Thanks to Putnam for the copy of this ARC!

Wren’s fiancé is in love with someone else. When her relationship falls apart, she goes to her dad’s farm in Indiana go get out of the UK for awhile. There, she meets Anders - he’s got a wall up, but she can’t help but want to get to know him more.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This is a good intro to sad romance. While I expected to be sobbing based on the title, this is more of a “sad and hard circumstances that make love hard to navigate” kind of read where you won’t necessarily be 100% completely destroyed. Paige Toon does a great job of adding lots of subplot to her romance - there are really wonderful family and character background stories in this book as well. I absolutely loved the farm setting, dynamic between family and friends, and the way Wren and Anders got to know each other over the course of the book. There was a twist I didn’t expect and

Read if you:
- like the friends to lovers trope
- are a fan of racing
- love a farm setting for a romance
- want lots of plot with your romance

I know this makes me a terrible human, but I did end up DNF-ing this around 65%. I just wasn't getting anything from this. I tried to make it through all the way--I really did. I was interested by the premise and loved that it takes place in small town Indiana. But I just couldn't vibe with the writing style. I know I can be a real snob when it comes to writing, but this just felt a little stiff and choppy to me. This might have just been another case of "it's me, not you".

Only Love Can Hurt Like This captivated me from the start. The characters are relatable and entrenched in life situations that are painful, devastating, but so real. You can feel Ander's desperation about his choices, and Wren struggles as well. Lovely, engrossing story.

3.75 ⭐️ (rounded up)

I stayed up way too late to finish this novel because I just had to know what happened. Normally, that would be an automatic solid 4⭐️ rating for me. Unfortunately, and this may be because it is an ARC, the storyline was a bit clunky at times (especially toward the end of the book). Ultimately, I was satisfied with how things played out. If you are a fan of slow burn romance and exploring family dynamics, I would recommend picking this up when it comes out in April.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC!

Only Love Can Hurt Like This is a heartbreaking story about love and loss. The characters were relatable and likable and I enjoyed how all of their lives meshed together and they grow together as the story unfolded. There were a few parts that drug on, but for the most part, the story was a quick read and I really enjoyed the journey the author takes the reader on.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the advanced copy of this book.

**I would like to thank NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons/PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and Paige Toon for an ARC of this book! This will be available on 4/25/23!**

"I didn't know it was possible to love so fully and hurt so deeply at exactly the same time."

To start, you need to go into this book with the correct expectations. Similar to In Five Years, this book was more about healing, self discovery, reconnecting with family, sisterhood, grief, and forgiveness than it was about romance. Romance definitely has its place though, don't worry. (hello slow burn)

Wren grew up in an unconventional family. Her father lives on a farm in Indiana with her step-mom and half sister, Bailey, while Wren has spent most of her life in England with her mom. After her fiancé reveals he is in love with someone else, she decides a trip to the US is just what she needs to lick her wounds and heal her pride.

Anders is the son of the family who owns the farm next door. He lost his wife four years ago and isn't ready to move on. No one can deny the chemistry him and Wren find, but his loyalty to his wife may break them apart.

I read this book in about 24 hours. This was a "stay up wayyyy too late to read only to find your alarm for work is going to go off any minute" type of book. Did I seriously regret the lack of sleep? Yes. Did I regret spending it on this book? No.

I found myself to be invested in the characters. I was rooting for them, sad for them, happy, excited, etc. Basically of the emotions.
I also loved the scenery. Small town farm in the middle of summer. There were fun events, fireflies, swimming in the lake, tiny bars where all the locals hang out. It made you want to climb inside the pages and join them.
This specific quote is just perfect: [ " Goose bumps spring up along my entire arm, racing all the way up my neck and down the other side. And they're not butterflies inside my stomach, they're fireflies, and they've lit up my insides with a warm glow, swooping and whirling." ] This would be so cute either way, but its even more perfect considering the setting.

