3 stars

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the chance to read this ARC.

What If I Never Get Over You is the story between Ash and Ellie, who meet in Lisbon at age of 21 while Interrailing through Europe. They spend an adventurous 3 days traveling together and make plans to meet a week later in Madrid, only Ash never shows. The book then jumps 6 years in the future where Ellie has landed her dream job working at an estate in Wales as a gardener. She grows close with the other staff at the 500 year old estate until she sees Ash again. And he's not what she remembers. He's not the free-spirited 21 year old she fell in love with 6 years ago. No, he's the son of the Lord & Viscount of the estate (gasp!). The story revolves around their being in love again in secret to being ripped apart when Ellie realizes she could never live the life of a Viscount.

I have some thoughts on this one.

1. Maybe I'm not a true romantic, but I just have a hard time believing these 2 fell so head-over-heels in love with each other in 3 days, enough that Ellie basically sabotages her own life for 3 years in a downward spiral of depression and disassociates from everything and everyone because some guy she knew for 3 days didn't show up in Madrid to meet her. It just felt very immature to me and honestly made me dislike her character quite a bit. She doesn't really do anything with her life until 3 years after Ash failed to meet her, when she decided to pursue gardening and left her role as a designer at her family's furniture business.

2. When the two meet in Lisbon, they both share how they had tragically lose their best friends - Stella, to a drug overdose (at least that's what I'm calling it) and Taran - to Leukemia. It seemed that both of them were drenched in grief while they travelled and their bond seemed to be based on understanding each other's grief. However, in back half of the book we don't really hear of Stella again at all and it almost feels like we lose the importance of what Stella actually meant to Ellie. We continue to hear more about Taran and the impact he had on Ash's life, especially as we meet his family members who still live at the estate. But what about Stella? What did Stella and Ellie's friendship really mean to her? The grief for her friend doesn't translate at all to her upper 20s it seems.

3. When Ellie discovers that Ash is Ashton, the heir to the 500 year old estate she is working on, she is beside herself and once again, begins to spiral. Ashton is in a relationship with his best friend, Beca, and Ellie appears to be distraught because of it. When Ash and Beca split, Ellie and Ash fall back together. So much drama and miscommunication occurs between the 2 during their 3 month relationship that summer at the estate. Ellie vocalizes she could never live the life of a Viscountess and the fact that Ash continually prioritizes his broken friendship with Beca over Ellie creates an even further rift between the tw0. Ellie ultimately leaves the estate after being blackmailed by Ash's dad, and tells Ash to never speak to her again.

4. Besides the fact that both lost their best friends tragically, I'm not exactly sure what these two really had in common or why they were so obsessed with each other during the entirety of this book. Ellie was immature and too into what everyone else thought of her (a self described people pleaser) and Ash was just frustrating and insipid.

I was hooked at the beginning and would have loved to see more of their travelling adventures together and what kind of connection they had beyond their shared grief.

Overall, this wasn't my favorite, but I know I may be an odd one out as the reviews are great for this one! I've read one other Paige Toon book and really enjoyed it, so in no way will this keep me from reading other books written by her. If you like the "love at first sight" trope, this one may be for you.

This book is set to be released on 4/15/2025

The title itself tugs at the heartstrings! Ellie and Ash’s story begins in Portugal, where they share 3 unforgettable days together. Their connection is instant, and they make plans to meet again in Madrid a week later. However, Ash doesn’t show up, and with no way of contacting each other, they’re separated for six years.

The road to their HEA is anything but smooth. Their love story is filled with miscommunication, conflict, and the complicated presence of Ash’s “best friend” Beca, which adds tension. While their reunion is inevitable, the story feels both frustrating and rewarding, with moments of confusion followed by moments of clarity. Ellie, in particular, shines as a character—showcasing her strength, principles, and the determination to put herself first despite the emotional turbulence.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, highlighting the complexities of love, friendship, and self-discovery. It may be a difficult journey, but one that ultimately proves worth the wait. Loved it!

This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way. From the very first pages, the chemistry between Ash and Ellie was undeniable. It was so intense, so full of promise, and then… life happened. When they cross paths again years later, that same spark is still there, but now it’s tangled up in years of longing, heartbreak, and missed chances. I felt every bit of their connection, the way their past still lingered in every glance, every conversation. Paige Toon has this way of making you feel the weight of every unsaid word, every “what if”, and I was completely hooked.

