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My Oxford Year
Major Motion Picture Already in Development with Temple Hill Entertainment
Set amidst the breathtaking beauty of Oxford, this sparkling debut novel tells the unforgettable story about a determined young woman eager to make her mark in the world and the handsome man who introduces her to an incredible love that will irrevocably alter her future—perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks.
American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is, until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.
When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret.
Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2018
6826 people are currently reading
80276 people want to read
About the author
Julia Whelan
418 books7,139 followersDubbed "The Adele of Audiobooks" by The New Yorker, Julia Whelan is a writer, lifelong actor, and acclaimed audiobook narrator. Her performance of her own debut novel, the international bestseller My Oxford Year, garnered a Society of Voice Arts award. Her 2022 novel, Thank You For Listening, was a Best-of-the-Year pick at Amazon, Audible, and NPR as well as a Goodreads Choice Award nominee and winner of the CALIBA. She is the founder of Audiobrary, a new human-only audio publishing company and app, and her new book, the 8-part audio series Casanova LLC, debuted exclusively on Audiobrary Valentine's Day, 2024. She is also a Grammy-nominated audiobook director, a former writing tutor, a half-decent amateur baker, and a certified tea sommelier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,952 reviews
May 30, 2018
I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
I had really high hopes for "My Oxford Year," but upon finishing it, I really can't bear to give it more than a single star. Where do I even begin?
So much of this story is unbelievable, and not in a good way. I wasn't convinced that the main character was (A) a Rhodes scholar, (B) 24-going-on-25 years old, and (C) being recruited by an American presidential candidate's team based on a single article she wrote for The Atlantic. So much of her backstory was so utterly ridiculous that I found myself rolling my eyes within the first few pages.
Likewise, the main character, Ella Durran, is - simply put - annoying. At the beginning, the author attempts to paint Ella as an overachiever (Rhodes scholar, fulfilling her childhood dream of studying at Oxford, interested and involved in the American political system, etc.) but later in the book, there is little to no mention of her academic life at all. I was not aware, based on the title, cover design, and book blurb, that this story was going to be so focused on a love story instead of an overall study-abroad experience. To my disappointment, the characters and plot quickly descended into cliche fairly early on.
While the author clearly attempted humor in places, it came across as cheesy and over-written. The first impression I got of both author and main character was a thinly-veiled self-obsession which, I'm sorry to say, carried throughout the entire work. It's difficult to read prose and characters who are so clearly full of themselves.
Also, just as a quick note... the names of the characters, and the not-so-subtle Austen references, were entirely too much. "Ella" (Elizabeth) falls for the charming and wealthy intellectual "Davenport" (Darcy) but, in this case, with little of Austen's charm and none of her characters' literary grace. Give me a break.
So many of the characters were problematic. Whelan's inclusion of the side-characters seemed more like a strategy to check representational boxes instead of writing authentic, relatable, deep characters. Ella's friends were utter caricatures: Tom, the half-Indian and aloof Brit; Cecilia, the "English Rose," as the narrator identifies her; Maggie, the shy but edgy girl who sports wild-colored hair and dresses; and Charlie, the Wilde-esque gay friend who seems like a dull carbon-copy of anything remotely resembling Oscar Wilde. Not to mention Ian, a drunken friend who shows up once and never again, as well as Connor, a well-meaning American student who is somehow completely fine with romantic rejection after taking an ungrateful and distracted Ella to London for Thanksgiving. So much of this book is unrealistic - the characters are dry and empty with little depth.
Closure, too, was a problem for Whelan. She builds up the relationship between Ella and her mother (mostly by including bits and pieces of Ella ignoring her mother's phone calls or rudely responding to her mother's emails with one-word answers) but never draws this relationship - and its struggles - out. Like Connor, Ella's mother fades into the background without any explanation, which is strange considering This points to poor-planning on the part of the author.
Also, That may be an unpopular opinion, but it's an oft repeated theme that does little to nothing for the depth of the story. It's been done before, many times. It was far from impressive in this work.
The fact that this book is potentially going to be made into a movie absolutely blows my mind. I really hope that decision will be reconsidered.
I honestly could go on and on, but I won't. The only reason this book got one star was for effort - and even then, that single star feels generous.
I had really high hopes for "My Oxford Year," but upon finishing it, I really can't bear to give it more than a single star. Where do I even begin?
So much of this story is unbelievable, and not in a good way. I wasn't convinced that the main character was (A) a Rhodes scholar, (B) 24-going-on-25 years old, and (C) being recruited by an American presidential candidate's team based on a single article she wrote for The Atlantic. So much of her backstory was so utterly ridiculous that I found myself rolling my eyes within the first few pages.
Likewise, the main character, Ella Durran, is - simply put - annoying. At the beginning, the author attempts to paint Ella as an overachiever (Rhodes scholar, fulfilling her childhood dream of studying at Oxford, interested and involved in the American political system, etc.) but later in the book, there is little to no mention of her academic life at all. I was not aware, based on the title, cover design, and book blurb, that this story was going to be so focused on a love story instead of an overall study-abroad experience. To my disappointment, the characters and plot quickly descended into cliche fairly early on.
While the author clearly attempted humor in places, it came across as cheesy and over-written. The first impression I got of both author and main character was a thinly-veiled self-obsession which, I'm sorry to say, carried throughout the entire work. It's difficult to read prose and characters who are so clearly full of themselves.
Also, just as a quick note... the names of the characters, and the not-so-subtle Austen references, were entirely too much. "Ella" (Elizabeth) falls for the charming and wealthy intellectual "Davenport" (Darcy) but, in this case, with little of Austen's charm and none of her characters' literary grace. Give me a break.
So many of the characters were problematic. Whelan's inclusion of the side-characters seemed more like a strategy to check representational boxes instead of writing authentic, relatable, deep characters. Ella's friends were utter caricatures: Tom, the half-Indian and aloof Brit; Cecilia, the "English Rose," as the narrator identifies her; Maggie, the shy but edgy girl who sports wild-colored hair and dresses; and Charlie, the Wilde-esque gay friend who seems like a dull carbon-copy of anything remotely resembling Oscar Wilde. Not to mention Ian, a drunken friend who shows up once and never again, as well as Connor, a well-meaning American student who is somehow completely fine with romantic rejection after taking an ungrateful and distracted Ella to London for Thanksgiving. So much of this book is unrealistic - the characters are dry and empty with little depth.
Closure, too, was a problem for Whelan. She builds up the relationship between Ella and her mother (mostly by including bits and pieces of Ella ignoring her mother's phone calls or rudely responding to her mother's emails with one-word answers) but never draws this relationship - and its struggles - out. Like Connor, Ella's mother fades into the background without any explanation, which is strange considering This points to poor-planning on the part of the author.
Also, That may be an unpopular opinion, but it's an oft repeated theme that does little to nothing for the depth of the story. It's been done before, many times. It was far from impressive in this work.
The fact that this book is potentially going to be made into a movie absolutely blows my mind. I really hope that decision will be reconsidered.
I honestly could go on and on, but I won't. The only reason this book got one star was for effort - and even then, that single star feels generous.
August 10, 2025
lowkey love when a book can make me cry 🥲
May 7, 2018
5+ stars!!!
My Oxford Year by Julie Whelan is a real gem of a book! It took me by surprise in the best way! I’ve listened to many audio books narrated by Ms. Whelan (she is an amazing narrator) and I’m happy to report that her writing is amazing as well. I listened to this in audio, it was narrated by her of course, and if you haven’t read yet, I have to recommend you experience this book via audio. It was made to be listened to over being read, in my opinion.
Ella Durran is a 24 year old American who is out of the country for the first time. She is a Rhodes Scholar who is studying in Oxford. On top of that, she has just been offered a job to work on a potential presidential candidate's campaign. Her future is promising and the world is her oyster. Her first day in England, Ella meets Jamie. Their meeting left me with a huge grin on my face.
Jamie Davenport isn’t a professor, but he’s helping out by teaching a literature class. And it’s a class Ella happens to be in. These two have such a connection, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. They decide just for the time that Ella is in England, they will be together. No strings. Then, as things always seem to do, the feelings between them start to change. The problem with this is that things are even more complicated than what they seem…
When I saw in the blurb that this book was recommended for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks, I knew it was a book I had to read. It’s a smart book that’s full of humor, charm, and of course- feels. You’ll be happy to know I didn’t cry like a baby while reading this, I may have shed a few tears, but overall, I found this uplifting and heartwarming. It was a touching story, and one that will stay with me. I give this book a full 5 stars and recommend to all lovers of romance and coming of age stories. And remember- listen to the audio if you get the chance! It’s fantastic!
