Josie Silver’s One Day in December is a book about love and heartbreak, friendship, loss and second chances. The two protagonists Laurie and Jack meet in December. Laurie spots him while sitting on a bus and their eyes lock. Instantly, they feel something. Laurie knows that this is love at first sight. Jack hesitates and by the time he makes up his mind to get on the bus, it drives away. Thus begins a story that takes place over a decade.

I loved so many things about this book. The writing style was easy to follow and the plot unfolded gradually. Each event in the novel revealed more and more about the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. Josie wrote the novel from the viewpoint of Laurie and Jake, which allowed me to deepen my understanding of the characters. Laurie was a good friend with a kind heart. Like any other human being, she had flaws too but I loved that she was never too proud to admit her mistakes. Laurie and Jack developed as individuals throughout the book. They experienced difficult circumstances and made drastic but important decisions. Jack wasn’t a knight in glittering armour. He had his troubles and didn’t up on life in the end. Laurie wasn’t a brave heroine in a typical way, but she’s witty. She grew into her braveness and so did Jake, which made them very human (and frustrating at times!). Jack and Laurie had dreams and they followed them.

The friendship between Laurie and Sarah’s was lovely to read and I could tell they had a firm bond. I liked the continual reference to their special sandwich and fact that I got to see them transition from graduates to adults in their early 30s.

For all the heartbreaking scenes in this novel, there is laughter and lots of love too. One Day in December is a touching love story worth reading.

This has a potentially good plot with two flatmates liking the same man. In places it was amusing, but the bad language was irritatingly offensive. Their silly, drunken, sluttish behaviour and dialogue too. Sorry, not to my taste. It may suit young readers, but it's not a "classy" novel. I was expecting a nice feel-good-factor Christmas story, not a slick, decadent farce. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK.

Nice easy read, great characters and an entertaining plot.
I really enjoyed this title and will recommending this winter.

With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

One day in December is Josie Silver`s debut book. I love all things christmas and this book has left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I think One day in December would make a fabulous film, the closing scene with Laurie and Jack at the radio station would be perfect for the cinema.

Shortly before Christmas hotel receptionist Laurie was on the top deck of a bus on her way home. When the bus stopped she saw a young man reading a book, he glanced up and their eyes meet. The boy tried to get on the bus but the bus pulled away. Laurie had felt a connection and spent the following year looking for her bus boy with no success.

When Sarah, Laurie`s flat mate and best friend from uni met a man in work she couldn't wait to introduce them. Laurie was shocked when DJ Jack O`Mara was actually the bus boy. Jack instantly recognised Laurie because he had not stopped thinking about her. However he denied knowing her because he did not want to split up with Sarah. Over the next three years Laurie and Jack became friends until one christmas they kissed each other.

Knowing it could no longer go on she went on a back backing trip to Thailand. There she met Oscar Ogilvy Black and they instantly fell in love. Once back in London Laurie finally got her dream job as journalist writing an agony aunt page. On the night Oscar and Laurie got engaged, Sarah and Jack split up.

The story was split into the POV of Laurie and Jack. I enjoyed reading how Laurel and Jack`s lives changed over a period of ten years and helped each other through injury, marriage and death.

I instantly liked Laurie and I understood why she didn't admit to Sarah that Jack was the boy from the bus. I loved the easy going friendship between Laurie and Sarah. I like Jack as he matured but I thought he treated Sarah quite badly when they were dating. However he grew on me and I couldn't help getting excited when Laurie was given a one way ticket to Edinburgh to see Jack.

I recommend this fun light hearted read for the festive season.

Wow, what a nice and sweet change of scenery for me. I normally one read crime, blood and gore, but this was such a treat. Recommended.

i loved this book, its and easy going love story that just keeps you hooked. Does Laurie and Jack (the boy from the bus) ever get it together as you are reading you know that they are meant to be together, but every thing just seems to be against them. i enjoyed the book that much that i was recommending this book before i even got to the end.

