“Always” by Sarah Jio
Published by Ballantine Books
Finished 1/21/17 - 3/5 stars

Kailey has moved back to Seattle, found a good job, met a nice guy, and fell in love. They bought a house together and are busy planning their wedding when one evening she happens upon a homeless man when leaving a fancy restaurant in the city. When their eyes meet, he doesn’t recognize her but she is sure she knows who he is – her first love from years ago. He was young and successful when he just disappeared from her life, never to be heard from again. What could have possibly happened for him to now be living on the streets and not even remember her? Kailey is determined to find out, but at what cost.

I had heard great things about Sarah Jio’s books but this is the first one I’ve actually read. Unfortunately, I have a feeling it’s not her best work. I found this story to be low drama, low action, and fairly predictable. With that being said, it was also just what the doctor ordered for me at this time because I had just finished the most depressing book I have ever read and needed something light with a happy ending. It definitely served its purpose for me. Because of the great things I’ve heard about this author, although this book was only a 3/5 for me, I will be trying another of her books.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Sarah Jio has long been one of my favorite authors, so I am very excited to have the opportunity to read Always in digital format.

Kailey and Ryan are a successful young couple, about to be married, when Kailey runs in to her first love Cade, who left her suddenly years ago. Cade is a shadow of himself, thin, bearded, and seemingly homeless.

Kailey can't get Cade out of her mind and she makes the decision to find him again and to save him, all while trying to determine what happened to him in the past and while trying to hold on to her relationship with Ryan.

I thought we were going to have a real mystery with a seedy business partner, but Jio left that thread and smoothed over loose ends quickly at the end. All in all it was an enjoyable read. I will always love Jio's novels.

This book wasn’t for me, so take my review with a grain of salt.

I thought I would take a chance on Always because an ARC came my way unsolicited. It’s not the kind of story I usually read, but I like an occasional dose of fluffy sap -- although I do hope for credible emotions and a dose of common sense. In this case, I quickly realized that this book was not for me but I must confess that I kept reading because I was a bit curious as to how far this farfetched story would go. Kailey is engaged to be married to wealthy, loving Ryan. Kailey runs into former love of her life from 10 years ago Cade, who is now homeless and brain damaged. Kailey feels drawn to helping Cade, and you can imagine the rest. What troubled me most about Always was the simplistic look at homelessness and brain damage. What also bothered me about Always were Kailey’s bizarre decisions and mixed emotions. And the end bothered me too.

Again, this one really wasn’t for me. Lesson learned. Clearly I need to be more picky when it comes to fluffy sap.

No hard feelings toward Netgalley and the publisher for offering me an advance copy. Taking a chance on books has often led to good finds – just not in this case.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine books for an e-ARC of this title, in exchange for an honest review. I was really happy to get this one, because I am a Sarah Jio fan. This book had interesting aspects to it that made me think after I'd turned the last page. Kailey is engaged to a wonderful man, but as they leave dinner one night, she comes across a homeless man, who she realizes is her former love, who'd disappeared from her life. What happened? How does a person go from successful to homeless? Can she/should she, help him? The chapters alternate between when Kailey and Cade were together to the recent past. I found it interesting that Jio said she was trying to capture the feel of Seattle a few years back, and I think she did a great job at that. Highly recommended.

I received this ARC from Net galley, in exchange for my honest review.
The main character Kailey is having dinner with her fiance, Ryan. As they are leaving the restaurant, Kailey makes contact with a homeless man and realizes it's the former love of her life, Cade.
This story flips between past and present time, recalling what brought Cade and Kailey together and how things ended with them.
The idea of this plot was appealing to me, but there are some holes in the story line that bothered me. One in particular was the medical care Cade received( or lack there of). Some of the details of the book are brought in by the author, but never really explained thoroughly.
All in all, it was a predictable, sweet romance.

