I don't want to talk about the story too much, it is so special that I want you to discover Hannah and Sonny's history for yourself. I will say my heart broke a little, the secrets and surprised were not what I expected. I think we all try to guess what may happen, or what the dramatic twist may be and I hadn't predicted this at all, well not completely. When Hannah and Sonny meet, a spark ignites that is hard to ignore and impossible to forget. Weeks later, their paths cross again, but Sonny appears distant and reluctant to meet Hannah’s eye. It soon transpires that Sonny is at a crossroads. He’s committed to making serious life changes – ones that can’t and won’t include romance.

Paige Toon’s voice is electric, passionate and fresh. I was hooked immediately and really liked how the storyline developed. The book is also very sexy and exciting.

I bonded with Hannah right away, she seems like such an easy going type of person and someone that it would be easy to chat to and get along with and so I was invested in her right from the start. She has had a tough start in life and her secret heartbreak is always there with her affecting her everyday thoughts and actions. Sonny also wears his heartbreak right out there. He is a complex fellow and I have to admit I was somewhat wary of him to begin with but he is a total cinnamon roll of a man, he has a bit of a tough exterior but is soft and lovely in the muddle. He has a whole host of skeletons in his closet and all of those contribute to his complex past and his own secret heartbreak. Two things that made this book perfect were the pacing and chemistry. I do not want to spoil the plot, but Hannah and Sonny both had past traumas that they were dealing with, and the way the two slowly opened up to each other felt realistic and raw. Also, as a reader, we really got to know each of the characters in the present before Toon opened up to us about their pasts. Of course, there were glimpses into their histories that built suspense, which only ended up increasing my connection to these characters. In terms of the romance, Hannah and Sonny's chemistry, support for each other and progression of their relationship was a joy to read. I loved how close they were despite having zero physical intimacy and the idea that they were dating long before they were dating.

Are they both too broken to find love? And if they tear down the walls between them, will they still like what's on the other side?

Success!

Toon’s leads are interesting, well presented and haunted by their pasts, as well as present day hang ups. Toon paired this couple up very well, they complimented each other but there was also a sufficient amount of tension between Sonny and Hannah which helped to move the novel along. I liked the initial attraction between these two, the complications, personal baggage, trust issues, the obvious chemistry, tension levels and eventual pathway to happiness. Supporting Hannah and Sonny are great cast of secondary characters who lift this novel to greater heights. I really loved the canine companion included in the story, it was a heartwarming touch. Personal relationships, friendships, extended family and support networks remain of the utmost importance in The Minute I Saw You. I appreciated Toon’s focus on these aspects within her novel. They meet again through Hannah’s new friend Matilda. A friendship starts to build up between them, but their connection is still obvious. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed, because it was different. They start spending more and more time together, sometimes with their friends or canoeing on the river or just hanging out at the pub.

Some people believe that it’s possible to fall in love simply by gazing into another person’s eyes . . .

Perhaps that’s why we love a rom-com so much; because while there is a familiarity to the formula, it can be tweaked, played with, inverted, and changed about in a virtually limitless number of ways, while giving us the comfort of knowing more or less where they’re headed. The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon is a reasonably standard romance book, but it has some interesting thematic threads of mental health and the importance of looking after your emotional wellbeing before you can actually enjoy a healthy relationship. Paige Toon is a relatively new author to me, and my best friend and I took it upon ourselves to read ‘The Minute I Saw You’ as a read along. Are they both too broken to find love? And if they tear down the walls between them, will they still like I really enjoyed seeing just how close Hannah and Sonny could become while still maintaining there was nothing between them! It is just a heart warming story that I found a joy to read.