Blog Tour: What if I Never Get Over You By Paige Toon Review

I'm excited to be part of the blog tour today for the amazing new book by Paige Toon. The book comes out on Thursday 10th April and you can order your copy here! I have a review for you today, here's what it's all about:

Ellie didn’t expect to fall in love while travelling in Europe. But she also didn’t expect to meet a man like Ash.

Three blistering days in Lisbon is all it takes to form an unforgettable connection – deep enough for them to plan to meet again in Madrid. But Ellie arrives late, and Ash is nowhere to be found.

Six years later, the memory of Ash and their time together still burns deeply in Ellie’s heart. She hopes that her dream job as a gardener on a grand estate in Wales will bring the fresh start she desperately needs.

But when Ash unexpectedly crashes back into her life, Ellie is forced to question if the universe has other plans...

Review: gosh it was good ro be back in a Paige Toon novel again. I know I am in safe hands going into one of her books, the short chapters make for a page turner you really can’t put down! And….this one didn’t make me cry! Paige always does such a great job of a bit of a slow burn romance, puts a barrier up for her main characters and their love story and always has some sort of exotic location as a long-distance additional barrier too of course. There’s always a hot Aussie in there too! And this book is no exception!

It was wonderful to meet Ellie at the beginning of the novel, she is trying to do the wild and independent woman travelling thing but we know that something is holding her back, we just don’t know what yet! Then she meets Ash and this meet cute helps to unleash her feer self, the one who gets to let go and have fun and that was fabulous. When Ellie shuts down again once she’s back home, towards the beginning of the book, I found this section so hard to read. The way she is written to be so closed off to pleasure and so just doing anything to stay quiet and be successful in her job-it was just so relatable. 

When we change settings in the third section of the book, that is when the fun really starts. Paige Toon knows how to write a fun group of friends to have an adventure with, people who will challenge our main character to be their best selves and find their joy and this book is no exception. Who knew there was so much fun to be had in such a location that many would consider mundane. 

Now don’t get me wrong, the fact that this book didn;t make me cry doesn’t mean that there is no tragedy in here, there are plenty of moments that tug at the heart strings and both Ellie and Ash have been through a lot to get them to the various points we meet them throughout the novel. But as we always find with a Paige Toon novel, the joy outweighs that. This was a quick read with fun characters, a great meet cute and a story that will have you guessing right up until the last page!

Review: Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon

 Neither of them expected to fall in love. But sometimes life has other plans.

When Wren realises her fiancé is in love with someone else, she thinks her heart will never recover.

On the other side of the world, Anders lost his wife four years ago and is still struggling to move on.

Wren hopes that spending the summer with her dad and step-family on their farm in Indiana will help her to heal. There, amid the cornfields and fireflies, she and Anders cross paths and their worlds are turned upside-down again.

But Wren doesn't know that Anders is harbouring a secret, and if he acts on any feelings he has for Wren it will have serious fall-out for everyone.

Walking away would hurt Wren more than she can imagine. But, knowing the truth, how can she possibly stay?

Review: Review: I loved this journey to Indiana for what turned out to be an epic love story. This book gave me serious movie vibes and I loved every minute of it. Thankfully I read this alongside my lovely friend Hayley and that meant we could discuss what was happening at every turn. It has it all-a heroine you love to love, an evil villain you love to hate, travel, intrigue and of course, a hero you love to love.

I really enjoyed the fact that this book was in a completely different setting. Paige Toon is the queen of jetting you off to some interesting places for her novels. I’ve learned a lot about places I have never travelled to through her writing, this time it was set somewhere I had been but not just the city, rural farmland too-very hallmark movie! I can picture the farm and the heat of the summer now just thinking about it, it was all described so vividly.

Anders is definitely a brooding main character and in true Paige Toon style he has a career in motorsport-I loved this aspect of him. He is complicated and he is unpredictable, a winning combo in a love story. He has a deeper emotional side though and this story definitely confronts men opening up and sharing their emotions, sharing their worries and taking care of their mental health too which is so important in today's world.

