Liv and Finn meet and fall for each other over the course of a summer. But after tragedy strikes, they settle for only seeing each other for a short time in the following six summers. Now, Liv is making a connection with a new man as she realizes that she and Finn may be officially over.

Paige Toon is a master at pulling at your heartstrings! Here's what I loved in this one:

The past and present: The story is told with Liv in the present, meeting Tom while also flashing back to her past with Finn. This sets up some high stakes for both of the relationships.

The Location: I loved this setting. You have a small village, some local watering holes, a beach side town. It has such a good feel to it that I wanted to go there.

The characters: I loved Liv and Finn and Tom and all of the side characters. Everything is so well drawn out in this book. I could honestly live in this book for a while.

The ending: I won't give anything away, but I enjoyed the ending. A lot.

Overall, this is one of those books that will tear your heart out and put it back together again several times. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy.

Unfortunately, I could not connect with the characters of this book. Tom's love story felt rushed to me but the dynamic between Finn and her drove me crazy, which I guess is it's point. I was hoping for more.

This book had everything I was looking for: rock star? angst? slow-burn? love-triange done well? Check, check, check, check. If you’re in the mood for a romance tear-jerker, then this book is for you.

I loved the structure of this story. Told from Liv’s POV between present-day and past summers leading up to now, I fell in love with Finn and Liv, AND Tom and Liv. Both romances felt right for Liv. Okay, Finn held my heart – I’m a sucker for broody, tortured rock stars – but Tom grew on me and I eventually fell in love with him, too. Whereas Finn’s love was deep and passionate, Tom’s love was steady and steadfast.

And Liv’s relationship with her brother, Michael. I appreciated how Toon incorporated Michael’s Down Syndrome as a blessing and a barrier. When Finn confronts Liv that she’s been using Michael as a crutch – and then Michael tells Liv that he’s been looking out for her as her big brother, I sobbed buckets.

This is a story that’s meant to be savored, not sipped. I’m looking forward to reading the next Paige Toon.

Seven Summers features a love triangle, a lot of complex emotions, and sadness. It was too long for me. I think Liv could have used some therapy and I wanted her to be happy even if at times it felt impossible.

3.5 stars but rounding down.

Thanks for the advanced reader copy netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons.

3.5 Stars

Seven Summers is a heart wrenching story of grief, love, growth and impossible choices.

The back and forth timeline over seven summers had perfect pacing and leant itself to the tension building between Liv and Finn. Their stories were heart breaking and it was easy to see why grief made it hard for each to go all in. The chemistry was palpable (although I wanted more of it) and the way they were there for each other while they could be felt so important for their growth. The choices they had to make due to that grief and being unwilling to fully compromise for each other became frustrating and created lots of angst.

This had all the makings of a heart breaking romance but a few things fell short to me. First, I was frustrated at the way Tom was used as a quick device just to get her back to Finn. Liv was so much happier with Tom and the ending felt cheapened in a way. Second, the ending felt very rushed. The epilogue Summers it felt like needed more
depth, and time with Tom to help understand why Liv felt no guilt at the end.

Aside from all of this the writing was wonderful and would've had a higher rating for me had I cried.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm at 3.5 stars. So much to love about this book. It's well written and so tender with its characters' heartbreak and grief. I like how authentically Toon writes about Liv's brother with Down syndrome -- his joy and work and friends and his journey toward a fully independent adult life, notable because Liv is sometimes blindly determined to tie herself down with the responsibility of him. I found myself annoyed often with Liv and her (senseless to me) rules about contact with Finn when he's in LA. And yes, I know she's grieving and guarding her heart, but still... that's when you need people who love you. I did appreciate that it all unfolded the way real life relationships so often do, when the love is there but it can't overcome all the circumstances lined up against it. Until you grow enough that it can. I felt like the whole thing was a couple summers too long -- it got slow and overly angsty at times.

"I decide there's no point in getting stressed contemplating a scenario that's never going to happen"

This book just gave me so many feels. I was happy, I was devastated, I was heartbroken. Paige Toon is just great at giving me a book that will make me feel something which is something I ultimately look for. I enjoyed this so much! I enjoyed the relationships & the storyline.

