only he could...(P.S. Read it now; see it later: The Longest Ride is slated to be a film, due to be release on Valentine's Day weekend 2015)."-- "Barnes&Noble.com, editorial review" Product Description Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife, Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by reminiscing about their lifetime together. Ira knows that Ruth can't possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories. A few miles away, at a local bull-riding event, a Wake Forest University senior's life is about to change. Recovering from a recent breakup, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes are high: reward and ruin--and 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--if the secret Luke'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. About the Author With over 100 million copies of his books sold, Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved storytellers. His novels include fifteen #1 New York Times bestsellers, and all of his books, including Three Weeks with My Brother, the memoir he wrote with his brother, Micah, have been New York Times and international bestsellers, and were translated into more than fifty languages. Eleven of Nicholas Sparks's novels--The Choice, The Longest Ride, The Best of Me, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, The Last Song, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Message in a Bottle--have been adapted into major motion pictures.Ron McLarty has appeared in countless stage, film, and television roles. On television, he has appeared in Rescue Me, Sex & The City, The Practice, Judging Amy, and Law & Order: SVU. His stage appearances include starring on Broadway in Moonchildren, Championship Season, and Our Country's Good. A man of many talents, he is also a novelist, a playwright, a director, and an accomplished musician. Ron has narrated over 100 audiobooks including works authored by Stephen King, Danielle Steel, Richard Russo, Stephen Coonts, and Scott Turow, among many others. Ron has supplied voice for