Let me start by saying I loved the plot of this book. I think the actual storyline was good. I have several issues.
1. The repetitiveness., "Did you want to say something? Next page "Did you have something you want to say?"
2. While I understand ACOTAR had a role to play in this book, the mention of it, of it's sequel, of the whole set repeatedly made the initial sentimentality of the book lose it's value for me.
3. It felt like fan fiction. Something just felt off with the writing style. I can't explain it. Parts 3 and 4 seemed to be written by someone else (in a better way).
4. To be advertised as an adult romance it felt very juvenile.

The book had so much potential. Again, while the plot was great The writing was lackluster.

2.5 out of 5

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

This one was just okay for me. It’s sweet and the garden descriptions are beautiful but I wasn’t into the insta-love and it felt that way the whole time. I’ve read and enjoyed three of Paige Toon’s books and I will keep reading her books.

The premise of One Day meets a contemporary Bridgerton immediately caught my attention, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite deliver for me. I’ve realized that the insta-love trope just isn’t my thing, and while I expected an intense, undeniable connection to develop over three days, it never felt truly compelling. Their conversations lacked depth, making it hard to believe they would hold onto those moments for six years—only to conveniently reunite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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

“ But here on Earth, four and a half billion years after our sun was formed, five billion years before it will start to die, one girl sits on a hill in Wales, falling in love with a boy. And nothing can stop it from happening.”

I binged this in two sittings, because I couldn’t put the book down. Paige Toon never misses, and ‘What if I never get over you’ is no exception. It was raw, real, heartbreaking, and so emotional. I knew my heart was going to be ripped out, and it was multiple times, but with Paige you have to trust the process. And the ending is so much sweeter when you’ve walked the battle her characters go through.

This story was a perfect mix of ‘The Last Great American Dynasty’ and ‘the 1’. Ash & Ellie meet by chance while they’re inter railing, and spend an unforgettable 3 days together, only to never see each other again. But when fate brings them back together years later, they have to see if all the magic they felt that weekend long ago was real.

Get prepared to go on an emotional years long journey following these two. Their story is full of grief, trauma, healing, self growth, and so much love. Have the tissues handy, but know you will love this story so much!

3.5 stars. This is my second Paige Toon book that I have been given the opportunity to read. While the plot was great, I just was not a fan of the characters at a few points in the book. At times they were extremely toxic towards each other and I couldn't get behind them. I was happy they ended up apart for awhile to work on their respective selves. The book had a nice ending overall. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Paige is so great at closed door/ fade to black romance. This is a second chance story with Ellie and Ash. They had an unforgettable three days and didn’t expect to see eachother six years later when she takes a job on the estate where Ash lives. Initially, it seems like the story might be instalove, but it’s not. And yes, there is miscommunication, but it’s done really well and is part of their story.

- Second chance
- Love triangle
- He’s wealthy/she’s working class
- Takes place in Europe
- Miscommunication (I promise it’s good!)

Rating:
4⭐️; I really liked it and will recommend to friends. Paige is now an auto-read author.
1.5🌶️; Fade to black/kissing.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars
I loved Ellie and Ash’s story! My heart broke for both of them with each experience that drove them apart, and what they were willing to give up for each other.

Some parts at the end felt a little rushed/glossed over, but all in all, it was an enjoyable read and I’ll be checking out other books by this author in the future.

This was marketed as an adult romance & it’s just not. That paired with a super weird FMC & an insta-lovey vibe just did not work for me 😭 I appreciate the ARC, but ultimately I did not love this read.

This was my first Paige Toon book and it definitely won't be my last! First of all, the cover is stunning! I was drawn to it immediately. Throughout the whole book, I was rooting for Ellie and Ash. There's something about right couple, wrong time that breaks my heart but also places it back together. This book did just that! I felt the love and connection between the two main characters throughout the book. Getting to know their history also added a greater element to the overall story. It added to their growth throughout the story. Adding all of Paige Toon's books to my tbr because her writing is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to read more!

I unfortunately DNFed this read. I loved the idea of "three days to fall in love, six years to try to forget", but I just could not get over the 20% hump.

I felt the beginning and constant mention of Stella would have been a good lead up to a reveal, but there was way too much mention and mystery there. I wasn't even curious anymore as to what happened to Stella or their friendship. I just wanted the reveal to happen already so we could get over her. Something else I couldn't get behind was the mention of ACOTAR. As a lover of ACOTAR, I despised that it kept being mentioned. I get that it was the last book that Stella read and that it held the map of where she wanted to travel, but it was so cringy to me.

I wanted so badly to pick up this book and love it because the summary had me hooked. Maybe if I pick up this book later on, I'll be able to finish it and love the story as a whole.

The plot is such a cute idea; however, I had a difficult time getting into and connecting with the writing style! I think that was just a personal preference for me; I really wanted to love this more than I do! That is not a negative to this author or book, and I am still so grateful for the opportunity to have read this book. Because of a struggle with the writing style, I also struggled to connect with the characters at points; their original meeting, while I understand the concept, felt rushed, and I wish there were more details or it had been drawn out a bit.

Because it was under 4 stars for me, I haven't yet publicly rated it, because I have been told in the past to wait until after publication so that it has higher ratings before release. Thank you so much again for this opportunity!

