Loved this book! Super cute! I have loved evert Paige Toon books to date! Easy to follow, great stories, good twists. Loved this one!

4.25 stars - As an American. I loved the European feel of this book. I also really really enjoyed part 1 and 2 of this book, but it had too much conflict between the main characters for me personally. It’s written well, and it makes sense with the story/personality of the characters. I am just not a fan of any typical 3rd act breaks up, and this seemed to be even more than typical. I am hoping this is fixed in the finished copy, but I was a little thrown off by the time jumps not being explicit stated at the beginning of a new part or chapter. Overall, I was captivated the entire book and enjoyed my experience with the book, even if I don’t always jive with the main characters’ personalities.

Had fun reading this one. I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. Well worth the read. Eager to read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Readers, What If I Never Got Over You was so much deeper than I expected. I went on an emotional rollercoaster as we go on Ellie and Ash's journey that spans 8-9 years. The plot was well-developed, side characters had a purpose, Ellie and Ash were well-rounded characters. You knew who they were and how they got there. Even when they were interrailing and spent only 3 days together, I was able to feel the connection. Credit to Toon and her writing. This was not my first book of Toon's. She is a good author and I look forward to reading her work.

I do not understand how there are so many negative reviews for this book, maybe those are just the most recent ones, I’m not sure. But while this isn’t what I would call a super “steamy” romance I wouldn’t categorize it as YA either as some reviewers have suggested. I thought that the build up and the parts separation was really creative and it felt like I was going along with the difference sub-plots of the book along with the characters. There was a burning need to keep going in the story line, feeling the desperation of the Ellie and Ash’s feelings and just wanting them to get to a happy and stable point. I also don’t feel that the references to ACOTAR were excessive at all, there was a synchronicity between the yearning in the story and the burning of the series. It’s no different from other stories referencing classics or from this book referencing back to the same 80s songs multiple times. It’s a facet of the story and built into how they are approaching their love story, far from a throwaway line. The characters were complex, they had desires, ambitions, and trauma. Overall What If I Never Get Over You drew me in immediately with the lightness of the wonder of travel and first love. It kept me drawn in as Ellie grew into her own and decided with confidence what life she wanted for herself. It broke my heart and put it back together multiple times throughout the give and take of the story line and I found myself racing to the finish line to see where the growth would lead them.

Thank you Putnam Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Paige Toon. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Ellie was struggling with a loss and her parents' control and was taking a break, inter railing through Europe. She met Ash in Lisbon and they had 3 magical days that were enough for them to change their plans and agree to meet again in Madrid. But when Ellie arrives late, Ash is nowhere to be found. Six years later, Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener for a viscount on an estate in Wales. But Ash reenters her life and it becomes clear why he didn't meet her as planned. Can they finally make a relationship work?

This skewed a bit YA (with the exception of some steamy scenes!) but in Paige Toon's capable hands, it was still a compelling read, full of some twists and turns. Plus there are some good life lessons here - communication first, but following your own path rather than strictly adhering to family expectations. Loved the ending.

If you're a fan of "One Day" you will be a big fan of this new release from Paige! Hugh Thanks for Netgalley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Paige for the eARC!

What To Expect:
⭐ European Adventures
⭐ Strangers to lovers
⭐ Lost love that leads to reconnection
⭐ 3rd Act Breakup
⭐ England based story
⭐ Makes you want to visit the countryside of England ASAP!

TW: Discussions of sexual abuse not in great detail but is discussed. In addition to discussions of emotional and verbal abuse.

My Thoughts:
Oh this was a slow burn and at times just heartbreaking.... The beautiful story of two strangers connecting in their younger years on a trip across Europe was delightful. It does give a YA vibe but stick with it because it doesn't continue that way! A twist on a backpacking adventure but VERY similar vibes! It's heartbreaking to see them not reconnect in Europe but it end up happening on a whim later in life! and WHAT A WAY to reconnect. I saw it coming, something just told me it would be some how twisted in to their future careers crossing some how. Seeing their journey to reconnect was both lovely and heartbreaking. The 3rd act breakup is an absolute gut punch, but the ending is both lovely and bittersweet. I wanted more though! Like some sort of additional epilogue!!! Either way a big fan of Paige after this.

Synopsis:
Ellie didn’t expect to fall in love while interrailing through Europe. But she also didn’t expect to meet a man like Ash. Three blistering days in Lisbon is all it takes to form an unforgettable connection—a bond deep enough for them to scrap their itineraries and plan to meet again in Spain. But Ellie arrives late, and Ash is nowhere to be found.

