Some books come along at just the right time and completely consume you - What If I Never Get Over You is one of those books for me. I didn’t just love this story; I felt every single moment of it. From the instant connection between Ellie and Ash to the years of longing, heartbreak, and fate pulling them back together, this book held my emotions captive from start to finish.

Paige Toon is a master of writing love stories that aren’t just about romance but about the raw, messy, and deeply emotional journey of finding and losing someone who feels like home. I laughed, I smiled, and I sobbed—more than once. It’s the best emotional rollercoaster I’ve experienced in a long time, and I was utterly swept up in every joyful, devastating, and hopeful moment. Reading this book made me feel like I had sparklers inside me, fizzing and flickering with emotion, much like butterflies in my stomach. 💖

The way the story shifts between heartwarming and heartbreaking is brilliantly done. There’s a depth to Ellie and Ash’s relationship that makes you root for them, ache for them, and desperately need to know if they’ll find their way back to each other.

I adored the settings, from the magic of Lisbon to the peace of the beautiful gardens and Welsh countryside. Ellie’s new job at Berkeley Hall, a privately owned estate on the Welsh side of the border with England, is described in such intoxicating detail—Paige Toon brings every square inch to life, filling the pages with vibrant colours, rich scents, and the sheer wonder of nature. The way the gardens mirror Ellie’s own journey of rediscovery and healing makes them feel like a character in their own right. The beautiful gardens are described so wonderfully that I wish I could jump in the car and drive to visit them myself.

This isn’t just a love story—it’s a story about fate, timing, and the kind of connection that never really fades, no matter how much time passes. It is, without a doubt, the most moving book I have read this year, and I know its impact will stay with me for a long time. If you love books that break your heart and put it back together again, this is an absolute must-read.

I loved this story about Ellie and Ash, who met in their early twenties while inter-railing around Europe. The path of true love most certainly did not run smoothly for this pair, but despite the predictability of this story, I loved the immediate connection between this lovable pair. I read it in a day and recommend it to anyone who is looking for an easy to read, romantic storyline,

This was a surprisingly quick read, and I am glad that I managed to read it in two sessions rather than across a number of days because I felt this would have affected the timeline.

Ellie and Ash meet up while they're both interrailing through Europe. Ellie is about to leave and meet her parents in Portugal after struggling to find a way to fit in, while Ash is roughing it, taking each day as it comes. They appear to be incredibly different people, but over the three days they're together, they form a bond that's stronger than it seems initially possible for them to build. They both have uncomfortable relationships with their parents (who expect more than they seem willing to give in return), they are both mourning the loss of close friends, and they both want to belong to something. Ash has his astronomy and while Ellie is destined for a very different career, she is in love with horticulture and longs to be a gardener.

Of course, the path of true love ne'er did run smooth and that is certainly the case with these two. Separated by circumstance, it's more than 6 years before their paths cross again.

I have read every single book by Paige Toon and as with any reader, I do have my favourites. I loved the fact that was very much a 'boy meets girl' (literally), and I enjoyed that aspect of their story. I found the fact that we revisited the issues that caused both Ellie and Ash's mistrust of people, namely distorted relationships with their parents. A great many people can identify with this particular aspect of their own psyche. The fact that Ellie's emotional and psychological issues, tying her fear of Ash's father, her inability to stand up for herself, the fact that she feels as though her parents never listened to her and treated her emotions as insignificant, and her initial role as a people pleaser, to events that occurred in her past was incredibly relatable.

The one thing I felt sad I didn't get from this was a connection to the loss both Ash and Ellie experienced, with Taran and Stella respectively. I knew as soon as Stella was mentioned that something had happened and this is an element of many stories I have truly identified with in the past. For some reason, there was something missing with it this time (and this is the only reason my rating is a 4 rather than a 5), I just can't put my finger on what.

As with every Paige Toon you know that this is not going to have an open ending, and that despite there being potential evidence to the contrary, the MMC is not going to be the bad guy in disguise...just confused, hurt and tormented. That was an element of the story and Ash's character that I loved...the fact that in this instance he was not at all in charge, Ellie was!

I don't think I'll ever be able to read a Paige Toon book slowly. And this one is no exception. It has been such an emotional one. From page 1 I was hooked, and I loved the characters. The whole story. Omg I'm a mess. Totally could not stop reading until I knew how it ended.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read a book from Paige Toon for a while, but reading this book really got me back into her style of writing.
The story of Ash & Ellie spans a number of years and their connection burns so bright the reader can almost feel it scorch the pages.
I really enjoyed this book; a bit of escapism into a world where no matter what barriers are encountered along the road, love will find a way, it just sometimes needs a little help.

