Rereading The Longest Holiday by Paige Toon

Paige Toon is one of my favourite authors and after reading her books I started blogging. I can’t really tell, which one of her books is my favourite, because they are all so special and unique. I love the Johnny Jefferson books, because the story is just awesome! Chasing Daisy is really touching and special and then there is The Longest Holiday. It’s set in Key West, I love Florida but I never went tot he Keys, well I did, but I was two years ago and I don’t really remember.

This year I finally had the chance to visit the Southernmost part of America. Arriving there immediately reminded me of Paige’s wonderful book. I suddenly had the urge to re-read it, but of course I left it at home. I still had 2 weeks of my holidays left, but I knew what I was going to do back home.

As soon as I got home I started re-reading it. Since I’m still reading other books form y blog, I decided to read two chapters a day. That’s working pretty well, but sometimes I just continue, because I love what’s coming next ;)

Being in this book and knowing all the places is so amazing! It has happened to me before,

Eden House, the hotel in the book

especially with books set in London, but this is different. The Keys and all the sights and surroundings are still so fresh in my mind, I feels, like I’ve been there yesterday. I felt like I was walking these streets with the characters and there were so many things I recognized again.

The first thing that comes to mind are the roosters and chickens walking around on the streets, you see them everywhere in the streets and you can also hear them, I felt like at home, because we have a farmer not too far away from us.

There are also several restaurants I walked by and places on Duval Street, I’ve been to.

Paige describes the house so very detailed and in a great way and actually knowing the house and having stood in front of it, is pretty awesome! Key West really is unique and it was also great reading about places I didn’t see on my trip. Of course there is the touristy stuff mentioned, like the sunset, the Southernmost Point or The Earnest Hemmingway House, but I love that there are so many local things mentioned, things tourists don’t really do.

In the book Paige mentions this quote and it’s still one of my favourites:

“Don't wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain.”

I didn’t find the quote on Key West, but I found it later on our journey in Venice, Florida. It was on a pillow. That made the whole re-reading decision even clearer to me. This quote talks about taking risks and being brave. Sometimes in life it is good to take a risk and be courageous, to experience new and life-changing things.

 

This is what Laura, the main character in this book goes through. She goes to Key West with her friends, because her husband did something really bad… She falls for a guy there and just listens to her feelings and nobody else. Laura is a really strong and independent woman, I really liked that about her.

It was amazing to be back with these characters and the story. I love Leo’s and Laura’s story so much and I enjoyed every single word all over again.