Only Love Can Hurt Like This: an unforgettable love story from the Sunday Times bestselling author

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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. It's really hard to describe what happens without giving spoilers so I'll just say that I was floored by something which I really wasn't expecting and which I think tested the characters to their limits. She has written fifteen novels, a three-part spin-off for young adults and a collection of short stories. When Wren’s fiancé tells her he is in love with someone else, she realises she needs to get away to let her heart recover.

Paige Toon - Penguin Books UK Paige Toon - Penguin Books UK

I loved the dynamics of these characters, from feeling on the outside, to being engulfed by so much love. Jonas literally says “lights on no one’s home” about Anders wife and were just supposed to be like oh nice just cause Anders is in love we can just say mean shit about a person who was in a terrible accident? Many of the characters in this book have suffered loss in their lives in varying degrees, whether it be the loss of a family unit, loss of a relationship, loss of a spouse, etc.When Wren splits up with her fiancé, she escapes to Indiana, to lick her wounds and spend some time with her dad and step family, who run a farm there. Whilst there she has to figure out the dynamics of her family and once again she feels as thought she's on the outside looking in and not quite sure where she belongs. There, she crosses paths with Anders, the son of the family who lives next door and the two begin a special friendship. I loved how they reached out to her, bridging a chasm that was naturally created when her father left her mother for Sheryl. Toon has taken the sledgehammer (pen) and broken my heart only to slowly put piece by piece back together.

ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS | Kirkus Reviews ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS | Kirkus Reviews

Then on like page 100 her step-sister asks her about it and Wren immediately, openly and without real impact admits to resenting her half sister (who then after that conversation and a night of drinking together becomes Wren’s best friend). The setting sounds idyllic, surrounded by peach groves and a lake to swim in, the writing was very atmospheric and I could almost smell the peaches and feel the dry dust in the air when the weather got hotter. And, there is NOTHING that I enjoy more than to see two likable people who have experienced great loss and pain, find each other and come out on the other side. Synopsis: Needing a fresh start and a place to heal her broken heart, Wren decides to visit her dad and stepmom on their farm in Indiana.She tells nuanced stories with big, thought-provoking themes at their heart which leave you uplifted and believing in the power of love. Also, I love how the book explored not only Wren’s romantic relationships, but her fractured relationship with her half-sister, Bailey, her father and new friend/ Andre’s brother, Jonas. This page turning novel broke my heart in many stages of this story but would read it again in a heartbeat!

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon - Penguin Books Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon - Penguin Books

As an avid Paige Toon lover, I was so excited to read this book, and I have to say, it did not disappoint. And wren is lowkey annoying too bc she’s like begging this man to love her and he’s clearly not okay about the moral decision he has to make but she’s acting so fucking desperate and it’s horrible how it all plays out.He and Wren begin to build a special friendship, but there is heartbreak and devastating secrets waiting to bubble up from the past. The emotions run high and it seems impossible for them to escape the shackles that are holding one of them back. Wren decides to visit her father and stepfamily on their farm in Indiana after her fiancé falls in love with someone else.