March 18, 2024
This heart-wrenching romance from Toon (Only Love Can Hurt Like This) jumps between seven summers in the life of Olivia “Liv” Arterton. In the present day, Liv, who feels stuck in her small hometown on the Cornish coastline, finds herself drawn to her elusive new summer tenant, Tom Thorton—then a man from her past, Finn Finnegan, returns. Six summers ago, when Liv and Finn first met, life was different. Liv, who still dreamed of an art career, was immediately taken with Finn, an aspiring musician from L.A. Their connection was magnetic but slow-burning, culminating in a steamy night at summer’s end—a night that ended in personal tragedy for Liv, derailing her plans. With Finn returning to the States, they made a pact to reconnect every summer, as long as they’re both still single. Now Liv is caught in a gut-wrenching love triangle, forced to choose between her past with Finn or a potential future with Tom. The emotional roller-coaster of Liv and Finn’s relationship is made more intense by Toon’s nonchronological storytelling. Liv coming into her strength and recovering from grief is given equal weight to the romantic story line, but the relentless pain and tragedy of her life makes this not for the faint of heart. Readers who like their romances on the angsty side will want to snap this up.
Starred review from December 1, 2024
Toon's (Only Love Can Hurt Like This) latest transports listeners to a seaside town in Cornwall, England, and shows slices of the protagonist's life across several years. Freshly returned from a sculpting course in Italy, Liv has simple plans for her summer: spend time with friends and family and save money so she can move to London. Then tragedy strikes, causing Liv's life to crumble. Her former classmate Finn is home from Los Angeles for the summer and filling in with a mutual friend's band before returning to his burgeoning music career. Sparks ignite when Finn and Liv meet. Knowing their time together is limited, they make a pact. If neither one has a significant other the following summer, they will continue where they left off. After seven summers of this, a new visitor changes everything. Narrator Natalie Simpson breathes life into Liv's story, pulling listeners in and helping them experience the emotions in the scenes. In addition to her deft portrayal of Liv, she effectively captures the secondary characters. VERDICT An engaging and exquisitely narrated story that's a must-have for most collections. Give to listeners seeking romantic fiction with depth and make sure to suggest that they have tissues handy.--Amanda L.S. Murphy
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