Wren is a great main character to share the story with. She has a complex relationship with her father and especially her father other daughter, her half sister Bailey,. It was wonderful watching their relationship grow over the course of the book and the relationship between Wren and her Dad really added to the meaning of the title, Only Love Can Hurt Like This. I always loved a Paige Toon novel but I loved this one for the characters, the setting and the love that was at the heart of everything!

To order your copy now, just click here!

Review: Someone I Used To Know by Paige Toon

 Then

At fifteen, George is the foster brother Leah never asked for. As the angry, troubled boy struggles to come to terms with his circumstances, Leah finds herself getting drawn closer to him.

 

Theo’s wealthy family have mysteriously pulled him out of boarding school and he’s now enrolled at the local state school with Leah and George. When their worlds collide that summer, the three teenagers form a bond they believe will be unbreakable. But life doesn’t always go to plan...

 

Now

 

Shocking news brings Leah back to Yorkshire, baby daughter in tow. But Emilie’s father Theo isn’t with them, and George has unexpectedly returned. After half a lifetime, have they healed the scars of their pasts? Will coming back home set their hearts in a different direction?

Review: What a wonderful story about family and love in all its forms set in the best possible backdrop of North Yorkshire! I always knew I was going to love the setting of this book but the way this author writes about my home county and the towns where I was born and raised and have worked had me yearning to be there. I cannot wait for the day when I can stand at Brimham Rocks and take in the sights and sounds that George and Leah experience. 

I also adored the structure of this book. I loved getting to meet Leah and Her family, including George and I loved their relationship with Theo too. I could picture them growing up together so easily and spent the now parts of the book trying to work out what had driven them apart and what was in store for them next. The then scenes reminded me a lot of Blood Brothers with the two male leads to one female friendship and I really found the way we jumped back and forth between the then and now to be very compelling. I started this book on Saturday morning and was done listening by the end of Sunday night despite having a busy weekend. 

This book deals with a lot of major issues including children who become part of the care system, fostering, adoption, grief, abuse and alcoholism. There are definitely some care warning that need to be observed with this novel but I will say that all of these topics are dealt with in the most inspiring and sensitive way. I knew I would love the subject of children in care that is explored through George and Leah's world. I even like the fact that we look at the impact on now just the children in questions but those who are already in the foster placement and the impact it has on schools. As a teacher, I always enjoy when there is a nod to the profession in a novel, even if it isn't always in the most positive lights. 

There is so much love at the heart of this book. It is always the centre-point of a Paige Toon novel but this one in particular just spills over with love in the most passionate and life affirming way. It gives me hope and I love to see when love can last over the years whether that is in the romantic sense, the friendship sense or the love of a family. I knew this book would make me homesick and I knew that this book would make me want to look after all the children all the time. I can't wait to get back home and get back in the classroom and make the kind of difference we get to see in this book. 

Final note, I listened to this on audiobook. I was worried that the narrator would use a generic Yorkshire accent or even have. South or West Yorkshire accent but I can confirm that a North Yorkshire accent is used for these characters, even changing to a Harrogate accent as opposed to a Ripon accent in places and so a mention definitely needs to go to the narrator chosen for this novel, it was great to hear!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: All About the Hype by Paige Toon

The third super hot, super fun Jessie Jefferson novel from internationally bestselling author, Paige Toon.

Is the life of a famous rockstar's daughter all it's cracked up to be? And what about dating your fellow band-member just as you hit the bigtime? 

Jessie is still getting used to being a celebrity, and the daughter of one of the world’s biggest rock stars. With her own music career on the rise, a gorgeous love interest and a fun group of friends, it seems Jessie’s glamorous LA life couldn’t get any better . . . but things are about to get really complicated.

Review: Well glamorous life in LA is fabulous but when you’re a teenager with friends and family still living in the UK it can be tough and we really explore that in the culmination of this trilogy which is fast becoming one of my favourite Young Adult trilogies of all time, and it really has stiff competition. 

I really feel like we get to know Jessie fully in this novel. We have explored a lot of her life so far but not only does she celebrate her birthday in this book but that also means marking the anniversary of her mum’s death and so we really do see her raw and exposed. We see even more than ever that she is just like other teenage girls and dealing with the same kind of things that they have to deal with in terms of friendships, education, family and love. 

Don’t get me wrong, this book does take it to a whole new level of glam too. I mean when you start reading about what Jessie is getting for her birthday and how the day will be spent, I can only say that Paige Toon must have had an awful lot of fun planning and writing those chapters, it sounded amazing. With that goes a whole lots of emotion though and this book was a whole emotional rollercoaster. One minute you’re having fun with Jessie at a glamorous party or performing with the band and the next you are feeling the rock bottom when she realises the price of fame and misses the only other home she has known. 

I loved Jessie in this book. I love the adventures that she has, I love the feelings that she shares and I love seeing her go through the whole coming of age process over the course of this trilogy. Again we have some amazing scenes with Johnny and Meg and it was great to catch up with them again, they can take me to Disneyland anytime they like. I really loved this trilogy and I hope that this isn't the last we have seen of Paige Toon’s adventures into the world of YA fiction!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: I Knew You Were Trouble by Paige Toon

Sunshine, rock gods, and Hollywood heartthrobs! Jessie Jefferson is back in the next installment from bestselling author Paige Toon—perfect for fans of Holly Smale's Geek Girl, the Jessica Cole series, and Zoe Sugg's Girl Online.

Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives? Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning…

Review: This is the second book in the young adult series from one of my favourite authors Paige Toon and let me tell you I am keeping my fingers crossed that she has another foray into the world of Young Adult romance again soon because I love this series so much. 

When you know you are dealing with the second book in a series you do sometimes worry that you are in for a bit of a slump in the action, that you are being set up from the culmination of the trilogy in book 3 but this really wasn't the case in this novel. This book has action from the very beginning to the very end. Jessie is up to as much in this book as we saw her get up to in book one only this time she is very definitely doing it across 2 continents. 

This book has also ramped up the romance, can you say love triangle? I loved this added intrigue because a love triangle in 2 different countries is a whole different kettle of fish, This triangle really explores the fact that Jessie's may be the daughter of a rich and famous rockstar but aside from having just lost her mum she is also dealing with first love and the confusion that that can bring. Jessie really does have to deal with a lot in this book she has all of that plus the possibility of singing and school work and a whole new family-wow there really is a lot in this book. 

Safe to say this book does not fall into the second book in a series trap. It has a definite story arc of its own, things really ramp up from Jessie and if you are here because you fell in love with Johnny Jefferson in Johnny and Meg’s stories then there is a decent dose of him too-I loved it and can’t wait to dive into book 3!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon

When Hannah meets Sonny, she's irresistibly drawn to him: he's sexy and confident, but only in town on holiday. That's fine with Hannah - she doesn't do long-term relationships. And luckily for her, neither does Sonny. But before they can even so much as kiss, Sonny receives some shocking news and commits to making serious life changes - ones that can't and won't include romance.

With even a short fling now off the cards, Hannah and Sonny settle for being friends. But as summer hots up and their chemistry shows no signs of cooling, they start to question their reasons for shutting each other out.

Are they both too broken to find love? And if they tear down the walls between them, will they still like what's on the other side?

Review: Well this was certainly the sexiest Paige Toon novel yet, these characters are all charged and there are lingering looks left right and centre. This book is also chock full of secrets which also makes it incredibly hard to review without giving spoilers but don't worry I'm not giving anything away and neither is this author. Every turn is unexpected and I really didn't see some of the reveals along the way coming at all. 

