"I thoroughly enjoyed this heartfelt and beautifully written romance! The concept of love that spans years and continents was captivating, and I found myself eagerly turning pages to see how Ellie and Ash's story would unfold. Their chemistry was undeniable, and I couldn’t help but root for them to find their way back to each other despite all the obstacles.

Ellie and Ash are both incredibly likable and relatable characters. Ms. Toon does a wonderful job of crafting a story where difficult circumstances feel necessary for the characters�� growth and the ultimate resolution of their love story. The side characters added depth and charm to the narrative, enhancing the emotional journey without overshadowing the main plot.

The exploration of balancing personal dreams with the expectations of others was deeply resonant, and the “right person, wrong time�� trope was executed with just the right amount of angst and hope. The growth of both Ellie and Ash, individually and as a couple, was compelling and gave the story a satisfying depth.

That said, Ellie’s repeated doubts about how they “didn’t fit together�� felt a bit overemphasized, which slightly interrupted the pacing for me. However, the warmth and joy of the ending more than made up for it.

If you’re a fan of slow-burning, emotional romances with themes of second chances and personal growth, this book is a must-read. It’s the perfect combination of heartfelt, bittersweet moments and ultimate happiness. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. "

"Well, I feel a bit misled by the tags on this one.

I know that Paige Toon started out writing YA, so I had never read her work until she ventured into the Adult market, and I downloaded “Only Love Can Hurt Like This��-which was a 5 ⭐️ read!

I expected this to be another Adult romance since it WASN’T labeled as YA, but this most definitely had a YA feel from start to finish. While there isn’t anything wrong with YA, I am no longer in that demographic, and I wouldn’t have requested this book had it been labeled as such.

And, unfortunately, that wasn’t the only issue that I had��

Ellie was interrailing through Europe, and feeling quite lonely until she met Ash. Three days in Lisbon was all it took for them to fall love and agree to change their itineraries to meet in Spain the following week.

But, Ash doesn’t show.

Fast forward six years- Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener on a five-hundred-year-old estate in Wales, which included accommodations in staff cottages. She is warmly welcomed by the other staff members who INSTANTLY treat her like one of the family. These characters were all interchangeable to me-not developed enough to stand out, and a bit “too good to be true��.

And, in the main house are Lords, Ladies, Viscounts and ASH?

She didn’t expect to ever see him again, let alone find him here!

I have read other books, and seen movies where two people traveling meet and agree to reconnect at a later date, because of their strong connection-only to have one person not show because of extenuating circumstances. So, to stand out, this story would have to make me care about these two characters and be rooting for them to find one another again.

It didn’t.

Immaturity, Secrets, Lies, and the constant lack of communication are not the things that build a strong foundation for a lasting relationship.

Nor, did these things make for compelling reading, unfortunately, for this reader. Perhaps it will be more satisfying for those in a younger demographic?

A buddy read with DeAnn. Be sure to watch for her review for additional insight!

Available Now

Thank You to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts."

"A chance meeting in Lisbon leads to three magical days that change Ellie's life forever. She's always done what her parents want but meeting Ash is a revelation. They make plans and then he ghosts her. He does, however, make her understand that she should follow her own dream to work as a gardener. But what about his dream? Well, it's not a spoiler that she's shocked when she discovers that he's the heir to the grand estate where she's working and that he's the son of a viscount. And that he's still with Becca. Can these two overcome themselves to become the couple they were meant to be? Not so fast. While Ash had a good reason for ghosting her, there's third act conflict to come. I liked both of them, although I had to keep reminding myself that Ellie is only in her early twenties when I felt she was being immature. And seriously, neither of them ever asked the other their last name? Regardless Toon is a master storyteller who will pull you in and keep you reading with just enough twists and good secondary characters. Thanks to edelweiss for the ARC. A good read. "