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Just One Day
(Just One Day #1)
by
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, unt ...more
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, unt ...more
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Hardcover, 369 pages
Published
January 8th 2013
by Dutton Juvenile
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Start your review of Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)

THIS WAS SO GOOD! I read this while traveling which was the BEST idea. I love how we got to experience so many different countries and meet so many different people without the story getting confusing. Allyson grew so much as a character and ahhhh I just loved it! Now I definitely have to go out and get Just One Year and read it ASAP.

January, 2016: "My first read of the year is always a reread and this year I've chosen to reread this book which I loved my first time round! I want to go back into the love of travel and growth of the main character! Hope I love it as much this time!" I tried to read this but had to stop. I wasn't enjoying it and it was tearing up a loved memory for me. Here's a video about the idea of reading books at the perfect time: https://t.co/1k7Ox6fSRF
October, 2013:
Just One Day blew my mind. It took me ...more
October, 2013:
Just One Day blew my mind. It took me ...more

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Nearly a decade ago, someone once told me that books are like memories; within their pages, they store your emotions and thoughts, a document of sorts of your experience. I still don’t know how true that statement is, but I dearly hope it is – at least when it comes to Just One Day. Nothing better than this book itself can summon up the whirlwind of emotion I felt when I read it. Although I cracked open its spine with trepidation – there are, after all, a plethora of mixed revie ...more
Nearly a decade ago, someone once told me that books are like memories; within their pages, they store your emotions and thoughts, a document of sorts of your experience. I still don’t know how true that statement is, but I dearly hope it is – at least when it comes to Just One Day. Nothing better than this book itself can summon up the whirlwind of emotion I felt when I read it. Although I cracked open its spine with trepidation – there are, after all, a plethora of mixed revie ...more

Jul 07, 2014
emma
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
owned,
contemporary,
5-stars,
ya,
recommend,
reread,
reviewed,
i-love-these-characters,
slump-worthy,
best-contemporaries
me most of the time: there's no cure for depression
me when i remember this book exists: there's one cure for depression
(this is my true problematic fave)
-----------------------
I THINK THIS IS THE BEST CONTEMPORARY OF ALL TIME AND IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME EVEN SLIGHTLY I MIGHT CRY A LITTLE BIT AND IT WILL BE SO, SO UNCOMFORTABLE FOR US BOTH SO YOU SHOULD PROBABLY JUST AGREE.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
I genuinely love this book. I have for four years now, but like. A lot has changed in ...more
me when i remember this book exists: there's one cure for depression
(this is my true problematic fave)
-----------------------
I THINK THIS IS THE BEST CONTEMPORARY OF ALL TIME AND IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME EVEN SLIGHTLY I MIGHT CRY A LITTLE BIT AND IT WILL BE SO, SO UNCOMFORTABLE FOR US BOTH SO YOU SHOULD PROBABLY JUST AGREE.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
I genuinely love this book. I have for four years now, but like. A lot has changed in ...more

"Ain't such a line between faking and being."
My heart is saying yes but my head is saying absolutely not. So I guess it's only fair that I appease the two of them and rate exactly down the middle. To be honest, I have come to expect more from Ms Forman's characters. I found it extremely difficult to care about either Allyson or Willem, especially the latter. While I came to appreciate Allyson's story more in the second half and had my heart singing along to the sad tunes of heartbreak, I nev ...more
My heart is saying yes but my head is saying absolutely not. So I guess it's only fair that I appease the two of them and rate exactly down the middle. To be honest, I have come to expect more from Ms Forman's characters. I found it extremely difficult to care about either Allyson or Willem, especially the latter. While I came to appreciate Allyson's story more in the second half and had my heart singing along to the sad tunes of heartbreak, I nev ...more

*cue ‘anna and the french kiss’ flashbacks*
not that the two books are super similar, just that they invoked the same feeling. which is that, by the end, i became more interested/invested in the setting of the story than the story itself.
gayle forman does a truly wonderful job at transporting the reader to NYC, paris, london, and amsterdam. her writing is so full of life and culture, really doing the cities justice. this is honestly the perfect book to read during the summer when you get that wa ...more
not that the two books are super similar, just that they invoked the same feeling. which is that, by the end, i became more interested/invested in the setting of the story than the story itself.
gayle forman does a truly wonderful job at transporting the reader to NYC, paris, london, and amsterdam. her writing is so full of life and culture, really doing the cities justice. this is honestly the perfect book to read during the summer when you get that wa ...more


