I’m not crying, ok yes I am. What a fantastic read! I was so invested n all of the characters on this novel that even after it was over, I wanted to get together with them for one last BBQ. A great read, a great book. Friendships, families, secrets and love. It’s all in there and in the perfect combinations. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First book I’ve read by Paige Toon and to my understanding is that this is her first American novel. The writing was unique and kept me intrigued despite some flaws that I personally didn’t care for.
The setting was something that I loved simply because I knew exactly where she was talking about.

Not to let everyone know where I live but I live in the surrounding area and have been to Bloomington and Indianapolis multiple times. It was very easy for me to picture since I’ve literally been to some of these places. Such a small world that this was a setting of a book! The descriptions she used and how she set up a scene was written beautifully and really made the person feel like they were there.

The pacing of the book, however, was incredibly slow. At times it felt like I was getting nowhere despite me constantly reading. The storyline doesn’t seem to pick up until towards the end of the book and get to the point that you must keep reading because it’s getting interesting. The first part of the book was to get settled, get to know the characters, but it became almost boring at a couple parts because it felt like we were just reading a diary of a day, sometimes. Not to mention, it is an incredibly slow burn romance. I don’t mind slow burn, heck I crave and demand it in most of my books, but holy cow. The slow burn was like an ember of a flame through 90% of the book. Paige Toon created the slow burn, almost too well.

I did love the relationships / friendships between the characters though. The family dynamics took more of a prominent role than the romance did in this book. The complexities of a blended family and family legacies are huge themes in this book. It was interesting to read about a lot of the farm things because it wasn’t something I know much about. It did make you think a bit more about ranching / farming.

Overall, this was a good book. Despite it being slow, it created connection and heartache. At times towards the end of the book, I found myself welling with tears in my eyes and an ache in my chest. To me, that is markings of good writing.

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This was a sweet story with somewhat complicated characters and tensions. Main characters are likeable and believable, and side characters really shine. I'm looking forward to future stories about them. I really liked seeing strong family relationships in this book, as well as the romance elements, I have to admit the "twist" threw me a little, but overall, I think this is a great choice for readers of slightly darker, more complicated romances.

Happy Publication Day!!!! Thanks to Netgalley and Putnam Books for the E-ARC. To say I loved this book is a understatement. This was so much more than the story of Wren and Anders. This is about family relationships and how we hold feelings back that can grow and fester into something hurtful. I cant even put into words everything that this book made me feel I identified so much with Wren and her dynamic with her family but I was Bailey in all of this. I also felt my heart just break for Anders at many different points. I think I just cried the last hour of this book...ok cried is a understatement I was sobbing.

│ 5 ⭐️│

I loved this book. I’m struggling to find the words to adequately explain how much so. In just a few chapters I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. I finished in 24 hrs and I’m going to say I bet this will fall somewhere on my top books of the year.

I went in pretty much blind only knowing it was a contemporary romance. It ended up being so much more than that. It was about relationships, family dynamics and expectations, secrets, processing grief and more. This story was layered, it just kept getting deeper and deeper. So there’s no surprise I spent the last 20% of it sobbing because I was so attached to the characters.

This book really had me gripping my kindle the whole way through because I was never quite sure what was going to happen and I LOVE books that do this.

Short Plot Summary ❌ No Spoilers
Wren lives in the UK and when her engagement is broken, she decides to spend a few weeks in the USA (Indiana specifically) with her Dad. Her Dad and stepmom recently bought a farm and it’s summer so they are preparing for their first crop/fruit picking season. While spending time with her Dad, Stepmom, and step sister she meets the Fredrickson brothers, Jonas and Anders, from the farm next door. Wren tries to process her heartache, reconcile her childhood memories, and grow closer to her father and step sister. Will she be able to with Jonas and Anders next door? The brothers and their family have their own troubles and issues they are working through.

Thank you to @netgalley , @penguinusa , @putnambooks and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
✨Slow Burn
✨Emotional Romance
✨British Heroine
✨Family Dynamics
✨Second Chances

Only Love Can Hurt Like this has so much going on. It is heavy at times with a slow angsty romance.

Between the heavy we also got some comical banter between not only Anders and Wren but also Jonas and Bailey.

It was easy to connect with the characters because each of their struggles were real and many of us have gone through something similar or been close to someone who has.

I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it if you like slow burn second chance romances.

Title: Only Love Can Hurt Like This
Author: Paige Toon
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Only Love Can Hurt Like This" by Paige Toon

My Sentiments:

'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' was a good read if the child has gone through a divorce or even with a step-parent, as it was for Wren. The story was inspiring as it went through issues with family, the farm, love, grief, the airstream, twists, turns, and, let's not leave out, the well-developed characters. The story will also give one a 'heartbreaking' story before the end.


