Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy of Always, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first of Sarah Jio's books I have read, and I will definitely be reading more,. I loved the story line, and reading about Kailey's life now and 10 years previous (alternating chapters).
Kailey present day, is engaged to be married to Ryan the absolute perfect dream husband to be. One night leaving a restaurant she sees a homeless man, and realizes it is her first and true love, Cade.
Sarah Jio's storytelling is great, you feel everything Kailey is feeling as she is reeling with finding Cade and dealing with how to move forward.
Since this was an ARC, I am hoping the finished copy has in more detail what happened to Cade, since I felt that was the only part which was a bit rushed.
I would suggest this book to any of my friends who love women's fiction, and chick-lit. It is a very quick read and I was left happy at the end.

Well, this book finally helped me out of my reading slump! Not my usual genre, a little chick, but I really, really enjoyed it. Loved the Seattle location and the characters ( hated the names- seriously Cade & Kaidy?), but it was just what I needed right now. There were a few unsettled issues, but I can live with that since I loved the ending. I would recommend this, my first Sarah Jio book, to anyone who likes their books light and sweet!
Thanks to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the advance digital review copy!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kailey Crane seems to have it all: a great job as a writer for the Herald, and a wonderful fiancé who looks like a Disney prince and is seemingly perfect. After enjoying a romantic dinner at one of Seattle's contemporary downtown restaurants, Kailey offers her leftovers to a homeless man and is stunned when she recognizes him. He is the love of her life, Cade McAllister.

The story alternates from present day to ten years earlier to explore Kailey and Cade's relationship. Their initial attraction was undeniable and intense. Kailey is swept up in their connection and is left heartbroken when the relationship suddenly ends and Cade disappears from her life. Present day Cade is a broken-down version of his former self—he may look similar, but he has suffered a brain injury. Is the man that Kailey once loved still in there? How did he go from being famous in the music industry to homeless?

Kailey takes on Cade's care and keeps it from her fiancé. She is desperate to piece together what has happened to him and in doing so, awakens her unresolved feelings and puts her into a compromising position where she must decide which man she will continue to love.

A fast read, enjoyable, but terribly predictable and there is a gaping plot hole—who prevented Cade from getting the medical care he needed and signed him out of the hospital? Would nobody really be looking for him? He was after all a famous producer and co-owned a record label. If you are a fan of this genre, you would definitely enjoy the book.

Kailey has a wonderful life. A loving fiancee Ryan and a fantastic job at the Herald. She is very happy. After having dinner dinner with her fiancee, she notices a homeless man and gives him her leftover food. As she looks into his eyes, she realizes he is her ex-boyfriend Cade who disappeared from her life years ago. She is so shocked! Kailey goes back to the restaurant the next day to find Cade and see what has happened to him in the last 10 years since he disappeared so suddenly from her life. Kailey helps Cade get the help he needs but keeps Cade from her fiancee. The story goes back and forth to present day to 10 years ago as we learn of Kailey's and Cade's love. As Cade becomes more of the man Kailey knows she needs to decide if she belongs with the love of her life or her fiancee. I really enjoyed this book. It is a story of love, lost love found again, and friendship. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Blackberry Winter and The Violets of March comes a gripping, poignant novel about the kind of love that never lets go, and the heart's capacity to remember.

While enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with her fiance, Ryan, at one of Seattle's chicest restaurants, Kailey Crane can't believe her good fortune: She has a great job as a writer for the Herald and is now engaged to a guy who is perfect in nearly every way. As they leave the restaurant, Kailey spies a thin, bearded homeless man on the sidewalk. She approaches him to offer up her bag of leftovers, and is stunned when their eyes meet, then stricken to her very core: The man is the love of her life, Cade McAllister.

When Kailey met Cade ten years ago, their attraction was immediate and intense everything connected and felt "right." But it all ended suddenly, leaving Kailey devastated. Now the poor soul on the street is a faded version of her former beloved: His weathered and weary face is as handsome as Kailey remembers, but his mind has suffered in the intervening years. Over the next few weeks, Kailey helps Cade begin to piece his life together, something she initially keeps from Ryan. As she revisits her long-ago relationship, Kailey realizes that she must decide exactly what and whom she wants.

Alternating between the past and the present, Always is a beautifully unfolding exploration of a woman faced with an impossible choice, a woman who discovers what she's willing to save and what she will sacrifice for true love. (via Goodreads)
I received an eARC from the publisher, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have also previously reviewed Sarah Jio's Morning Glory, which can be found on Tumblr here.

I did not enjoy reading Always, which disappointed me greatly. I loved the first two books I read by Sarah Jio, and this one really fell short for me.

I didn't care about any of the characters, even Cade's life didn't intrigue me. She kept saying she loved everyone, but I never felt any emotion from this book.