“The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all things I cannot change. Love that doesn't follow a plan.”
My Oxford Year by Julie Whelan is a real gem of a book! It took me by surprise in the best way! I’ve listened to many audio books narrated by Ms. Whelan (she is an amazing narrator) and I’m happy to report that her writing is amazing as well. I listened to this in audio, it was narrated by her of course, and if you haven’t read yet, I have to recommend you experience this book via audio. It was made to be listened to over being read, in my opinion.
Ella Durran is a 24 year old American who is out of the country for the first time. She is a Rhodes Scholar who is studying in Oxford. On top of that, she has just been offered a job to work on a potential presidential candidate's campaign. Her future is promising and the world is her oyster. Her first day in England, Ella meets Jamie. Their meeting left me with a huge grin on my face.
Jamie Davenport isn’t a professor, but he’s helping out by teaching a literature class. And it’s a class Ella happens to be in. These two have such a connection, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. They decide just for the time that Ella is in England, they will be together. No strings. Then, as things always seem to do, the feelings between them start to change. The problem with this is that things are even more complicated than what they seem…
"And if you’re not surprised by life, then what’s the bloody point?”Ella and Jamie. Gah! I adored them both. Jamie is charming, sweet, and swoony, and Ella is witty, intelligent, and sharp. I loved them both, and even more, I loved them together. Along with the two main characters, there were a slew of wonderful secondary characters that made the story that much more interesting.
When I saw in the blurb that this book was recommended for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks, I knew it was a book I had to read. It’s a smart book that’s full of humor, charm, and of course- feels. You’ll be happy to know I didn’t cry like a baby while reading this, I may have shed a few tears, but overall, I found this uplifting and heartwarming. It was a touching story, and one that will stay with me. I give this book a full 5 stars and recommend to all lovers of romance and coming of age stories. And remember- listen to the audio if you get the chance! It’s fantastic!
January 22, 2019
I have never been able to write the following statement in a review before ... “This was an unputdownable listen !”
Having going in blind, of course, I had no idea what to expect, but I can tell you I would have never guessed what unfolded before me. The storyline is not just about the romance. There is real substance, real meat on the bones, which I crave. To say this was captivating is an understatement.
I completely fell in love with the charming, disarming, Brit named Jamie. He hooked me in from the first word he uttered! Upon encountering Jamie, the American Rhodes Scholar, named Ella, finds herself in quite the quandary. She will need to decide what and or who, is most important in her life.
This unpredictable, beautiful romance sure brought out the feels. Feels which vacillated from my lips curving into a smile to tears threatening to fall. Often times, I felt my heart lodged in my throat and muttering ‘bloody hell.’ ;)
I was surprised to learn this is a debut novel. Clearly she is an amazing talent who also narrates this audiobook, and does an ‘ace’ job. I can only hope she is feverishly working on her next release. Well done, Ms. Whelan! Very well done!
June 30, 2024
the fact that people have recommended this to me... y'all hate me huh lmao
Read
July 9, 2025RTC!
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ೃ ⁀➷ Pre-view:🎯
"Blimey, babe! A very inconvenient year at Oxford… oh, it’s gonna be academically DEVASTATING!!" 📚🥂
Saw the trailer. Heard the words “Netflix adaptation.” Clocked Young King George (you know who), as the love interest playing as Jamie Davenport?? In Oxford?? Quoting poetry with that accent?!
We are cooked!💥
I mean, how am I supposed to not read the book before it emotionally ambushes me on screen?? 🤸🏻♀️📚
Also, I heard there’s a British man with a secret?? Say less.
➷ What to Expect:
🎓 Dreamy Oxford streets & even dreamier professors
💌 Banter so sharp it could cut tweed
🥂 Late-night pints, poetry, and pining
💘A love story that sneaks up and wrecks you
🚬Big choices, bigger emotions
🇬🇧 One unforgettable year that changes everything
Like hello?? Oxford? Academia? Banter with British boys in tweed?? I don’t make the rules — if a book’s about to become a movie, I have to read it first. It’s in the book girlie code. 📚💅British accents? ✅
Dark academia vibes? ✅
A romance that threatens to derail her entire five-year plan?? BABY I’M IN.
📍THE VIBE?!
Oxford’s gorgeous.
The romance is soft, sad, and devastating.
And you?
You’re reading it now so you can cry twice—once on the page, and again in the theatre. ONLY IF THIS DELIVERS!
🙌🏻Girl math: if I saw the trailer, and the book is becoming a Netflix movie, then obviously I need to read it before it ruins me with visual angst.
Add in Oxford vibes, one (1) handsome Brit with a secret, and a heroine chasing dreams and accidentally falling in love?
I’m spiralling. Spiritually, I’ve already packed for England. 🎒
📍📚 Buddy Read with Juls✨
Also… not me being lowkey intimidated by the professor-student dynamic because umm, confession time? My dad’s a professor 😭💀
So reading this kinda has me like: “Should I be blushing or filing a complaint??” 😭😂
But hey, for the plot... for the vibes... for the British banter and emotional carnage, we read on.Let’s see how this goes, I guess 🤸🏻♀️🎓 I am reading this before I walk into that theatre and let Young King George from bridgerton iykyk!
I will not be caught unprepared. 🎓💘
This is emotional turbulence in a library setting. And I need to read it before Netflix finishes me off. 🔥📖
🎬 Read it before it hits the big screen and ruins your mascara in public.
Because girl, this Oxford year? It’s not just life-changing. It’s literary.
Buckle up. This isn’t just a story. It’s a wrecking ball in tweed.🍂 Let's gooo!!🤸🏻♀️🥂
---
ೃ ⁀➷ Pre-view:🎯
"Blimey, babe! A very inconvenient year at Oxford… oh, it’s gonna be academically DEVASTATING!!" 📚🥂
Saw the trailer. Heard the words “Netflix adaptation.” Clocked Young King George (you know who), as the love interest playing as Jamie Davenport?? In Oxford?? Quoting poetry with that accent?!
We are cooked!💥
I mean, how am I supposed to not read the book before it emotionally ambushes me on screen?? 🤸🏻♀️📚
Also, I heard there’s a British man with a secret?? Say less.
➷ What to Expect:
🎓 Dreamy Oxford streets & even dreamier professors
💌 Banter so sharp it could cut tweed
🥂 Late-night pints, poetry, and pining
💘A love story that sneaks up and wrecks you
🚬Big choices, bigger emotions
🇬🇧 One unforgettable year that changes everything
Like hello?? Oxford? Academia? Banter with British boys in tweed?? I don’t make the rules — if a book’s about to become a movie, I have to read it first. It’s in the book girlie code. 📚💅British accents? ✅
Dark academia vibes? ✅
A romance that threatens to derail her entire five-year plan?? BABY I’M IN.
📍THE VIBE?!
Oxford’s gorgeous.
The romance is soft, sad, and devastating.
And you?
You’re reading it now so you can cry twice—once on the page, and again in the theatre. ONLY IF THIS DELIVERS!
🙌🏻Girl math: if I saw the trailer, and the book is becoming a Netflix movie, then obviously I need to read it before it ruins me with visual angst.
Add in Oxford vibes, one (1) handsome Brit with a secret, and a heroine chasing dreams and accidentally falling in love?
I’m spiralling. Spiritually, I’ve already packed for England. 🎒
📍📚 Buddy Read with Juls✨
Also… not me being lowkey intimidated by the professor-student dynamic because umm, confession time? My dad’s a professor 😭💀
So reading this kinda has me like: “Should I be blushing or filing a complaint??” 😭😂
But hey, for the plot... for the vibes... for the British banter and emotional carnage, we read on.Let’s see how this goes, I guess 🤸🏻♀️🎓 I am reading this before I walk into that theatre and let Young King George from bridgerton iykyk!
I will not be caught unprepared. 🎓💘
This is emotional turbulence in a library setting. And I need to read it before Netflix finishes me off. 🔥📖
🎬 Read it before it hits the big screen and ruins your mascara in public.
Because girl, this Oxford year? It’s not just life-changing. It’s literary.
