Romance — 4⭐️

Liv and Finn met one summer six years ago and fall in love, but life pulls them in different directions. They make a promise that they will spend each summer together as long as they’re both single, but a new arrival changes everything this summer.

This one is for my fellow emo romance readers. What an emotional rollercoaster! Not only was the chemistry so intense between Liv and Finn but they were also bonded by tragedy, and I desperately needed them together but also felt their pain in trying to make it work.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot but I will say my heart broke then healed then broke again. This is my favorite Paige Toon yet. I read the final chapters will tears rolling down my face — especially the epilogue 😭

The Cornish seaside town is the perfect setting to read this summer. This is not your fluffy beach read but an emotional gut punch with the best backdrop.

Right person wrong time, grief, Down syndrome rep.

Ugh beautiful, tragic, epic, cute, happy, sad, etc. You will feel all the things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. And I absolutely recommend it if you like to feel lots of emotions while reading. This is my first Paige Toon book, but it will not be my last!

Fade to black scenes.. so mom, here’s a book for you! 😜

An dramatic rollercoaster that comes just short of being completely rewarding. I liked the structure of the book with chapters shifting back and forth between Liv and Finn's complicated relationship spanning multiple summers in the past and Liv and Tom falling in love in the present. While neither of these romances were exciting enough to fully grab me, I felt the emotions that the characters were experiencing and appreciated the unique challenges present in each, anxiously awaiting the convergence of the two timelines. Near the end, I definitely had a preferred pairing as the actions of one character soured my opinion of them, and was pleased at the point where the final chapter concludes. However, Toon then proceeds to undo all of this through the lengthy epilogue by essentially allowing for Liv to have her cake and eat it too, which left a bad taste in my mouth upon finishing; no matter which of the male main characters you want her to end up with, the final portion will be unsatisfying to some degree. It's such a shame, as I enjoyed the tale's well-drawn setting, the way that the story gracefully handles the complicated subject of grief, and every moment featuring Michael.

Wow what an emotional saga! I loved getting to know Liv and watching her fall for Tom while we also get flashbacks of her six emotional summers with Finn. I admire her strength of character amidst all the tragedy in her life.

I also really loved the setting. St. Agnes came alive to me throughout the book and I could completely understand Liv’s reluctance to leave such a beautiful and meaningful place to her.

I was truly shocked (and heartbroken) by the twist towards the end of the book. But was happy that Liv found her HEA. This book certainly featured a lot more grief than I could have anticipated from the description.

Seven Summers by Paige Toon
Narrator: Natalie Simpson
Rating: 3.5 stars
Pub date: 5/21

Thank you so much to PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook and to Putnam Books for my advanced copy.
Liv and Finn's story begins six summers ago on the Cornish coast, where a night of connection and tragedy bring them together. Despite the distance and diverging paths—Finn's music career in LA and Liv's family obligations in Cornwall—they promise to reunite each summer if they’re single. They’re in love, but their individual circumstances mean that they can’t be together. The story is told in dual timelines while capturing their fleeting moments together over the years.

This summer, Liv's encounter with Tom, a mysterious newcomer, introduces a fresh dynamic. As their romance blossoms, Liv envisions a future untainted by past heartbreak. Faced with a heart-wrenching decision and Tom’s hidden reasons for fleeing his home, Liv must navigate her emotions and decide who she wants to be with.

This is a beautifully written story that tugs at the heartstrings, proving Toon is perfect at creating emotional love stories. While it didn't bring me to tears, it remains a compelling read that I highly recommend.

Omg…what a wonderful story!! This was my first book by this author but it will not be the last! The way the storyline is written with both relationships progressing concurrently, one present day and one through flashbacks, really helped the feelings of equality with both. I never felt like one was going to be an obvious choice and I loved that the outcome was unpredictable. These three main characters had such rich backstories and my heart bled for all of them at different times throughout. I was also so surprised by the vast array of emotions I felt during the epilogue alone. I truly enjoyed every bit of this book and will be keeping an eye on this author in the future.

This was a new to me author. I had no idea what to expect. I still kind of felt that way at the end of the book. It's pretty rare to get a romance and not know how it's going to end. Paige Toon kept me guessing almost to the very end.

If you found the love of your life, but circumstances aren't in your favor, how long would you be willing to wait for that person? That's one of the dilemmas in the story. Liv and Finn feel that they are meant to be together forever, but there are obstacles that they don't seem to be able to get around. I felt like their hearts were breaking for most of their lives. Should they just declare the past as history and move on or should they just cling to the minimal time they have together and live their lives alone for what seems like eternity?

