After reading the first 70 pages of this book I was ready to DNF. I found it a bit boring and just seemed like an 'eh' romance. By page 100 I was HOOKED. This book ended up being quite the rollercoaster.

Toon weaves a gripping story about a love triangle (ish? There was actually only slight overlap between the relationships which was even better) in a charming English coastal town. The imagery was good - I could picture myself there. We got to experience the passionate and consuming relationship with Finn and firm and steady relationship with Tom. This together with a great representation of how confusing your 20s can be? I loved this theme.

The reason I rated this book for 4 stars and not 5 is not just because I found the first 70 or so pages underwhelming, but also because I found the ending to be highly unbelievable. I know, I know.. we are supposed to suspend reality for fiction. But I had to suspend it just a little too much and it made no sense to me. And although I thought Toon did a good job of 'showing' us the relationships and how they evolved for the most of the book, I very much felt like she 'told' us how it ended. It could have been great but for me, the ending just fell flat.

Paige Toon has written a beautiful, heartbreaking, unpredictable story that takes place over several summers. It’s not the typical summer romance read because the story bounces between two different relationships. I highly recommend this book and others written by this author.

Plot: This book depicts a tragic love story between Liv and Finn over the span of seven years. Their love is built off of a tremendous amount of loss at such an influential part of their lives with no one to comfort them so they find comfort in each other. Unfortunately, Finn has big dreams to be a singer/songwriter and was never meant to stay. He leaves to LA, but comes back every summer for seven summers and the two pick up right where they started if they’re both still single.

One summer, Finn breaks Liv’s heart and she decides to stop putting her life on hold for Finn. She meets a tourist Tom and finally gets to experience what she’s always wanted from Finn. The two fall in love until tragedy hits once more and Liv finds herself broken with Finn to pick her up once again.

Thoughts: Unfortunately, the pacing was a little too slow for me. I found myself having to force myself to pick this up. It wasn’t a bad book, but it was just too slow for my liking and it didn’t catch my eye until 75% in. It also really bothered me that there wasn’t enough time with Tom. I would have liked if Tom was end-game for Liv. She seemed much happier and didn’t seem to doubt their relationship in comparison to her and Finn’s.

Five amazing stars! I flew through this book! It is heartbreaking and beautiful and I loved every bit of it. Make sure to have your tissues ready for this one. This is a must-read for romance lovers.

This book is so beautiful and heart-wrenching. There’s so much depth to each of the characters and I fell in love with every single one! The way she handled and described Liv’s grief was beautifully written throughout. I had a really hard time putting it down and the ending was such an emotional rollercoaster. Overall, highly recommend checking it out! I’m so excited to read more by Paige Toon .

Read if you like:
- Multiple timelines
- Love triangles
- Emotional romance stories

Coming May 21, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books and Paige Toon for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGallery for providing this soon-to-be-published book for my review.

The premise of this story is a good one - some interesting characters and, at times, enjoyable parts to the story. That being said, at times the writing felt forced, even somewhat high-schoolish, with minutia that was not relevant nor important to the overall story.

The latter third was much better then the first third.

what a beautiful novel. completely rips your heart out and puts it back together by the end.

Tropes -
Grief
Second chance
Disability representation
Loss of loved one

This one was really difficult for me. I was close to DNF several times. I was so excited about the premise of the book and the setting. However, I didn't connect with either Liv or or Finn and I thought their relationship was foolish. You cannot spend your precious life waiting. I did like how the story wrapped up, but thought putting it all in the epilouge was a bit much.

This was far more telling than showing. I didn’t feel any chemistry and honestly think Liv is such a self-centered person. The author was too heavy-handed on telling me how to feel without allowing me to actually interpret a scene.

Such an emotional read. The characters are lovable and I kept on rooting for them the entire book. This story reminds me a little bit of Elin Hildenbrands 28 summers, but with a twist.

I’’d like to begin by saying thank you for the privilege of having had the opportunity to read “Seven Summers” by Paige Toon. It was truly a treat! Paige Toon built the story and introduced wonderful characters in a unique storyline. She captured my heart, and I found myself anxious to turn the pages throughout the story. This is a story about true love on many different levels. Love of family, love of friends and true love for your partner. Several twists and turns you don’t see coming. I recommend this book to all romance enthusiasts.
I’m very much looking forward to reading other books by Paige Toon! After you read this book I hope you agree.
Irene Geller

Seven Summers by Paige Toon

Summary:
Six summers to fall in love. One summer to change everything.

Liv and Finn meet six summers ago working in a bar on the rugged Cornish coastline, their futures full of promise. When a night of passion ends in devastating tragedy they are bound together inextricably. But Finn’s life is in LA with his band, and Liv’s is in Cornwall with her family – so they make a promise. Finn will return every year, and if they are single they will spend the summer together.

This summer Liv crosses paths with Tom – a mysterious new arrival in her hometown. As the wildflowers and heather come into bloom, they find themselves falling for one another. For the first time Liv can imagine a world where her heart isn’t broken every autumn. Now Liv must make an impossible choice. And when she discovers the shocking reason that Tom has left home, she’ll need to trust her heart even more . . .

Review: 3-star

When I get a book to review, I try my best to read and follow through with the review, this one was so close to becoming a DNF, but I kept going and started to enjoy it towards the end of the story. I felt disconnected from the characters for most of the story. The only reason it’s getting the 3 stars is that the story finishes strong and the editing is spot-on.

