What do you think?
Rate this book
Just One Day #1
Winter
Thirty-eight-year-old Louisa has a loving husband, three wonderful kids, a faithful dog, a supportive family and a gorgeous house near Glasgow. What more could she want?
TIME.
Louisa would like, just once, to get to the end of her never-ending to-do list. With her husband Ronnie working offshore, she is demented trying to cope with everything on her own: the after-school clubs, the homework, the appointments … the constant disasters. And if he dismisses her workload one more time, she may well throttle him.
Juggling running her own wedding stationery business with family life is taking its toll, and the only reason Louisa is still sane is because of her best friends and her sisters.
Fed up with only talking to Ronnie about household bills and incompetent tradesmen, when a handsome stranger pays her some attention on her birthday weekend away, she is flattered, but will she give in to temptation? And will she ever get to the end of her to-do list?
A feel-good, heart-warming story of family and friendship. Ideal for fans of Fiona Gibson.
‘This fresh, well-paced story will have you groaning in sympathy as things go from bad to worse.’ Book Escapes BabsW67
TIME.
Louisa would like, just once, to get to the end of her never-ending to-do list. With her husband Ronnie working offshore, she is demented trying to cope with everything on her own: the after-school clubs, the homework, the appointments … the constant disasters. And if he dismisses her workload one more time, she may well throttle him.
Juggling running her own wedding stationery business with family life is taking its toll, and the only reason Louisa is still sane is because of her best friends and her sisters.
Fed up with only talking to Ronnie about household bills and incompetent tradesmen, when a handsome stranger pays her some attention on her birthday weekend away, she is flattered, but will she give in to temptation? And will she ever get to the end of her to-do list?
A feel-good, heart-warming story of family and friendship. Ideal for fans of Fiona Gibson.
‘This fresh, well-paced story will have you groaning in sympathy as things go from bad to worse.’ Book Escapes BabsW67
- GenresChristmasContemporary
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2021
135 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Susan Buchanan
17 books330 followersSusan Buchanan lives in Central Scotland with her husband and their two children. She is the author of 12 novels: A Taste of Christmas Spirit, You Can't Hurry Love, The Leap Year Proposal, A Little Christmas Spirit, Just One Day - Winter, Just One Day - Spring, Just One Day - Summer, Just One Day - Autumn, Return of the Christmas Spirit, The Christmas Spirit, The Dating Game and Sign of the Times.
5.
Susan is also a proofreader and editor and when not working, writing or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out - not necessarily in that order!
5.
Susan is also a proofreader and editor and when not working, writing or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out - not necessarily in that order!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 14, 2022
While I can relate to Lou's struggles as a mum, business owner, and wife, with her endless to do list, it fell quite boring for me. I was expecting a few more sparks, something that kept my interest. For me this was just like reading a play by play of one woman's non-existent life who wanted more, but settled for what she had. Any full time working mum wants an escape while reading. Lou's sisters and friends made me keep reading to the end.
February 27, 2022
Fresh, funny, light-hearted read, I really enjoyed this and related to it much more than I first thought I would. If you have children in your life or you are a mother yourself I feel as though you would love this 100%.
A 5* read for me, I’ll be putting my full review on my website www.whataimeereads.com
January 30, 2022
Just One Day
I loved this the first book in a series. It was a hectic story of family life. I can recommend reading this book. I want to read the others now.
I loved this the first book in a series. It was a hectic story of family life. I can recommend reading this book. I want to read the others now.
November 15, 2021
Susan Buchanan is a new author to me, but the blurb looked fun, so I thought I’d give it a go.
As soon as I started reading, I was immediately absorbed into the busy whirl of Louisa’s family life. I took to Louisa and her children very quickly. The individual characters of Gen, Hugo, and Aria came through very clearly. I really empathised with Louisa, how hard she works, and how difficult it must be to have her husband away half the time.
I really enjoyed reading about the friendships that Louisa had too, and how her sisters and friends support one another. The only slight niggle I had, was the way every single male left most of the work of parenting and organising to the women. It would have been nice to have one example of a really equal parenthood.
As well as all the dramas of family life and friendships, there are plenty of moments of gentle humour. The children are especially good at providing these!
Overall, this was a fun read, where you come to love the characters very quickly. I definitely recommend it for providing a distraction for a few hours. Just be aware, it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.
I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
As soon as I started reading, I was immediately absorbed into the busy whirl of Louisa’s family life. I took to Louisa and her children very quickly. The individual characters of Gen, Hugo, and Aria came through very clearly. I really empathised with Louisa, how hard she works, and how difficult it must be to have her husband away half the time.
