This was a lovely story about two main characters that thought they had forever together, but after a tragedy strikes, their forever isn't what they thought it would be. Dealing with the grief of loss, we cry along with Ruby as she navigates life without Hart, at least the Hart that she knew.
It is a book everyone will want to binge read and discuss with their friends!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of Always Isn't Forever by J.C. Cervantes

I like the idea of coming back in another body and falling in love with someone. It's so interesting to navigate a space that was previously occupied by someone else and trying to maintain appearances etc. etc. I loved this idea. I had a good time reading this--the story was really complex and well-done. I enjoyed the emotional moments and the super sweet moments, and I think if you're generally a fan of YA contemporary you're really going to enjoy this story. (Even as someone who generally stays away from Contemporary of any age-group, I liked this a lot!) I can't wait to get physical copies of this for my library!

Hart and Ruby are the best of friends but also soulmates. They are so ready to head into their senior year of high school, until Hart drowns in a boating accident. Ruby is beyond distraught and beside herself on how to pick up the pieces. She just can’t move on or let go, but Hart comes back in another body; Jameson’s body. He can’t tell Ruby it’s him but he longs to. Ruby is drawn to Jameson even though she’ll never let go of Hart. But can being in a new body be enough to redeem your love back.

I loved the complexity of the story. The enduring love story that makes you come back. It gave me the feeling of What Dreams May Come, in the sense that you love someone so much you’re willing to be with them and save them by any means necessary. Even though this story is sweet and touching, I wasn’t overly sadden by it. Moments did have me gush at the sweetness the story told.

If you love star-crossed lovers who will do anything to stay together, than I’d say this YA Contemporary is a good choice.

Immediately, the cover and plot had me thinking of You’ve Reached Sam. When two best friends , Hart and Ruby, have their dreams cut short by Hart’s death, an angel named Lourdes save’s Hart’s soul and gives him a second chance at life. The catch? It is through someone else’s body. This books hits various themes of love and loss, giving every reader, I mean me, their favorite thing, a book that will make you cry. The beginning of the story was excellently fast paced. It will draw you in from the first page. By the end of the book, the story began to drag and was forced to catch up quickly in the end. Full of every emotion you could possibly ask for, this book encompasses grief, passion, and love and provides you with a story you wish did not end.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

Dual perspectives, magical realism, afterlife/death, navigating grief, young love, and sacrifice are all themes/topics/devices in this book.

Ruby is a vibrant, full of life, adventure seeking, force to be reckoned with. Hart is a poetic, introspective, kind, and sweet young man. The two of them are madly in love, and are excited about their summer before senior year at high school. Hart wants to surprise Ruby with a boat, because they both love sailing and the water, and in order to make the last payment, he picks up a shift on another boat. During this shift, things go sideways when he saves a young boy, but loses his life.

Jameson is the high school's rich, handsome, kinda bad boy, devil may care, quarterback who is in a coma due to a drunk driving accident. Hart's spirit is given the chance to use Jameson's body as a vessel to help get closure with Ruby. Only thing is, he can't tell anyone he is Hart.

Accompanied by Ruby's younger sister, Gabi, a tarot reading, gifted spiritual advisor, and Lourdes, the fallen death angel, Jameson/Hart tries to let Ruby know his love lives on, even though he doesn't.

I thought this book was good. I enjoyed the characters and the writing is pretty effortless to consume. There are a lot of convenient things to allow the magical realism work, and I guess I was okay suspending disbelief. I think this is similar to You've Reached Sam (cover, idea of hearing from the afterlife, young love), but You've Reached Sam worked better for me than this did. Overall I enjoyed it and really liked the idea that it only takes one heart to love. But there were some scenes that felt unnecessary or inserted to bulk out the book rather than really helping drive the story home. Overall, 3/5.

When I first saw the cover it immediately reminded me of You've Reached Sam, and the plot is pretty similar as well. Hart and Ruby, best friends since they were kids, had dreams of exploring the world together. Due to a boating accident Hart's life was tragically cut short. An angel named Lourdes saves Hart's soul before it was too late, and he was given a second chance at life, but through someone else's body.

