Simona's Corner of Dreams: The Longest Holiday

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.

Original Cover

My own copy

The blurb:

Don't wait for the storm to pass; learn to dance in the rain…'

Laura has been married to the man of her dreams for seven months. But a week before the wedding, Matthew made a terrible mistake. Escaping the humiliation that is now her marriage, Laura is whisked off to Florida's Key West by her best friend Marty. A carefree holiday full of cocktails and fun, surrounded by gorgeous, tanned men, is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Distraction comes in the form of sexy Cuban scuba diver Leo. Laura's instant attraction to him knocks her flying, and she falls hard. As the end of the holiday approaches, Laura doesn't want to go home. Is it time to face the music? Or is there more to Key West than a holiday romance?

My Opinion:

Remember Laura? Well, I just read Chasing Daisy and went on with this book, so I was really really happy to have her as the main character in this book. To be honest, I didn’t really like her in Chasing Daisy, but that was just because I wanted Daisy and Will to be together. I love her now!!!

Daisy moved on with Luis, Laura moved on with Matthew. Matthew, her gorgeous husband. Well, that’s in the past! Seven months after the wedding Laura discovers something terrible. Matthew had sex with another girl and now that girl is pregnant!

Marty, Laura’s friend, takes her away from all the problems, to the beautiful Key West in Florida. Sun, fun and nothing to do!!!

Her two friends want to party and meet guys, but Laura is not really in the mood. When she falls asleep the first evening, her friends go out. Laura wakes up and hears music in the neighbourhood. She decides to go for a walk and then she sees him... with his olive skin and his beautiful dark hair. What a coincidence when she sees him again on the boat, when the girls go snorkelling with the three American guys they met at their hotel. Afterwards Laura arranges diving lessons for her and her friends and is over the moon, when Jorge (the other diver) tells her, that Leo will help him during the lessons. So, LEO, that’s his name. She can’t wait for Monday to arrive and it’s only Thursday L.

The girls spend a lot of time with the American guys, there is one guy for each of them. Marty and Bridget really enjoy it, but Laura is not interested and flees. Practically into Leo’s arm. Not on purpose, but it’s nice and she is even happier when he invites her to his place, where she also meets Jorge. She tells them about the problem back at the hotel next door and spends the evening with them.

Finally, it’s Monday. When the diving course starts Leo isn’t there and Laura is disappointed. But then he turns up and they become diving buddies. In the evening they all go for a drink and the two of them finally get to talk. When a storm stops the course, he shows her the Southern Most Point and more. Then she tells him about her marriage and what Matthew did, suddenly Leo is really cold and stops their day. Laura is disappointed. Even the next day, when the course continues the atmosphere is weird between them. The next day, is the day the girls leave for Miami and so she spends her last evening at Jorge’s and Leo’s house and finds out more about them, Jorge’s sister Carmen and her boyfriend Eric, they all live there. She doesn’t want to leave!

Laura doesn’t enjoy Miami at all and at the airport she gets a call from Matthew. The girl’s had the baby and then it’s clear for Laura. She doesn’t want to return to Englang, no she wants to go back to Key West. She sees Jorge at the airport, because he is there to pick up his nephew and takes her back to Key West, he even offers her to stay at their place. Leo isn’t there when they arrive. She bumps into him the next morning. He is surprised, but seems okay with it. On the contrary there are her parents, Marty and Matthew, but nothing changes her mind. She helps around the house and spends time with Leo, they go to the beach, night diving etc.

Leo takes her to Miami, because she wants to buy a MacBook to work from there. They stay over night and Laura meets Leo’s ex. The tension is huge between Leo and Laura, but nothing happens (yet). It’s obvious that they’ve got the hots for each other. She tells him, that her marriage is over and when their back at the house Laura can’t wait and resist anymore. She kisses him and he first says no, but she convinces him and they become one (finally ;)). They enjoy every single minute with each other, mostly in his bedroom.

Out of the blue Matthew turns up and Leo is angry. He gives them the time though. For Laura it is even clearer now, what she wants and she tells Leo. Matthew goes home and then her mum turns up. Also her mum tries to convince her to return to England and to Matthew, but Laura loves Leo and doesn’t want to leave him. She tells him that, but he can’t say it back, he’s not the type for it (not yet hopefully).

Laura and Leo enjoy their last few weeks together, before Laura has to return to England, because her Visa has expired. They also talk about the house and what could be the future of Leo’s house. Then she leaves, Leo promises to call her.

Matthew tries everything to get Laura back. He even takes her to see the baby, but enough is enough. It becomes clearer and clearer that she wants a divorce and return to Key West and to her Leo. Why is he not calling?

When Leo finally calls and Laura has told Matthew about the divorce, she gets hit by a car...

Leo left his mobile phone in Key West and goes back there, he even starts to renovate the house, so that it could be a guest house one day. He tries to call her all the time, but she doesn’t pick up. Why?

After weeks of nothing Leo has a bad dream about her and thinks something happened to her. Then his world comes crashing down, when Marty tells him that Laura’s had an accident and is in coma. He immediately packs his bags and flies to England, where Bridget picks him up and helps him to see Laura. It is harder than you think though with Matthew and her parents there. When Leo doesn’t want to sleep and stays at the hospital all the time, Laura’s parents seem to realise how much Laura means to him. They invite him to stay at their place and start to be really nice to him. Matthew has left, so Leo can go see Laura whenever he wants. He finally knows what he wants. It’s LAURA, just Laura and he tells her that he loves her.

The next chapter is a few months ahead and Laura is back!!!! She is even back in Key West and she couldn’t be happier. She’s got the guest house and the love of her life.

An amazing love story with so much chemistry and atmosphere. Laura and Leo are meant for each other and their story is so gripping and emotional. We see Laura from a total different side and you just gotta love her. Key West is the perfect setting for a story like that and the reader can feel the energy between Laura and Leo instantly. I couldn’t wait to read what happens next and it was unbearable when Laura was in coma, you just want her to wake up, so that this loves tory can be complete.

Romantic, gorgeous, wonderful, gripping, amazing… The perfect summer-read!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

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