1.5 stars
Ahh I don’t know where to start really… the positives? I really liked the cover, the premise of the story seemed interesting; Hart dies and he negotiates with an angel to take the body of another guy who's in a coma and about to die. However, the body he takes on is someone they don’t really like.

However, even though the book did seem interesting I was finding it hard to concentrate and really get into the book. The book was also advertising for people who enjoyed “You’ve reached Sam” and as someone who has read it and was crying nonstop…lets just say I was massively let down lol and no I do not agree with those who are saying it's better than you’ve reached Sam because it isn't.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin group young readers group for this ARC!

I knew I was going to love this book based on the cover alone, and I was so freaking right. It was so good, so emotional and I was just utterly invested in the story.

Idk why I've been gravitating towards YA contemporaries that I know (for a fact) are going to wreck me, but I am, and this book is no exception. While it has a happy ending, the journey getting their is fraught with pain and heavy emotions and even though I was prepared based on the synopsis, I wasn't ready for THAT PART. Ruby and Hart are so perfect and I loved them together so much. I loved the journey they go on together.

I'm obsessed. I loved this so much and if I could, I'd wipe it from my mind, so I could read it again for the first time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 stars

I’d like to thank the author for providing me with a free e- copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This star-crossed lovers' story, with its amazing cover and intriguingly promising plot, provides enough excitement to get invested in Hart Augusto and Ruby Armenia's journey.
 I cried for a significant portion of this book, the grief was written really well, I felt like I was going through it myself. I did appreciate the direction the plot took and that it was more than Ruby just tried to move on. It made for a very intriguing storyline. I can't recommend this book enough.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙅.𝘾. 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙔𝘼 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙫𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙖𝙢.

I read 𝗙𝗹𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲 by this author last year and enjoyed it so much, so I was excited to pick this one up. I also saw it being compared to 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗺 - I just knew this was going to be an emotional read… and it definitely had its moments.

It’s best to go into this one not knowing much, other than it’s sad and deals with themes of grief and death. This is a YA story, but it’s so impactful and didn’t feel too juvenile. There is also a magical realism sort of element to it, which I actually enjoyed.

Ruby + Hart have my whole heart, I was rooting for them to find their happily ever after. There’s so much character development in this author’s stories that I am picking up on - and I am loving it! The writing style is also impactful and beautiful at the same time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. At times it definitely was emotional, but I liked the magical realism vibes. Grief was such a major theme in this book, but the romance aspect sort of overturns that and lightens up the story. This was an enjoyable read.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Grief, Death, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Toxic Relationship

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of always isn't forever. This was such a cute and heart felt story. Definitely for those who enjoyed you've reached sam.

I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to others it was different and fun to read

This was a heartbreaking story with a silver lining. I hope to read more by this author and see where her careers go from here.

Ruby and Hart have been together, ever since they were little. It's the summer before their senior year and they are planning their future. Unfortunately, tragedy happens and Ruby is left to face a future without Hart but just can't move on. In walks Jameson...someone Ruby can't stand yet there is something about him.

This book flowed so well for me and I found that I couldn't put it down. It leaves the reader wishing for a love like Ruby and Harts. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good clean romance with a little paranormal thrown in.

Another heartbreaking book about young love and heartbreak. I don't want to go to much into it, because I don't want to spoil it.

I will say this, I felt this heartbreak. I felt every bit of Ruby's grief in this book. It hit me like a ton of bricks to be honest. This was an emotional ride and it instilled my believe in soul mates, true love etc. Also, it brought upon the old saying "True love never really dies"

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

The story gives off vibes similar to You've Reached Sam, but with a different outcome, this was done really well.
This book surprised me by being quite emotional, and it was undoubtedly an emotional ride. With its brief chapters, quick pacing, significant mystery, and unexpected turns, the entire book is simple to read. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

This was a very wholesome book- I really enjoyed both Hart and Ruby, how they grew up together and the moments inbetween. Their romance was really cute and wholesome, the connection was really there, it's easy why and how much they love each other. The portrayal of grief and healing was raw and moving, and I'm glad Ruby has a strong support system such as her mom, Gabi, Serena and George. The supernatural element surprised me a bit, but I like how it adds to the story whether logic or just push to move the story forward. The writing can feel a bit young and there's just something that didn't click with me that didn't make this a 5 star read, but overall it's a solid story!

