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#BookReview Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon @PaigeToonAuthor @PutnamBooks @penguinrandom #OnlyLoveCanHurtLikeThis #PaigeToon

In the spirit of Colleen Hoover and Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You , an unforgettable and heartbreaking love story with an earth-shattering secret at its core that asks the question: is love worth risking everything for?

An earth-shattering secret. A life-changing love story.

When Wren realizes 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 harboring 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?

Addictive, pensive, and heart-wrenching!

Only  Love  Can Hurt Like This  is an immersive, emotional, heartwarming tale that takes us into the life of the sweet, vulnerable Wren as she struggles to juggle a broken engagement, a strained relationship with a father she hardly sees, a newly budding friendship with a half-sister she always slightly resented, and a complicated relationship with a man who is stealing her heart piece by piece but who may unfortunately already be emotionally shackled to another.

The writing is sentimental and engaging. The characters are layered, supportive, and generous. And the plot is a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, heartbreak, taking chances, growth, healing, revelations, tender moments, light drama, selflessness, romance, and new beginnings.

For the past few years, Paige Toon’s books have topped my must-read, favourites list, and even though I didn’t think it was possible to love her books any more than I already did, she proved me wrong once again. Only  Love  Can Hurt Like This  made my heart smile, shatter, and then put it all back together again in 400 pages, and not only did I absolutely adore it, but it might just be, dare I say it, one of my all-time faves!

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to G. P. Putnam’s Sons – Penguin Random House for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Paige Toon

Paige Toon grew up between England, Australia and America and has been writing books set in sun-drenched locations around the world since 2007. She has written fourteen women's fiction novels, a three-part spin-off series for young adults and a collection of short stories. Her novels have sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.

In Spring 2021, Paige and her publishing team launched ‘feel it all’ branding for her novels, which is inspired directly by her readers and what they have been telling her for years: that when they read a Paige Toon novel, they experience a myriad of emo>ons, from love, heartache and passion, to grief, happiness and hope. The message is simple: get lost in one of Paige’s stories and you really will feel it all.

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Book Review: Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon is an emotional romance novel based on heartbreaking situations and secrets.

This book is part of  My Fall 2023 Reading List .

My Overview

Wren is engaged and happily living in England. Unfortunately, that ended when her fiancé informed her that he was in love with someone else 🫢. Wanting to get away from the aftermath of their breakup, she heads off to Indiana to stay with her father and step-family. Although Wren has visited her father and step-family over the years, their relationship is simply cordial. This current visit is ideal for healing, strengthening relationships, and new beginnings. Why? Wren and her sister (Bailey) are now adults, and their neighbors (Anders and Jonas) are more than willing to help them move forward. Does this sound simple? It’s not. Anders is hiding a big secret.

This story is much more than the getting away to overcome a broken engagement and finding new love plot line. It’s a romance novel with a lot of depth to the storyline, and each of the characters are trying to overcome heartbreaking situations. Aside from the romance aspect, this is the story about Wren healing from her parents’ divorce and never feeling part of her father’s family. The “earth-shattering secret” the blurb advertises, reveals a heartbreaking and thought-provoking situation.

Overall, this is an impactful story about love, family, marriage, and grief. The writing style and well-defined characters make this is poignant novel. I truly felt that I got to know the characters and understood their difficult situations. As the title states, only love can hurt like this .

My Recommendation

I enjoyed this emotional and thought-provoking story. If you enjoy romance novels with family drama and thought-provoking situations, I think you’ll enjoy this one too. The audiobook narration is great, so I recommend it.

Have you read this book?

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Look Inside

Only Love Can Hurt Like This

By paige toon, by paige toon read by gemma whelan and jared zeus, category: contemporary romance | women's fiction, category: contemporary romance | women's fiction | audiobooks.

Apr 25, 2023 | ISBN 9780593544334 | 5-3/16 x 8 --> | ISBN 9780593544334 --> Buy

Apr 25, 2023 | ISBN 9780593544341 | ISBN 9780593544341 --> Buy

Apr 25, 2023 | 590 Minutes | ISBN 9780593741986 --> Buy

Buy from Other Retailers:

Apr 25, 2023 | ISBN 9780593544334

Apr 25, 2023 | ISBN 9780593544341

Apr 25, 2023 | ISBN 9780593741986

590 Minutes

Buy the Audiobook Download:

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About Only Love Can Hurt Like This

AN EARTH SHATTERING SECRET. A LIFE-CHANGING LOVE STORY. “Nobody writes angst and joy and hope like Paige Toon.”—CHRISTINA LAUREN, author of LOVE AND OTHER WORDS For fans of Colleen Hoover, an unforgettable and heartbreaking love story with an earth-shattering secret at its core that asks the question: Is love worth risking everything for? When Wren realizes 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 harboring 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?

Listen to a sample from Only Love Can Hurt Like This

Also by paige toon.