I usually struggle with miscommunication in romance, but it felt so organic, so painfully real. Ash and Ellie weren’t just being stubborn for the sake of drama—their circumstances, their fears, and their deep love for others made every hesitation believable. And oh, the drama it created! There were moments I genuinely thought there was no way they’d find a way back to each other, and I loved that. The stakes felt impossibly high, and I was flipping pages like my life depended on it.

And then, that ending…so satisfying, so full of heart. The way everything came together, the way their love story honored the people they had lost, felt like the perfect tribute. It wasn’t just about romance; it was about grief, healing, and finding your way back to the person who always felt like home. Another absolute page-turner from Paige Toon, and one that will stay with me for a long time.

Content: cracked door, some language

Thank you to Putnam for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.

This book was adorable. From young love to second or really 3rd or 4th chances. This book was beautifully written, I can’t wait to read more from her.

Toon has a way with words that continues to blow my mind with every new release! This was masterfully written and had all the swoony romance your heart can ever want.

What If I Never Get Over You is a beautiful epic love story that had me crying from the train station. This book was so hard to put down and really had me pulling for Ellie and Ash to find each other. The great love of your life that gets away from you, only to be found again ... but will you get a second chance? or a third? What would or wouldn't you do for "the one"?

I loved the descriptive writing of the gardens, the landscape, and the night skies. The cottages tucked away in the woods were so romantic, yet also reflected the reclusiveness and pain of heartbreak. The close knit bond between the workers living in the cottages added another layer of family that I thought was a perfect way to balance out the relationship of Ash and Ellie's paternal family drama.

I highly recommend this book and will definitely be buying a copy and adding it to my book shelf.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Paige Toon for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.

I gave this book 5 Stars

Paige Toon does it again! She hooked me right from the beginning and I couldn’t put this down.
The thrill of Ash and Ellie’s meet cute and three days together interrailing kept me giddy.
The ACOTAR references were fun to read. It was cute to see a fellow book nerd within a story.
I related closely with Ellie in how much of a people pleaser she was. I loved watching her come into herself and finally taking a stand. She knew who she wanted to be and what she wanted and she went right for it; consequences be damned.
Ash was a sweetheart and his story really surprised me. I loved how we continued to learn about him and his background as the story went on. He was such a unique character. I would’ve loved a few chapters from his POV.
I’m glad I read this on my kindle so I could look up some of these phrases and places. Paige had me laughing with some of the things these characters say since they aren’t American phrases.
I look forward to anything Paige writes. Thank you to Paige and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC copy :)

After meeting on a railing trip through Europe, Ellie and Ash share an instant and deep connection. But after Ash misses a scheduled meet up, Ellie must face a future without him. Now, years later, they unexpectedly reconnect with emotional consequences.

Paige Toon is so good at emotional romances. Here's what I liked about her latest:

The settings: This one takes you all over Europe and then into Wales. Both of these really made the book for me. I loved the estate setting in Wales so much. This is the second book by Toon that talks about estates and the people who work on them in the gardens and grounds. I find so much of that really fascinating.

Ellie: She has such a large and emotional journey that includes not only her romantic life but also her family life as well. She's so strong and I found myself really connecting with her. She has moments that I wanted her to stay and fight for the things that she loved, but understood that there were some things just really playing against her.

The romance: I liked how this one played out. You get large gaps of time that played into the angst of the story. I found myself really wanting to keep reading to see where it was all going,

All in all, a really great emotional romance!

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

3 insta-love stars

Ellie and Ash spend three magical days together in Portugal and fall head over heels for each other! They vow to reconnect in one week in Madrid and travel together. I’m guessing you know what comes next . . . . Ellie shows up, late, but there’s no sign of Ash. Ellie is devastated. They never exchanged last names, so she’s at a loss for how to ever find him again.

Six years go by, and Ellie finally has the courage to leave her parents’ furniture business to pursue her dream of working in gardens. She finds a plum job on an estate in Wales. I loved the description of the gardens and the countryside. As she gets settled into her job, all seems to be coming together.

Then, she runs into Ash again and can’t believe it! I won’t spoil the reasons he didn’t meet her in Spain. The rest of the book deals with their attempts to reunite. There are many obstacles in their way. It doesn’t seem that they are meant to be together.

This was my first read from Paige Toon. I liked some elements of it, but I had to suspend belief about some of the characters' actions, and they didn’t always ring true for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Putnam for providing the ARC of What If I Never Get Over You!