I had a hard time getting into this book and relating to the characters. I’ll definitely make sure to give this book a try in the future I can be a very moody reader

This was just a heartbreaking and heart warming love story that I loved from beginning to finished! ❤️

Hart and Ruby have been in love since forever. But tragedy strikes and Hart drowns in an accident.
But he is given a second opportunity and he comes back. Only problem? He is back in another person's body. Someone Ruby hates.
I liked this story. A lot. It's true that I thought it was too long in some parts. But it is beautiful. And it will make you wish it could be possible. All you have to do is believe.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and J.C. Cervantes for the honor of reading this book!


The book Always Isn't Forever by J.C. Cervantes had me in tears with how well written it was. The feelings and emotions that the main characters Hart and Ruby went through were raw and strong. I enjoyed reading about their love story. One of the quotes I loved from the book the most was "love doesn't need more than one heart" I love the meaning of this quote because its saying that love is so strong that only one heart is needed to truly love someone whole heartedly. I highly recommend reading this book especially if you enjoy reading about soul mates and find one another again.

The premise of Always Isn't Forever sounded so good! I really wanted to love the story between Ruby and Hart, but I got up to about 25% and sadly decided to dnf. I wasn't connecting with the characters or the storyline.

Always Isn’t Forever by J.C. Cervantes was an an absolutely beautiful emotional roller coaster that had me an emotional wreck more than once. Beautifully written. Highly recommend.

In Always Isn't Forever soul mates Hart Augusto and Ruby Amanté are planning a future together when he dies trying to save a child in a boating accident As Ruby is struggling with her grief, Hart finds himself negotiating with Lourdes, an angel who mistakenly took him before he was actually dead. She offers to bring him back to life in another body, and he requests to be near Ruby. Bad boy Jameson Romanelli, Ruby's nemesis, is near death after a motorcycle accident and Lourdes places Hart's soul in his body. Now it is up to Hart, who is forbidden from telling anyone who he really is, to win Ruby back. Ruby is confused as to why she is suddenly drawn to Jameson and why he reminds her so much of Hart. Will their love be strong enough to bridge the distance and give them a new chance at a future together?

Incredibly easy to read, excellent writing style that keeps it simple and easy to process.
Greif and trauma is written respectfully within these pages, with a wonderful protagonist.

Thanks to J. C. Cervantes, Penguin Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sooo.... I don't really understand. Your soul gets put in a stranger's body, but you lose all memories of your previous life while taking on the memories of the stranger? What the hell is the point of that? In the end, the dead person still no longer truly exists, and the live person lives without knowing anything's different. Exactly the same as it would be without any soul transplanting. Except with added confusion. We could devolve into a boring philosophical discussion of what exactly is a soul and how it may or may not be shaped by outside influences, but I don't care that much.

The book might as well have been a more straightforward amnesia romance. The whole race-against-time theme seems like great story conflict, but not when it doesn't make sense. When I realized that, the book kinda lost all impact to me and became a trudge. Thank god it had an HEA or it would have been a worthless, weepy story, and I'd have been pissed.

Hart was a really nice guy, almost too nice to be realistic. Ruby annoyed me. I'm not entirely sure why, but something about her just rubbed me wrong. Maybe because I'm not sure she deserved Hart. He was entirely selfless, while she was self-pitying. Yes, she was grieving, but she seemed to expect people to continue walking on eggshells around her and poo-pooing her nearly six months later. Idk, like I said, rubbed me wrong. And Lourdes? Struck me as Cervantes wanting to have her It's a Wonderful Life and eat it, too.

Overall, not to my taste.