Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.
Rating: 4/5
Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.
Laurie is pretty sure love, at first sight, doesn't exist anywhere but in the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic... and then her bus drives away.
Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.
What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming, and an immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.
Oh! This was the perfect holiday romance to read about. Just what I needed to fill that romance need. This was such a moving story, though I didn’t agree with everything that was going on, I was never bored. The timeline was constantly moving, never allowing there to be a dull moment. That being said, I wish we didn’t jump so far into the future every time. I would have liked to see some more of those in-between moments.
This was such a moving story, though I didn’t agree with everything that was going on, I was never bored.
I will say I absolutely loved Laurie, I saw a lot of myself in her. She was very relatable for me, so that made it easier for me to love the story I think as well. I definitely did not agree with all her choices. Then on to Jack, I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with him. He was often caring and so sweet when he wanted to be. But he was also a massive jerk at times as well, which made it hard to love him.
I found this extremely addictive, but I could also see that this is not a book for everyone. Especially if you don’t relate to the characters. I had very strongly connected with the characters, so it was easy for me to love. I was rooting for Laurie and Jack. I wanted to see them end up together, but at the same time, I wanted them to do it right and create the least amount of destruction. I hate people who cheat, so I honestly was wary throughout the entire book, curious about how things would play out. I honestly don’t think it could have ended better.
I found this extremely addictive, but I could also see that this is not a book for everyone. Especially if you don’t relate to the characters.
Overall, I thought this was such a fitting holiday romance. I highly recommend if you like romance to try this, but I also don’t expect everyone to love it as much as I did.
Keep reading for more of my thoughts.
Warning! Spoilers :)
As I mentioned, I hate cheaters so I will say Laurie and Jack’s first kiss was hard to accept. But due to how turned out I was willing to accept it. I was also happy that Laurie refused the second kiss. She knew better that time despite her feelings.
Now onto the moment when Sarah finds out that Jack is Bus Boy. I hated this scene. For someone who claims she’s Laurie’s best friend, you’d think she’d at least hear her out first? I didn’t agree with how Sarah reacted. It was way over the top, especially for her to just forgive Laurie without ever having heard the remainder of the details, it didn’t make sense. It would have made more sense if Sarah heard everything, then if she freaked okay fine. But this scene also happened right before Laurie’s wedding, what best friend leaves? At least be there for her wedding then hash it out!
And Laurie’s husband? Oh god, he was something else. I didn’t like him from the start. I hated how he talked down to Laurie, making demands like wanting dinner ready by the time he gets home. I’m sorry future husband if you ever read this, but that will never be me. You’ll get dinner when I’m good and ready. I honestly didn’t think Laurie would go through with the wedding. Especially when she had her little freak out with the wedding dress search. I also just hated Oscar assumed Laurie would just quit her job and move to Brussels. Especially without asking, who does that? I would have left him too. Well, I wouldn’t have been with him in the first place but…
I also just hated Oscar assumed Laurie would just quit her job and move to Brussels. Especially without asking, who does that? I would have left him too.
I read in another review that they didn’t agree with how it ended because Laurie ended her marriage for the same reason she started this new relationship with Jack. In short, Laurie left Oscar because she didn’t want to leave her job and move to a new country. She got together with Jack and will most likely be moving to a new country to be with him. But I didn’t see it that way.
I didn’t see this as being the same reason and didn’t agree with that other reviewer. If she stayed with Oscar, it wouldn’t have been her choice to move to a new country as Oscar never asked her if she wanted, too. So it was either move with him or stay and only see him on the weekends, what kind of marriage is that? I would have dumped his ass, too.
Now she had been single for over a year, and since she had gotten a new job, this one clearly giving her more freedom such as being able to move to another country, we know this as Laurie considers moving to Australia saying “all I need is a computer and wifi.” So when she makes the decision to go to Jack at the end of the book, she’s not risking her job anymore, plus she made the decision, it wasn’t made for her.