Member Reviews
As a recent Paige Toon fan, I had high hopes for this one after hearing about this at her recent UK book tour. But I didn’t prepare for this. What a beautiful story which I don’t want to give away the ending for. It just catches you off gaurd. I loved loved loved this one. I haven’t read a book so quickly in some time. I can’t recommend this book enough!
There's something romantic about ending up with your high school sweetheart, in theory.
I was rooting for Finn all the way through this book, I wanted it to work - the local boy turned celebrity and the local girl wrapped up in tragedy. Finn really was the perfect man. But just how long would you wait for Mr Perfect if love isn't enough?
I didn't really feel like I wanted Olivia to have a happy ending as much as I did Finn, but as the story takes you through all of her ups and downs I really found myself wanting it to work out.
I don't think I was ready for the brief mention of IVF, it was fleeting but really hit home
Seven Summers is such a heart clenching story. I felt throughout the book. It's a combination of love and grief and flitting between present summer and previous.
As a Paige Toon fan I fully expected to have my heart strings tugged and to have a cry. I didn't expect the absolute rollercoaster of emotions that I went on, one minute heartbreaking then feeling joy to get heartbroken all over again. I don't know how Paige does it but each book just gets better and better
This is my first Paige Toon book and it will not be my last! I absolutely adored this story. I loved all the characters and was sad to get the end.
The story starts in the present day. We don’t know much about Liv other than she has converted her home into 2 flats and rents one out for the summer. Flashback to 6 summers ago, Liv returns home after finishing her Art degree and a course in Florence. She isn’t planning on staying very long until tragedy hits. We fast forward another summer, revisiting present day in between each summer.
Each past Summer Liv has hooked up with Finn for a week or 2 before he flies back to live his life in LA, always refusing to go back with him as her life is in Cornwall. In present time, Liv doesn’t seem to be waiting for Finn and meets her lush new summer renter until she has to make a choice. The story then continues to see what happens to Liv in the next 7 summers, will she get her happy ending?
I really liked how this story was spread over the years. This story is filled with Love and Tragedy and is heartbreakingly wonderful. I really couldn’t decide who Liv should choose. The story was finished well and left no answers unturned. I just wish the story didn’t have to end. I will miss Liv, Finn & Tom.
This was a beautiful emotional read from Paige Toon set in a glorious setting in Cornwall. Told in the current day and during consecutive summers starting six years ago when Liv fell for Finn whilst he was revisiting his family in the hometown which holds so many tragic memories for him. Near the end of his stay a tragedy occurs that links them emotionally and they find themselves reconnecting every summer when Finn visits the area but their lives are so far apart the rest of the year. In the current year Liv meets Tom and for the first time starts to have feelings for someone other than Finn leaving her in emotional turmoil.
I really enjoy Paige Toon’s writing however this just didn’t quite grab me as much as the last couple of her books. I really felt the connection between Liv and Finn but it didn’t feel as deep between her and Tom, I also found the relationship between Liv and Finn unhealthy which made it more difficult to read. I thought the theme of grief was very well written and I loved Liv’s brother Michael who has Down’s syndrome but leads an independent life with support although is obviously a concern for Liv however his own perspective on their life was fabulous. The epilogue carried on the story really well and provided great balance to the overall story and a beautiful ending.
I've read Paige Toon a few times and I've always enjoyed her stories - they always have a weight but also a real sweetness to them. Whilst the actual writing/style of this one felt a little bit weaker than her previous books, I really enjoyed the actual story and I particularly liked the structure of using each summer to show how their lives were moving on. I thought the exploration of grief was realistic without overpowering the novel too much. If anything, I wanted a bit more detail on Finn's mum as I felt there was an interesting mystery there! But I really, really enjoyed this. A book to simultaneously stop time and while away the hours with!
I absolutely love Paige Toon’s books, and this one didn’t disappoint!
It was typical Paige Toon, being a lovely, easy read, with loveable characters and perfect locations. But it wasn’t without its problems, with a lot of loss and love.
The books jumps back and forth across the seven summers that Liv is in love with Finn, exploring their relationship and all the issues they face when only seeing each other for a week or two out of a year.
I enjoyed how it kept going back and forth between the summers and how it explored all the difficult situations so well, but also had the perfect happy ending that was wrapped up so well it didn’t leave you with any questions.
This was a excellent ready by Paige Toon. You will want to continue reading to find out what happens next! She keeps you intrigued that you can't stop reading.
Another great book by Paige. Feel good, emotional, great characters, uplifting and heartwarming. I really enjoyed it.
Okay…give me a moment.
I wanted to write this review straight after reading because wow, the emotions that are flowing right now.
I’m not going to lie, the first 40% of this book, I thought I was going to find it difficult to get through, which is not like me with a Paige Toon read. The writing felt a little slow, I wasn’t totally vibing with the characters then from 40% onwards, wham, bam, wallop! It was hook, line and sinker.
The pace seemed to flow better, the characters were more fleshed out, and that angst, yearning, romance, twisty tummy feeling that I’ve come to know and love from a Paige Toon book hit.
There were some difficult topics of grief and illness that were covered sensitively and with grace but were also woven beautifully with the theme of hope and rediscovery.
