Only Love Can Hurt Like This By Paige Toon

‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’ is the latest book by Paige Toon.

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?

Before reading this book, I saw all over social media, posts of heartbreak so I was prepared that I had tea and plenty of tissues before diving in.

The story is seen through the narrative of Wren, who after breaking up with her fiancé leaves for America to visit her dad, stepmother and half sister Bailey. It’s whilst being away that she reflects on her life, her goals and just what she wants but she’s distracted by Anders, who’s struggling with his own heartbreak and together they begin a tentative friendship that develops into something stronger.

As per usual Paige has delivered another book that really pulls the reader in with relatable characters, a glorious plot-line, a picturesque setting and a complicated story that has you cheering for a happy ever after.

The characters are a great bunch, Wren is a kind, caring woman who’s always felt on the outside with her father’s new family and it’s heartwarming to see her bond with the family and form a connection with her stepmother and Bailey. I loved Bailey, where Wren is sensible and soft spoken, Bailey has a wild and fun side which she also manages to bring out in Wren when they go out. Anders is a troubled soul but once Wren breaks through his hard exterior, we see a kind man with a fun side and with Wren by his side, he opens up and begins to slowly move on.

But nothing is ever simple in a Paige Toon book and this is book is filled with heartbreak and complications from the first chapter. Focusing on issues such as grief, loss and betrayal, this rollercoaster of a story evokes all the emotions. Packed with love and healing, ‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’ is a fantastic start to Paige’s new relationship with Penguin Books, a compelling tale that’s beautifully written with leading characters that you fall in love with from the very start.

You can buy ‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.