Buckle up. This isn’t just a story. It’s a wrecking ball in tweed.🍂 Let's gooo!!🤸🏻♀️🥂
April 24, 2018
You know how our expectations are sometimes too high? Or, you expect something completely different and get something else and it's even better than what you were anticipating? It's the best feeling when a book does that. My Oxford Year surprised me, it totally blindsided me. Although I read the blurb it kind of slipped that it was compared to JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks. Anyway, let me tell you about this sparkling little gem that is My Oxford Year.
When Ella arrives in Oxford, jetlagged and, you know, a little freaked, the way you are when you are alone in a foreign country, her first encounters with Jamie leave her riled up, annoyed and...a tiny bit intrigued. When she finds out that he will be her professor for the term she doesn't see good things in their future. But a chance run-in on a night out in town is a complete game changer and this is where the fun starts.
And if you’re not surprised by life, then what’s the bloody point?
Jamie and Ella are both highly intelligent characters. It's not just that the author says so, no, the way they talk to each other, the banter, their long conversations about poetry, Julia Whelan shows us that these are super-smart people. Their weapon of choice is a sharp tongue that can cut deep. Mostly used in humor though, I loved their witty retorts and comebacks so much and it's a testament to the author's own intelligence and wit. I want to be BFFs with Julia Whelan.
Jamie has this wonderfully dry humor that so resonates with me. He is kind, brave and endearing with his little quirks and I fell head over heels in love with him. He is the kind of complicated that makes a man charismatic. He is a contradicting mix of calm and storm and his tenderness is heart-achingly sweet. Jamie is unforgettable and will always hold a special place in my heart. Ella from Ohio is his American equivalent. There was one situation I felt my face getting red from anger because Ella acted cruelly but she came through in a big way so she had my forgiveness in the end.
Their connection is made of dislike and explosive chemistry from the get-go but these are equals on the battlefield of words. The combative basis of their relationship morphs soon into respect and affection, then love.
The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all the things I cannot change. Love that doesn’t follow a plan.
This author describes Oxford in vivid pictures, I could see Ella ride her bike through the streets of this charming town. Her description is a love declaration for Oxford.
Ella's journey is one of soul searching and while you watch Jamie and Ella growing into the best people they can be this book forces you to look at your own life. It invites you to do your own soul searching to become a better version of yourself. My Oxford Year will stay with me for a long time, my heart still constricts when I think about it. Julia Whelan intersperses a ton of humor so that the sadder parts don't feel depressing. I really appreciate that - I love my angst but I don't want to be overwhelmed with it. The story ends with a message that we all should take to heart - live today, live and love like there is no tomorrow. Life isn't about goals and targets, it's about the way to them and how you get there. And that your goals can change.
I came to Oxford looking for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience. I chose to experience a lifetime.
With its intelligent prose and witty banter this book will go on my top-favorites-2018 - shelf. It made me feel, laugh and think and I can't wait to discover what else Ms Whelan has in store for us readers.
On a related note: I just read that Sam Heughan and Melissa Benoist have been cast as Jamie and Ella - I'm in heaven.
If you want to know more about Julia Whelan and her brand of humor read this "interview".
March 15, 2024
4.5 rounded up for GR. excuse me HOW is this book rating so low???? this is a VERY solid 4-4.5 star book!
i listened to this backlist on audio (duh, bc it’s Julia!!!) and her voice is honestly a big hug every single time. she’s the best narrator out there but also an incredible author. i had this on my TBR and library hold for literally everrrrr and it was well worth the wait.
Julia also told me the 🎬 adaptation is still in the works. PLEASE!!! i need to see who Jamie is casted as!!!
the setting (London/Europe/Oxford/etc) was a home run. the English accents are always a win in my book. loved the coming of age, slow burn love story. and the twist was definitely shocking 🥹
it was an emotional read and those are my faves. if you’re looking for a light romcom this won’t be it. while she makes you laugh and it has some good steam, it’s much deeper. she tackled hard life topics very well and i was so emotionally attached to these characters and the resolution that i was thinking about it whenever i wasn’t listening!
my only issue is part of the ending. without spoiling anything, i’m surprised Ella made the choice she did with her career. i know she changed and what happened influenced her decision, but i am surprised about her choice nonetheless. it didn’t ruin the book for me by any means but left me with a “huh” feeling a bit.
TLDR; pick up this backlist and listen on audio!!
fave quotes:
“If you don’t ever open yourself up, how can you ever be surprised by life? And if you’re not surprised, what’s the bloody point?”
“Stay with me, and I’ll stay with you.”
i listened to this backlist on audio (duh, bc it’s Julia!!!) and her voice is honestly a big hug every single time. she’s the best narrator out there but also an incredible author. i had this on my TBR and library hold for literally everrrrr and it was well worth the wait.
Julia also told me the 🎬 adaptation is still in the works. PLEASE!!! i need to see who Jamie is casted as!!!
the setting (London/Europe/Oxford/etc) was a home run. the English accents are always a win in my book. loved the coming of age, slow burn love story. and the twist was definitely shocking 🥹
it was an emotional read and those are my faves. if you’re looking for a light romcom this won’t be it. while she makes you laugh and it has some good steam, it’s much deeper. she tackled hard life topics very well and i was so emotionally attached to these characters and the resolution that i was thinking about it whenever i wasn’t listening!
my only issue is part of the ending. without spoiling anything, i’m surprised Ella made the choice she did with her career. i know she changed and what happened influenced her decision, but i am surprised about her choice nonetheless. it didn’t ruin the book for me by any means but left me with a “huh” feeling a bit.
TLDR; pick up this backlist and listen on audio!!
fave quotes:
“If you don’t ever open yourself up, how can you ever be surprised by life? And if you’re not surprised, what’s the bloody point?”
“Stay with me, and I’ll stay with you.”
September 2, 2025
✩ 4 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Dislike-to-Love
➼ Career vs Love
➼ Personal Sacrifice
➼ American Studying Abroad
➼ Emotional Read
➼ Professor x Student
➼ Grief & Loss
➼ Narrated by the author (aka the Queen of audiobooks)
➼ First Person Single POV
If Emily Henry’s name was on the cover of this, this book would have a higher rating. Mic drop, that’s the review. 🎤😜
Just kidding, but I am extremely perplexed that the average rating isn’t at least 4 stars. Maybe the people who rated it lower didn’t know that you ALWAYS listen to the audio if Julia Whelan is the narrator? I still haven’t watched the movie, but I’ve put together enough details to know that they changed the ending and frankly, I can’t fathom why they did that. The ending in the book is much more hopeful and still packs a very strong emotional punch. It’s ironic because I really wanted to watch the movie more than I wanted to read the book, but felt like I shouldn’t skip it. Now that I’ve read the book and know the changes they made, I’m not sure I want to watch the movie at all. 😅
It’s very hard to talk about this book without spoilers, and what I’m about to say feels like a spoiler, so I’m giving you time to turn away. 🙃 I’d recommend this for fans of The Fault in Our Stars or Me Before You. As I said, it is still hopeful in the end, but it has a very similar vibe to those books. If terminal illness is a trigger for you, I would skip this one. I also obviously think this book will be a hit with Emily Henry fans since it reads almost exactly like one of her books. Since it seems like pretty much everyone enjoys EH, I’m guessing most people will enjoy this too. It definitely reads a little more like a contemporary fiction book than most romances, so it would be a good choice for those who like a more serious/emotional read.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Always such a power move when Julia Whelan narrates her own books. 💪🏻 I’ve been dying to watch the movie but wanted to read this first. Thankfully, Libby finally came through! 🤗
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
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What to Expect:
➼ Dislike-to-Love
➼ Career vs Love
➼ Personal Sacrifice
➼ American Studying Abroad
➼ Emotional Read
➼ Professor x Student
➼ Grief & Loss
➼ Narrated by the author (aka the Queen of audiobooks)
➼ First Person Single POV
If Emily Henry’s name was on the cover of this, this book would have a higher rating. Mic drop, that’s the review. 🎤😜
Just kidding, but I am extremely perplexed that the average rating isn’t at least 4 stars. Maybe the people who rated it lower didn’t know that you ALWAYS listen to the audio if Julia Whelan is the narrator? I still haven’t watched the movie, but I’ve put together enough details to know that they changed the ending and frankly, I can’t fathom why they did that. The ending in the book is much more hopeful and still packs a very strong emotional punch. It’s ironic because I really wanted to watch the movie more than I wanted to read the book, but felt like I shouldn’t skip it. Now that I’ve read the book and know the changes they made, I’m not sure I want to watch the movie at all. 😅
It’s very hard to talk about this book without spoilers, and what I’m about to say feels like a spoiler, so I’m giving you time to turn away. 🙃 I’d recommend this for fans of The Fault in Our Stars or Me Before You. As I said, it is still hopeful in the end, but it has a very similar vibe to those books. If terminal illness is a trigger for you, I would skip this one. I also obviously think this book will be a hit with Emily Henry fans since it reads almost exactly like one of her books. Since it seems like pretty much everyone enjoys EH, I’m guessing most people will enjoy this too. It definitely reads a little more like a contemporary fiction book than most romances, so it would be a good choice for those who like a more serious/emotional read.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Always such a power move when Julia Whelan narrates her own books. 💪🏻 I’ve been dying to watch the movie but wanted to read this first. Thankfully, Libby finally came through! 🤗
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
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August 8, 2025
Update 8-8-25 Below.
