Do our spirits 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽?
Does love have the power to be 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰?

Emotional, romantic, and heartfelt. Cue the ugly cry. I went through countless tissues reading Always Isn’t Forever. My heart ached for Jameson and Hart. This is one that stays with you.

I ended up purchasing the audiobook to accompany my ARC read, and I loved it! The narrators were fantastic and brought the story to life. I highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Razorbill, and PENGUIN GROUP for the gifted ARC.

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.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book

Over all this book was ok. It really targets the YA audience. I would recommend this book to people who enjoyed You’ve Reached Sam. I liked the concept and the inclusion of magical realism, and the plot was easy to consume, it was nice to read but I wasn’t very invested and it felt more like a snack read.

It’s been a little while since I’ve read a young adult novel and this was the perfect book to break back into the genre. I rarely cry when I read a book, but this one broke me.

Ruby & Hart have been in love since they were seven years old. About to start their senior year of high school, they’re committed and looking forward to their future together. Their plans are abruptly shattered when Hart drowns while saving a young child. When he reaches the other side, an angel named Lourdes informs Hart he has the opportunity to get a second chance at life under two conditions: he’ll resume life in the body of Jameson, a classmate that Ruby hates; and there will be no way for him to tell Ruby who he is. Accepting the deal, Hart finds himself in Jameson’s body with a third condition to his new existence - he has approximately three weeks before he loses all the memories of his previous life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Ruby & Hart are so in love, which makes Hart’s death absolutely excruciating. As he begins to lose his memories the angst ramps up as you root for Hart to somehow reach Ruby before his time is up. My sentimental heart almost broke towards the end…this book has all the feels ❤️

Paranormal romance isn't my usual genre, but the cover on this book grabbed me. And boy, am I glad I took the chance on Always Isn't Forever...the story really drew me in, and I've been thinking about it for the past day or two. I only wish there had been more to the story before (and after, really) -- more character development before Hart's death would have been great, and maybe more than just a quick epilogue at the end? I would have enjoyed seeing Whitney and Victoria's reactions to the "new" Jameson...

I was so excited to get this book. Told from multiple points of view, Always Isn't Forever, by J.C. Cervantes, is a quick read with lots of feels. It's about love, loss, healing, and the possibilities of an unexpected future. If you loved You’ve Reached Sam, by Dustin Thao, you will love this one. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

They say we're too young to be in love, so the song says. But for Hart and Ruby, there's no such thing as too young for true love. This is a story about love, a story of live which got even better after death.

Hart and Ruby's love story will remind you that love truly conquers all...even death.

This is a story about love, grief, and loss. It’s about how love remains even after we say goodbye. One of my favorite movie quotes that I feel sums this book up perfectly… “Death can not stop true love, it can only delay it for awhile.”- The Princess Bride.

While I did loved the overall premise, plot, and character growth, the ending kind of fell flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a happy ending. I guess I just would have rather seen how Jameson/Hart and Ruby’s relationship grew even beyond the loss of Harts memories..
How new memories would have been made and together a new path was laid out before them. In the end it just felt like a magic wand was waved and all was put back together again.

I do want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for graciously allowing me to read this arc!

Always Isn't Forever by J.C. Cervantes makes you wonder if there really are angels and if you love enough a miracle can happen.

I loved this book. The characters were beautifully written and well developed. I loved getting to see Ruby in her journey of healing after the death of Hart. I also loved getting to see Hart in the body of the local bad boy trying to get Ruby to fall for him and trust him again. It was just such a heartbreaking and heartwarming story. I enjoyed every single page of it and I highly recommend it. I loved how the story had a bit of a magical undertone to it with Hart being a spirit in a new body and all that. It was such a good read.

Really glad I read this as I enjoyed it immensely!! This was such an emotional read that portrayed love and loss and grief so beautifully it hurt my heart so so much. If you enjoyed ‘you’ve reached Sam’ you’ll really enjoy this one!

This is such a beautiful multi-POV book with a touch of paranormal romance.

Hart and Ruby are in high school and truly in love when the worst happens -- Hart drowns. Ruby is left to face senior year and the future without her best friend and her love. Hart gets a second chance, only as Jameson, a boy Ruby can't stand, which makes his goal of winning her back all the more difficult.

