To see someone you once loved and never really got over sitting on the street and homeless, the thoughts that invade your mind are overwhelming.  How would any of us handle this situation - well Jio gives us an insight into how Kailey decided her future with the choices that she made.

Jio has a formula that most of her books follow to the very end. This one is no different. Her writing is gentle and descriptive, but I think it's just not what I enjoy reading anymore. The book is still well-written and has lovely prose. A good book, just not for me at this time.

Sarah Jio is one of my go to authors for a good, all consuming, heartfelt story.  Her books are easy to read, and well researched with compassionate characters.  

In this novel, Kailey is in love and engaged when her first serious boyfriend emerges after 10 years of being missing. He’s homeless and confused, and Kailey is suddenly torn between the two. There’s also the underlying mystery of how her first boyfriend came to be homeless and lacking in memory.

Sarah has given us another compelling and hard-to-put-down novel. It’s a tribute to falling in love, alternative music, and Seattle. Perfect for when you need a relaxing weekend read.

Sarah Jio presented a great account of how lives could so easily change.  Kailey starts in with expectations with wedding plans and the perfect job to be swayed by a vision on the street.  Struggles and choices make for this wonderful travel to achieve one’s goals.  Always gave true meaning to commitment.  
Thank you Netgalley for enticing me with this book!

3.8 - quick, entertaining read; really enjoyed the main character

I received an advance readers copy through NetGalley. I've read Sarah Jio and have loved her in the past, so I was excited to get this. I read it pretty quickly. I just didn't connect with the characters in any way. It was an okay story. I felt like the ending was rushed and it didn't blend well. It was literally just "okay".

When I read the 'back cover" on this book, the story intrigued me and I knew I just had to read it. Although I had never heard of the author, Sarah Jio, I learned that this wasn't her first book at all, and in fact, she had written 7 other books before this one. Now that I've read this one, by the way, I think I have to go back and read a few of the others.

The book shares the story of Kailey Crane, 34, a newspaper writer with a successful career, a cute new home, and engaged to the "perfect guy" named Ryan, who is a good looking guy with money. The couple is having dinner at a restaurant making plans for their upcoming wedding, and as they leave Kailey comes face to face with a homeless man. Kailey happens to connect with the man and is shocked when she realizes that he is Cade McAllister, the former love of her life.

Kailey and Cade dated back in the '90's and they even had matching tattoos - it was the French word for "always" - toujours - hers still remained on her shoulder.  They had a future together too, Kailey and the then-famous record label owner, Cade, who loved music. How could have fallen from a successful career to this sad, thin, frail homeless man? And why did he disappear so long ago?  Kailey can't get Cade out of her mind as she remembers how they had been in love before he left. She even tried to locate him but was never able to find him. 

Kailey starts searching the streets for Cade and finally finds him. She also learns that he has TBI (traumatic brain injury) and he is unable to remember his past, has no family or friends, and has lost everything he had worked for and loved. She becomes obsessed with helping get Cade the medical help he needs and wants to help get him off the streets so she puts her wedding plans and Ryan "on hold".  Kailey is torn between her past love and loyalty for Cade, and Ryan, the man she was planning to share her future with. She begins spending almost all of her time with Cade, and spends Ryan’s money to pay for Cade’s medical care and rehabilitation. 

Of course, you want to know - does Kailey end up with Ryan or Cade?   Kailey is caught between two lovers, but when push comes to shove she knows where her heart wants her to be, no matter what.  Most of you know I don't write spoilers so you're going to have to read the book yourself to find out how the plot wraps up in this story.  Although some of the book seemed unlikely, it still made for a great story with a satisfying end.  

I also appreciated the fact that the book provides readers with a little social awareness on the issues faced by the homeless in this world. It was a good (and subtle) reminder to us to be more sensitive to their tragic lives.

I received an advanced readers digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review and unbiased opinion. Thanks NetGalley and Ballantine Books!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Kailey Crane has a seemingly perfect life – a job she loves as a reporter, lives in a city she loves, and has an almost perfect fiancé.  After dinner one night, Kailey approaches a homeless man to give him her to-go box from the restaurant and is stunned to realize that the homeless man is her ex-boyfriend, Cade.  For Kailey and Cade, the attraction had been immediate and intense, and they dated for 2 years before Cade seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.  Something has happened to Cade since the last time Kailey saw him, and his mind has suffered.  Kailey feels pulled to help Cade, to piece together the lost years of his life and get him back on track.  She initially keeps this from her fiancé but eventually has to let him know and decide what she wants from her life.

The book jumps back and forth between Kailey helping Cade in 2008 and Kailey and Cade’s relationship in the 1990s.  The emotional struggle Kailey went through was the highlight of this book; if you like to read a book because of how it makes you feel, this is the book for you.  If you like your books to be plausible, this book might make you scoff.  The mystery of what happened to Cade is left somewhat up in the air, which is how things often work out in real life.