My first experience reading this author, was with her second book, “Thank you for listening” which I sped through in one evening. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was so entranced I couldn’t put the book down.
So…I couldn’t wait to read her debut…this one.
With this one…I have meandered through it. Savoring every moment. Getting to know Ella and Jamie and following them through their complicated non-“relationship.”
For whatever reason, I couldn’t wait each evening to crack open the book and find myself back in Oxford wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Why did I approach each book differently?
After all…I loved them equally the same.
I wish I could give you a compelling answer.
Perhaps… There was something more mysterious to both Jamie and Ella that needed time to discover.
And…It was okay for me to not rush that discovery.
As I read, I would tell myself…I would enjoy watching them, and eventually find out their backstories as I did.
Early on there is a tutorial session that Jamie is having with Ella. He is her Professor, after all. He describes the importance of poetry to her and says…
“To truly experience a poem, you need to feel it. A poem is alive, it has a voice. It is a person. Who are they? Why are they? Hearing her words, as she speaks to you, you think and feel certain things. Just as, hearing my words now, you think and feel certain things. Reading poetry is a conversation of feeling between two people. It shouldn’t answer anything, it should only create more questions, like any good conversation. What did she make you feel? That’s what I wanted you to examine.”
As readers, we know we are beginning the dance between these two.
And it feels deliciously intimate.
But then…We learn more about what is really going on for Jamie.
And…We are drawn in, just as Ella is drawn in.
And…We feel things. Strongly.
How will this truth be reconciled?
What really happened to Jamie’s brother, Oliver, and how has this history impacted Jamie’s relationship with his father William?
And…We can’t forget Ella who from across the pond is working on a campaign for a woman running for President of the United States while attending Oxford. Who does that? Well. Ella does.
And…That adds more depth to the story, too.
The question then becomes…Where does Ella’s life belong once she is done with her term in Oxford?
Even her dear friend Charlie argues with her when he says…
“For someone who loves her country so much, you seem rather keen to change it. …I love you, I do, but you are a class-A idiot if you think that’s life. This…” He gestures between Jamie and me. “What you two have, that’s life.”
And…The beauty of the decision made is what makes this story so readable. So much so, that when I woke up at o’dark thirty, I chose to take this book with me, and read until I finished it this morning.
Because…I wanted you to know how much I loved it.
And…How much I wanted you to love it, too.
“To know and love one other human being is the root of all wisdom.” – Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited
Be sure to read Behind the Book Essay at the back of the book where the author gives some background as to how she came to write this story.
Update - 8-8-25...I just watched the Netflix movie. Can you pass the Kleenex please. What a beautiful reminder of how much I loved this book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR9I8...
My first experience reading this author, was with her second book, “Thank you for listening” which I sped through in one evening. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was so entranced I couldn’t put the book down.
So…I couldn’t wait to read her debut…this one.
With this one…I have meandered through it. Savoring every moment. Getting to know Ella and Jamie and following them through their complicated non-“relationship.”
For whatever reason, I couldn’t wait each evening to crack open the book and find myself back in Oxford wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Why did I approach each book differently?
After all…I loved them equally the same.
I wish I could give you a compelling answer.
Perhaps… There was something more mysterious to both Jamie and Ella that needed time to discover.
And…It was okay for me to not rush that discovery.
As I read, I would tell myself…I would enjoy watching them, and eventually find out their backstories as I did.
Early on there is a tutorial session that Jamie is having with Ella. He is her Professor, after all. He describes the importance of poetry to her and says…
“To truly experience a poem, you need to feel it. A poem is alive, it has a voice. It is a person. Who are they? Why are they? Hearing her words, as she speaks to you, you think and feel certain things. Just as, hearing my words now, you think and feel certain things. Reading poetry is a conversation of feeling between two people. It shouldn’t answer anything, it should only create more questions, like any good conversation. What did she make you feel? That’s what I wanted you to examine.”
As readers, we know we are beginning the dance between these two.
And it feels deliciously intimate.
But then…We learn more about what is really going on for Jamie.
And…We are drawn in, just as Ella is drawn in.
And…We feel things. Strongly.
How will this truth be reconciled?
What really happened to Jamie’s brother, Oliver, and how has this history impacted Jamie’s relationship with his father William?
And…We can’t forget Ella who from across the pond is working on a campaign for a woman running for President of the United States while attending Oxford. Who does that? Well. Ella does.
And…That adds more depth to the story, too.
The question then becomes…Where does Ella’s life belong once she is done with her term in Oxford?
Even her dear friend Charlie argues with her when he says…
“For someone who loves her country so much, you seem rather keen to change it. …I love you, I do, but you are a class-A idiot if you think that’s life. This…” He gestures between Jamie and me. “What you two have, that’s life.”
And…The beauty of the decision made is what makes this story so readable. So much so, that when I woke up at o’dark thirty, I chose to take this book with me, and read until I finished it this morning.
Because…I wanted you to know how much I loved it.
And…How much I wanted you to love it, too.
“To know and love one other human being is the root of all wisdom.” – Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited
Be sure to read Behind the Book Essay at the back of the book where the author gives some background as to how she came to write this story.
Update - 8-8-25...I just watched the Netflix movie. Can you pass the Kleenex please. What a beautiful reminder of how much I loved this book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR9I8...
July 4, 2018
3.5 STARS
Unpopular opinion ahead. . .
Here's the premise:
Unfortunately, despite being well-written, despite being polished until it gleamed, despite all the devastatingly clever dialogue . . . My Oxford Year consisted of one RAGING romance novel cliché stacked upon another, upon another, upon another.
Don't believe me? Think my heart is made of stone? Consider the following . . . (warning: serious spoilers inside)
I will admit that everything improved in the second half when the whole point of the story was revealed, but by then it was too late for me to do anything except bump the rating from a 2 to a 3.5.
As always, take my criticism with a grain of salt. Just because I have a major sarcastic streak that makes me roll my eyes, doesn't mean that you won't find this book charming like everyone else on the planet. :-)
I've just lived years of my life in those eyes.Soooooo . . .
Unpopular opinion ahead. . .
Here's the premise:
"You're the hypercompetitive American, a Rhodes scholar no less, who sees Oxford as a series of hurdles to clear like levels in some video game, and I? I'm the hypocritical poetry scholar, espousing grand theories of love whilst shagging a different wench every night."Sounds so good, right?
Unfortunately, despite being well-written, despite being polished until it gleamed, despite all the devastatingly clever dialogue . . . My Oxford Year consisted of one RAGING romance novel cliché stacked upon another, upon another, upon another.
Don't believe me? Think my heart is made of stone? Consider the following . . . (warning: serious spoilers inside)
I will admit that everything improved in the second half when the whole point of the story was revealed, but by then it was too late for me to do anything except bump the rating from a 2 to a 3.5.
As always, take my criticism with a grain of salt. Just because I have a major sarcastic streak that makes me roll my eyes, doesn't mean that you won't find this book charming like everyone else on the planet. :-)
February 9, 2019
My Oxford Year is a first person narrative of Ella from Ohio, a Rhodes Scholar, spending her allotted time at Oxford. Already at age 24, she has an impressive resume in the political sphere, yet chooses to study literature during her time in England.
Ella is immediately swept up in the rich, historic tradition of Oxford. One of her classes is taught by a young, handsome Englishman, Jamie Davenport. She tries to balance classes with a pending job back in the U.S. for an upcoming presidential campaign, as well as balance her growing interest in Jamie.
