A Book A Week

It’s a misty December day when Laurie squeezes into the seat of a double-decker bus. Christmas is nearly here, and her mind is cluttered with lists and obligations. Then, through the fogged-over window, she sees him. He’s a stranger, of course, but something about him feels unmistakably right. Laurie has never believed in love at first sight—until that moment. When he looks back, and their eyes meet, she’s certain there’s a spark, a shared recognition that feels almost impossible to ignore. And then, just as suddenly, the bus lurches forward, the brakes release, and he’s gone, left standing behind in the haze.

Laurie knows it’s silly, but she can’t let the image of him go. For the next year, she searches for “bus boy” everywhere—every bar, every street, every shop. She becomes fixated, convinced he’s the one and that she’ll never feel that kind of connection again. But as days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months into a year, hope begins to fade. Then, just as she’s finally ready to let the fantasy go, he reenters her life, hand in hand with her best friend and flatmate, Sarah. Jack, as she learns his name, is Sarah’s new boyfriend, the man she can’t stop talking about.

Laurie wants to scream the truth, to tell Sarah that Jack is the man she’s been searching for all along. But when she sees the happiness on her friend’s face and realizes Jack doesn’t seem to recognize her, she swallows her feelings and says nothing. Maybe it was all just a foolish dream. Except it wasn’t. Jack does remember her. And now he’s caught between loyalty to his girlfriend and the lingering pull of a moment that neither of them ever forgot.

One Day in December sees Josie Silver write a romance that stretches far beyond the familiar tropes of a typical holiday love story. The love triangle that unfolds between Laurie, Jack, and Sarah feels genuine, thanks to the patience and care with which Silver allows their relationships to develop. Yes, you can probably guess where the story is headed, but that predictability isn’t the point. This is a novel about the way life twists and turns, carrying us through the joys and heartbreaks of love and friendship.

Silver asks us to consider what true love really means and whether we’re willing to settle for something less than what we truly want. By writing from both Laurie’s and Jack’s perspectives, she lets us experience their longing, happiness, and regret across several years of their lives. The result is a novel that satisfies as a cozy holiday romance while offering deeper character exploration than the genre typically provides. That blend of romance, longing, and emotional honesty makes One Day in December a perfect holiday read, one that captures the magic of the season while lingering in your thoughts well into the new year.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 102)