Six years later, Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener for a viscount and viscountess on their sprawling five-hundred-year-old estate in Wales. She finds peace amongst the towering topiary hedges and colorful gardens, but her idyll is shattered when Ash crashes back into her life. And when it becomes clear why he didn’t show in Madrid, her heart breaks anew—for what the truth means for their fate.

But they have never been able to resist each other, and when the sparks of their attraction fly, Ellie’s life will catch flame. She will have to make a choice.

I finished this book well before the release date but I have struggled to put into words my feelings on it because I just can’t do it justice. From the first few pages I was captivated. The imagery of Spain, the way Ash and Ellie met and were instantly connected, the pacing of their 3 days together was just beautiful and perfect.

Without giving away any major spoilers, I was devastated, angry, confused, angry again, deliriously happy, devastated again, frustrated, hopeful and kicking-my-feet over-the-moon ecstatic. I felt the emotions Ash and Ellie experienced in my bones.

Some books just hit all the right notes at the right time and What If I Never Get Over You hit it out of the park for me.

I am eternally grateful to have received this ARC from NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and author Paige Toon.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. The title alone breaks my heart. It took them only 3 days to fall in love... now they need to forget about each other. This book pulled at all my heart strings.

3.5/5

Ellie and Ash meet while backpacking thru Europe and fall in love in 3 days. Thy make plans to meet up in Spain. Ellie is there waiting and Ash never shows. Ellie is devastated and tries to get on with her life but never forgets Ash. She makes some major in her life and lands her dream job. Then suddenly, she and Ash reconnect. Can they get over the past and their differences?

This was a quick read, I flew thru the first third of the book, wondering why Ellie was ghosted. Six years later, the connection is still as intense, but miscommunication and toxic families try derail this relationship. I’m not going to lie, miscommunication frustrates me. I loved the setting, Toon transported me to a beautiful, flower-filled garden and then to a cottage deep in the woods. If you enjoy an upstairs/downstairs feel, a second chance at love and coming of age, you’ll love this book. I can’t wait for Ms. Toon’s next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

This is one of those stories that grips you and doesn't let go. I had a hard time putting this one down and ended up devouring it in 2 days. I was so invested in Ellie and Ash's story. I loved the way this book was divided into 4 parts - it flowed perfectly. So well done - would highly recommend!

I was really looking forward to this release. I first found Paige Toon when she released Only Love Can Hurt Like This and later Seven Summers (I absolutely loved both) and have read several of hers since then. I really had trouble with What If I Never Get Over You. I didn’t connect with either MC and the part about her starting as a gardener and all of the plant description was very boring. I found Ellie to be very needy. Yes let’s meet a man while backpacking and slept with him within only knowing him 3 days. It took me over 2 weeks to finished because I just found myself getting bored. I wish I would have loved it more but I just didn’t. I have it 2 stars for the cover (i’m a sucker for pretty covers) and the reference to other books was a real turn off. I’m not a fan of the books mentioned and feel like they are mentioned too much on all social media platforms. I wanted to cry but that didn’t happen. This book just really missed for me. I will give Paige Toon a try again but don’t see myself recommending this to others

I completely devoured by 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄𝙛 𝙄 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 by Paige Toon, I couldn’t put it down. The unrequited love and longing, the angst, chemistry and tension, the characters, and the beautiful writing and narration all had me hooked. Ellie and Ash felt like end game, they were meant to be, and I was rooting hard for them, despite all of the obstacles in their way. But this isn’t just a love story, there is also a focus on grief and loss, as well as friendship, and amazing character growth.

Read/Listen if you like ⇣
•Second chance
•Traveling
•Insta-love
•Emotional
•Right person, wrong time
•Single POV
•Light Spice

Thank you to Penguin Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

3 days to fall in love, 6 years to try to forget. The title, the author, the pretty cover… I had such high hopes for this book. Paige Toon writes such beautiful, emotional love stories… I absolutely love Seven Summers! This book started off so strong, so romantic, and it ended well. But for me, it just kind of fell a bit flat, I’m sad to say.

This is my first Paige Toon Book and when I say I was hooked, I mean it.

The premise of the book is quite different from what I am used to in romance novels but trust me it set a beautiful tone.

There where moments where I wanted to through sense into both of them because lets be honest they acted like kids.

There was second chance and then there was third chance!!!

But all in all I enjoyed it.

