One DayOne Day
Score Modern
What it's about
It's 1988, and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have just met, after one day together they can't stop thinking about each other. Over twenty years, their relationship is revealed in snapshots on the same day, July 15, each year: fights, hopes, missed chances, laughter and tears.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 58 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a beloved, bittersweet love story.
You'll love it if you liked
Normal People
The Time Traveler’s Wife
UsGood to know
It's funny and sad, with a famous turn. It was adapted into a film and a Netflix series.
By the numbers
- Readers30 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #126 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #146 of the 233 romances we rank
- #1006 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1859 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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The DealExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is One Day worth reading?
Yes. It spent 58 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,859 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is One Day about?
It's 1988, and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have just met, after one day together they can't stop thinking about each other. Over twenty years, their relationship is revealed in snapshots on the same day, July 15, each year: fights, hopes, missed chances, laughter and tears.
How long does it take to read One Day?
About 11 hours (450 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after One Day?
If you liked it, try Normal People by Sally Rooney, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger or Us by David Nicholls.