While this was a good story with an engaging plot, I definitely had some problems with it. Classic case of having to choose between two men, I felt that the author was leading the reader to agree with the protagonist's choice in the end. I also found it interesting that circumstances worked out so that the choice was not as far fetched as implied at the beginning of the book. I'm also not a big fan of the idea that we all have a "soul mate" in life. I'm not buying it, no matter how an author sugarcoats it. I did find this to be an easy read. The characters, while a bit superficial, were interesting enough to keep the story moving. While not terribly literary, the writing flowed well and the story didn't drag for me. Probably my favorite thing about the book was the spotlight on homelessness and mental health issues. I feel that more on this topic would have made the book even better for me.

Overall a good read for when you don't want to have to think too much, although it did feel that the author was dragging the reader to the proper happily ever after ending.

Sarah Jio saved my life, so I must in turn save her one day. You see, I have been in a reading slump for months...a depressing slump where I have started and stopped numerous books (which before now I'd never done) and barely enjoyed some of the ones I finished. So when I remembered I had this one waiting from NetGalley, I figured "what do I have to lose?" So, I started 'Always'......and couldn't stop.  

I loved reading the backstory of Kailey and Cade's love story, and the flashbacks tied their story to the present in a unique way. When I wasn't reading--whether I was busy doing dishes, cooking, in the shower...I was thinking about this story. It was a beautiful one. One of love, heartache and even a twinge of mystery.  The characters were real. The story was one I felt. It is a story worth reading.

So thank you, Ms. Jio. Thank you for creating this story and rescuing me from the deep rut I couldn't get myself out of. This is the first book of yours I've read, but it won't be the last.

He was her first love, her soulmate and they shared what most people can only dream of and then he was gone. Just gone, no word, nothing and she was crushed. Ten years have passed and time has changed Kailey, she is now a successful journalist, engaged to a wealthy man who is kind, supportive and simply amazing. In the back of her mind and her heart, she has never gotten over Cade, so when she swears she saw him while out with Ryan, she knew she couldn’t rest until she knew for sure that the broken homeless man really could be her larger than life Cade.

He is a mere shadow of his former self, gaunt, grimy and acting as if he were in a haze, no memory of who she is, let alone who he once was. Now Kailey must find out what happened a decade ago and who was responsible, all without letting Ryan know. When the horrors of the last time Cade was “Cade” come to life, the finger points at the one person who would benefit most from Cade’s millions. Is he guilty?

ALWAYS by Sarah Jio is a tale of love, loss and remembering. It is a tale of choices, healing and soul deep commitment and the super-human strength of love at its very core. Told through flashbacks, the mystery of Cade’s disappearance and his loss of memory come to light as the modern day Cade also begins to remember who he was and who his heart belonged to. What of Ryan? Kailey is caught between two lovers, but when push comes to shove, her heart knows where she wants to be, no matter what. Soulful, dramatic, and sometimes difficult to read as this tale unfolds, it is a well-written romance that will leave one wondering, what if?

I received a ARC edition from Balantine Books in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 7, 2017)
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 288 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

What an emotional and lovely story. Love endures and true love never dies Sarah Jio does not disappoint and the story kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning.

Talented author and journalist Sarah Jio's newest novel, Always, will be released February 7, 2017.  As the novel opens, the year is 2008, and journalist Kailey Crain has just enjoyed dinner out with her fiancée, Ryan, at a popular Seattle restaurant.  As she is leaving the restaurant, Kailey sees a homeless man on the sidewalk and decides to give him her takeout bag of leftovers.  Imagine her surprise when she looks into the eyes of the homeless man and recognizes her former fiancée, Cade, part owner of a successful record company, who disappeared without a word and left her broken-hearted ten years previously.  Ironically, Kailey is working on a series of pieces for her newspaper about an area of Seattle that is due to be redeveloped--an area in which one of the city's few viable homeless shelters exists.  Although Kailey is soon to be married to Ryan--who seems perfect in almost every way--she is drawn to Cade and finding out what happened ten years previously.  Jio is a talented writer, and her prose and the way the novel goes back and forth from 2008 to 1998 is quite well done.  Her plot has fascinating elements at play in it also:  mystery, romance, social problems, the beautiful city of Seattle to name a few.  I was hooked into wanting to know how the plot would develop.  As I read further, however, the plot and characterization, were where this novel fell short despite Jio's writing talent-- where the novel became more formulaic romance, and less mystery or believable fiction.  They are where depth was left out of the novel.  Kailey's character is portrayed as having big heart, but can be quite selfish and thoughtless.  Ryan's character is fairly one-dimensional.  An explanation of how Cade became homeless is never really completely resolved.  This novel which started out with so much promise, ended up being my least favorite of Jio's books for those reasons, and those reasons make this book into a predictable romance, but not the compelling novel it could have been.

