During the end of last year, I binge read the Just One Day series by Gayle Forman. I really enjoyed her If I Stay series, so it was time that I gave her other series a try.
If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Date Published: January 8, 2013
From the New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay
Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.
A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the “accidents” of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost. . . and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.
The first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!
One of my dreams is to backpack through Europe someday, so I was thrilled when I discovered that Just One Day took place over there. I couldn't wait to read about Allyson's thoughts and adventures, as well as moments where she experienced the self growth that often comes with traveling abroad.
I have to say that while I enjoyed this book, I didn't love it like so many of my friends do. I just had a really hard time relating to the main characters- Allyson and Willem, especially in the first half of the book. As I said, I would absolutely love the opportunity to travel to Europe someday, so I couldn't understand why Allyson was so pissed off about going. She seemed to complain about a lot of things though. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but Allyson did a couple of things that absolutely baffled me, and it wasn't just because she did something a teen might do. These were common sense things!
I also wasn't a big fan of Willem, and cannot put him on my list of book boyfriends. He just seemed so shady and revealed so little about himself, and it surprised me that Allyson was so willing to trust him and would travel in a foreign country with him. He also came up as kind of a jerk, if you ask me. I just didn't understand their connection or believe it, especially as a lot of it seemed based on looks. He didn't even ask for her real name?
Strangely, I preferred the second half of Just One Day, to the first half. It was nice to see Allyson in a different setting, and I admired her personal growth. I also loved her best friend, Dee! I loved that he gave it to her straight, and he was the friend that she needed.
3 Stars
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