This book tells the story of love and loss, it will definitely tug on your heartstrings. I liked how this touch base on heavier topics but is still appropriate for young readers. The first half was fast paced but I found that the last half kind of dragged on for me. But overall I still liked the book. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for this type of read. If there are any I will definitely check out the authors' other books.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Note: On my StoryGraph I rated this a 3.5, since point I am not able to rate using half points, I have rounded up to 4stars.

"Loss and grief and pain force people into dark places. And all they can do is search for any light they can find"

Always Isn't Forever is the perfect read for fans of You've Reached Sam.

It's a heartbreaking yet healing read, the plot included the elements of loss and grief and pain. How do you even move on after the death of a loved ones, knowing that every history with them becomes a faraway memory.

After Hart was drown in a boat accident, he was given a second chance and wakes up in Jameson's body (the local bad boy who's on the verge of dying after an incident, also happened to have a bad past with Ruby )

"I'd rather let love break me open than never know its depths"

Ruby lives in pain and is drowning in grief after losing her one and only true love. But strange things happen after she encounters with Jameson, she felt the familiarity in him but yet he's a stranger to her.

It's a beautiful & devastating romance, I really enjoy every second of it.
Thank you Netgalley & Penguin Group Readers for gifting me an ecopy of Always Isn't Forever

If you're okay with reading a YA novel that reads a little bit more MG, you'll have a better appreciation of this than I did. I liked it for what it was, but I definitely wish that there was a lot more depth and maturity to both the story and the characters.


🌊 THE STORY

The story wasn't unique, but the vibe felt very sweet and youthful (again, this boils down to the narrative feeling more MG than YA). There was a cinematic feel to everything, despite not having any visuals to look at, which is pretty great.

We get a few snippets of the past here and there, but I wish there was an even deeper view into Hart and Ruby's relationship. There was also a bit more telling than showing when it came to this. I just wanted their backstory to be more fleshed out.


🌊 THE CHARACTERS

Ruby was fine. I think she was the one who mainly felt younger than she was -- but grief does that to people, so I wasn't really bothered by it. I didn't dislike her by any means, but I was also pretty unattached to her.

Hart? YES. He's so, so sweet and charming. I loved how he interacted with all the characters, even the secondary ones. He was just so good and pure. Absolutely refreshing.

Lourdes... I don't really know. I'm not religious at all, so that could be part of why I found myself being a bit put off by her. She just felt incredibly unreal, and not just because she was an angel.


🌊 CONCLUSION

If you're looking for a sweet, mindless read... You can definitely give this one a try. Go into it with an open mind, and I'd recommend that you go into it with no expectations. If you're into second chances and/or destined loves, this is definitely for you.

This was such a beautiful love story. Always Isn't Forever earns a one way ticket to the top of my favorites list. Author J.C. Cervantes delivers a one in a million love story with Hart and Ruby. This book had me hiding my tears as I flew home from my vacation.

The first time Hart Augusto laid eyes on Ruby Armenta she was covered in ladybugs. The little six year old rebel was fast at work, freeing them from captivity. From that moment on Ruby had won Hart's undying admiration. Now in the summer before their senior year Hart is preparing to give Ruby a special gift to show her what she means to him. When tragedy strikes will Hart get a chance to deliver his message?

This is a story of love and loss and finding yourself once again. How do we cope with grief and learn to live in another reality from the one we had planned. Most of all this story is about the power and strength of love. How it can bend and break and still find a way to survive. True love is rare, but always worth searching for.

This book took my heart on an emotional roller coaster and in the end left me feeling so hopeful I wanted to turn back to the beginning and immediately read it again. I can't wait to get a copy of this book into my daughter's hands.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group. I am choosing to leave this review here voluntarily.

The beginning really sucked me in. Hart drowns and winds up in a fellow classmates body. While the beginning started out strong, it was WAY too drawn out and then really rushed at the end. I would have liked a quicker pace throughout the book with a slowed down ending.

