Five years from now – Paige Toon

I received a sample ARC of this from Netgalley months ago, and ever since I ve been counting down to the release of the full book.

This is definetly a book for a sunny garden day and with the British weather coming through for me I’m not ashamed to say I devoured the book in one sitting, only stopping to top up on Sun cream. (Whilst ignoring the pile of washing I should have been doing)

What a book! The characters are so easy to like, down to earth, realistic and their actions are so believable. The events that change their lives are honest and heart breaking at times, which makes this an emotional read in places, especially when you realise it’s real so happy ever afters and what’s meant to be’s sometimes are the fairy tale journey you expected.

As kids Nell and van are brought together because of their parents, her father and his mother, not understanding their relationship is different to the usual sibling bond they are confused by their parents desire to split them up. Van ends up on the other side of the world, with their lives taking natural courses that intermittently bring them together.

I really found I connected with this story, I had my own version of a ‘Van’, someone that was always in my life although we were perusing our own independent destinies. Every few years we would come back together sometimes by accident, with circumstances making it feel fated, sometimes intentionally to catch up and see where our lives had taken us. (Now we ‘re both happy completely independent of each other, but I ve no doubt one days we ‘ll cross paths again, in a pub or more likely a Tesco!) I think this made the story all the more real for me, and easier to connect to instantly.

The Cornish setting just makes this perfect, with the thoughts of greenery, hills, beaches and cottages working to surround a little village community. The piskies being uniquely Cornish were a wonderful addition and really had my imagination going in the background which made it feel almost magical.

If I were to sum this book up in just two words I’d have the usual option of ‘beach read, ‘summer reading’ ‘classic Paige’ but for me the best way to describe this book is using the words Heartbreakingly Beautiful.

Five years from now is available now. What are you waiting for, go and buy it.