Now for why I can't give it 5 stars. The ending and epilogue. Spoiler below:
[While I absolutely loved the POV switch, it can't cover up the fact that the ending was way too rushed. It didn't feel developed and was such a disappointment considering how incredible the rest of the book was. I hate it when everything is resolved in the last few pages cause... no its not. There isn't any real or believable resolution when the issues have developed the entire book.
The epilogue was even worse. I already felt off about the ending, but the epilogue was terrible. I almost wish it wasn't there. It didn't provide any closure, it just opened up even more questions. Even the way it was written was so different than the rest of the book. Some of what was in the epilogue should've been developed into the actual book. It seemed like she had written multiple little blurbs for what their future could look like, didn't want to narrow them down, didn't expand on them, and just mashed them together for the epilogue. Just a poor, disappointing ending for an incredibly beautiful story.]

“Only Love Can Hurt Like This” is about a woman, “Wren”, that has to endure the pain of being left by her fiancé for his “true love”. While dealing with the pain she travels to visit family and explores the difficult and unique dynamic she has with her relatives. In the process she meets and makes new friends that help her see her situation in a different light. There are smiles, twists, and emotion in this novel.

It’s been awhile since a book has caused me to shed real tears, but this one did it. I fell in love with the characters and their responses to their situations.

This definitely falls into the romance genre but if you’re looking for smut, this ain’t it. I’m a lover of all genres, and absolutely adored this book. Highly recommend

I think the description and cover of this were better than the reality of it. An ok purchase for libraries with fans of Meet me at the lake

What a sweet story with these two beautiful souls. This is the kind of “romance” I really love. Believable characters who learn how to grasp life and take chances. Well done!

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon was a wonderful romance that had me wondering—why is this my first Paige Toon book??? I loved the author's writing style, and the emotional undertones that had me reaching for my tissues several times. Wren was a character I was definitely rooting for from the very first page. Highly recommend!!

I always love reading stories about women that go back home to reconnect with family. I enjoy the way Toon wrote about the main character’s relationship with their father and step-sister the most.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Three stars!

I have never read anything by Paige Toon before, but after Only Love Can Hurt Like This I am a major fan! Wow. What a compelling read. This book told a story that was full of love, grief, and hope and will stay with me for a long time. I can't wait to read the rest of Toon's work.

ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS • Paige Toon

Y’all, your girl is a becoming a HUGE Paige Toon fan. The minute I finished recovering from “Someone I Used to Know” I was queuing up this eARC. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brief (purposefully vague) Synopsis: When Wren realizes her fiancé is in love with someone else, she thinks her heart will never recover. Wren hopes that spending the summer with her dad and stepfamily on their farm in Indiana will help her to heal. But is more heartbreak waiting for her out in the cornfields of Indiana?

I loved the chemistry between Wren and her love interest but more importantly, I loved watching the growing relationships between Wren and her family. I think the reason I am so impressed with Toon is because she takes these beautiful romance stories and fills them with meaning — not just between the MC and love interest but through every relationship featured in her stories. She also knows how to add a few secrets/twists to add to the tension!

TL;DR: This was a story of healing and love that will leave your heart feeling full.

Oh sister!! You did it again Paige Toon! I had the opportunity to receive an advance copy of this AMAZING book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review - and Ms. Toon hit it out of the park! I want to preface this review by acknowledging that EVERY book I've read of Paige Toon's was fabulous!!

Wren has her heartbroken by her jerk face fiancee and heads to the US to visit her dad. While they aren't especially close, and she doesn't feel as though she fits in - she needs a safe place to land and to lick her wounds. We meet her youner sister Bailey and the two have a fabulous girls night out - and we meet the local mysterious hottie that seems untouchable. We get to witness this seriously SLOW burn between Wren and Anders. Theres a deep dark secret, a lot of distrust, some mending of fences and character growth within MOST of the cast. I LOVED this book and soooo look forward to more Paige Toon books - shes now on my auto-purchase list.

This booooook! It provided the emotional damage I have been searching for these last several months.

Do you like to be hurt by your books? This one will do it for ya!

Toon was able to make my heart squeeze, make me laugh out loud and make me swoon all in just two chapters. I knew right from the get-go that this was going to be a special book. It sure did not disappoint! This one hurt so good 🥲

I absolutely loved our FMC, Wren, and the tense family dynamics she enters when visiting her estranged father and his second family in America. The backstory that we got made me hurt for her, an outsider in her own family. The crushing of her heart thanks to her ex-fiancé made my heart squeeze for her, validating that feeling of not being enough for someone to stay. All of the hurts she had been through were something that I connected with and are so relatable for many women.