About Paige Toon

Paige Toon grew up between England, Australia, and America and has been writing emotional love stories since 2007. She has published fifteen novels, a three-part spin-off series for young adults, and a collection of short stories. Her books have sold… More about Paige Toon

Product Details

Category: contemporary romance | women’s fiction, category: contemporary romance | women’s fiction | audiobooks, you may also like.

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Reader’s Digest May book club pick One of New York Post ’s “best new books to read” One of Reader’s Digest’s 32 Best Beach Reads for the Perfect Escape “Will have you swooning, crying, and turning the pages late into the night…. Truly heart-rending.” —Sophie Cousens, author of Just Haven’t Met You Yet “Even while her novel was breaking my heart into tiny pieces, I couldn’t put it down. Emotional and riveting, this is a story of big secrets, and even bigger love.” —Jill Santopolo, author of The Light We Lost “A tightly-paced blend of angst and joy and hope. Perfect from start to finish. I absolutely adored this book!” — Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners “Emotional, angsty, and utterly romantic. I was rooting so hard for these characters to get the happy ending they deserved. This story will have you wiping away tears one moment, and smiling dreamily the next.” –Mia Sheridan, author of Archer’s Voice and Travis “Paige Toon writes such beautiful, emotional love stories. I adored Only Love Can Hurt Like This— it swept me away to the gorgeous Wetherill Farm and I fell in love with Wren and Anders.” — Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare and The Road Trip “So unique and moving. I adored every lovely word!” —Josie Silver, author of One Day in December “In this monumentally moving story (keep the tissues at hand) of two lovers kept apart by tragic secrets, Toon urges us to risk everything, to never play it safe when it comes to the heart, and to know that caring is always, always, worth the cost.” —Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You and With or Without You “A delicious, slow burn love story that hit me in parts of my heart I didn’t even know I had. Full of original and complex characters, it left me with the wonderful feeling that love this real can make anything possible.”—Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script “What a beautiful, lovely tearjerker of a book. This story will stay with me.” —Lizzy Dent, author of The Summer Job and The Setup “Compulsively page-turning, wildly romantic and beautifully heartbreaking. I stayed up all night and inhaled it in one big gulp. A totally brilliant read—I could not love it more.”—Emily Stone, author of Always in December “Emotional.” – Publishers Weekly “Oh my GOD. This book! Only Paige Toon can make me believe in the power of love this way….It has everything: family, love, secrets, sexy descriptions of brooding, hot men…just sublime.” —Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop and The Love Square “Remarkably romantic and emotional, written by one of the only writers who can make me cry!” —Lia Louis, author of Eight Perfect Hours “A beautiful love story that simmers in such a heart-warming and heart-breaking way. I sobbed!” —Giovanna Fletcher, author of Eve of Man

Only Love Can Hurt Like This, a review by Kristin

Only Love Can Hurt Like This By: Paige Toon

Publication Date: April 25, 2023 Published By: Penguin Group Putnam; G.P. Putnam Sons 400 pages

Find It On: Amazon | Goodreads

*This post contains affiliate links. We earn a small commission if you purchase the book through the link.

Wren is engaged and believes that she’s getting married. A date has been set and plans have been made. But then she sees her fiancé with a woman that he works with and realizes that he’s in love with her. Seeing them around town doesn’t get any easier. To get away, she flies from the UK to the US to spend the summer with her dad and step family. They own a farm in Indiana and she’s hoping time spent there will help her heal. When she crosses paths with Anders, she can’t help but to feel something for him. But he’s made it clear that he cannot be with another woman. There’s a secret he’s keeping, and if he falls for Wren, lives would be in an uproar. Can she walk away and be hurt all over again? What if the truth is too much for her to stay?

Wow. That’s the first thing I thought while reading this book and after being done with it. Just Wow. I don’t normally give books 5 stars, but I had to for this book. It’s a slow burn type of book but doesn’t read as a slow burn. The interactions between Anders and Wren are engaging and keep the plot moving. I couldn’t stop reading this book, but I also didn’t want it to end. What makes this book special is that there is so much love between all the characters. Characters in friendships, relationships, family, or friends. While of course I loved seeing the relationship blossom between Wren and Anders and felt all their angst and desire when they wanted each other but had to walk away, the relationship I loved seeing blossom the most was that between Wren and her dad. I don’t have a relationship with my dad, but it made me smile that these two were able to grow in their relationship. I also loved seeing the relationship between Wren and her half-sister Bailey grow; I’ve always wanted a sister! It was also enjoyable to read about Wren’s friendship with Anders’ brother, Jonas. Toon did a great job switching up the dynamic between the brothers, with Anders looking out for his brother first and then Jonas looking out for his brother. I really cannot say enough good things about this book. It all comes down to this: I loved it! Everyone needs to read this book.

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Only Love Can Hurt Like This: an unforgettable love story from the Sunday Times bestselling author Paperback – 27 April 2023

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'Heartwarming and heartbreaking' Giovanna Fletcher 'Deep, emotional and powerful' Milly Johnson 'It swept me away' Beth O'Leary ___________________________ An instant Sunday Times bestseller. 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 does not 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? __________________________________ 'This is a book that will have you swooning, crying, and turning the pages late into the night' Sophie Cousens 'Beautifully written. So immersive and with such depth of emotion' Jill Mansell 'This is going to be totally massive, because it has everything: family, love, secrets, sexy descriptions of brooding, hot men. . . just sublime' Laura Jane Williams 'A moving, remarkably romantic and emotional novel written by one of the only writers who can make me cry! Paige Toon continues to weave the most beautiful, deep stories, and Only Love Can Hurt Like This is her at her absolute best!' Lia Louis 'A word-perfect deep dive into the highs and lows of love' Heidi Swain 'Paige Toon is a genius and I highly recommend this gorgeous book' Lucy Vine 'A heart-wrenching story. . . I feel bereft to have finished it' Ali Harris 'Heart-wrenching and beautiful with a seismic plot twist' Zoë Folbigg ' Emotional, angsty, and utterly romantic. . .This story will have you wiping away tears one moment, and smiling dreamily the next' Mia Sheridan 'The author is known for writing gutwrenching novels, and hits the mark again with this wonderful tale' The Sun ‘A hot man with dark secrets, a sparky heroine, a gorgeous setting and slow-burn emotional fire. Whew. *Fans self*' Natasha Poliszczuk 'Compulsively page-turning, wildly romantic and beautifully heartbreaking. I stayed up all night and inhaled it in one big gulp. A totally brilliant read - I couldn't love it more' Emily Stone 'What a beautiful, lovely tearjerker of a book. This story will stay with me for a long time. . .' Lizzy Dent 'Toon urges us to risk everything, to never play it safe when it comes to the heart, and to know that caring is always, always, worth the cost' Caroline Leavitt 'Paige Toon's writing is emotional and riveting. Even while her novel was breaking my heart into tiny pieces, I could not put it down' Jill Santopolo 'Heartbreaking, gorgeous and unforgettable [...] Only Paige can write like this!' Dani Atkins 'This book is a delicious, slow burn love story that hit me in parts of my heart I didn't even know I had' Annabel Monaghan Instant Sunday Times bestseller, April 2023

• Print length 416 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Penguin
• Publication date 27 April 2023
• Dimensions 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.49 cm
• ISBN-10 1529157900
• ISBN-13 978-1529157901
• See all details

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Product description

About the author.

Paige Toon is the bestselling author of fifteen adult novels and three young adult titles, and her books have sold 2 million copies worldwide. Paige writes sweeping, emotional love stories filled with incredible settings and characters you'll never forget. She tells nuanced stories with big, thought-provoking themes at their heart which leave you uplifted and believing in the power of love. You will laugh, cry and feel like you've become part of a new family. She lives in Cambridgeshire with her husband and their two children.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (27 April 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1529157900
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529157901
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.49 cm
• 393 in Clean & Wholesome Romance (Books)
• 2,996 in Literary Fiction (Books)
• 4,624 in Contemporary Fiction (Books)

About the author

Hello! Thank you so much for visiting my author page. I write emotional love stories featuring flawed characters who sometimes find themselves in impossible situations. If you pick up one of my novels, I hope that you will experience every emotion along with my characters, from love, passion and grief, to heartache, happiness and hope. I certainly feel it all when I'm writing. I can't wait for you to discover my heart-breaking new novel, Only Love Can Hurt Like This, when it's released, but in the meantime, please check out my other books, and if you enjoy them and would like to drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram @PaigeToonAuthor. You can also sign up to my newsletter The Hidden Paige via paigetoon.com. Lots of love, Paige x

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• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS

by Paige Toon ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 25, 2023

A weak romance but an interesting family drama.

After a heartbreak, a woman visits family in Indiana to reevaluate her life and maybe even find new love.

Wren’s fiance has fallen in love with someone else and breaks up with her mere months before the wedding. Their English village, once quaint and comfortable, is now much too small for the both of them. On her mother’s suggestion, Wren decides to fly out and spend the summer with her father, stepmother, and newly married half sister on their Indiana farm. Things are slightly tense, as Wren has never been completely at ease with her father since he left her and her mother for this new family when she was young, but maybe time together will begin to strengthen a weak connection. She also keeps running into Anders, the younger son of the farm next door, who’s visiting from Indianapolis and still reeling from losing his wife four years earlier. The two are drawn to each other despite both of their hesitations, but a secret Anders is keeping threatens their newfound affection. Toon has constructed a very cozy, lived-in world of Indiana farms that's comforting both for Wren and the reader. The tangled web of relations in Wren’s family and her journey to begin to heal some of the wounds of her childhood are the strongest parts of the novel, messy but real. Wren and Anders’ relationship is a bit rushed; it feels more superficial when juxtaposed against Wren’s complicated, realistic family relationships. Some plot threads go nowhere, and others appear out of thin air. Anders’ big secret doesn’t come into the story until two-thirds of the way through, complicating things but without much time for characters to explore or truly reflect on it.