I really had to stop and think about this book after I finished it. It was so emotional!!! This is easily one of my top ten books of the year so far. I became so involved in this story that it nearly tore me apart. I highly recommend to anyone and everyone.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnum and NetGalley for this wonderful book! All thoughts are my own.

Seven Summers by Paige Toon

This was the perfect book to read on the flight out to our holiday. Starting with the summer Liv and Finn meet in a small beachside town, we flip through each summer after until now. We also get sneak peaks of summers after. It’s a love story with grief, resilience and art mixed in.

Although I did enjoy it, by the end I had this feeling like there were checkboxes of “classic tragic love story” getting checked off. It felt a bit like it was trying too hard at times. Not sure if I explained that well - but basically some of it felt a little forced and I started to disconnect from the characters.

Still, this is a great beach read, and there were some pages that were perfectly sweet and emotional. I will definitely keep reading this authors books (this is my second).

Thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for my copy! This is out on Tuesday.

What are you reading this weekend?

#netgalley #penguingroup #gpputnamssons #ebook #reading #bookreview #bookthoughts #bookishthoughts #bookworm

Author Paige Toon did it again!!! She wrote a roller coaster of a love story that shattered my heart to pieces and then gave me the ending I needed! I stayed up so late finishing the book and then couldn’t sleep thinking about what I just read. This novel gave me November 9 vibes, which I enjoyed. This is my second 5 star read by Paige. I also loved Only Love Can Hurt Like This. I highly recommend if you enjoy emotional love stories.

This book wrecked me in the best way. It was beautifully written. I will always love a unique timeline and revisiting summers was perfect for this storyline. I loved Liv and her friendships with those around her. Tom…🫶🏼 The whole vibe reminded me a bit of Adelaide which I LOVED. The pacing was perfection. I kept thinking about this book and wanting to pick it up. I was equally invested in both timelines. Sometimes you need to read a book that’s going to take you on an emotional journey and this one does it so well.

Read if you like:
▫️playlists
▫️second chances
▫️emotional love stories
▫️multi timelines

Don't be fooled by the cover and title because this book is not a light-hearted beach read. If you are looking for an emotional read, Seven Summers will be a great choice. Just as Liv is preparing to move to London and pursue her passion as a sculptor, tragedy strikes and forces her to put her life on hold. Finn is there to offer support and returns each summer, but Liv restricts their contact the rest of the year in fear of having her heart broken. The story alternates between the current summer when Tom enters the picture and each of the preceding summers. This is the first book I've read by Paige Toon, but I will be seeking out others to read as well. Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and the author for an advance copy to read and review.

I think I initially went into this book expecting a 'beach read,' which would not be the right classification for it. As others have said, it is not a Rom-Com. It is heart-wrenching story filled with grief, drama, and finding one's self. It is a roller coaster of emotions!

All that said, I liked the premise, setting, and characters. I really enjoyed the secondary characters....at times more than the MCs (Liv's brother Michael, Liv's friends Amy and Rach, Finn's brothers). I loved the sibling relationship that Toon created on the page between Liv and Michael - their frustration but love for one another, and the author did an excellent portrayal of disability with Michael's Down Syndrome, along with his independence.

I enjoyed the multiple time lines between past and present to give insight into the relationship of Finn and Liv. However, I also found the first half of the book slow at times, giving little inklings into the development of said relationship but yet, also not giving quite enough detail into it. And due to something lacking, I didn't truly believe their relationship - found a couple weeks a year as somewhat far fetched. And then in that 7th summer, Liv meets Tom. I really liked Tom's character and how with him, Liv seemed to come even more into her own. It seemed like a mature relationship, even if fast.

I was heading towards 4/4.5 star rating on this book and then the ending happened. An ending can make it or break it for me at times, and this one, I just couldn't get behind. It wasn't even completely due to the events of the ending but more the fact that Toon added an epilogue that felt like several chapters contained to the longest epilogue I've ever read. I ended up with some whiplash with the sheer amount of info thrown into it. To be honest, I would have loved for it to have just ended......before the epilogue. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I would recommend this to others that are looking for summer romances filled with grief, drama, distance, and love of family. While this wasn't my favorite book (due to the ending), I look forward to reading more from Paige Toon.

Thank you Paige Toon and NetGalley for my copy of Seven Summers 🤍 I received this book for review, all opinions are my own and given freely.

I enjoyed this book up until the ending, I’m sad to say. I liked the jumps between past and present. I do like this authors writing style. I did not expect the plot twist. The ending did not sit right w me though.

