Paige Toon has this uncanny way of making her all of novels (at least the ones I've read so far) feel like a swift punch straight to your gut. LOL
I go through the wringer every damn time and this book delivered love and heartbreak in spades. I love when novels that touch upon tender topics of love and grief allow them to coexist.

While I immensely enjoyed the story and read it in one whole sitting, I agree with my fellow readers about their thoughts on the epilogue! Toon's writing is so beautiful and impressive, that I (a notorious love triangle HATER), wouldn't have minded either ending 🫢 Although it might have been a bit obvious how the story might conclude, I still enjoyed the process, though I wish it couldn't been a bit more flushed out and not rushed. Either way I enjoyed it & I'm looking forward to the next book to rip my heart out ! 😃 (& put me back together) ❤️‍🩹

This is my second read by Paige Toon, and I enjoy her writing style. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in to this book, and it was overall enjoyable, but I do have some things to gripe about.

Firstly, I didn't feel the emotional connection with the main characters that I'm always searching for. I love a good love triangle, but her relationship with Tom felt rushed and out of place, like it was just a plot device instead of being really fleshed out.

Second, that epilogue. I see that it's been mentioned already, but there was SO much packed into it, and it needed to be longer, or have additional chapters added at the end.

I do enjoy Paige's writing and will continue to read her books, but this one didn't quite do it for me.

This is my second book by Paige Toon and she sure knows how to make love hurt in the best of ways.

The premise of this book drew me in and I feel like it really delivered. We journey with Liv through happiness and grief. Throughout the story we experience her highs and lows. I feel like Paige Toon painted a realistic picture of life after experiencing such trauma. I enjoyed the then/now set up of the book. Counting down the summers to current time really pulled on the heart strings. I felt as though the epilogue was a little disjointed from the story, though. I felt like much of it could have been flushed out and added to the actual story given the information we were provided. It felt rushed to provide us what I considered crucial information for emotional impact.

There is so much to this story that I loved. Michael's relationship with his sister/family/friends was so enjoyable. I loved his fierce independence and the way that he looked after his little sister. I loved that Liv had an entire support system to help he through her grief. Liv and Finn are basically trauma bonded and I loved how realistic this was portrayed. I loved seeing Liv learn how to let go and move forward instead of continually sitting with ghosts. I loved that Liv was able to realize that Finn wasn't the only problem in their relationship. And I loved Tom.

To be quite fair, I would have been 100% satisfied with the ending where she chose Tom. It's not that I didn't love Finn, but the whole right person - wrong time was done so beautifully even though heartbreaking. I did enjoy that Liv and Finn found their way back to one another after she had lived happily with her choice of choosing Tom. But that is where the epilogue let me down because it felt so rushed and so short in comparison to their long and harrowing journey back to each other - and maybe that's how it was supposed to be. But something here was missing for me.

I still adored this book and will recommend to all my readers that love a good emotional gut punch.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Seven Summers In exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes a good book is ruined by an epilogue. I did struggle to get into this books and I think it was because the chemistry between Finn and Liv is just not there. I honestly hated Finn most of the time.

Where do I start?
I thought this was going to be a sweet beach read but boy was I wrong. This book is literally just pain and suffering.

Starting with the positives, I enjoyed the authors writing and style and the setting had a lot of potential. My gripe with this book was that SO MUCH happened in the epilogue that should have definitely been a few additional chapters at the end of the book bc without the epilogue this book is so confusing?? Idk just not what I expected at all to be honest.

And also poor Tom???
JUSTICE FOR TOM BC SHE MADE HIM SUFFER AND HE DIDNT EVEN NEED TO EXIST.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Seven Summers
Author: Paige Toon
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: May 21, 2024

Seven Summers is a sweet story of love, loss, family, community, and first love. Liv and Liam have both suffered tragic losses in their past, and it unites them in the present until obstacles force them to make hard life decisions. The author did an excellent job with the storyline; it is sweet and clean and captures the feeling of young love. It is a romance with remarkable chemistry set in Cornwall, England. I predict Ms. Toon will be very successful in releasing Seven Summers in the USA. #SevenSummers @paigetoonauthor @netgalley @putnambooks #romance #love #death #loss #grief #redemption #heartbreak #renewal #art #chicklit #britain #cornwall
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel
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#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader #reading

"You thought we'd just fizzle out? What we have doesn't just fizzle out. I was never going to fall out of love with you."