Sometimes Ella seemed really immature, yet other times, the way she though about and discussed her work and life experience, she sounded like she was at least well into her mid 30s. I found myself at multiple points in the story, feeling doubtful on both sides of this observation. Make no mistake, when I was 24, I admittedly thought I knew it all and was wise beyond my years. Less than 10 years later, I know I know a lot ;) but also know what I don’t know. This is an aspect of the story that was a bit of a deterrent for me though, because it happened several times.
Despite this, I enjoyed the story overall. It did give me a few Me Before You vibes and definitely included some predictable plot elements, but I still liked it.
I listened to My Oxford Year as an audiobook, narrated by the author herself, Julia Whelan. She did a great job taking on the various characters and bringing passion to their voices and feelings. This is the first book I’ve listened to by Whelan, though upon finishing it, I noticed she’s narrated several others, some of which I’ve read and others currently on my TBR list. The fact that I listened to this book (just under 10 hours long via audio) in less than a week, is for me, a telling sign I enjoyed it.
Ella is immediately swept up in the rich, historic tradition of Oxford. One of her classes is taught by a young, handsome Englishman, Jamie Davenport. She tries to balance classes with a pending job back in the U.S. for an upcoming presidential campaign, as well as balance her growing interest in Jamie.
Sometimes Ella seemed really immature, yet other times, the way she though about and discussed her work and life experience, she sounded like she was at least well into her mid 30s. I found myself at multiple points in the story, feeling doubtful on both sides of this observation. Make no mistake, when I was 24, I admittedly thought I knew it all and was wise beyond my years. Less than 10 years later, I know I know a lot ;) but also know what I don’t know. This is an aspect of the story that was a bit of a deterrent for me though, because it happened several times.
Despite this, I enjoyed the story overall. It did give me a few Me Before You vibes and definitely included some predictable plot elements, but I still liked it.
I listened to My Oxford Year as an audiobook, narrated by the author herself, Julia Whelan. She did a great job taking on the various characters and bringing passion to their voices and feelings. This is the first book I’ve listened to by Whelan, though upon finishing it, I noticed she’s narrated several others, some of which I’ve read and others currently on my TBR list. The fact that I listened to this book (just under 10 hours long via audio) in less than a week, is for me, a telling sign I enjoyed it.
October 31, 2018
An unexpected enjoyable story, heartbreaking at moments but also heartwarming. I went into this book completely blind and it ended up being something I did not imagine.
Ella has temporarily moved to England to attend Oxford, as soon as she completes her studies she plans to go back to the States to fulfill a promising career. However, her plans are trumped when she meets the intriguing Jamie Davenport. What follows is a story of love, pain, and new beginnings.
I enjoyed the setting and learned a bunch about Oxford and the Rhodes scholarship. I also enjoyed the exchange between the main characters, filled with literary tid-bits and what not.
Although the characters deal with serious issues, the novel still manages to keep a lighthearted tone. It reminded me of THE LIGHT WE LOST and ME BEFORE YOU.
I enjoyed it and recommend it to readers of romance and contemporary fiction.
Ella has temporarily moved to England to attend Oxford, as soon as she completes her studies she plans to go back to the States to fulfill a promising career. However, her plans are trumped when she meets the intriguing Jamie Davenport. What follows is a story of love, pain, and new beginnings.
I enjoyed the setting and learned a bunch about Oxford and the Rhodes scholarship. I also enjoyed the exchange between the main characters, filled with literary tid-bits and what not.
Although the characters deal with serious issues, the novel still manages to keep a lighthearted tone. It reminded me of THE LIGHT WE LOST and ME BEFORE YOU.
I enjoyed it and recommend it to readers of romance and contemporary fiction.
March 24, 2021
loved the oxford setting of this and overall it was well-written and alright, but i went into this totally expecing lighthearted and it was anything but. i didn't deduct any stars for that, but i just thought i'd warn others lol. also there's no smut sooooo
May 5, 2018
3 stars
This is a book that’s been getting a lot of great buzz, a lot of my book friends really loved it and I’ve been hearing good things all around. I was a fan of Julia on the show Once and Again and I had the pleasure of meeting Julia at another author event for a book she narrated and she’s absolutely lovely. All those things combined, I was very eager to read this book and really wanted to love this book and I had high hopes. And while I didn’t love it, I enjoyed it and I think this was a really great debut from this author.
There were a lot of moments when we as readers were supposed to feel a lot, and I felt a bit like a sociopath in those moments because I didn’t really feel anything and I knew I was meant to. Plus, a lot of the dialogue and some of the vocabulary was way above my head and I felt, well, unintelligent at moments while I was reading this book.
I think Julia Whelan is a fantastic writer, I think she delivered a very interesting and engaging story. I also think a lot of readers will love this book and I while I didn’t love it, I will be recommending it quite a lot because I think many of my friends and close ones would really enjoy this story.
Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Jojo Moyes and Sally Thorne, this is your next book to pick up!
A copy for review was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss
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This is a book that’s been getting a lot of great buzz, a lot of my book friends really loved it and I’ve been hearing good things all around. I was a fan of Julia on the show Once and Again and I had the pleasure of meeting Julia at another author event for a book she narrated and she’s absolutely lovely. All those things combined, I was very eager to read this book and really wanted to love this book and I had high hopes. And while I didn’t love it, I enjoyed it and I think this was a really great debut from this author.
There were a lot of moments when we as readers were supposed to feel a lot, and I felt a bit like a sociopath in those moments because I didn’t really feel anything and I knew I was meant to. Plus, a lot of the dialogue and some of the vocabulary was way above my head and I felt, well, unintelligent at moments while I was reading this book.
I think Julia Whelan is a fantastic writer, I think she delivered a very interesting and engaging story. I also think a lot of readers will love this book and I while I didn’t love it, I will be recommending it quite a lot because I think many of my friends and close ones would really enjoy this story.
Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Jojo Moyes and Sally Thorne, this is your next book to pick up!
A copy for review was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
July 28, 2018
Why did I choose this book to read- simple: location, location, location. I have been to Oxford a few times now and I love the city and all that it represents-higher learning and history. What I like best about this book was revisiting the streets and places that I knew and had been to.
The bad news- I really did not care for anything else in this book. The main character, Ella, totally annoyed me. She was just too immature for words, but supposedly she was advising the next presidential candidate in the States. (Btw, she was 24 yrs old). I found that many of her actions and words weren't even remotely plausible. There is a love story in this book but it seemed a poor imitation to another past best selling book. ( which I loved, but cannot name as would be a major spoiler!)
I do enjoy reading a lighter book now and then, but I still expect some depth to it.
This one was a definite miss for me!
The bad news- I really did not care for anything else in this book. The main character, Ella, totally annoyed me. She was just too immature for words, but supposedly she was advising the next presidential candidate in the States. (Btw, she was 24 yrs old). I found that many of her actions and words weren't even remotely plausible. There is a love story in this book but it seemed a poor imitation to another past best selling book. ( which I loved, but cannot name as would be a major spoiler!)
I do enjoy reading a lighter book now and then, but I still expect some depth to it.
This one was a definite miss for me!
September 3, 2025
Before starting this book, I had not once thought that this would be a tear-jerker
T_T
THE ENDING WRECKED ME!
3.25 stars!!!
🥀🥀🥀
Ella Durran arrives in Oxford with a plan: ace her studies, return to the U.S. and launch a political career. She’s sharp, ambitious and determined not to be distracted. But Oxford has other plans. The city itself feels like a character—its cobblestone streets and centuries-old traditions quietly nudging Ella toward a life she hadn’t imagined.
Then comes Jamie Davenport. Their romance is electric. But beneath the charm lies a devastating truth that turns the story from lighthearted to life-altering. Ella is forced to confront what it means to truly love someone—not just in the easy moments, but in the ones that demand sacrifice, vulnerability and courage.
🥀🥀🥀
🎭 Why It Hurts So Good
The prose was so lyrical without being overwrought. It really made me feel the ache of longing and the thrill of connection with a voice that feels so intimate and honest. The ending doesn’t tie things up in a neat bow—and that’s exactly why it works. Life is complicated.
T_T
THE ENDING WRECKED ME!
3.25 stars!!!
🥀🥀🥀
“But the hardest thing is staying. The hardest thing is living with dying. Loving with dying. The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all things I cannot change. Love that doesn't follow a plan.”
