Sarah Jio is an author that I always look forward to her next book and have enjoyed them all so I was really disappointed with this book. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy the story line and I had a difficult time finishing the book.

Sarah Jio's novel, Always, is such a poignant tale of love, lost and found. It also gives the reader a brief glimpse into the subject of homelessness. Beautifully written!

This story is sure to be a delight for Sarah Jio's readers. I would recommend this novel for book clubs as there is much to be discussed between the covers of this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel and to share my thoughts.

This book shines a spotlight on homelessness, which is an issue for many or most urban centres. It's easy to judge how or why people end up on the street, but things are not always what they seem. This topic forms the background of this book and the choices we must make in life and in love. I did find the ending a little too pat, but this book was a good read.

I'm a big fan of Jio, she writes stories about love that have a some substance and not just fluff. I like that. This story grew on me as I read it. At first I was not a fan of the choices the main character was making. But that turns out to be the whole crux of the story: if you had the chance to go back, would you? Interesting concept written with a lot of heart

Another home run from Sarah Jio. Reading Sarah's books always makes me want to go to Seattle. This is a beautifully written love story. Sarah puts some of herself in the main character Kaley.

This is a story of present vs. past love. Engaged and happy Kailey sees a disheveled looking appRently homeless man outside a restaurant and on closer look realizes it's the same man that was the love of her life 10 years ago. Told in alternating chapters of past and present, does she give up her present happiness to try to re-establish and resurrect her past relationship? This book has the makings of a soap opera ok but not great; however I like the author's previous works enough to read her latest.

A little too sappy and perfect for me. I don't really think Kailey would have done all she did. Also, there were too many "holes" in the plot-line especially concerning how Cade got so injured. I think Ms. Jio went off track there and just left things hanging. She does do a great job describing Seattle and bringing us into that world.

I started out as such a fan of Ms Jio, but, for me, her last few books have been lacking. Not sure if it's because so much has happened in her personal life (clearly that can change things) but I hope she gets her writing mojo back soon.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**

I wasn't sure where this book was going, but in a way it has a fairy tale ending.

It was the synopsis that made me interested to read this book. Kailey and Cade had a really beautiful story and it was sad the way it ended for them.

Even though Kailey moved on and found Ryan, you could sense she wasn't as carefree in the relationship as she was with Cade. When Kailey met Cade, who had become homeless and suffering from amnesia, Kailey felt compelled to help him get his life back. And as she helps him, she finds herself drawn by the feelings she's buried away since Cade's disappearance.

Even though I was team Cade, Ryan was perfect. I had wished he had a secretly bad character like being a cheater since he often goes on business trips but no... he was perfect. He loved Kailey despite knowing she wasn't with him 100%. He didn't mind being the one who loved her a tad more. He was as understanding as he could be when he eventually found out about Kailey helping Cade.

I loved that this book was inspired by a true life incident and I'm a sucker for second chance romance, I did wish there was a stronger closure on what happened to Cade. It was too brief and a little far fetched to the beautiful romance they had. I wished for a better ending for Ryan as well. He really didn't deserve any of what happened.

This is my first book by Sarah Jio. To be honest, I've been wanting to check her books out but with the number of books I have to read, I hadn't gotten to it till now. I like the different writing style in this book with flashbacks of the past between Cade and Kailey. I do hope to check out more of Sarah Jio's books and have to commend on her beautiful book covers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for an ARC copy to read and review.

Always look forward to a new novel by Sarah Jio and this one doesn't disappoint. Kailey is caught between her past and future when she realizes the homeless man on the street is her long, lost love.

Sarah Jio is a wonderfully emotional writer and she can really tug at the heart strings as she does in this story. I really cannot fault the writing at all and I will look for more of her work to try. But the reason this is 3 star to me is that the story line of the woman being torn between an old love and her current one is a bit tired-especially lately and it is always frustrating to me when both men are so loving and understanding about things. I mean, this is fiction, yes, but it is also realistic fiction. I felt frustrated at times in the story when I should have been feeling sad or happy for the characters. So, a solid writer but not a great story for me.