Thank you, NetGalley, for eARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
This was my very first from the author and I was so excited about it since I’ve heard so many good things about her. I hear she writes emotional romance reads and that’s just what I like! I mean, that title itself made my heart hurt lol. Thank you so much to Putnam Books for my ARC!

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
Wren is recovering after she discovers that her fiancé is in love with somebody else. She breaks off their engagement, and to mend her broken heart, she takes a break and visits her step dad and his family in a farm in Indiana. Here, she meets Anders, who lost his wife four years ago. Both struggling to let go, they seem to share an undeniable connection. But secrets come up that might make or break what could be between the two.

“𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦”

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. The prologue hooked me so good and i thought the author’s writing was amazing. It was very straightforward and easy to follow. It did have some slow parts in the beginning, but definitely picked up half way through. So bear in mind it’s a bit of a slow burn. But as it wrapped up, I ended up enjoying it and tugged on my emotional heartstrings. Alot of it is about the art of letting go, and i think it was beautifully done. Although this book was a romance book, it did have a touch of contemporary fiction/women’s fiction. And while the characters were flawed, it had a significant amount of explanation that was deeply rooted. Overall, I thought this was a great emotional romance read! Pick this one up of you’re looking for one!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦

I really enjoyed this story. Wren leaves her small town in England to visit her father in America in order to get some space from a failed engagement. Indiana farm life ends up suiting her very well. She gets to reconnect with her father, step mother, and step sister. I sort of thought this book was going to be about Wren finding herself, and standing up for herself, possibly having a fling.

This was so much more. Enter Anders, the man next door, part of a multi generational farming family who comes with baggage. BAGGAGE. He keeps it to himself, however, and Wren has no idea what's going on beneath that handsome surface.

One of the things I really enjoyed was that this was set in Indiana, not a common location for most books, and it was just a very sweet spot.

I've never read this author before and will most certainly be reading more from her.

Wren decides to visit her father and stepfamily on their farm in Indiana after her fiancé falls in love with someone else. Wren is no stranger to having someone walk out on her life. She hopes the time away from the UK will help her heal and find new perspective. Wren was raised by her mother in England and looks forward to spending time with her Dad and sister during her visit.

Anders is struggling to move on after his wife was in an accident four years ago. He goes home to his family's farm in Indiana and visits more frequently now due to concerns about his brother.

After seeing each other in a bar, Wren and Anders have their first conversation in a cornfield. It is the first conversation, but it will not be the last. There will be many in fact but with all the talking, there is a very important bit of information that is left out....

I feel hard for this book about love, family, obligations, grief, expectations, moving on and second chances. This book has heart and tugged at my heart strings. I instantly liked both main characters. They had great banter which I adored. The supporting characters of Bailey (Wren's sister) and Jonas (Anders brother) are both likeable and add to the storyline in their own ways.

I liked the fact that all the characters had their own issues. This made them feel real and believable. Many of the characters in this book have suffered loss in their lives in varying degrees, whether it be the loss of a family unit, loss of a relationship, loss of a spouse, etc. I appreciated how the author showed how this affects thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. I thought this was very nicely done.

This book was both thought provoking and evoked emotion. This made me think about the expectations that others place on us and the expectations that we place on others and how unfair that can be.

This was a moving, hard to put down book and I was glued to the pages. I didn't want to put this down as I was fully invested in the plot and yearned to know how things would turn out for Wren and Anders.

Romance novels are all about the journey for me and I enjoyed the journey in this book. There are several journey's in this book - not all of them the romantic kind.

Moving, thoughtful, and riveting.

I Highly recommend this moving and emotional love story.

If you don't like to judge a book by it's cover, then you can be sure to judge this magnificent story upon its completion! Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" had me laughing, crying, giggling & angry throughout its 41 chapters. An easy read, it's perfect for your summer beach bag. Paige Toon does a beautiful job bringing to life her family of characters and their story lines will leave you wanting more. Have the tissues ready, you'll need them before you're done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful book by Paige Toon - 5 stars!

Wren was living in the UK, working as an architect, and engaged to be married. But then she glimpsed a look shared between her fiancé and his coworker and she knew it was over before he even told her. Hurting, she escapes to Indiana, to stay with her dad and stepmom. Her dad left her mom when Wren was very small and she has a tenuous relationship with them and her half-sister, Bailey. She meets her parents' neighbors, Anders and Jonas, who work on the family farm in addition to their other jobs. There's an instant bond between Anders and Wren, but with Anders still mourning for his wife and Wren still smarting from her rejection, is it the right time?

This is much more than standard rom-com fair. It's a look into family, familial expectations, doing the right thing at all costs. It's looking at situations with a different eye and not being quick to take offense - definitely a lesson for all of us. All of these characters have issues they are dealing with and each one felt real and totally fleshed out. It was odd that Wren always wore dresses to do mucky work - is that how they dress in the UK? But I loved spending time with this group, seeing Indiana through their eyes, seeing Bambi come to life (you just have to read it to figure out that reference!). Great read!

