One Day by David Nicholls was a book that had such a lasting impact on me after finishing it. I was so deeply invested in Emma and Dexter’s story that when it all concluded, I was still thinking about them for weeks. So when I saw Nichols had a new book out and people were saying it was good, I knew I had to pick it up!
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You Are Here tells the story of Michael and Marnie – two people in their late 30s, early 40s who are in very different places in their lives and yet end up being physically in the same place on a walking holiday.
It tells the tale of their conversations with one another – opening up to one another and realising things about themselves they may not have realised before.
You Are Here plot – 4.25/5
The plot of You Are Here sees our two main protagonists end up on the same walking holiday. They get to know each other during times when neither are that bothered about getting to know one another. One has a difficult past, leaving them single, and the other simply hasn’t found someone she’d rather spend time with than themself – it’s a story rife for romance!
It pootles along at a very calm and peaceful pace that makes it feel genuine (and also deeply British). The pace never quickens and there aren’t any real shocking moments (unlike on One Day) and I don’t mind that at all. It feels like the story of two people who are older than Emma and Dexter, it’s about two people who aren’t really interested in finding love, accidentally possibly finding it.
It’s heartwarming and engaging, which are two emotions I often struggle to feel when it comes to romance books. The setting and the story are the perfect baselines for the great characters Nicholls has written.
You Are Here characters – 4.5/5
As with One Day, the characters are where it’s at with You Are Here. Michael and Marnie are two very normal people – nothing spectacular about their histories or their lives. Marnie has been single for a while and doesn’t seem interested in getting into a relationship – actively poo-pooing the concept that she needs to be in a relationship to be happy. Michael is recently out of a divorce that has left him more hurt than his ex. And then they meet on a walking holiday
A testament to Nicholls character writing strengths is that Michael and Marnie feel older than Emma and Dexter; their thought processes and time to evaluate each other is much slower and their opinions and experiences in life are far more developed. There’s a lot more hesitancy to the way they engage with one another, which shows a distinct difference between the young Emma and Dexter from One Day, who were in their teens when they meet and Michael and Marnie, who are almost double their age when they met.
I loved them both, even if there was nothing exceptional about either.
You Are Here final rating – 4.25/5
“You Are Here didn’t quite have me reeling in my emotions for weeks as One Day did – but it still filled my heart with warmth, reading about two characters who you can’t help but love. It’s a love story between two much more mature characters than Emma and Dexter from One Day and Nicholls writes them perfectly. The plot itself won’t blow anybody away and it’s a slow-burn but there’s a lot of heart here and also a lot of British references and humour (although disappointed to find out the walks and pubs were completely made up). If you enjoyed One Day, I imagine you’ll like You Are Here too, just don’t expect to have your heart ripped out quite as viciously.”