Kailey Craine is enjoying a nice and fancy dinner with her fiancé Ryan in one of Seattle's exclusive restaurants. Kaileys has everything you can wish for in her life: a good job as a writer at the Herald, and she lives in a nice house with the most perfect soon-to-be-husband. When they leave the restaurant, Kailey sees a homeless guy on the street, and immediately recognizes him: she is 99% sure he is her ex-boyfriend Cade.
Years ago, he was the love of her life, but it all ended very suddenly when Cade's music business went downhill. Cade always was a goodlooking guy who seemed to have all the luck in life.

Now the homeless guy she sees on the street seem to have lost everything, and as she finds out later, he even lost his speech and memory. Kailey sets herself on a (secret) mission: to find out what happened to Cade after they broke up, and what went wrong in his life that led him to a life on the street, and most of all to help him back on track. Her boss at the Herald makes it an assignment for her. She doen't tell this to Ryan, who is away a lot on business trips, she uses his clothes for Cade, and their own money to get Cade in a center for rehabilitation, psychological and medical carebut when he finds out, something has already changed: Kailey has fallen in love again with Cade, and she has to decide between her old and her new life. But what is she can make a new life with her old boyfriend?

Always is another amazing and very entertaining book by Sarah Jio. I have read several other books by her previously, so I was looking forward for this one! The storyline and characters are very good. Totally unpredictable, as a reader you have no clue what is going to happen next. I really liked how Kailey tried to help Cade. What I also liked about her was the decision she has to make in the end between Ryan and Cade. The tree main characters steal your heart. All of three are not guilty or bad, it is just how it happens in their life at that moment. But of course, one of them is going to be hurt in the end.

I really liked this book. It has a lot of romance, plot twists and turns and it's just one of those books that is difficult to put down. It also brought up the social issues of homelessness, and that it can happen to everyone. Recommended read!

Happily engaged woman (Kailey) is stunned to discover that her ex-boyfriend (Cade) is homeless.

This was my first time reading a book by Sarah Jio, and it definitely won't be my last! From the end of the very first chapter which made me gasp, "whoa," this story had me absolutely mesmerized.

After a romantic dinner one night with her fiancee, Ryan, Kailey is stunned to encounter her ex-boyfriend, Cade, who appears to be homeless and living on the streets of Seattle. Even more disturbing is that when she tries to talk to him, he doesn't seem to recognize her! As the story alternates between past and present, more pieces of the puzzle are filled in for the reader, and for Kailey. Can she forget a man she once loved (and maybe still does), especially when he so desperately needs her help? Or, will she leave her past behind and marry Ryan?

Kailey's heart is torn between her past and her future, and the struggle was very real and emotional. No spoilers here, but the story is definitely worth the read and was beautiful in more ways than one! #Toujours

Last but not least, I loved the Author's Note and Acknowledgements at the end and felt like it added another dimension to the story. I am definitely a new fan and will be seeking out more books by this author!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Kailey Cain is a reporter for the Herald in Seattle. She is engaged to Ryan Winston who is just about the perfect guy. One night while as they are leaving a restaurant after having a nice dinner, she gives her leftovers to a homeless man who looks strangely familiar. Soon she discovers the homeless man is Cade McAllister her estranged ex-boyfriend, but he doesn't recognize her as easily. What happened to him over the past ten years? Kailey is determined to find out, but at what cost.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine books for the opportunity to read and review this book Always, was a quick read that I found hard to put down. I had to know what was going to happen next. It captivated me from the beginning and held my attention throughout. This is not your typical love story and some of the story was a bit predictable, but I thought there was going to be a villain in the story. What would you do if your boyfriend seemed to just vanish off the face of the earth and then ten years later, here he is, homeless and very unclear of exactly who he is and how he got to be in this position. Would you risk your current relationship to save this other person who had no one else that could help him?

What a difficult decision forKailey to have to make. Everyone in her life is very supportive of the idea of her helping Cade including her fiancee, Ryan. But how much is going to be able to take and understand before it all becomes too much. You can feel for everyone involved in this situation, that it's messy and nearly impossible to figure out. But love always conquers all right and the love for the right man will shine through and guide Kailey to the right decision.

This is a great romantic book for all.

Three and a half stars: A lovely second chance romance set against the rainy backdrop of Seattle. Loved the issues and the story, but it suffered from plot holes and lack of development.

