Seven Summers is about love that spans years and changes as it needs to over time. I loved the story of Liv and Finn, but I also loved the story of Liv and Tom. I was fortunate to read an ARC of this book and it did not disappoint. This book had all the feels...laughter, loss, sadness, anger, frustration..and contentment. If you want to read about love in all its various forms this book is for you.

This is my 2nd Toon book and I’ve realized she definitely has the formula of a love story with some kind of a tragic twist. This book actually has a couple tragic events that happen to the main character, Liv. I loved how the story went back and forth between past summers and the current summer, contrasting her falling in love with two different men, Finn and Tom. I even love how they both came to be a part of her life. I just hate how we got 300 pages of the previous 7 summers, and then only 30 pages to cover the next 14 years. While I like that it was ultimately a happy ending, even if it was a bittersweet road to get there, a little more in depth coverage of the future years would have been nice. I also have a problem with the fact that she did 3 rounds of IVF in her early 30’s and couldn’t get pregnant, but then she magically has 3 kids between 36-42 (if I’m doing my math right.) But it was a minor plot hole.

If you liked TJR “One True Loves”, you’ll like this!

I was introduced to Paige Toon’s work last year when I read “Only Love Can Hurt Like This”-a 5 star read for me.

And, now that I have finished “Seven Summers” it is clear to me that she definitely knows how to pen love stories that tug on your heart strings!! 💔 Her books are definitely NOT Rom-Coms.

Liv and Finn met six summers ago when he was filling in for the lead singer of a band that was headlining at Seaglass-the restaurant/ bar of her beach town on the rugged Cornish coastline.

A devastating tragedy will bond them together for life.

But Finn’s life is in LA with his own band, and Liv’s is in Cornwall where she has family commitments-her dreams of studying Sculpture in London, on hold.

Liv decides it would be TOO DIFFICULT to stay in touch-but if both are single when he returns to visit, they will pick up where they left off. And, for awhile, they do.

The story revisits each Summer from the time that they met, and then follows with SUMMER NOW.

I was immediately engrossed in their lives and rooting for them to make it work!

Just a couple of things niggled at me and prevented me from awarding the book 5 stars.

The first was that they both seemed mature beyond their years, though I could give them the benefit of the doubt because each has suffered things that would force you to grow up fast.

The second was that once we had a resolution in the seventh summer, the end of the book and the subsequent “epilogue summers” felt rushed in comparison.

And, finally, I didn’t cry-which is a requirement for a 5 star rating for me in this genre. Heartbreaking things happen but I didn’t feel crushed by the end result, though other readers may feel differently.

Still, I am definitely a fan who now watches for this author’s work, and I can definitely give this book my stamp of approval!

AVAILABLE MAY 21, 2024

Thank You to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing a gifted ARC through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

😭 this book! My heart! Grab your tissues and do not miss out on this beautiful story. While this may seem like a story about a love triangle (which I’m typically not a fan of but omg this was done SO right), it is more so about self discovery and growth.
The writing was perfect. The pacing was brilliant. Utterly addictive! I didn’t want to put it down. She knows how to write relatable, realistic, and not annoying (😂) characters!! This is going to be a top contender for the perfect summer romance read ♥️

I absolutely adored Only Love Can Hurt Like This from her last year. One of my top reads of the year actually! And this books exceeded my expectations! 🥹

Have you ever finished a book and immediately hugged it to you? This book gave me all those feels! Heartwarming, devastating, love and grief. This book has it all. Liv's story is one of love, loss and second chances. Her work is interesting, her devotion to her brother is beautiful (and his devotion to her!), and her unwavering love to her people keeps you turning the pages. Sometimes stories told in multiple timelines can get confusing - but this story flowed so wonderfully you couldn't dream of getting lost. I loved the slow burn of her romance with Tom. I felt the happiness and the pain of her romance with Finn. This book was unpredictable and breaks your heart over and over only to heal it each time.


Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It’s a story of love, loss,grieving and second chances and so much more. This love triangle between Finn, Liv and Tom, you feel like you are on a roller coaster that will never end. This is my first time book by this author. She keeps your emotions on the edge. I definitely recommend this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the early ARC of this book.
This book is raw and emotional.
Liv and Finn meet one summer and from the start, their days together are numbered. Their lives are based in different countries and Finn makes it back home once a summer. The single POV comes from Liv as she narrarates the events of summers past. After spending the year apart, every summer Finn and Liv find their way back to each other. Their love is instant and intense. The yearning and sense of loss every time they have to say goodbye is heartbreaking. If the summers are full of hope and promise, fall brings a full barrage of loneliness and despair.
Both characters have family trauma that becomes the catalyst to the demise of their relationship. Fear and grief keeps her rooted in her hometown, while his own grief and loss make it impossible for him to stay.
Both characters must find a way to move on from their state of limbo to find happiness. The author showcases a love so deep that it will tear you apart.

My only criticism is that major events happen in the epilogue of the book. This felt oddly paced and rushed. Spending more time in these events would have only benefitted the story.

I would absolutely recommend this book. It is a beautiful story about timing. fate, love and loss.

If you're looking for your next totally engrossing beach/pool side read - make sure you reach for Seven Summers by Paige Toon! More than a rom/com... love traingles, years of missed opportunities and plenty of chances for you to have that good cry you know you need!!

When I'm looking for a romance with a more mature female lead - these are exactly the types of stories I tend to look for. People with damaged pasts, looking for a way to unbreak their own hearts and have their happy ever afters. Toon gives us the breaking, the healing and the way to happiness that we all desperately crave!!

Loved every emotional second of this slower burn, love triangle!!

**Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

A beautifully set novel with a full cast of characters and a rocky romance. This book had me on a rollercoaster. We spend a good portion of the book spending seven summers watch a relationship blossom and crash over and over again. I found myself switching between rooting for the couple and hoping they would call it. The supporting characters were a delight & I wish we had seen more of them. I felt as though the beginning of the book was nice and fleshed out but the end wrapped up so quickly. I wish we could have had more time toward the middle-end of the book. But overall a quick read I couldn’t put down. Full of heartbreak and sadness but also lots of growth and introspection.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

The Ann you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. It's hard to explain this novel without spoiling it but I do love a will they or won't they mixed in with multiple people. This was complicated, but I enjoyed that. It's definitely heavier than the title and cover make it seem.

Something about the way the author finds a way to get characters under my skin till I’m rooting for them as couples… and then she breaks my darn heart in pieces.

I only “found” Paige Toon through bookstagram a couple years ago but there is 0 doubt that she’s become such a treasured author in the contemporary romance genre for me.

Her books are emotional, real, deep and somehow always end up with the “right” way to end it.

Finn 🤩….Tom😭 …. Michael 🥰 all of you, just love all of you.

4.5 stars from me

This was an AMAZING read for me! I haven’t read anything by this author before and was pleasantly surprised with this book. This book was 5 stars for me! I loved the characters and I truly love a book that makes me feel and this book had me crying! I can’t wait to read more by this author and I have already recommended this book to my daughter and several friends!

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.