The mystery of what happened to Cade was really interesting, but it felt like Jio was trying to do too many things, without enough pages. She was trying to show that Kailey was a great journalist, while also being everything to everyone in her life - a great cook, Cade's savior, Ryan's perfect fiancé and an investigator into Cade's issues. It was way too much for one book, and it never came together.

I think that I would have loved this if it had just been the mystery of trying to figure out what happened to Cade, or reconnecting with Cade and dealing with losing her relationship with Ryan. It just never really worked for me.

This releases tomorrow, and I hope it's more your cup of tea than mine. This is a two star read for me.



Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, THE LOOK OF LOVE--all from Penguin (Plume), and ALWAYS, forthcoming on February 7, 2017 from Random House (Ballantine). Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys.

A story of lost love and second chances, Always is a glimpse at what happens when the past collides with the seemingly perfect present. Sarah Jio delivers an intriguing storyline, one that managed to tug on my heartstrings, but I'd be lying if I said the predictability and ease in which things were resolved didn't leave me a little underwhelmed.

I assume everyone that’s ever had their heart broken has imagined what it would be like to bump into their ex. Of course, you’d want that person to eat their heart out and maybe even admit what a mistake it was to think they could ever live without you. But, what if they had no memories of you or the love you once shared?

For Kailey, now 10-years post devastation, she’s living the perfect life. Perfect fiancé, dream job and all in a city she loves. Old wounds are ripped open when she sees Cade, the man she once vowed to spend toujours with. He’s a shadow of who he once was, lost in his own head and homeless, no memories of their two years together. The story begs the question - what would you do - save him or move on?

I absolutely loved the rainy Seattle setting, all of the music references (I wholeheartedly agree with Cade’s belief that good music has the power to touch your heart) and the possibility of second chances. But that's where it sort of stopped for me.

This is my first experience with Sarah Jio’s writing and considering how thrown off I was by the execution and the choppy writing, I'm not sure if I would give her a second chance. I was actually quite surprised to see this is her eighth book. The enormous holes in the plot, the unanswered questions, the unbelievable actions of the entire cast of characters, the sheer number of coincidences and the ease in which things were resolved, left me thinking this could have been so much more.

I’m the first to admit, I’m a picky reader. So take this review for what it is - just my opinion. Not every book or author is my cup of tea and you know what, I’m totally okay with that.

Always by Sarah Jio (Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine)

Review copy provided by Netgalley.

Genres: Romance, Drama, Mystery

RATING: 4/5



The Story

Kailey is in love with life, her city and her handsome fiance. Her life is perfect. At least, until an encounter with a homeless man drags her straight back into the past. The man is Cade, once the owner of a successful music empire, and the love of Kailey’s life. Devastated at what has happened to Cade, she takes it upon herself to help him. Cade barely recognises her and has no idea why his life turned out the way it did – it is up to Kailey to piece his life back together, but in doing so she risks tearing her own life apart.

You never forget your first love. The old adage certainly holds true in this beautiful, thoughtful novel by Sarah Jio.



The Review

From the very first page, I feel like I know who Kailey is. That is Jio’s gift. Writing believable characters is hard at the best of times, but being able to do in a subtle, nuanced way is a real art. Jio uses the words and actions of this cast to show their personalities and emotions. The novel is a rollercoaster of emotion, and we live it inside Kailey’s head. Being able to accurately portray Kailey’s thoughts and feelings during some quite traumatic situations is key to the success of this novel, and Jio nails it.

From the very beginning of this novel, I felt like I understood Kailey’s situation. She has a great fiance, an exciting job, a fantastic future awaiting her, but there’s an air of hesitation about her. In a way, it all seems a little too perfect. The opening chapter does a brilliant job of making me curious, and I love a book that makes me curious.

This intrigue is maintained for the entirety of Always, helped immensely by Jio’s clever use of time-jumps. We live through Kailey’s present and past in alternating segments, slowly piecing together her story. These flashbacks to the past are great not only for providing context to Kailey’s current situation, but also for explaining to the reader all that Cade has lost, and how difficult it is for Kailey to see him like he is.

It’s a novel which is uplifting, emotional, thoughtful and at some moments truly heart-wrenching. What it isn’t, however, is a sappy, wet tale of stereotypical love. It’s nuanced. Kailey ends up in an impossible situation; helping her first love to get his life back together, whilst also making sure her new love doesn’t think she’s abandoning him. Always is a novel that makes the reader think. What would I do in this situation? Often there is no right or wrong answer, but in the end we are left with a satisfying story which feels like everything happened the way it should.

It’s a very unique idea for a novel, but one which I think every reader could relate to in one way or another. My only criticism? Though intriguing, the novel is, on some occasions, a little predictable.

