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.

3.75 stars rounded up
Thank you to there publisher for the arc.
This one is for people who like things we never got over!
I loved wren our Female MC, and her back story was super relatable. I did think the twist was going to be about baileys storyline not anders,
Wish we would have got more of the cute stuff but maybe another book in this world?
Honestly super cute enjoyable read!

This is a story of father/daughter, sisters, emotional romance, new love, heartbreak & tragedy.

The story begins with Wren realizing her fiancé is in love with someone else. She leaves England to visit her dad on his farm in Indiana. Wren has always felt like a visitor in her dad & stepmoms house, but this visit starts to break down some walls.

She also meets Anders from the farm next door. Although their feelings grow, he tries to remain distant while he keeps a heartbreaking secret from Wren.

The last 20% of the book was pretty emotional in all the best ways. This was a good romance that I would recommend adding to your list.

Only Love is heavy on the Indiana references. I live in southern Indiana, so I enjoyed the mentions of familiar places— IU, Bloomington, Indy, Hoosier National Forest, Mother Bear’s Pizza. I haven’t read many books with so much detail to small town Indiana, it was fun to read & relate to.

Thank you Putnam Books & Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this book recommended by a few others and was so happy to get my hands on a copy! My first book by this author, but definitely not my last!

Wren realizes that her fiancé is in love with someone else and thinks she will never recover from her heartbreak. Anders lost his wife four years ago and still struggles to let go. Wren goes to spend the summer with her dad hoping that will help heal her broken heart. Wren and Anders cross paths on his farm in Indiana and their feelings for each other are undeniable. Anders is harboring a secret and if he acts on the feelings he has for Wren it will have a serious impact on everyone involved.

This review is hard to write because I loved this book so so much and I don't know if my review will do it justice. I haven't read many (or any) books based on a farm and I loved that for a setting. The twist (Ander's big secret) is one I did not see coming. This is not your typical romance storyline and I loved that. I also enjoyed the family dynamics of both Wren and Anders.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Putnam Group for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this advanced readers copy for an honest review!

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon is a contemporary romance novel that definitely has it's great moments. While the story is interesting and has some memorable moments, it falls short in a few areas, leading me to give it a 3-star rating.

One of the main strengths of the book is the character development. The author does a good job of creating characters that feel real and have their own unique personalities. Wren is a relatable protagonist who has her fair share of struggles and insecurities. Her love interest, Anders, is also well-developed and add depth to the story.

However, the pacing of the story is uneven, with some parts feeling rushed and others dragging on. The plot twists are predictable, and there are few surprises. The ending is also unsatisfying, leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.

Overall, Only Love Can Hurt Like This is a decent read for fans of the romance genre. While it has some flaws, it is still an enjoyable story with relatable characters.

Thank you to netgalley for the chance to read this!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was deep, emotional, and raw. The thing 'driving' the two main characters apart is so heartbreaking and the 'twist' caught me off guard in the best way. I loved some of the side story lines about family, acceptance after divorce, the relationship between siblings, and that small-town-farm story. Wren is a really great lead, and Anders is so 'honorable' its almost cliche.
I did at times feel as if the main character was a bit wishy washy and constantly flipped back and forth between her emotions. I wanted her to stay on track and consistent just for a single chapter. That being said, the flip flop actually made me really invested in the characters end game, so in a way it worked out as much as it bugged me.
Final note: I loved the author's descriptive prose: her understanding of farming, architecture, and style was really intriguing and made the story seem very rich.

This one was a slow burn for sure, building the relationship between Wren and Anders bit by bit, but in that way it was more believable than many of these romance books with intense love at first sight. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and what made them who they are, and I do think the story was a bit unique and not like every other romance book out there. I was not expecting the twist at all!

I do think the ending was a bit rushed though. The rest of the book developed slowly and over many pages and the book was wrapped up quickly over just the epilogue, which I found a little disorienting. It just didn’t match the pace of the rest of the novel.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t really know what to expect as I’ve never read a book by this author before.

