A 'slice of life' contemporary novel, Ahern returns to give us a glimpse into another life - this time, it focuses on a year in the life of Jasmine, a hard-working business woman who has had it ingrained since childhood that she must make the most of every moment. When put on gardening leave for a year after being fired she is forced to sit down and reflect; this leads to her slowly taking interest in those around her, and eventually, in herself and what she truly wants. 
 The Year I Met You is a slow-moving, contemplative novel that reads as if Jasmine is constantly speaking to another character (with the use of 'you' throughout) and although I appreciated the refreshing attempt at an alternative writing style, it wasn't enough for this book to leave much of an impression. It was very realistic up to the point where it was almost too much so, with there not being much of a story to tell in the end. I wasn't sure what the general plot of the book was other than being a window into someone's life. If that is what Ahern was aiming for then she was very successful; unfortunately, it's just not my cup of tea.