Ellie was interrailing in Europe alone, a trip she was supposed to take with her best friend, Stella. She never expected to meet anyone like Ash. They spent three wonderful days together, and with a promise to meet back up in Madrid, all they saw was the future. When Ellie gets to Madrid, Ash never shows up. Six years later, Ellie lands her dream job working as a gardener at an estate in Wales. She has fun co-workers and finds peace among the garden. But her peaceful world is shattered when she sees Ash. When she learns why he didn’t show in Madrid, her world and her heart opens up for him again. They can’t stop their feelings for each other, but they are apart of two different worlds and she has a choice to make.

Paige Toon is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to read this book. It did not disappoint! The push and pull of Ash and Ellie’s relationship was easily felt throughout the whole book. You could feel that they were it for each other. There were so many moments that my heart soared for them, and then there were moments that my heart broke for them. I love the way Toon writes her novels. She really gets me to feel.

It was also really nice to see the characters change and grow over the periods of time. The Ellie that was once afraid to stand up to her parents, stood up to them and found her own way. Ash who didn’t love the life that he was born into found a way to have the life he wanted. In the end, they both had changed a lot, but the love that they had between each other.

In my opinion, Toon writes beautiful, emotional books like no other author.

Paige Toon is fast becoming one of those authors that I cannot wait to get my hands on her latest novel. She left me weeping with her novel Seven Summers and What If I Never Get Over You oh my, did she wreak havoc with all my emotions.

The last thing Ellie every expected to happen while she was interrailing through Europe was to meet that person you have an instant connection. All it took for Ellie to feel that chemistry was one sentence .. “Is this seat taken?”. The next three days in Lisbon for Ellie and Ash were simply amazing – they talked, they laughed, they shared some of their lives and they made plans .. to meet again in a week in Madrid. When the day rolls around Ash is nowhere to be found.

Six years have gone by and not a day goes by where Ellie does not think and miss Ash. Not knowing his last name, she is unable to find him. In moving on with her life she has broken with the family furniture business, moved to Wales and landed her dream job as a gardener at the privately own Berkeley Hall Estate. Little does Ellie know her world is about to come crashing down on her when the son of the Lord and Lady Berkeley is none other than Ashton Berkeley .. the Ash from Lisbon. Ash re-entering her life right now in this place was not in her plans. However, that intense feelings of connection, passion, and romance is still there but it is a relationship involving people from two different levels of society which at times was an emotional and stormy journey.

I loved the beginning of Ellie and Ash’s story and I was rooting for them at the end of their story – but the middle I was irritated with them both – especially Ash – I felt he was blind to Ellie’s feelings when it came to Becca.

Thank you, Paige Toon, Putnam Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book gave me bridgerton vibes with an insta love gone awry story. The characters were great - very balanced, mature. Not always a fan of miscommunication, however, this is one of those instances where it had a purpose and I did not mind at all. This was a very emotional ride and a tear jerker.

Ellie and Ash are backpacking independently when they meet at a hostel. The 3 days they spent together were the best days of their individual adventures. They were supposed to reconnect in a different city, but one of them doesn't show up. The choices they make the next couple of years is due to the 3 days they spent together.

This was an easy and sometimes frustrating book to read. The main characters have gone through some traumatic events in their lives, but it's not until later in the book that they use those events to make a positive impact on them. I liked that you read about Ash and Ellie change themselves for a better version of themselves.

Thank you to Netgalley, Paige Toon, and the publishers for this free ebook. This review is 100% my own and honest opinion.

What If I Never Get Over You
By Paige Toon

This is a love story with all the bumps to be expected along the way. Ellie meets Ash in a youth hostel in Lisbon. They are both interrailing through Europe, the cheapest and simplest way to travel. They are like so many young people post-university.

Ellie and Ash, against all odds, fall deeply in love during the three days they spend together. They agree to meet up in a week in Madrid. But something goes wrong. Ash never shows. A devastated Ellie returns to England to enter the family business, hoping to forget Ash and get on with her life – a life that she doesn't want.

Six years later the lovers meet again. As they try to find their way back to each other, their path is filled with obstacles. They are driven apart once again through misunderstandings and lack of trust in each other. Both are heartbroken once again.

When they finally meet for the third time. Ellie is determined to win Ash back – but he is leery and afraid of being hurt yet again. But, as the saying goes, the third time is the charm.

This is a sweet story – simple and straightforward. If not for the occasional f-bomb, I think this book should be labelled a Young Adult read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.