I didn’t really care for these characters, the constant miscommunication or no communication trope. It made absolutely no sense that they couldn’t be together from the beginning. The classism part of it made me incredulous as it was clear the woman was part of the upper class so there wasn’t a true obstacle to their romance- they created one.

What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon

While I genuinely enjoyed this read, it wasn’t my favorite contemporary romance. Good, not great. I never felt super connected to the characters, and even though I wanted to be fully invested, it just didn’t click for me. If you're a die-hard contemporary romance lover, you might fall head over heels for this one. But if you only dabble in the genre and are looking for something that’ll truly knock your socks off… this might not be it.

Thank you Penguin Random House, Putnam, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review.

The premise of this one was super promising but I really struggled to get into it and unfortunately it was not for me.

I really loved a different book by this author so I wanted to try another one but sadly there was too much miscommunication. I know my sister would have loved this book so I know for a fact that it‘s not a bad book just not the right one for me.
I will keep on trying her books tho because I‘m hoping there is another one I will love!

I enjoyed the concept of this story and the author’s writing style, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a favorite of mine. There was a lot of miscommunication, and I never felt deeply invested in the characters.

This is a must read for 2025. Stop what you’re doing and add it to your TBR. Gut wrenching and beautiful. One of my favorite reads this year.

This book might be right for someone but not for me. It just didn't land but I'm sure there are others out there who did enjoy it

Tried to read a few times but couldn’t get into it. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you G.P. Putnam Sons for granting me an ARC! All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher.

What if you meet your soulmate on the last days of your vacation, make an amazing connection and then because of circumstances think you’ll never see them again. That person stays with you heart for years and then there they are. But not the person you thought they were.

I wanted to love this story, but I just couldn’t get into it. Insta love stories are great. Second chance romance are my favorites. This story seemed too convoluted. Yes there were misunderstandings but there were so many things held back which didn’t need to be. There was drama added into the mix that didn’t need to be there. There were side stories happening which took away from the main characters, which didn’t really add to the plot.
This book, in my opinion, didn’t live up to the hype. Paige Toon creates angst and longing well in her other books. It didn’t work well for this story.

This was not for me. It felt wayyyy too YA and i was just cringing for a lot of it. The premise sounded so amazing but I just couldn't get past the writing style and dialogue throughout. This is my first book by Paige so maybe her writing style just isn't for me in general but this just really didn't work for me.

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

Engaging Story, Enjoyable Audiobook

"What If I Never Get Over You" plunges into an insta-love, second-chance drama when Ellie and Ash share an intense connection during three days in Lisbon and plan a reunion in Spain. He never appears, leaving Ellie with only a first name. Six years later, Ellie, now a gardener in Wales, is shocked to encounter Ash again and discover the reason for his absence.

This fast-paced, enjoyable read had me invested in Ellie and Ash's journey, often wishing they would communicate better as they navigated obstacles and bad timing. While the characters sometimes felt immature, the book thoughtfully explores themes of family expectations, pursuing personal dreams, vulnerability, and honesty.

The audiobook was also well done as Anna Acton did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life with all of the different accents and voices required. Her narration captures the characters' personalities and conveys the emotional nuances of the story. The narrator's pacing is well-suited to the material, making it easy to become absorbed in the narrative.

3.5 stars

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2.75/5 stars! This is not an adult romance. It is a YA romcom, which is fine. But it shouldn't be marketed as adult then. I didn't agree with Ash's reason for not showing 6 years ago and I didn't vibe well with the 2-dimensional characterizations of everyone at the estate.

Paige toon was my first romance author many years ago, i waited patiently each year for her latest release and she has always had me in a chokehold. This book was no exception. Toon has a way of plucking your heart strings and delivering you an unique story full of real emotion

This book starts with Ellie meeting Ash when both are in their early 20s and traveling through Europe. They have an instant connection, and make plans to meet up again - and then Ash doesn’t show. Years later, Ellie takes a new job only to unexpectedly run into Ash again. I don’t want to say more than that as even that feels slightly spoilery as their initial meeting takes up a good first chunk of the book.

I have heard so many great things about Paige Toon, and this was my first book by her, so I’m sorry to say I didn’t love it. I can’t really put my finger on what, but something about the writing annoyed me from the start and it just never really compelled me to pick it up. Mostly I just found both characters immature and annoying. Oh well.

This seemed like a YA more than adult romance, with far too much miscommunication. I liked the concept but didn't love the execution.

This book was fine but the miscommunications and how they were handled by the characters had me so frustrated that I wasn’t not rooting for this romance by the end. This book follows Ellie and Ash at a few different points in their lives and how their relationship evolves but I disliked these characters so much that I kind of didn’t want them to end up together. The writing was good in this book but the way this book is set up with the large period of time made it feel disjointed for me. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was just released on April 15th called, What If I Never Get Over You. This was about Ellie and Ash, who meet while traveling through Europe. They instantly feel a connection and decide to spend the day together, and the next, and the next. They spend 3 days together that feel like pure magic, their connection is deep, and their chemistry is undeniable... They fell in love. They decide to continue traveling together instead of their original solo traveling plans, but they need to take care of some things first, so they decide to meet back up in a few days. But when Ellie shows up late to their agreed meeting place, and Ash is nowhere to be found, she spends days there waiting for him but he never shows. Fast forward to 6 years later, Ellie is finally living out her dream of working with plants as a gardener, and she just got a job for a viscount and his family at their estate. Ellie is finally happy, although she thinks about Ash often and still wonders why he never showed up and what they could've been. But when he suddenly appears back in her life after all this time it sends her spinning, because not only is he here, but he's not the Ash she knew. Was their connection 6 years ago as real as she remembers, or did she romanticize those 3 days they spent together? This book was a rollercoaster of emotions! I loved the characters and how they grew up throughout the book, they faced their traumas, they healed and found happiness as adults. I really enjoyed this story!! 🩷📚

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for this ARC of What If I Never Get Over You, in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this one b/c miscommunication is so frustrating, and this book has a lot of that.
However, it still worked for me. I'm a sucker for a second chance (when it's done well), and I love a book where you can explore a couple's past and go along with them as they reconnect and find their way back to each other... by figuring out themselves!

I think fans of Carley Fortune will like this book.... a love story with an emotional edge, a lot of heart, and characters you can't help but connect with, even though they really frustrate you.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam, @putnambooks and NetGalley, @netgalley for my advanced copy!

Ellie and Ash meet while they are each on a solo interrailing adventure. Ash is having a delightful time, but Ellie is lonely and ready to go home— until she meets Ash. Over the course of three days in Lisbon, they fall in love and promise to meet up in Madrid. Except Ellie is late, and she doesn’t find Ash.
Fast forward six years, and Ellie has finally broken free of her domineering parents and has pursued her dream career as a professional gardener. She even ventures so far to move to Wales, though she knows it will remind her of her lost love, Ash.
This somewhat spicy love story covers a large span of Ellie and Ash’s youth, from when they are 21 years old on an interrailing adventure through their late twenties, as they process their difficult pasts and work to find a way forward despite their differences.
Beloved genre romance tropes abound, including insta-love, miscommunication, and even the one bed scenario. Though the characters are adults, the voice and style will be familiar to readers who were fans of Toon’s YA novels. Aside from the spicier scenes and the characters' ages, the narrative would be believable as a YA or New Adult.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early read. This was my first Paige Toon book and I definitely want to read others.