What a lovely read! We meet Marnie and Michael. They are both loners, preferring their own company for different reasons. When a mutual friend organises a weekend away hiking, Marnie can't think of anything worse and Michael hopes they will all go home early and leave him to cross Northern England, coast to coast, on his own. When Marnie decides to stick it out with Michael after the others have gone home, they find themselves spending the week together completing the walk.

This book was such a delight. I loved Marnie's character, she has such a dry sense of humour and her attempts to get Michael to raise a smile were wonderful. She was very easy to relate to and I could imagine there are a lot of Marnie's in the world. Michael took a bit longer to warm to, but as the storyline moved on his character grew on me. They both had their own past issues which they still hadn't dealt with, and the week's hike across the country certainly gave them the opportunity to do that. I loved how their relationship developed, with both of them tolerating each other that little bit more hour by hour.

This was a very well written book, capturing the essence of the characters perfectly. The location sounded amazing and there were great descriptions of the country as they crossed it. There was plenty of humour and lots of emotion to fill out Marnie and Michael's story, and I was hooked very early in book. The ending was predictable, but it was obvious how it was going to end throughout the story. It was still a very enjoyable read though which I would recommend!

In 'You Are Here', David Nicholl's reprises the winning formula of 'One Day' with a will-they-won't-they romance. Structured this time around a map and walk in the Lake District rather than the repetition of a particular date, Nicholl's tells the story of two lonely people: Marnie and Michael, who are brought together by their mutual friend Cleo despite neither of them appreciating her intervention.

Whilst from the beginning the reader knows how this novel will end, Nicholls does a brilliant job of getting inside both Marnie and Michaels heads in a believable way and taking the reader very literally on their journey. The use of alternating perspectives really added to the novel, and I could relate to Marnie's viewpoint at times. Using a three act structure, Nicholls puts conflict in the way of a happy ending on a number of occasions and while I knew that's what he was doing, I still felt choked up. All in all, this was a really enjoyable read from an author who absolutely knows what they are doing. If only they also published the book Marnie is supposed to be editing!!

Another great read from David Nicholls and will quite deservedly jump straight into the bestsellers chart. Poignant, humorous, gentle, thoughtful and would make a fantastic film!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this treat of a review copy.

I’m a big fan of the author And as soon as I discovered it was this novel was on NetGalley UK, I requested it and checked regularly to see whether I’d been granted access. It went straight to the top of my to be read pile. The author is around the same age as me and went to the same university. I’ve always enjoyed the way. His books were so true to life and way that I could see my own life within their pages. Previously this been my student days for the books, such as Starter for Ten and This Is Us This new book looks at people of my own age now, I suppose we should be called middle-aged but I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet
The novel describes a week in the life of a group of friends who get together to hike across a footpath, which crosses northern England from coast to coast.
The first quarter of the novel was quite depressing depressing dealing with middle-aged people and their small insecurities .there’s something rather difficult about recognising yourself in novels and as we age I’ve found this more more of an issue
There is a funny scene involving cow poo on the bottom of shoes in a bed and breakfast.
The author manages to catch awkwardness of new relationships is perfectly as is the toe curling feeling of meeting someone who you used to love but have broken up with
This is a primarily relationship based novel the characters go on a long walk across northern England England. This in itself is the background for getting to know the people on the walk and the way that their characters interact with each other.
The author has a particular talent and describing the way people react to each other and how their characters develop given a set of circumstances,. This is as well done in this novel in his previous novels.
I was left feeling that I had very much enjoyed the novel, but that it lacked some of the breath and depth of his previous novels .

I originally copy on NetGalley, UK
Is published in the UK on the 23rd of April by Hodder and Stoughton .
This review will appear on NetGalley, UK Goodreads and my book blog bionicSarahsbooks.wordpress.com, after publication will also appear on Amazon UK.

What a lovely book - a walk across the country with two emotionally fragile people, whose conversations vary from heart breaking to hilarious. I have just watched 'One Day' on Netflix and this is not the follow up, but almost could be - lots of will they/won't they and life throwing in stumbling blocks. It was quite nice having an 'older' romance set in the English countryside - made it all seem much more believable and hence I was really invested in the relationship between the two key characters.
A warm cosy bath of a read!

This was such a fabulous read. Nicholls always provides excellent, fleshed-out characters to follow along for the ride. Loved the setting.