Pub Date: April 25, 2023

ISBN: 9780593544334

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023

ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE | GENERAL FICTION

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A LITTLE LIFE

by Hanya Yanagihara ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2015

The phrase “tour de force” could have been invented for this audacious novel.

Four men who meet as college roommates move to New York and spend the next three decades gaining renown in their professions—as an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—and struggling with demons in their intertwined personal lives.

Yanagihara ( The People in the Trees , 2013) takes the still-bold leap of writing about characters who don’t share her background; in addition to being male, JB is African-American, Malcolm has a black father and white mother, Willem is white, and “Jude’s race was undetermined”—deserted at birth, he was raised in a monastery and had an unspeakably traumatic childhood that’s revealed slowly over the course of the book. Two of them are gay, one straight and one bisexual. There isn’t a single significant female character, and for a long novel, there isn’t much plot. There aren’t even many markers of what’s happening in the outside world; Jude moves to a loft in SoHo as a young man, but we don’t see the neighborhood change from gritty artists’ enclave to glitzy tourist destination. What we get instead is an intensely interior look at the friends’ psyches and relationships, and it’s utterly enthralling. The four men think about work and creativity and success and failure; they cook for each other, compete with each other and jostle for each other’s affection. JB bases his entire artistic career on painting portraits of his friends, while Malcolm takes care of them by designing their apartments and houses. When Jude, as an adult, is adopted by his favorite Harvard law professor, his friends join him for Thanksgiving in Cambridge every year. And when Willem becomes a movie star, they all bask in his glow. Eventually, the tone darkens and the story narrows to focus on Jude as the pain of his past cuts deep into his carefully constructed life.  

Pub Date: March 10, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-385-53925-8

Page Count: 720

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015

GENERAL FICTION

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by Hanya Yanagihara

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Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of 2022

New York Times Bestseller

Pulitzer Prize Winner

DEMON COPPERHEAD

by Barbara Kingsolver ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022

An angry, powerful book seething with love and outrage for a community too often stereotyped or ignored.

Inspired by David Copperfield , Kingsolver crafts a 21st-century coming-of-age story set in America’s hard-pressed rural South.

It’s not necessary to have read Dickens’ famous novel to appreciate Kingsolver’s absorbing tale, but those who have will savor the tough-minded changes she rings on his Victorian sentimentality while affirming his stinging critique of a heartless society. Our soon-to-be orphaned narrator’s mother is a substance-abusing teenage single mom who checks out via OD on his 11th birthday, and Demon’s cynical, wised-up voice is light-years removed from David Copperfield’s earnest tone. Yet readers also see the yearning for love and wells of compassion hidden beneath his self-protective exterior. Like pretty much everyone else in Lee County, Virginia, hollowed out economically by the coal and tobacco industries, he sees himself as someone with no prospects and little worth. One of Kingsolver’s major themes, hit a little too insistently, is the contempt felt by participants in the modern capitalist economy for those rooted in older ways of life. More nuanced and emotionally engaging is Demon’s fierce attachment to his home ground, a place where he is known and supported, tested to the breaking point as the opiate epidemic engulfs it. Kingsolver’s ferocious indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, angrily stated by a local girl who has become a nurse, is in the best Dickensian tradition, and Demon gives a harrowing account of his descent into addiction with his beloved Dori (as naïve as Dickens’ Dora in her own screwed-up way). Does knowledge offer a way out of this sinkhole? A committed teacher tries to enlighten Demon’s seventh grade class about how the resource-rich countryside was pillaged and abandoned, but Kingsolver doesn’t air-brush his students’ dismissal of this history or the prejudice encountered by this African American outsider and his White wife. She is an art teacher who guides Demon toward self-expression, just as his friend Tommy provokes his dawning understanding of how their world has been shaped by outside forces and what he might be able to do about it.

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-06-325-1922

Page Count: 560

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 13, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022

LITERARY FICTION | GENERAL FICTION

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by Barbara Kingsolver

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Chick Lit Central

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Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Book review: only love can hurt like this.

It has been way too long since I read a Paige Toon novel! I shared my love for Paige’s writing way back in 2012 (when I first started reviewing for the blog) as part of an author tribute for International Chick Lit Month ( Chick Lit Central: Toon in TODAY! ). Although I hadn’t read Paige’s more recent novels, I was determined to rectify this when I was inundated on social media with positivity and praise for her latest novel, Only Love Can Hurt Like This . Part of me wondered if, as time has gone by, whether I would enjoy the book as much as I had previous novels, but I’m pleased to say I loved this book. So what is the novel about?

‘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 does not 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?’ (Synopsis courtesy of Penguin UK.)

I developed a soft-spot for all of the main characters, I felt I grew to understand them all slowly and surely, as Wren does herself. I particularly found Wren’s relationship with her dad, stepmother, and half-sister interesting and very moving at times. The book captures the complexities of parental relationship breakdown for children and the challenges of blended families were covered well. I could resonate with some of Wren’s feelings, so this element of the story drew me in in particular and I loved the scenes with Wren and her half-sister Bailey and how their relationship developed.  

