The Longest Holiday

It's worth mentioning that I have never read anything by Paige before but the lovely beachy colours of the whimsical cover drew me in immediately (note to readers - I'm fully aware that judging books by their covers is ill-advised and verboten for a bookaholic like myself - but sometimes needs must) and if this novel is anything to go by I plan to spend much more time with Ms Toon in the coming, vacationless months.The premise is an interesting one - what would you do if you were in the perfect relationship - married to a `beautiful' man who makes you happier than you've ever been, with no problems on the horizon whatsoever - and then you discover that the person you're in love with has done something so terrible before your wedding that you don't think you can ever look at them or your relationship in the same way again?This is where we find Laura Smythson at the start of the book. Her response has been to embark on a two week holiday with her best friend and a friend of her friend - both single women looking for fun and adventure in the Florida Keys. With Laura mulling over the rubble left in the wake of her marriage and the decision of whether to forgive and forget or move on with her life, there is a disconnect within the group, particularly when three attractive men, also on holiday, enter their circle. It is on an impromptu snorkelling trip that Laura meets Leo - a some-time boat captain and diving instructor. Between her immediate attraction to him and the swift change to the situation at home (revealed just before she is due to get on her flight), Laura makes an instinctive adjustment to her plans which changes the lives of all those around her.This book is incredibly engrossing and I just couldn't put it down. I felt sorry for Laura and the situation she found herself in through no fault of her own. She's a great heroine, vulnerable, yet strong and committed to the healing process, powerful enough to make difficult decisions that will allow her time and patience to work through her pain, but is no martyr to her circumstances. Leo, a fantastic romantic lead, is teeth-gnashingly sexy but flawed, scarred by family issues and at some points in the book, a virtual mute because of his desire for Laura and his confliction with her married status. You could cut the tension between them with a knife as they circle each other, neither wishing to be hurt again but unable to avoid the undeniable magnetic pull between them. It is a delight to read a romantic book where the leading male does not surrender their principles or characteristic flaws in order to be a `better man' and remains true to themselves - Leo is no submissive and fights hard to maintain his mystique - he never behaves in a traditionally romantic way (although he's incredibly brooding - phwoar!) as he's to afraid to show Laura the intensity of his true feelings for he fears that she will return to her husband following their liaison.Always in the background is Matthew, Laura's husband, a man who made a foolish, drunken mistake which is highly uncharacteristic of him and is trying to deal with the consequences. A particularly interesting piece of story-telling used in the book concerns Laura's parents (and eventually, her friends) who are supportive of the ensuing outcome of Matthew's mistake, which further alienates Laura and drives her deeper into her life in the Keys. The expectation that Laura should forgive and forget and accept her new life is key in the decisions she makes. Make no bones about it, Matthew wants Laura back - but a future for them requires significant compromise from Laura and this is one of the driving issues of the book - should Laura go back to her life and tattered marriage to try to fix a relationship she feels has been irrevocably broken or should she cut her losses and start fresh with Leo?The backdrop of the Key's is evocative and dream-like - I could visualise the colonial houses with their gingerbread trim and shutters, almost taste the cold beer that is consumed by the occupants of Leo's house in the garden every evening and the thought of spending each night with them sat on the soft furnishing used in lieu of patio furniture, surrounded by fairy lights, is extremely tempting.My only criticism of this book is that the ending is rather abrupt but I understand this. It flashes from a life-threatening situation, full of tears and tension, to an epilogue where most things have been resolved. I understand the authors desire to avoid a chocolate-boxy, tearful bedside conclusion but still I felt a tiny bit cheated that we, the loyal reader, weren't there to witness the pay-off moment.In summary, this book is delightful - a holiday in prose. I drank it down in great greedy gulps, like cold water on a hot day. You could do far worse things on a sunny day than submit yourself to reading this book - preferably outside with a daiquiri (there are nods to Ernest Hemmingway being a former resident of Key West so this would be most appropriate) and the sun shining down on you. I would prefer to be give it 4.5 stars as the ending is slightly disappointing (definitely not enough to spoil the book) but its definitely worth more than 4 stars.

I really do love all of Paige Toons novels although they do tend to be very predictable, this one I did enjoy and I did find myself unsure of how it would end which is unusual as I usually know what's coming! There were a few twists and turns which were entertaining but the major flaw for me were some of the characters were so unlike able. The main characters best friend Marty, her mother and even her husband, the way they all act as if his infidelity and getting another woman pregnant is not a big deal and something she should forgive really infuriates me . I find myself shouting at the book willing her to fall it with them as its disgusting behaviour!! However other than this the book was enjoyable and she's done well yet again.

