I devoured this book over a 2-day getaway, and let me tell you, I SOBBED!!! SOBBED! This book left me gutted, and I'm having a hard time rating it. Outside of my personal feelings about how things ended up, the book was so incredibly good. It will very much be a 5-star read for a lot of people. The way the story played out was the complete opposite of what I was hoping for and that's impacting my rating a bit. (TOOOOOOOOM!!!! My sweet, sweet Tom.)

I do feel that the summer fling trope is becoming a bit overdone, and I was nervous about how the trope would play out in this story. While I don't think it was entirely unique, the epilogue really changed the entire vibe for this one. I enjoyed getting a very extended look into how things ended up over the future summers.

Read if you enjoy:
- summer fling
- small town
- found family
- close friend group
- love triangle (kind of)

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for a chance to be an early reader!

overall, seven summers, my second title from paige toon, is an engaging read, a woven tale told across time. switching between summers of the past and the present one, liv falls in love twice and has her heart broken more times than that. riding the wave that is life, our lead character experiences it all — joy, grief, comfort, agony — and I was captivated by each moment of the journey.

though I found the conclusion of the story to be rushed, I could appreciate the intention behind how it was structured. because liv did have two great loves. while painful at times, it was also beautiful to see that there truly was space in her heart for both finn and tom. neither was lesser than the other, each providing what she needed during different seasons of life.

all at once, finn was both a constant presence and a question mark for live. despite their undeniable connection, they spent years loving and hurting each other, circling around a decision neither could bring themselves to make. meanwhile, tom was unexpected, dropping into liv's world without notice. while mysterious, he offered the stability she'd been craving for so long.

in that final summer, that seventh summer, liv faced a choice and I do believe she made the correct one. with any book that contains a love triangle of sorts, the author obviously faces the inevitable struggle of having to disappoint the readers who prefer the guy she doesn't end up with. luckily, the manner in which paige navigated that crossroad felt true to the nuanced and complex story she presented to that point. for many reasons, seven summers contains one of the most unique epilogues I have ever encountered.

thanks to g.p. putnam's sons and paige toon for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I could not put this book down. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and characters. What an emotional love story. My heart needs time to recover. Such a beautifully written novel. Must read.

Contemporary fade to black romance single point of view. Well written but it never really hooked me. The ending felt rushed and I was not a fan of one character's story arc. I'll read more of her work before I decide if her books are or aren't for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I think I misinterpreted something in the very beginning because I wasn’t sure where the big events were going to come in until they finally hit about a fifth of the way through. The first 20% or so I was not enjoying it and I think that’s why. After that, though, I really liked this. I enjoy Liv’s relationships she has with Finn and Tom and can feel the heart wrench of the struggles in love. It felt very real and while Liv was a bit annoying in some parts, I enjoyed her development. The formatting of switching between the different years was fun and a good way to help me stay connected to both Finn and Tom.

Seven Summers takes us on the journey of Liv and Finn, who meet while working at a bar in Cornwall in their early twenties. They are instantly drawn to each other- but it's a classic case of right person, wrong time, as Finn lives in L.A and they each have big plans to start their careers. Things get even further complicated when a tragedy occurs at the end of the summer, strengthening the bond between them even more. As Finn returns to L.A, they make a pact that if they are single the next summer to pick things back up where they left off. And this begins their epic and tumultuous love affair, spanning over the next six summers. But when Liv falls for Tom, a charming tourist who is willing to drop everything to build a life with her in Cornwall, she has to make a choice.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for this e-arc.*

This was my second book by "Paige Toon' and I loved both. This book had me in all the feels. It's heartbreaking but beautiful. I loved the characters and the storyline. How lucky to have two great loves in one lifetime! I really enjoyed the writing style and how it went from each summer to current time. An excellent read that I definitely recommend to all readers.
Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Paige Toon's 2023 release "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" was my favorite book of 2023, so I was super excited to get approved for an ARC from NetGalley for this.

I wasn't disappointed. I loved the characters. While the romance between Liv and Finn was definitely a big part of the storyline, I liked seeing the growth of Liv as a character during those seven summers even more.

While this one didn't make me cry like last year's Toon novel, I still really liked it. It's definitely a five star read though.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Loved the main character and how she stayed true to herself through a lot of the book. Way too much death and hated what happened in the epilogue

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC.

I am gutted. This book didn't seem my type at all.... and then I thought "hey, maybe a light summer read with a bit of drama." NOPE.

This book gave me the full range of emotions and made me really sit and think about true love, pure love, and what happiness means.

Also it is just so G-Dang hot! Toon knows how to write the spicy moments while making them feel tender and emotional all at the same time. As a first exposure to this author I can honestly say I can't wait to read more.

A pair of people brought together by tragedy, over a period of seven years. This isn't a fun rom-com, this is an adult story of love and how it can grow. Liv and Finn are a great pair, but so are Liv and Tom. We read and fall in love with everything and want a perfect resolution, but sometimes, we can't always get what we want.

Paige Toon's is a masterful writer about love. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book

THIS BOOK STOLE MY HEART!!

It also pulled it out, ripped it to shreds, and plopped it back into my chest. The Epilogue alone is capable of doing that to the reader's heart.