I bonded with Hannah right away, she seems like such an easy going type of person and someone that it would be easy to chat to and get along with and so I was invested in her right from the start. She has had a tough start in life and her secret heartbreak is always there with her affecting her everyday thoughts and actions. Sonny also wears his heartbreak right out there. He is a complex fellow and I have to admit I was somewhat wary of him to begin with but he is a total cinnamon roll of a man, he has a bit of a tough exterior but is soft and lovely in the muddle. He has a whole host of skeletons in his closet and all of those contribute to his complex past and his own secret heartbreak. 

This book deals with many many issues that aren't often covered in this genre. A lot of those issues are plot points, reveals or spoilers and so I can't really go into greater detail but I really loved seeing this author tackle some of these topics that might normally seem taboo. One of the messages that comes across in this book is that sex isn't the be all and end all in a relationship, that sex can sometimes be traumatic and there can be love without sex and that is something which I don't think comes up often enough. 

We also delve into the area of mental health in this novel, something which thankfully is becoming less and less taboo. Reading about it in this matter of fact way is definitely something that contributes to breaking those barriers and I love the way it is explored and written about in the context of Hannah and Sonny's stories. Of course we have some wonderful settings because it wouldn't be a Paige Toon novel without some wonderful travel adventures whether that's a trip in a canoe along the cam or flying further afield to friends and family in exotic locations. I was there alongside these characters; travelling vicariously through them and having the odd glass of prosecco with them as I did. 

This is a beautiful slow burn of a book that explores love in all its forms. I love the topics that Paige Toon has had her characters meet head on and I loved being back in Cambridge again and the One Perfect Summer vibes that it bought. This is the kind of book we all need in our lives right now and it was a pleasure to read, I hope to see these characters again very soon!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: One Perfect Summer by Paige Toon

A Dorset summer, a chance meeting, and Joe and Alice, both 18, fall into step as if they have known each other forever. But their idyll is shattered as quickly as it began. Joe leaves without warning; Alice heads off to Cambridge University and slowly picks up the pieces of her broken heart.

Years later, when she catches the attention of gorgeous, gifted, rich boy Lukas, Alice is carried along by his charm and swept up in his ambitious plans for a future together.

Until news of Joe reaches her once more, but he's out of reach in a way that Alice could never have imagined. Life has moved on, the divide between them is now so great. Surely it is far too late to relive those perfect summer days of long ago?

Review: Oh my goodness why did no one make me read this sooner? I read this as part of my Paige Toon back catalogue read along and did it as a buddy read with a friend. Thank goodness I did this one as a buddy read because I had so many thoughts on these characters and this plot!

I loved Alice as a main character, when we first meet her she is so innocent and so untouched by the world but then that summer in Dorset happens and she then carries on through life as a slightly jaded human being, just trying to get through the day, The swing in her character from beginning to middle and then middle to end is remarkable and I was so here for it. 

Joe is an awesome male lead as well, I really liked how sensitive he was in the beginning and I loved how, like Alice he really goes on a journey over the course of the book, the person he is just after the very beginning of this novel is barely recognisable when you compare him to the person he becomes in the end. And then there's Lukas, I did't like Lukas but he because a little bit of a pantomime villain for me, the person I loved to hate and he really posed a dilemma for so many characters in this novel. I loved that he was there to do that but I still resent him now weeks after finishing the book. 

I really like what Paige Toon did with the settings in this novel. This is the first book where we have very little travel to other countries, We travel to Dorset and to Cambridge and have a very brief trip to Germany, all of these settings are highly underused in novels though and so I loved exploring them all with Alice. Oxford gets used a lot in books so it was refreshing that so much of this novel was set in Cambridge, I loved the punting and I loved learning about all of the university buildings. Dorset was an interesting one for me because a lot of the places that Joe and Alice go to I went to with 40 children on a school trip so it was tough to pictures them as romantic settings. Thankfully Paige Toon's writing helped me a lot with that!

I just loved all of the love in this book, this read a little like One Day where you're waiting for characters to realise things and you're kind of waiting to see what catastrophic event the next time period will bring for poor Alice. I loved the romance I loved the characters and this is definitely in the running for my favourite Paige Toon novel of all time. 