Seven Summers is a story of 1st love, 2nd love and grief. It's a story of family and falling in love and changing your life's plans because of what life has handed you. It's a bit of an emotional roller coaster that is told over a past/present timeline from one person's POV.

Liv is an artist. She has lived in a small town in England, but has had big lofty goals of becoming a sculptor and getting out of the town that she has lived in her entire life. But one summer changes everything. Her time at her job with her friends and reconnecting with a guy (Finn) from her school days has her summer filled. When Finn and Liv finally cross over a line, she knows that he could be her everything, but all he wants is to get away from their small town and make a life in the US. When life gives Liv the ultimate life altering change, she knows that she has to stick around for her brother and that her life will only be where she is at. A beautiful and intense beginning with Finn is also the beginning of the end.

Told in altering timelines, we meet Liv in the present and then we go back each summer that builds to the present. Liv deals with grief, but has never really truly lived for herself. This is HER journey that is anything but easy. We go back seven summers to her time with Finn and then we keep coming back to the present when she finally accepts her life and moves forward. Each summer we go back to (seven summers ago, then six, then 5, and so on and so on) we see a return of Finn coming back for a someone that he left years ago, but they always know that their time will end. It was heartbreaking that these two people put themselves through an emotional pull each summer, only to leave each other each time because they both knew where their places in their lives were. And apparently they weren't together.

I love reading a story about tortured artists and how their pain gets them to create art. While we did have that here, we also had one woman's journey to get to a place of acceptance and it wasn't easy. I wanted Liv and Finn to have that HEA, but circumstances just couldn't have them together. It broke my heart for everything they put themselves through. When Liv finally moves on and a beautiful soul comes to stay, I just knew that Liv had made the right choice with her life. Tom was a man that knew what he wanted and he was one to stay. Liv deserved someone that stayed for HER. But with that, we kind of got a little bit of a love triangle and I really liked that. I needed that angst along with the emotional pull, but it was also Liv's friends who needed her to move on from a past that was holding her back.

Liv and Tom. Liv and Finn. It was all so confusing and beautiful and emotionally raw. I loved seeing Liv evolve and the decisions she made for herself. I hated what that did to her past, but Liv needed some sort of strength and stability that only one person could really offer her. When she opened her heart, it was cracked, but she was willing to allow someone to fill it. I am being sort of vague here, but you have to understand that Liv's journey was not an easy one. She went through a lot to finally understand who she was and what she deserved in life. I liked how this story was told and the timelines it gave us to see her journey. I did have some issues with her time with Tom though. I felt like we couldn't connect with them as a couple as much as her and Finn because we weren't there as much. I also felt the ending was a bit rushed, but I did accept it.
Overall, Seven Summers is an emotional story that will pull you in all sort of directions, but also have you falling for great characters that made the best decisions for themselves at that time. This is definitely be a book I will see on people's summer reading list.

If you enjoy angst, some good Down syndrome representation, and following along on one woman's journey of love and acceptance with grief and life, this is going to be a book that you will want to add to your TBR. This is my first Paige Toon book, but I have a feeling I'll be back to check more of her books out.

Liv and Finn meet and fall for each other over the course of a summer. But after tragedy strikes, they settle for only seeing each other for a short time in the following six summers. Now, Liv is making a connection with a new man as she realizes that she and Finn may be officially over.

Paige Toon is a master at pulling at your heartstrings! Here's what I loved in this one:

The past and present: The story is told with Liv in the present, meeting Tom while also flashing back to her past with Finn. This sets up some high stakes for both of the relationships.

The Location: I loved this setting. You have a small village, some local watering holes, a beach side town. It has such a good feel to it that I wanted to go there.

The characters: I loved Liv and Finn and Tom and all of the side characters. Everything is so well drawn out in this book. I could honestly live in this book for a while.

The ending: I won't give anything away, but I enjoyed the ending. A lot.

Overall, this is one of those books that will tear your heart out and put it back together again several times. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy.

Unfortunately, I could not connect with the characters of this book. Tom's love story felt rushed to me but the dynamic between Finn and her drove me crazy, which I guess is it's point. I was hoping for more.

This book had everything I was looking for: rock star? angst? slow-burn? love-triange done well? Check, check, check, check. If you’re in the mood for a romance tear-jerker, then this book is for you.

I loved the structure of this story. Told from Liv’s POV between present-day and past summers leading up to now, I fell in love with Finn and Liv, AND Tom and Liv. Both romances felt right for Liv. Okay, Finn held my heart – I’m a sucker for broody, tortured rock stars – but Tom grew on me and I eventually fell in love with him, too. Whereas Finn’s love was deep and passionate, Tom’s love was steady and steadfast.

And Liv’s relationship with her brother, Michael. I appreciated how Toon incorporated Michael’s Down Syndrome as a blessing and a barrier. When Finn confronts Liv that she’s been using Michael as a crutch – and then Michael tells Liv that he’s been looking out for her as her big brother, I sobbed buckets.

This is a story that’s meant to be savored, not sipped. I’m looking forward to reading the next Paige Toon.

Seven Summers features a love triangle, a lot of complex emotions, and sadness. It was too long for me. I think Liv could have used some therapy and I wanted her to be happy even if at times it felt impossible.

3.5 stars but rounding down.

Thanks for the advanced reader copy netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons.

3.5 Stars

Seven Summers is a heart wrenching story of grief, love, growth and impossible choices.

The back and forth timeline over seven summers had perfect pacing and leant itself to the tension building between Liv and Finn. Their stories were heart breaking and it was easy to see why grief made it hard for each to go all in. The chemistry was palpable (although I wanted more of it) and the way they were there for each other while they could be felt so important for their growth. The choices they had to make due to that grief and being unwilling to fully compromise for each other became frustrating and created lots of angst.

This had all the makings of a heart breaking romance but a few things fell short to me. First, I was frustrated at the way Tom was used as a quick device just to get her back to Finn. Liv was so much happier with Tom and the ending felt cheapened in a way. Second, the ending felt very rushed. The epilogue Summers it felt like needed more
depth, and time with Tom to help understand why Liv felt no guilt at the end.

Aside from all of this the writing was wonderful and would've had a higher rating for me had I cried.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm at 3.5 stars. So much to love about this book. It's well written and so tender with its characters' heartbreak and grief. I like how authentically Toon writes about Liv's brother with Down syndrome -- his joy and work and friends and his journey toward a fully independent adult life, notable because Liv is sometimes blindly determined to tie herself down with the responsibility of him. I found myself annoyed often with Liv and her (senseless to me) rules about contact with Finn when he's in LA. And yes, I know she's grieving and guarding her heart, but still... that's when you need people who love you. I did appreciate that it all unfolded the way real life relationships so often do, when the love is there but it can't overcome all the circumstances lined up against it. Until you grow enough that it can. I felt like the whole thing was a couple summers too long -- it got slow and overly angsty at times.

"I decide there's no point in getting stressed contemplating a scenario that's never going to happen"

This book just gave me so many feels. I was happy, I was devastated, I was heartbroken. Paige Toon is just great at giving me a book that will make me feel something which is something I ultimately look for. I enjoyed this so much! I enjoyed the relationships & the storyline.

Liv was very relatable & she also was not perfect & I love an imperfect FMC. There were so many obstacles in her finding out who she was and where she wanted to be in life. Honestly, by the end I was proud of her & so happy for her.

I loved Finn. There are issues there for sure. I get that. I do not care. I love him.

Over-all, I definitely recommend this read! I would say a 4.25 star read for me!! I love anything Paige Toon & will read anything she writes. A perfect beach read!

**I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.**

Have you ever read a book that left you wishing it hadn't included an epilogue? That's exactly how I felt after finishing "Seven Summers" by Paige Toon. Don't get me wrong—I'm a fan of Paige Toon and her writing style. She has a knack for drawing readers in and making us fully invested in her stories and characters. I was captivated by the plot of "Seven Summers" right up until the epilogue, which felt like a concession to those rooting for Liv and Finn.

I appreciate love stories with strong, realistic storylines. I'm not opposed to endings that don't necessarily result in the main characters ending up together. In fact, if it's well-written and there's a valid reason why they shouldn't be together, I'm all for it.