-Laura is off on a girly holiday but it isn't just your usual girly holiday, she's gone to Florida, key west to take her mind off things, she recently just found out that her newlywed husband cheated on her before they married and needs to decide what to do with it. But whilst in key west, Laura meets sexy scuba instructor Leo and he definitely takes her mind off things, will this turn into a holiday romance or could it be just the thing Laura was looking for?-I LOVED the longest holiday. I love any Paige Toon book, I absolutely fly through them, they are all so easy to read and this was no different, the writing just flew off the page and I finished it within 3-4 days.I liked Laura's character early on, I obviously felt sorry for her also, she hasn't had much luck in love, first Will from Chasing Daisy dies in a formula one car crash but not before making it clear they are no longer together and now after she never thought she'd find love again she meets Matthew and marries him quite soon, only to find a Facebook message from a girl asking if he's the right Matthew she had sex with on his stag do. Obviously floored by this, Laura's best friend Marty convinces her to go on holiday with herself and another friend Bridget.I liked Marty at first, she was fun and wanted to help Laura but later on she got a little annoying it seemed like she was pushing for Laura and Matthew to stay together whether Laura wanted that or not, funnily enough I didn't like Bridget at the beginning, she seemed a bit snooty and competitive, but later on she was the one that helps Laura out the most.Matthew you don't see too much of in the book but he did the usual husband caught out routine trying to constantly ring Laura, apologise, beg her to come back, but it seemed a bit silly that he thinks she would just forgive him like that for what he's done, because if you've read the book you'll know what I'm talking about.I was intrigued by Leo's character from the start, he was the right amount of mysterious and arrogance. One word answers, longing gazes but not giving anything away, I instantly wanted to know his story, what's made him so hard and abrupt. When I finally found out his story I was heartbroken for him, his story is tragic, it made me really feel for Leo everything he's been through.I liked the sound of Leo's (well Carmen's) house even though it sounded run down I loved the idea of sofas out in the garden where they can sit chill out, have a beer on a hot day and I shared Laura's idea of how it could be a lovely house.Laura decides to stay in key west after her 2 weeks of holidaying are up, she doesn't tell Marty and Bridget this though until she is already in the car with Jorge on her way back. Matthew was supposed to meet her at the airport so obviously he's wondering what's going on, but Laura wants more time so she says or does she just want to stay with Leo?She returns to England but soon gets worried when Leo doesn't answer any of her calls, everyone is trying to persuade her to get back with Matthew except Bridget, she tells her to do what she wants.I liked going to Leo's POV, it was interesting to see his thoughts and feelings, what was really going on in his head. We also got a snippet of a few other people's POV'sI was really surprised with the ending, lets say there is a sneaky twist in there that rounds up the story.Overall, such a great read, especially a summer read, it's all about sun, sand, scuba diving. I loved Leo and Laura's characters, it was a great story, I always felt like something was going on, I was never bored and found myself more intrigued and wondering than any other Paige Toon book. Recommended for Paige toon fans, I'll be telling my friends!

Reading this made me want to plan a vacation ASAP! This was a first from Paige Toon for me & it won’t be my last. I loved it. It had all the feels (though I could’ve had steamier sex scenes - but it’s ok, maybe it’s not this author’s thing). It was wonderfully written, fully developed story, deeply interesting characters & a setting that made me want to hit up Delta’s app & book a flight!

This story is about Laura, who is Marty's best friend. There's also Bridget from 'the last piece of my heart'I loved it, the whole story make you laugh and give you shivers, the end is really good too.Go for this book it's a really good one!

I always get Paige's books on release, this was a reread. She always makes me fall in love and feel with all her characters. Can thoroughly recommend all of her books.

Brilliant storytelling style; looking forward to reading more of her books esp the bestseller Lucy in the sky

Als ein großer Paige Toon Fan erfreute mich die Nachricht im letzten Jahr (als das Buch erschien und ich es zum ersten Mal las), das es ein neues Buch von ihr gab. Zu erst war ich allerdings weniger erfreut, als ich las von wem das Buch handeln sollte. Laura. Auch bekannt aus Chasing Daisy. Ich wusste nicht ganz was ich davon halten sollte - da ich leider aus diesem Buch kein gutes Bild von Laura hatte - sie war mir einfach unsympathisch. Allerdings ging ich ohne weitere Vorurteile an das Buch und las es wie alle anderen Bücher von Paige in einem Zug durch und dies innerhalb von wenigen Stunden.Anders wie erwartet, war Laura mir in diesem Buch deutlich sympathischer. Um nicht zu sagen, ich konnte bestens mit ihr mitfühlen. Anders wie bei den anderen Büchern war es bei auch einfacher mitzufühlen, das es hier eben einmal nicht um einen Rockstar oder Schauspieler handelte. Sondern eben von einer Frau, die ihre erste große Liebe verlor, dann einen neuen Mann heiratete, der sie allerdings betrog. Sie flüchtet mit ihren Freundinnen nach Key West um auf andere Gedanken zu kommen. Und dann kommt eben Leo. Paige schafft es auch in diesem Buch wieder, das man die männliche Hauptperson sofort ins Herz schließt, auch wenn ich die Befürchtung hatte, das es bei Leo eher schwer zu schaffen ist - aufgrund der Tatsache das er eben doch etwas kühl und zurückhaltend ist. Doch allein die Tatsache, das am Ende des Buches auch Kapitel sind, die aus seiner Perspektive geschrieben wurden sind, lässt einen ihn doch absolut ins Herz schließen.Nach ihrem neusten Buch 'Thirteen Weddings', beschloss ich noch einmal alle Bücher von ihr hervor zu holen und noch einmal zu lesen. The Longest Holiday, war nach einem Jahr nicht mehr wirklich in meinem Kopf (bei der Masse an Büchern, die ich allerdings in diesem Jahr gelesen habe - kann man auch einmal durcheinander kommen). Deswegen las ich das Buch noch einmal und es hatte die gleiche Wirkung auf mich wie vor einem Jahr. Ich war erneut absolut verliebt in Leo und Laura am Ende des Buches.Paige Toon ist so wahnsinnig talentiert was ihren Schreibstil anbelangt, das sie es bei jedem Buch schafft, das am Ende ein Paar Tränchen vergossen werden und das man hofft in einem ihrer nächsten Bücher noch einmal etwas von den Charakteren zu lesen (das macht Paige nämlich ziemlich toll - ich liebe es in aktuellen Büchern, von vorherigen Personen zu lesen!!).Ich kann es kaum abwarten ihre nächsten Bücher in die Hände zu bekommen. In der Zwischenzeit muss ich dann wohl auf die älteren zurückgreifen!5 Sterne von mir - weil sie es absolut verdient hat!