Always is released on 7th February 2017, and is available for preorder now.

Jio can be contacted via her website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A captivating novel of love, lost, found and rekindled. This book is haunting and heart warming, a book you may want to re-read.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I had never read anything by Sarah Jio before but will add her to my reading list. I enjoyed reading about Kailey and how torn she was between the two men that she loved. The story goes back and forth between Kailey's past life with Cade and her current life with Ryan. She had hard decisions to make once she finds Cade who disappeared from her life without a word or a trace. Once she confronts her feelings for Cade and does everything that she can to help him get his life back she makes the right decision,

Written with alternating chapters between the past and the present seamlessly giving a good flow to the story. In the past, you read about the budding relationship between Kailey and Cade. Reading this made the chapters that focused on the present more heartbreaking. I mourned the loss relationship along with Kailey and was anxious to see what happened to Cade to take him the successful man he was to the confused, unresponsive homeless man on the streets. The love story aspect of this book is believable and well-written, heartbreaking and sweet. An emotional ride as you witness Kailey’s struggle of her current situation of planning a wedding to the ideal man while just discovering that her one true love, once very successful, is now a homeless person. Written that both men clearly loved Kailey; one needing her help to recover and the other ready to build their life together, what a complex situation to be in and a difficult decision to face. This was a captivating read and a page turner. My first read by this author and I look forward to reading her other books.

What prevented this from a 5 star rating is some unanswered questions/events that weren’t explained. (spoilers):
Why James was avoiding Kailey and then his sudden change of heart and offering to help was odd. Another issue I had was what really happened to Cade? Was he attacked again after being denied access to James party, was he attacked when he was with his homeless friend, Ivan? Who checked/signed him out of the hospital?

While this was a good story with an engaging plot, I definitely had some problems with it. Classic case of having to choose between two men, I felt that the author was leading the reader to agree with the protagonist's choice in the end. I also found it interesting that circumstances worked out so that the choice was not as far fetched as implied at the beginning of the book. I'm also not a big fan of the idea that we all have a "soul mate" in life. I'm not buying it, no matter how an author sugarcoats it. I did find this to be an easy read. The characters, while a bit superficial, were interesting enough to keep the story moving. While not terribly literary, the writing flowed well and the story didn't drag for me. Probably my favorite thing about the book was the spotlight on homelessness and mental health issues. I feel that more on this topic would have made the book even better for me.

Overall a good read for when you don't want to have to think too much, although it did feel that the author was dragging the reader to the proper happily ever after ending.

Sarah Jio saved my life, so I must in turn save her one day. You see, I have been in a reading slump for months...a depressing slump where I have started and stopped numerous books (which before now I'd never done) and barely enjoyed some of the ones I finished. So when I remembered I had this one waiting from NetGalley, I figured "what do I have to lose?" So, I started 'Always'......and couldn't stop.

I loved reading the backstory of Kailey and Cade's love story, and the flashbacks tied their story to the present in a unique way. When I wasn't reading--whether I was busy doing dishes, cooking, in the shower...I was thinking about this story. It was a beautiful one. One of love, heartache and even a twinge of mystery. The characters were real. The story was one I felt. It is a story worth reading.

So thank you, Ms. Jio. Thank you for creating this story and rescuing me from the deep rut I couldn't get myself out of. This is the first book of yours I've read, but it won't be the last.

He was her first love, her soulmate and they shared what most people can only dream of and then he was gone. Just gone, no word, nothing and she was crushed. Ten years have passed and time has changed Kailey, she is now a successful journalist, engaged to a wealthy man who is kind, supportive and simply amazing. In the back of her mind and her heart, she has never gotten over Cade, so when she swears she saw him while out with Ryan, she knew she couldn’t rest until she knew for sure that the broken homeless man really could be her larger than life Cade.

He is a mere shadow of his former self, gaunt, grimy and acting as if he were in a haze, no memory of who she is, let alone who he once was. Now Kailey must find out what happened a decade ago and who was responsible, all without letting Ryan know. When the horrors of the last time Cade was “Cade” come to life, the finger points at the one person who would benefit most from Cade’s millions. Is he guilty?

ALWAYS by Sarah Jio is a tale of love, loss and remembering. It is a tale of choices, healing and soul deep commitment and the super-human strength of love at its very core. Told through flashbacks, the mystery of Cade’s disappearance and his loss of memory come to light as the modern day Cade also begins to remember who he was and who his heart belonged to. What of Ryan? Kailey is caught between two lovers, but when push comes to shove, her heart knows where she wants to be, no matter what. Soulful, dramatic, and sometimes difficult to read as this tale unfolds, it is a well-written romance that will leave one wondering, what if?

