Opposite of Always - Justin A. Reynolds.

Title: Opposite of Always
Author: Justin A Reynolds
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: March 5, 2019
451 Pages
4/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Debut author Justin A. Reynolds delivers a hilarious and heartfelt novel about the choices we make, the people we choose, and the moments that make a life worth reliving.

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack.

But then Kate dies. And their story should end there.

Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind.

Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves.

Review

This was another very solid 4 star read for me! I was hooked from the very beginning of the book - it had a very gripping and dramatic start! Even though you know that Kate is going to die and Jack will travels back in time, it doesn't happen the way you think it's going to. 

I thought the author did a great job of setting up those months that Jack would end up reliving. At first, since you knew Kate was going to die, I expected it to happen sooner than it did in the book, but you as the reader needed to see Kate and Jack's relationship - as well as the relationships between him and his parents, and Jillian and Franny. I found all of these characters to be very endearing, and you really root for them all.

This book definitely had major "Groundhog Day" movie vibes to it - what with all that living the same day over again. Though in this story, when Jack is sent back in time he doesn't just live one day over again, but several months! And each time he travels back in time, what happens in those months change. 

I thought it had a wonderful balance of tension and heart. You really do root for Jack and Kate. I felt that Jack (as a character) was very relatable. Who hasn't felt like they forever come in second place, and are always in that "almost good enough" category? I think we have all felt like Jack - working our hardest and still coming up just a little short of having talent - in whatever category it might be. 

I also loved the friendship between Jack, Jillian, and Franny. I thought the author did a wonderful job of showing what true friendship looks life. It's not perfect all the time. Friends have fights, and you have to navigate communicating, and juggle time spent together. You have to be real with each other. Having friends who are there for you means everything.

I've seen some reviews where readers don't like how fast Jack and Kate fall for each other, but I thought it was really cute and endearing. They bonded over nerdy things. Sometimes falling in love is like that. It doesn't always make sense to other people, but it does make sense.

If you love tales of love, friendship, and time travel, you'll definitely love this book! It has lots of heart! 

Happy reading!