Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books 
 Always by Sarah Jio is romance's version of What Would You Do mixed with some seriously awesome 90's nostalgia. It's not the type of book I typically read as it involves a love triangle, but that triangle was handled so well and so differently from other fiction that I've read that it didn't bother me at all. 
 Kailey Crane has it all-she's getting married to Ryan, who is basically a Disney prince in three dimensional format. She's a successful reporter for Seattle's Herald. She has a best friend, Tracy, who loves and supports her. So you know this is all going to go to shit, right? 
 Always jumps back and forth between the late nineties when Kailey and Cade met, and the "present day," which is 2008. When Kailey met Cade he was the co-owner of a successful music label, Element Records. There is so much mid-to-late nineties music nostalgia in this book. Cade and Kailey meet at a Mazzy Star concert. She names her dog Eddie after Eddie Vedder. Tracy and Kailey sigh over the members of Soundgarden. 
 I also thought Always did a good job of addressing homelessness in general. Kailey's reporting for The Herald has given her new perspective and empathy into Seattle's homeless epidemic. The novel addresses the preconceived notions and prejudices that homelessness is about addiction or laziness, rather than more complex issues like mental health care. Cade was a millionaire before he disappeared onto Seattle's streets, and an ER visit confirms that since then he's suffered some sort of traumatic brain injury. It's also clear that there's no one reason for Cade's situation, but rather a myriad of complex social and medical issues. 
 I was curious as to how the book would handle sex, especially since Cade has no real memory of his past which could get icky really, really fast-but it's a "sweet" romance that really doesn't focus on Kailey's physical relationship with either man. 
 I liked Always because I liked the heroine and I liked the twist on the love triangle storyline. I felt that the heroes weren't particularly unique or memorable though, which kept me from fully engaging in either romance. If you're looking for something a little more thoughtful, or you need to jump back to Seattle's nineties music scene for awhile, then this book will work for you. If you want an in-depth, steamy romance, then Always will likely disappoint. 
 - Elyse