One Day in December is Josie Silver’s debut novel and is the perfect romantic Christmas holiday read ideally suited, but not exclusively, to twenty- and thirty- somethings. Spanning ten years in the lives of her protagonists, they are taken on the bumpy ride of life, love, mistakes and loss. Not as lightweight as chick lit, but still with a good feel, easy read, it has smatterings of humour and wit and a premise that is sure to hook the most hopeless (or hopeful) of romantics.

It all starts on a snowy day in December when Laurie is on the crowded bus home from work. She’d had one hell of a day when she suddenly spots a young man at the bus stop. As their eyes meet, they’re glued together by a coup de foudre or love at first sight, but Laurie is so stunned that she can’t get off the bus in time. She spends a whole year looking for him in bars and cafes, but can’t find him. Then her best friend / flatmate proudly introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie at their Christmas party and it’s none other than the boy from the bus stop. Laurie feels compelled to sacrifice her feelings for the sake of her friendship, which is easier said than done and so begins a very tangled and complicated triangle. Laurie religiously makes her New Year’s resolutions every year, which reminds me of the character who was granted three wishes by a genie. The first wish materialises but not in the way she desires because she wasn’t specific enough. The second wish is to reverse the first wish. For subsequent wishes, you have to read the book!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Books UK and Josie Silver for the opportunity to read and review One Day in December to be published on 18 October and out now in ebook.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
One day in December, as Laurie is on the bus home, she spots a young man sat at the bus stop. Their eyes meet and she is instantly convinced that this is the man of her dreams. Except that she will never see him again, or at least not until a year later when her best friend Sarah introduces Jack, her new boyfriend, to her. Laurie recognises him straight away but he seems to have forgotten all about that day at the bus stop. One Day in December is a tale of love, friendship and heartbreak. It spans over a few years and we follow Laurie and Jack as they try to build a friendship and fall in love with different people.
This is your typical romantic comedy book and if that’s one of your preferred genres then you will definitely love this one. To be honest, after trying to make sense of The Clockmaker’s Daughter (and failing miserably) this book came as a breath of fresh air since it is so easy to follow.
It was en enjoyable read and I did like the fact that it spans over a few years, which very few books do, as we can see the characters lives evolve and their interests and emotions change as they grow older. It reminded me of Romeo and Juliet‘s star-crossed lovers story, as Laurie and Jack seem to always fall out of sync. But since it’s a modern day romance, it’s not quite as dramatic as Shakespeare. I’m sure a lot of people will be able to relate to the characters in one way or another. Who has never fallen in love with someone they couldn’t have, ha?
The characters are very lovable, especially Laurie and Sarah, but none of them are picture perfect, they all have their flaws and shortcomings which make them all the more relatable.
However, while it was an enjoyable read, I did feel like there was something missing (as I usually do when reading romances, which is hardly ever). It’s nothing to do with the story itself, it is well-written and complete, but I just couldn’t help but get bored after a while and I’ll be happy to move onto something a bit more complex for my next read. Nothing wrong with this book, I just have high expectations as a reader which romance novels never quite satisfy.

No review will be published publicly for this book as I didn't finish it. I found it far too slow moving and the more I read the less I liked a majority of the main characters, which is a shame as I actually love all of the other books this author has released under her other pen names.

Sadly, the blurb promised more that the portion of the book I read actually delivered.

I've had some heavy and challenging reads recently so I was more than open to something lighter when this popped up on Netgalley. I'm a sucker for Marian Keyes' books, so the endorsement on the front from her helped too.

This is one of those books where you know everything from the blurb, so don't expect any huge surprises. Laurie spies Jack out of the window of a bus and feels instant attraction. She and her best friend Sarah look for him for ages. And then of course, he turns up, but on Sarah's arm as her new boyfriend. So far, so cliché. But we then follow these 3 main characters through the next 10 years of their lives in snapshots of time told through Laurie and Jack's viewpoint.