Then of course there’s Anders, and again let’s just say Paige is extremely reliable at creating delectable love interests! I instantly loved Anders, and his vulnerability, strength and good-heart came across right from the beginning. On the other hand, Anders is a hard to read character and I loved to see how Wren interacted with him and challenged him and his path, and how he interacted with his family, in particular, his brother Jonas who he cares deeply about and is very protective towards. 

We know from the synopsis that Anders is struggling himself with loss. I don’t want to spoil anything, but needless to say I didn’t pre-empt how his story would evolve and what would be revealed, but it made complete sense when it did. Again, Paige deals with a sensitive situation carefully and with respect and I just ended up loving the characters even more. This reveal came at just the right point in the novel for me; it was quite far in and I think that just shows how clever the writing is to not guess what’s coming, or necessarily to expect that something is coming that is so profound. Very clever.

The setting, as ever with Paige, is so clear to picture I felt like I was right there in Indiana with Wren on the farm and playing pool with Wren and Bailey and the boys in the bar. 

This is a book which definitely made me feel warm and cosy inside and I need to see these characters in future novels, please, to check-in on them! Now my review is done I shall go back to singing the song (Paloma Faith) which has been on my brain a lot recently which isn’t a bad thing! 

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Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon: A Book Review

So, what's this book about then?

Would i recommend only love can hurt like this by paige toon.

It's an incredibly moving book, I ended up rooting for Wren and Anders so much.  

I'd love to know your thoughts on only love can hurt like this, 14 comments.

I LOVE the name Wren. I want to know the secret now though! Corinne x https://skinnedcartree.com

It's such a lovely name isn't it?! You'll have to read it and find out Corinne! No spoilers from me! x

Sounds amazing! Although I totally read it at first being that they met the Jonas brothers haha. Oops! Sounds like a great page turner! Claire. X www.clairemac.co.uk

Now that would have been cool if the Jonas brothers turned up in the book! It is a really great read, couldn't fault it! x

Sounds like a lovely book with mysteries. I would love to know the secret 🤐

It's such a lovely read Rayo, you have to read it to find out the secret!

I need a page turner like this for me right now! Rosie https://www.loverosiee.co.uk

It's such a great read Rosie, I'm sure you'd love it!

This sounds like my kind of book. I've promised myself to read more this year so this may be my first purchase of 2024! x

You need to read it Samantha! This would be a great book to start with if you want to get back into reading again! x

Oh wow!!! Swooningly awesome! This book sounds like my cuppa tea. I love romantic stories that can make me smile and cry. I will definitely add this book to my TBR. Thank you for sharing, Lucy.

You need to read this Fadima, I'm sure you'll love it!

I hadn't heard of this book before but it sounds quite interesting. I really enjoyed your review and will need to check this one out.

It's a lovely read, sad in parts but still a lovely read Sarah!

Well, hello there!

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A Midlife Wife

Healthy Living, Loving, and Redefining Life

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon: Review

Have you ever opened a book and was completely absorbed from the very first page? It became a book that you simply could not stop reading. This story from an author I have never read before is one of those writers that can tell a story that stops your world.

Clear a day when you buy this book because it seriously is one you will not stop reading until you turn the last page. Continue on with my thoughts on this review for this upcoming publication.

(affiliate link) Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon Publisher: ‎ G.P. Putnam’s Sons (April 25, 2023) ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593544334

An earth-shattering secret. A life-changing love story.

When Wren realizes 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 harboring a secret, and if he acts on any feelings he has for Wren it will have a serious fall-out for everyone. Walking away would hurt Wren more than she can imagine. But, knowing the truth, how can she possibly stay?

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon Review

I simply love sweeping romance novels. The ones that burrow into your soul and leave you drained by the time you get to the end. The subtle buildup that happens page after page. Building an emotional story that is not overly complex, it’s just a fantastically written love story.

This author has had me swooning with my emotions all over the place. Told from two different points of view, with the main male character and the main female character, we get to see both sides of the story.

Toon tells the story from one end of the spectrum to another; heart-wrenching pain from secrets and hurts, then soaring love that fills the reader with joy. It is an addicting read!

Only Love Can Hurt Like This is a book that is more of an experience than anything else. It’s simple in its plot yet complex in its heartfelt emotions. The character development of Wren and Anders is amazing.

Since this is the first book I’ve read by this author, I have nothing to compare it to, but I do know that this will not be the only book I’ve read by this author. This is definitely a story you will want to read again and again. Deeply emotional and so damn good. What a romance!

5 Fab STARS!

Disclaimer: Affiliate Links have been included – Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.

Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…

Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.

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Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon

By: Author Jen - MMB Book Blog

Posted on Published: 14 April 2023  - Last updated: 3 March 2024

Sharing is caring!

From what I can remember, I’ve only ever read one Paige Toon book. I read The One We Fell in Love With a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. While I was expecting a light-hearted romantic read, it had so much more depth than I expected.