My first book from this author was Only Love Can Hurt Like This, which I rated 5 stars. I adore that book. I recommend it often. It comes as no surprise after both of these books that this author knows how to rip her readers hearts out. I will continue to look forward to her books in the future.

Seven Summers
By Paige Toon

As I started reading this book, what came to mind was "beach read". However by the end it had become something more.

This begins as the story of Liv, her downs syndrome older brother Michael, and their physician parents. The family lives in the village of St. Agnes, Cornwell. Liv has graduated from college in Scotland and done a study in Italy in the hope of jump-starting her career as a sculptress. But in the meantime she works over the summer tourist season at Seaglass, a restaurant and bar where she know everyone and all her friends hang out. She has recently been reintroduced to Finn, who was once school mate Danny Finnegan, now living in California. Their chemistry is immediate and she finds herself falling in love.

But when tragedy strikes, Liv finds that her dreams of moving to London and someday returning to Italy are put on hold. And Finn must return to his family in California. Over the following years, Finn returns every summer, because he just can't stay away. But at the end of each visit, no matter how strong their love, Finn must go back and Liv must stay. They have vowed that, as long as they are both free, they will continue the once-yearly relationship. But what happens when one or the other finds new love? Here the plot thickens.

Life-changing decisions and choices must be made. The results bring both happiness and sorrow. This book is not just a light romance. It shows the reader that life is not always fair – but it goes on. And so must we.

This is a romance but a drama filled romance. This is the story of Liv who has had a difficult young life. She feels responsible for the happiness of others in her life and always finds herself in second place. Finn is her first love but in true love fashion, their love is not to be. Or is it? You know how an ending can totally make you love a book? That didn't happen for me. I really enjoyed the book but didn't love the ending. I guess it brings my rating down a star.

This is not a rom-com. I repeat, THIS IS NOT A ROM-COM. Okay, now that that’s clear - I was NOT PREPARED for the emotional damage from this book (I of course mean that in the best possible way). Seven Summers follows Liv through the course of…seven summers…alternating between past and present as she deals with a huge loss, her journey of grieving, and her relationships with two men. I immediately fell for musician Finn, her first love, with whom she has a series of summer romances sadly separated by long distance in between. Somehow I equally loved Tom, a mysterious new stranger who comes to town in the present day storyline. I also have to mention how great Liv’s brother was and how well the author handled the disability representation with him. If you’re the kind of reader who loves a book that will rip your heart to shreds and put it back together many, many times, please go grab this immediately. Definitely one of the most heartbreaking and hopeful romances I’ve read this year!

Read this if you like:
🐚 summer romance
🐚 alternating timelines
🐚 self discovery
🐚 dealing with grief
🐚 disability representation
🐚 emotional reads

I really enjoyed reading this book. It dealt with all aspects of life. You travel the path of a woman’s childhood, her joys and sorrows, loves, friendships, losses and family. The story is carefully crafted and yet it leaves you hanging on every word to see just what will become of her. I highly recommend this to readers and think you will enjoy it. The basis of the story is a young Cornish girl named Liv who falls in love with a musician who lives in America. She and Finn hold on to a beautiful friendship and love when he returns to her every year for the summer as long as they are both still single. It happens when she is struggling with her life without her parents and taking care of her younger brother. They love each other but their lives are on two different continents and they know it is not to be. Or is it? The story focuses on seven years of their reunions. This is the ultimate beach read. The story is a rollercoaster of emotions and the characters are loveable. She is such a gifted author and I look forward to more of her books in the future.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group – G P Putnam and Sons Publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I thought would be more of a light summer read and love triangle story, turned out to be anything but fluffy. There were so many layers of grief and trauma mixed in with Livs love story. I loved the span of the story over seven summers, and the book didn’t end where I expected it to. I enjoyed the character arcs and growth throughout. This was my first book from Toon, but won’t be my last!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

Well that was an emotional rollercoaster, but I didn’t cry—almost did though. The book actually takes place over a few decades, skipping back and forth through time. It could be considered a love triangle but I really didn’t think it was, at least not in the typical way one thinks about it. To me it’s more of a second-chance soulmates book—love is never enough, it’s also timing. That being said, I was cheering for both of the guys, but in their own time. My favorite character was Liv’s brother Michael, he was funny and so protective of her. And I loved that she was a sculptor, I always love some art references in a book. Not a light beach read, but definitely one to read this summer.

*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

I am a sucker for summer romance books and this one is definitely perfect! This is not a light, fluffy read, but has depth and some tragedy.

I liked the flow of this book and the time periods covered in Seven Summers. I think the overall message of this was beautiful and moving.

I would recommend this book!