I adored the first Paige Toon book I read, “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” so I was thrilled when I received an ARC of “Seven Summers” from NetGalley. Whoa baby was this an emotional ride.

Liv and Finn.
Liv and Tom.
Liv and Finn.

“I want to say that I’m over Finn. I’ve had a year to move on. But in the months after he left, when I’d heard nothing about him in the press, I could t help but hope that he’d be coming back to me after all. Now that hope has been crushed.” Every summer for 7 years Liv says goodbye to Finn. They don’t talk for an entire year. If they are both still single the next summer they will be together. Every summery they find their way back to each other… until the summer that they don’t. He moved on and she is crushed, then she falls in love with another man, and he can’t let her go. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions but I honestly wanted to knock some sense into the main female character for putting her life essentially on pause waiting for this man (Finn) to come to his senses. When she finally finds a man (Tom) who chooses to stay for her and make her his home, once again he’s back... “Don’t do it Liv. You’ll end up on that godforsaken roundabout that you’ve been on for years. He’ll jump on for a bit, tear your head into shreds, and jump off again. I can’t watch you do it.” I really wanted to love it…. But it left me mentally exhausted.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This heart-wrenching romance was a journey through grief, love, loss, and self-discovery. The descriptive writing painted the world beautifully, where I really wanted to live and head to the beach with the characters! There were two love interests, but it honestly didn’t feel like a love “triangle” as both relationships were on their own separate journeys and timelines. The dual timelines kept it fresh, interesting, and suspenseful. I honestly didn’t have a strong opinion of who I wanted her to end up with, they were both so well-written, believable, and made sense in their own right, so I couldn't choose! And then she went and hit us with that epilogue – WOW is all I can say.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I am not sure that this was the right time for me to read this one. It took me a very long time to get through it - I definitely found myself struggling to get into this one.

you know that feeling you get when you read a book or watch a movie and your mind just wanders to what if, and your heart swells and you get that tingly feeling when you think of how life would be if something happened or didn’t happen? this book is that feeling. an absolute freaking work of art.

this book follows Liv in dual timelines from her early 20s to late 30s (the past seven summers) and the past chapters eventually meet up with the present chapters. It tells the beautiful story of love, loss, fate between Liv and Finn over the last 7 summers… but what happens when a new person, Tom enters Liv’s life this summer? I cannot stress enough that this is NOT a love triangle… it is so much more and so beautifully written I did indeed bawl my face off multiple times and it DESERVES this lengthy review.

Liv is so strong, my heart grew and broke and patched itself up for her for all that she went though, the ending was perfect. Finn is such a beautiful soul, but so broken through his past and I just wanted to give him the biggest hug. Tom is a gentle soul and was such a beautiful addition to the story.
My soul needed the epilogue. I will be thinking of this book for weeks and months. I love it with everything in me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book will fill you full of hope, love and so much more. Then it will break your heart but put it back together a few times. It’s worth every bit of the roller coaster of emotions you feel. I think I’ll be thinking about risk story for months to come. It’s just one that stays with you. It captivated me I love the alternating story line between the time periods and peeling back layers to understand the characters and their actions. The story follows three main characters: Liv, Finn and Tom. Liv and Finn meet while both working at the Seaglass bar- he is a lead singer in band and she is working the bar. There is instant chemistry. Then Liv experiences the worst news ever and Finn must return to LA for band and writing music. They agree on no contact and to meet back in the summer. Six summers to fall in love. In the seven summer Liv meets Tom.
This story is not your typical romance. It has so much more. Liv has the most character growth- she experiences grief, loss, heartbreak, love. She has endured a lot of pain and seems to come out stronger each time. I loved watching f her become more confident in herself.

I wish this book was part of a series. I want more of the epilogue years like the earlier seven summers. Not sure my heart can take it but I need more! Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Wow! What an amazing story! The author did an amazing job creating imperfect characters that I loved and hated at the same time. I felt like Liv and Finn were both the heroes and villains of the story at the same time. I enjoyed seeing them grow, both together and apart. This was a beautifully written story that made me feel all of the feels. I most appreciated that the story didn’t just end—I feel like the story is complete and I am not left wondering what happened. 5 stars!