I loved seeing the connection that tethered Ruby and Hart draw them back together. There's a great cast of secondary characters that are funny and endearing as well, which just made the story all the more pleasurable to read.

Overall, it's a sweet, touching story of finding your true love in high school, second chances, and moving on. The story is told mostly through Hart and Ruby, but there's an occasional Lourdes, the celestial being, POV to fill in some gaps.

Thank you NetGalley and Razorbill for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know if I have the right words to describe how beautiful this book was!!!! It had me crying hysterically and at the same time warming my heart!!! I don’t want to give too much about the plot but that ending had me crying happy tears!!! This just might be my favorite of this year!!!

Imagine finding your soulmate at such a young age in high school, oh what a wonderful feeling. Knowing you'll get to spend the most and rest of your life with that person.
Only for tragedy to strike.
This emotional journey took me through all the feels, it managed to portray a story of grief and loss, into a beautifully written journey of Hart & Ruby,
It was absolutely extra special that the narrative was in the form of first person multiple point of view.
Loved. Every single bit.

Five stars! This book was immensely enjoyable. The author took great care at the beginning of the novel to show the readers how special Hart and Ruby's relationship was, which definitely helped me feel all the feels as I kept reading. Ruby's pain was palpable, as was Hart's frustration at essentially being stuck in Jameson's body. By the end of the book the tears were really flowing!

This is a paranormal romance but it's different from others in that the paranormality, although it certainly drives the plot, isn't the main focus of the book. And as predictable at the plot sounds by reading the description, it certainly took a different, more emotional journey than I was expecting... as did the ending, which was not something I predicted. On the other hand, Always Isn't Forever falls for the typical YA trap of oblivious and absent parents to a fault... why isn't Jameson's mom more concerned about her son WHO JUST WOKE UP FROM A COMA and takes everything he says at face value.

But overall, Always Isn't Forever is a spectacular YA novel that I didn't want to put down. Five stars! Thank you to Razorbill and NetGalley for the advanced copy; as always, opinions are my own.

This book was heartbreaking and uplifting. I’ve read this trope before but it was an INCREDIBLE take on it. I finished the book smiling.

Hart and Ruby. For Hart it has always been Ruby. But when Hart dies saving a young child in a boating accident, there may have been a mistake. He's gone too soon. When has a chance to come back to earth, the only flaw is that he won't physically be himself. And he'll eventually lose his memories. Is there any way he can find a way to let Ruby know he's back before he loses his final chance?

This is a sweet, tender romance of first love that has to be more, has to last. It's the kind of swoony romance with mystical interaction that young readers will love. Acceptable for middle school readers.

“Here’s the thing about love and time: you always think you’re going to have enough, that there’s an endless supply. And then in an instant it’s all gone.”

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I think J.C. Cervantes did a great job with telling Hart and Ruby’s story. It was a very sad love story, but ultimately has a happy ending for the characters.

Summary: After losing Hart, the love of her life, Ruby struggles with her grief and searches for a connection to him.
Little does she know, Hart is also searching for her and wants to find a way to rekindle the love that they had for each other.

"I'd rather let love break me open than never know its depths"
This book was heart breaking in all the best ways. I spent several chapters wondering what a HEA would look like for our main characters, but the real ending exceed expectations (and was a HEA for those wondering). Keeps you guessing until the end. I will definitely be recommeding this book to others.
"Love doesnt need more than one heart"

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I'm quickly getting hip to the fact that Cervantes is someone I want to read more of/follow because her deeply romantic and heartbreaking stories are *chef's kiss*. This one is no different. With [book:I Heart You, You Haunt Me|1832749], mixed with [book:Every Day|13262783], mixed with [book:The Lovely Bones|12232938], mixed with [book:You've Reached Sam|53086843], and [book:An Arrow to the Moon|41580931] which is why I LOVE it.

It's a star crossed lovers tale in which the two partners are separated- in this case Hart drowns in a boating accident as Hart and Ruby headed into their senior year of high school. She's devastated. Hart gets an opportunity to live in another persons body, but that body is the generally hated teen motorcycle riding badass. And Hart can't share the truth with Ruby. It's an arrangement with an angelic being. Will their love overcome these deficits?

Duh. It's a romance. A tragic romance that makes your heart ache and the return to one another is *fall back on the bed clutching the book* good.