Liv was very relatable & she also was not perfect & I love an imperfect FMC. There were so many obstacles in her finding out who she was and where she wanted to be in life. Honestly, by the end I was proud of her & so happy for her.

I loved Finn. There are issues there for sure. I get that. I do not care. I love him.

Over-all, I definitely recommend this read! I would say a 4.25 star read for me!! I love anything Paige Toon & will read anything she writes. A perfect beach read!

**I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.**

Have you ever read a book that left you wishing it hadn't included an epilogue? That's exactly how I felt after finishing "Seven Summers" by Paige Toon. Don't get me wrong—I'm a fan of Paige Toon and her writing style. She has a knack for drawing readers in and making us fully invested in her stories and characters. I was captivated by the plot of "Seven Summers" right up until the epilogue, which felt like a concession to those rooting for Liv and Finn.

I appreciate love stories with strong, realistic storylines. I'm not opposed to endings that don't necessarily result in the main characters ending up together. In fact, if it's well-written and there's a valid reason why they shouldn't be together, I'm all for it.

Liv and Finn share a tragic past that brings Finn back to St. Agnes each summer to be with Liv. They become each other's support system, but Finn's life is based in Los Angeles, where he's pursuing his dreams and trying to escape his own tragic history in St. Agnes. They agree not to contact each other during the rest of the year, with the plan to rekindle their relationship each summer if they're both single.

This arrangement works until they both fall in love with other people. Now, Finn and Liv are faced with difficult choices and ultimatums. Will Finn leave LA and his girlfriend to be with Liv in St. Agnes? Or will Liv leave everything behind—her life in St. Agnes, her brother, friends, and boyfriend—to be with Finn in LA?

I don't have any issues with the main characters, Finn and Liv. They're both broken souls finding solace in each other and facing the consequences of their arrangement maturely. They're relatable and realistic, and their determination to pursue their passions despite emotional struggles is inspiring.

Tom, Liv's boyfriend, is also a compelling character with personal struggles and losses. However, his storyline felt like a contrivance to push Liv and Finn together.

Honestly, "Seven Summers" could have been a solid five-star read for me if it had ended in the last chapter without the epilogue. Liv finds someone who chooses her despite difficulties, someone who is present emotionally and physically, someone she can depend on.

While I understand Finn's trauma and his struggle to commit, it felt like he was testing Liv's loyalty and willingness to uproot her life for him. When he sees Liv choosing Tom, suddenly he's ready to commit to St. Agnes for her sake. But Finn needs to resolve his own issues before he can be a stable, reliable partner for Liv.

In summary, I have mixed feelings about "Seven Summers." I wanted to love it as much as I loved Paige Toon's "Only Love Can Hurt Like This," but a major flaw in the story's resolution left me disappointed. However, this won't stop me from reading more of Paige Toon's work, as her writing feels like home to me.

"Seven Summers" will be available on May 21st. Thank you to Paige Toon, Netgalley, and Penguin Group Putnam for providing early access to "Seven Summers" in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this book was such an emotional rollercoaster! There was so much love, grief, wisdom, and feeling packed into this love story and it certainly kept my attention from beginning to end. I specifically enjoyed the addition of a character with Down Syndrome as I feel they are vastly underrepresented in literature. I had mixed feelings about the end as it felt a little fast paced and rushed, but I was happy with the final ending. Overall, an engaging and thought provoking read!

I really loved this book! The story line hooked me right away and kept me constantly picking up my kindle! I loved that it went back and forth between past and present, however the FMC annoyed me a little bit as she seemed immature at times. I can't wait to read more Paige Toon books in the future

This one is for the fans of EVERY SUMMER AFTER.

After loving ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS, I screamed when I got the Netgalley approval for SEVEN SUMMERS.

Overall I really enjoyed the alternating timelines and how they connected at the end. My favorite character was Michael and I loved that the author included a character with disabilities, as I feel they’re left out in many books.

