Always

January 2, 2017
Jio’s (Goodnight June) newest novel explores intersections of past and present and the complexities of love. Kailey Crane, a journalist at the Seattle Herald, is happily engaged and looking forward to her future when she has encounters a homeless man she recognizes as Cade, the man she once called the love of her life. Alternating between 2008 and a decade earlier, the narrative details Kailey’s relationship with Cade and her present life with her fiancé, Ryan. When Kailey realizes that Cade does not remember who he is or what happened to him, she embarks on a quest to help him find out. She must confront her own past as she tries to figure out what she really wants. The story is most compelling when exploring Kailey’s internal conflict, though her choice between the two men is made too easy. And though the mystery surrounding Cade ultimately seems underdeveloped, fans of Jio’s work will still find her signature emotional depth.

December 1, 2016
A woman's romantic life is turned upside down once when her first love disappears and again when he resurfaces, noticeably changed.Kailey is on the brink of marrying the perfect guy, but it's clear, despite protestations to herself and to the reader, that her heart's not in it. For one thing, she's writing a newspaper series in hopes of saving one of Seattle's homeless shelters and its neighborhood from development, and her fiance is in business with the developers. For another, she has never gotten over the love of her life, Cade, who disappeared years ago after their relationship deteriorated. Worlds collide immediately when Cade shows up, wild-eyed and homeless, begging outside the fancy restaurant where Kailey and her fiance have been dining. From there, the narrative splits. In the past, Kailey tells of falling for Cade when he steals her away from a setup date. They bond over being orphans and over their love for each other. Cade takes Kailey on trips and shows her around Seattle, moving through the music scene which, as a record label owner, he knows well. In the present, Kailey tracks down the homeless, changed Cade and eventually manages to get him enrolled in a clinic for patients with brain trauma. The origin of Cade's injury is a mystery that keeps the story moving--was it his old business partner, with whom he was always at odds?--but several ends are left loose. The greatest is that Kailey's past narrative portrays Cade as becoming increasingly unreliable, short-tempered, and alcohol-dependent, but these problems are not addressed in either timeline. Homelessness and brain trauma get a lot of lip service but seem primarily to be plot devices rather than examined issues. A well-intentioned but thin portrayal of love.

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December 15, 2016
All of life's puzzle pieces have fallen into place for Kailey Crane. She has a wonderful and challenging job as a reporter for the Seattle Herald, and she has Ryan, her adoring fiance. Bumping into an old flame wouldn't normally turn Kailey's world upside down, but this old flame is Cade McAllister, her first true love . . . and he is homeless. Completely taken aback by his situation, Kailey throws her energy into helping him turn his life around. As Cade gets back on his feet, Kailey's seemingly perfect life becomes a lot more complicated. Jio uses chapters set a decade apart to contrast the blissful early days of Cade and Kailey's relationship with the mystery of the wealthy music executive's downfall. Seattle itself plays a supporting role in the story, as Jio drops references to the 1990s music scene, landmarks, and neighborhoods. Refreshingly, Jio treats Cade's homelessness with tact and respect, offering a heartwarming story of personal growth and the power of nostalgia. Even though the resolution feels a bit too tidy, fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Emily Giffin should enjoy this warm and compassionate novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2016

On her way to dinner with her fiance, Kailey Crane recognizes a homeless man as a former lover who still haunts her and must decide whether to move forward or try to salvage the past and the man she had loved. From the New York Times best-selling author of Blackberry Winter.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2017

Jio's latest (Morning Glory; Blackberry Winter) introduces readers to Kailey Crane, a writer for Seattle's Herald who is newly engaged to Ryan, a man of old family money. Kailey's life is perfect--studded with BMWs and Michael Kors bags--but when a dinner out with Ryan turns into a happenstance meeting with former love Cade McAllister, that perfect life begins to fall apart. Kailey hasn't seen Cade since he disappeared years ago, and now he's broken and homeless, unsure of who he is and who she is. Determined to bring him back into the life she's sure he would have had, Kailey tries to jump-start his memories. Ultimately, she must choose between Cade and the life she's created for herself. VERDICT This sentimental novel taps into fantasies of nursing men back to health through love, forgetting about the more complicated issues it stirs up along the way. This quick beach read will appeal to those seeking a clean romance as well as to fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Karen White. [See Prepub Alert, 8/22/16.]--Mara Dabrishus, Ursuline Coll. Lib., Pepper Pike, OH

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.