I loved Seven Summers by Paige so when I got this ARC for her new book I was super excited!
This book was SO addictive that I couldn’t put it down.

Ellie is travelling through Europe when she meets Ash in Lisbon. They spend 3 days together and they fall for each other.
Ellie has plans to meet her parents and has to leave Ash.
Ash has no phone or anyway of being contacted so they agree to meet in Madrid a few days later however Ash doesn’t show up. Ellie has no way of contacting him, doesn’t know his surname or where he lives so returns home heartbroken.
Ellie spends the next 6 years wondering why he never showed up and where he was until she starts a dream job and all is revealed!

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 (4.5)

Thank you to Netgalley & Penguin Random House for his ARC.

Oh Paige Toon what have you done to me, another fantastic gripping story.

Elle met the one Ash travelling through Portugal, 3 days together and a plan to meet up again in a weeks time after Elle meets up with her parents.

What a beautiful beautiful read this is, I ploughed though these pages but I didn't want it to end!

An engaging story about love, starting over, and making the most of life and to follow your dreams.

Such a beautiful read, Bravo Paige Toon you never disappoint ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another classic by Paige Toon! I wanted something to loose myself in and this certainly did that in the usual addictive fashion of a Paige Toon novel. If you want travelling, to learn something and romance with a happy ending, then this is the book for you.

Was lucky enough to get an early arc of this book from net gallery and Paige Toon!! Paige took is one of my favourite authors and I always love her book!! This book features the story between Ash and Ellie who met whilst travelling!! They quickly fall in live but life events get in the way!! I liked the characters and their story!! Both main characters have the constraints of parental influence and expectations which hinders the relationship! Elle doesn't think she's good enough for ash and ash doesn't want his privileged life!!!
Would highly recommend this book!!

I was completely enchanted by this book, and from the clear connection Ellie and Ash have from their very first meeting.

And I absolutely adored the days the spent in Lisbon, and how Ash was inspiring Ellie to try to take control of her life and to stop being a people pleaser. They were even both travelling for similar reasons, which in Ellie's case I figured out the truth very early on.

But why on earth would Paige Toon give her characters a nice easy time of it, for after a missed meeting in Madrid, and seeing in snippet form what Ellie does after she heads home heartbroken, fate steps in.

And wow I just loved it any time Ash and Ellie were together, there is just something about this couple that I totally adored.

This was such an easy book to read, I was lucky to even notice my tube had stopped at the end of the line on my way home as I was so absorbed. There are so many ups and downs, and I loved all of the various settings of the book.

Paige Toon has just such a way with words that absorbs me into the pages and won't let me go from start to finish. And this is possibly one of my favourite books of hers (but I might say that every time as she is that good!).

What a wonderful love story. Truly adored every second of this.

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I loved this!

This was the first Paige Toon book that I've read and it definitely won't be my last. I loved how she described the characters and the settings sounded beautiful. The relationship between the main characters felt so real and I was desperate for them to get together.

Overall, a beautiful, cosy read!

Firstly, thank you so much for the pleasure to read What If I Never Got Over You.
Ellie and ash both meet backpacking around Europe after uni. It only took 3 days to fall in love.
The promised to meet up before they finished. However ash was nowhere to be found.
Ellie spent the next six years thinking about ash and why he did not show.
That is till Ellie started a new job and who does she see but ash, however he is not who she thought he was.

I absolutely adored the story, simply beautifully written, I felt all the emotion whilst reading.

This is another amazing story by Paige Toon and one that will have you sat up reading late into the night. It tells the story of Ellie and Ash who meet whilst travelling and they fall in love in Lisbon over three days. Three days that changes their lives and their paths forever. They plan to meet again in Madrid after Ellie makes a life changing decision but when she gets there Ash is not.
Jump forward six years and Ellie has never forgotten Ash, he will always be the one who got away. They unexpectedly meet again in a Welsh manor house and sparks are soon flying again. The book is marketed as a modern day Bridgerton meets One Day and I think it lives up to that label. I did get frustrated with the main FMC as she really did faff around the main relationship for far too long before just trusting her heart and getting on board. I did feel that the rich boy class angst hang up was over played at times but on the whole this is another strong offering from Paige that will be a commercial success.

