2.5 starsCareer orientated Jasmine Butler’s world is shattered when she is fired from the job she dearly loves. She is unable to work for a year, forced on “gardening leave”. Neighbour Matt Marshall is a radio presenter and an overall train wreck. He stays out late, is a hard drinker and consequently has become estranged from his family. The final straw is an outburst on his radio show that forces him to take leave. On New Year's Eve these two neighbours are brought together in circumstances that allow an unlikely friendship to develop. What follows is a year in the lives of Matt and Jasmine as they each follow their own paths to self discovery, through a new found friendship.The Year I Met You was not what I expected it to be. Having read and enjoyed one novel by Cecelia Ahern previously, I was looking forward to a romance with a New Year’s Eve theme. Instead, I found The Year I Met You more a slow moving novel about self discovery and renewal. It was positive to see the two main characters Jasmine and Matt support each other through their inner demons and each clearly experiences personal growth by the conclusion of the novel. The separation of the book into seasons throughout the progression of year in which the book is based was a nice addition. Gardening plays a significant role in the book and is at the centre of the interactions between the characters. I liked how Ahern used the garden as a symbol of growth for Jasmine. Honourable mentions go to Jasmine’s sister Heather and Doctor J, the lonely neighbour of Jasmine and Matt’s. Both added good supporting roles to the main characters, who at most times I struggled to connect with nor like very much. Although this book wasn't for me, having enjoyed Ahern’s previous works, I will not rule out trying another of her books in the future. This is a tale of two people that have hit a rough patch in their lives, and are trying so hard to get through it. The first person is Jasmine, she's in her early thirties, and is an overprotective little sister, to her older sister Heather, who suffers from Down Syndrome. She is also obsessed with work, and finds that work and Heather, are the only things that keep her going. But, after taking a wrong turn with her boss, Jasmine has found herself put on a leave as punishment, for an entire year. Most people would love to be paid for doing nothing, but to Jasmine, it's hell. In the time she spends moping around at home, she starts to keep an eye on the famous DJ located across the road - Matt. Matt's in his early forties, and is an alcoholic. Due to this, his wife has walked out on him, a long with their children, and work has suspended him from the radio station, deciding whether or not they want him back to do his 'outrageous' radio talks. Now Jasmine and Matt are thrown together, and although at the start there's a lot of hatred, they eventually get past this, and over the course of a year, they help each other to become better people, and form a close friendship.The style of writing in this novel is a mixture of first, and second person. The title shows this, 'The year I Met You'. This represents the two main characters, Jasmine and Matt. Jasmine being the first person, and Matt the second. In a way, I feel like I'm reading a letter she wrote to Matt, about their year together. Since this style is something I've never came across before, it felt exciting and new. It seemed mystical, despite the fact that behind those yous, it's a novel like any other that Cecelia has wrote, but with a new story line.Jasmine is a character that's been done multiple times, being the person who's obsessed with her work, and hasn't got much of a life outside of it. She's not the usual tired, work-hating woman. Then there's the typical story line where work's been taken away from her, and she's got to try to find something else to keep her preoccupied, and happy. Jasmine does this by working on her front garden, which she stupidly covered up with gravel when she first bought the house. Therefore, she calls her leave, the 'gardening' leave. Though the gardening doesn't turn out to be quite as easy as she thinks and many people have to come and help her - this is where we're introduced to some of the main characters: Monday, a man offering her a job, and a bit of a love interest. Matt's oldest son, Fionn, who helps to try and get away from his dad. We also get a bit more of Matt, whenever he volunteers to help. I liked the gardening leave, as we get to experience more of the characters, and connect with their lives and stories.When I first began to read the novel, I was expecting it to be romantic, as the blurb states it's about two people growing closer, and forming a relationship. Then when I found out the age difference, and that Matt had kids, I wasn't all that fond. Though, I read on and found I quite liked the idea of them being together, because to me, their personalities just clicked. Then when I discovered that their relationship was simply a friendship, I was a little bit disappointed, but quite happy with Monday. He seemed kinder, and more lovable. I also liked how he still liked Jasmine, after the stupid things she did.I loved the characters in this story, and the little obstacles dotted across it, though I can't imagine this being a reread to me. It's a beautiful, one time, one read story, but I felt that there wasn't enough to keep me wanting more.3/5
What do You think about The Year I Met You (2014)?
I'll always Ahernn i love this story... friendship over love..
—silent_voices
