What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon is an emotional rollercoaster that blends missed connections and heartfelt longing, with a satisfying happily-ever-after. Ellie and Ash, both in their early 20s when they meet, form a deep bond while traveling across Europe. But when Ash fails to show up in Madrid as promised, Ellie’s world turns upside down, pushing her into a life she never envisioned.

Years later, they unexpectedly reunite at an estate where Ellie is working as a gardener, only to face new obstacles—Ash’s complicated social standing and lingering feelings from their painful separation. Toon deftly navigates the characters’ insecurities and emotional scars, making their journey both relatable and heart-wrenching. The chemistry between Ellie and Ash is palpable from the beginning, with a love story that feels both grand and grounded.

The comparison to One Day meets Bridgerton is fitting. While less tragic than One Day, What If I Never Get Over You shares its themes of missed opportunities and second chances, with the added backdrop of high society and romance.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy slow-burn romance with depth, complex characters, and a love story that endures through trials.

This was my first Toon book, but it will not be my last.

In What if I Never Get Over You, Paige Toon delivers an enchanting love story that blends the passion of One Day with the drama of a contemporary Bridgerton. After an unforgettable three-day romance in Lisbon with Ash, Ellie finds herself heartbroken when he fails to show up for their planned reunion in Spain. Fast forward six years, and Ellie has settled into her dream job as a gardener on a historic estate in Wales, only to have her past rekindle when Ash unexpectedly reenters her life, forcing her to confront buried emotions and the truth behind his absence.

Toon's sharp writing and vivid characterizations immerse readers in Ellie’s journey of self-discovery and second chances, exploring themes of love, loss, and the impact of timing in relationships. As long-buried feelings resurface amidst the lush backdrop of the estate, Ellie must grapple with whether to revisit a past love that could ignite her heart once more or protect herself from another heartbreak. This captivating read is perfect for anyone seeking an escapist romance that reminds us that love can be both sweet and complicated.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced E-ARC of this title.

This is an epic love story complicated by time, expectations, and social class.
Ellie and Ash find themselves drawn together as they are traveling through Europe individually. Both are searching for connection while grieving the memory of best friends they have lost. Instant chemistry turns into a whirlwind romance. Future plans fall apart when Ash ghosts Ellie, leaving her with nothing but distant memories and questions. What happened between them? And what happened to him? The few days they spent together will change the course of their lives forever.

Years later, they find themselves pulled together by fate. They find themselves on opposite sides of the same world. Their love becomes forbidden, and realization sinks in that love isn't always enough.

This story is full of angst and longing set against a beautiful landscape of beautiful gardens, historical buildings, and the night stars. Paige Toon is the queen of subtlety imbedding her characters into your soul. I found myself holding my breath hoping that the next sentence wasn't going to be the one to crush me.

Paige Toon never fails to deliver a sweeping love story complicated by the facets of life. In many ways, both characters are right where they left each other all those years ago. Waiting for a moment in time, an unanswered wish, and another chance.

Solid 3.5 stars.

This one is for all the hopeless romantics out there! Sadly, I am not really one of them so I found myself rolling my eyes and feeling annoyed quite a bit. I read this book as fast as I could because I was in for the ride, but also felt tortured for much of it. However, there were large chunks of this story that I adored, including most of Part 1. If the pages and pages of endless emotional conversation and ridiculous back and forth were whittled down, this book could have been close to a 5-star. But as it is, it’s 3.5 for me.

I’ve had an eye on Paige Toon for awhile and having finally read one of her books, I can see why she’s hyped. I’ll probably try another of her books eventually.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

Ooo what a good read! This one stayed with me. I read it so fast and was engrossed the whole time. Great writing!

Thank you NetGalley and Paige Toon!

I recently finished reading Paige Toon's latest novel, "What If I Never Get Over You," and I can't stop thinking about it. The story follows Ellie and Ash in a captivating second chance romance set in picturesque Europe. Paige Toon has an incredible talent for evoking a wide range of emotions, and I found myself completely immersed in the characters' journey. The way she weaves the story made it feel like a movie playing out in my mind. "What If I Never Get Over You" is a true gem that grabbed my heart and held my undivided attention from start to finish. Paige Toon has once again proven herself as a master of romance novels, and I highly recommend this 5-star book to all romance fans .

🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
3.5⭐️

Sorry I have been MIA this week. Also my scheduling app for post seems to be leaving my actual review off🫣.
Paige toon is always an auto buy for me. I was so excited when I got the email for her new ARC. Let me first say I can only dream of traveling abroad and falling in love over a short vacation. The two main character Ellie and Ash had amazing chemistry in the first part of the book. Their passion while in Lisbon was a page turner. Then heartbreak and six years go by before they are reunited as boss and employee. Their rekindling of romance was a fun read but I felt like the middle of the book dropped off a little for me in interest. Ellie’s character was frustrating at time but I was so happy she chose herself over her family. Also she has the best choices in book she read 🤪. Ash was funny and charming. The more I read the more we got to know a deeper side of him despite his title. This story was one of friendship, love, family and loss. I liked this one but not as much as some of the others I’ve read from the author.

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for my ARC.

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Paige Toon has done it again! Ellie and Ash have a story that will break your heart and then put it back together. It’s a story of first loves, best friends, self discovery, following your passions, and becoming unburdened by expectations of others. Paige’s writing also makes me feel as if I’ve been on a vacation, traveling to other parts of the world I didn’t even know existed. Paige is quickly becoming a favorite author and this novel just kept me reading and wanting more. I was both satisfied at the ending but sad that it was over. Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read and review this beautiful novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Paige Toon for the ARC, This is my first Paige Toon book and I will be reading more! Paige Toon's One Day is a fun and flirty read that'll have you swooning. It's like a modern-day Bridgerton with a touch of European charm. Toon's writing is easy to follow and the characters are super relatable. You'll be rooting for Ellie and Ash from the start. Plus, the setting is gorgeous – a Welsh estate with beautiful gardens. If you're looking for a cute and romantic escape, One Day is definitely worth checking out.

Our main characters meet while interrailing through Europe in their early twenties. The book follows their journey through adulthood - the grief, love and heartbreak so palpable. At one point, I thought there was no way these two could make it work. There was no getting over each other. This book was amazing; I can't wait to listen to the audiobook and watch the movie someday. The dialects, locations and nature are so vividly described. Someone described it as a modern day Bridgerton. I'd say it channeled the 2005 movie of Pride and Prejudice and Downton Abbey. I will definitely be looking for more Paige Toon books. Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love Paige Toon. I just love her writing and her storytelling.

This specific story was more challenging for me to connect with - I think due to the setting and the uneven pace. Sometimes the story felt rushed - other times it felt slow, instead of unhurried.

I love Ash’s character and could get attached to him. Because I didn’t have as much background on Ellie, she was harder to connect with. We learned more about her at the very end, and I really enjoyed Part 3 & Part 4. Part 3 was my favorite part of the book.

I will endlessly read anything Paige Toon writes - she is still an auto-read author for me! I just think others may connect better to this story than I did.

I really liked this book! I finished it in a day, and was very invested in the characters. I liked the time hopping and how it went quickly. So happy they eventually found each other in their HEA!

This book is about when someone you started to love and years later you discover that person is a person you didn't know. Ellie met Ash while traveling through Europe. They fell in love in three days. After the third day when Ellie arrives to meet Ash, he was nowhere to be found. Six years later, Ellie works as a gardener in Wales. She discovered that Ash is a son of a viscount and viscountess. The story brings that bit of romance in a different way even though Ellie is a gardener and Ash is the viscount and viscountess’s son. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.

imagine taking a solo trip across europe and having the sweetest and most endearing meet-cute in lisbon. that's exactly what ellie experiences when she meets ash for the first time. the chemistry between them came right off the pages and it was so beautiful to read how they connected so easily. their relationship comes into question when they promise to meet each other again the following week in spain.

fast forward some years where the past is yet to be forgotten, ellie lands a job as a gardener for an established family out in wales. little does she know, her past is about to catch up to her again. i really fell just as hard for ash as ellie did, he was the epitome of caring and it warmed my heart that he never stopped looking for ellie. this was a fantastic read that will definitely pull at your emotions if you're a hopeless romantic much like myself. paige toon does a wonderful job at executing romantic moments between her characters and bringing them to life.

if i were to critique some things, i would say the story did feel a bit rushed and i didn't quite understand the importance of ellie's best friend, stella in the second half. it was almost as if she were forgotten, yet she was mentioned so heavily in the first parts of the book. there was also very little said about ellie's past, she barely explained it to ash and i had a harder time connecting to her in that sense.

thank you to netgalley, random house UK, and paige toon for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this Quick preface: "Seven Summers" broke my heart in the most beautifully poignant way possible, so I was coming into this with very high expectations. But luckily, I was not remotely let down: this is so so well done.
This Bridgerton-esque romance follows Ellie, a furniture designer with dreams of being a gardener and Ash, a 'nomad', as they meet while backpacking in Lisbon. Their instant connection (not always one of my favorite tropes) is so chemistry-laden and believable, and while you knew the switch into 'wrong place, wrong time' was coming, it was pretty heartbreaking. The story then shifts to their reconnection, 6 years later, where it becomes obvious nothing was it as it seems. It really does play with the question of 'getting over someone' and if 3 days is enough to love someone forever.
This book covers so many topics: grief (both characters have lost best friends), destiny (the job we have vs the job we want), family duty, past trauma, gardening, Welsh cultural, working class culture...all of it so beautifully woven together it never felt forced. I never was interested in a more nomadic lifestyle but this makes you WANT to live a nomadic lifestyl.e. The chemistry is over the top while remaining relatively closed door. Most importantly: THANK YOU Toon for the truly HEA. After Seven Summers I was worried: but this gives you everything you want at the end and more.

Books that follow people throughout life are my favorite. Gave me One Day, Talking at Night, Normal People and Adelaine vibes. Absolutely loved this one. My first Paige Toon book did not disappoint. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons.

"What If It Is You" presents a captivating premise that seamlessly blends magical realism, romance, and science fiction. The concept of an AI program enabling a woman to switch between parallel universes is not only intriguing but also opens the door to a myriad of possibilities. This imaginative exploration of alternate realities kept me engaged throughout the book, as I found myself pondering the "what ifs" of life alongside the protagonist.

While I appreciated the unique premise and the gripping narrative, I struggled to fully connect with the main character for much of the story. Her development felt slow, and I found it challenging to empathize with her choices until the very end. However, I realized that this disconnect was intentional, as her journey reflects the complexities of self-discovery and personal growth. By the conclusion, I found myself more invested in her transformation, which added depth to my reading experience.

The romance element in the story defies typical genre conventions, offering a refreshing take that keeps readers on their toes. It’s not your standard love story; instead, it delves into the intricacies of relationships within the context of parallel universes, making it a unique addition to the genre.

Overall, "What If It Is You" is a fun and thought-provoking read that I’m grateful to have experienced. While it may not have resonated with me completely, the originality of the concept and the exploration of identity and love make it a commendable addition to the world of speculative fiction. If you enjoy stories that challenge the norms and encourage you to think outside the box, this book is definitely worth a read.

In “What If I Never Get Over You,” Paige Toon crafts a deeply emotional narrative that explores the complexities of love, loss, and the passage of time. The story centers around Ellie and Ash, two characters whose lives are irrevocably changed by a brief but intense romance. They have only three days to fall in love, but it takes six years for them to attempt to move on from the profound connection they shared.

The novel begins with Ellie and Ash meeting under unexpected circumstances. Their chemistry is undeniable, and over the course of just a few days, they form a bond that feels both magical and destined. However, life pulls them apart, and what follows is a six-year journey of longing, heartache, and self-discovery. Toon masterfully weaves themes of love, grief, and healing throughout the narrative. She captures the essence of how some relationships leave an indelible mark on our hearts, making it difficult to let go even as time marches on.

#netgalley

5/5

This book is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. I could not put it down. Paige Toon has this wonderful style of writing that draws you in and paints a beautiful picture that allows you to be present with the characters. I loved every moment! I am also an avid gardener so this was right up my alley.

The story starts out with Ellie and Ash meeting while interrailing through Europe. They spend three incredible days together until they are separated and are unable to meet back up. By complete coincidence they meet again several years later and circumstances are much different. Even just writing this review makes me want to read the book again, it's so good! Just trust me on this one, go read this when it is released in April 2025!!

Thank you to Putnam Books, Paige Toon and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

My second Paige Toon book, and I loved this one too! Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for the preview read! This book centers around the story of Ellie and Ash, but it goes SO much deeper as it weaves around friends from their childhood and their VERY complicated parents. Such depth to this book, and again, loved her backdrop when they are interrailing in Europe. Pub date is 4/15/25, add to your TBR!🥰