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Always  By  cover art

Always

By: Sarah Jio
Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
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Publisher's summary

A gripping novel about the kind of love that never lets go and the heart's capacity to remember, from the New York Times best-selling author of Blackberry Winter and The Violets of March.

Enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with her fiancé, Ryan, at one of Seattle's chicest restaurants, Kailey Crain can't believe her good fortune: She has a great job as a journalist and is now engaged to a guy who is perfect in nearly every way. As she and Ryan leave the restaurant, Kailey spies a thin, bearded homeless man on the sidewalk. She approaches him to offer up her bag of leftovers and is stunned when their eyes meet, then stricken to her very core: The man is the love of her life, Cade McAllister.

When Kailey met Cade 10 years ago, their attraction was immediate and intense - everything connected and felt right. But it all ended suddenly, leaving Kailey devastated. Now the poor soul on the street is a faded version of her former beloved: His weathered and weary face is as handsome as Kailey remembers, but his mind has suffered in the intervening years. Over the next few weeks, Kailey helps Cade begin to piece his life together, something she initially keeps from Ryan. As she revisits her long-ago relationship, Kailey realizes that she must decide exactly what - and whom - she wants.

Alternating between the past and the present, Always is a beautifully unfolding exploration of a woman faced with an impossible choice, a woman who discovers what she's willing to save and what she will sacrifice for true love.

Praise for Always

“[Sarah] Jio’s novel is a fantastic read that explores the world of lost love in a poignant and beautiful way, while still being light and easy to digest. The protagonist is one whom readers can relate to.... Jio’s tale also beautifully blends stories from both the past and the present.... It’s a great read and comes with high recommendations.” (RT Book Reviews)

“Jio’s newest novel explores intersections of past and present and the complexities of love.... [Kailey] must confront her own past as she tries to figure out what she really wants.... Fans of Jio’s work will still find her signature emotional depth.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Perfect for fireside reading.” (PopSugar)

©2017 Sarah Jio (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A heartwarming story of personal growth and the power of nostalgia.... Fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Emily Giffin should enjoy this warm and compassionate novel." (Booklist)

What listeners say about Always

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    162
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Performance
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    86
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    7

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Nice book - fairly predictable

Nice "feel good" book - definitely in the category of summer reading. I needed a better villain. Kept looking for danger, but it was not there.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this

Great book! The story really touch my heart!
Note to the author: what happened to Eddy?

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

It sucks you in

I thought the book started out really well - it sucks you in and keeps you there for a long while. But, it gets a bit more repetitive and by the end, it was really dragging on. I also agree with the comments that it could have used more depth. Ultimately, I enjoyed listening to the majority of it, but I was eye rolling for the last hour or so, wishing it would end.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

i love the reader and the story

predictable ending but the plot is great not boring at all! the reader is amazing is the 2 time i heard a book from her and she is clear amd play different tone of voices. great job

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Unique plot, interesting characters

Would you consider the audio edition of Always to be better than the print version?

Haven't read the print version

What other book might you compare Always to and why?

Haven't experienced this kind of story before

What about Brittany Pressley’s performance did you like?

The sound of her voice & her reading pace. Very natural.

Any additional comments?

Really enjoyed this listen. Terrific story, fantastic narration.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Nostalgic

Loved this book. loved the music references. Made me feel nostalgic. had some questions that weren't answered in the book, but in this situation, I dont know if you could have all your questions answered.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

When the past collides into the present!!

This is my first Sarah Jio book I have read and I am hooked. The storyline caught my attention in a sense where I immediately put myself in the characters shoes.

The characters were well written and evolved through the story.

I loved this book so much all of my girlfriends are reading it because I've spoken so much about it. Would love to see a movie made!!!

The narrator Brittany Presley is excellent!!! Her voice is soothing and easy to listen too!!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

One of the best!

This audiobook was one of the best I have listened to. The story was done with such compassion and portrayed all the tug-of-war emotions that Kailey was going through. Brittany Pressley was an amazing narrator, and I just purchased another book that she has narrated because she does such a good job.

I feel that Sarah Jio tackled the theme of homelessness as well as Jodi Picoult addresses social issues, and it gave me much thought and soul searching about my own generalizations of the homeless. I would have given the Story a 5-star rating but I was disappointed in the anti-climatic ending. It was if Sarah had grown tired after writing this wonderful novel and just wanted to get the ending over with. However, it was worth listening to overall, and I'm glad I purchased it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

Compared to Blackberry Winter and Violets of March this book was disappointing. It was extremely predictable, no real mystery, and the resolution of the friendship between Cade and James was anticlimactic and made no sense in the context of the lead up to it. This seemed like a romance story for an older teen girl or a young twenty something. And as another reviewer said what happened to Eddie, the dog?

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing and twisting

keeps you so much on your toes on what she would or even should do. I enjoyed the back and forth of the history of her relationships.

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1 person found this helpful