We meet Wren, who is engaged, and her fiancé is in love with someone else. She saw the looks between her fiancé and his employee, and she knew. They break up, and she escapes to visit her father in America for some space and time away.

There, she becomes closer with her sister, and meets two brothers who become her friend and love interest.

I will say, I thought it was sad enough about a man’s wife being lost, but man that was super depressing. It took everything in me to finish the book because I truly felt that was emotionally manipulative.

Overall, it’s a decent story with a happy ending. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P Putnam's Sons and author Paige Toon for an advanced copy of this book for my honest review**

This was my first read by Paige Toon, and this one left me a bit confused on how to review this book.

The story revolves around a woman named Wren, who after a bad breakup visits her father’s farm to get some distance and perspective. Not having a strong relationship with him and his family in the past, this time gives her an opportunity to heal old wounds and form new bonds. There she meets Anders, their neighbor’s son, who is also healing after losing his wife four years ago. As they meat, become friends and eventually feel more than that, they have to contend with Anders’s past and how his loss all those years ago still guides his present.

So the cons of this book first--there is a lot of internal dialogue from Wren, and for most of it, it felt more like narration than thinking. The problem with this is that, it made it very hard for me to get attached to her as a main character. I liked her, I just never got to the point where I was rooting for her. Also, there are quite a few different conflicts going on in this book that all kind of detract from each other. Almost every character, main or supporting, had their own conflicts, and that also detracted a bit from the Wren/Anders story. Wren herself has one too many conflicts in this book—family issues, relationship issues, self esteem issues, job issues—that take away from the main plot. Lastly, I do think things between Wren and Anders was a bit drawn out, repetitive, instead of building attraction, it felt like it was just a lot of the same until they eventually get together…I wish there were a bit more fireworks.

Reading all that, you might think I didn’t like this book, but I actually did. The Ander/Wren story was drawn out and repetitive, but those scenes were not bad—they were very entertaining and kept me wanting more. The characters in the story may all have their own issues but they were all likable especially Jonas, Anders’s older brother. I did feel like Wren was more a narrator than main character, but while I never grew fully attached to her, I liked the story that she told. I wish there were more sparks between Andy and Wren when they interacted, but the ending eventually gives the reader what they want. I didn’t expect the twist in this story (although I can see how others may have), and it definitely lent an emotional aspect to where Anders is coming from. It made me feel for him more.

So with all that, I’m left saying I think this book is worth a try. I don’t regret the time I gave it, while there were parts I wish gave me more, I wasn’t left frustrated while reading and can say I was entertaining for the 2 days I read it. A 3.5/5 star read for me that I will round up for this review, it might not be a super memorable read but it won’t be one you wish you didn’t waste your time on.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This is a story about people overcoming hardships, dealing with change, and learning how to grow from it. The title itself is fitting and honestly the reason I wanted to read it. I knew it would be a story beyond romance.

Wren has decided to visit her father in small town Indiana after a heartbreaking split from her fiancé in England. Even though she isn’t very close to her father and step-mother, she wants to escape. There, she meets Anders, who is grappling with his own heartbreak/grief and seems simply lost. These two are immediately drawn to each other, but know it can’t go any further.

It took me a little bit to get into the book, but once it captured my attention I really wanted to finish it and see how this story played out. Wren felt easy to love and I empathized with her emotions so much. This short vacation turns into an extended stay and gives her the chance to come to terms with many aspects of her life. She is such a good person and it only gets confirmed when the book’s main secret is brought to light. She was an inspiring character.

Anders felt mysterious and like he was always putting up walls. His family life weighs on him and as Wren gets to know him, she realizes there’s so much he keeps to himself. His grief from losing his wife often stops him from letting himself enjoy even the little things. Wren becomes exactly what he needed to escape the dark hole he wanted to stay in. Especially when truths get revealed, he really sees how much of a catalyst she is to being happy again.