The story was, as expected, a bit of a cockle-warming tale. One of the strongest element's of Silver's writing is when she describes her characters in distress. I really felt the depth of the heartache and pain they went through. But ultimately, the ending was just too 'Hollywood'. I normally love all that 'public declaration of love', but it felt a tad contrived. I also wanted a bit more humour than this story gave me. Having said that, it was a really decent romance novel with properly fleshed out characters, and would be ideal as a holiday read.

If this doesn't get made into a Nicholas Sparks-esque movie, I'll eat my hat.

A beautiful book. I picked this one up on Kindle Unlimited as a quick holiday read, and couldn’t put it down! It’s a proper old fashioned love story, with a twist – reminded me a bit of Love, Actually. I loved the characters (well, most of them!) and found myself routing for Jack and Laurie throughout the book. If you enjoy a rom com with a bit of suspense this is prefect for you!!

A really good story, heart warming and cozy. It's more complex than the usual romcom and there's also some food for thought.
It's a real page turner and I was sad when the book ended.
It's well written and the characters are fleshed out in an interesting way.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Penguin Books and Netgalley for this ARC

I expected this to be a light fairly predictable read and whilst you can draw parallels with the likes of Love Actually/Notting Hill, it is actually much more than that. It is a story of missed opportunities and second chances but the humour, characterisation and quality of the writing take it to the next level. In the vast sea of chick lit out there, this is one worth fishing out.

I loved this book so much. I just finished it at 6.45am.
The characters are adorable, the plot subtle and windy enough to keep me going..
Fabulous! Thank you NetGalley.

**HEALTH WARNING** do not read this book if you are pregnant and hormonal!! I am both of these things and have bawled like a baby on more than one occasion but particularly at the end. What an amazingly engaging story with characters you cared about and felt conflicted over. My only bug bear was I had rooted for Laurie and Jack for the whole story and for them to get together in the end was amazing but would have loved another couple of chapters or an epilogue of their happily ever after. Absolutely going to read more from this author! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Broadway Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

* About the story:
An epic 10 year "friends, love, work & life in London" story, following the main character, Laurie between the ages of 20 to 30... with a satisfying ending!

* About the writing style:
A straightforward writing style makes this book a light, easy read. Personally I would have enjoyed some more beautiful metaphors / similes and more flowery & thoughtful embellishments.
Warning: Especially in the beginning, the characters are a little excessively potty-mouthed which may offend some readers.

* About the characters:
There are 3 main characters, all of whom are interesting and nice enough that I wanted to know how things turn out for them which kept me reading till the end, but I didn't fall in love with any of them or wish they were in my own life - which is one of the things that for me distinguishes an amazing book from an ok-to-good book.
I would have have liked to see some more deep, emotional insights into the characters - I was missing the tiny emotional details that bring the characters more to life and make you relate emotionally to them. As it was I didn't really find myself *feeling* the characters' feelings throughout the story.

* Points for improvement:
- The foul language at the beginning - I think I'd have enjoyed it more without this.
- (Spoiler) Some details of the story felt a little unnecessary for me. The whole Ginny story, the dad-story and the accident story felt like it didn't really add much for me other than adding unnecessary downers.
- (Spoiler) Laurie and Jack didn't have that much to hold them together as being right for each other, other than that bus-moment. It would have been nice if they had a LOT more, deeper "ahh they're perfect for each other!" moments sprinkled throughout the 10 years. The wedding moment was a perfect opportunity for gut-wrenching emotional turmoil but it seemed emotions stayed fairly level.
- (Spoiler) Oscar felt like he had a bit of a personality transplant overnight when he started getting back to work. I found that a little strange.

