You Are Here by David Nicholls

I have had the joy of reading two books, each by one of my favourite authors, back to back on my holidays and I have genuinely loved it. David Nicholls has been a household name thanks to the new production of One Day on Netflix. The beauty of Nicholls’s novel about friends Emma and Dex makes it one of my favourites of all time and I’m definitely not alone. There was a time back in the 2000s where if you were on a train journey most of the people in your carriage were reading One Day. It was a book that utterly broke my heart because I believed in those characters so much and the shock of what happened is still with me, to such an extent that I haven’t been able to watch the last two episodes of the series. I can’t bear what’s coming. Similarly, both the book and BBC adaptation of his novel Us was deeply moving but utterly real. With the wonderful Tom Hollander as his lead, we become so emotionally invested in this couple, then just as they’re ready set to out for a once in a lifetime trip his wife asks for a divorce. Their plan, to spend all summer travelling around Europe, would be their last trip as a family, before their son leaves home for university. Can they set aside this bombshell and continue with their holiday? The set up in both these earlier novels is so simple and You Are Here is no different. A group of friends travel from London to the Lake District to walk some of Wainwright’s pathways through the Cumbria towards the Pennines. Cleo has invited four single friends; Conrad is meant for copy editor Marnie and Tessa is intended to get on with geography teacher and dedicated walker Michael who is extending his trip to walk the entire coast to coast, ending in Robin Hood’s Bay. Michael is still getting over a divorce so finds these social occasions difficult, much preferring solitude. Marnie spends much of her time alone too, so this will be a step out of their comfort zone for both of them. When the others bail out after a day of endless rain, Marnie and Michael are left to walk together. Can they both strike up a friendship?

David Nicholls has this amazing ability to articulate the minutiae of conversation and communication between the opposite sexes. He’s also brilliant with those tiny moments of shared humour, stolen glimpses and the body language of love. It may seem strange that a whole book is about two people walking across the country, but everything happens within that time spent together. After a couple of days Michael can see that Marnie is an inexperienced walker but determined, intelligent and well-read, has been in relationships that eroded her confidence, has a keen sense of humour but tends to lose it a little when tired and hungry. Marnie is surprised by Michael. Although she knows little about geography she can appreciate how passionate he is about his subject, he wears his beard as a mask so that people keep their distance, is perfectly comfortable in his own company and is hurt very badly by the break-down of his marriage. This isn’t two young people swept up in the blind passions of love at first sight. This is a slow burn. It’s a potential romance that grows slowly and unexpectedly for both of them. It’s lovely to read a ‘real’ love story about people who are older and have been kicked about a bit by love in the past. Nicholls has alternated each character’s chapters, so we’re also taken into Marnie and Michael’s inner worlds. Within these chapters we have flashbacks through their lives and their past relationships, slowly learning what has built these people who are in front of us, trying to bring their lives together. We are also privy to private thoughts that let us know this couple could be perfect for each other. When bullied into social activity by friends we can see that they’re both introverts. Michael agrees to a plan just to make Cleo shut up. She means well, it’s just that for her the answer to a empty weekend is the presence of others, while it’s their absence that floats his boat. Similarly Marnie knows that a bit of socialising is expected, however…

‘She had become addicted to the buzz of the cancelled plan […]for the moment no words were sweeter to Marnie than ‘I’m sorry, I can’t make it.’ It was like being let off an exam that she expected to fail.’

I understood Marnie. I was the kid at school who was so excited to have finished the reading scheme by age eight, because while everyone else was reading to the teacher I had free library time. I would pull up a beanbag and disappear into the world of the Little Women or Jane Eyre, loving that I was alone, out of the hustle and bustle of the classroom I was free to be anywhere just by opening a book and stepping through a wardrobe. Marnie gives a similar description of her early reading years to mine, the weekly library visits and the devouring of anything I could find and making no distinction between what was deemed literature and what wasn’t. My only criteria was that I enjoyed it. I learned to enjoy activities with friends - ice skating, horse riding, cinema - but nothing beat that thrill of knowing a delicious book was waiting in my room.

‘Private, intimate, a book was something she could pull around and over herself, like a quilt.’

Reading is a little like Michael’s walking in that it takes me on a journey, but also helps me unplug from the stress of daily life. If I’m reading a physical book it’s even more separate from the world because it’s not alerting me to things on social media, emails or messages from friends with cat videos. She wonders if her reserve and need for alone time comes from her upbringing with parents she’d describe as cautious and timid:

‘At no point did her parents move house, gamble, use an overdraft, change jobs, have affairs, go abroad, shout in public, park illegally, eat on the street or get drunk, and while they must have had sex at some point, this was covered up as carefully as a past murder. Marnie was the only evidence.’

Michael is taking in the world around him, but at a totally different pace. He can stop and concentrate slowly on a beautiful bird song or the reflection of the hills in a still lake. He is a Romantic with a capital ‘R’, perhaps not a flowers and surprise trip to Paris sort of man, but he can see poetry in the everyday. As they stroll the hills he truly does understand the Romantic poets, engaging Marnie in conversation about routes that William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothea might have taken. He tries to feel the state of the sublime and thinks he often finds it in a spectacular that couldn’t have been seen any other way than walking. He is still so caught up in the breakdown of his last relationship, still to some extent thinking as part of a couple although it’s clear to his friends that his wife has definitely moved on. He’s been so disconnected from his wife, for so long that he didn’t know anything was wrong and the shock was seismic. This is why Cleo invites him on the weekend in the first place, to try and point him forwards, rather than backwards. This is a spiritual and mental journey for him, as well as a physical one. Michael has that symptom of depression where you feel like you’re looking at the world through a thick pane of glass, removed from reality. This is a protective barrier too, he keeps his pain so deep inside himself he thinks no one can see it. It stops him from being able to express himself and he finds Marnie so performative at first. She rails against her sore feet, the weather, the mud - all things that are so part and parcel of hiking it wouldn’t occur to him to do the same. Her humour does break through occasionally.

‘You’re funny, but I’m the one with the lighter rucksack so who’s laughing?’ ‘That is true. I’ve got twelve pairs of pants in here, for three nights.’ ‘Why?’‘I don’t know. Maybe I worried I might shit myself four times a day.’ ‘Has that ever happened?’ ‘Not since my honeymoon.’

By the end my heart was breaking for these fledglings. I so wanted them both to be happy, even if they simply ended as friends. David Nicholls throws in one last obstacle that takes us by surprise, even while my heart was racing I could see how much it was needed for that character to have a final epiphany. He’s brilliant at creating that bittersweet feeling that comes as we’re older and have romantic baggage. At first when we lose someone the shock and pain is everything, then after time and doing a little bit of work on ourselves a day hopefully comes where we can look back and it not hurt. We can acknowledge the pain but not let it overwhelm us. In fact we can look back and smile about the good times, the love that was shared and how glad we are that we experienced it. That we’re able to move forward and enjoy new adventures. I really understand this from my own life and I genuinely closed the book with a smile on my face, knowing that both Marnie and Michael have so much life to look forward to whether together or apart on their journey.

The perfect book for me to read on my return to the UK. I really liked how this book dealt with how lonely modern life can be. As someone in their 40s with a very active social life, it really made me think about how lucky I am to be single and surrounded by people and community. This book really showed how isolating it is to be at this stage of life when all your friends are married and focused on raising children. Anyone else feel inspired to do an epic long walk after reading this adventure?

This book was an absolute joy from start to end. It follows Michael, a separated Geography teacher who has entered his forties totally self reliant and used to extended periods alone, and Marnie a divorced copy editor who lives and spends most of her time alone. After being talked into a group walking holiday by a mutual friend the intrepid group set off on Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. The joy of this novel is seeing how the relationships evolve between the different members of the group and how people can soften from the rigid boundaries they have set for themselves. I loved this book so much and really didn’t want it to end. When it did I felt like I’d left behind two old friends and I wanted to know how things would pan out for them next. This book was really life-affirming and for a middle aged divorcee like myself left the sweet aftertaste of hope and positivity behind.

I was really looking forward to reading this as I love David Nicholls' novels. You Are Here was very enjoyable but not one of my favourites. Cleo is a mutual friend of Michael and Marnie and decides to do a bit of matchmaking by organising a walking break and pairing Michael with Tessa and Marnie with Conrad. When things don't go to plan Marnie ends up walking with Michael who is upset after the recent break up of his marriage and would rather be on his own. Michael plans to walk from the Lakes to the Yorkshire coast while the rest of the group only plan to walk part way. Terrible weather conditions mean most of the group abandon the walk quite quickly, but Marnie, who is not an outdoor person perseveres and becomes quite close to Michael as they share their pasts. The characters were interesting, Marnie does not have many friends with her job as a proof reader meaning work is done in isolation so interacting with a group takes her out of her comfort zone. Michael has shut himself off from others since the break up of his marriage so both are finding their feet when being part of a group. I loved the description of their journeys both physically and emotionally and although this is not my favourite David Nicholls book I would still recommend it to others to read. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me and ARC of this book.

In ‘You Are Here’, singles Michael and Marnie are coerced onto a walking trip by a mutual friend, Cleo. As the number of walkers dwindle, Michael and Marnie endeavour to continue the walk together, finding solace in each other’s company, leading to realisations about themselves as well as each other.

