Julie's Review: One Day

Summary: ‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’ He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’ 15th July 1988. Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year which follows? One Day is a funny/sad love story spanning twenty years, a book about growing up – how we change, how we stay the same. ~davidnicholls.com

Review: One Day is a chick lit book written by a guy and he does it very well. Mr. Nicholls captured the essence of a female in Emma Morley and not once did I recall it was a guy writing it. Hey, now that's not saying that I don't think a guy can write a romance because they can, I'm sure they write a lot of romantic screenplays but to get the voice of a woman in a romance book, isn't easy.

Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew hook up on the night of graduation in 1988. Emma is set to go about saving the world in whatever manner she can. While Dex wants to travel and have a good time. Opposites attract, right? This starts a 20 year friendship/courtship/relationship. The book goes through the years by visiting each character on the same day each year; 15th July or otherwise known as St. Swithin Day. Emma and Dex don't necessarily see each other every year but we see them and where they are at in their lives.

I'll be honest, I didn't care for Dexter at all, even really at the end. He grew up but only smidge but I'm not sure if I was supposed to like him. Sure he was funny at times but he was a raging alcoholic, even in the end. He thought a lot of himself and never really tried to be good at anything. He was good looking so he ended up on TV but he never had a passion for something other than a good time. It was evident to me that he was always in love with Emma but never felt that she was up to his standards or his type.

Emma was another story. She knew what she wanted to do but she didn't have the gumption to go for it until later in her life. Once she did, her life went the way she had always dreamed. Of course, we know from the start that Emma had a massive crush on Dex all during university, so it's no surprise that she's desperately in love with him all during the novel.

The novel went along at a good pace and not once did I want to throw the book because the characters were driving me nuts, which can happen with these books. (For example, when one of them does something so completely idiotic and the other forgives them.)

Now the ending, yeah that's another story. Me = NOT HAPPY! Seriously. I had to read it over again to make sure I knew what hit me. Let's just say I was looking for happily ever after here. I didn't get it. Although, I don't know why I would think it would end the way I wanted it to. I wouldn't even say the ending was realistic, more like cruel.

Overall, it was a great read for a holiday or beach but the only thing new about it was the style it was written in. I do think it will make a fantastic movie, which I hear is in the works. I really liked the idea of seeing their lives once a year and this would transfer to film very well.

If you are looking for a quick read that will keep you guessing "Will they or won't they?" then definitely pick up One Day.


Final Take: 3.75/5