Always is a simple and sweet love story with a little mystery thrown in. It's not your typical "boy meets girl"- rather "Cade meets Kailey, they fall in love and are planning to marry, then Cade disappears without a trace." When Cade turns up 10 years later as a homeless man living on the streets of Seattle with no memory of how he got there, the plot alternates between the present (actually 2008), and 1996 when Kailey and Cade first meet. But a lot has happened in the decade since Cade left- although she has never gotten over Cade or stopped wondering what happened to him, Kailey is now engaged to Ryan, a handsome real estate developer with a bright future. At first Kailey tries to convince herself that she is only trying to help Cade get his memory back and rebuild his life, but in the flashback chapters we see how passionately in love they were, while her life with Ryan seems boring and forced. Always is most compelling when solving the puzzle of what happened to Cade-the outcome of who Kailey ends up with is never really in doubt. Although Always ends with a "happily ever after" for two of the characters, I almost wish Kailey had married the other guy-it would have made the story much more interesting.

I have been reading Sarah Jio's books since her very first book was released and I am never disappointed. Always is a vintage Sarah Jio book; filled with nostalgia, heart wrenching turns of fate, and ultimately love and a heroine who has no other choice but to follow her heart. As is with most of Sara's previous books I did not want to put this one down. The writing flowed seamlessly and I adore her writing style of alternating chapters between past and present.
If you are a fan of Sarah's you will enjoy this book, if you are not but are a fan of romance and lost love kind of stories you too will be swept up in Always.

*thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a fast-paced read. The characters had depth and strong moral compasses.

Sarah Jio is at it again in this poignant and gripping novel about love lost and love found as the past and the present collide in the most tragic of ways. Ten years after losing the love of her life, Kailey has moved on, never knowing that the past is about to catch up with her and tear her newly built world apart. As she tries to piece together the shards of what could have been, Kailey is faced with a decision – one that only the heart can make. Jio’s newest novel, while slightly predictable, is full of tragedy, love, and intrigue – a definite must-read for her fans and more!

Enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with her fiancé, Ryan, at one of Seattle’s chicest restaurants, Kailey Crain can’t believe her good fortune: She has a great job as a journalist and is now engaged to a guy who is perfect in nearly every way. As she and Ryan 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.

Flashing back to 1996, and then fast-forwarding to 2008, “Always” is a gripping and emotionally thrilling novel of first love, lost love, and the power of healing.

Set in a Seattle that vibrated with the music scene of the 1990s, Cade McAllister and Kailey Crain were in the heat of new love: they were full of dreams, plans, and the building of connections. They were soul mates.

But then something happened. Something inexplicable. During that summer of 1998, Cade disappeared. For ten years, Kailey would wonder, would grieve, and then finally move on with Ryan Winston.

What did Kailey discover during the winter of 2008, after finding Cade on that sidewalk? How does she finally uncover the events of that final summer together in 1998? Who was responsible for Cade’s injuries? Will she be able to put the pieces together in such a way that Cade can be restored to her and to his life?

I could not stop reading this story, feeling the strength of that first love, despite the obstacles and the loss, and rooting for Kailey and Cade…while still feeling a bit sad for Ryan. Yes, I could predict a lot of what would ultimately happen, but that did not make it a “predictable” read for me, as there were numerous questions along the way. Mysteries to solve. So this book was another winning tale by this author. 5 stars.

I love Sarah Jio. Her books are always so good. I haven't read one that I didn't like and if you haven't read one, why not?

In this one, Kailey's life is perfect. She's engaged to the perfect man, she has the perfect job, they have the perfect home and everything is going great. Then one night after a perfect dinner, she sees a homeless man. Kailey has the biggest heart and it goes out to this homeless man. She's carrying a doggy bag home, so she gives it to this man. When she truly looks at this man, she looks into his eyes, past his beard, long hair and dirty face and sees his eyes. She knows him. It's her ex-boyfriend. The one who broke her heart. The one who took her years to get over. The one who she thought she would be with forever. Homeless and he didn't even recognize her.

