Author:  Gayle Forman
Series: (Just One Day #1)
Published: January 8th 2013
Publisher: Dutton Books
Categories: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
 

Here’s a little love lesson from Willem. There’s a significant difference between falling in love and being in love. Falling in love is something you can remove; like a nuttela in the wrist which you can wipe clean. While being in love is something will never come off, just like a stain you can’t remove. Yes, stained. And I kind of agree with Allyson here that ‘stain’ is not really pretty word to describe something fundamental as love, but in essence I get Willem’s point. The experience something forever imprinted in your life.

You know, it’s so incredible how our life can change in one single moment completely. I think that what has happened with Allyson in this novel. Graduated from high school, she took a trip to Europe and met a young actor Willem. He is also the guy who nicknamed her ‘Lulu’ from lady who has the same shades of locks as she has. With her new found persona and a guy who made her feel different about herself and the tour in Paris that changed her life completely.

Just One Day is indeed a story of self-discovery. Life after high school is scary. I remember I was every bit anxious what is life ahead of me; especially college is a platform for maturity and preparation for the ‘real world.’ It’s scary thought for me. So I can truly relate with Lulu here. But my experience did not involve hot young actors and European tour. But the experience she has that day has altered her in some good and bad ways. Figuring things in her life, sorting the old and the new.

You know Gayle Forman wrote the heartbreaking and soul changing books that is the If I Stay and Where She Went. I was so madly in love with Adam Wilde and the second book of the series confounded me like no other contemporary books had ever done. It’s just emotionally fascinating. So I wasn’t weary to read another story from the author, I bet it would be good. But my year is not starting great when it comes to books, because even with this one which I know has high regards from other readers fell a little short to my liking. It’s not that it wasn’t great but it didn’t have the same emotional punch of her former book series.

While I wasn’t completely ‘stained’ with this novel and I’m still absolutely anticipating the companion novel— Just One Year. I’m very much interested to know about more Willem in a much deeper level. I really wanted to know how he felt when she met Allyson on that one fateful day. And how he’s coping with had happened to them. I’m pretty happy, still, that this book is entirely different from the previous series. But can’t help doing some comparison because in some little ways they are alike. The delivery of emotions through her words is still similar. But differs on how I accepted it.