𝑺𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒚: 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒐𝒏
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️5/5 🌶️2/5
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: Two Epic Love Stories, Second Chance, Alternating Timelines, Disability Rep
𝗧𝗪𝘀: Grief, Death of a loved one, Mentions of Suicide and Mental Illness

This made me want to cuddle and hug my husband afterward because of all the feels and the rollercoaster of emotions that this beautiful story had put me through. 2 epic love stories told in alternating timelines that is heart wrenching, poignant and beautiful. All the emotions took a minute to settle in and i’m having trouble putting into words how this story touched me so much.

How lucky can you be to find two epic loves in your lifetime that is different but not one is greater than the other. The rawness of all the emotions were so clear that it will reel you in at the most unexpected times. The characters were so lovely. Liv’s journey through grief in separate times in her life for different reasons was so jarring! The strength it took for her to pick herself up and move forward in life especially dealing with the later griefs that she had to go through. You also have to admire his brother Michael who has Down Syndrome for his unwavering courage to find normalcy. It was so touching and absolutely commendable.

Liv and Finn’s love story is epic in vast proportions because of how their love and bond came to be. It was rough and desolate at times but significant in each of their growth.
Liv and Tom’s love story was easy and grounded. It never wavered and I want a love like that too. The realizations in the end for Liv were the moments that struck me the most because the love she got from Tom and Finn were both so profound that it overflowed.

Such a beautiful story. This is one of those that will catch your breath in its simplicity.

I was not expecting Seven Summers to be such a heart-breaking story. When I started to realize that there was a love triangle, I was unsure how I would feel about this book. I had nothing to worry about. Paige Toon did a fantastic job of setting up the characters and their situations. Liv's journey and character development was done beautifully. I liked that she found her way back to Finn as a stronger person. I thought the pacing of the story was perfect. I liked the different flashbacks over the summer. It would have been nice to have some Finn POVs. I wish we got to see more of where Finn's head was at. Although the ending felt a little rushed (a lot happens in the last 30 minutes of the book), I still enjoyed this read! Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

“𝓢𝓲𝔁 𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓷 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮. 𝓞𝓷𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓸 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰.”

✂️ P L O T L I N E
Liv and Finn met six summers ago. They had an instant connection filled with passion and promise. When an unimaginable tragedy strikes, their bond becomes stronger than ever. When the summer is over, Finn must go back to LA while Liv needs to stay back in Cornwall. They make a promise to spend every summer together if they are both single. Everything changes the summer that Liv meets Tom.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
You all know how much I love a book that leaves me with some good emotional damage. This book did just that in the most wonderful way. Shockingly, this is my first book by Paige Toon and I’m already completely obsessed. This book made me laugh and cry and squirm and be pissed and then cry again and then lose hope and gain hope…basically just made me feel all the freaking feels. An easy 5🌟 from me because it tore me apart and then put me back together again. I also had no idea how the story was going to end. A story about growing up, first loves, overcoming the awful tragedies that life throws your way, and finding your happiness. This book had the perfect cast of real, raw, and relatable characters. It gave me similar vibes to “Brightside” by Kim Holden and I loved every second of it. Definitely pick this one up!

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
💫Summer love☀️
💫Love triangles🔺
💫Second chances💕
💫Emotional reads😢
💫Heartwarming and heartbreaking❤️‍🩹
💫Overcoming grief and trauma😔
💫Dual timelines✌🏽
💫Book playlists🎶
💫All the feels🥰

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: suicide mention, loss of loved ones.

🐚𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾🐚
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

💕Q U O T E S: “𝐼 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝐼 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒾𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓁𝑒, 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝒾𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀 𝒾𝓉𝓈 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝑒. 𝒪𝓇 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝒾𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒶 𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝑒, 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒾𝓉.”

"𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶 𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀, 𝓁'𝒹 𝒽𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓁𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈.”

🙏 Thank you NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Paige Toon for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💕

This wasn’t my favorite. I found myself getting bored throughout and Hannah wasn’t my favorite character. I still think the premise is interesting but I don’t think it was executed well.

Another amazing story from this author. Olivia - Liv - meets Finn one summer when they're both 22 years old and this book tells the story of them during the summers when Finn would visit from America. So much story is packed in this book. 4 1/2 stars.

This was an emotional rollercoaster. Paige Toon is brilliant at ripping your heart apart and putting it back together, and this was no exception. The characters are rich and full and the love triangle is brilliantly written.