I really enjoy Paige Toon’s novels and this one didn’t disappoint. I always feel that I could make Paige’s characters in my everyday surroundings. They don’t feel out of reach or predictable, I really liked Ellie, she didn’t want to let her parents down but really wanted to pursue her dreams of becoming a gardener. She doesn’t feel like this is possible until she meets a remarkable stranger whilst travelling around Europe. Once you’ve read this, you feel like you have just been released from a warm embrace.

Here we have yet another complete and utter masterpiece from Paige Toon. I swear, every book she writes just grabs onto my heart and won’t let go 🥹

I totally devoured this in the space of a few hours, as I do with all of Paige’s books. I don’t know what she puts in these stories but they just get me every single time, and I can’t put them down for even a second!

In the story, we follow Ash and Ellie who meet at the age of 21 whilst interrailing, finding themselves in a 3-day whirlwind romance. After forming an incredibly strong connection, they vow to meet up again in Madrid, but Ellie is late and Ash doesn’t show, and the two lose touch. When fate steps in and they come face to face again 6 years later, it’s safe to say there are a whole bunch of feelings still floating around, but there’s a reason Ash didn’t show in Madrid. It soon becomes clear why the two of them aren’t destined to be together, but the heart wants what it wants, and you can’t help who you fall in love with.

If you like longing, yearning, all the good stuff… this book will give it to you and then some. I loved it SO much.

I had the best time reading this book, it was incredibly emotive and at times I was close to tears as we experienced Ellie and Ash’s relationship.

Paige perfectly managed to invoke empathy for Ellie and Ash and their life decisions as well as previous traumas they have experienced.
A number of characters in the book are very realise and human in their behaviours.

The story was moving and at times completely heartbreaking but in the best way.

My only critique would be the constant lack of concern over protection/contraception during sex scenes.

Please note my actual rating is 4.5 stars.

What If I Never Get Over You - Paige Toon

5⭐️
I well and truly adored this book with every fibre of me being. Insta-love isn’t really my bag usually, but Paige Toon does such a wonderful job of intermingling that trope with grief and sadness and emotion, as well as the all encompassing feeling that comes when someone just *GETS* you, y’know?
Magic is the only descriptor I have for this book✨
Ellie and Ash are such developed characters with their pasts playing such a huge part of who they are and why they act the way they do. There’s an element of miscommunication between them, but done in a way where you understand their feelings rather than wanting to clang their heads together and make them talk! 📚
I genuinely have no notes - I inhaled this entire book in an afternoon (when I absolutely should have been working👀), and I cannot wait for this to hit shelves so you can all experience this rollercoaster of emotions🎢
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC 📖

Not my favourite of Paige Toon's books despite a promising start. I loved the meet cute between Ellie and Ash in Lisbon, and the way they connected over their earlier losses. The settings were all gorgeous - I love the showcasing of Welsh locations, and the fact that they are real places that can be visited.

On the whole, it was a cute romance, easy reading. But it felt a little more surface value than Toon normally does. I didn't feel any real connection to the characters and their struggles. Ellie's best friend Stella, was a wonderful motivation for her trip through Europe, but it felt a bit like that story thread was abandoned by the wayside halfway through. There's very little, if any, mention of her in the later part of the book.
There were plenty of avenues to explore - heritage and duty, family expectation and control, abuse and PTSD, grief and loss - but every hint of something deeper was glossed over in favour of an instalove connection that overrode everything else.

So on the whole, readable, but nothing outstanding, and a little disappointing overall.

Thanks to NetGalley, Toon and Randomhouse/Penguin for the chance to read ahead of release - a shame it wasn't quite for me in this case.

- @paigetoonauthor is one of my go to, favourite authors. Never failing to squeeze every bit of emotion out of my heart - that is of she’s not smashing it to pieces through her amazing storytelling.

Never afraid of tackling the ups and downs, the lighter or darker parts of a story; Paige brings characters to life that we invest in, that we like or find relatable in some way.

Ellie and Ash have instant chemistry and from the short time they spend together in Lisbon it’s clear they have a deep connection. Years later they realise they perhaps didn’t know each other all that well, there are some things in their lives that neither can escape. Time for them starts running out, will they take a chance or will circumstance ruin everything.

Loved Ash from the start and he seemed like the perfect bloke; Ellie has clearly gone through a lot and it takes time to understand her views on things.

Gorgeous, heartwarming and heartbreaking. An emotional journey. Wonderful as always, I will forever recommend Paige Toon books to everyone!

I have been obsessed with Paige Toon’s books since I read Seven Summers. I loved both the main characters- Ellie and Ash and their storyline. I flew through this book and I’m so excited for her next release.