Woah-
This book was amazing. The characters, the plot and the writing. Everything about it was done and written so perfectly. It was fast paced and easy to get into with a heartbreaking and intriguing story that makes it so hard to put the book down. Ruby and hart, their story was written and done so beautifully, their love and connection was so interesting to read about.
This whole story had such an interesting and different concept that I really enjoyed reading about.
It talks a lot about the afterlife, angles and ancestors, I honestly separated that part from all my beliefs because at the end it is a work of fiction, a very beautiful work of fiction.
One thing that I wanted to point out was one of the side couples, they don’t have much of a significance but they do go against my religion and beliefs so I needed to point that out but other than that it was such a good story!!

Always Isn't Forever is like a second chance romance with Drop Dead Diva vibes. Hart, the mmc, is given a second chance at life through another man's body. A brooding bad boy type. This book takes us through Ruby's grief and love journey after she thinks her soulmate and best friend passes

"𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚."

𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗝.𝗖. 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀

🅑︎🅞︎🅞︎🅚︎ 🅡︎🅔︎🅥︎🅘︎🅔︎🅦︎
Childhood sweethearts Ruby and Hart are and will always be soul mates, from the moment they met they have been in each others lives. One fateful incident leaves Ruby reeling in grief and change there lives forever. Their story wasn't entirely over because Hart came back in another body someone she would least expect. Would Hart and Ruby finally find their way back to each other and at what cost.

This book was heart shattering, loved the multiple POV. Gabi, Ruby's sister was definitely my favourite character especially because of her tarot readings. I loved Ruby and Hart's strong connection their unconditional love for each other and the people in their circle. Triggers grief, drowning, mentions alcohol.

Rating
5⭐

This was a great book about two best friends, Hart and Ruby. Hart passes away but comes back in a body known as Jameson though his personal memory is fading away and he’s trying to be close to Ruby who feels a connection with him. When I read You’ve Reached Sam, I was really surprised by how well that book was written. Though this book is not written by the same author and has a similar but different concept, I loved how this book turned out. It has a very emotional story with a paranormal plot line. I enjoyed the main conflict of the book and seeing how the characters went through it together but separately. I also thought it was cool with how Hart took over Jameson’s body and the way that played into the book. The pacing and seeing were perfect for the book. I read this book very quickly because the story was just so good that I just wanted to see how the MCs ended up. This book is written from dual perspectives which I enjoyed.

Ruby is the FMC who loved the water but after Hart’s death, her life changed. Then there is Hart (Jameson) who is back to life but can’t tell anyone about his past life. I really enjoyed both of these characters and the way they had to develop in the story. The MCs are POC though Jameson is a white boy now. There are many side characters but I was more connected to the MCs story as it felt like the main focus of the book. The tropes are a second chance at love and friends to lovers with a not so enemies to lovers.

The ending was well done but it was so sad to see to see Hart’s memories disappearing but there is a HEA. I just loved how the story played out and I know many wouldn’t enjoy the fact a POC went into a white guy’s body but let me say that the story is great. Especially if you love an emotional type of story then you would enjoy it. I do recommend this especially if you have read You’ve Reached Sam.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

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.