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 I am really not a big fan of contemporary literature at all, except for a few exceptions. I've been doing my best to read popular contemporary books to see if I'm missing out on anything because of my distaste toward the genre. I took a stab at If I Stay and it was an interesting and well-written novel, but it just wasn't my type of book. Just One Day was recommended to me often and I decided to read it, despite the fact that is considered "chick-lit". 
 Just One Day isn't chick-lit, despite the fact that's what people are constantly labeling it as. Just One Day is a coming-of-age novel about breaking out of your comfort zone and discovering who you are. It way truly amazing to see how much Allyson transformed in an entire day. Reading about Allyson's adventures in Paris was truly enchanting and just a ton of fun; Forman does a perfect job of replicating the atmosphere of Paris and bringing Paris to life! 
 I can definitely understand why so many people have fallen in love with Gayle Forman's books because she has this incredible ability to make readers instantly feel for characters. I understand how Allyson felt and why she felt the need to run off for one day in Paris. I understand that feeling of wanting to be someone else. I kind of expected that Forman would include a thematic message about how important being yourself is. I was happy that my prediction turned out to be wrong because including that theme would have made Just One Day feel extremely cheesy and insincere. 
 Just One Day manages to be wonderfully fluffy, fun, and yet at the same time, it is an extremely powerful, thought-provoking novel about self-discovery. I loved the romance between Willem and Allyson, their romance really hit all the right notes. What I didn't enjoy was how the novel focused so much on before Allyson met Willem and after. There were just so many moments in Just One Day where the plot was extremely tedious and I had to force myself to continue. How many times do I need to read about Allyson moping around and moving through her life like a phantom? I'm sorry, but Just One Day is way too long at around 400 pages and I feel like this novel needed to be edited and condensed better. 
 I hate playing the devil's advocate and being cynical, but I don't believe in love at first sight. Allyson and Willem fall in love in exactly one day and from that moment on, they are absolutely infatuated with each other. I wouldn't say that they instantly fell in love, but I think they were more in love with the idea of being in love. Allyson and Willem's relationship was so sweet and adorable, but I don't believe it was love. Hell, Willem doesn't even know Allyson's name or anything about her besides a few negligible facts. I wanted Forman to help me suspend my belief and convert me into a believer, but by the ending I was even more of a non-believer. 
 Just One Day is a sweet, adorable adventure through Paris and is a step above most contemporary books. It isn't the "great contemporary novel" that I've been lusting for, but it was better than I expected. I can definitely understand why Forman has been compared to John Green, even though I do enjoy Green's novels more. I'm not sure if I'm cut out to read Forman's novels because I have read 3 already and I'm still not a huge fan of her works.