Conclusion:
Will I recommend this book to others? NO
Will I read other books by this Author? Unsure might give one more a try because you can’t judge an Author by just one book.

I received this book for my honest review.

I was drawn into the Seven Summers story almost immediately. I fell in love with the main characters Finn and Liv. The kind of love they shared went beyond time and distance. I rooted for their relationship through all the heartbreak they had to experience. Going on the journey with them was a bit of a rollercoaster. I felt the ending of the relationship with Tom felt a little abrupt, but it was tied up pretty nicely and the full story ended with a neat bow wrapped on top. I would recommend this book to any of my friends that love love.

I ended this book feeling really conflicted on things for a few reasons. The general premise that is that Finn and Liv meet one summer and have an unforgettable romance and agree to come back to each order next summer (and every summer) if they’re both unattached. As the title indicates the book follows their journey over the span of 7 years and utilizes a split timeframe to do so.

In full transparency I couldn’t truly get into the book until around 50%. I didn’t feel connected or invested in the characters and I just wanted to repeatedly yell for Liv to go to therapy and deal with her obvious trauma responses. But the final 50% was redeeming in my eyes. The characters grew and morphed even if certain things were glossed over. The interactions with Michael were a highlight throughout the book as well. I was a little disappointed at how much good stuff was tucked away in the epilogue. It felt too weighty to be dealt with so quickly even if I liked the direction it went. Overall a mixed bag for me but I’m glad I read it in the end. 3.5/5 ⭐️

4.5 ⭐️

This book has completely wrecked me. What a beautiful, heartbreaking story. It’s full of love, loss and grief, and I honestly could not get enough. I loved Michael, Liv, Tom, and Finn so much. I also loved the way it flipped between the different summers.

But that epilogue had me feeling all the feels. Oof. I’ll be thinking about these characters for quite some time.

This is the second book I’ve read by Paige Toon, and I think she’ll be an auto read author from now on. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

When Liv sees Finn that one summer her life changes. Her days are soon filled with Finn. When Liv gets devastating news Finn is the one there for her, linking her to him even more then they already were. When Finn has to leave Liv decides that they can’t have any contact for the rest of the year and if they are both single the following summer he’ll return to her. Every summer after Finn returns and their love affair continues until they both find other people. What follows is a story of lasting love, sacrifice, and healing.

Paige Toon is a master of tackling difficult subjects with grace and adding love stories that just pull at your heart stings. I really enjoyed this story and think Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

When I read the summary of this book when requesting an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, for my honest review I was intrigued. I had never read a book by Paige Toon before and I was eager to read this one.

I can say I never wanted to put this book down. The writing draws you in the from the very first chapter and holds you through the very end. Liv’s story of love and loss and waiting for Finn each year is both exhilarating and all the feels of sadness. I could feel all the feels for Liv. When she met Tom, I was happy for her, but also skeptical of him at first. The heart wants what it wants and your mind can only reason with itself so much.

This book is a roller coaster of love, romance, happiest, tragic sadness and the struggle of just living, sometimes feeling as if you have no control of the outcome of your life.

After reading this story, I can’t wait to read other books by Paige Toon.

Once again, Paige Toon has hit me right in the feelers. I get really absorbed into the stories of the books I read and this one had my heart twisting in joy and agony all throughout. This story follows Olivia, a young woman who’s enjoying her summer break with friends, finding unexpected love with Fin, an old childhood friend, when tragedy strikes, changing her life forever. Every summer, Fin returns, and if they are both single, they spend what time they have , together. One summer, Olivia crosses paths with Tom, a man visiting trying to start fresh and clear his mind from his own troubles. Olivia then has to choose between the man who has seen her at her worst and helped her heal through her pain and a man who’s helped her move forward and past the pain.

This story was so beautiful. I found my own heart aching for Liv, for the two men in her life and all they have been through. This book reminds us that life is short and we should spend everyday in a way that brings us joy. To stop letting tragedy rule our lives and how to pick ourselves back up and live a beautiful life.

The only part I wish was different was I wish that the epilogue gave more time to absorb what has unfolded but that’s only because I wanted more of the story.

Thank you to Paige Toon and Net Galley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars, rounded to 3! I enjoyed the angst in this book and how it spanned several years but felt very frustrated by miscommunications between the characters and unanswered plot holes. The mental health and trauma that the main characters endured were not properly dealt with and that was pretty much the source of their problems, it was so difficult watching them fall into the same patterns summer after summer. Liv also got on my nerves-her general stagnancy as a character caused the plot to lag in the middle, and I found the ending to be quite underwhelming and the book to be altogether unmemorable :( Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Seven Summers is a beautiful story about how you can still find happiness after tragedy. It's a story about true love and finding yourself. It was so easy to fall in love with Finn and Liv. Seven Summers made me smile, laugh, broke my heart and healed it again as I turned the pages.

Finn and Liv met while working in a bar six summers ago. One night of passion and a horrific tragedy have bound them together. Finn lives in LA and Liv resides in Cornwall. Finn vows to return every summer, and if they're both single they will spend his time in Cornwall together. This summer Liv meets Tom and they start a fun and passion filled relationship. One where Liv can picture a happy future for herself. As their relationship quickly becomes serious, Tom reveals why he left his life behind and moved to Cornwall. Liv must decide if she should follow her heart or her mind.