I received a ARC edition from Balantine Books in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 7, 2017)
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 288 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

What an emotional and lovely story. Love endures and true love never dies Sarah Jio does not disappoint and the story kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning.

Talented author and journalist Sarah Jio's newest novel, Always, will be released February 7, 2017. As the novel opens, the year is 2008, and journalist Kailey Crain has just enjoyed dinner out with her fiancée, Ryan, at a popular Seattle restaurant. As she is leaving the restaurant, Kailey sees a homeless man on the sidewalk and decides to give him her takeout bag of leftovers. Imagine her surprise when she looks into the eyes of the homeless man and recognizes her former fiancée, Cade, part owner of a successful record company, who disappeared without a word and left her broken-hearted ten years previously. Ironically, Kailey is working on a series of pieces for her newspaper about an area of Seattle that is due to be redeveloped--an area in which one of the city's few viable homeless shelters exists. Although Kailey is soon to be married to Ryan--who seems perfect in almost every way--she is drawn to Cade and finding out what happened ten years previously. Jio is a talented writer, and her prose and the way the novel goes back and forth from 2008 to 1998 is quite well done. Her plot has fascinating elements at play in it also: mystery, romance, social problems, the beautiful city of Seattle to name a few. I was hooked into wanting to know how the plot would develop. As I read further, however, the plot and characterization, were where this novel fell short despite Jio's writing talent-- where the novel became more formulaic romance, and less mystery or believable fiction. They are where depth was left out of the novel. Kailey's character is portrayed as having big heart, but can be quite selfish and thoughtless. Ryan's character is fairly one-dimensional. An explanation of how Cade became homeless is never really completely resolved. This novel which started out with so much promise, ended up being my least favorite of Jio's books for those reasons, and those reasons make this book into a predictable romance, but not the compelling novel it could have been.

Always drew me right in and tugged at my heartstrings...Thankful to have experienced this book. One lesson learned: things aren't always what they appear, and we shouldn't make judgments when we don't know the facts.

A quick reading, well-paced story that was easy to get lost in, you will find yourself immersed in both Kailey's past and present. The Seattle late '90's music scene is a great setting, and I loved picturing all the musicians etc as they were talked about. The plight of the homeless touched me and brought tears to my eyes. There is much here that is very thought-provoking...Do you make judgments of others based on how they look? Do you take time to see past outer appearances? How far are you willing to help a friend from the past who is in trouble? What would you be willing to sacrifice? Would you be willing to hurt someone from your present? This will make a great book club book or for discussions among book-reading friends. Recommended!

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC copy to read and review**

I really loved this book! After reading Always' description I was immediately intrigued. The characters are all very likable, and I felt myself immediately draw in, wanting to know more after the first few pages. The storyline felt unique and refreshing to me, and, being a 90's child, the Seattle grunge rock setting was an added bonus. Although some books that include flashbacks in time can tend to get confusing, I found the alternating stories to work really well in this case. The only problem I had with this book were the last few chapters. They seem to feel a bit rushed and maybe left a few loose ends that needed tying up. In any case, I loved Kailey, her heart, and her story! This is my first time reading Sarah Jio's work and I must say I am an instant fan. I look forward to her future stories and greatly anticipate delving into her earlier works.

I was given this book by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review. I found the subject matter intriguing-what would you do if your life was really happy and all of a sudden, your lost love turned up homeless out of the blue?
I liked that there were no easy answers and everything wasn't totally wrapped up in Cade's past. That being said, I had a hard time liking the main characters. I didn't care who ended up with who. It does make you think about some interesting questions though.

This was a very interesting novel - part romance and part social commentary. From some authors, this mix wouldn't work but Sarah Jio makes it work and turns it into a fantastic novel.

When Kailey moved to Seattle with her best friend, they were both just out of college and excited to be living in such a fantastic city. Kailey met Cade and he quickly became the love of her life. He was a music producer for the alternative rock singers in the area and they had a fantastic time exploring the city as they fell in love. Then one day Cade just disappeared. Kailey looked for him and finally gave up and moved on with her life. Fast forward ten years and Kailey is engaged to Ryan and they are leaving dinner at a fancy French restaurant. As she is waiting for Ryan to get the car, she sees a homeless man and after looking into his eyes, she realizes that it is Cade. The novel is about how she tries to help Cade while maintaining her life with Ryan. There is a lot of social commentary about the homeless and the way that they are treated with one line repeated several times: "They are people just like us".

Even though I didn't always agree with Kailey's decisions, I found her to be a convincing main character torn between the memory of her first love and the reality of the man she is engaged to. This is a compelling novel and I found myself reading very fast to find out how it would end.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book is exchange for a fair and honest review.