Kailey can't stand it. She has to help him. This man once ran a multimillion dollar record company. Why is he in the streets?

In the end Kailey must choose. Who will it be?

I'm not sure if I agree with her choice, but this is a great read, very entertaining and enjoyable. As I had to find out what was going on with Cade and what had happened to him, and how, I couldn't put it down. Of course, being retired I had the luxury.

Huge thanks to Random House - Ballantine for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I'd rate this book 3.75 stars - not quite a 4, but higher than a 3. After having dinner with her fiancee, Kailey gives food to a homeless man who she is convinced he's her long lost love from years ago. He disappeared from her life with no warning and she's always wondered why and what happened to him. The story is told in the present and past, with flashbacks that fill in the missing pieces. Ultimately the story is about the power of love. My first book by Sarah Jio, but not my last.

The following review will be available on thebookgawker.com on January 31, 2017

A few months ago I had the pleasure of reading and advanced copy of Sarah Jio's newest novel, Always. To say that I couldn't put it down is an understatement.
I binge read the entire book within a Sunday. It was so good!
Kailey Crain is engaged to a great guy, she has an amazing job as a reporter, and everything she could want from life. But is this the life she really wanted?
After a romantic dinner with her fiancé at Seattle's chicest restaurant, Kailey spies a ghost from her past as she's leaving. Someone that she never thought she would see again, Cade, her first love and the man who vanished from her life ten years earlier. Formerly the owner of one of Seattle's most successful record labels, Cade had been a charismatic, energetic young man with a great career ten years earlier. The Cade of present is a gaunt shell of a man who is living on the streets.

Confused and conflicted, Kailey must confront her past to move on with her future.
This novel tackles relevant social issues and offers a great love story that I think readers will enjoy.
Always is available - just in time for Valentine's day on February 7, 2017.

I just finished this book, which I read in two days. If I say it was hard to put down, it might be misunderstood. I kept reading to see if I was right about the ending by the end of the first chapter. Low and behold, I was. I don't like books that are so predictable, and gets to a certain conclusion, no matter what. This book had many hard to believe scenarios, totally contrived and far fetched. For Cade to go from a near vegetative state to a normal person in a few short weeks, totally impossible. Not to talk about the big event that Cade forgot. He didn't remember the traumatic event that led to his becoming from a recording executive to a homeless man. Although this is a very important part of the story, it is never followed through. Overall, this was a quick read, very disappointing, do not recommend.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and Sarah Jim, the author for the advanced copy.

Your heart will swoop and soar like an eagle as you read Cade and Kailey's love story. You will feel every emotion of every character.

Ms. Jio does an extraordinary job in making you, as a reader and a human, second guess what you would do if you recognized a homeless person as someone close to you in your past. Being homeless is not always a drug and alcohol condition. Sometimes life events put one in that situation and they cannot find their way out.

I simply couldn't put this book down. I read it in a 24 hour time span. Open your heart and take a chance, you will not be disappointed.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House, for the opportunity to read and review an ARC copy.

Too often I’m enjoying a story when I begin to feel like I’m not getting the meat and potatoes … just the veggies  That was the case with Always. When I read the final word and closed the book I knew more details would have enhanced my reading experience.

Kailey is leaving a restaurant one evening with her fiancé Ryan when she spies a homeless man on the sidewalk. She approaches the man and is stunned when she realizes it’s her first love, Cade McAllister. When Kailey met Cade years ago, their attraction was immediate and intense. But it ended suddenly, leaving Kailey devastated. Now Cade is a faded version of himself since his mind has suffered in the intervening years and Kailey feels compelled to see Cade healed despite what Ryan may think.

Always is told in alternating time periods. The reader visits the past and learns how Kailey and Cade met and fell in love. The reader also visits present day Kailey. She’s newly engaged and trying to move on with her life since Cade has been gone for years. For the most part the story telling is well done. I thought the story was believable and interesting.

