If You Could Go Anywhere

3,5 Sterne<br />Im Großen und Ganzen hat mir das Buch sehr gut gefallen.<br />Es geht um Angie, die in Australien aufgewachsen und nun auf der Suche nach ihrem Vater in Italien gelandet ist und dort eine neue Familie und neue Freunde findet.<br />Es ist sehr schön zu lesen, und besonders das Ende hat mich noch mal berührt und überrascht.<br />Ich mag den Schreibstil der Autorin, und doch gab es zwischendurch immer mal wieder ein paar Längen, daher 3,5 Sterne, die ich aber gerne auf 4 aufrunde.<br />Es ist eine sehr schöne und auch gefühlvolle Unterhaltungslektüre.

I've been in a pretty bad reading slump these past few weeks (or maybe even months) and so I was pretty excited when Paige Toon's new novel finally arrived because her books usually always manage to get me out of those slumps. However, this time around, that wasn't really the case. <br /><br />It took me ages to get through the first half of this novel and I think I didn't really get into the story of <i>If You Could Go Anywhere</i> until around page 250. But I really began to enjoy the book afterwards and finished the rest of it in one sitting. So fingers crossed I might finally be done with the reading slump now. <br /><br />Right now, I'm going to rate this book three stars but I think my reading slump definitely negatively influenced my reading experience. That's why this is more of a preliminary rating and I'll definitely try to go back and reread it once I'm really in the mood for it. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.instagram.com/theenchantingbooks" rel="nofollow noopener">instagram</a> || <a href="http://www.theenchantingbooks.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow noopener">my blog</a> || <a href="https://www.twitter.com/nina_lemb" rel="nofollow noopener">twitter</a> </b>

*<a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com">www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com</a><br />*<a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr">www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr</a><br /><br />**4.5 stars**<br /><br />If You Could Go Anywhere by Paige Toon. (2019).<br /><br />Angie has always wanted to travel but at 27 she's never left her mining hometown of Coober Pedy in Australia. She discovers the world through stories from other travellers. When her grandmother passes away leaving Angie with no family, it's time for her to begin travelling. But then she finds out about her previously unknown father and instantly knows where to begin her journey - his location in Italy. As Angie sets out to learn the truth of her family, will the mysterious and reckless Italian Alessandro help guide the way?<br /><br />This author is a well established bestseller writer, and yet this novel is the first of hers I've read. I will definitely read some of her previous ones when I get the chance because I really enjoyed this book. It was a lovely, feel-good, heart-warming kind of plotline with a few spots of sadness throughout. Angie ends up being nicknamed Angel and honestly that totally suits her character because she really is an angel and I was happy for her when she finally made it out of her hometown. Allessandro was a dreamboat tortured lost man who readers will no doubt feel for. I enjoyed the romance aspect of the book as well as the family building for Angie, although I think the focus is definitely more on the romance than the relationship between Angie and her newfound family. The author did an amazing job of describing the Italian scenery, it certainly sounded stunning and convinced me I should visit someday.<br />I think this book would make a fantastic weekend/holiday read.

I'm kind of sad. This is the first Paige Toon book that I couldn't rate 5 stars. Maybe it wasn't her best work or maybe it's me - real life sucks sometimes. Maybe I'll re-read it sometime in the future and see how I like it then.