I was delighted to read her latest novel before its official release. Only Love Can Hurt Like This hit the shelves in 2023.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon: Plot

After realising her fiancé is in love with somebody else, Wren is devastated. Feeling broken hearted and unsatisfied with her job, Wren decides to take a break and visit her father and his family in Indiana. Wren has never felt like she belongs in her father’s new family but hopes that time there will help her heal.

Anders meanwhile lost his wife four years ago and is finding it impossible to move on. However, when he crosses paths with Wren, there is an instant connection.

Anders and Wren are cautious, both feeling bruised from their previous relationships, but neither can deny the feelings that are there.

But when Wren discovers a secret Anders has been hiding, her world is turned upside down.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon: My Opinion

Only Love Can Hurt Like This was another emotional read by Paige Toon.

What I really enjoyed about this book was it wasn’t purely about romance. The story explored relationships between families and the struggle of having to make impossible decisions.

The characters were nuanced and believable and I really liked getting to know Wren and Anders. I rooted for them and hoped they could find a way to happiness. The supporting cast of characters was equally as likeable.

I really enjoyed the location. It felt quite idyllic, as long as you don’t mind a few tornados! I could understand why Wren found herself wanting to stay.

This story was definitely a romance with depth. It was thought provoking and utterly heart-breaking in places. It was also quite unpredictable and I didn’t expect some of the twists and turns within the story.

I appreciated how the story doesn’t villainise ex-partners. When Wren’s fiancé falls in love with someone else, Wren is obviously devastated but can acknowledge he was happier elsewhere and takes comfort that at least he was honest with her.

The exploration of Wren’s family and her upbringing was really sensitively handled. Her sadness over never feeling like she fit in, as well as her feelings of rejection really impacted the story. The way Wren rebuilt these bonds with her dad, step-mother and half-sister felt really authentic.

How many pages does Only Love Can Hurt Like This have?

Only Love Can Hurt Like This has pages.

When was Only Love Can Hurt Like This released?

Only Love Can Hurt Like This was published on

Has Paige Toon written any other novels?

Paige Toon has written several other novels. I have a complete list of Paige Toon books in order if you’re interested in finding out more.

What should I read after Only Love Can Hurt Like This?

If you enjoyed Only Love Can Hurt Like This, I’d recommend reading The Sight of You by Holly Miller which is similarly romantic and poignant. I’d also recommend 12 Hours to Say I Love You by Olivia Poulet and Laurence Dobiesz .

I really enjoyed Only Love Can Hurt Like This. It was a poignant and emotional read with characters you can really root for.

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I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. For more information please see my  disclosure policy . 

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'Heartwarming and heartbreaking' Giovanna Fletcher 'Deep, emotional and powerful' Milly Johnson 'It swept me away' Beth O'Leary ___________________________ An instant Sunday Times bestseller. 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 does not 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? __________________________________ 'This is a book that will have you swooning, crying, and turning the pages late into the night' Sophie Cousens 'Beautifully written. So immersive and with such depth of emotion' Jill Mansell 'This is going to be totally massive, because it has everything: family, love, secrets, sexy descriptions of brooding, hot men. . . just sublime' Laura Jane Williams 'A moving, remarkably romantic and emotional novel written by one of the only writers who can make me cry! Paige Toon continues to weave the most beautiful, deep stories, and Only Love Can Hurt Like This is her at her absolute best!' Lia Louis 'A word-perfect deep dive into the highs and lows of love' Heidi Swain 'Paige Toon is a genius and I highly recommend this gorgeous book' Lucy Vine 'A heart-wrenching story. . . I feel bereft to have finished it' Ali Harris 'Heart-wrenching and beautiful with a seismic plot twist' Zoë Folbigg ' Emotional, angsty, and utterly romantic. . .This story will have you wiping away tears one moment, and smiling dreamily the next' Mia Sheridan 'The author is known for writing gutwrenching novels, and hits the mark again with this wonderful tale' The Sun ‘A hot man with dark secrets, a sparky heroine, a gorgeous setting and slow-burn emotional fire. Whew. *Fans self*' Natasha Poliszczuk 'Compulsively page-turning, wildly romantic and beautifully heartbreaking. I stayed up all night and inhaled it in one big gulp. A totally brilliant read - I couldn't love it more' Emily Stone 'What a beautiful, lovely tearjerker of a book. This story will stay with me for a long time. . .' Lizzy Dent 'Toon urges us to risk everything, to never play it safe when it comes to the heart, and to know that caring is always, always, worth the cost' Caroline Leavitt 'Paige Toon's writing is emotional and riveting. Even while her novel was breaking my heart into tiny pieces, I could not put it down' Jill Santopolo 'Heartbreaking, gorgeous and unforgettable [...] Only Paige can write like this!' Dani Atkins 'This book is a delicious, slow burn love story that hit me in parts of my heart I didn't even know I had' Annabel Monaghan

• Print length 416 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Penguin
• Publication date 25 May 2023
• Dimensions 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.49 cm
• ISBN-10 1529157900
• ISBN-13 978-1529157901
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Product description

About the author.