Paige Toon's "Seven Summers" embarks readers on an addictive, emotional journey alongside Liv and Finn as they navigate years of intertwined lives, love, and loss. The heart of the narrative lies in Liv and Finn's annual summer reunions, each one fraught with longing, passion, and the ghosts of their shared past. Despite being a classic case of right person, wrong time, I couldn't help but root for Liv and Finn to overcome the odds and make their unconventional arrangement work.

Enter Tom, a compelling addition to the story, who brings his own challenges and complexities. While I typically shy away from love triangles, Toon handles this dynamic with finesse, creating a compelling narrative that keeps readers guessing and torn between the characters.

Beyond its romantic core, "Seven Summers" delves into deeper themes of loss and resilience, adding layers of emotional depth to the story. While it may not be the light-hearted beach read some expect, its emotional complexity makes for a more fulfilling journey.

My only minor criticism lies in the ending. While the resolution in the seventh summer felt satisfying, the subsequent "epilogue summers" felt somewhat rushed in comparison. After investing in Liv, Finn, and Tom's emotional journey, I wished for a bit more closure.

Overall, "Seven Summers" is a captivating read that showcases Toon's talent for crafting compelling narratives. I highly recommend it! With "Seven Summers," Paige Toon solidifies her place as a must-read author in my book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy.

My heart.

My heart was stolen by this book.

My heart was stolen, crushed, torn, shattered and thankfully, the pieces put back together again.

What an emotional ride. I have not read Paige Toon before and I can assure you this will not be my last. Her writing, the characters, the way she evokes SO MANY feelings from me, it’s everything I want in a book.

Finn and Liv are former schoolmates that meet up years later in the restaurant where Liv works. Finn is performing with the local band while their lead singer is away. They form an immediate connection and sparks fly. However, Finn lives in Los Angeles and only visits the UK every summer. Distance and circumstances will keep them apart. They only have their summers.

Finn has suffered great loss in his life and had an incredibly rough childhood. Liv has also endured a great tragedy. They learn to lean on each other and share their feelings and dreams. Finn is making a successful life in LA as a singer/songwriter and Liv continues to work at the restaurant and strengthen her career as a sculptor. Since neither will budge on the location they live, they continue to only get together in the summer. They agree that as long as they are both single, they can have that time. But circumstances change as each year goes by and it gets harder and harder for them to say goodbye.

This was such a moving book. Both characters have been through so much and their love for one another is so evident but timing and location prevents them from taking things further. There are memories, growth, and so much heartbreak but the beauty of this book is the steadfast love and support that Finn and Liv unconditionally give each other throughout the years. This was quite the journey and I was completely invested, touched and sometimes gutted by this book. But I loved every single word.

Seven Summers - 4 stars

I finished this book a few days ago and I'm still reeling from it!

Liv and Finn are classmates through their high school years, but meet again years later as young adults. Liv is an aspiring sculptor who has plans to move to London and Finn is living in Los Angeles as a front man in a band- both instantly drawn to the other while they're both in their hometown for the summer. When tragedy strikes and Liv's plans to leave instantly change, they make an agreement that Finn will come back each summer and if they're both single, they will reconnect. For years, the two put their lives on pause so that when summer rolls around, they are available for the other, until it becomes too difficult to continue a long-distance, casual relationship and they break it off. It isn't until summer #7 where Liv meets Tom, a new visitor in town. Tom is the first person that Liv is able to picture a future with after the aftermath of her and Finn's inconsistent relationship, but when Finn returns that final summer, what path does Liv take and who does she choose?

Paige Toon does not shy away from the heart-wrenching storylines and Seven Summers fits right into that category. Not only do you get the tragedy that every character individually faces, but you have the heartbreaking choice Liv has to make between the love she has pined after for most of her adult life and a new love that has never wavered. I loved the dual timeline of this story and loved that although it was a love-triangle, it was done in a way that was respectful and thoughtful. Like Liv, you fall in love with both Finn and Tom throughout this story- each being perfect for Liv in different ways. It was emotional and beautiful- I'm excited for everyone else to have the opportunity to read it!

Read if you like:
- love triangle
- dual timeline
- celebrity romance
- small town
- emotional storylines
- down syndrome representation
- stories set in the UK
- single POV

Thank you so much, NetGalley for the advanced copy!

