Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon
This book hit much closer to home than I expected. Not because of the romance, but because of Wren’s relationship with her dad and his second family. I really empathized with her and related to her so deeply that I couldn’t help but cry several times while reading (well, i'm also hormonal so there's that). I thought I was over my unresolved daddy issues, but this book single-handedly reminded me of that and more haha it honestly should have come with a trigger warning jk 😂 Anyway, I felt so happy and relieved that Wren was able to patch things up with her dad in the end, because it is not something that is always easy or even possible in real life.
This easily could have been a 5-star book for me but I felt that Wren and Anders’ chemistry could have been more developed. That is not to say their romance was not good, because it was, albeit heartbreaking. I finished this book in less than a day because I could not put it down. It has a way of making you fall in love with all the characters, both main and secondary. I was especially drawn to Jonas and found myself rooting for his happiness the whole time. I would absolutely read a book with him as the main character 😭
This is my first Paige Toon book, and I completely fell in love with her writing and storytelling. I already have two more of her books on my shelf, and I am really looking forward to reading them and eventually making my way through the rest of her backlist 💖
Neither of them expected to fall in love. But sometimes life has other plans.
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?