I have been a big fan of David Nicholls for some time now, and if I had to sum up why, it’s because of how he writes his characters. To be honest, I found the start quite slow moving, as it is very caught up in explaining the back stories of the characters and providing context for the trip. It took me a while to see the rapport between Michael and Marnie, especially with their lack of interaction for the first twenty to thirty percent of the novel. I was starting to doubt, and found myself wondering if this was just going to be a nice novel about relationships without caring too much for the actual characters. If anything, it is a testament to Nicholls’s writing that at the end I feel the opposite.

I felt like the slow natural progress of the two main characters’ relationship matched the pace of the novel’s walking theme. The complexity of their relationship seems to appear out of nowhere because it has been developed so subtly. I love how the author talks about loneliness and manages to attribute emotion towards characters who are hardly featured; I.e. their former partners. I love how the description of the areas where they walk is told more through the interaction between them, where it could easily have been more visually descriptive. I like the role of the weather but appreciate that it is not too heavily relied on, as it could have been.

I highly recommend ‘You Are Here’: if you are a David Nicholls fan, or just want a well-written novel where character development is at the centre.

INCREDIBLE. I’m such a huge fan of David Nicholls writing so I was grateful to read this early on Netgalley.

He’s got a special way with characters and relationships, and I adored every step of the journey of the two main characters finding themselves and each other.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

You Are Here follows the lives of Marnie, a freelance editor feeling isolated in her London flat, and Michael, a reclusive geography teacher using hiking as an escape from his failed marriage.

Their paths collide when a mutual friend brings them together for an epic walk across England, from the west coast to the east coast, leading to a heart-warming, humorous journey of friendship.

The author effectively portrays the characters’ relatable struggles and differing personalities, with Marnie’s wit and geography teacher Michael’s passion for nature adding depth to their developing friendship.

I felt a strong connection with Marnie as we are close in age and both work as freelancers in the publishing industry. While I may not be as funny as her, I found her wit charming and felt a genuine desire to befriend her.

Michael can be witty too, but also comes across a little too much at times, with his passion for nature as a geography teacher. The chemistry between them is subtly woven throughout the story, creating a realistic and engaging narrative. Both are slightly older than the usual protagonists (late thirties for Marnie, forty-something for Michael) than you find in will-they-won’t-they novel, which makes them more relatable and captivating.

I’m not an active/outdoorsy person, but I loved the vivid descriptions of the coast-to-coast walk, which evoked a sense of adventure, even for non-outdoorsy readers.

You Are Here is a compelling read that I highly recommend for its engaging storytelling and relatable characters.

An immediate classic, I can already see who will be cast in the British comedy tv / film adaptation. Really relatable, such believable characters and very funny.

Warm and witty, I loved You Are Here, I felt as though I was walking alongside Michael and Cleo, so much so I even baulked at the itineries for the next day, feeling sure I wouldn't be up to it! Nicholls has an amazing knack of letting you get to the heart of his characters with what seems like very little effort, such an amazing talent.
My favourite David Nicholls to date and I am sad to have finished it.

I really love David Nicholl’s books, he’s the master of very British, warm, believable but captivating stories, and his latest one certainly does not disappoint. His dialogue is so perfect, I found myself going back to re-read sections, just to enjoy them in slow motion replay. If I told you that this is a romantic tale of two lonely people being thrown together by a mutual friend, you might groan and be a little wary, but please believe me when I say this story expertly avoids the usual clichés. The characters and conversations are so believable, and the descriptions of the settings are so good, that you’ll almost feel you’re going along for the coast to coast walk with them. I loved this gentle, warm and funny book. With thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.

I will forever be a fan of David Nicholls, he is one of those authors where I don't even read the blurb I just dive straight in. You Are Here is a beautiful, quiet book with moments of wry humour and a clever way of getting to the heart of humanity. I loved it so, so, much. His ability to write people and complex emotions with seeming ease is something else and very quickly I felt that I knew Marnie and Michael and was walking through the rain and cold across England. There is a particular plot point which was very personal to me, that was handled in a sensitive and contemplative way, and was one of the rare occasions where I have seen it represented as eloquently and contemplatively in literature.

What an absolute delight to read, with plenty of laugh out loud moments. David Nicholls is just so good at helping you immerse yourself fully in the characters and really understand them. Marnie and Michael meet on a walking holiday, arranged by a mutual friend. It was fairly easy to see how the story was going to end, but the journey was almost as good as the ending. Thoroughly recommended.

Absolutely loved the new @davidnichollswriter 💙
A story about second chances.
Marnie and Michael, both joining a walking trip organised by a mutual friend from different reasons, but they discover they enjoy each other companies.
A beautiful story to read

I love this book, which is what I would expect from a David Nicholls book. Great romance and I loved the characters.

