Honestly and incredible read. I felt so much for all of the characters in this one. I laughed, I cried (more than once) and overall couldn’t put it down.

After an unexpected heart break when her fiancé leaves her for another woman, Wren decides to go visit her father, step mom, and half sister in America. She’s not looking for love or for anything really, other than a break from running into said ex fiancé. She definitely isn’t expecting Anders, the man from the neighboring farm and Anders definitely isn’t looking for anything after dealing with his own heartbreak.

I was so wrapped up in these characters my heart broke for each of them for different reasons and at the conclusion I felt nothing but happiness for them. I will definitely be reading more Paige Toon books!

Only Love Can Hurt Like This written by Paige Toon. This is my first book ever written by Ms Toon and it WILL NOT by my last! She broke me in the best way possible and let me bleed a while before she decided to put me back together. This story has probably taken place many times before, or some variation, in the world. How much is too much to give for your spouse? I loved this story and I could totally see the characters as my best friends. I will miss spending time with them.

This might sound weird, but this book was exactly the right amount of devastating. I probably should have expected some pain from the title, but I didn't expect how *real* this book would feel. It was sad, and there were some dramatic revelations of course, but it felt so--I don't know how to put it. Reasonable? It felt like real people making real decisions in a really tough, complicated situation that can easily be seen from very different perspectives.

I would definitely recommend Only Love Can Hurt Like This to fans of romance, drama, contemporary fiction, and character-focused stories. I loved this book and definitely want to read more of Toon's work now. Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This was certainly a slow burn and didn’t demand my full attention until precisely 70% through. At that point, though, I had to read into the night to finish.. I cried, so if you enjoy painful stories as I do then you’ll be satisfied. This is the first book from Paige Toon I’ve read but I’ll now consider her other works.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s been a while since I read a book in less than a day. But this was one I could not put down! The story did develop a bit slowly but I never once lost interest. I loved the midwestern country setting, as it gave me a bit of a homey feel. I also loved the character development in this story and the twist near the end. What a great feel-good, quick read! I will be reading more of Paige Toon’s books after this one.

Thank you to Putnam for the ARC! Definitely recommend this read when it’s published 4/25/23!

i’ll be so honest the cover + title drew me in immediately

this was deep. like painful, hard to read REAL and so so very human. with a beautiful set of characters and such great storytelling, i really enjoyed this. it definitely sucks you in

now was it the best thing i’ve ever read tho? no, although it was very captivating the story itself was not the best. i will be keeping an eye out for their authors next work tho

This was good, it was written well, it just never worked for me. I really just don't know what it was, but I never clicked into it.

Sorry, I tried but just couldn’t get into this book.. The main character did not appeal to me and the story seemed long and repetitive.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This was a slow burn book I didn’t know I needed. I could not put it down I read it in one sitting.

5/5 stars
1/5 spice

An intense love story full of heart break and hope. I was hurting right up until the last couple of chapters.

Tropes:
Forbidden love
Close proximity
Friends to lovers
Hurting / Healing
Found family

I think the author did an amazing job keeping the reader on edge the entire time. Anders and Wren's love story was a slow burn laced with tragedy, but you just couldn't help holding out hope that things would turn around for them. It was excruciating but so honest and raw. I was dying for Anders' POV. I never expected to read his POV, so when it came at the end when everything was so tense it was an amazing surprise and very emotional.

I loved the whole cast of characters and felt that Wren was such a relatable heroine. All the emotional damage she had from feeling her father's neglect, her ex's betrayal, feeling less than compared to her sister, Bailey... it was all expressed so well that you could really feel what she was going through. The growth Wren experienced outside of her story with Anders was nice to see. I'm happy she repaired her family relationships and made new friends that would give her that sense of community.

This wasn't a fully closed door romance since there was one full scene, but I rated it low because it wasn't very detailed. It wouldn't have made sense to have more in the story and I'm very satisfied with how the author handled that part.

Overall a great read with lots of angst, pining, and heart wrenching moments. Highly recommend for fans of forbidden romance and slow burn friends to lovers.

