Review #38 - Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Just One Day is a novel by Gayle Forman about Allyson who's spent the summer before college on a European tour. On the last day of the tour she meets Willem and they go for one whirlwind day in Paris. The book is set into two parts: the day in Paris and the year after at college.

This is very much a romance YA novel with an air of un-tragic TFIOS and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. The romance is great though I didn't fall in love with Willem which is a shame because it's fantastic when you fall in love with a character. However it is top of it's game in the contemporary YA romance.

It is set in Paris (which is not my favourite European city by a long way), Amsterdam (yes yes yes), an American college and a tiny bit in Stratford and London. The European settings are gorgeous and very romanticised which I liked because it is first person. It is an insight into Allyson (rather than general oh Europe is amazing writing). I also always love books about uni.

My favourite part was the part at college because it made my little feminist heart warm and also the most character development occurred here and it was a really important moment in the plot. I feel like everyone overlooks this and focuses on the romance but I really loved the bits in college (especially the bits about Shakespeare).

I thought the characters were wonderful (apart from maybe Willem) and really colourful. I loved their relationships and the way they interacted. So much was very subtle and I really enjoyed that because I hate it when authors treat their readers like idiots. I really liked how Allyson was more preoccupied about finding herself in the novel that Willem which again, pleased by little feminist heart.

I would recommend this if:
You want a good YA romance
You loved the Fangirl setting
You want to visit Europe

I gave this five stars.

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Favourite quotes:
“I think you cry in movies that aren't even sad because you have a soft heart, though you don't let it show. I think you do things that scare you, and that makes you braver than those adrenaline junkies who bungee-jump off bridges.”
“No one is who they pretend to be.”