Liv and Finn share a tragic past that brings Finn back to St. Agnes each summer to be with Liv. They become each other's support system, but Finn's life is based in Los Angeles, where he's pursuing his dreams and trying to escape his own tragic history in St. Agnes. They agree not to contact each other during the rest of the year, with the plan to rekindle their relationship each summer if they're both single.

This arrangement works until they both fall in love with other people. Now, Finn and Liv are faced with difficult choices and ultimatums. Will Finn leave LA and his girlfriend to be with Liv in St. Agnes? Or will Liv leave everything behind—her life in St. Agnes, her brother, friends, and boyfriend—to be with Finn in LA?

I don't have any issues with the main characters, Finn and Liv. They're both broken souls finding solace in each other and facing the consequences of their arrangement maturely. They're relatable and realistic, and their determination to pursue their passions despite emotional struggles is inspiring.

Tom, Liv's boyfriend, is also a compelling character with personal struggles and losses. However, his storyline felt like a contrivance to push Liv and Finn together.

Honestly, "Seven Summers" could have been a solid five-star read for me if it had ended in the last chapter without the epilogue. Liv finds someone who chooses her despite difficulties, someone who is present emotionally and physically, someone she can depend on.

While I understand Finn's trauma and his struggle to commit, it felt like he was testing Liv's loyalty and willingness to uproot her life for him. When he sees Liv choosing Tom, suddenly he's ready to commit to St. Agnes for her sake. But Finn needs to resolve his own issues before he can be a stable, reliable partner for Liv.

In summary, I have mixed feelings about "Seven Summers." I wanted to love it as much as I loved Paige Toon's "Only Love Can Hurt Like This," but a major flaw in the story's resolution left me disappointed. However, this won't stop me from reading more of Paige Toon's work, as her writing feels like home to me.

"Seven Summers" will be available on May 21st. Thank you to Paige Toon, Netgalley, and Penguin Group Putnam for providing early access to "Seven Summers" in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this book was such an emotional rollercoaster! There was so much love, grief, wisdom, and feeling packed into this love story and it certainly kept my attention from beginning to end. I specifically enjoyed the addition of a character with Down Syndrome as I feel they are vastly underrepresented in literature. I had mixed feelings about the end as it felt a little fast paced and rushed, but I was happy with the final ending. Overall, an engaging and thought provoking read!

I really loved this book! The story line hooked me right away and kept me constantly picking up my kindle! I loved that it went back and forth between past and present, however the FMC annoyed me a little bit as she seemed immature at times. I can't wait to read more Paige Toon books in the future

This one is for the fans of EVERY SUMMER AFTER.

After loving ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS, I screamed when I got the Netgalley approval for SEVEN SUMMERS.

Overall I really enjoyed the alternating timelines and how they connected at the end. My favorite character was Michael and I loved that the author included a character with disabilities, as I feel they’re left out in many books.

Paige Toon had a way of writing that makes you lose track of time while never wanting the story to end. I didn’t realize her backlist was so lengthy and I will definitely be reading more of her works in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Ugh I’m for sure the odd one out here, but I just could not get into this book. I only read about 13% of this one, but ended up “abandoning ship.” The last book I read by Paige Toon was In Five Years, which I didn’t love and hated the ending (it actually made me mad). And this book feels like the same story to me? Same setting, same pub, similar friend group, same art studio, friends go surfing on the weekend. Is everyone in Cornwall the same exact person? Is Paige Toon really that unoriginal that she has to reuse the same ideas over and over again? It’s not worth it to me. I struggled through that last book hoping for a happy ending and was sorely disappointed, so this book is a waving red flag for more disappointment and a waste of my time. Sorry to be so blunt. I’m thinking she might not be my kind of author.

This is a story about Liv's life and decisions along the way. There is a lot of grief and loss and emotions. The book goes back and forth past leading to present to future.

What I liked: Liv's relationships with Finn and Tom. Two very different men with similar core strengths. Liv's relationship with her brother Michael and her friends. The last third of the book gained my interest and went much more quickly. I wish the whole book was like that for me.

What I found I didn't like: Lengthy summers before made me want to skip chapters. I found myself putting the book down for the first half and forcing myself to read it. I'm not sure I understood why Finn and Liv couldn't find a common ground to be together in the beginning. It was pretty predictable how the story would end.

I really wanted to love this book, but I found it just OK.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Seven Summers, this is my honest review.