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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death
I have read all of Paige Toon’s books and am excited each year for the next one I add to my collection..
I have just finished Hannah & Sonny’s beautiful story & I have thoroughly enjoyed it - didn’t want to put it down and consequently annoyed I finished it so quickly!
These two characters have such sad backstories of their lives before they met; watching them grow and gain confidence in themselves and each other to share their stories and help share the burdens they have and then find comfort, support and love, has been positively lovely! Not to mention the sexual tension between these two... some very steam moments & wouldn’t be chick-lit without it!
I loved the topics that were touched on throughout this book too. Showing the characters looking after their mental health like a normal thing - which it is and should be! Bringing light to real charities, which Paige has said she’s auctioning signed copies where funds will go to them. And loved being back in Cambridge!
I also loved that we got more Matilda & Archie - Paige did a short story for a magazine last year that told us how they met each other - to be honest I forgot about this fact, until their storyline was so familiar I knew I’d read it, that I googled to confirm! If you haven’t read it - you should!
Paige’s style of writing is very readable, chatty and always allows you to get to know the main character’s personality, it feels like a friend telling you the story. I’ve loved this throughout all her books.
I have just finished Hannah & Sonny’s beautiful story & I have thoroughly enjoyed it - didn’t want to put it down and consequently annoyed I finished it so quickly!
These two characters have such sad backstories of their lives before they met; watching them grow and gain confidence in themselves and each other to share their stories and help share the burdens they have and then find comfort, support and love, has been positively lovely! Not to mention the sexual tension between these two... some very steam moments & wouldn’t be chick-lit without it!
I loved the topics that were touched on throughout this book too. Showing the characters looking after their mental health like a normal thing - which it is and should be! Bringing light to real charities, which Paige has said she’s auctioning signed copies where funds will go to them. And loved being back in Cambridge!
I also loved that we got more Matilda & Archie - Paige did a short story for a magazine last year that told us how they met each other - to be honest I forgot about this fact, until their storyline was so familiar I knew I’d read it, that I googled to confirm! If you haven’t read it - you should!
Paige’s style of writing is very readable, chatty and always allows you to get to know the main character’s personality, it feels like a friend telling you the story. I’ve loved this throughout all her books.
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Death, Pedophilia, Grief
This ARC has been generously provided in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher!
The Minute I Saw You is the ultimate summer read. It has the sweet romance, the lovable characters, the strong narrative, and all the feels!
The story begins when Hannah meets Sonny. Hannah is a dispensing optician in Cambridge. One day, Sonny arrives in the shop as one of her customers. The connection between them is instant. Not just a surface level crush, but a heart-stopping connection. Their first moments feel deeper than a standard meet cute. But when Hannah sees Sonny for a second time, everything is different. He’s not charming or flirty, but distant and cold. Still, a friendship grows between the two, with their natural chemistry acting for them. Before you know it, you’re rooting for these characters.
I really like the protagonists in this novel. Both Hannah and Sonny are very authentic personalities. They have good days and bad, they struggle with the idea of not being ‘normal’ and their individual pasts weight them down. The secondary characters are also a huge support to the overall story, fleshing out the side plots and adventures. Even the smallest of roles felt relevant to the narrative. I always know a book is good when I feel like I miss the characters. And because you get to know each of these voices so well, it really is saddening when the story reaches its end.
The Minute I Saw You definitely has the characteristics of a slow burn. But like most books with this trope, it’s well worth the wait. The dynamic between Hannah and Sonny is established from the beginning and tensions only begin to build as the chapters go on.
This is an incredibly difficult book to review, because it has so many secrets. The backstories of the characters bring so much to this read. I was expecting a light, summery, novel. And this is great in that sense. But it also has so much weight and emotion, it became a pleasantly unanticipated complex read. Every single time I thought I knew where this story was going, it totally shocked me. However, every twist, even the emotional ones, contributed to the entertaining plot. I didn’t see the backstories of the characters coming at all, but they really layered the story.
This book feels like more than a romance. It’s a poignant love story. It’s humorous and moving, an ideal combination for a compelling summer read. It dives beyond the surface and explores loss, trauma and heartache. Paige Toon’s writing has always had a heart-warming quality and The Minute I Saw You is no different. In fact, it might be my favourite Toon book yet.
For more book reviews and posts, check out my blog or follow along on Instagram
The Minute I Saw You is the ultimate summer read. It has the sweet romance, the lovable characters, the strong narrative, and all the feels!
The story begins when Hannah meets Sonny. Hannah is a dispensing optician in Cambridge. One day, Sonny arrives in the shop as one of her customers. The connection between them is instant. Not just a surface level crush, but a heart-stopping connection. Their first moments feel deeper than a standard meet cute. But when Hannah sees Sonny for a second time, everything is different. He’s not charming or flirty, but distant and cold. Still, a friendship grows between the two, with their natural chemistry acting for them. Before you know it, you’re rooting for these characters.
I really like the protagonists in this novel. Both Hannah and Sonny are very authentic personalities. They have good days and bad, they struggle with the idea of not being ‘normal’ and their individual pasts weight them down. The secondary characters are also a huge support to the overall story, fleshing out the side plots and adventures. Even the smallest of roles felt relevant to the narrative. I always know a book is good when I feel like I miss the characters. And because you get to know each of these voices so well, it really is saddening when the story reaches its end.
The Minute I Saw You definitely has the characteristics of a slow burn. But like most books with this trope, it’s well worth the wait. The dynamic between Hannah and Sonny is established from the beginning and tensions only begin to build as the chapters go on.
This is an incredibly difficult book to review, because it has so many secrets. The backstories of the characters bring so much to this read. I was expecting a light, summery, novel. And this is great in that sense. But it also has so much weight and emotion, it became a pleasantly unanticipated complex read. Every single time I thought I knew where this story was going, it totally shocked me. However, every twist, even the emotional ones, contributed to the entertaining plot. I didn’t see the backstories of the characters coming at all, but they really layered the story.
This book feels like more than a romance. It’s a poignant love story. It’s humorous and moving, an ideal combination for a compelling summer read. It dives beyond the surface and explores loss, trauma and heartache. Paige Toon’s writing has always had a heart-warming quality and The Minute I Saw You is no different. In fact, it might be my favourite Toon book yet.
For more book reviews and posts, check out my blog or follow along on Instagram
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The readers are taken on a journey to learn about the two main characters, Hannah and Sonny, both of which have their reasons for not wanting to commit to relationships. Toon slowly and carefully weaves their backstories into the story, writing in a way that keeps the reader hooked and wanting more. An incredibly unique and well written novel from Toon.
SPOILERS
Usually Paige Toon is an easy 5 star author for me - I love her fluffy light books, I enjoy her characters, I fall in love. It’s a great experience.
For me, literally a personal preference, this book wasn’t for me. I love Paige Toon’s writing style and I can’t fault her characters, but I was expecting light fun enjoyment and instead I was faced with sexual abuse of a minor and death of a conjoined twin. It just wasn’t the right type of book, it wasn’t what I was expecting and it wasn’t what I wanted. I love Paige Toon and I’ll continue to read her books - and her books have had bereavement and slightly inappropriate relationships before and I’ve loved them... it was just too much for me and not what I expected. If I’d gone in knowing the trigger warnings... well I wouldn’t have read it but I’d have been prepared and perhaps would have thought about the story and the characters differently.
Usually Paige Toon is an easy 5 star author for me - I love her fluffy light books, I enjoy her characters, I fall in love. It’s a great experience.
For me, literally a personal preference, this book wasn’t for me. I love Paige Toon’s writing style and I can’t fault her characters, but I was expecting light fun enjoyment and instead I was faced with sexual abuse of a minor and death of a conjoined twin. It just wasn’t the right type of book, it wasn’t what I was expecting and it wasn’t what I wanted. I love Paige Toon and I’ll continue to read her books - and her books have had bereavement and slightly inappropriate relationships before and I’ve loved them... it was just too much for me and not what I expected. If I’d gone in knowing the trigger warnings... well I wouldn’t have read it but I’d have been prepared and perhaps would have thought about the story and the characters differently.