It was a very sweet book and I did like the concept. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review!

absolutely masterpiece like my brain is still processing what i just read i don’t even feel as if i even read this book i feel like i just finished watching an entire series rather than read it

honestly i didn’t know how i was gonna feel about this book from the blurb the cover say one thing but when you read then blurb then see the cover it’s another i really wasn’t expecting it but the blurb sounded so good and the cover look great so i gave it a try (best idea)

im not a fan of sad books personally and this book broken me but in the best way like i went through all kinds of emotion reading this book and you really get to love the characters like hart onfg don’t even get me started on him literally loved him from the very start but reading about him and the way he feels for ruby the the things he would do for her <3

and ruby you cannot not like ruby like maybe not love but you cannot hate her i love her i don’t know how she does it but i would have gone crazy you can really tell you treasure the relationship she had with hart and omfg their relationship and she just great like i feel like we don’t get too too much on her but the plot however she honestly is so strong especially when it came to memories and old things from hart

plot man i pretty much knew the plot going into this book but like all kind of scenarios were going through my mind while reading this like i was coming up with all kinds of ways for him to tell her and getting mad when he couldn’t just tell her up straight honestly i very and i mean very suprise on who found out first i will admit it was a bit confuse with the whole heave angles law and etc but eventually kind of i understood and like i don’t even think there was a single time where i got bored or tried of reading this long book

and the side characters too like ella onfg and don’t even get me started on lourdes she’s a literally angle and gabi and serena <3

this plot still blows my mind like you don’t even understand the love i have for hart/jameson and ruby

(arc review)

Always Isn't Forever by author J.C. Cervantes is a book I had apprehensions about, for some reason. I wasn't convinced it would be one that I'd end up loving, but let me just say, that I was 100% wrong! It was amazing! I was drawn in from the first few chapters and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the characters Hart Augusto and Ruby Armenta. Jameson, Lourdes, Gabi, and George were great characters too. This book is one all readers will need to have tissues on hand, just in case those tears come flowing. It was an emotional rollercoaster, full of a lot of heart, sadness, grief, hope, and so much more, but it was worth the ride! I'm so grateful I got to read this book, thanks to the publishers and of course, author J.C. Cervantes, who I will continue to support through her books. This was the second book of hers that I've read but not my last!

Can soul mates live past death? J.C. Cervantes looks at this idea in the YA Always Isn’t Forever.
Best friends and soul mates since they were kids, Hart Augusto and Ruby Armenta had big dreams of traveling on the sea. These plans are cut short when Hart tragically drowns saving a young boy. On Earth, Ruby can’t move on from the person she knows is her forever love.

Due to some divine intervention, Hart is offered a second chance to live. Hart's soul is transferred to the body of a local bad boy who was scheduled to die. As the two souls pass each other, Hart is given valuable advice. When Hart returns to town as Jameson, he realizes that winning Ruby back will be more challenging than he'd imagined. For one, he’s been told to forget about her and his old life Second, he's forbidden from telling Ruby the truth. What the angel didn’t tell him about going into a new body? Memories of his life as Hart will fade away until his soul is finally at home in Jameson’s body. Will Ruby find out that Hart is still alive? Will she fall for Jameson for who he is? What does Hart’s new life mean for soulmates?

I enjoyed the idea that a soul and a body had a chance to live on. But the fact that Hart gets rid of all those in his life before bothered me. I get it; he had to separate from the partiers and the drinkers, but he hurt others by being so selfish. And yes, that selfishness is romantic as all he can think about is Ruby. I enjoyed seeing how he is able to communicate with her and his old friends without breaking celestial rules. Watching Ruby seeing Jameson as someone else is beautiful and I wish there had been a beautiful mix of Hart and Jameson, but the author decides we don’t need that. Instead, she cops out and gives an overly mushy story and doesn’t manage to prove that souls will recognize and love their partners.
This book has a great premise and I had looked forward to seeing what would be done and if true love could prevail. But the author goes the easy route, and I left the book disappointed.
Publication Date: June 6
I received an ARC for review; all opinions are my own.

Poignant, sweet, and emotional, this book tugs mightily on your heartstrings. With very intriguing characters and an engaging storyline that I feel almost anyone can relate to, this book offers up a romance packed with heart, feels, tension and twists that will have you eagerly reading just a few more pages every chance you get.

A great emotional read by J.C. Cervantes. I had such a great time being emotionally wrecked by this book. The cover initially caught my attention, and I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer emotion that was in this book.

Always Isn’t Forever is one of those books you sort of fall in to and don’t come up for air until finished.

