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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
What If I Never Get Over You was a perfect summer read with a premise I really enjoyed. The whirlwind holiday romance that resurfaces years later felt sweeping and romantic, and Paige Toon's writing made it easy to get lost in the settings from sun soaked Europe to the Welsh estate.
I liked both Ellie and Ash but I did not love them. Their chemistry was strong yet their lack of communication frustrated me. Ellie often felt immature and her decision to keep their past a secret because of class differences grated on me. She projected her insecurities onto Ash and overlooked his feelings, which stopped me from fully connecting to her.
Even with those flaws, I enjoyed the story and the emotional journey it offered. It had romance, grief, and self discovery woven together in a way that felt heartfelt and escapist. A solid 4 star read and one I would happily recommend for summer.
slow-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It has genuinely never taken me this long to finish a romance book… and not in a savouring every page kind of way. More like a I had to keep putting it down out of pure boredom and couldn’t be bothered to pick it back up.
The pacing felt slow, and I struggled to connect with Ellie. She was borderline insufferable at times. Constantly spiralling over a guy she spent, what, three days with? Like girl, be serious. You’re telling me a long weekend was enough to mentally tattoo someone onto your soul for life? Someone please pass me the memory of that kind of connection because I must’ve missed it.
That said, I did love the setting. The descriptions of Wales gave the story a soft, nostalgic feel, it almost felt like the place had more personality than the characters did. And I appreciated the overall message of following your heart, even when it’s messy and irrational. That part landed.
Unfortunately, I think I was expecting a slow burn with emotional depth, but got more of a dragging plot with surface-level “intensity.” A few sweet moments here and there, but overall? A bit boring
The pacing felt slow, and I struggled to connect with Ellie. She was borderline insufferable at times. Constantly spiralling over a guy she spent, what, three days with? Like girl, be serious. You’re telling me a long weekend was enough to mentally tattoo someone onto your soul for life? Someone please pass me the memory of that kind of connection because I must’ve missed it.
That said, I did love the setting. The descriptions of Wales gave the story a soft, nostalgic feel, it almost felt like the place had more personality than the characters did. And I appreciated the overall message of following your heart, even when it’s messy and irrational. That part landed.
Unfortunately, I think I was expecting a slow burn with emotional depth, but got more of a dragging plot with surface-level “intensity.” A few sweet moments here and there, but overall? A bit boring
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-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
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
It was very “will they won’t they”. Are they destined to be together despite all the circumstances surrounding their individual lives? I understood Ellie’s plight and I felt for her dilemma, I could put myself in her shoes.
I didn’t love the audiobook narrator’s male voice, it didn’t ever seamlessly fit Ash to me. Now I don’t know exactly what a Welsh accent sounds like but it almost certainly wasn’t what was going on. Other times it was just raspy, but like in an old person kind of way? I wished I had just read the book a couple of times instead of listening to it.
I didn’t love the audiobook narrator’s male voice, it didn’t ever seamlessly fit Ash to me. Now I don’t know exactly what a Welsh accent sounds like but it almost certainly wasn’t what was going on. Other times it was just raspy, but like in an old person kind of way? I wished I had just read the book a couple of times instead of listening to it.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes