My Oxford Year By Julia Whelan Book Review

There’s nothing I love more than getting lost in a great romance novel. Life’s messy enough, so when a new love story drops, I’m first in line, ready to escape into something that makes my heart flutter—even if it leaves me a little wrecked by the end.

So when Netflix dropped the trailer for their latest romance, I was hooked. But then I saw it was produced by the same team who gave us The Fault in Our Stars, and honestly? My heart clenched. I watched that in cinemas, and I’m still emotionally recovering. Picture me ugly crying in a dark theatre, trying to pull myself together before the lights came back on.

But let's be honest: I was already too far gone. I mean, Corey Mylchreest (Bridgerton, hello?) and Sofia Carson (The Life List)starring together? Their chemistry in the trailer had me sold instantly. And yes, watching them wander around Oxford made me add it straight to my travel bucket list. I can’t help it. I’m fully in my "romanticise your life" era—blame TikTok for that.

The Book That Started It All

Honestly, I don’t even remember hearing about My Oxford Year when it first came out. And reading it now, being a little older, I had that fleeting “am I too old for this genre?” thought. But if I’d read it back when I was in uni, I know it would’ve been one of my favourite books. Currently for my age, I'd say it's sitting in my top 15 rather than my top 10. 

My take on the plot:

Ella Durran is the definition of driven. She’s been dreaming of studying at Oxford since she was thirteen, and now at 24, she’s finally there on a Rhodes Scholarship. But just as she’s settling into this once-in-a-lifetime experience, she’s offered her dream job—working on a U.S. presidential campaign. The plan seems simple: juggle both remotely, finish her Oxford year, then head back to D.C.

But then life throws a curveball in the form of Jamie Davenport. He’s sharp-tongued, frustratingly charming, and—plot twist—turns out to be her English Lit professor. What starts as playful banter turns into something deeper.

And just when Ella thinks she’s got it figured out, she discovers Jamie is hiding a life-changing secret. Suddenly, she’s faced with a huge choice: chase the career she’s worked for her whole life, or stay and be there for the man who’s stolen her heart—right when he needs her most.

Her Oxford year becomes so much more than she ever expected.

My Thoughts

This book got me. The story felt fresh, bittersweet, and painfully real. I cried—no surprise there—but I also found myself rooting so hard for Ella as she learned to face change, loss, and love all at once.

I admired her strength, her vulnerability, and the way she slowly let herself grow through heartbreak. And Jamie... oh, Jamie. He’s effortlessly charming but also deeply kind, the kind of character who stays with you long after you finish the book.

It’s been a while since a romance novel hit me like this. My Oxford Year is going straight into my favourites pile. If you love Nicholas Sparks or John Green-style stories, this one’s for you.

My Favourite Quotes

“Maybe, once you come to realize that there are no answers, you learn to live with the questions.”― Julia Whelan, My Oxford Year

“It occurs to me now, that being called upon to do something because you're good at it is not the same thing as having a calling.”― Julia Whelan, My Oxford Year

Have you read My Oxford Year? Or are you planning to watch the Netflix adaptation? Let’s cry (and fangirl) together 🥺

Edit: You can read My Oxford Year Movie review here. 

Credits: Cover image taken from Lost In Fiction