Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Summary:
Just One Day. Just One Year. Just One Read.

Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began....

When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.  (from GoodReads)

Review:
Just One Day was one of the best books I read last year. I loved it so much and I could not wait to read the companion novel. While I enjoyed Just One Year, I was also disappointed with the direction of the story.

What I was expecting (and hoping) was for a continuation of Just One Day so I could find out what happens between Willem and Lulu. The first book ends on a cliffhanger, which is why I was so excited to read the sequel. However, Just One Year begins right after Lulu's and Willem's day together and the timeline is pretty much the same as the second half of Just One Day. Needless to say, I was very disappointed that we didn't get any new scenes with Lulu and Willem! The book is pretty much Willem trying to find Lulu and his journey of self-discovery. There is still plenty of travelling for the worldly readers, but I didn't get what I was looking for.

I really hope that Gayle Forman writes another book with Lulu and Willem together because that's what I want to read!

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2013/Dutton Children's/336 pages