Paige Toon’s What If I Never Get Over You is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and second chances. The story follows Ellie, a young woman who unexpectedly falls in love during a brief interrailing trip through Europe. Her whirlwind romance with Ash, set against the romantic backdrop of Lisbon, creates an undeniable connection that feels like the start of something truly special. However, when Ash fails to show up in Madrid as planned, Ellie is left heartbroken and wondering what could have been.

Fast forward six years, and Ellie has built a new life for herself as a gardener on a beautiful estate in Wales. The peace she’s found among the gardens and topiary hedges is disrupted when Ash unexpectedly reappears, bringing with him a new wave of emotion and a painful truth about why he disappeared all those years ago. This revelation is the catalyst for Ellie’s internal struggle as she grapples with the unresolved feelings of her past and the possibility of a future with Ash.

Toon does an excellent job of capturing the complexities of the characters’ emotions. Ellie is a relatable protagonist, torn between her deep feelings for Ash and the life she’s carefully built. Ash, too, is a well-rounded character whose regrets and vulnerabilities make him both frustrating and endearing. The tension between them is palpable, and their chemistry is undeniable. The book’s premise of love lost and then rediscovered is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming.

That being said, while the emotional stakes are high, the pacing of the novel occasionally feels uneven. The first half of the book, which focuses on Ellie’s life after Ash’s disappearance, is engaging, but the second half—when the two characters finally reconnect—feels a bit rushed. The plot’s resolution, while satisfying, doesn’t quite hit the emotional punch it could have, especially after the long buildup.

The setting of both Europe and Wales is beautifully described, and Toon’s vivid writing immerses readers in the landscapes, creating a rich atmosphere that enhances the emotional depth of the story. The themes of fate, love, and the passage of time are woven throughout, offering a thoughtful reflection on how past relationships shape our present selves.

Ultimately, What If I Never Get Over You is an enjoyable, heartfelt romance with strong characters and emotional highs, though it doesn’t fully reach the depth it hints at in the beginning. If you're a fan of second-chance romance novels with beautiful settings and a bit of a bittersweet edge, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Romance lovers, add this one to your list now!! I absolutely adored this book, and had such a great time reading it. Ellie and Ash meet randomly while backpacking throughout Europe, and plan to connect again a week later. Plans change, and later doesn’t happen for six more years, when serendipity takes hold!

So much of this book was about the characters standing up for themselves and the lives that they truly craved and desired. I loved that aspect, and watching them find both themselves and each other. I highly reccomend this one, and now want to read more by @paigetoonauthor !

This was really not quite what I was expecting. Unfortunately, I struggled to get through this one. The writing quality is very simple and jumpy. The timeline leaps around in places and there are a lot of details that are not necessary. In the beginning, we get a whirlwind instalove situation that is set in parts of Europe. The descriptions are very simple, pretty much names of places, so it's very difficult to imagine where they are without knowing the area well. Then, after three days, they are separated. Years later, they meet again under very different circumstances and some secret identities are revealed, along with a relationship that further complicates things. When that relationship ends, it becomes a big focal point of conversations, which feels very strange. From that point on, the story gets rather messy. I don't want to give any spoilers, but sadly, for me, I skimmed about 70% of this.

This was a really slow start for me. I really thought it wasn't going to be a good read for me. BUT....

I'm so glad I kept reading. I settled in and I felt like I knew all these characters! I loved the setting in England and I loved Ellie & Ash! Overall, this was a really good read!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for providing this ARC for my honest review.

#NetGalley #PaigeToon #PenguinGroup

I really wanted to like this with reviews for this authors other adult work, but sadly this felt very young and underdeveloped. The plot is one we have seen with two people meeting on a chance encounter with plans to meet and life prevents it from happening. Which who doesn’t love the same overarching theme even if we’ve seen it before, but there was just a lot that missed the mark to stand out. The characters didn’t feel fully developed, the storyline wasn’t anything that distinguishes it from others and felt very young for an adult novel.

DNF at 20%. I don’t think there was anything specifically BAD about this book, it just wasn’t for me. The first 5-10% intrigued me and the author’s writing was well done. However, the pacing was slow and with the way things were being laid out I could just tell the plot wasn’t going to get better for me. I gave it one star only because I chose not to finish. But I will not be posting this review publicly.

I really liked this book. I stayed up so late reading this book. I just didn't want to put it down. Fade to black spice, so ya appropriate. This is a love story told over several years. It's love found and lost. For fans of the movie, serendipity 💛

Every single time I read one of her books, she always manages to pulls me right in. I love, love… LOVE the fact that she incorporates music in her novels. I always make a little playlist with all the songs mentioned. I was fascinated that this took place in Europe - all the locations mentioned, combined with her excellent word choice & use of detail perfectly painted the picture of the story’s setting. Paige demonstrates such a clear & stellar display of imagery - it’s as if I’m physically there beside all the characters.

I will say, I wasn’t as connected to the characters as I was in her past novels, Seven Summers and Only Love Can Hurt Like This. The MMC wasn’t my favorite of hers - despite that I really enjoyed this novel and gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC! Oh my gosh did Ellie and Ash get me in my feels. Their whirlwind romance in Lisbon and promise to reconnect a week later hooked me in. When their meet up doesn’t go as planned, I felt for both of them. Trust me you need to read this as soon as possible - just be ready to swoon.