I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Penguin Group. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Mentions death of a spouse, chronic illness/disability, adultery, lying, toxic relationship, grief, depression

I found this romance to be a bit of a slow burn. An enjoyable enough read but not the most memorable. I don’t find the dialogue as witty as an Emily Henry romance, and it wasn’t as twisty as a Colleen Hoover.

I normally don't check other reviews before I write mine BUT I did in this case. I didn't feel it was ONLY a slow-burn romance, though that is what a lot of reader's have said. Yes, there is romance BUT to me it is the after thought to prove that people can and do, heal.
Wren is a wreck and in all too familiar fiction fashion---she goes back home. Just once I want someone to be heartbroken and actually tackle it while trying to hang on to their daily life, But maybe that is just me. SO, yes, Wren heads home. Where she happens to run into a man who is as equally lost in his grief as Wren is in hers.
But it is only in her hometown that a secret from decades past can ruin what lays ahead. Of all the people in the world, the one with that connection is the one Wren finds.
Very well written, fluid and generous with its grief and hope equally carried on the shoulder's of its characters.
And yes, you will cry.
women's fiction, contemporary romance, book club pick, slow burn, small town

✨Book Review✨
Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: April 25, 2023

First, thank you to @netgalley and @penguinartgroup for my advanced eARC copy for my honest review!

So excited to have been given a chance to read this novel by @paigetoonauthor as this is my first read by the author!

I have heard so many good things about other titles by her that I couldn’t wait to start this one! And now I see why the author gets much praise!

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. A difficult but sweet love story! It pulled at my heart strings the farther I got into it.

Anders and Wren go throughout the story struggling with their own sense of selves. Finding new beginnings and what it truly means to let go and truly live!

The supporting characters added to story as well. From Jonas to Bailey to Laurie and Mom and Dad.

I went through many emotions while reading. Even though I was left wanting a little more at the end. I feel as though the epilogue left no questions unanswered!

I would definitely like to read more from the author in the future!

P.S. Every time I read the title of the book or felt a bit of sadness while reading I thought of the song by Paloma Faith titled the same. (Peep how I added it to this post too!) 🥰🥺

That is all, as always happy reading! 💕

I am likely to be an outlier on this book, but the overall picture did not work for me. At the beginning, I really got pulled into the story and I was quite enjoying it. I liked Wren, I enjoyed the backstory of her family and her arriving in Indiana. The setting was picturesque and Paige Toon does a lovely job of scene setting. The family dynamics are interesting and seeing them get fleshed out was nice. I had some issues with the pacing; it almost felt like being plopped from "scene to scene" without finishing the event. For example, the sisters going swimming, imagery of getting ready and about to go swimming, but the chapter abruptly ends and then the next one starts. But I loved the slow burn tension with Anders, there are lots of heated glances, denying feelings, etc. It all makes sense for the season of life they are both in, and there was plenty of drama before the plot twist. I loved the addition of the Airstream, its super cute and just a fun touch. But for me, my feelings towards the book do a 180 at the plot twist. I didn't like the emotional manipulation of the reader, and if I stop to think about it, I am confused as to what Toon wants us to feel towards Anders, and towards Wren in these moments. I don't know, it just left me feeling angry and quite depressed. The ending didn't do anything to fix any of the glaring issues. I hate being so harsh, but I feel this book will be quite jarring to some. However perhaps others will find this type of plot line intriguing and different. To each their own! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Add to cart!!!

I am forever grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Group- Putnam for this eARC of Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon. This was my first Toon book and I absolutely loved it. I could just see and feel every word. I can not wait to add this gorgeous book to my bookshelf.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

...wow...

*Note to self, once I hold a published copy, to add one of my favorite lines here*

After finishing this book… I have some THOUGHTS. This was the first Paige Toon book I had ever read and was an anticipated 2023 release for me.

When Wren’s fiancé calls off their wedding because he realizes he’s in with someone else, she decides to spend the summer on her fathers farm in Indiana to help get her mind off the breakup. There she has to navigate relationships with her estranged father, her cold step mom, and the half sister, Bailey, she always resented. Wren and Bailey are out on the town when they meet brothers Anders and Jonah and even though Anders is emotionally unavailable Wren falls for him throughout the summer anyway.

Okay so I was expecting this to be a big whirlwind romance but it was more of a slow burn/friends to lovers/unrequited love for most of the story. The MC’s dont even hug until about 75% of the way through so if you’re looking for more of a physical relationship/romance this isn’t it.

The plot twist towards the end threw me for a loop 🤯 and I for sure shed some tears during this one but I felt like the relationship went from zero to 100% and the epilogue felt really rushed. I did like how this book explored other family dynamics and relationships, it was so great seeing Wren and Bailey’s relationship improve throughout the book.

Long winded review but thank you to netgalley for the ARC! Only Love Can Hurt Like This is out April 25th!

I hate to say it but I really didn’t enjoy this. I’m not a fan of leaving bad reviews on here because I don’t want the author to see it and be upset. The writing felt a lot like CoHo which to some would be a selling point but I’m in the minority here and hate her writing as well. I wanted to DNF this but pushed through to review it and honestly wish I didn’t push through it

**4/5 Stars**

This book first caught my attention since it was compared to the likings of Collen Hoover. I have loved most CoHo books so I thought I would like this one and it did not disappoint.

Wren, the female main character, has just broke off her engagement after finding out her fiancé is in love with someone else. To clear her head and to heal her heart, she decides to visit her dad in America (she lives in England with her mom). The relationship with her dad, step mom and half sister is not the best but this trip may be the thing that heals open wounds she never had the time or opportunity to heal. In a uncomfortable night out with her sister, she meets the boy next door, Anders and they continue to cross paths. Their friendship blooms and something beautiful starts to grow between the two of them. Over the course of her visit, she starts to build real relationships with her sister. Revealing the truths about how she felt like an outsider in their family when all along they just did not know how to blend their families the right way. As her feelings for Anders grow she cant help but think he's holding something back, a secret, something he's too scared to share with her. When that secret is revealed the two of them have to work through their own pain and grief to find a happy ending.

The thing I loved most about this book is that it was not just about romance. It was about healing. Healing comes in so many different forms but seeing the relationships within this book unfold was so beautiful. It was a beautifully written book that captured my attention and had my heart hurting for the characters as they worked through their hurt.

The only reason why I am not rating this a 5 star is because the epilogue was kind of a mess. I am a sucker for a epilogue and this one really left me disappointed. It felt rushed and super busy. It felt like the writer came up with several different stories to make up the epilogue and just put them all out there. Usually an epilogue ties the story with a sweet little bow but this one just kind of undid some of the beautiful parts of the story. In all honesty, I probably would have preferred for there to not have been an epilogue at all.

*Thank you to NetGalley & Putnam Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for a honest review*

This is my first book by Paige Toon and it was a lovely read. The story follows Wren, an architect, escaping the UK to her father’s farm outside of Indianapolis to find some peace after her fiancé leaves her for another woman.

The best part of the novel is the development of Wren’s relationships—with her father, half-sister, Anders, etc. Wren wrestles with resentment, rejection, and loneliness, but finds that things aren’t always as they seem the more time she spends on her father’s farm. Her story is filled with laugh out loud, firefly flutter inducing, gut-wrenching moments, and it was a privilege to witness Wren’s growth and acceptance of the life that’s been forged for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

I love Paige Toon's writing and this book did not disappoint. I really enjoyed how the author built the characters and their relationships slowly, helping you understand their motivations - not just the MCs, but also Wren's step sister, father, step mother and Jonas. I enjoyed reading about them. Also, I spent 5 years in Bloomington, IN and LOVED all the references to the little town (so much love for Mother Bear's Pizza and Nick's English Hut!).
However, there were points where this book leaned more heavily into the Women's Fiction genre than Romance. However I still enjoyed reading it. So heart breaking and moving.