I really like the writing style.  I like how the story starts in present day.  After Kailey finds Cade on the street,  then it goes back and forth between present and past time when they were dating.  The love story is sweet, you can tell how much Kailey loves Cade.  Most readers can probably guess the ending, but to the find out what happened to Cade is the good part.  However, there still are a few unanswered questions at the end. 

I do not like to give money to the homeless.  We do not know the reasons why they become homeless, it would be because of laziness or drug related problems.  Buying food for them instead of giving them money is probably a better idea than just give them the money.  

4.5 out of 5 stars
Received a free ARC from LibraryThing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two worlds colliding

A romantic tension as Kailey Crane journalist encounters a train wreck of her past and her future. She is reveling in her present as she is engaged to Ryan a well to do and is completely in love with Kailey. Would do anything for her without resentment. Pretty much worships the ground she walks on. They are having dinner, enjoying each other, talking about their future and as they leave, a homeless man bumps into Kailey. She knows this man. 

Her mind, her heart and her soul now cannot rest until she finds him again. The homeless man that was once a successful producer for Seattle's up an coming musicians and was also her fiancé. He disappeared years ago without trace, without a word and is now back in her life with many unanswered questions.

The narration goes from present to past in Kailey's voice. I felt that the narration lacked any dimension in the characters and their relationship with each other. It was blah. The plot was more interesting and that kept me engaged. 

A Special Thank You to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

“Always” is a sweet romance of love lost and found.  I enjoyed the story but found it lacked the depth of Sarah Jio’s previous books.  It’s still very much worth the read if you’re a fan.

The writing carried this one for me because unfortunately some of it is very unrealistic.  I liked the 1990s Seattle setting.  I also thought Kailey's devotion to Cade is admirable.  What I didn't like was the highly implausible medical situation and the fact that Kailey kept hiding things from Ryan, who, I think, deserved better.  I've liked Jin's work before but this wasn't my favorite because of the plot.  Thanks to net galley for the ARC.

Do you move forward or try to redeem the past? The mysterious disappearance of her best friend and lover plagues Kailey. Though she's found a new life and is moving toward marriage and stability, she needs to decide what is most important - and who her heart's true love is.

An enjoyable read - and a reminder that everyone on the street is not who they seem to be.

This book had potential. It had a moderately exciting build up but ultimately fell flat at the end.

I love Sarah Jio.  Since the first novel I read of hers I've been hooked on her in-depth characters and thoughtfully planned plot lines. 

This story dug into something deeper ‎than a regular romance. There were social issues that took precedence over the romantic nature of the plot and while it obviously affected the characters it also affected the reader. I wasn't in love with Ryan as Kailey’s partner and though we were assured repeatedly that he was a good guy and he never stepped out of line, I just didn't love him for her. I suppose this was obvious to most of us reading the book, as well as those people around her in the book. I felt much empathy for him though despite being unsure of their partnership, he was a bystander in the “real” couples’ life. 

What made me turn the pages was the mystery behind Cade’s memory loss. How had he ended up there? What had gone wrong? What had happened with his business partner? In the end all is made clear but I was uneasy about his business partner and worried about their friendship. Somehow, if there had been any guilt at the time you would think that he would have spent more time looking for his friend. They had been close since childhood so you’d think this would have superseded any issues with the business?

Always puts a spotlight on homelessness. It puts a focus on basic human compassion and it puts a light on being aware of those around you- in person, not just via an email or a text.  The novel was thought provoking while still maintaining the warmth that I’ve come to expect from this author’s work.

Thank you to Random House for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Sarah Jio can always be relied upon to write a story that is so absorbing you forget about those pesky chores and sometimes even sleep! I loved Always. It was a story of first loves, true love, and questions if it is possible to recreate our first love regardless of how much life changes us. 

Always made me think of my own life and created a bunch of "what if's?" or "what would I do" and to me that is indicative of good writing. 

Thank you so Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read.

This book is sweet and at the same time is full of bitterness too. It grabs your attention since the first paragraph. I felt so bad for the fiance but I love so much the main character. Read this book you will find that there's hope and that love can conquer all.

This book was so moving. Full of love and heartache. Kailey is out on a date with her fiance Ryan. She has a great job, and fiance, loves her life. When they leave the restaurant Kailey sees a homeless man and decides to give him her leftovers from dinner. When their eyes meet she realizes she knows him. He is the love of her life Cade, who went missing many years ago.Over the next few weeks she decides to help him and to get his memory back. Only to realize that her feelings are still there. This book alternates between their past and the present. I could not put this book down and I had to keep reading to find out what had happened to Cade. I received the from NetGalley for an honest review.

Another great one by Jio!  Always gives us Kailey, who is out to dinner with her wonderful finance, Ryan, when she glimpse a man who looks like her lost love, Cade. Years ago, Cade had a stellar career and what looked like a bright future when he seemed to spiral out of control and disappear. Now he is homeless and confused. Kailey can't just let him go without finding out what happened to him. As she begins to know Cade again and tries to help him, she has some horribly tough choices to make.

This book has fantastic characters and an unusual and engrossing storyline. It was a winner for me!