Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)

Just One Day
Gayle Forman
368 pages
Release: January 8, 2012
Publisher: Dutton
Source: the publisher
★★★★★

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Oh my gosh you have to read this book!  Read it!

Let me start off by saying that I got the synopsis of this book confused with a different one before I started reading so throughout the whole novel I was waiting for Willem to turn out to be the William Shakespeare reincarnate.  Turns out that's a different novel all together and Just One Day is strictly contemporary.  A delicious contemporary filled with all those feelings new adults have about everything in life.

So here's what really happens... After Allyson graduates high school, her parents send her on a teen tour of Europe.  While there, she's convinced by her best friend to ditch one evening's organized activity and see a ragtag group of actors perform one of Shakespeare's plays.  It's there that she meets actor Willem and is whisked away on an adventure with him for just one day.  But when she wakes up in the morning and Willem is mysteriously gone with no way to contact him, she must return to the United States and move on with her life.  But college isn't what she was expecting and she finds her thoughts consumed to the point where she must act.

So, Just One Day really is a coming of age story that crosses the line between young adult and new adult.  But no matter how you want to classify it, one thing is ultimately true: it was unputdownable.  I was immediately drawn in by Allyson's character.  She starts off pretty tightly-laced; she doesn't drink or fall out of line, or get in trouble... ever.  But it was great to see her grow as the novel continued out and she really got out of her shell, as evidenced by her actions at the end of the novel.  I was really proud of her growth, despite the fact that it was a bumpy road filled with bad grades, thusly grouchy parents, and lots of unanswered questions about the future.

But back to that one day.  Allyson's chemistry with Willem seemed so genuine even though they had just met.  That's why I was genuinely confused and disappointed when he disappeared from the scene and Allyson had to go back to the states alone to start college.  I knew there had to be more to it, or at least I was hoping there was! Well, naturally we find out at the end of the novel what really happened and can I just say, the ending of this book... oh my goodness, the last page!  I couldn't believe that was it.

Here's something really great about Just One Day, though.... it's not really over!  This fall the sequel will be released.  Called Just One Year, the followup will focus on Willem's story.  I for one cannot wait to get my hands on that book and see what he was up to for that whole year Allyson was in the states.

Five stars!  Fans of Anna and the French Kiss and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight will eagerly devour this new romantic contemporary.  This is definitely one to get with some of your holiday gift cards!