What if you got a redo of a time in your life that had a massive impact on you?

What if that redo let you fix one important thing at the expense of everything else?

Opposite of Always felt like an investigation into a lot of really big ideas and I really loved it, even if it took me awhile to figure out what was happening. The main premise was Jack meets Kate. Jack falls for Kate. Kate dies (because she has Sickle-Cell anaemia). Jack loops back to six months previous - the party at which he met Kate. Now, I bet you're like, 'hello spoiler?' (unless you read the summary), but I promise you Kate dying is not the point of the story. It's more about what lengths a person is willing to go to in order to save the one they love.

This story investigates 4 different timelines of the Jack-Kate story and there are many changes in each. It was really thought-provoking to read and made me question what I might do in a situation I got to relive. Questions it raised for me include: should you regret decisions you've made in the past? (Because what good does it do?) What are the important things in life, and what would I do if they conflicted at all? Can you have it all? It's going to be a long weekend pondering those questions, methinks.

The writing was beautiful and compelling, and I could not recommend this beautiful story more. You should all get it because its a brilliant blend of contemporary and SFF. This is a solid FIVE STAR read.

I received a copy of Opposite of Always in exchange for an honest review, so thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s book!

Jack is sitting on the stairs at some party, when he meets a girl. They hang out, they fall in love, everything is great, but Kate is sick, and before Jack can help it, she dies. Kate dies, and Jack tumbles head first down the stairs, only to wake up back on the stairs where they first met. He knows he is back to save her, but he fails, time and time again, trying everything he can think of. But every time he thinks he’s on the right track, he ends up doing damage somewhere else. And each time he ends up back on those damn stairs. Can anything he do change the course of his life? And is it even Kate’s life that he’s been sent back to save?

This is not your ordinary love story, nor is it your run of the mill Groundhog Day storyline. It’s not boring – you don’t relive the same details over and over again. Each retelling gives you something new and adds new details to the storyline.

The time travelling storyline isn’t the big sell of this novel though – however, it did keep me hooked. The best bit, and the reason why I desperately look forward to reading more from Justin Reynolds in the future, was the characters. Jack is nerdy, awkward, but cute and well meaning, very relatable and someone I’d very much like to be friends with.

His friendships with Franny and Jillian are both pure, and true, in the sense that you believe they’ve all been friends for a very long time. They know when they each need a sarcastic comment, or a hug, or to pretend like nothing is wrong when they need a minute of quiet.

And his relationship Kate is just all kinds of cute. There’s awkward flirting, joyfully making fun of each other, and I love when you see these types of relationships in fiction, specifically YA, because so much of the time you see two characters together and can see no reason why. They find each other attractive. And? They don’t actually seem to like each other or spending time with each other, but here they did.

So, it’s cute, it’s funny, and it tries to answer some of the big questions. Is there only ever one person for you? What are the real consequences for your actions? And how far would you go to fix your mistakes?

I loved this book and cannot to wait for more people to read it, and to see what Justin Reynolds come out with in the future! 4 (and a half? maybe?) out of 5 stars.

Opposite of Always is out now – go and grab yourself a copy!

Beautifully written and a pleasure to read. This is a Groundhog Day like story about Jack and Kate. Jack tries repeatedly to save Kate. He continually relives the period of time from when they met up until her death. He has to find a way to break this loop. This is a funny moving story about love, friendship, family, loss and perseverance.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

2.5 - 3 stars

A brief review for this book that was just an okay read. I felt invested in the characters of Jack and Kate at first but then the dreaded Groundhog Day scenario reared it’s head; I’m just not a fan. Therefore, I struggled perpetually with this issue alongside being somewhat won over by Jack and his efforts. I found this a slow and long read at times when I really wanted to feel some pace of the story playing out. I’d give this author a try again.

Jack King is in love with his best friend Jillian, but Jillian is their other best friend Franny’s girlfriend. A college tour party might be his chance to tell her. At least until Jack meets Kate.

Jack and Kate are an adorable couple but Jack struggles to balance Kate and the other aspects of his life. Especially when it’s clear that Kate is hiding something. Kate’s secret comes out when she goes awol on prom night, Jack eventually finds out she is in hospital. Just as it gets better to the worse possible outcome, Jack wakes up at the college tour party where he meets Kate. Again and again.

Each time Jack tries to save Kate, help Jillian, and salvage a relationship for Franny and his father. With every new attempt Jack tries new schemes, each time he fails someone. But in the end the person he was supposed to save was himself.

This was such fun! A YA version of Groundhog Day and I love that movie :) It was a time travel romance novel that will make you laugh and cry at the same time.
I loved the writer's take on love, loss and friendship. Jack and Kate are very likeable characters as well as the other friends. I rooted for them immediately and wanted to follow their stories.

Kate and Jack fall in love and then they die. However, Jack wakes up again at the party where they met and gets a second chance. And the story begins there with time travel integrated in it.
I definitely enjoyed my time with this book. It was a sweet escape in spring days.
I'd recommend if you like YA cute romances, but of course it has much more in it.

Thanks a lot to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting idea for a story, basically a teenage version of Groundhog day.