Always drew me right in and tugged at my heartstrings...Thankful to have experienced this book. One lesson learned: things aren't always what they appear, and we shouldn't make judgments when we don't know the facts. 

A quick reading, well-paced story that was easy to get lost in, you will find yourself immersed in both Kailey's past and present. The Seattle late '90's music scene is a great setting, and I loved picturing all the musicians etc as they were talked about. The plight of the homeless touched me and brought tears to my eyes. There is much here that is very thought-provoking...Do you make judgments of others based on how they look? Do you take time to see past outer appearances? How far are you willing to help a friend from the past who is in trouble? What would you be willing to sacrifice? Would you be willing to hurt someone from your present? This will make a great book club book or for discussions among book-reading friends. Recommended!

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC copy to read and review**

Such a great book. I really pull several different emotions for me while I was reading. From happiness to heartbreak sorrow to anger , the chemistry between Katie and Kaylee was off the charts wow . The stories told from 2008 and goes back to 1998 . It takes place in Seattle back in the late 90s when coffeeshop for the popular hangouts and vintage clothing and flannel shirts for the newest fashion rage . Kaylee is engaged to Ryan he's a very wealthy family. His parents friends last names are Norstrom. They're getting married next July. Ryan is a developer and Kailees a journalist for the Herald. She's in the middle of writing a piece on Pioneer Square which is an area that has a large homeless shelter. Ryan and his company want to Tear it down which is a huge conflict of interest between them so they end up to agree to disagree and they don't talk about work at home . That night they go to a restaurant downi and have a lovely time as usual with each other. Ryan goes to get the car and it's raining. Kaylee takes her leftovers and starts to walk outside and a homeless man comes up to her but doesn't say anything so she asked him if he wants her leftovers but he was looking at his feet . When he looked at her she looks into his blue eyes and realizes it's her first Cade. 
 Switchback to 1998, Kaylee and her best friend drove from Chicago after just graduated from college and decided to move to Seattle. They share one bedroom apartment in a great neighborhood. Her best friend set her up on a terrible blind date and that's when Kaylee meets Kate McAllister while trying to escape her day to get a drink at the bar. They start to talk and the rest is history . 
 The back-and-forth between the two time periods get you up to date on Kade and Kaylee's relationship and Ryan and Kaylee's relationship as each progresses and exactly how each of them ends but only cade knows where his mind was that fateful night that he disappeared but will Kaylee ever find out what happened? And will Kaylee walk away from a comfortable future with Ryan to see what could be with the love of her life? This is such an amazing story and well worth the read .

I really loved this book! After reading Always' description I was immediately intrigued. The characters are all very likable, and I felt myself immediately draw in, wanting to know more after the first few pages. The storyline felt unique and refreshing to me, and, being a 90's child, the Seattle grunge rock setting was an added bonus. Although some books that include flashbacks in time can tend to get confusing, I found the alternating stories to work really well in this case. The only problem I had with this book were the last few chapters. They seem to feel a bit rushed and maybe left a few loose ends that needed tying up.  In any case, I loved Kailey, her heart, and her story! This is my first time reading Sarah Jio's work and I must say I am an instant fan. I look forward to her future stories and greatly anticipate delving into her earlier works.

I was given this book by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review. I found the subject matter intriguing-what would you do if your life was really happy and all of a sudden,  your lost love turned up homeless out of the blue?
I liked that there were no easy answers and everything wasn't totally wrapped up in Cade's past. That being said, I had a hard time liking the main characters. I didn't care who ended up with who.  It does make you think about some interesting questions though.

This was a very interesting novel - part romance and part social commentary. From some authors, this mix wouldn't work but Sarah Jio makes it work and turns it into a fantastic novel.

When Kailey moved to Seattle with her best friend, they were both just out of college and excited to be living in such a fantastic city. Kailey met Cade and he quickly became the love of her life. He was a music producer for the alternative rock singers in the area and they had a fantastic time exploring the city as they fell in love. Then one day Cade just disappeared. Kailey looked for him and finally gave up and moved on with her life. Fast forward ten years and Kailey is engaged to Ryan and they are leaving dinner at a fancy French restaurant. As she is waiting for Ryan to get the car, she sees a homeless man and after looking into his eyes, she realizes that it is Cade. The novel is about how she tries to help Cade while maintaining her life with Ryan. There is a lot of social commentary about the homeless and the way that they are treated with one line repeated several times: "They are people just like us".

Even though I didn't always agree with Kailey's decisions, I found her to be a convincing main character torn between the memory of her first love and the reality of the man she is engaged to. This is a compelling novel and I found myself reading very fast to find out how it would end.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book is exchange for a fair and honest review.