Title: Just One Day (Just One Day #1)
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Published: January 8, 2013
Source: ARC (NCTE)
Summary (Goodreads): When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance ofTwelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
Review: I absolutely enjoyed this book. However, I did find it to be a little slow in spots which is probably why I read several other books before really reading this one. But once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a great coming-of-age book that not only explores becoming a responsible adult but also the woes of love. And while I found Allyson to be a little whiny at times, I think that Forman did an excellent job capturing the feelings of a first love. More importantly I liked the underlying story of the overzealous parent who wants to live vicariously through their child–with good intentions of course. There were parts that made me laugh out loud (especially Dee) and parts that brought me to tears (her falling out with her best friend). There is Shakespeare, Paris, and love, what’s not to like.
This is my first book by Forman and I can’t wait for Just One Year, which comes out in the fall. In the meantime, I plan on picking up other books by her. I enjoyed her writing style and loved the characters she made come to life.
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