Due to the very nature of the plot it was quite repetitive, particularly the first half of the book. Each scenario did change enough to keep my interest. It got more interesting when Jack started to think outside the box, like how to earn lots of money fast or when he decided to not start dating Kate but actually pursue his other crush. There was good character building and you grew attached to them all. It also had a reasonably satisfying ending, nothing amazing and no grand solution, but how you wanted it to end.

The only let down for me was the quality of the writing, quite basic and mainly conversational. The book is definitely aimed at the younger audience. I am a big fan of YA, but this writing was quite simplistic.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

It was sometime last year that I heard about Opposite of Always for the first time by stumbling on someones Insta Live session where they were talking about it. Since then the book has been on my mind and when I got approved to read it on NetGalley your girl was OVER THE MOON! So my biggest thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for agreeing I should be reading the book before the general public. Stoked!

I love the idea of time travel. I watched a film a few months ago, sadly my fish memory doesn't remember the name of it, but it went something like this:

It's the main character's birthday morning. She wakes up, goes to school, has an amazing day and even better there's a party happening in the evening where everyone is invited to. The party is a success, but on their way home the car they're in crashes and kills everyone. But that's not the end. The girl wakes up to an alarm and the same morning is happening again.. so she needs to work out what to do differently to get out of the time loop.

Opposite of Always is very similar in it's context. A perfect mixture of The Fault in Our Stars and Groundhog Day. But it's also so much more than time travel. In fact there's not even much emphasis on it. Reynolds has hit the nail on the head of what's it like to be a teenager, the daily struggles and worries and he has written it all in an easy, humorous way. It's hard not to like the book!

To have a story that's simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, moving, smart and most of all memorable is a breath of fresh air amongst the thrillers that I normally reach for.

Jack Attack, Jack King - my absolute hero.

5* out of 5!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Meet Jack King - consistently average at everything and hopelessly in love with his best friend, who is also the girlfriend of his other best friend. Jack meets Kate at a party where they become a dam for the staircase. Follow Jack to discover just what lengths he would be willing to go to to save Kate who is very ill.

I did enjoy this YA time travel / Groundhog Day type read with Jack being transported back to that first moment where he meets Kate on the stairs each time he fails. Interesting premise.

A Groundhog Day-esque story of love, loss and friendship. A wonderful take on this particular genre that will have you laughing and crying.

Jack and Kate are immensely likeable characters that readers will immediately fall in love with on this journey, as are their group of friends - a wonderful set of characters to follow and grow with.

Justin A Reynolds does a fantastic job of creating a really sweet read that is perfect for YA fans.

A young adult time travel romance , Opposite of Always by Justin A Reynolds is the story of Jack King, a young man who meets a young woman , Kate , at a party and falls madly in love. HIs best friends, and couple, Jillian and Franny approve, and not just because she has contacts with one of the hottest bands around. When Kate gets sick and dies, it seems like the love story is over. but somehow Jack finds himself right back at the night where they met. Given a chance to do things over, he tries to save Kate, but winds up hurting his friends instead, and to no avail, Kate still doesn't make it. So its back to the party again, and another go around for Jack and the gang. Each time through the loop, Jack learns more about himself and the value of his friendships, and soon he begins to question just how much he is willing to sacrifice and who he is willing to hurt to save the woman he loves as he despairs of ever finding a way to keep everyone happy.
The strength of this book lies in the likability of Jack and Kate, and just how much the reader is rooting for them to succeed, but that is not to downplay the well written and very important friendship between Jack, Franny and Jillian. All of the characters, including the more background family members feel like they have been written with attention and intention.
The book did not feel at all repetitive despite the time loop because the author worked really hard to show how small changes in decision making had different and often unforeseen consequences.
You may laugh, you might cry, but you will definitely enjoy this sharp, funny and heartfelt book,
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I've only just finished this and I am already rushing to get my thoughts out as I adored it so much. This is an unapologetically fun and heartbreaking book.
It's about two people falling in love and then they... die. Kate sick in the hospital and Jack breaking his neck falling down the stairs. But then Jack wakes up again at the party where they met and gets a second chance.
A touch of time travel was exactly what I needed and this book takes the trope and makes it sweet and funny. It's a YA book that is not only about young adults but feels like it was written by one too. Jack's narrative feels fresh and the writing just rolls down the page, until the very last one.

Sometimes you see a cover of a book and you know instantly that you have to read it. I definitely had that excited feeling and completed this book within a few hours as I couldn’t put it down!!

Jack King meets Kate at a party and within seconds they are laughing away as if they had known each other for years. He wants to spend every minute possible with her. Kate feels the same way but tries to resist.

Jack and Kate’s relationship flourishes but sadly Jack finds out that Kate’s life may be short and no matter what he does, she keeps dying. He finds himself back at the beginning, meeting her as a stranger at the part for the first time time again.

I loved this book. In the story they use the word Craughing meaning to cry and laugh at the same time and that’s exactly how I felt when reading this book!!

Jack and Kate are an adorable couple who you can’t help but root for. Every girl needs a Jack in their lives.

A groundhog story that is not repetitive, as every time the scenario changes slightly as Jack makes seemingly small changes that have consequences for everyone , putting their lives in danger.