Paige Toon had a way of writing that makes you lose track of time while never wanting the story to end. I didn’t realize her backlist was so lengthy and I will definitely be reading more of her works in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Ugh I’m for sure the odd one out here, but I just could not get into this book. I only read about 13% of this one, but ended up “abandoning ship.” The last book I read by Paige Toon was In Five Years, which I didn’t love and hated the ending (it actually made me mad). And this book feels like the same story to me? Same setting, same pub, similar friend group, same art studio, friends go surfing on the weekend. Is everyone in Cornwall the same exact person? Is Paige Toon really that unoriginal that she has to reuse the same ideas over and over again? It’s not worth it to me. I struggled through that last book hoping for a happy ending and was sorely disappointed, so this book is a waving red flag for more disappointment and a waste of my time. Sorry to be so blunt. I’m thinking she might not be my kind of author.

This is a story about Liv's life and decisions along the way. There is a lot of grief and loss and emotions. The book goes back and forth past leading to present to future.

What I liked: Liv's relationships with Finn and Tom. Two very different men with similar core strengths. Liv's relationship with her brother Michael and her friends. The last third of the book gained my interest and went much more quickly. I wish the whole book was like that for me.

What I found I didn't like: Lengthy summers before made me want to skip chapters. I found myself putting the book down for the first half and forcing myself to read it. I'm not sure I understood why Finn and Liv couldn't find a common ground to be together in the beginning. It was pretty predictable how the story would end.

I really wanted to love this book, but I found it just OK.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Seven Summers, this is my honest review.

A love story set over seven summers, the first summer being the one when Liv meets Finn, but also the one when a terrible tragedy occurs. It sets the stage for every summer after and bonds the 2 of them together. It is told from Liv's POV and jumps from This Summer to the previous summers as Liv experiences heartbreak with Finn over and over again.

Paige Toon does a great job with the characters in this novel. I liked Liv, her brother Michael, and her group of friends. The most tragic part of the book for me was the Epilogue, heartbreaking and emotional in a good way.

I’m emotionally gutted! What a rollercoaster of feelings! This was my first Paige Toon book and it definitely won’t be the last. I’m looking forward to reading many, many more of her works.

Thank you NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for sending this book for review consideration

I love a second chance romance and was so excited for this book. This story hooked me right away, but then it fell a little bit flat for me. I found it to be a little slow in the middle, and picked up again around 75%. This book is filled with heartache, grief and loss, and was not a light read by any means. I think I was expecting a more of a lighthearted summer romance. I feel conflicted about it, because I think the character development was underwhelming yet I still was really rooting for and felt for these characters.

As always an emotional and heart wrenching read from Paige Toon. I hate love triangles but PT handled this really well. Definitely worth a read. 3 🌟

My first venture into the world of Paige Toon was more than I could have hoped for. Seven Summers is the story of Liv and the summers she spent falling in love with Finn. Summers spent navigating grief, instant adulthood, sudden responsibilities, and making dreams come true. The timing isn’t quite right for Liv and Finn year after year, but their love for each other - their desire for happiness for the other - is bigger than everything else.

I loved the character growth shown as the years progressed. The characters went from young and naive to wary yet wise. I loved rooting for Liv and Finn at times then rooting for something else at others. This book reminded me so much of the storytelling in my own book, Never Too Far Away, which made me feel connected to the story on a deeper level.

Loved loved loved and highly recommend this delightful summer read! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review.

This is my first Paige Toon book. Wow!, I was not prepared, and these characters will live with me for awhile. It gives a rollercoaster of feels until the very end. I absolutely loved it. This is not a romcom, It's is a book about loss, grief, family, and ties that bind. It will break your heart, but it does have a happy ending. I fell in love with the Cornwall setting. I wish I had followed the author before I read the book. She does research videos showcasing the locations, which really bring the scenes to life. This will definitely not be my last Paige Toon book.

This was an enjoyable, compulsively readable romance! I enjoyed the alternating timelines and looked forward to each switch back and forth. The characters were fun to follow throughout the book. The beach setting for the majority of this book also added to the reading experience for me. Overall, this was a lighthearted book that was great to read!

I’d be interested in reading more of Paige Toon’s work and I’d definitely recommend this book to romance readers!