I really enjoyed reading about the friendships that Louisa had too, and how her sisters and friends support one another. The only slight niggle I had, was the way every single male left most of the work of parenting and organising to the women. It would have been nice to have one example of a really equal parenthood.
As well as all the dramas of family life and friendships, there are plenty of moments of gentle humour. The children are especially good at providing these!
Overall, this was a fun read, where you come to love the characters very quickly. I definitely recommend it for providing a distraction for a few hours. Just be aware, it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.
I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
November 13, 2021
How can so much be added to a list in Just One Day? Louisa spends every day making lists of tasks
that need to be done on certain days. Sadly, she never seems to finish a list as they are constantly
being added to. With a busy husband and young family in the house, and a close-knit extended
family which includes friends, there are simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done.
Susan Buchanan shines a light onto the often-overlooked role that the mother plays in the house.
Despite running her own business, Louisa is drowning in jobs. This fresh, well-paced story will have
you groaning in sympathy as things go from bad to worse. When a chance encounter threatens her
safe life, she could lose everything.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found that I could identify with the never lessening mountain of
jobs. Highly recommended.
that need to be done on certain days. Sadly, she never seems to finish a list as they are constantly
being added to. With a busy husband and young family in the house, and a close-knit extended
family which includes friends, there are simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done.
Susan Buchanan shines a light onto the often-overlooked role that the mother plays in the house.
Despite running her own business, Louisa is drowning in jobs. This fresh, well-paced story will have
you groaning in sympathy as things go from bad to worse. When a chance encounter threatens her
safe life, she could lose everything.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found that I could identify with the never lessening mountain of
jobs. Highly recommended.
December 3, 2021
Louisa is a busy woman, running her own business looking after the house and the children while husband Ronnie works on the oil rigs 2 weeks at a time. Louisa has a daily to do list where jobs get ticked off when complete, if she can’t complete her jobs she starts the next days list with them, seems like she’s constantly stressed and exhausted and no Wonder. Loved the highs and lows of Louisa’s story and her 2 sisters sound like fun. Would love to hear more about the three amigos.I was pleased to read this is part 1 of a series as we have been left wondering what next for Louisa.
December 8, 2021
Really like how it all ties together in her books an really like the references to old friends in other books
February 13, 2022
This novel, the first in a series, is the Scotland-based story of frazzled working mom, Louisa (Lou), and her endless to-do list. Lou tackles each day with renewed optimism that she will absolutely check the items off that list. But fate has other plans for her.
Running her own small business is already demanding enough. Add to that coordinating the needs of three young kids and a husband who works at an offshore oil rig and is gone two weeks out of each month, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. It seems Lou never manages to tick of her to-do items, but merely adds yet more tasks on to her Santa-length list.
This was a well-written and engaging story of the multiple demands on a working mom’s time, and I could fully relate and smile along in understanding. The pacing did slow mid-story, but picked up with a high-profile romance for Lou’s friend and a sexy temptation at a birthday get-away, organized for Lou by her sisters. An enjoyable read, one that also makes me feel less guilty about my own list challenges...
Running her own small business is already demanding enough. Add to that coordinating the needs of three young kids and a husband who works at an offshore oil rig and is gone two weeks out of each month, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. It seems Lou never manages to tick of her to-do items, but merely adds yet more tasks on to her Santa-length list.
This was a well-written and engaging story of the multiple demands on a working mom’s time, and I could fully relate and smile along in understanding. The pacing did slow mid-story, but picked up with a high-profile romance for Lou’s friend and a sexy temptation at a birthday get-away, organized for Lou by her sisters. An enjoyable read, one that also makes me feel less guilty about my own list challenges...
September 19, 2022
As a dedicated writer of lists, I could wholly relate to the main character Lou and her attempts to keep on top of work, family life and unreliable kitchen fitters. The dynamics between Lou, her sisters, husband Ronnie and their three children are well drawn and believable.
Although far from action-packed, the book captures the mundanity of day-to-day living, with a couple of curve balls thrown in to pique the reader's interest.
I know many people are not fans of cliffhangers, but personally the ending will tempt me to buy the next in the series. A satisfying tale, perfect for a couple of lazy autumn (or winter) days.
Although far from action-packed, the book captures the mundanity of day-to-day living, with a couple of curve balls thrown in to pique the reader's interest.
I know many people are not fans of cliffhangers, but personally the ending will tempt me to buy the next in the series. A satisfying tale, perfect for a couple of lazy autumn (or winter) days.