This was my first Paige Toon novel, which certainly met my expectations! What If I Never Get Over You is the ultimate "right person, wrong time" story, filled with emotional twists and turns as the characters navigate the journey of finding their right moment—after all the wrong ones.

Ellie and Ash’s paths cross while interrailing through Europe, and the chemistry between them is undeniable as they spend three unforgettable days exploring the sights and getting to know each other. Every brush of their arms and touch of their hands left me with the same butterflies Ellie felt. Their connection was electric. They plan to meet again in Madrid, but fate has different ideas. Six years later, their paths cross again, but things aren't as simple as they once seemed.

Ellie and Ash were two young souls trying to find their place in the world while searching for a love they never imagined would come their way. The longing and tension in this story had me turning page after page, hoping for their happily ever after. Time and again, life and past trauma intervened, and their love took a backseat. This story is a testament to the idea that "true love knows no bounds." Their love is a love that most people dream of having. The emotional and physical connections between Ellie and Ash were so beautifully written, and I feel so fortunate to have been part of their journey.

This story captivated me in a way I haven't experienced in a long time—it drew me in and kept me hooked from start to finish!

I feel compelled to start by saying that I genuinely adore Paige Toon’s writing—the fascinating jobs she gives her FMCs, the expansive timelines, and the clear research she pours into every story.

I first discovered Paige Toon two books ago with Only Love Can Hurt Like This, and I really enjoyed it (I’m a sucker for angst), so I instantly knew I’d found my go-to author for an angst fix and a satisfying emotional cry. Seven Summers felt a bit too heavy for me, so after thumbing through, I decided to skip it.

I was genuinely excited for What If I Never Get Over You and practically inhaled the first 25% in less than an hour. But then, in part two, things started getting weird, and by part three, I was downright confused. Honestly, I think this might be a classic case of “it’s not the book, it’s me.”

I loved Ellie, the FMC. She’s a badass and genuinely inspiring for switching careers and chasing her dreams. Even though there were moments when I literally wanted to shake her and yell, frustrated that she was jeopardizing her dream job, promising friendships, and a fun relationship, I still understood her reasoning.

What I couldn’t wrap my head around, however, was why Ellie kept putting up with Ash. He turned out to be one of the most immature, indecisive, inconsistent, and self-centered MMCs I’ve encountered in a romance. Despite clearly knowing their class differences from the start, he insisted on playing things by ear. That might have worked the first time around, but definitely not the second. And somehow, Ash ends up blaming Ellie for “abandoning” him, for not opening up about her family, and for not understanding his situation. Why?

Near the end, he angrily claims he’d wanted to escape with Ellie—but there was absolutely no hint of that intention earlier. Instead, we repeatedly see him acting like a child, manipulated by his father, unable (or unwilling) to protect Ellie, and constantly running to his ex-girlfriend under the pretense of friendship. (Don’t even get me started on that particular can of worms.)

And still—spoiler alert!—it’s Ellie who has to approach Ash, convincing him to give their relationship a chance? I was honestly flabbergasted. I would have respected Ash a lot more if he’d been the one making the grand gesture, fighting to win Ellie back.

As it stands, it’s a solid 3-star read, because Paige Toon’s writing is lovely as always—but Ash knocked off the other two stars for me.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

I was expecting a sweeping, emotional romance with forbidden love between two people from very different worlds and instead I was just bored. Although Ash and Ellie had a connection when they first met, they were only together for 3 days before parting ways which just wasn’t enough time for me to really get invested in their relationship. Then 6 years pass by and apparently neither of them have been able to move on with their lives. Ellie especially felt like her only personality trait was being sad about not seeing Ash again. She was such a flat and boring character who felt like she kind of just let things happen to her and had no agency in her life. When she and Ash reconnect she initially tries to keep him at a distance but they eventually fall into a bland relationship. Ellie felt very whiny and there wasn’t great communication between the two of them.
The moment there was any conflict Ellie immediately took off. Even more years pass where she still can’t get over him and then she shows up expecting Ash to act like nothing happened.
Ellie was so wishy washy and couldn’t seem to make up her mind about anything. She also expected to be able to pop in and out of peoples lives at random with no consequences. Despite being in her late 20’s she was written more like a teenager. I could not connect with or even like her. Ash was fine but he was also a pretty boring character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

What if I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon
3.5 stars /5

I did enjoy this book, my first Paige Toon novel. This book is a second chance romance between Ellie and Ash, who meet as young adults interrailing in Europe. They fall in love and vow to meet again a few weeks later, but alas Ash does not show up!
A few years later, Ellie accepts a job as a gardener at a posh estate which is owned by none other than Ash's family! The two go through various trials including class differences and Ash's engagement to a family friend -- will their love be enough to overcome these differences?