"Seven Summers" was an emotional rollercoaster that tugs at your heartstrings, shattering your heart and then piecing it back together, over and over again. The depiction of disabilities is heartwarmingly real, and the writing is simply spellbinding. You'll be right beside the characters, riding the waves of their emotions. Brace yourself for a tear-jerking journey!

Liv's evolution through seven summers is pure genius. This tale goes beyond romance, delving into Liv's personal growth and deep navigation of the monster of grief. It's a mirror reflecting our own obstacles to progress. The narrative's timeline twists and turns keep you hooked.

Paige Toon truly shines with "Seven Summers." As a die-hard fan, her books never disappoint, and this one is no different. A huge shoutout to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTMAM/ G. P. Putnam's Sons for the chance to dive into this emotionally charged read in exchange for my unfiltered opinions.

This was everything I simultaneously adore and hate in my romances. Consuming yet oftentimes unrealistic love...realistic yet unnecessary angst and drama...relationships that are built on shaky ground that you know can't even hope to stand the test of time. Yet, you still furiously turn those pages to see how it's all going to turn out. I did not like the relationship between Liv and Finn. I struggled to see how it was good for either one of them...spend a few weeks together every year and then spend the rest of that year building it up, imagining how wonderful it would all be, idealizing the other person. Yeah, how about spending some "real" time together. Listen to them snore and fart in their sleep, watch them throw wet and dirty towels just shy of the clothes hamper, have them forget your birthday or even worse buy you a set of pans as a gift (which, by the way, I would secretly love). It's easy to love someone when you only spend a few weeks with them once a year. The true gift is being able to continue to love them through all the garbage. But, once again, I digress. I did love Liv and Tom together. And, when all is said and done, I did very much enjoy this angsty little story!!

What a sweet book! I was rooting for Finn so much in this book. And then Tom came into the picture and I was torn just like Liv was! This book had me going back in forth whenever Finn came around, I just cant imagine how Liv felt!
Seven Summers was an instant 5 stars for me. I have already add a few of Paige Toon's other books into my TBR list, and I cant wait to read them when they get to me.

4.5 stars. Seven summers ago, Olivia (Liv) Arterton has career goal plans, which include becoming a sculptor and moving to London from Cornwall. In the meantime, for that summer, she gets to know Finn, who is currently lives in Los Angeles but is visiting his family. He's a musician and things might start to take off for him really soon in the industry given his talent. At their young age, I loved everything about them together - the chemistry, the dialogue and the feeling of falling. And then the tragedy. Liv is not going anywhere anymore, but Finn has to return to the United States. So goes the next several summers when Finn comes to visit Cornwall and Liv is there to spend time with him as long as they are available. If it weren't for the geographic distance and the directions their lives are in, they felt like such potential end game.

But this summer, Liv is determined to move on and she meets Tom. For Liv, her life has been somewhat of a standstill the last several years as she processes her grief journey and decides how best to come to terms with her current life plans, which do not include London or very much sculpting. She was never able to go to L.A. I had such strong hopes for Liv where I wanted to see her happy and thriving again. If Tom was going to be a part of that, then that's what she needed.

Paige Toon pens a story that had me completely invested in Liv's personal life, and not just her relationships. I really adored Finn, so when Tom came in the picture, I accepted him, too, because Liv needed a win in the name of love. Also, Liv had to start sculpting again because that's who she is. As the story progresses, Liv finds her new normal and what makes her smile again. She really turns a corner with the acceptance of heartbreak and being happy for others in love. This was angsty in a way that I wasn't expecting although the shifting from past to present already set the stage for that. I adored how much Liv looked after her brother Michael, he was such an endearing character with so much personality. Ultimately, this book held my heart in a vice that kept squeezing until the very end, when it finally loosened in comfort knowing that Liv is finally living out the dream in reality (and it was the ending that I genuinely hoped and wanted for her). Although this is my first read by Paige Toon, I'm excited to pick up more works from her in the future.

This was such a heartfelt read brimming with angst and longing. Paige Toon created a love story spanning more than a decade which left me aching to discover how the story would end for Liv and Finn.

The story revolves around loss and longing, and our heroine Liv is struggling to achieve her dreams while also reeling from tragedy. While there are obstacles keeping her and Finn apart, he continues to come back for her. Every summer. There’s just so much tension and a slow burn woven into these pages, and it’s incredibly hard to articulate the power this story had over me.

This was my first Paige Toon novel, but it most definitely will not be my last! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy of this ebook.