This book is not your traditional holiday romance. One day in December, shortly before Christmas, Laurie is riding the bus home from work. At one of the stops, she catches the eye of a man sitting the bus cover, and (as happens in romances) lightning strikes and it is love at first sight. From the look on his face, she knows he feels it too. Laurie’s bus drives away, leaving her wondering what might have been if he had boarded the bus or if she had disembarked. She tries in vain to find him.
A year later, one day in December, Laurie’s roommate, Sarah, is excited to introduce her new boyfriend “the love of her life”…who (yep, you guessed it) just happens to be Bus Boy – real name, Jack O’Mara .
What follows is a tightly woven story of friendship, loyalty, heartbreak, and discovery that will have you turning pages to find out what happens. Do Jack and Laurie recognize each other? How does Sarah fit into the picture? Does love always have to be 100 percent, or can it fluctuate? Can it be built and destroyed multiple times? Can one type of love replace another?
Josie Silver answers all of these questions and more with great warmth. Laurie is an extremely approachable character and Sarah is a perfect counterpart. It is easy to see how the two characters compliment and complete each other. Jack is a dashing boyfriend…most of the time. There are also times that he is fairly despicable, which keeps the interactions real and interesting.
The title itself is clever because, as the book spans nearly a decade and main events occur primarily in December. By the end of the book, you are right there with Laurie, wondering which of the December days has been the most impactful in her life.
I am not traditionally a holiday romance type person, because they can often be overdone and just “too much.” But this one had me laughing and getting angry right along with the characters, and I am not ashamed to admit that I cried with Laurie more than a couple of times. This holiday romance with a twist is one I can highly recommend.
Review by Jeanne McAvoy