REVIEW: The Night We Said Yes (The Night We Said Yes #1) by Lauren Gibaldi

The Night We Said Yes (The Night We Said Yes #1) by Lauren Gibaldi

Publication Date: June 16, 2015

Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life.

But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.

And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.

Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future.

The Night We Said Yes is perfect for anyone looking for a cute and fun read. Filled with romance and heartbreak and lots of questions to keep you intrigued and happy while reading. We go back and forth between the past and present with our main character, Ella, and her ex boyfriend/current love interest Matt. All we know is that Matt up and left Ella a year ago without any explanation or reasoning as to why. Then on this very special night he shows up again and Ella's world is thrown for a whirlwind. We're the lucky few that get to go on that whirlwind journey with her to learn why he left and why he's back and why he's looking at her like he still cares about her. SO MANY QUESTIONS....

I always think there's something special about a book that takes place in one day. So many options and possibilities about what can happen and where the story will go in the short time we're in this world with the characters.  I like stories with positive outcomes and growth and lots of love so this book was right on target for me. The idea of having just one night to say yes to everything with no fear or hesitation. Well, maybe a little hesitation but at some point you just end up having so much fun you dont even second guess anything anymore. It feels carefree and beautiful, just the kind of night I'd LOVE to have with my own friends and boyfriend!

Ella, our MC, was relatable in the sense that we can all feel her pain and sadness (and anger) when it comes to the breakup and Matt just disappearing then reappearing in her life. She wants answers and she';; do anything to get them...no matter how upsetting they may be! So even though she did seem a tad immature to me I still liked her because I related to her in many ways.

Then we have Matt, bad boy that up and left out MC for no apparent reason!! Well he eventually tells Ella why he left, and even though I don't think it's the most valid excuse I also realize that it is to him so who am I to argue with that!?

Overall, I loved the story and the magic of a night filled with yes' and endless possibilities! So if you love fun, cute reads with a little romance and a lot of whimsy then pick this book up and give it a shot! This one was an especially fun read for me!