Toon’s scenic descriptions of some of the places in Cornwall were also gorgeous; some lines were simply poetic.
This book reminded me very much of Five Years From Now which is one of my favourites, so if you loved that you will simply adore Seven Summers!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
Now I’m going to go and emotionally recover haha!
Another amazing book by Paige Toon. I loved it, it had great characters, I was rooting for them all! Highly recommend, an emotional read.
Wow just wow! I can't believe I have never read anything by this author before I am now going to start reading all her books, I have laughed I have cried and I genuinely looked forward to picking this book back up.
Not your typical love story, I found myself routing for Tom then finn then back again I just loved them both, I felt so close to liv and I was just praying for a happy ending for her after all her grief I won't ruin the ending for anyone but just perfect! The emotion this book made me feel does not happen often so fantastic job paige.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review this title
Another amazing book from Paige Toon. Loved the characters of Liv, Tom and Finn. Tackles some very heart wrenching subjects. Well written and thoroughly researched as always. It was definitely an emotional read. 😢
Another fantastic read from the fabulous Paige Toon.
There is not a book I haven't loved and fallen in love with.
I too would be torn if I was Liv, wow what a rollercoaster of emotions.
I was rooting for one then the other., this is just the perfect read as the title states over 7 summers which I thought would be confusing but the story and writing just flowed beautifully.
Highly recommended well worthy of 5 stars.
A lovely read from Paige Toon; it's written in her usual style and is very enjoyable. The story covers a lot of loss, but also love and hope. The characters feel believable and I enjoyed reading their story. There's nothing groundbreaking about this story, it's simply one to enjoy. There's nothing too taxing to remember or think about and I liked how it is structured by summers, which is cleverly done .
Yet again I was lucky enough to get an arc of my favourite authors new book! So thank you both NetGalley and Paige Toon
This book was such a lovely read. As some who adored Cornwall this was perfect. My favourite book of Toons is Give years from now and this really gave me the vibes I needed after the heartbreaking ending of that novel. Although this book has a lot of heartache, and almost brought me to tears at one point, I loved it. It still hasn’t beaten five years from now but it’s very close! I loved the characters in this. I loved the love story, or should I say triangle, I just loved it. Another corker from Paige Toon.
I was delighted to get the opportunity to read this story. Paige Toon is an absolute master at emotional storytelling that packs a punch. Seven Summers is another joy to read that was over all too quickly. Toon manages to draw you in deeply to Liv's world so you feel invested in every moment. The rugged Cornish setting adds to the emotions and felt like a familiar comfort from the point of view of a British reader. The chapters hop between past and present, then future and are well woven to slowly add to the picture we have of Liv. I found the journey the story ends up following made for a really satisfying ending that brought everything together. A delight!
It’s a book about loss and love, let go and allow love
The story is set in different times,
Seven summers ago: Liv returned to her hometown St. Agnes in Cornwall after she finished university. Live ist to start now, she ist full of energy and sees herself in London soon. While working at the Seaglass Bar she meets Finn, a former classmate, singing as a lead singer of a band at Seaglass…
Now: Liv meets Tom, who rents one of her apartments…
We follow both relationships over the last seven summers and this summer.
It’s such a heartwarming and incredible story. I loved every word, the setting was perfect and the main characters are wonderful. I loved, that I couldn’t figure out the end and when I was done, it was perfect.
I have read all her books and have to say, this is my new favorite!
I cannot believe this is only the second book I've read by the author as I absolutely adored both this and her previous novel Only Love Can Hurt Like This.
Seven Summers is the love story of Liv and Finn who meet in a bar in St Agnes in Cornwall and over the summers that follow the reader is drawn into their relationship.
Once again this is a moving and emotional read by the author, and what could be a cliched and predictable read is made so believable in the hands of Paige Toon. I love her descriptions of places and here she brings St Agnes and its community to life. She skilfully portrays family relationships, the ties we have to our family and writes so sensitively about grief and loss. I loved the character of Liv and over the course of 24 hours I felt a part of her world and was bereft when I finished this gorgeous novel.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
Seven Summers brings us a tale of heartbreak and an overwhelming feeling of finality.
As someone who has read every single book Paige has ever written more than 5 times, I can say going into this book I was prepared to have my heart ripped out. What I wasn’t expecting was for it to be ripped out, put back together, ripped out again and then for it to come full circle.
The books starts out with Liv returning home from Uni where she gets to finally hang with friends and enjoy her summer before she takes the leap for a big move. One night she’s out and she see a guy she knew of from secondary school, fast forward they spend time together until he leaves to head back home to American. But not after comforting her after something traumatic happens and promising he will be back the following summer. And if they’re still single….. this goes on for 6 years where on that 6th year it stops. Now comes the 7th summer where a new guy walks into her life and she has to choose.
Now I won’t tell you the ending obviouslyyyyy but from this point on, hearts will shatter so prepare yourself.
Paige has managed to once again managed to rip my heart out, twice. The twists and turns definitely had me blindsided in all the best ways but they all still managed to make me cry.
I will forever and always buy a novel by Paige, even without reading the Blurb. I love everything she writes.
So thankful to receive this arc.
Thank you to Net gallery, Penguin group Putnam and Paige.
Now I’m about to go and reread all of Paige’s books in publish order once again.