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I think I’ve found it—I think I’ve found the literary equivalent of a classic Christmas story.
We’ve moved on from the trashterpiece that was The Doctor’s Christmas Proposal. This is now my favourite Christmas book, and I’ll definitely be reading it every Christmas from now on—much like I rewatch movies like Elf, Love Actually, and It’s a Wonderful Life.
I jumped on the One Day in December bandwagon when I saw Reese Witherspoon tweet about it as her December book club pick. A Christmas romantic comedy book endorsed by Elle Woods herself? Sign me up!
And thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.
This novel is really the perfect combination of a quintessential British romantic comedy, a Hallmark Christmas movie, and reality. It blends just enough of each genre to be exactly what you’d want in a Christmas read. It’s not too sweet, it’s not to stupid—It’s all somehow just right.
The book follows Jack and Laurie through ten years of their lives, with major moments happening around the Christmas season—starting with a fateful encounter on a London bus. I was hooked from the very first meeting, unable to stop reading or listening for three days.
A big part of the reason why I love this book is the writing. Josie Silver creates two very different characters with their own distinct personalities. It’s easy to just write in one voice and slap “Jack” and “Laurie” over each section, but Josie has managed to give each of the main characters their own minds and their own opinions.
The story is just as strong as the writing. I have to apologize to all the people who had to share a bus with me as I listened to the book—all the faces and noises I made must have made me look insane. The major parts I expected did happen—this is not a love story where the main characters end up with other people forever—but the way it happened was so different from what I was expecting, and those twists only strengthened the story and kept me invested.
I guess the major question you want answered is: is One Day in December overhyped? And the truth is, it is and it isn’t. If you don’t like Christmas romantic comedies or love stories, this is not the book for you. It’s not revolutionary or a literary game changer.
It’s a really well-done Christmas love story—if you’re glued to the Hallmark channel during the holidays and keep replaying Love Actually on Netflix, this is the book for you. As someone who’s constantly Christmas-obsessed, it was right up my alley.
If you need a little extra sparkle this holiday season, pick up this novel or borrow it from your library—if you can get your hands on a copy.
From Blushes to Blasters 