February 17, 2023
A Good Read
Louisa is a married mum of three children. Her husband works away on an oil rig so it is down to her to run the family, home and her wedding stationery business on her own. To help, she makes lists of jobs that must be done, but she craves just a few hours to herself. This book has its funny moments and is a good read, although I did get slightly irritated with the lists as she never seemed to get to the end. I enjoyed it though, and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Louisa is a married mum of three children. Her husband works away on an oil rig so it is down to her to run the family, home and her wedding stationery business on her own. To help, she makes lists of jobs that must be done, but she craves just a few hours to herself. This book has its funny moments and is a good read, although I did get slightly irritated with the lists as she never seemed to get to the end. I enjoyed it though, and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
September 25, 2023
My first read by Susan and won't be the last Just one day winter is thr first of a 4 book series I loved getting to know Louisa who is a busy lady runs her own business takes care of the house and her 3 children mean while her husband works on the oil rigs for 2 weeks ar a time he then has two weeks with his family I loved how close knit Louisa and her family are this was a beautiful read I can't wait to see what's in store for louisa in book 2 thank you Susan for a wonderful book set in Scotland
February 19, 2023
My first book by this author and gosh, does her effortless way with words and multiple characters put me in mind of Marian Keyes. It's never easy to pull off stories full of kids, and truth be told, they often bore the pants off me... but not this one, which painted such an accurate, fun and descriptive picture of family life! I absolutely loved this story and could definitely relate to Lou's crazy to-do list. Kudos to Susan Buchanan for making us mums (and women) feel heard!
March 21, 2022
A very realistic narrator given to over-achieving and seeking things to worry about, all of which she tries to control with to-do lists. I read this in two sittings and felt I was in Louisa’s world with all her stresses and emotions. The plot was intriguing though, as with real life, it had its ups and downs, and I had not expected the ending which sets things up well for a sequel.
December 4, 2022
A great start to a new series. We can immediately identify with a busy working mum who has her own business, a frquently absent husband and three kids. Needless to say, 'to do' lists figure strongly in this book. I am really looking forward to the next in the series.
May 27, 2023
fun but unfulfilling
Definite potential, but no resolution. The writing is easy and interesting. You can really get a sense for the characters and what her life was like. I enjoyed this book, but didn’t know I would have to read the other installments for any sense of closure.
Definite potential, but no resolution. The writing is easy and interesting. You can really get a sense for the characters and what her life was like. I enjoyed this book, but didn’t know I would have to read the other installments for any sense of closure.
October 17, 2023
Wonderful
I loved just one day :Winter. I really enjoyed the way the book was written, I must say I'm glad they weren't my to do lists lol. I really like the whole family and their friends . I highly recommend this book
I loved just one day :Winter. I really enjoyed the way the book was written, I must say I'm glad they weren't my to do lists lol. I really like the whole family and their friends . I highly recommend this book
October 31, 2023
Just brilliant!! Any woman juggling children, job, animals, family dramas, running a home and a husband.... Well, this is for you. Very relatable to the funny and the frustrating everyday events to go on day to day and find myself totally agreeing with some of Lou's thoughts. Really enjoyed it.
August 23, 2022
A fresh and light hearted holiday read.
March 7, 2025
I really enjoyed the story of Lou and her never ending to do list. Look forward to reading more of Susan's book.
March 22, 2025
Really good book can’t wait to start next book x
May 7, 2025
Difficult to rate as I couldn’t get past the first chapter, not for me
May 15, 2022
Louisa is a mother of 3 that has a busy life with her husband being away half of the month for work. She likes to make lists and starts each day with a list, but rather than ticking things off it seems more stuff just get added every day.
I loved how this story portrayed a busy mother's life and could relate to the main character, but to be honest it didn't seem like all that much was happening. The story focuses on the hectic life of motherhood and good friends and family. Although not all that much was happening I still wanted to continue reading as it felt like I knew Louisa and her family and friends better than my own and I was curious to see what this "One Day" thing would be.
I would consider this more of a gentle read about motherhood, family and friends than a fast paced story, but still a pleasant read.
I loved how this story portrayed a busy mother's life and could relate to the main character, but to be honest it didn't seem like all that much was happening. The story focuses on the hectic life of motherhood and good friends and family. Although not all that much was happening I still wanted to continue reading as it felt like I knew Louisa and her family and friends better than my own and I was curious to see what this "One Day" thing would be.
I would consider this more of a gentle read about motherhood, family and friends than a fast paced story, but still a pleasant read.
August 10, 2025
Brilliant book I am on the 2nd one now and loving it .I have the whole series . A nice easy read which left on a cliffhanger at the end of the first one .
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews