One Day in December: Book Review

Holiday books can be a gamble, at least that’s what I learned last year when I set out to devour as many holiday reads as possible between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some are meh, and some are good but lack wow factor. Many are downright terrible. More than a few are overly religious. But, every once in a while, there’s a holiday book that absolutely knocks your socks off! For me, that book is One Day in December by Josie Silver. Not only did this scratch the holiday book itch, but it also rekindled my appreciation for contemporary romance books. It also may have restored my faith in humanity, but more on that in another post. For now, enjoy this One Day in December book review.

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Synopsis

Laurie has just seen her dream man! He’s sitting at a bus stop in busy London minding his own business. No big deal, right? Unfortunately, Laurie’s sitting on the bus that’s speeding by, leaving Mr. Right in the lurch. Gone! He’s gone. Until suddenly he isn’t. Bus Boy has turned up where she least expected, and, to make matters worse, he’s now forbidden fruit. She has to settle for being his just his friend. Ugh!

Over the next nine years, their lives intertwine but never touch, the stuff of relationship nightmares. Time passes, partners come and go, parents ail, babies are born; but she’ll never forget that One Day in December when she saw him through the bus window. Did he see her, too? Time has a way of revealing all, but will she be ready to hear the truth when it comes?

My Thoughts on One Day in December

Omfg, y’all. Read this book. Better yet, listen to this book! I was holding onto every word of the ENTIRE of One Day in December. I wanted so many things from this story, and it didn’t disappoint. It was jam-packed with raw emotions, and the narrators brought all the joy and heartache to life. I finished this while doing some last minute holiday shopping, and I swear people were staring at me in the middle of Bath & Body Works. Caught up in the conclusion, I stopped mid-shop to finish, and, yes, there were tears involved.

Now, let’s talk tropes. I consider myself a romance newbie, which means I’m still learning what romance tropes, scenarios, and characters I enjoy. But I think I’ve just found my new favorite romance trope in One Day in December: star-crossed lovers. The will-they/won’t they aspect of this novel had me hanging onto every word, eager to know happens next.

Now, I know the love triangle isn’t a favorite for many readers, but this one worked for me! Sure, the friendship at stake gives this one a certain cringe factor, but, to me, it gave the book an extra layer of real-life texture that I genuinely appreciated. The instantly-in-love trope isn’t my favorite, but the complicated relationships in this book gave another dimension to a storyline that otherwise have seemed unrealistic.

I cannot say enough about One Day in December. Though it’s not a traditional holiday book, it does center on the holiday season which gives it a holiday book vibe, for sure. It’s definitely not what you expect when you think holiday book, but it works. I’ll be adding this to my holiday book reading list, so stay tuned for more on that topic!

My Rating for One Day in December

If you’re in the mood for a gut-punch romance that will leave you misty-eyed with a book hangover, then don’t miss One Day in December. This book is so raw and real that it deserves to be on your must-read romance book list, as well as your must-read holiday book list. Do yourself a favor and snag a copy of this one asap!

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