Novel Review: Just One Year (Just One Day, #2) + Just One Night (Just One Day, #2.5) by Gayle Forman

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Genre: YA/NA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Dutton (Penguin)

Release Date: October 2013

Spoilers?: No.

Just One Year:  Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Just One Night: Amazon. Barnes and Noble.

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The heartrending conclusion—from Willem’s POV—to the romantic duet of novels that began with Allyson’s story in Just One Day

After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

The Cover:

I think the cover is rather pretty. I love how it goes with the original cover for the first book. I do think that having just Willem on the cover would work better, because the book is mostly about Willem on his own. But I still think it's pretty and it works.
The cover for Just One Night is very pretty as well--I think the image and colors are gorgeous, and it fits.

Quotes:

•  "There’s a difference between losing something you knew you had and losing something you discovered you had. One is a disappointment. The other is truly a loss.” (Hardback, pg. 89)
• "Saba used to say there was a difference between bravery and courage. Bravery was doing something dangerous without thinking. Courage was walking into danger, knowing full well the risks.” (Pg. 133)
• "'Maybe you’re never ready until it’s upon you.’” (Pg. 229)
• "I’m not sure it’s possible to simultaneously love something and keep it safe. Loving someone is such an inherently dangerous act. And yet, love, that’s where safety lives.” (Pg. 291)
• "But maybe we were both wrong, and both right. It’s not either or, not luck or love. Not fate or will.
  Maybe for double happiness, you need both.” (Pg. 307)

Review:

This book… was absolutely perfect. It was everything it could have been in companion to the first novel.

I loved the first book, with Allyson’s growing up and becoming her own person. And while I went into this hoping that I would get more time with Allyson and Willem together, Willem’s story was just as good and just as important.

I loved seeing Willem grow, become who he needed and wanted to be, find his family again and see it expand. Finally decide to commit to something, decide that he wanted to act. And also to see him want Allyson, go after her, as best as he could, in the same way that Allyson did for him.

I think it’s important to note going into this series that, while it is a love story, and their impact on each other is definitely present and acknowledged, this series is even more than that, about these two characters growing up and finding themselves and their families, on their own. This book ends in pretty much the same spot as the first, with I think a step farther that makes this series complete.

Then there were the places that he went, and the things he did, and the people he met. I love all of the side characters, and the way they’re all shown and developed. Broodje, in particular, is awesome; I love him.

This was a perfect companion, and I love that this series let me fall in love with the characters individually, while making you eager to see them together.

&

Just One Night (Just One Day, #2.5)

~4.5 Stars

 

This ebook was a perfect conclusion. The ending in Just One Year was fantastic, but it definitely left me wanting. After everything, I wanted to finally see the two of them together, as their new selves. This novella gives us that.

The writing, I will say, was a little weird at first, in third person, the voice not quite coming out right. But it got better, and I mostly just didn’t even care.

It starts right where the second books ends, and we finally get to see them together, seeing each other, touching each other, finding out more about each other and their friends and family. It was absolutely perfect.

It’s a short read, and it’s digital only, but if you enjoyed the first two books, and especially if you wanted more, pick it up. It’s worth it.