There’s a hint mystery here too in what happened to Cade. Why did he disappear all those years ago? Why is he currently homeless? These questions are answered but left me with a sense of suspense while reading. I was eager to discover what happened to Cade, but minutes after finishing the book I couldn’t remember what caused his current condition! Yikes! I guess it didn’t leave much of an impact?! As I mentioned above, I realized I needed more details in places. This was one of those places.

The biggest thing I take away from this story is the hardships of the homeless. Living in a small community I rarely come in contact with the homeless. This book highlighted for me that you should not assume what a person’s circumstances are. That anything could leave a person with no choice but to take to the streets.

Need a romance with a hint of intrigue? Grab a copy of Always. It’s a pleasant read even if this reader wanted just a little bit more.

Always is the eighth novel by Washington author Sarah Jio. Set in her own backyard of Seattle, this novel is centered on Kailey Crane, a journalist with the Seattle Herald. Kailey has not had an easy life. Her parents were killed in an auto accident when Kailey was seven. She was then raised by loving grandparents but always felt as though something special was missing. That is until she met record producer Cade McAllister. Cade's background mirrored Kailey's, and their connection was immediate. From their first date on they seemed inseparable, that is until his company took a downturn and they had a fierce argument. Afterward, Cade vanished.

After years of angsting, Kailey has finally moved on and is engaged to successful businessman Ryan Winston. All is moving along towards their wedding date until Kailey looks into the eyes of a homeless man to whom she is offering her restaurant leftovers and sees a blank stared Cade looking back. Kailey must find out what happened and how he ended up in this condition, but feels hesitant to tell Ryan her discovery. Kailey uses Ryan's business travel as the opportunity to make these discoveries, but what she inevitably discovers is that her heart belongs to more than one man.

Sensitively written, we are privy to the history and struggles of the relationship between Kailey and Cade, the more mature relationship between Kailey and Ryan, and the aftermath when Kailey tries to help Cade regain his memories. With some surprising turns, the reader will root for each of the main players, but can they all find their happily ever after? I do recommend this book.

Always by Sarah Joi an east to read sweet stand alone romance, that I found myself reading in one sitting. Kailey has finally moved on from the love of her life. Now engaged to her new fiance, life has come together for her, everything is finally normal. One random night out with her fiance she sees the one man from her past on the street, homeless almost unrecognizable- broken.

The premise is catching, and unique. As one can imagine Kailey's heartbreak is just beginning. This novel is well written. The characters are well developed and the story dabbles a bit into the suspense genre, which I enjoyed. The POV's alternate betwen present and past, which usually I find redundant, and perhaps in some parts may have interfered with the cadance of the story's flow. However most of the past POV's added much needed backstory and only added to the suspense.

I had a small problem with a pretty obvious unanswered question of who done it, which left a major portion of the suspense unswered. Who checked Cade out? I feel cheated when authors don't conclude plot twist properly. 3.5 Stars for a book that would be great for any book club or an easy recommend.

Sarah Jio does not disappoint! Always was such an engrossing read - the storytelling is masterfully done.
The story is told between two time periods and the transitions back and forth were clear and seamless. This was a true romance with real life struggles and filled with realistic characters.

Always was a pleasure and I look forward to passing on a recommendation. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars.

I have loved all of Jio's books that I have read in the past and I really liked this one as well, although there were some plot points that were left unresolved and really nagged at me. Kailey is all set to marry Ryan, the perfect guy, until she runs into her old boyfriend, Cade, who is now homeless and has suffered from a traumatic brain injury that leaves him with no recollection of her. As she tries to go about getting him medical help over the period of several months, his memory starts to come back and their feelings for each other are rekindled. I really felt for her as she made her decision between Ryan and Cade and although the ending is too predictable, I still felt very badly for the man not picked. It also brought to light the problem of homelessness and what happens to them when progress occurs, which I will admit is something that I don't give nearly as much thought to as I probably should. Although I did enjoy this book, I think that some of Jio's other books were a little less predictable and more intriguing.

*Thank you to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.