Kailey Crane is grateful that she finally found a second chance at love. Her career as a writer is going well and things are perfect. That all changes one night as Kailey enjoys a lovely dinner with her fiancé. Upon leaving the restaurant, Kailey bumps into her college boyfriend, whom she hasn't seen in over ten years. Kailey believed that Cade was the one, and she was preparing to spend her life with him until he vanished without a trace. Now Kailey comes face to face with Cade again, but he isn't himself. He is homeless and he doesn't remember her. Kailey feels compelled to help. What happened to Cade?
What I Liked:
*Always is a tough book for me to review. I found myself swept away by the story, I loved the setting and the nostalgic music references, and I appreciated that the author took on Traumatic Brain Injury and homelessness. This is a book that I loved up until the rather hasty ending. Still if you want a nice book to get lost in, try this one.
*This book features a second chance romance that is told in 1997 and 2008. I loved going back in time and watching Cade and Kailey fall in love in the late nineties in Seattle. The music and the setting enhanced the story. Then the story moves forward in time as Kailey is faced with helping Cade who is homeless and suffering from a brain injury. I won't go into the details, but I loved seeing the relationship unfold both past and present. It was lovely.
*I loved the setting. This book is set in Seattle back in 1997 and 2008. I grew nostalgic as the author shared popular music from the time that was based in Seattle. I thought she did an excellent job of bringing Seattle to life. Loved it!
*I applaud Ms. Jio for painting homelessness in a different light. Many people assume that people are on the street because of bad choices, addiction and so forth. Ms. Jio shows that not everyone is on the street for those reasons. It made me pause and consider the homeless problem in a whole new light. I also appreciated that she called attention to Traumatic Brain Injury.
*The book ends in a nice place. Even though I had some issues with lack of development and some plot holes, I was pleased with how it settled out.
And The Not So Much:
*The romance was troubling. I easily understood Kailey's position and her dilemma, but I hated the way she treated Ryan. Ryan was such a stand up guy, patient, loving and understanding beyond expectation. I hated that Kailey kept things from him and that she wasn't honest. He didn't deserve that. I wanted better for him.
*The story builds to the point where Cade disappears, and then there are some revelations about what happened to Cade. I wasn't satisfied with the answers. I was bothered by the fact that too many things were left undone. For instance, what was going on with Cade back in 1997 that caused he and Kailey to have conflict? You get some hints, but it isn't clear. Was he really on drugs? Then who signed him out of the hospital? Why? I was disappointed that the story line involving the investigation into Cade's past was abandoned. I wanted to know more. James' part in the story isn't clear either. This is a minor niggle, but at the end, I wanted to know what happened to Kailey's dog.
*I found myself swept away by the story, but I struggled with the hurried ending and the lack of development. It felt like it jumped forward quickly to get to the happy ending. There was a lot left undone.

Always is a hard book for me to review. I really enjoyed the story, the setting and the romance, but I was bothered by the lack of development, unanswered questions and there was a bit of a love triangle. Still, I loved that the story took me back in time to Seattle in the late nineties. I also appreciated that the author took on Traumatic Brain Injury and homelessness. I did enjoy the book, I just wish that the ending was better developed.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and Netgalley for generously providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about having a second chance at love. It’s a story that I could not put down.

This story goes between Kailey’s past and present and how they both collide. I could see how she had a hard time letting Cade go and the love that they once shared. I like how this book showed me the other side of homelessness and how they are perceived when in fact the case may be so different. It made me wonder if I could do the same thing in Kailey’s position.

The reason I did not give this a 5 is that I really felt bad for Ryan, her fiancé. Kailey kept reassuring him and keeping things from him and even though “nothing” happened it still felt too close to cheating for me. In the end I’m glad she did the right thing and called off the wedding. Also, with all the mystery around how Cade had lost his memory it was a little anti climatic when you find out what happened.

All in all this was a great read. It showed true love and looking at people from the inside. And I’d definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the love story/mystery aspects. Like Ms. Jio, I was a teenager in the 90s and this was full of nostalgia and fun. Kailey and Cade's story was so engaging and I found myself reading it wherever, even in the drive-thru. It's a book I will definitely read again.