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

I think many people are going to really like this book, but it was a bit too slow for me to truly love it. I did enjoy the plot, and I loved the characters. The chemistry between Anders and Wren was great, and it's a slow burn to get to the "good stuff". At first I was kind of annoyed with Anders, but once the little "twist" is revealed, I totally understood. My heart hurt so badly for him!

I loved the farm setting and wanted more details about festivals etc! Sounds like a great place.

3.5 Stars [rounded up]

Only Love Can Hurt Like This was my first Paige Toon book so I had no clue what to expect but I enjoyed it! I really loved the characters in this story but to me the first half felt a bit drawn out (this is a sloww burn romance) while the second half felt a bit rushed. All that being said, this book packed an emotional punch and I was invested in the story early on and the twist truly shocked me (and broke my heart). I'd be interested to read more Paige Toon in the future!

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam & NetGalley for the eARC!

This book did exactly what it said it will do, completely and utterly life changing. I never cried so much in my life when it comes to books. This book did it for me. Wren is recently single after her fiancé broke up their engagement, she’s goes to the US to get away and visit her dad and his stepmom, and there she is confronted with feelings of abandonment and resentment for her own dad. But she is rekindling this amazing relationship with her sisters, started to reevaluate her broken engagement, build new friendships with the neighbors, she’s looking forward to the future.
Then we meet Anders, he lost his wife 4 years ago, he comes to visit the family a few times a month and this time he’s there when Wren is, they strike up a friendship, and of course his own brother Jonas, who is battling his own issues, this book gives it all. You can feel Anders and Wren’s chemistry from beginning to end, and when Anders reveals the secret that can break their bond, my heart was HEAVY for him. The tears were flowing y’all. I say, READ THIS…. Happy Pub Day Paige Toon!!!

4.5/5 🌟

This book will absolutely tug on your heart strings and feel love in the most rawest form.

After finding out Wren's fiance cheated on her with a coworker, Wren decided to move to America to spend the summer with her dad and his family. Wren's relationship was estranged because her dad left her mother for another women where he started a new family. While Wren was suffering from a broken heart she was also suffering from the missed opportunities with her dad. When she saw him interact with his family, especially with his daughter, Bailey, she felt as though she needed to forgive her father to move on and find her own happiness.
This was also reflected in her relationships as well. She needed to get rid of grudges she held, like the one she held with her fiance to find love.

Wren meets Anders, they had a strong connection from the get go which lead them to be hesitant to developing their relationship further. As the story continues, secrets and feelings are uncovered. Both characters are so well written and although the ending tore me apart, I wanted nothing more to see these characters be together because they were absolutely made for each other.

This was both heart breaking and heart warming at the same time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

I loved this book! This was my first book by Paige but it definitely won’t be my last! I’ve been in the mood for an emotional read, this one hit me right in the feels…so many times. The friendship between Wren and Anders is making me smile so much and I wanted to just shake them because I knew they’d be so great together. I know they both have baggage to deal with regarding their past relationships (death and emotional cheating), but I wanted them to just be together already. Despite this being a sloooowww burn, the family dynamics are complicated, and there is plenty of subplot that’s keeps you engaged.

I would have loved to see them together as a couple more because I felt so heavily invested and we really didn’t get much of that. My heart just ached for them throughout so many parts of the book.

If you’re looking for a book to tug at (maybe even punch) your heartstrings, then look no further!

Thank you NetGalley, Putnam, and Paige Toon for this eARC!! I really enjoyed it.

This book was such a delicious treat. Still processing how much I loved it.

Job well done, Paige.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review. I promise to expound when I’ve caught my breath.

Thank you for letting me read this advanced copy! It was my first Paige Toon book. It was only a 3 star for me for the following reasons

The storyline was great but I felt like the writing didn’t flow smoothly.

Spoiler here -
There seemed to be many storylines that weren’t really called for, like her sister and Anders brother, why allude to a possible affair, just make them good friends as is perfectly normal and acceptable for a male and female. I thought we might get more from Ander’s family or the issues with his brother and it rubbed me the wrong way to shed light on some of the serious things he was going through but then turnaround and have a fully encourage and fun drunken night at the bar. Not the best cure for depression.

I did really enjoy some parts of the story and appreciate what Anders had to overcome at the end but I also felt like that came out of left field and there was no prior build up of his first relationship to give weight to the ending.

Overall, a good read, and I want to read another of her books!

This is the first book I’ve read by Paige Toon, and it won’t be the last. This book kept me engaged and the writing was so detailed. And the twist was something I never expected! This book was emotional but so good and captivating!