Summary

The Wall Street Journal Bestseller.

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a friends-to-lovers story spanning more than a decade...

At first, I thought I'd hate spending the summer with Archie Remington—the conceited son of my parents' friends.
What I knew about Archie: he was gorgeous, pre-law, and had always treated me like I didn't exist when we were younger.
When our families bought a house together on an island in Maine, he and I were forced to share a bathroom.

The boy I remembered was now a full-grown man—but with the same attitude.
After a rough start, Archie and I unexpectedly started getting along one day and eventually became friends. We shared secrets and bonded during our morning jogs. I discovered that Archie had a wild spirit and that he struggled to conform to his father's expectations.

Things were cool until I had to go and ruin it, getting drunk one night, and blurting out my fantasy—involving him.

I took it back, but it was too late. Archie had heard me loud and clear. After that, we never quite knew how to toe the line.
When that summer came to an abrupt and shocking end, I headed back to college, unsure if anything would ever be the same again.
Across the miles over the years, he and I stayed in touch as friends, but fate and timing always kept us from becoming more.

You know the saying: If two people are meant to be, they'll find their way back to each other?

Let's just say Archie came back into my life in a way I would've never expected.
And this time, my heart would really be put to the test.

Review

For a book about friends to lovers that spans for more than a decade, I expected to feel something. I was begging to feel any emotion; however, all I felt was disappointment. It took ten plus years for Archie and Noelle to get together, and the buildup and the play off were extremely lacking. Archie was a frustrating hero, and Noelle continued to wait for him despite him wrongly pulling her along when he knew her feelings towards him. He always had an excuse ready for her.

Every step of the way, there was another obstacle to overcome with them, and if they had communicated, they could have been together much sooner. Yes, I understand moments are missed, but every time? Every single sign?

Final Thoughts

Toe the Line is a romance where the hero is probably the worst character in the book. Not only did he feel bland, but he also continuously played with Noelle’s emotions for no good reason. I really had high hopes for this one because of the summary, but every single aspect of this book left me feeling disappointed.

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