Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Just One Day by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:  

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay


When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth 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.
So I have readers guilt! I have avoided reading this book for two reasons. 1. I heard this book was mostly about the time after that "one day affair"... 2. I also heard there was a HUGE cliffhanger! So.... I waited until I could use my audible credit plus I waited until the sequel was out so I didn't have to wait so long. Kinda cheesy, right?

Well, my thoughts about this book were all over the place. Willem, a character who, I thought, represented the European playboy to a tee. Not that I have ever known one myself, but if I imagined a young, sexy, smooth, international traveler, Willem would be him. Add Shakespeare to it and viola instant romance! It was exciting to read at first, while on their One day affair, then tragic and heartbreaking. But the depression that Alison felt when returning back to the US just dragged and dragged. I guess if I had "given myself" to someone after one day, that would have brought on all kinds of regrets, heartache and depression, but really... I wanted to slap her out of it!

When it comes to young adult reads, I really get into the growing of the characters. It seems Alison really turned a 180, from being the quiet, timid, rule-follower, to a more adventurous and free-spirited girl. Standing up to her parents and pushing for what she wanted was a huge leap from who she was before.

For me, like in the book, I do not believe in coincidences... I trust fate or "accidents" as Willem put it.

As for the cliff-hanger... UUUGGHHH! Really? That has to be one of the biggest ones I have come across!! Thanks for that, Gayle Forman!! I love this kind of torture!!

There was some bad language, and a sex scene but not very detailed. Not something a young teen should read.

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