Why Five Years From Now Broke Me—and Healed Me Too

Some stories don’t just entertain you—they burrow deep into your soul, linger long after you close the book, and echo in your heart for days, weeks, even years. Five Years From Now by Paige Toon is one of those rare stories for me.

I first picked it up in my early twenties—a time when I was just beginning to understand the messy, beautiful complexities of love, timing, and fate. Since then, I’ve returned to it again and again—at least ten times—each revisit a reminder of why this book feels like so much more than just a romance novel. It’s a tender exploration of what it means to love someone across distance, time, and heartbreak—and it made me cry for hours, maybe even days, the very first time I read it. Those tears weren’t just from sadness; they came from the ache of recognition, from that bittersweet hope and the crushing weight of “what if?”

Paige Toon’s writing is something truly special. It’s poetic yet unpretentious, weaving beautiful prose with an emotional clarity that pulls you right into the characters’ hearts. There’s a softness to her storytelling, a gentle touch that lets the pain and the hope coexist without one overpowering the other. The story feels innocent but profoundly poignant, filled with “what could have been” moments that haunt and comfort simultaneously.

At its core, Five Years From Now follows the lives of Nell and Van—two souls whose connection begins in childhood when their parents marry. From those early days, their bond is magnetic, almost fated, hinting at a love that’s meant to be but endlessly delayed. They grow up side by side, sharing laughter, secrets, and a friendship that flutters on the edge of something deeper. But life, as it often does, complicates everything.

After Van’s mother passes away, he moves to Australia with his dad, while Nell remains in England. That vast ocean between them isn’t just physical—it becomes a metaphor for all the things that distance lovers: new relationships, personal struggles, life’s relentless demands. Yet fate has a way of pulling them back into each other’s orbits every five years, like clockwork, stirring the embers of a love neither can quite extinguish.

Each reunion is charged with hope and heartbreak in equal measure. Sometimes they’re on the brink of something real—like when Nell visits Van in Australia and it feels like maybe, just maybe, their timing might finally align. But just as quickly, reality crashes in. One is in a relationship while the other is single. Their paths cross in heartbreakingly wrong moments, amplifying the tension between fate and timing. It’s an emotional dance that feels painfully real—the ache of loving someone who’s there, but never quite available.

Nell is this incredible blend of vulnerability and quiet strength. She’s the kind of heroine who feels achingly real—flawed, hopeful, sometimes scared, but always authentic. Watching her navigate the emotional rollercoaster of loving Van from afar and grappling with her own relationships felt like looking into a mirror. Her internal battles—between holding on and letting go, between hope and heartbreak—are so vividly drawn that you can’t help but hold your breath with her during every reunion and every goodbye.

Van, meanwhile, is equally compelling. He’s charming, loyal, and deeply conflicted, carrying the weight of his past and his love for Nell like a quiet secret. His moments of vulnerability—rare and precious—add layers to his character, making you ache for him as much as for Nell. Their chemistry is electric but tender, underscored by years of shared history and unspoken feelings.

Their relationship embodies some of the most resonant tropes: the childhood friends who are secretly soulmates, the long-distance love tested by time and circumstance, and the “wrong timing” romance that breaks your heart but feels impossibly real. For fans of One Day or The Notebook, this book hits that same emotional sweet spot—where love is beautiful but messy, hopeful but heart-breaking.

What makes Five Years From Now so hauntingly beautiful is its exploration of that universal question: What if things had been different? What if timing had aligned? What if courage had been found a little sooner? The book captures the painful truth that love alone doesn’t always guarantee a happy ending—sometimes, life’s twists and turns keep people apart despite their best efforts.

Paige Toon doesn’t sugar-coat this reality. Instead, she embraces it with a gentle grace that lets readers live in those in-between moments, where hope flickers amid uncertainty. It’s this raw, unfiltered emotional honesty that made me cry for hours, feeling every ache as though it were my own.

To me, Five Years From Now isn’t just a love story. It’s a meditation on fate, timing, and the enduring power of connection. It’s about the people we carry with us, even when they’re not physically present—the ones who shape us, haunt us, and make us believe in the possibility of forever. Every reread is a journey back to that bittersweet place where hope and heartbreak coexist. Paige Toon’s ability to make me feel seen, to make me feel everything, is why I keep coming back.

It’s a story that stays with you, whispering to your heart long after the last page.

If you’re drawn to romances that explore the fragility of timing and the fierce resilience of love, Five Years From Now is a must-read.

Paige Toon’s stunning prose and unforgettable characters make it a book that’s as much about the quiet ache of life as it is about the joy of love.

Rating: 1000000000/5