The Sun In Her Eyes - Paige Toon

Title: The Sun In Her Eyes
Author: Paige Toon
Rating: 4/5

Blinding sunshine… A bend in the road… What became of the little girl with the sun in her eyes?

Amber was three when a car crash stole her mother's life. She doesn't remember the accident, but a stranger at the scene has been unable to forget. Now, almost thirty years later, she's trying to track Amber down.

Amber, meanwhile, is married to Ned and living on the other side of the world in London. When her father has a stroke, she flies straight home to Australia to be with him. Away from her husband, Amber finds comfort in her oldest friends, but her feelings for Ethan, the gorgeous, green-eyed man she once fell for, have never been platonic.

Again, I didn't receive this book in exchange for a review, but I wanted to share my love for it with anyone who is interested.

Actually, I am still a bit lost for words. I think this is the most emotional I have been after reading a novel written by Paige. It turned out so different than I originally thought. That's not a bad thing, but my emotions are still a mess. A real, fuzzy mess. Can't say I like that feeling too much. Yet, yes, of course I secretly aren't mad and admire Paige for having me feel this way.

There are so many small things that I loved about this book, starting with the fact that Paige takes us back on a journey through Australia. Alright, through Adelaide, to be exact, but I'm not picky, haha. My very, very favourite book will always be Pictures of Lily which is set down under as well, so at the mention of the country itself I became so excited. And then I read about Hahnsdorf, which almost had me in tears. Fans of Paige will understand me. I hope. I am not crazy, I swear. And then it's also the story idea that had me hooked. The way things were described with her father and the way she felt for Ethan when they were teenagers. Oh, my poor heart.

As Amber decides to go back to Australia to check up on her dad, she finds herself getting closer to Ethan, whom she always loved. He never loved her back, though and anyway, she has got a husband back in England. She shouldn't have feeling toward Ethan, right? She is happy, or so she tells herself. Truth is, I adored Ethan. And how much! It was only a bit closer to the end of the book that I felt confused about him. The way he spoke, the way he behaved. I never would have seen this coming.

You don't have to be Team Ethan in order to love this book or feel any emotion at all. You can become an emotional wreck being Team Ned (that's Amber's husband) too. It's nerve-racking, really. Paige is the best at that. So many feelings! I loved reading about how the two of them met, it was really important for the further actions. Everything about The Sun In Her Eyes was so well thought-through. I'm impressed. Starting with the sights we get into a person who just suffered from a stroke, to a woman who left behind her friends and now finds herself wanting to pick up where things ended, to a woman who is caught between two men she loves in a utterly different way that it makes your heart clench. It does! And every once in a while you'll find yourself asking: 'What would I do if I was Amber?' And though I hate to admit it, I think Paige Toon solved it out really brilliantly in the end.

I know I said I liked the country setting, but I also wanted to point out how I loved every single location. I loved reading about Ethan's family business, about the trip he and Amber went on (though that was one horrifying thing). The bars and clubs Amber and her friends went to. I found that amusing, because I usually dislike reading about party people, but it seemed fitting in here somehow. The characters had to connect to one another and that was obviously through meeting each other in bars. Is that what adult life is gonna be like?! haha.

A personal aspect I'd like to mention and let Paige know this - whenever I read lines written by her, I feel better. I feel a bit lighter. Like some burden has been lifted off my shoulders. And no one does that like Paige. I can be the worst mood possible, but when I get to start a new chapter in one of her books, I am connected to the characters and stop doubting things that I worried about before. And even if it's just for the shortest while, for the time amount I need to finish a book, I appreciate Paige's writing. Does this paragraph sound cheesy? I am sorry, but anyway. Thank you, Paige!

And when it comes to her books, I always find myself thinking of songs that remind me of the story, so here comes another playlist.

Darleen's playlist for The Sun In Her Eyes: (more titles might be added)

Hilary Duff - Tattoo (feat. Ed Sheeran)

Walking On Cars - Speeding Cars

Gwen Stefani - The Real Thing

The Summer Set - Where Are You Now (feat. Dia Frampton)

Meg Frampton - Say I Said Yes

Charlie Simpson - If I Lose It