Jack and Kate are adorable, even if they're not always completely sympathetic characters. I love YA rom-coms, and throwing a little time travel into the mix certainly took this book to a different dimension.

March 1, 2019 - Whether it be Jillian, the girl who has to shoulder the responsibility of her mother, Franny and his relationship with his dad who just got out of prison, or his a-dorkable parents.

September 10, 2020 - Jack King: Main character. African-American young boy. High school senior. 5’9”. Kate: African-American young woman. Bright, brown eyes. Black, shoulder length curly hair. ... Officer #2: Woman.

December 15, 2019 - Opposite of Always follows Jack King, a boy who always comes second.

I also enjoyed that this book not only focused on Jack’s character, but everyone from the Coupon, Kate, Jillian, Xander, and Jack’s parents. Plot: I thought the first scene was kind of confusing because it puts you right into things and you don’t know what’s going on, but the flow of the book after that is well done.

High school senior Jack King is surrounded by people he admires: His parents are amazing; his best friend Franny is a great athlete and a looker to boot; and his other best friend, Jillian, is their class valedictorian and as caring as they come.

September 18, 2019 - I can’t remember if there were any named white characters in that story. Reading over my review of that book makes me want to read more from Ms. Bev! I digress… The books differ in that The Gift Giver takes place in the Bronx, amongst families who are struggling financially, whereas in Opposite of Always, these are just middle class black families living their lives.

Jack narrates the story, so the novel reveals his character largely through his interpretation of himself. Early in the novel, Jack is incredibly hard on himself. He sees himself as unworthy of his name—“Except my mom’s always reminding me that I was named for Jackie Robinson, who broke through the pro sports color barrier, and Ralph Ellison, writer and scholar, best known for his seminal work Invisible Man” (15)—and incapable of romantic success and lasting happiness.

October 16, 2021 - Opposite of Always feels like an awkward mash-up of Groundhog Day, (500) Days of Summer, and A Walk to Remember. Not only does it feature a time loop like that in the Bill Murray film, but Jack also has Tom Hanson’s obsessive, self-pitying tendencies. At the beginning of the novel, Jack proclaims to the reader that he’s the king of almost, listing off all the hobbies at which he hoped to become an expert.

March 31, 2022 - Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds gave me time-travelling Groundhog Day vibes (but with YA stakes) that I’ve enjoyed before—and it didn’t get past me that the characters’ names were Jack and Kate, like in Titanic.

September 29, 2019 - Opposite of Always follows the king of Almost – Jack Ellison King, to be exact. Jack is firmly stuck in the middle of everything – never a failure and never quite a success. He doesn’t get the girl, but he’s her best friend. He’s not a stellar musician, he’s just all right.

July 19, 2020 - Rating: ★★★ When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love for cereal, Jack knows he's falling in love - hard and fast. Kate isn't like anyone else he's met before.

Or that he is destined to meet her over and over again? In this engrossing debut novel, Reynolds creates both a pair of unforgettable protagonists who are doomed to love, lose, and work to find one another again and again and a well-rounded cast of supporting characters.

October 29, 2024 - Opposite of Always is a Romance Webtoon Original created by WmW, original concept by justin a. reynolds, written by Darius Dudley, and illustrated by Sharpteething; it concluded on February 26, 2023. When Jack meets Kate, he's sure that they're meant to be. But just when life seems poised to prove him wrong, he finds himself in a loop that keeps him pursuing her...forever.

May 3, 2024 - In The Opposite of Always, we follow Jack, who meets Kate, who ends up dying. Jack relives the period they meet up to her death over and over again to try and save her. Think Groundhog Day meets About Time kind of vibe.

March 8, 2019 - This is a fantasy, meant to entertain, but readers will learn about sickle cell disease, which afflicts a main character. ... When OPPOSITE OF ALWAYS begins, high school senior Jack King is infatuated with his best friend's girl. He's a sweet, nerdy kid who's loyal to both of them; he'll never ...

October 6, 2021 - Opposite of Always is a young adult romance with a groundhog day style twist; Jack meets Kate at a party and the two of them instantly...

April 9, 2019 - Opposite of Always is unique take on the medical drama. Jack meets Kate at a party and their chemistry is undeniable. There is only one problem, within six months of meeting Kate she is going to die. Jack gets stuck in a timeloop that restarts every time Kate dies, and he makes it his mission to find a way to save her.

July 16, 2020 - Blurb: 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.

May 22, 2019 - They are a really cool trio, and the way that their dynamic shifts with the decisions that Jack makes is far and away the best part of Opposite of Always. The way that Jack’s friends (particularly Franny) are folded into Jack’s family is particularly sweet. Franny and Jillian are their own characters even outside their relationships to Jack, and I love that the narrative emphasizes them as much as it does.