Always is the latest novel by Sarah Jio. Kailey Crain is a journalist with the Herald in Seattle, Washington in 2008. Kailey and her fiancé, Ryan are leaving a restaurant when she spots a homeless man outside. Kailey walks over to give him her leftovers, and discovers it is Cade McAllister. Cade and Kailey were very much in love and she had just discovered she was pregnant when he disappeared. Kailey has not heard from him since early August of 1998. Cade had co-owned Element Records with his best friend, James. Cade’s Aunt Fay had lent them the money to start the company. But, the business relationship between Cade and James started to deteriorate rapidly when James wanted to take the company in a different direction. Kailey is shocked to find Cade in such a state. She slowly wins his trust and gets him to a doctor. It turns out that Cade suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury) which has left him in a state of confusion (has Swiss cheese memory). The doctor recommends a new program for Cade that will help him recover and get back the skills he has lost. Over time, he might regain his memory. Cade re-entering her life creates a dilemma for Kailey. She thought she had moved on from Cade, but seeing him has brought all the feelings back to the surface. Kailey, though, is also in love with Ryan. Kailey needs to make a choice. Which man has captured Kailey’s heart?

I look forward to Sarah Jio’s new book every year. But I did find Always to be a disappointment. I found Always to be a cliché romance novel. It is nicely written and had a good pace (for the most part). The story is somewhat intriguing (especially in the beginning), but then it turns into a predictable romance novel. There are some interesting music references in the book based on Cade’s love of music. I did find the characters to be a little flat (one-dimensional). I give Always 3 out of 5 stars (there are readers who will enjoy it). It is easy to figure out what happened to Cade in 1998. I was a little disappointed that Ms. Jio finishes the book with unanswered questions. The reader never finds out how Cade survived the ten years on the street especially with his injuries. There are areas that will have you shouting at Kailey. Cade just enters the program and Kailey is the only person he knows. He counts on her to visit him. But, Kailey goes on a vacation to Cabo with Ryan. Is this the best time for a romantic trip to Mexico? Does she really think Cade will handle not seeing her? Another moment that was odd (and had me shaking my head with disbelief) is when Kailey finally tracks down Cade (not the first night she sees him outside the restaurant). Instead of taking him somewhere to get immediate assistance, she takes off to visit James. If you had been hunting for this man, would you just leave him again? Kailey had no idea if she would be able to locate him once again. I wish less time had been devoted to Kailey thinking about Cade (how he looked, his charm, etc.). It reminded me of the Harlequin romance novels I read as a teenager. Always was not up to Sarah Jio’s normal standards (like The Violets of March or Blackberry Winter). I will, of course, order Ms. Jio’s next book. Always could have been an off novel for her.

completely predictable and mostly unbelievable and outrageous in that predictability. also annoyingly readable and a page-turner that i couldn't stop reading. if this is what the masses gravitate towards, i get it. it's not challenging or difficult in any way. you don't have to look up words or google information.

Let me begin by saying that Sarah Jio might be my favorite author for when you need to read something that gives you "the feels". There is something so magical about her writing, that you just find yourself completely sucked into the worlds she creates and you don't want to leave. Even when I put the book down to go to work or some other horrible activity, like sleep, that tears me away from her books, you find yourself thinking about the characters. For anyone who has ever spent a significant amount of time in Seattle, she positively brings it to life. My grandparents lived in Seattle when I was growing up, so I spent a lot time there over the years and I have to say, Ms. Jio did a brilliant job or recreating the energy and vibe of Seattle in the 90s. I am just a few years younger than the author, so I can completely identify with the music/coffee/grunge music that absolutely exploded there. It was so fun to relive this time through the eyes of Kailey and her flashbacks on her time in the city with Cade. Like all Sarah Jio novels, this one will pull hard on your heartstrings. It not only highlights the electricity and deep connection that you only have to your first love but also highlights the treatment and view of the homeless population. The only thing that kept me from giving a five-star review, was that it all wrapped up a little too neatly and there was one specific piece of info that we never got an answer too. Other than that, I would totally recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel and be completely transported into a story. I can't wait for her next book!

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.