Loved it! The story of Michael and Marnie, who meet at a walk planned by mutual friend Cleo.


I say planned, hijacked is probably more accurate. Michael and his wife have separated following some challenging times and Michael has retreated into himself, choosing solitude and his beloved walking as a substitute for building relationships.

Marnie works from home as a copy-editor and keeps herself to herself, preferring her own company. Her dear friend Cleo really wants Marnie to get out more… so persuades her to join Cleo, her son (Cleo’s godson) and some other people on the walk of Michael’s that she’s gatecrashed.

Michael is doing the coast to coast walk, across the width of Britain, starting on the Cumbrian coast and ending over on the Yorkshire coast.

The walk follows Wainright’s route across the Lakes and Pennines, with only a couple of inventions from Nicholls, so it’s really enjoyable to read about real places.

Once Michael gets used to not being alone, he slowly begins to enjoy Marnie’s company - and who wouldn’t? She’s hilarious. Witty, intelligent and once she gets into the idea, absolutely game for giving the wall a few more days than planned.

A brief flirtation with another walker keeps her entertained until she starts to see past Michael’s gruff exterior and begins to get to know the man underneath the beard.

This is a lovely, warm, witty, engaging tale of two people who slowly allow themselves to open up and engage a little more with people around them.

I enjoyed it from the first sentence to the last and it’s joyful to read.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an early copy.

This has all the hallmarks of a David Nicholls book. The humorous observations of the minutiae of life, the heartfelt emotion and a death! Taking a journey and allowing it to develop alongside a relationship seems such a simple idea, however in the hands of a lesser writer it could become clunky and strained, here though the lightness of touch and pace are perfectly judged. The characters are well rounded and believable, to the point you may start to think of them as friends. As with the best books the end leaves you wanting more.

Well this was just gorgeous. Made me laugh out loud and root for the characters. It didn’t make me want to go walking in the Lakes, but I did enjoy the description. A proper grown-up romance.

This is a lovely, but quite predicable, love story. Nicholls writes so well about human nature and sees deep into his characters, their flaws and strengths.
From early on you know where this one going but the journey is one you enjoy taking with the characters.

https://lynns-books.com/2024/05/06/you-are-here-by-david-nicholls/
4 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Michael and Marnie go Walking

You Are Here by David Nicholls is a step away from my usual reading. I read One Day a long time ago by this author and it always stayed with me so on a whim I decided to request this one and to be honest, it didn’t disappoint.

This is a story about two individuals that seem to be living in the shadow of life. Time is passing by and both feel like their chances have come and gone. However, one very persistent friend, is absolutely determined to work her magic and throw a few of her friends together and see what happens.

So Marnie and Michael meet on a walk. From the start things seem to go wrong. The weather is unkind. One of the friends doesn’t turn up and Marnie is attracted to someone who also dashes off in a hurry.

A bit of background. Michael is a teacher with a love for geography. He and his wife were struggling in their relationship and have now separated and Michael is struggling to come to terms with this often taking himself off on long solitary walks.

Marnie rushed into a marriage that always seemed a little ill fated only for her husband to leave her for another woman. She now spends most of her time working from home, editing books and living a fairly quiet existence. Neither of them want to be cajoled into socialising so being thrown together on a rather challenging walk definitely leads to some funny situations.

To be fair there isn’t too much I can tell you about this. It does exactly as you would expect. It’s a charming and well told story of second chances and finding love in places you’d least expect. The writing is enjoyable and there’s a consistent pacing as we travel from place to place, climbing peaks, suffering sore feet, being drenched by torrential rainfall and gradually spending some time unwinding together at the end of a day having achieved a rather strenuous hike.

I liked Marnie and Michael. They’re both a little grumpy at first – well, Marnie makes an attempt at a little dressing up and light flirting but when this goes wrong she is absolutely determined to prove that she can do this challenging walk. She has a good sense of humour that I enjoyed and the banter between the two is good fun. Michael is curmudgeonly and ill kempt at first appearance, he likes to wax lyrical about rocks and really doesn’t put too much effort into anything, but to be honest, he’s simply got used to keeping his own company and not really having to try and please others. He simply wants to walk – by himself. Is it really too much to ask?

Overall this is a lovely read. Light and amusing. If you’re looking for that perfect beach read I highly recommend this. It’s a heartwarming read with characters that have become hurt by life and have shied away only to find out that love is still a possibility – which isn’t to say everything goes swimmingly of course – you’ve been warned.

I received a copy through Netgalley. courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

What a Cracker!

I so enjoyed You are Here by David Nicholls. A book full of humour, humility and romance. The characters jumped out of the page and I was totally emersed in their life. A grown-up book, beautifully written and a joy to read.
Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity of reading it.