“But I’m also starting to wonder something else. If maybe the point of this crazy quest I’m on wasn’t to help me find Willem. Maybe it was to help me find someone else entirely.”
Blurb: 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 ...more

As seen on The Readventurer
Just One Day is a story of self-discovery sandwiched between the romance-heavy beginning and end, two stories in one if you will. High school graduate Allyson meets an amateur Dutch actor Willem during her post-HS culture tour of Europe and with a spontaneity unnatural to her throws away all her caution and embarks on a day trip to Paris with him. They spend a day (and night) together, and then it's over, abruptly. Allyson goes back home then, starts college and succum ...more
Just One Day is a story of self-discovery sandwiched between the romance-heavy beginning and end, two stories in one if you will. High school graduate Allyson meets an amateur Dutch actor Willem during her post-HS culture tour of Europe and with a spontaneity unnatural to her throws away all her caution and embarks on a day trip to Paris with him. They spend a day (and night) together, and then it's over, abruptly. Allyson goes back home then, starts college and succum ...more

Oct 10, 2011
Wendy Darling
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
2013-publication,
2013-favorites,
penguin,
france,
read-2013,
mature-ya,
young-adult,
realistic-fiction
4.5 stars I don't know how this author consistently writes such beautifully crafted stories of personal growth, but the level of emotional maturity in this one just astounds me.
But sheesh, what a place to stop the story! Can't wait for the next book this fall. ...more
But sheesh, what a place to stop the story! Can't wait for the next book this fall. ...more

Are you looking for a whimsical romance filled with love songs and fiery kisses? Are you searching for a story with constant adventure, brimming with beauty and overflowing with passion?
If so, stop. Just One Day is not one of those books. It is not shallow. It is not like Anna and the French Kiss. It is beautiful, but in a bittersweet, lyrical, and oftentimes melancholy way. This is a book for people who have ever felt lost, for those who know what it feels like to be unsure of who they are, or ...more
If so, stop. Just One Day is not one of those books. It is not shallow. It is not like Anna and the French Kiss. It is beautiful, but in a bittersweet, lyrical, and oftentimes melancholy way. This is a book for people who have ever felt lost, for those who know what it feels like to be unsure of who they are, or ...more

Aug 17, 2013
April (Aprilius Maximus)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
2015,
to-reread-and-annotate
I HAVE NO WORDS

"Why are you making a bucket list then?"
"Because if you wait until you're really dying, it's too late."

I really liked this book! Which is quite shocking considering that I really didn’t like ‘If I Stay’/’Where She Went’.
Allyson made some bad decisions in this book, and as a parent you would want to ground her for life. Jumping on a train to Paris with a man she’d only just met? Leaving her suitcase with someone she doesn’t know (who could plant a bomb in it)? Not telling anyone where she ...more

Apr 30, 2014
Hailey (Hailey in Bookland)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
contemporary,
owned
4.5*
I really, really loved this, much more than I had anticipated. I didn't enjoy If I Stay as much as everyone else seems to and I read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and didn't really enjoy it and this book is pretty similar, but it wasn't just a love story, it had so much more depth to it.
I loved the pivotal role Shakespeare played in the story and how his plays all tied into the identity struggle Allyson was having. The love story was also insta love but not annoyingly s ...more
I really, really loved this, much more than I had anticipated. I didn't enjoy If I Stay as much as everyone else seems to and I read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and didn't really enjoy it and this book is pretty similar, but it wasn't just a love story, it had so much more depth to it.
I loved the pivotal role Shakespeare played in the story and how his plays all tied into the identity struggle Allyson was having. The love story was also insta love but not annoyingly s ...more

Really enjoyed this book!Read it in JUST ONE DAY, here's my full detailed review: http://youtu.be/mbnVejUX0Bc =)
...more

I enjoyed this book! Definitely not what I expected but I'm pleasantly surprised. I really did enjoy the story line and progression. The character development was amazing. Although, I found myself skimming a bit during the middle due to the fact that I felt that some parts just dragged on. However, the last several chapters were fantastic which made up for it!
...more

After reading and loving If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman, I was thrilled to hear Ms. Forman was working on a new novel, Just One Day. Just One Day was a bittersweet story that entranced me, took hold of my heart, and gave it a great big squeeze! My heart still aches.
Allyson is almost to the end of her graduation present, a three week trip touring Europe. She’s spent the time speed traveling through Europe, and is now in London on the last leg of the trip. On a whim and an accident, ...more
Allyson is almost to the end of her graduation present, a three week trip touring Europe. She’s spent the time speed traveling through Europe, and is now in London on the last leg of the trip. On a whim and an accident, ...more

My reaction upon finishing this book: Son of a...
The book started off great at first, it was easy to get into. And then I got bored and wanted to "solve the mystery" of what went wrong, plus I was tired of the main character being so annoyingly mopey... so I started speed reading. And then skimming. And then finally I had jumped to the end... And it was over. No real answers to any of the questions. Just a blatant, "buy the sequel to have any sort of resolution to this book". Which I think is pr ...more
The book started off great at first, it was easy to get into. And then I got bored and wanted to "solve the mystery" of what went wrong, plus I was tired of the main character being so annoyingly mopey... so I started speed reading. And then skimming. And then finally I had jumped to the end... And it was over. No real answers to any of the questions. Just a blatant, "buy the sequel to have any sort of resolution to this book". Which I think is pr ...more

Sep 19, 2012
Steph Sinclair
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Those who enjoy books involving traveling
I'm really starting to think I need to spend more time in the Contemporary genre. While I'm there I might as well finally read If I Stay and Where She Went. Yes, I can't believe I haven't read them yet either. No, I'm not sure what my malfunction is. But what I am sure of is how happy I am to have finally read a Gayle Forman novel. Just One Day came complete with a charming cast of characters, Parisian backdrop and such a relatable coming of age story.
Right from the start I knew I would love thi ...more
Right from the start I knew I would love thi ...more

MY DAY WAS JUST MADE.
PS: If the book's coming out in 2013, then the world will obviously not end in 2012, pff. ...more
PS: If the book's coming out in 2013, then the world will obviously not end in 2012, pff. ...more

Post reading thoughts: Oh gosh this book just took my heart and stomped all over it. I need Just One Year now! Full review to come once I've got all my feelings in check.
Please excuse my meagre attempt at gathering my chaotic thoughts and trying to write a coherent review, but Just One Day just evoked so many different emotions within me. So many books come around that leave just a deep lasting impression and without a doubt Just One Day is one of those books.
Allyson was meant to be on trip of h ...more
Please excuse my meagre attempt at gathering my chaotic thoughts and trying to write a coherent review, but Just One Day just evoked so many different emotions within me. So many books come around that leave just a deep lasting impression and without a doubt Just One Day is one of those books.
Allyson was meant to be on trip of h ...more

Lol soooooo this is gonna be interesting. Suffice it to say, I don't really care for Just One Day.
Or Allyson. Or Willem.
My biggest issue, and the source of all my problems with the book, is the instalove. DO NOT even try to tell me this book doesn't have instalove, because it does, and the fact that it takes place in PARIS, a city I would very much like to visit someday because of my undying love and adoration for it, really ticked me off. Like, Allyson and Willem's "love affair" should've take ...more
Or Allyson. Or Willem.
My biggest issue, and the source of all my problems with the book, is the instalove. DO NOT even try to tell me this book doesn't have instalove, because it does, and the fact that it takes place in PARIS, a city I would very much like to visit someday because of my undying love and adoration for it, really ticked me off. Like, Allyson and Willem's "love affair" should've take ...more

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A copy of Just One Day was provided to me by Dutton/Penguin Group (USA) for review purposes.
'We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.'
Admittedly, I do believe I started this when I was in the completely wrong sort of mood. I totally killed this story for myself in the beginning and could not get into it. I was mentally flashing to scenes from 'Taken' and kept waiting for he ...more
A copy of Just One Day was provided to me by Dutton/Penguin Group (USA) for review purposes.
'We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.'
Admittedly, I do believe I started this when I was in the completely wrong sort of mood. I totally killed this story for myself in the beginning and could not get into it. I was mentally flashing to scenes from 'Taken' and kept waiting for he ...more

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Quite a few months ago, in my early reviewing days, when I was just a new face in the world of reviewing and book blogging, I read a book called Die for Me. Although it had an interesting and original premise (which, ultimately, was revealed to be poorly executed), a pretty cover, and some mixed to positive reviews from friends of mine, the main reason I really wanted to read Die for Me was because it took place in Paris, and I'd hoped that the author would take advantage ...more
Quite a few months ago, in my early reviewing days, when I was just a new face in the world of reviewing and book blogging, I read a book called Die for Me. Although it had an interesting and original premise (which, ultimately, was revealed to be poorly executed), a pretty cover, and some mixed to positive reviews from friends of mine, the main reason I really wanted to read Die for Me was because it took place in Paris, and I'd hoped that the author would take advantage ...more

Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars
“We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.” This is a quote from an uncorrected proof.
Just One Day by Gayle Forman is what I would consider a worthy start to what I truly believe will have an epic continuation. This book delivered in all the ways Forman knows how, which is a great premise, a likable cast and a primer for a promising part two. I think the early reader ...more
“We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.” This is a quote from an uncorrected proof.
Just One Day by Gayle Forman is what I would consider a worthy start to what I truly believe will have an epic continuation. This book delivered in all the ways Forman knows how, which is a great premise, a likable cast and a primer for a promising part two. I think the early reader ...more

This book is...theraputic. Its a journey. and you come out of it like a different person. Like Allyson. Gayle Forman writes differently in each of her books which is quite magnificent!!! Her characters are all unique but you can relate to them so easily!!
Just One Day is NOT about just one day. Its about what happens after that one day. I love love love it!!! The ending leaves you a bit in a 'what just happened?' but at the same time you don't really need to know. because everything will work ou ...more
Just One Day is NOT about just one day. Its about what happens after that one day. I love love love it!!! The ending leaves you a bit in a 'what just happened?' but at the same time you don't really need to know. because everything will work ou ...more

2nd read: January 2020
3 stars
This book felt like 3 separate and distinct books in one to me, so I decided to review it as such. Overall, I quite enjoyed it- but not as much as my initial reading in 2017.
Part One: Allyson and the French Kiss
4 stars
Allyson is on a European trip, but despite her best efforts, is not having a great time. The more excited she is for a new city, the more movies she has seen about it- the more disappointed she is. So, when she and her friend sneak out to see a ...more
3 stars
This book felt like 3 separate and distinct books in one to me, so I decided to review it as such. Overall, I quite enjoyed it- but not as much as my initial reading in 2017.
Part One: Allyson and the French Kiss
4 stars
Allyson is on a European trip, but despite her best efforts, is not having a great time. The more excited she is for a new city, the more movies she has seen about it- the more disappointed she is. So, when she and her friend sneak out to see a ...more

***2.5 well written stars***
JUST ONE DAY is the first book for me by this author. I have a lot of friends who love If I Stay so I thought I would give her new series a try.
Reading this story I realized something about myself - I like my characters to be together. The characters were separated at 35% and didn't reunite until (view spoiler) For my taste that was too long and boring for it to be told in one POV and not know what ...more
JUST ONE DAY is the first book for me by this author. I have a lot of friends who love If I Stay so I thought I would give her new series a try.
Reading this story I realized something about myself - I like my characters to be together. The characters were separated at 35% and didn't reunite until (view spoiler) For my taste that was too long and boring for it to be told in one POV and not know what ...more

Oct 12, 2011
Dija
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
first-in-series,
authors-i-stalk,
awww,
my-reviews,
read-in-2013,
cotton-candy-fluff,
ya,
jan-2013,
wow
3.7/5 stars
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Being a huge fan of Forman's, I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard she'd be writing another 2-book story centered around a couple and told from both their POVs. I'm happy (and more than a little relieved, considering my track record so far this year) to report that Just One Day lives up to the hype, and while I had a few minor problems with the story, I still ended up immensely enjoying it.
I wasn't too impressed with Allyson at the beginning, and with "Lulu" even less. ...more
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Being a huge fan of Forman's, I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard she'd be writing another 2-book story centered around a couple and told from both their POVs. I'm happy (and more than a little relieved, considering my track record so far this year) to report that Just One Day lives up to the hype, and while I had a few minor problems with the story, I still ended up immensely enjoying it.
I wasn't too impressed with Allyson at the beginning, and with "Lulu" even less. ...more

Allyson Healey has always been the good girl and rule follower. She's been on a tour of Europe with a her school group which ended up missing their stop in Paris. When Allyson meets a sexy Dutch actor, Willem De Ruiter, after seeing him perform in England she is immediately intrigued by him, especially when he offers to take her to Paris for the day.
Now sneaking off with a stranger is something Allyson would have never thought of doing but she wants to be a bit more daring in her life. Leaving ...more
Now sneaking off with a stranger is something Allyson would have never thought of doing but she wants to be a bit more daring in her life. Leaving ...more
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Award-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels for young adults, including the Just One Series, I Was Here, Where She Went and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than 40 languages and in 2014 was adapted into a major motion picture.
Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest ...more
Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest ...more
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“Part of me knows one more day won't do anything except postpone the heartbreak. But another part of me believes differently. We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.”
—
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“Sometimes the best way to find out what you’re supposed to do is by doing the thing you’re not supposed to do.”
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