One Day in December by Josie Silver

Narrated by Eleanor Tomlinson & 

Charlie Anson

Twopeople.Tenchances.Oneunforgettablelovestory.

Laurieisprettysureloveatfirstsightdoesn'texistanywherebutthemovies.Butthen,throughamisted-upbuswindowonesnowyDecemberday,sheseesamanwhosheknowsinstantlyistheone.Theireyesmeet,there'samomentofpuremagic...andthenherbusdrivesaway.

Certainthey'refatedtofindeachotheragain,LauriespendsayearscanningeverybusstopandcafeinLondonforhim.Butshedoesn'tfindhim,notwhenitmattersanyway.Insteadthey"reunite"ataChristmasparty,whenherbestfriendSarahgiddilyintroduceshernewboyfriendtoLaurie.It'sJack,themanfromthebus.Itwouldbe.

WhatfollowsforLaurie,SarahandJackistenyearsoffriendship,heartbreak,missedopportunities,roadsnottaken,anddestiniesreconsidered.OneDayinDecemberisajoyous,heartwarmingandimmenselymovinglovestorytoescapeintoandareminderthatfatetakesinexplicableturnsalongtheroutetohappiness.Synopsis (via Goodreads): Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but 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 immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.

“You tread lightly through life, but you leave deep footprints that are hard for other people to fill.”

One Day in December was both frustrating and fantastic! My heart was in a constant state of brokenness, because I felt bad for every single character. Jack, Laurie, Sarah, and even Oscar. They all wanted to find love and be loved, but it's like the universe was conspiring against them. We see missed opportunities and infuriating decisions, but also happiness and genuine friendships.

I adored the relationship between Laurie and Sarah. I love that they created their own sandwich, and would only make one when they were together (even though the ingredients were super gross). I wish I had a friendship that solid and lasting. I hated the wedge that Jack inevitably caused in their relationship, because his presence was a constant reminder of what Laurie had lost. She couldn't act on her feelings, because she didn't want to hurt Sarah, but her heart was stuck on her best friend's boyfriend. Sarah and Jack seemed to genuinely care for each other, which only made things more complicated.

“We are a triangle, but our sides have kept changing length. Nothing has ever quite been equal. Perhaps it’s time to learn how to stand on our own, rather than lean on each other.” 

I enjoyed seeing the three of them together, because they really did have a great group dynamic. They all got along so well, and I hated that Sarah found Jack before Laurie did. However, I do think that both Laurie and Jack grew a lot during the ten years of their friendship, and maybe had experiences they wouldn't have had otherwise. Everything with Laurie and Oscar was lovely, until it wasn't. It's impossible to know if things would have been different had Jack gotten on that bus, but we do know their futures were irrevocably changed that night.

Both Jack and Laurie made mistakes. They hurt each other, their friends, and themselves. It was a complicated series of events that felt completely realistic, even if it was heartbreaking to read about. I struggled with my emotions for the better part of the book, torn between what I wanted, and what was best for the characters. I felt conflicted and worried about all of their individual futures, and wanted everyone's story to have a happy ending. 

One Day in December really captured what it means to be a friend, and how difficult it can be to maintain a lasting relationship. Laurie and Sarah were like sisters, and it showed in their actions and conversations. Jack was brotherly, friendly, and a love interest all at once, and sometimes to the same person. It sounds bananas, I know, but it really worked for this story. Every character had their individual ups and downs, and I was really invested in each of their lives. 

“But what else was I supposed to say? That I felt as if she’d just kissed fucking stardust into my mouth.”

This book will likely make you cry, and probably more than once. There were so many wonderful moments, but there were also really authentic conflicts that left me feeling empty and at a loss for words. I struggled with these characters, cried with them, and laughed when everything was fun and light. I enjoyed the time skips, and seeing how the characters and their relationships developed over time. At lot can happen in ten years, and I think the author did a brilliant job of covering a lot of ground without making the book feel too long. Amazing story (and the audio was perfect)!