A book with December in the title, gifted to me for Christmas (thank you, sweet niece), all I could think at first glance was: is this one of those Hallmark, cheesy romcom type of stories?
I went in blind. I left feeling everything.
One Day in December delivers exactly what you expect, and somehow, that only makes it more addictive.
It’s about the ache of almosts and the joy of finallys.
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Books are my love language, and receiving One Day in December from my niece made it all the more special. There’s something about reading a book someone else wanted you to experience, and when you turn that last page, you have someone to talk about it with.
A “comfort read” my niece and I agreed on after I, still teary-eyed, texted her immediately to say: I loved it. I’m crying. Thank you.
Predictable? Maybe.
Chapter one: this book felt incredibly predictable.
The moment Laurie locks eyes with a stranger through a bus window, you just know what’s coming. When her best friend, Sarah, unknowingly starts dating that very same guy? Of course.
I saw it all from a mile away and, for once, felt like my husband—the one who can always predict even the most unexpected twists in any show or movie.
But initial predictability shouldn’t be mistaken for boredom or even continued predictability.
No, not even close. This book had me hooked.
I was pained to fall asleep the first night after starting it. I woke up two hours earlier than usual just to make sure I had enough time to finish it in two days flat. It was just that good.
You’re hoping for the ending it gives you, but you’re never quite sure how (or even if) it will all come together. You want it. You need it. You know it has to happen. But the “how” it gets there? That’s where the magic lives. The swooning, the stress, the smiles all at once.
Sometimes you just meet the right person at the wrong time.
Rebecca Serle, In Five Years
Conversational Writing
The writing is the kind that pulls you in effortlessly. It’s warm, emotional, and so natural that you don’t even realize how deeply invested you are until day turns to night and night turns into barely morning and you don’t ever, ever want the story to end.
It doesn’t rely on over-the-top dramatics or flowery prose; instead, it’s written with an honesty that makes Laurie’s journey feel real, like a friend telling you their story.
It’s strange, but you never stop caring about someone, even if you don’t want to be with them any more.
Rebecca Serle, In Five Years
It’s a story that is as much about fate and missed chances as it is about deep, complicated friendships. Laurie and Sarah’s relationship feels just as crucial as the romance itself, and that’s what makes this book so special.
It’s not just about love at first sight, it’s about the people we grow alongside and the choices we make.
Feels Like Home
I’ll tell you what I think. Your place isn’t somewhere. It’s someone.
Rebecca Serle, In Five Years
So much of One Day in December is about searching–for love, for home, for certainty in life.
Laurie spends years longing for a moment she let slip through her fingers. And yet, in the end, home isn’t a place. It’s not a perfect set of circumstances finally aligning. It’s someone. It’s that one person who makes the chaos of life feel steady.
It’s not a direction I’d ever imagined I’d go in, but that’s okay. Life does that, doesn’t it? Reroutes you as it goes along.
Rebecca Serle, In Five Years
I think that’s what makes this book so compelling. It isn’t just about grand romantic gestures or fate working its magic. It’s about the deep, quiet realization that home isn’t a place with four walls, it’s the person you want beside you, no matter where life takes you.
Because at the end of the day, don’t we all just want to find the people who feel like our place, who feel like home?
This book is a love story, yes. But it’s also about time, choices, and the way life sometimes makes you wait for what’s meant to be yours.
And, if you’re anything like me, it’s the kind of book you’ll close with teary eyes, a full heart, and an aching desire to read something that will make you feel that much love and hope again.
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