Paige Toon is the bestselling author of sixteen adult novels and three young adult titles, and her books have sold over 2 million copies worldwide. Paige writes sweeping, emotional love stories filled with incredible settings and characters you’ll never forget. She tells nuanced stories with big, thought- provoking themes at their heart which leave you uplifted and believing in the power of love. You will laugh, cry and feel like you’ve become part of a new family. She lives in Cambridgeshire with her husband and their two children.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (25 May 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1529157900
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529157901
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 290 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.49 cm
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ United Kingdom
• #459 in Clean & Wholesome Romance (Books)
• #10,288 in Contemporary Romance (Books)
• #10,663 in Contemporary Fiction (Books)

About the author

Hello! Thank you so much for visiting my author page. I write emotional love stories featuring flawed characters who sometimes find themselves in impossible situations. If you pick up one of my novels, I hope that you will experience every emotion along with my characters, from love, passion and grief, to heartache, happiness and hope. I certainly feel it all when I'm writing. I can't wait for you to discover my heart-breaking new novel, Only Love Can Hurt Like This, when it's released, but in the meantime, please check out my other books, and if you enjoy them and would like to drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram @PaigeToonAuthor. You can also sign up to my newsletter The Hidden Paige via paigetoon.com. Lots of love, Paige x

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Advertisement

Trump’s Newest Venture? A $60 Bible.

His Bible sales pitch comes as he appears to be confronting a significant financial squeeze, with his legal fees growing while he fights a number of criminal cases and lawsuits.

• Share full article

By Michael Gold and Maggie Haberman

• March 26, 2024

Before he turned to politics, former President Donald J. Trump lent his star power and celebrity endorsement to a slew of consumer products — steaks, vodka and even for-profit education, to name just a few.

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, added a new item to the list: a $60 Bible.

Days before Easter, Mr. Trump posted a video on his social media platform in which he encouraged his supporters to buy the “God Bless the USA Bible,” named after the ballad by the country singer Lee Greenwood, which Mr. Trump plays as he takes the stage at his rallies.

“All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many. It’s my favorite book,” said Mr. Trump, who before entering politics was not overtly religious and who notably stumbled while referencing a book of the Bible during his 2016 campaign. “It’s a lot of people’s favorite book.”

Though Mr. Trump is not selling the Bible, he is getting royalties from purchases, according to a person familiar with the details of the business arrangement.

Priced at $59.99, plus shipping and tax, the “God Bless the USA Bible” includes a King James Bible and a handwritten version of the chorus of Mr. Greenwood’s song, and copies of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance.

In his video, Mr. Trump expressed his approval of the book’s blend of theology with foundational American political documents, framing that mix as central to the political call that has been his longtime campaign slogan, Make America Great Again.

“Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country,” Mr. Trump said. Later, he added, “We must make America pray again.”

As he runs for president this year, Mr. Trump has framed his campaign as a crusade to defend Christian values from the left. He often makes false or misleading claims that Democrats are persecuting Christians. Last month, he told a religious media convention that Democrats wanted to “tear down crosses.”

His Bible sales pitch comes as he appears to be confronting a significant financial squeeze. With his legal fees growing while he fights four criminal cases and a number of civil lawsuits, Mr. Trump is also being required to post a $175 million bond while he appeals his New York civil fraud case — a hefty amount, though one that is significantly smaller than the $454 million penalty imposed in the case.

According to the Bible’s website, Mr. Trump’s “name, likeness and image” are being used “under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.”

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to questions about the business arrangement. But CIC Ventures is also connected to another product Mr. Trump has hawked while campaigning: $399 “Never Surrender” sneakers that he announced at a sneaker convention in Philadelphia last month.

Michael Gold is a political correspondent for The Times covering the campaigns of Donald J. Trump and other candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. More about Michael Gold

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Our Coverage of the 2024 Presidential Election

News and Analysis

While President Biden and Donald Trump scored overwhelming victories  in primaries in New York, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and Connecticut on April 2, small but significant protest votes in both parties have persisted .

Trump again cast Biden’s immigration record in violent and ominous terms , accusing him of creating a “border blood bath” and once more using dehumanizing language to describe some migrants entering the country illegally.

Biden called a decision by the Florida Supreme Court to uphold a restrictive abortion law “outrageous” and “extreme,”  while Trump demurred  on taking a clear position.

Biden’s alternatively cozy and combative relationship  with America’s business leaders has rippled through the national economy, federal policy and now the 2024 election.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called Biden a bigger threat to democracy than Trump , who has denied his 2020 election loss and praised Jan. 6 rioters. After Kennedy’s stance drew scrutiny, he quickly backtracked.

Trump, who ends many of his rallies with a churchlike ritual, has infused his movement with Christianity .

Covert Chinese accounts are masquerading online as American supporters of Trump , signaling a potential shift in how Beijing aims to influence U.S. politics.