While the beginning chapters aren’t super-fast, it feels like the story is moving quickly because the chapters are short. In fact, this writing style really pushes the story forward, even when you’re not quite as engaged as other times.

But it’s pretty easy to stay engaged. J. C. Cervantes’ narrative is compelling. Her protagonists are likeable. And the idea that someone might be able to come back from the dead is one that will resonate.

Always Isn’t Forever is not just a love story, though. Cervantes explores grief on a number of levels — the ones who are left behind. The loss of your own life and memories. The impact on a larger community. Combined with the romance elements, it really works.

Always Isn’t Forever is a strong YA romance that reads almost cinematically. It’s a good option for those who really want to hone in on relationships.

★.·´¯`·.·★ A R C Review ★·.·`¯´·.★
✨ Always isn’t Forever by J.C. Cervantes ✨
💭 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💭
⚠️ TW: Grief, Death, Loss of a loved one, Therapy sessions

“I’d rather let love break me open than never know its depths.”

°•*⁀➷

I want to express my gratitude to Netgalley, JC Cervantes, and Penguin Random House for providing me with both a physical and digital ARC of this incredibly moving and uplifting book. HAPPY PUB DAY TO THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK TOO!!!

Initially, I was drawn to this book on Netgalley because of its stunning cover. When I read the description, my interest was immediately piqued. The concept is refreshingly unique, unlike anything I've come across before. I must admit, though, that I was a bit hesitant at first. I've reached a point in my life where I tend to shy away from overly youthful reads, unless they fall into the realm of high fantasy. However, I'm thrilled that I decided to give it a chance and requested a copy. I'm grateful that PRH reached out to me and sent me a physical copy of the book.

From the very beginning, the story captivated me, and I never found myself getting bored. It was an emotional rollercoaster, even from the first few pages. The moment Hart Agusto chose to save that boy from drowning and sacrificed his own life, leaving behind the love of his life, Ruby, until the final pages, I was deeply invested. There were also plenty of lighthearted and funny moments scattered throughout.

Cervantes' writing style and the flow of her words are exceptional. This made the book incredibly easy to read, to the point where I would have devoured it in one sitting if given the chance. She has a talent for creating relatable characters, and connecting with them was a breeze. Each character felt genuine and realistic, and I could feel their emotions seeping through the pages. My heart ached during the heartbreaking scenes, and I appreciated the well-paced chapters that didn't drag on unnecessarily.

This book delves into themes of loss, grief, letting go, and finding closure, while also highlighting the power of true love and perseverance. It was my first time reading Cervantes' work, and it certainly won't be my last. I fell in love with Hart and Ruby, and I admired how Cervantes expertly weaved this beautiful afterlife concept and the stages of grief into their compelling story.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone in search of a heartwarming, easy-to-follow, and tear-inducing read.

°•*⁀➷ Recommended for those who like:
✨ Romance, Sports Romance
✨ Fantasy, Paranormal
✨ Heartbreaking and uplifting stories
✨ Second chances
✨ Multiple POV
✨ YA, Small town romance
✨ Soulmates
✨ Sister bond, Family, Found family
✨ Short chapters

I was taken aback by the profound emotional depth of this book—it truly took me on an intense and heartfelt journey. In comparison to "You've Reached Sam," I found it to be executed far more masterfully. The inclusion of multiple perspectives added a layer of adoration for me, as it allowed us to intimately experience each character's unique vantage point. The book's poignant exploration of loss and tragedy struck a chord with me, showcasing its exceptional handling of these themes.

It’s been so long since a book made me cry but it just couldn’t b helped with this beautiful story. I’m having trouble putting my thoughts into words, but this book was just such an emotional story about two teens cruelly taken from each other. I knew this would be heartbreaking, but while reading and sobbing, I also found a beautiful hopefulness in this story that I will not forget. It is a story of loss and sadness but also, real true love. 100% worth the read!

The story was so beautifully written and I can't stop thinking about it. Hart's journey was absolutely incredible and I loved every minute of it. I found myself crying throughout the whole book. But let me tell you, those tears were worth it! The story was just so heartfelt and touching. I can't thank J.C. Cervantes, Netgalley and Penguin Group enough for the ARC!