As with most Nicholas Sparks works, I saw the movie before I read the book. I loved the movie. Scott Eastwood is just a dreamboat, and I really liked looking at him. I'm not ashamed to admit that. I think I saw this at least twice in theaters. I have it on DVD now, and I do enjoy watching it. I bought the book in an airport in Florida and read it when I was in France last summer. It was definitely the perfect size (and price) for traveling.

I tend to enjoy the movie adaptions of Nicholas Sparks books more than the books themselves. I feel like the editing that no one seemed to do on his books is evident in the films. All the dumb or unnecessary plotlines are eliminated in the film versions, and sometimes the storyline itself is improved for the better. I feel that is especially true with The Longest Ride. Involving Sophia and Luke more deeply with Ira in the film makes it a better story. I was a little disappointed when I found that Ira and Ruth's story and Sophia and Luke's story did not intersect until much later in the book. It just felt like the two stories were tied together by a very loose string connecting them together in the novel rather than being tightly woven together as they are in the film.

Long story short, skip the book and watch the movie. I will rarely ever give this advice, but today I do.