What to Know About Donald Trump’s New $60 Bible

“all americans need a bible in their home, and i have many. it’s my favorite book.”.

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Mother Jones illustration; Shealah Craighead/White House/ZUMA

One month after releasing a line of gilded high-tops for $399, Donald Trump revealed on Tuesday a new item: the Bible. “All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many,” the former president explained in a video promoting the country singer Lee Greenwood’s version of a King James translation, the “God Bless the USA Bible.”

“It’s my favorite book,” Trump added.

Throughout the rest of the clip, as if daring us into a collective disgust, Trump swerved through random opportunities to rail against bureaucrats and a country under threat—all while hawking a holy text.

But his latest sales pitch also prompted some legitimate questions. Such as: What the hell is going on? And: Excuse me? Here, we try to answer some of the queries.

So, that first question—what the hell—but more formally: What exactly is Trump promoting and how much will it cost me to shell out for this? 

Trump is encouraging his supporters to buy a Bible endorsed by himself and Lee Greenwood. It costs $59.99, without taxes or shipping included. That seems to sit on the more expensive end of Bibles on sale at Barnes & Noble . But those books presumably don’t include copies of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the handwritten lyrics to the chorus of Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

The “God Bless the USA Bible” does include these items .

Trump is in a serious cash crunch . So is he going to make money with this Bible?

According to the book’s official site , the God Bless the USA Bible has nothing to do with Trump’s campaign. It is “not owned, managed, or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC, or any of their respective principals or affiliates.” Instead, Trump’s “name, likeness, and image” are being used “under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.”

Wait, what is CIC Ventures LLC, though?

Okay, so CIC Ventures LLC is, according to the  Washington Post , basically a pipeline to Trump:

In [Trump’s] financial disclosure released last year, he’s identified as the [CIC Ventures LLC’s] “manager, president, secretary and treasurer” and the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust is identified as a 100 percent owner of the business. The same entity also receives royalties from his book “A MAGA Journey” and speaking engagements.

In case it’s not already obvious: if you look at the company’s documents, you’ll find the principal address for CIC Ventures LLC is 3505 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida. That is a Trump golf course . Moreover, in a 2022 disclosure, Nick Luna is listed as a manager. Luna was Trump’s personal assistant and body man.

So, I’m sorry, but let me ask again: Is Trump making money off this?

The New York Times reports that “according to a person familiar” (classic) Trump will receive royalties from sales.

You could have just said that.

I wanted to tell you about the other stuff I found. Any other questions?

Yes. Who is Lee Greenwood?

The country singer who wrote “God Bless the USA.” Greenwood is a fierce MAGA guy who otherwise made news after pulling out of an NRA concert in response to the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting.

Does Greenwood have a Christmas album with an oddly sexual cover?

Yes. Look at this .

Perfect sweater. Anyway, I feel like I’m experiencing deja vu. Hasn’t Trump made headlines before with a Bible?

You’re probably recalling that despicable photo-op when Trump held up a Bible in front of St. John’s Church, which had been a location of racial justice protests in the days prior. There was a complicated saga, afterward, about whether or not Trump deployed the police to clear protesters to get to the church. An Inspector General’s report ultimately concluded that he did not.  

Man, it’s pretty rough remembering all the awful shit we went through with him as president.

Yep. If you ever want to wallow in political depression, check out this quick compilation .

But wait. Wasn’t there another time Trump and the Bible made waves for something far more stupid?

Christian nationalists adore Trump, so there have probably been many times that Trump has referenced the Bible. But you might also be thinking of this incredible clip of Trump attempting to name his favorite verse .

Has a presidential candidate ever partnered on a holy text sale with a country musician?

Not to my knowledge. But this is from a dude who just last week seemed to compare his current legal jeopardy with the persecution of Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!

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Only Love Can Hurt Like This Paperback – April 25, 2023

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• Print length 400 pages
• Language English
• Publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons
• Publication date April 25, 2023
• Dimensions 5.15 x 0.86 x 8 inches
• ISBN-10 0593544331
• ISBN-13 978-0593544334
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About the author, excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved., product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons; Reprint edition (April 25, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593544331
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593544334
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.15 x 0.86 x 8 inches
• #1,739 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction
• #2,045 in Contemporary Women Fiction
• #13,792 in Contemporary Romance (Books)

About the author

Hello! Thank you so much for visiting my author page. I write emotional love stories featuring flawed characters who sometimes find themselves in impossible situations. If you pick up one of my novels, I hope that you will experience every emotion along with my characters, from love, passion and grief, to heartache, happiness and hope. I certainly feel it all when I'm writing. I can't wait for you to discover my heart-breaking new novel, Only Love Can Hurt Like This, when it's released, but in the meantime, please check out my other books, and if you enjoy them and would like to drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram @PaigeToonAuthor. You can also sign up to my newsletter The Hidden Paige via paigetoon.com. Lots of love, Paige x

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