A heartbreaking tale about old and new love, Paige Toon leads readers across continents in search of new beginnings while grappling with lost love. Wren has had the unfortunate fortune of losing her fiancée to his coworker, while Anders has yet to get over his wife. The two meet during Wren’s vacation to see her Dad’s family in order to put some space between herself and her ex, but it becomes clear from their first meeting that any feelings that arise shall not be acted upon. Despite this, Wren falls hard, but a secret kept by Anders threatens to break their newfound bond. 

The two characters are an unlikely pair, and given Wren’s history with being subjected to infidelity, the two don’t trust each other right away. That changes when they find common ground in fixing up her Dad’s old Airstream, working away on fixing it up in order to make Anders’ little brother’s dream of hosting events at their family’s farm a reality.  

If I had to use one word to describe this book, I’d go with perhaps the perfect one: heartbreaking. The story details an accurate account of the emotions that grief entails, ranging from denial to the fear of moving on. Although the two eventually get past the secret that Anders was harboring, it takes a lot of courage and patience from each of them to do so; Toon is a master at emphasizing the moment, allowing for Anders and Wren to understand each other completely. 

My favorite part of the book was the characterization presented throughout each of the main characters. Even though the four main characters are sets of brothers and sisters, it is easy to see how much Toon valued them as individuals that work together instead of sharing the majority of personality traits like some siblings duos often do. The differences between the sisters allow for Bailey and Wren to find common ground that they so desperately missed growing up a world apart, while Anders and Jonas (the younger of the two brothers) show how growing up in the same household does not always result in siblings being similar. 

Beyond their individual contributions to the story, the slow-burn brought to readers by Toon in the form of Anders and Wren is bittersweet, to say the least. The two of them have fought through so much adversity and pain in order to even chance the possibility of a relationship beyond friends, and their ending is everything and more. The two of them change their perception of what it means to love by experiencing life with one another, and readers ultimately see them ride off into the sunset. 

The work leads readers on an exceptional journey through complicated emotions, dealing with issues that ari’s in everyday life; Toon allows for each of the characters to express themselves as openly as they deem fit, making this book the ultimate read for anyone who enjoys stories where real life and lessons collide. This five star read has been on my TBR for quite some time now, and I can’t believe it took me so long to dive into Wren and Anders’ story, but the book left me feeling full of both gratitude and longing, creating the most bittersweet feeling as I reached the last page. 

I would recommend this book over and over again, as it truly feel as though it doesn;r get the recognition it so desperately deserves.