Overall, this is a moving story about learning how to live life after unexpected events and changes. It shows certain people come into our lives for a reason, even if initially apprehensive. Wren and Anders always felt like they simply just fit together. I was rooting for them as a couple, but also as individuals to find their happiness even without the other. I truly enjoyed the plot of this story and the many emotions it brought out.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of “Only Love Can Hurt Like This.” This was my first time reading a book by this author (Paige Toon) and I will definitely seek out her other books. This story is about Wren whose life changes after witnessing her fiancée falling in love with someone else and then flying to America to visit family. There she meets a complicated man with a difficult past that continues to control his present and future. These characters are so well developed-even the secondary characters-I wish I could visit them again in a sequel. This books deals with big issues in ways that don’t feel contrived: family, abandonment, love, romance, vows, careers, life. I really rooted for Wren, in all ways. Pick up a copy-you won’t be disappointed.

ARC REVIEW

Only Love Can Hurt like This
by Paige Toon

Publishing date: 4/25/2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Wrens world is flipped upside down when she learns her fiance is in love with someone else. In hopes of healing, she travels to the other side of the world, to spend the summer with her father and  American family that she has never been close with.

When she meets the farmers next door, she starts to feel alive. Wren  starts spending time with Anders  and she  can't ignore these emerging feelings she is having.

But she can't fall TOO deep....Anders lost his wife in a tragic accident a few years ago, and he isn't ready to move on. But what if he does?

Is he ready for the concequence of that? it will affect EVERYBODY.....even his wife, who is no longer present.

Overall, I liked the book! A solid 4 stars.

This was my first Paige Toone book. Judging from some of the reviews I've read, she seems to use some twists and turns, and this seems to be a bit different?
HOWEVER....there is one " circumstance" that becomes present in the book, which I supposed you could refer to as the " twist."" And honestly? I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it? I have confilicting views....I'm putting myself in the situation and feel as though I would have acted differently than Anders did.

In an attempt to keep the spoilers at bay, I won't elaborate anymore. But if you have read this, PLEASE MESSAGE ME! I want to discuss this to see if I'm alone here?

I do recommend the book! I love a good romance :) I LOVED the characters and even the growing family relationships that blossomed!

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for this goodie! Really enjoyed it!

this book is described as a cross between the styles of colleen hoover and jojo moyes and i agree with that 100%, actually, for the following reasons: the romance starts off quite quickly, it is full of pining/angst/we belong together but can't be together sort of vibe, it is... deeply troubling and probably more than a little triggering for some, and lastly, i did not put it down. (:// what this says about me, i don't know haha).

i can for sure see this becoming booktok's latest obsession once it comes out (the title hello??) because the synopsis is pretty attention-catching and refreshing compared to other popular/trendy romance books out there. wren and anders are extremely lovable but complex characters each with their own history and they carry real burdens i feel like many of us can honestly relate to. overall no one acted completely irrationally! yay! technically, this is a city girl goes to small town and falls in love romance, but it didn't feel like that, which is quite rare. paige toon expertly repackaged the corny cliches we know and love into something brand new, but it still had that small-town tight-knit community vibe that we all like to escape into sometimes.

good book for sure! some of the plot twists i did find a little risky, but to someone who is used to (or dare i say enjoys) the hoover/moyes style this is a walk in the park lol. i did get slightly emotional at certain points because, well, i am a sucker for these types of romances, so this will probably go into my mental shelf of books i periodically return to whenever i want to feel something (along with from lukov with love, all your perfects, book lovers...)

thank you to netgalley and putnam for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very slow burn romance. Wren has just broken up with her fiance and decided to take a break and go stay with her dad in the states. She first see’s Anders and his brother Jonas when her and her sister go to the bar. And learns that his wife is gone. One her way home she gets lost and ends up on her dad’s neighbors farm. And that’s when she meets Anders. Despite the several times she see’s him it is obvious that he hasn’t gotten over losing his wife. But the more their friendship grows the harder it is her Wren to not have feelings for him. This was a good story. There were points where I did skip over because the description went on more then I felt necessary. Other then that I liked it.