*<a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com">https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com</a><br />If You Could Go Anywhere is the uplifting, heart-warming and well travelled new novel from ‘the million copy bestselling author’ Paige Toon. Just how far would you be willing to go for love? This question is posed by Paige Toon in her latest novel. Following the life journey of Angie, If You Could Go Anywhere is about finding your place in the world, connecting with your roots and building a future.<br /><br />Paige Toon’s latest novel introduces Angie, a young Australian woman, who has lived a sheltered existence in the mining town of Coober Pedy. But Angie has big dreams and she would love to explore the world. When Angie’s beloved grandmother passes away, she is a delivered a big wake up call. Angie has a broken heart, but she knows now is the best time to set her travel plans into motion. While packing up to embark on her big adventure, Angie comes across a life changing letter. Inside the letter are details pertaining to the true identify of her father, a man she believes did not exist. In an effort to connect with her biological father, Angie begins her journey in Italy. In Italy, Angie finds a new family, friendship, shock revelations and love.<br /><br />Endorsed by my book club, Paige Toon is an author I have not experienced before. I had high expectations going into this novel, through positive comments I had heard about this author’s work. Thankfully, the praise was warranted, If You Could Go Anywhere was a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining novel.<br /><br />The whole novel sits on Angie, the main protagonist of If You Could Go Anywhere. Toon’s characterisation is spot on. I immediately took a liking to Angie. Angie was strong but also vulnerable, approachable, inspiring and embracing. I really connected with her journey to find meaning in her life. I also cheered her on as she made leaps and gains in her life. It was heartening to see Angie spread her wings and commit to achieving the things she wanted the most in life – a family, to explore the world and find love.<br /><br />Another aspect that I truly adored about this novel was the strong sense of place that pervades the whole novel. I always like to get a feel for an author who is unfamiliar to me and while perusing the author bio in this book, I was quite taken with the fact that Paige Toon is a travel enthusiast. I feel this passion for exploring the world has been injected into her novel. Paige Toon comes from a background spent living across three different countries – England, America and Australia. This has put Toon in good standing to produce a novel that revolves around travel experiences. If you have been bitten by the travel bug, expect to be dazzled by this new book from Paige Toon. The Italy based sequences are magical! On the flip side, if you are a reader that knows very little about mining life in Australia’s remote locations, Paige Toon accurately summarises what life is like living in a cavern style arrangement in Coober Pedy. I loved the accompanying opal mining operation references too! Fascinating!<br /><br />I have been told that Paige Toon is quite the queen of contemporary romance and I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into a well crafted romance. Toon does not disappoint in this department and I am sure she will earn new fans, as well as impress her existing fans. There is plenty of emotion to get swept up in while delving into the romance side of things in the novel. By the close of If You Could Go Anywhere, I did feel satisfied by the love story. However, I think my heart went out to the tender father/daughter and the other family relationships that form during the course of this novel.<br /><br />Paige Toon definitely pulls out all the stops for her latest, If You Could Go Anywhere. She deftly combines a globetrotting adventure, with a heartening story of being reunited with your family and testing the waters of a new love along the way. A solid example of a life lit title, If You Could Go Anywhere will spark plenty of self examination and inspire you to set your sights afar, while leaving your heart feeling full.<br /><br />*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

É uma história simpática fofinha, mas não acrescenta muito.<br />3,6 estrelas.<br />Devia ter sido mais curta, enrolou demasiado.

As always this novel from Paige Toon has some of my favourite elements that I love to read about. It has travel, it has romance and it has our main character finding a sense of independence-definitely the kind of things I like to read about. If you're thinking of picking up this novel looking for the usual kind of escapism that you normally find in a Paige Toon novel then you are definitely in the right place. This book has awesome scenes of Italy., the food the fun and the awesome scenery. I loved being in Denver and being transported from the snow away and into the warm sunshine of Ital. <br /><br /><br /><br />Angie is an interesting character and it took me a while to work her out. I couldn't decide whether she was independent or not. I think she has been the big fish in her little world and now she has been thrown into the big bad world in another country for that matter, she does seem to flounder a little initially. I like the premise behind the fact that she hasn't really travelled and hasn't really left her comfort zone and now she REALLY has. I loved her sense of adventure and also her fearlessness. She chases what she wants even if that means facing her fears. <br /><br /><br /><br />The two male characters in this novel were definitely less easy to warm to. I initially got them confused with each other I think this might have been because I was listening on audiobook and I would have been better acquainted with them had I seen them written down. Alessandro seems like a bad boy and don't get me wrong I love to read about a rebel without a cause but I sometimes felt like he might be just a bit too much of a risk for our Angie. <br /><br /><br /><br />There are plenty of moments in this book that will give you that same adventurous thrill that Angie is feeling, there are also romantic moments and a little bit of heartbreak. I loved escaping to Italy with Angie and I liked the personal journey that she went on as the novel progressed. Another wonderful dose of escapism from Paige Toon!