* Overall:
A decent romantic drama that despite its room-for-improvement, kept me wanting to see how things will turn out till the end. And the end is the cutest, most feel-good bit of the whole story, so I'm glad I stuck with it. I think this story would do well if it's ever made into a movie!
If you're looking for a light romantic drama that - although may not be amongst the best romantic dramas out there -is still enjoyable, then give this book a go.

I absolutely loved this book. It spanned 10 years of the characters lives through their various ups and downs but was set out really well and you never felt lost at all.

Laurie is the main character and falls instantly in love with a guy she locks eyes with through a bus window one December, then spends the next year looking for him on and off, with her best friend and flatmate, Sarah. When she finally gives up their lives carry on and then Sarah meets someone she falls head over heels in love with, who turns out to be 'the guy on the bus', Jack.

Both Laurie and Jack recognise each other, but both pretend they don't, and certainly don't mention anything to Sarah. Of course eventually, over the years, truths eventually come to light, but it takes years and other partners to eventually come to a place that's just perfect for everyone. All three characters stayed really close to one another throughout the years, with various falling outs, and Laurie and Jack both moved on with their lives, but still stayed really good friends.

This is very reminiscent of various rom-com classics such as Notting Hill and Love Actually, all about chances missed and life coming around in a full circle over the years - if something is meant to be it'll get there eventually - hopefully!

Really lovely book with a lot more depth than I originally thought it would have, one of those 'just another page' books to see what would happen next in all their lives - and such a really, really lovely happy tears ending! Absolutely lovely.

If you read One Day and loved it, and are a fan of Love, Actually, the Bridget Jones movies or anything with Hugh Grant in it, really, you’ll love One Day in December by Josie Silver.

Laurie makes eye contact with Jack through a bus window in the run up to Christmas and falls hopelessly in love. She spends the best part of a year trying to find him (not likely in London) and a year later comes face to face with him when her best friend and flatmate, Sarah, introduces him to Laurie as her new boyfriend (so quite likely in London, apparently). We then spend the next ten years with these characters as they learn all about love, life, loss and friendship while they stumble through dinners, double dates and birthday parties.

This is the perfect book for fans of romantic fiction. It’s an easy, enjoyable read and very sweet. It’s predictable, sure, but the characters are engaging enough to make you care about the story. In saying that, I did have an issue with Jack. He was written with a female perspective in mind and, for me, his bouts of overthinking and his attention to detail made his character feel a little unrealistic. I also tend to have issues with female characters who are written as the weaker sex, often left to do more of the pining than her counterpart, and while it very much felt like Laurie was the 'sufferer' in this situation, a balance was eventually drawn towards the end of the novel.

Despite being over-reliant on film influences (there’s even a Sleepless in Seattle-esque radio station phone-in), this very cinematic, romantic tale is ‘popcorn for the brain’ indulgence and a simple, satisfying tale that will surely be a hit among readers. (Movie adaptation to follow - I'm sure of it.)

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin BooIs for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
A light hearted story of two people whose eyes connect through a misted up bus window on a snowy day in December. Laurie didn’t think love at first sight existed, but she has now changed her mind. She spends the next months searching for the boy at the bus stop, only to be horrified some months later wen her flat mate and best friend Sarah arrives home with her new boyfriend, bus boy, Jack.
Laurie chooses to stay silent, wondering though if he recognises her from the bus stop.
This is a lovely story of friendship between the two girls and a love triangle with missed opportunities. The characters are captivating, lots of emotions. Really enjoyed this book. 4.5 stars

I am not usually in a mood for Christmassy romances, but "One Day in December" sounded like something more then your usually romcom story, and I am so glad I was right. It is a story of Jack and Laurie, who fell in love but the circumstances are never right. It is a lovely story of lost opportunities and missed chances and finding the true love. Ok, it might sound a bit cliche, but I enjoyed this contemporary romantic fairytale, despite some flaws (A tad too long in places?) But it is perfect for Christmas. If you liked "One Day", "Love, Actually and "Notting Hill", I think you will enjoy it too.