Ella Durran arrives in Oxford with a plan: ace her studies, return to the U.S. and launch a political career. She’s sharp, ambitious and determined not to be distracted. But Oxford has other plans. The city itself feels like a character—its cobblestone streets and centuries-old traditions quietly nudging Ella toward a life she hadn’t imagined.
Then comes Jamie Davenport. Their romance is electric. But beneath the charm lies a devastating truth that turns the story from lighthearted to life-altering. Ella is forced to confront what it means to truly love someone—not just in the easy moments, but in the ones that demand sacrifice, vulnerability and courage.
🥀🥀🥀
"I came to Oxford looking for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience. I chose to experience a lifetime.🥀🥀🥀
I know that one day he will lose to the waterfall, slip behind its turbulent curtain forever, lost to me like something out of a fairy tale. But in our story, there's no villain, no witch, no fairy godmother, no moral imperative or cautionary conclusion. No happily-ever-after.
It just is. It's life.
The water keeps flowing as we come and go.
We were never forever, Jamie and I. Nothing is in this life. But if you love someone and are loved by someone, you might find forever after.
Whatever and wherever it is.”
🎭 Why It Hurts So Good
The prose was so lyrical without being overwrought. It really made me feel the ache of longing and the thrill of connection with a voice that feels so intimate and honest. The ending doesn’t tie things up in a neat bow—and that’s exactly why it works. Life is complicated.
September 5, 2018
Audiobook...read by author
Julia Whelan
Julia is terrific with a slight detached sound to her voice. Other times she has a kick-ass attitude which comes across in her sounds...
always changing her voice range & emotional manifestation to fit the prose she wrote. She does this well.
The book has some intellectual academic charm...
with love in the Oxford air.
Heartwarming!
3.5. I enjoyed it...not Earth Shaking — but enjoyable!!!!
Julia Whelan
Julia is terrific with a slight detached sound to her voice. Other times she has a kick-ass attitude which comes across in her sounds...
always changing her voice range & emotional manifestation to fit the prose she wrote. She does this well.
The book has some intellectual academic charm...
with love in the Oxford air.
Heartwarming!
3.5. I enjoyed it...not Earth Shaking — but enjoyable!!!!
May 3, 2019
Worth the attention in my opinion. A frenemy-turn-lovers story written underneath Whelan's love note to Oxford. So glad I finally decided to read it!
...and I heard this was becoming a movie!
My favorite quote:
“Losing someone is hard enough. But death without the process of dying is an abomination. It takes nine months to create life; it feels unnatural, a sin against nature, that the reverse shouldn’t also have its time. Time to let go of the known as we take hold of the unknown.”
...and I heard this was becoming a movie!
My favorite quote:
“Losing someone is hard enough. But death without the process of dying is an abomination. It takes nine months to create life; it feels unnatural, a sin against nature, that the reverse shouldn’t also have its time. Time to let go of the known as we take hold of the unknown.”
break-shelf
June 5, 2025🤍✨| 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 - I heard it’s going to be a movie soon 🎬, and of course, I want to watch it when it’s out 👀.
But I always like to read the original story first before seeing the film.
So, here I go... curious to see what’s up with the main characters and their journey ✨.
But I always like to read the original story first before seeing the film.
So, here I go... curious to see what’s up with the main characters and their journey ✨.
March 18, 2020
lol @ me for thinking this was a light, fluffy romcom and then staying up till 1am sobbing
I was feeling really audiobook slump-y for the past bit (and that usually never happens. audiobooks are usually my way of unslumping myself)
and so I picked up this book in hopes of breaking that feeling (i chose this book specifically bc the narrator read Evvie Drake Starts Over and I LOVED her reading of it)
and honestly thanks past may for being a genius bc i literally couldn't stop listening to this book. the way she narrates, does accents, balances the hard sad parts with light banter, it was done SO WELL
- this isn't just a book about a girl spending one year abroad in oxford before she settles down in her highly prestigious new political job back home
- it's really about a girl who has planned every inch of her life and then gets thrown into a whirlwind of a new life that she's not ready to leave
- it's really about discovering what matters to her most and learning how to trust and love and making those hard decisions that will absolutely impact her future
- also it was surprisingly painful??? i THOUGHT I WAS GETTING FLUFF AND INSTEAD I GOT TEARS THANKS FOR THAT JULIA WHELAN
- there's incredible character development in this book, even the side characters are loveable and precious and you just want to protect them all and shelter them from every bad thing out there :(
- JAMIE DAVENPORT!!!!!!!
- lowkey wanted the epilogue to punch me in the throat (harder than the book already did) and while i totally understand why it ended in that way, i kind of wanted to just feel all the hurt at once
- anyways julia whelan can narrate audiobooks like a star and apparently she can write books like one too, so good going multitalented queen!!
I was feeling really audiobook slump-y for the past bit (and that usually never happens. audiobooks are usually my way of unslumping myself)
and so I picked up this book in hopes of breaking that feeling (i chose this book specifically bc the narrator read Evvie Drake Starts Over and I LOVED her reading of it)
and honestly thanks past may for being a genius bc i literally couldn't stop listening to this book. the way she narrates, does accents, balances the hard sad parts with light banter, it was done SO WELL
- this isn't just a book about a girl spending one year abroad in oxford before she settles down in her highly prestigious new political job back home
- it's really about a girl who has planned every inch of her life and then gets thrown into a whirlwind of a new life that she's not ready to leave
- it's really about discovering what matters to her most and learning how to trust and love and making those hard decisions that will absolutely impact her future
- also it was surprisingly painful??? i THOUGHT I WAS GETTING FLUFF AND INSTEAD I GOT TEARS THANKS FOR THAT JULIA WHELAN
- there's incredible character development in this book, even the side characters are loveable and precious and you just want to protect them all and shelter them from every bad thing out there :(
- JAMIE DAVENPORT!!!!!!!
- lowkey wanted the epilogue to punch me in the throat (harder than the book already did) and while i totally understand why it ended in that way, i kind of wanted to just feel all the hurt at once
- anyways julia whelan can narrate audiobooks like a star and apparently she can write books like one too, so good going multitalented queen!!
March 13, 2018
Thank you to goodreads and the author. I won an ARC of My Oxford Year!
It's taken me a few days to mull over the book. I knew the author from the many (many) audio books Julia has narrated. And I have to say she is one of my top favorites. I will listen to the books she's narrating based on her alone. So with that being said, I have to say I was really disappointed with this book. It took me a really long time to read this book. I just had no motivation to want to read it. Clearly, it took almost a month to read.
In the back of the book it states that this book was based on the original screen play of Allison Burnett. OK, so this isn't your original idea? And they wanted someone who went to Oxford to rewrite the story, basically. Yea Julia for going to Oxford! Also it says the book is 352 pages and my book was only 329 pages with acknowledgements. Am I missing part of the story?
Phew, now that the technical is out of the way let's talk about the book, shall we?
It was all over the place. First, its about a girl who has dreamed since she was a teenager she wanted to go to Oxford. (That's a good goal) Then we find out she is heavy into politics and she is only here in Oxford (On a Rhodes scholarship) to fulfill this dream of going but in one year she is going back to get on the campaign trail in the US.
There was tiny bits here and there to check off a list of oh I gotta talk about Oxford. I wasn't a fan of the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The rest of the book was typical cliches of we gotta have the gay friend, the nice friend, the party friend, etc..and she dumps them for this guy who states, I don't want a relationship I just want to sleep with you. She goes back to her friends when she gets the I need space let's take a break. Ladies, are we done with guys like that? Ain't nobody got time for that. If you feed the bad behavior you'll only get bad boys. Are you with me? It was during the break from the F-buddy we explore the way of life during her year there. Different foods, drinks, customs...etc.
Throughout the book she takes phone calls to help a campaign back home? That was just weird. It didn't jive with rest of the book. Where is this book going? Are we studying at Oxford and this about her year there or is Oxford just a backdrop to this campaign job? But wait, it gets even more confusing! She dumps friends/political job/school all to take care of this sick boyfriend dying of cancer. (OK, she didn't dump them in the river but they became the back burner and now it's about nothing above and a sad cancer book) At this point I had to get a dry erase board out and start drawing out what was happening.
Big picture, this was the American version of Me Before You and it didn't work. You're telling me a girl who is that educated and has a focus/goal, is going to throw it all away over a "dying rich" dude? We all know, if this man didn't have the money her ass would be like well I gotta go study now. Even though, it's pointed out she wants to pay for her own stuff (eye roll).