This was the first book I've read by this author. I was not expecting how emotional and heartbreaking it would be. Yet, despite the tears (trust me, there were many), I absolutely adore this story. It is beautiful.

I wouldn't change a thing about it! Which surprises me to say because when Tom came around, I was VERY torn about it and unsure if I wanted to see the book go down that path. Of course, Paige Toon made the right decision.

This book, in my opinion, is PERFECTION!!!

I am such a fan. This is a new favorite. I honestly can't say a negative thing about it.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

What an emotional journey Seven Summers was! And man did that epilogue absolutely wreck me 😭😭😭😭

I loved the vivid storytelling, the beautiful setting of summer on the beach of St Agnes, and really getting to know all the characters included in the story.

Told in alternating time lines of seven summers before, and the current summer we meet Finn & Liv. Finn is a musician who enjoys song writing, and Liv is an artist specializing in sculpting. They’re drawn to each other and begin spending a few weeks together each summer while Finn visits back home from LA, but agree to keep their distance for the rest of the year. If the following summer they’re both single, then they pick back up where they left off.

During one summer while they’re together an unimaginable tragedy occurs that draws them even closer together, but makes their time apart even more brutal. As we watch them live, learn, and grow they eventually grow apart.

Finn finds love with a pop star, and Liv finds love with a newcomer in town. Will they be able to live their lives with their second loves, or will they always be inexplicably drawn to each other?

You’ll have to read to find out. Just prepare to go on an emotional journey full of love, and loss.

Days later, Seven Summers, still haunts my thoughts.

Toon pens stories that tug on your heart strings.

Liv and Finn met six summers ago at a local bar, The Seaglass in the small, coastal Cornish Village. He's filling in as the lead singer for a local band. Dueling tragedies and music bond them for life.

Finn's life is in LA, and over the course of several summers they give into their love story until they can't. The story revisits their summers mixing in the NOW. Seven Summers is engrossing, reeling with emotion and you'll be clutching your heart at its conclusion.

The playlist at the end of the book was perfect!

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons

4.5 stars. I spent the whole day reading this book. I could not seem to put it down. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I have never read anything from this author before and I am so glad I tried her out. I really enjoyed it and I was totally not expecting so much of what happens but I have to say
it really works. This is not a book where any details should be given out in a review so I won’t be doing that. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, the story itself, which gives us so much back story about the main characters and I do love that! Liv is such an awesome character. This is her story and she honestly goes through so much that it is amazing how strong and resilient she is. The ultimate heroine.
This is a very entertaining read that made me feel all the things.

One thing I should realize by now, if my friend Sarah tells me to read it, I’m going to love it. This is just one of many heart-wrenching books she has brought into my life 🩷

DON’T let the beautiful cover fool you, this one HURT. This is one the most mature love triangles I have ever read and although I love a teenage love triangle filled with angst and miscommunication (yeah I said it), this is by far and away an example of the most perfect love triangle. It was beautiful, it was angsty, it was painful.

Paige is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors because the way she can make me feel at the end of every book has me in SHAMBLES.

I am irrevocably broken but also content - i honestly don’t know how she does this. I’ve never felt so conflicted in my life and I am positive she is one of the few that can do this so perfectly. I both loved and hated the ending simultaneously.

Read this if you like:
🐚love triangles
🐚beach settings
🐚alternating timelines
🐚found family
🐚disability rep
🐚crying just a wee bit

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for allowing me to be an early reader!

The story alternates between the present and each of the seven summers starting from when Liv and Finn met. The writing is so well done, and the characters are all fleshed out with so much depth. Cornwall, the setting, is a character in the story and the reader is immersed in this small coastal town in England. Liv is such a likeable character and her emotional growth and ability to cope with her grief is both raw and heartwarming. I was rooting for Finn and Liv, until Tom arrived in town. Tom, the mysterious newcomer won me over and now we have a love triangle. This is an emotional journey about falling in love, coping with tragedy and how we can love more than one person. The ending was unexpected but delivers the happy ending the reader hoped for. The epilogue chapters felt very rushed and jammed a lot of information into a few pages. I was interested in hearing more about Liv’s new life, but perhaps that is for another book.

4.5/5

This was such a wonderful read. I loved the story so much. The characters were relatable and the plot flowed well. Definitely recommend

Thank you to Putnam books and NetGalley for the ARC of Seven Summers by Paige Toon. All opinions are my own.

Paige Toon writes such heart wrenchingly beautiful love stories. Liv and Finn find love early but can they hold on to it? Will it survive their own internal battles, trauma and grief? Is love enough to overcome the barrier or, is it best to just let go? Can you find true love more than once in a lifetime? This story is full of love, tragedy, friendship.

Loved this story, loved the emotion it was written with, the depth you feel as you read Liv and Finn and Tom’s story. There was good tension throughout but was totally closed door.

“ 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 Toma 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...”

She does it again! I absolutely loved Paige Toon’s Only Love Can Hurt Like This. So I was super excited to be approved for this one. This is a true love story. This is definitely not a romcom. I absolutely loved it and I can’t recommend it enough. It is told in dual timelines. There is an air of mystery to which I appreciate.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for this arc!