Our MMC, Anders, popped off the page from the minute he graced us with his presence. The chemistry was *there* right away and I was so excited every time he was in a scene. We get to know this lovely man with a big heart who cares for his people so deeply. And the hurts he carries? They are HEAVY. There was one scene in particular that had me shedding some tears at 2am last night 😭

These characters, both main and side, were all characters that you root for and have empathy for. Even the “villains” of the story aren’t villains and they stirred up so many conflicting feelings in me in the best way. I love it when an author gets me to think and feel for characters that are supposed to be “bad” and show just how layered, complex and gray life is.

This story is one you do NOT want to miss. It comes out April 25th so add it to your TBR list now! I absolutely love this book, and Toon was right, only love can hurt like this 🥲🥲🥲

A big thank you to netgalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Paige Toon for the opportunity to read this book prior to the release day in exchange for my honest review. I had mixed opinions regarding this book. I adore the writers description and story telling ability, yet with this specific book I had a hard time connecting to the characters on a deeper level. I understood them and was rooting for them, but I didn't feel the emotional attachment you sometimes feel towards specific characters. Ultimately I really enjoyed the story line, but it felt a bit too long and dragged out for me. Paige Toon is still an auto buy author for me, though!

Wow this was an emotional well written novel my first by Paige Toon and I really enjoyed it. Wren is getting over the end of her engagement by staying with her father and his wife trying to find a place in the family she always felt he abandoned her for. While there she meets and grows close to Anders who is also going through a heart break of another kind. I really enjoyed the small town and farm settings of this book and like the scenes on the farm an explaining different areas of farm life. I really liked this novel and the writing style and will definitely look for other books by this author. I want to thank NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This, and this book hurts in such a good way. The family dynamic of the story was so realistic to me. I love a slow burn romance and this one was heart wrenchingly perfect. This is one of my favorite reads so far this year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC.

As Wren arrives at the farm, she feels a sense of familiarity and comfort. She spends her days tending to the animals, working in the fields, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life in the countryside. But even in the midst of such tranquility, her heart still aches for her lost love.

One afternoon, as Wren takes a walk through the fields, she comes across Anders, who is also out for a stroll. They strike up a conversation, and Wren finds herself drawn to his easy smile and gentle manner. They talk for hours, and Wren feels a spark of something she hasn't felt in a long time.

Over the next few days, Wren and Anders spend more time together, and their connection grows stronger. Wren can't help but feel like she's found a kindred spirit in Anders, someone who understands her pain and her struggle to move on.

A sweet but overall generic love story.

It hurts to love you.

There is an old saying and I am sure a song or two that sings Love Hurts and it does. Wren has been hurt by love. By her father and her Fiancé Scott who had recently broken his engagement when he met his soul mate. Living in England close to her mom, Wren is needing to regroup and decides to visit her father and his wife and their daughter in Indiana. You get the back story on how her parents met and how they divorced and went their separate ways. Wren never feeling a part of a family. Always the outsider. If you have experienced this, you will connect to Wren very easily. However, she makes a go to see her father and her 1/2 sister Bailey to mend her broken heart and possibly make a connection to her other family. A family that Wren is withdrawn from to cope from the pain of being separate. Wren is always in a coping mode. Bailey is the opposite of Wren.
She loves her sister and is excited for the time that they will spend together. She is now married but she has a free spirit and she helps Wren to free up her a spirit a bit.

With that she meets her step father's neighbor sons at a bar. The irony is the two sons Anders and Jonas. They are polar opposites as well. Their family is in the farming business with it's own Swedish heritage. It is the beginning of a friendship that opens up possibilities for the families.

So what did I like about this book is pretty much everything. Wren is telling her story, how she sees everything, how she missed some things, her relationships, and how she overcomes her insecurities. She seems pretty much put together but she is always on in protecting herself. With her dad and step mother she takes risks to find connection. The relationship between Anders and Wren comes to a head when the truth of what he is holding back. His family has their own turmoil that is weaved thru out this book. There is so much good threads but in the end there is always a fork. A road to follow. Do you take a chance on love and do you take the pain that comes with it.

A special thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.