I think this review is making about as much sense as this book. It's all over the place and we are all barely hanging on till the end.
The author wrote a great speech about motivating to follow your campaign dreams and don't give up! Yea girl power! But the protagonist herself did the opposite, wtf?
Can someone write a female protagonist who knows what she wants and is not going to lose herself over a guy. You know the girlfriend we all have who starts dating someone and can't return a text until they breakup.
Clearly, I didn't go to Oxford. And a publisher is not dying to put my words out to the world. I really wanted to like this book. It's me not wanting to read about a girl who gives it all up over a boy.
It's taken me a few days to mull over the book. I knew the author from the many (many) audio books Julia has narrated. And I have to say she is one of my top favorites. I will listen to the books she's narrating based on her alone. So with that being said, I have to say I was really disappointed with this book. It took me a really long time to read this book. I just had no motivation to want to read it. Clearly, it took almost a month to read.
In the back of the book it states that this book was based on the original screen play of Allison Burnett. OK, so this isn't your original idea? And they wanted someone who went to Oxford to rewrite the story, basically. Yea Julia for going to Oxford! Also it says the book is 352 pages and my book was only 329 pages with acknowledgements. Am I missing part of the story?
Phew, now that the technical is out of the way let's talk about the book, shall we?
It was all over the place. First, its about a girl who has dreamed since she was a teenager she wanted to go to Oxford. (That's a good goal) Then we find out she is heavy into politics and she is only here in Oxford (On a Rhodes scholarship) to fulfill this dream of going but in one year she is going back to get on the campaign trail in the US.
There was tiny bits here and there to check off a list of oh I gotta talk about Oxford. I wasn't a fan of the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The rest of the book was typical cliches of we gotta have the gay friend, the nice friend, the party friend, etc..and she dumps them for this guy who states, I don't want a relationship I just want to sleep with you. She goes back to her friends when she gets the I need space let's take a break. Ladies, are we done with guys like that? Ain't nobody got time for that. If you feed the bad behavior you'll only get bad boys. Are you with me? It was during the break from the F-buddy we explore the way of life during her year there. Different foods, drinks, customs...etc.
Throughout the book she takes phone calls to help a campaign back home? That was just weird. It didn't jive with rest of the book. Where is this book going? Are we studying at Oxford and this about her year there or is Oxford just a backdrop to this campaign job? But wait, it gets even more confusing! She dumps friends/political job/school all to take care of this sick boyfriend dying of cancer. (OK, she didn't dump them in the river but they became the back burner and now it's about nothing above and a sad cancer book) At this point I had to get a dry erase board out and start drawing out what was happening.
Big picture, this was the American version of Me Before You and it didn't work. You're telling me a girl who is that educated and has a focus/goal, is going to throw it all away over a "dying rich" dude? We all know, if this man didn't have the money her ass would be like well I gotta go study now. Even though, it's pointed out she wants to pay for her own stuff (eye roll).
I think this review is making about as much sense as this book. It's all over the place and we are all barely hanging on till the end.
The author wrote a great speech about motivating to follow your campaign dreams and don't give up! Yea girl power! But the protagonist herself did the opposite, wtf?
Can someone write a female protagonist who knows what she wants and is not going to lose herself over a guy. You know the girlfriend we all have who starts dating someone and can't return a text until they breakup.
Clearly, I didn't go to Oxford. And a publisher is not dying to put my words out to the world. I really wanted to like this book. It's me not wanting to read about a girl who gives it all up over a boy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2019
Uhhhh.... this kind of book is for a certain kind of reader, and I am not that kind of reader.
My Oxford Year is about an American woman named Ella going to Oxford for a year to study English. Ella has gotten the job of a lifetime working in a rising political star’s presidential campaign so she'll work remotely until her time at Oxford is up. After just arriving, Ella runs into a rude local who ruins her first day. As it turns out, that very man, Jamie, is the one teaching her English literature course. After a night drinking, they end up hooking up and decide to have a casual relationship, until Ella learns something tragic about Jamie that she doesn't know if she can turn away from.
This book starts out okay: it has a lot of the classic romance tropes but I was fine with it because I thought this book would be a cute romcom. Probably my bad, but it really isn't. I don't know why it is played as a halfway revealed "plot twist" but I don't consider it a spoiler: the love interest has aggressive cancer and is dying. Readers like me, who want cute romcoms, aren't interested in sad Nicholas Sparks-type books. Having that as a shocking twist was just cheap and insulting. Most of the later half of the book is Ella dealing with Jamie being sick, hospitals, and her figuring out if she can leave him when her Oxford year is up. There is nothing in here for someone who enjoys and craves a good romcom. This book is sad and heartbreaking (and super emotionally manipulative).
I didn't think it was really that well-written either, sorry to say. Ella does not seem like an intelligent 24 year old adult in the job that she has. Job though? What job? She answers the phone a couple of times and gives a speech and the rest of her thoughts go straight to caring for Jamie. Jamie wasn't much more either, and they both have a bunch of friends who weren't that interesting. Also does anyone even LIKE the plot of a silly American in a foreign country badly learning their ways? I sure hate it.
The romance, aka the center point of this book didn't work for me either. They meet, hate each other for 5 minutes, and then end up hooking up. Then suddenly they are so totally in love that Ella is literally putting her life on hold to care for Jamie as he keeps getting sicker. Sure, some time passed but it felt like they went from 0 to 60 way too damn fast. The fact that the sex scenes were a quick fade to black didn't help either. Like at least give me something if you aren't going to give me a realistic romance but alas.
Dying isn't romantic, and this kind of story isn't for me. I hope this isn't awkward between us as I keep listening to other audiobooks that Julia Whelan has narrated.
My Oxford Year is about an American woman named Ella going to Oxford for a year to study English. Ella has gotten the job of a lifetime working in a rising political star’s presidential campaign so she'll work remotely until her time at Oxford is up. After just arriving, Ella runs into a rude local who ruins her first day. As it turns out, that very man, Jamie, is the one teaching her English literature course. After a night drinking, they end up hooking up and decide to have a casual relationship, until Ella learns something tragic about Jamie that she doesn't know if she can turn away from.
This book starts out okay: it has a lot of the classic romance tropes but I was fine with it because I thought this book would be a cute romcom. Probably my bad, but it really isn't. I don't know why it is played as a halfway revealed "plot twist" but I don't consider it a spoiler: the love interest has aggressive cancer and is dying. Readers like me, who want cute romcoms, aren't interested in sad Nicholas Sparks-type books. Having that as a shocking twist was just cheap and insulting. Most of the later half of the book is Ella dealing with Jamie being sick, hospitals, and her figuring out if she can leave him when her Oxford year is up. There is nothing in here for someone who enjoys and craves a good romcom. This book is sad and heartbreaking (and super emotionally manipulative).
I didn't think it was really that well-written either, sorry to say. Ella does not seem like an intelligent 24 year old adult in the job that she has. Job though? What job? She answers the phone a couple of times and gives a speech and the rest of her thoughts go straight to caring for Jamie. Jamie wasn't much more either, and they both have a bunch of friends who weren't that interesting. Also does anyone even LIKE the plot of a silly American in a foreign country badly learning their ways? I sure hate it.
The romance, aka the center point of this book didn't work for me either. They meet, hate each other for 5 minutes, and then end up hooking up. Then suddenly they are so totally in love that Ella is literally putting her life on hold to care for Jamie as he keeps getting sicker. Sure, some time passed but it felt like they went from 0 to 60 way too damn fast. The fact that the sex scenes were a quick fade to black didn't help either. Like at least give me something if you aren't going to give me a realistic romance but alas.
Dying isn't romantic, and this kind of story isn't for me. I hope this isn't awkward between us as I keep listening to other audiobooks that Julia Whelan has narrated.
February 20, 2023
The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all things I cannot change. Love that doesn't follow a plan.
…
Maybe, once you come to realize that there are no answers, you learn to live with the questions.
Ella Durran has dreamed of winning a Rhodes Scholarship and spending a year studying at Oxford University since she was thirteen. And against all odds, she wins one, but before she’s even made it through customs, she gets offered a position as the Education policy consultant on a presidential campaign. She negotiates a compromise that she’ll work remotely, always putting the job ahead of coursework, and that she’ll come back to DC at the end of the school year. So once again, Ella’s got it all figured out. That is, until she has her first class and discovers it’s being taught by Jamie Davenport, the “posh prat” who spilled food all over her and argued with her the previous day. But he proves to be much more attractive than he first seemed, and when Ella starts to fall for him, she has some unexpected decisions to make about her future.