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Paige Toon Readathon Update Weeks 1 and 2

Well we have reached the end of week 2 so I thought I would check in and see how we're all doing. 

Week one we read Lucy in the Sky and I posted discussion questions for that over on Instagram/Twitter/Facebok so if you haven't had chance, head over there and chat with us about the book.

This week we read Johnny Be Good. I thought that Johnny's Girl was Johnny 1.5 but its actually a sequel to Baby Be Mine so we will be reading that next week after we read Baby Be Mine. 

Here's some Johnny questions for you...

*Was this book a first time read or a reread for you?

*Was there anything in particular that you loved about it?

*What was your opinion of Johnny? Too much ego or loveable rogue?

*How much do you think Meg changed over the course of the book?

*If you read this book again but told from a different character's point of view-who would you choose and why?

This book was a first time read for me, I loved the hollywood glamour contrasted with the London gloom. I really liked Johnny, I think his character was really realistic and I love how Meg changed over the course of the book, I can't wait to read more from her. I don't think I would enjoy a retelling of this one because I enjoyed seeing things through Meg's eyes...

And starting tomorrow (15th February) we'll be reading Baby Be Mine and Johnny's Girl-yey! Will you be reading with us?

Paige Toon Readalong Readathon

There are some books coming out this year that I am very excited about but probably one of my most anticipated 2020 releases is Paige Toon's new novel The Minute I saw You. This one publishes on 14th May in the UK and I just can't wait.

I was going through some of my top books of the decade at the end of last year and I noticed that I had a couple of Paige Toon novels sitting unread on my shelf so I thought what better way to get to them than host a readalong of all her back list titles in the run up to publication day of The Minute I Saw You? I spoke to my friend Hayley to see if she'd be on board and so we hashed out the details and here we are!

 We're going to be reading a book a week starting on February 1st and if there is a short story or sequel that goes with that book we'll be reading that in the same week too. I'll be vlogging the whole process and Hayley and I will be hosting some discussions over on social media too. 

I've listed all the books and reading date below. If a short story/sequel has its own ebook version I've listed that, otherwise it can be found in the bind up of all the short stories/sequels One Perfect Christmas-so you have options of how you would like to read. 

We would also love to read the Jessie Jefferson novels as well but we know that young adult isn't everyone's cup of tea, just like adult fiction isn't everyone's cup of tea, so we'll be doing those afterwards, at the end so you can choose to join in or not. 

I'm very excited about this readalong because some of these novels will be a first time read for me and others will be a much welcome re-read. I have some of these on audio, some on ebook and others in paperback form. Others I will be borrowing from my library so you have time to see if your library has them, or time to download or buy from your preferred outlet. I'll leave links to each book if you still need to track them down. 

Here are the books and dates-any questions, just leave a comment on this post or get in touch with Hayley or I over on social media...

1/2/20 

Lucy in The Sky

8/2/20 

Johnny Be Good

15/2/20 

Baby Be Mine

Johnny's Girl & extra scene

22/2/20 

Chasing Daisy

Daisy Says Goodbye

29/2/20 

Pictures of Lily

When Lily Met Alice

7/3/20 

One Perfect Summer

One Perfect Christmas

14/3/20

The Longest Holiday

Laura's Longest Day

21/3/20 

Thirteen Weddings

A Christmas Wedding

28/3/20 

The Sun in Her Eyes

4/4/20 

The One We Fell in Love With

Rose's Big Night Out

11/4/20 

The Last Piece of My Heart

Bridget's Beach Proposal

18/4/20 

5 Years From Now

25/4/20 
If You Could Go Anywhere

2/5/20

The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson

9/5/20

I knew You Were Trouble

16/5/20

All About The Hype

23/5/20

The Minute I Saw You

Any questions or comments, just leave them below or get in touch with Hayley or I over on social media. And remember this is just a fun readalong and a way to get hyped up for The Minute I Saw You. You don't have to read all the books, feel free t jump in and out as you wish-happy reading!