Listen, I found the premise a little silly at times. Would this "class difference" really be that big a deal? Maybe it would be - I don't really know anything about English culture. But, in the end, Ash and Ellie really won me over. And Ash's final incarnation - a sort of "lumberjack Ash" sounds seriously hot!

I'll read more Paige Toon. This was cute.

Ellie is a on a backpacking trip through Europe and meets Ash is Portugal. She is following her friends recommendations that she wrote in ACOTAR about what to do. Something happened with her friend which was very tragic..😭 They part ways in Lisbon to never meet again like they planned, or so we thought. It was 3 days of love. Ellie goes and starts to live her own life without trying to please anyone but herself. Turns to gardening. 6yrs she hasn’t seen Ash… and they meet again unexpectedly. Drama ensues between a new GF and his family. Overall this was a heartwarming story of love, betrayal, and growth. Ellie had a lot of things she needed to work through due to her past, which she didn’t share well with Ash. Ash also had his fair share of issues he needed to work through. When they were together it was like fireworks and full of passion. Eventually when Ellie opens up it all falls into place and it’s just so sweet. I don’t blame Ellie for hiding what she did. Overall this was a cute story with lost love/found, Europe based, found family, and family drama.

This was an usual book and I really enjoyed it.

Ellie is interrailing across Europe - following a detailed itinerary from her friend's notes. On her last night out she meets Ash, who's also on a similiar journey and it's love at first sight. Ash convinces Ellie to meet him at his next stop and when she gets there, she never finds him. The next six years she focuses on her life - quitting her family business and starting gardening which was her real passion, one that Ash convinced her to follow. A chance meeting gets them together again and everything is different, but their feelings are still the same. It's a beautiful story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I loved it! There were a problem with pacing but their chemistry towards each other was stronger. It’s not cookie-cutter. It’s real. It’s messy.

One day meets modern bridgerton. I like the bridgerton part and the fact that they are star crossed lovers. They are meant to be. They just have to realize it and be together!!!

Note:
Don’t worry, it’s an HEA

Whew. This book was an absolute rollercoaster of a ride in the best way.

I absolutely adored the beginning and the ending of this book. It isn’t that I didn’t love the middle; however, I felt like some of the comments by both MC’s and the miscommunication trope was more directed as a YA instead of the advertisement of adult.

Overall, I loved the overall concept and plot of this book I have not read any romance novel similar to this. This was my first Paige Toon novel and while I have never been a huge fan of the instant love or love at first site she did an amazing job making it not cheesy by showing humor and a sort of easy going personalities in both MC’s. I did love the character growth through both of them as well.

Thank you so much to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the early eARC.

4 🌟

I loved the beginning and the end... the middle frustrated me a bit. 😬

Okay, I'm not a huge fan of insta love but loved the concept of meeting on vacation and agreeing to meet up again at a different date/time. But the middle/third act break up felt a little long to me. However, I loved the ending!

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

this might be a case of it's not the book, it's me.

because honestly this was wayyyy too YA and just generally immature for my tastes, and i did not expect that at all. the concept was fun, i think. a sort of second chance romance with a little twist. but the execution didn't work for me. i didn't like the characters, i didn't care about the romance, and i didn't even really like the writing. so yeah, this was... unfortunate.

thank you to penguin group & netgalley for the arc! all opinions are my own <3

I came across Paige Toon when I grabbed a title from Book of the Month's add on list and she became an automatic read author for me. However, I was a little disappointed with this title as it fell short of my expectations. I know she was a YA author previously, but I think this one still had too many undertones of YA for my preferences (coming-of age and self-discovery), so I think this might appeal to a younger audience.

Overall, it had good a good premise and beautiful prose but I would have preferred more character development in the beginning of the book. After finishing, I understand why it was written this way, but with the quick dive into Ellie and Ash's inter-railing adventures, I didn't get the true connection or relate to their immediate connection after only 3 days. I also struggled with Ellie's personality which seemed immature with the back and forth emotions of their relationship and lack of self-confidence throughout the entire book. It was still a cute romance with a great setting, but not one I would enjoy reading again.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Book publication date: April 15, 2025*
*Reviewed March 21, 2025*