I sought out My Oxford Year after reading Julia Whelan’s extraordinary sophomore novel, Thank You for Listening. And the first half of it was exactly what I expected. The American struggling to understand the accents and customs abroad. A loving, immersive description of Oxford. A fun, tight knit circle of friends in Maggie and Tom and Charlie. The clever banter between two headstrong, intelligent people slowly falling for each other. Ms. Whelan has a real talent for writing the uncertainty in relationships, when you’re never quite sure how you feel or where you stand. Throw in some sexy time, and you’ve got the makings of a solid rom-com.
But the second half of My Oxford Year … takes a turn. Sure, Ella is carrying some trauma from her father dying when she was younger, and Jamie has some family tragedy as well. But that seems at first to be merely texture and depth in their relationship. Until it doesn’t. Until the reader and Ella learn what’s really going on with Jamie, and she has to choose between what she’s always wanted and what she really wants. It’s emotional and powerful and did I say emotional?
My Oxford Year is a beautiful story, heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. It’s about life, and how life gets in the way. Highly recommended, especially the audiobook, performed brilliantly by Ms. Whalen herself. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
January 27, 2019
This book was....ok. I think that’s the best way to describe it. There were parts that warmed my heart and parts that made me feel, but for the most part? Pretty mediocre. Which is pretty disappointing because this book seemingly ticked all my boxes. ESPECIALLY AN AMERICAN IN OXFORD.
I never felt attached to any of the characters, and I think this is in part because of the odd pacing of the book. Instead of us watching the two main characters fall in love, we are told that they start to in a weird kind of “imagine this” chapter. We skip over the relationship building and straight to something more interesting, but that foundation is necessary for the future of the story. It was just a really odd choice and it honestly hurt the book in the long run I think. The ending was also very odd and abrupt, which didn’t help the story either.
This book could’ve been a lot better....but it wasn’t, unfortunately.
I never felt attached to any of the characters, and I think this is in part because of the odd pacing of the book. Instead of us watching the two main characters fall in love, we are told that they start to in a weird kind of “imagine this” chapter. We skip over the relationship building and straight to something more interesting, but that foundation is necessary for the future of the story. It was just a really odd choice and it honestly hurt the book in the long run I think. The ending was also very odd and abrupt, which didn’t help the story either.
This book could’ve been a lot better....but it wasn’t, unfortunately.
March 22, 2019
****4 STARS****
I went into this book completely blind. I didn’t even read the blurb. Someone on Facebook stated this novel was on sale for $1.99 so I brought it. Nothing more, nothing less.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan had been sitting on my kindle for about 8 months or so before opened it up. I wish I would have read it sooner.
I’m going to keep this one pretty, pretty.
Click the link to read more here.
Remember to follow all things messy. . .
I went into this book completely blind. I didn’t even read the blurb. Someone on Facebook stated this novel was on sale for $1.99 so I brought it. Nothing more, nothing less.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan had been sitting on my kindle for about 8 months or so before opened it up. I wish I would have read it sooner.
I’m going to keep this one pretty, pretty.
Click the link to read more here.
Remember to follow all things messy. . .
Subcribe/Listen to my podcast
July 25, 2018
I give my reasons below in the spoilers as to why this book made me angry (not the topic) and I by no means intend to invalidate anyone else’s experience reading this book, this is just my experience.
January 28, 2022
Can’t quite put my finger on what exactly about this didn’t work, but something about this just.. didn’t sit well with me???? Also, *cries in fade to black*
CW: fatphobia, food restriction, death of a loved one, terminal illness
CW: fatphobia, food restriction, death of a loved one, terminal illness
January 19, 2019
There's a sentence in the blurb that's wholly responsible for landing this book on my Do Not Read list. I'm not going to divulge it—in case you're considering going in blind (which I recommend).
I took said sentence as a warning, and while I appreciated being "warned," I almost missed out on a fantastic book because of it. Sampling the audio is what changed my mind. It's stellar...and narrated by the author herself who was an actress and narrator long before she was a published writer.
Don't be like me. Read this—or even better—listen to it. Sometimes a sentence is just a sentence and not a warning at all.
I took said sentence as a warning, and while I appreciated being "warned," I almost missed out on a fantastic book because of it. Sampling the audio is what changed my mind. It's stellar...and narrated by the author herself who was an actress and narrator long before she was a published writer.
Don't be like me. Read this—or even better—listen to it. Sometimes a sentence is just a sentence and not a warning at all.
August 28, 2018
But the hardest thing is staying. The hardest thing is living with dying. Loving with dying. The hardest thing is love, with no expiration date, no qualifiers, no safety net. Love that demands acceptance of all things I cannot change. Love that doesn't follow a plan. — Julia Whelan, My Oxford Year
.
.
This is a command, add this to your tbr list ASAP!!! Please, please don’t let the year pass without reading this book, please! You’ll not regret it. I freaking love this novel so much. As soon as I finished Julia Whelan’s “My Oxford Year,” I thought to myself, wow, this is a novel I’d loved to see adapted into a movie. And sure enough, major motion picture is already in the works, yes! I can’t wait to find out who’s playing the lead roles.
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Although I have not read many romance novels, I’m going to go ahead said this is the best romance novel writing I’ve ever came across. This novel blew me away! This is the kind of romance novel I like, none of the cheesy plot, annoying characters, and cheap language. Yes, it’s a trope that has been done many times, heroine, love, adventure, secret, and big life decisions, but it’s the depth of the story & attention to detail that makes this one really special. Each chapter begins with a quote corresponding to a chapter’s event, absolutely beautiful use of it. Besides the great writing & loveable characters, each chapter is brimming with wonderful literary references, poetry, and breathtaking beauty of Oxford. This is a booknerd’s dream!
this is one smart, wise, moving, and beautiful novel that’ll make you cry, laugh, and ponder about the important things in life, how you should live the life you want, and what matters in the end. I thought I was just in for some fun, light summer reading, but it’s got me thinking of my life in ways I did not expect. I was unprepared for this novel on just about every level. This novel will stay with me for a long and will have a special place in my heart, it’s that good!
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You know what the story is about, so I’m not gonna go on about it, I’m going to leave it here for you to decide whether to pick this up or not. But I hope that you do, it may be the one of best bookish decisions you’ll make this year. ps: it’s also not an easy read, there are some challenging moments & tough decisions that needs to be made. It’s beautifully written with care & love, full of fun, beautiful, tear-jerking moments, and relatable, vivid characters, it’s an unforgettable novel. 🤓✌️📖
.
.
This is a command, add this to your tbr list ASAP!!! Please, please don’t let the year pass without reading this book, please! You’ll not regret it. I freaking love this novel so much. As soon as I finished Julia Whelan’s “My Oxford Year,” I thought to myself, wow, this is a novel I’d loved to see adapted into a movie. And sure enough, major motion picture is already in the works, yes! I can’t wait to find out who’s playing the lead roles.
.
Although I have not read many romance novels, I’m going to go ahead said this is the best romance novel writing I’ve ever came across. This novel blew me away! This is the kind of romance novel I like, none of the cheesy plot, annoying characters, and cheap language. Yes, it’s a trope that has been done many times, heroine, love, adventure, secret, and big life decisions, but it’s the depth of the story & attention to detail that makes this one really special. Each chapter begins with a quote corresponding to a chapter’s event, absolutely beautiful use of it. Besides the great writing & loveable characters, each chapter is brimming with wonderful literary references, poetry, and breathtaking beauty of Oxford. This is a booknerd’s dream!
this is one smart, wise, moving, and beautiful novel that’ll make you cry, laugh, and ponder about the important things in life, how you should live the life you want, and what matters in the end. I thought I was just in for some fun, light summer reading, but it’s got me thinking of my life in ways I did not expect. I was unprepared for this novel on just about every level. This novel will stay with me for a long and will have a special place in my heart, it’s that good!
.
You know what the story is about, so I’m not gonna go on about it, I’m going to leave it here for you to decide whether to pick this up or not. But I hope that you do, it may be the one of best bookish decisions you’ll make this year. ps: it’s also not an easy read, there are some challenging moments & tough decisions that needs to be made. It’s beautifully written with care & love, full of fun, beautiful, tear-jerking moments, and relatable, vivid characters, it’s an unforgettable novel. 🤓✌️📖
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