A must read that blends friendship, love with time travel to make a fascinating book.

Will be looking out for Justin Reynold’s next book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I did not finish this book due to the file format on the kindle but I will be buying this book once it is released and giving it a read!

I’ll be honest with you. I don’t read a lot of YA and I definitely don’t read a lot of love stories – if any. If the blurb has the word ‘love’ or ‘romance’ in it, you’ve got a 99.9% chance of losing me without a backwards glance.

There was something about Opposite of Always that enticed me in and once I started reading, I was totally engrossed. Yes, it’s about love. And there’s some lust. Romance. But it’s about more than that – it’s about what it means to be alive and to live.

Reynolds is a master at developing characters. From Jack to his best friends Jillian and Franny, you get an in-depth look at their psychology. However, that’s not to say I liked them. I had really strong feelings towards Jillian and Franny, and I felt like they took from Jack more than they gave. In fact, I’m not sure they gave anything. Jillian particularly irks me as she is like a child with a toy she doesn’t want to play with, but when someone else wants the toy, it’s all she wants too.

The only character I didn’t feel like I got to know well enough was Kate. I didn’t fully understand what made her tick. I would’ve liked to have had a better understanding of her perspective of having lived with a chronic disease.

My out and out favourite characters are Jack’s parents. Married for 30 years, they show why it is important to always be working at relationships and prioritise each other.

The story itself is carefully constructed and it takes real talent to write a book about a character reliving the same day with minor variations. Opposite of Always does not get boring – the only thing I felt was frustration because I could see where Jack was going wrong and desperately wanted to guide him. But this isn’t meant negatively, it just goes to show how emotionally involved you can become in this book. At one point I actually said aloud: “Jack, what are you doing?!”. I don’t think anyone heard me…!

Aside from the story and the characters, the best bit about this book is the format. The chapters are pretty short, which I love. Some are shorter than others, but I felt like it helped keep the momentum going. I’m also one of those people who has to finish a chapter before they put the book down, so long chapters do not sit well with me.

Overall, this is an impressive debut by Reynolds, I’m interested to see where he goes with his work in the future.

I'd heard a lot of things (great things ofc) about this debuting novel and because I'm always late to things (except for that 'Stranger Things' time), I wanted to get onto this bandwagon before the hype started. So I decided to give it a read!

And good thing I did too! The writing style of this book, oh my my! I think it's what sets it apart from a lot of the YA fic I've read. It was so so easy and comfortable to just slide straight into this book. The chatty, friendly narrative really pushed it for me. Then the plot. Okay, so the main theme has a 'groundhog day' feel to it, which I know we've seen before (and many times even). BUT, don't be fooled! Yes, there were times I felt a bit disconnected from this book but what's different (and special) about it is the relationships that Jack has with Kate/his parents/his friends. The friendship side of this book is a big one especially when Jack goes through the time loop each time and the circumstances changes. I mean the bromance between Franny and Jack is equally as heart warming as that between Jack and Kate! And another reason as to why it's different is because the time loop that Jack goes through contains some of the most important, 'coming-of-age' moments of his life and I think it's beautifully captured.

Overall, 'Opposite of Always' gave me serious feels. There's an underlining honesty in this book which made me like it very much. It's a very comforting read.

Really enjoyed this time loop story, it’s sweet and charming with really great characters. I loved the way that while it has the time loop aspect this is a contemporary YA at heart dealing with real life challenges making it feel so relevant to today’s teens.

WOW!

There aren't enough words to describe my love for this book. It made me laugh and cry and sometimes both at the same time! I actually went into it not knowing anything- but when I realised that our main character Jack keeps reliving the moment he met Kate. AND IT IS SO EMOTIONAL I CRIED ON THE TRAIN

The writing was so fantastic and I loved Jack's character- he was both normal and extraordinary. Justin Reynolds wrote a character that is actually human- not just a fictional being who magically says and does everything right- and for that I LOVED IT.

Highly recommend!!!

In this book Jack at a party meets Kate, a girl he falls for hard only she is sick, with sickle cell and is facing death all through the book.



As Jack tries to save Kate from her death, he travels through time to try and redo the past to spare her life as he loves her only he also must correct everything he did wrong to his best friends Franny and Jillian as they face issues with their parents being absent and struggling to get by money wise too.



However I didn't see a shock twist after Jack's third attempt to save Kate coming which changes the whole outcome you expect to see happen.



Yet as we got through all scenarios of time travel to save Kate, we make the realisation that saving someone can actually save yourself as your feelings and decisions change your life too and how time travel may not ever always make things perfect if it did exist in real life throughout the novel to me the book proves the fact that everything happens for a reason and how we learn from our mistakes the unlikely couple are cute at times but to me also Jack does border too much on coming across too strong as a boy interested in the girl and Kate plays it more cool where usually it's the other way around!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I loved the sound of this - the premise was excellent and I couldn't wait to start it. But I found the two main characters very irritating. The dialogue was trying far too hard - it felt heavy and clunky. I didn't believe enough in the characters or their relationship to care whether Kate was saved or not. This didn't work for me.