Tips for Tuesday - Always Is Not Forever & The Bookshop By the Bay

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Books: Always Isn't Forever & The Bookshop By the Bay

Today we are recommending Always Isn't Forever by J.C. Cervantes. Hart and Ruby have known each other forever. Best friends, and soulmates, the high school seniors are planning a future together when Hart tragically drowns in an accident. However, since it isn't really supposed to be his time to die, he gets the chance to come back only not as himself but as the town's bad boy, Jameson, whom Ruby despises. Hart is forbidden from telling Ruby who he is and every night he loses more of his memories. He is desperate to get Ruby to recognize him before time runs out, and he becomes Jameson forever.

This is a truly heart-wrenching but also an extremely heartwarmingly lovely book. Hart and Ruby are such good kind-hearted caring characters individually. Together they are a really sweet couple with an incredibly touching love story.  

Hart and Ruby's relationship is not the only great one in this book. There are many other great relationships in the book as well including one between Ruby and her sister and one between Hart and Lourdes, the angel who helps him. In fact,  all of the secondary characters in the book are extremely well-written and really add to the story. 

Even if you don't ordinarily like books that with supernatural elements, you may enjoy this one because it is so character driven and the character are all so well developed. Although the book is meant for teens, anyone can enjoy this really beautiful book. 

Today we are recommending The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley. When her husband's infidelity comes to light, Jess flees to her hometown with her daughter, Caitlin to regroup. Caitlin is at a crossroads herself as she is between jobs and between relationships. Jess' best friend, Alison and her daughter are at crossroads in their lives as well. Alison needs to supplement her income now that she's been downsized and her daughter, Julia is unsure if she is happy with her relationship. When Jess and Alison decide to buy a bookshop together, it changes all of their lives. 

While there are some lovely romances in this book, that is just a small part of the book. It is more about the relationships between these women. It is so nice to read a book about women who really support each other and are there for each other. Mothers and daughters in particular are often portrayed as having difficult relationships so it is really refreshing to read about two pairs of mothers and daughters who are shining examples of the best that mother/daughter relationships can be. Each half of these mother/daughter pairs is truly loving, caring, and supportive of the other.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

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