Angie has never left the small mountain town she grew up in. Despite always wanting to travel from a young age. "If you could go anywhere, where would you go?" A family tragedy and discovery changes this.<br /><br />Now in Italy she meets a guy named Alessandro. He's troubled by his own family tragedy. I also think he's worth fighting for just like Angie. Even with all the crazy jumps he does on the anniversaries. I love his van named Frida. <br /><br />Angie was such a relatable and loving main character, a nice change from unrelatable leads. Alessandro is also a great guy to match her. It's nice how the relationship progresses and doesn't just happen out of nowhere. I love a book which demonstrates a friendship before turning into lovers. I wouldn't have chosen a better person for her to travel with.<br /><br />I always look forward to a Paige Toon Book and this one did not disappoint. 4.5 Stars

A new novel by Paige Toon is always a welcome treat. If You Could Go Anywhere is a romance/coming of age/travelogue that is based heavily on the author’s feelings of wanderlust, drawing on her own experiences travelling in Australia, Italy and Norway. It’s steeped in atmosphere, the places, the tastes, and the sensations – all coming to life on these pages. It’s a very enjoyable novel and I could really see it playing out as a movie.<br /><br />‘Oh, Nan…I’m overwhelmed with grief at the thought of her and desperately sad that she kept this part of my family from me.’<br /><br />What started as a coming of age/discover who you really are type of novel quickly veered into a contemporary romance though. This did bother me at times, particularly as this storyline overshadowed the father/daughter relationship which was, to my mind, the actual point of the novel. The romance plot was also quite predictable in its trajectory, lacking the uniqueness of Paige’s previous novel, Five Years from Now. All this aside though, I still really enjoyed this story, and that is largely due to the character of Angie, who was very well crafted and authentically realised throughout. She’s a fixer, a helper, a pleaser; she’s intrinsically good, but not in an annoying way. She’s the type of person who acts without artifice and genuinely deserves good fortune. Having such an endearing character to champion balanced out the other aspects of the story that niggled at me, so that by the time I had reached the end of this novel, I felt as though it had been a very satisfying read indeed. I tend to be a bit nitpicky about romances though, so my fussiness is often not a reflection of the story but more about my reading mood and general mindset at the time. There are some very heartfelt moments along the way for Angie and Alessandro, which go a long way towards bursting the romance bubbles and carving out a proper foundation for a relationship, which appealed to me far more.<br /><br />‘It’s crazy. Frighteningly crazy. I have no experience with mental illness and the thought of trying to make Alessandro see sense scares the hell out of me. All I know is that I’ve got to try.’<br /><br />Fans of contemporary romance and lovers of food fiction will relish within the pages of this novel. It really is a treat for the senses and if you long to travel to Italy but haven’t ever gotten there, then this is also an ideal read for you. A great one to pick up for the coming long weekend!<br /><br />‘You’re like no one I’ve ever known. So open and honest and true and pure and good and loving and forgiving and so beautiful, inside and out. I thought maybe you really were an angel.’<br /><br /><br />Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of If You Could Go Anywhere for review.

This book starts with a bang that draws you in and makes you want to keep reading, not ideal when you start it at 11pm, but oh well!<br />Starting in Australia and continuing in Italy this book will make you want to travel to all the places. I could feel the oppressive and sandy heat of Australia and experienced Italy with Angie. <br />I enjoyed this one, although the pace did slow slightly in the middle the book picked back up towards to end. The themes were handled well, but were possibly resolved a bit too quickly.<br /><br />This covers topics of loss and mental health issues so if that isn't your bag then possibly best to avoid.