As you’d expect if you’ve read any of David Nicholls’ books, this is a well-crafted novel with excellently drawn characters and lots of humour. I’ve been on a few walking weekends, and the descriptions of dealing with the weather, the landscape and the variety of hotels and B&Bs that the characters stayed in all rang true. I loved Marnie from the start, and I warmed to Michael as more of his backstory was revealed. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

You Are Here has Marnie a divorced copywriter who works from home in London, losing touch with her friends after her divorce she realises she is now lonely.
Michael a geography teacher living in York is now separated from his wife and after a horrific attack by a gang of youths seeks to find inner peace by walking the moors in solitude.
When Chloe a friend of Marnie’s and also deputy head at Michael’s school decide to get a group together and walk coast to coast from the Lake District to Robin Hoods Bay she invites Marnie to join them.
After their first day of terrible weather all but Michael and Marnie stay on to continue the walk. The descriptive and atmospheric writing of the landscape and weather as they start the journey is excellent and the start and finish pictures of each days route is great especially as I’ve visited many of them in the Lakes.
Gradually they both warm to each other and tell each other their personal stories, Michael’s is particularly sad. Well written and an enjoyable read but if I’m honest no great drama or emotion and at times I felt it dragged a little especially the relationship. I did wonder if there would be a conclusion, there was and it was fine but again just ‘nice’. I would of liked just a small glimpse into their future with maybe a short epilogue.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

For lovers of the English countryside and wonderful, witty dialogue 🫶🏻 another heartfelt corker by the ever-fantastic David Nicholls.

I'm adding my voice to the chorus of praise for this wonderful novel.

David Nicholls has done it again with this commentary on friendship, love and loneliness.

It’s warm and true with incisive observations and fantastic relatable characters you really feel you get to know in Marnie & Michael.

As we alternate between Marnie and Michael viewpoints, Nicholls perfectly captures the sometimes startling difference between how we see ourselves and how we appear in others eyes. Walking can be such a boost for mental health but also for connection with others and I loved how this was celebrated in this book.

You Are Here is a tender, reflective and often humorous tale and I will be thinking of Marnie & Michael for a long while.

Thanks to Sceptre & Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy

A delightfully entertaining read. Marnie has been a recluse since Covid and the break-up of her marriage. She's been reluctantly persuaded to go on a three-day hike to get her out and meeting people again. It ends up being quite a bit longer as she realises she rather likes the group leader, Michael. Marnie is a great character, funny and inquisitive. Michael is overwhelmed by all her questions at first, but as the hike progresses, they become closer. It would be great to find out how their relationship progresses. Loved it.

Friendship, love, companionship, loneliness, hope, this book has it all. Another absolutely beautiful love story from David Nicholls. He never disappoints and always leaves me wanting to know what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

You are here is another triumph from David Nicholls who has an amazing ability to create characters with fascinating back stories who are relatable, interesting and funny. This book has a geography teacher, Michael as one of the main characters so it was immediately a winner with me. His colleague and friend Cleo persuades him to allow some other people to join him for one of his many, and usually solitary hikes. Through a series of events, several days of the planned coast to coast walk involve just Michael and Cleo’s friend Marnie, who also lives a solitary life in London. The relationship between both of these emotionally bruised people begins to naturally develop, and secrets that have shaped them both are shared.
The pace of the book is relatively slow but it fits beautifully with the journey they are making and their ability to open up to the other person. David Nicholls approaches several sensitive issues with an openness that I feel might help some people reading the book who can relate to the incidents and subsequent mental health problems or long term impacts. I desperately need to know more about Michael and Marnie and hope a sequel is planned.

I haven’t read a David Nicholls book for ages and had forgotten what an absolutely brilliant writer he is and how he makes stories truly come to life.

This is the story of Marnie and Michael who meet through their mutual friend, Cleo. They are both separated (Marnie is divorced) and meet when Michael arranges a C2C walk. It is definitely a story of ‘will they, won’t they’ but the journey they take across Britain helps them to open up and see what they could both be missing from their lives.
Nicholls’ writing is witty and clever, truly bringing these characters to life and making the reader fall in love with them.
A 5⭐️ read.

Having loved One Day, I have read a number of David Nicholls' books in the past but none of them hit the spot the way that did - until You Are Here. While it won't quite have the impact One Day had, I really enjoyed this - as a walker, the scenario resonated and the characters were well developed.and believable and I really cared about them, which I find important if I am to truly engage with a book. While what happens throughout the book is fairly low key, it was a book I wanted to read whenever I got the chance to see how things developed, was sorry I had finished and will remember.

Absolutely loved this book. Perfectly imperfect characters brought authenticity to the story. The description of the locations made me want to buy an anorak and go and stretch my legs in the countryside. It's probably a bit cheesy and predictable, but it's also so very lovely.

This book has a good story line and could have been good. However, I found this story quite hardgoing, it felt slow and rather laboured to me. I could see where the story was going and worked on what would happen pretty quickly. The descriptions of the walk were interesting and the author had spent time researching the route. I wanted less prevarication and more action.

The characters were good but even then they became a little annoying over time. The lack of communication and the intersection became trying.

I am sure some people will love this story, but for me I just wanted to get to the end and have finished it.

What do you do if you are suffering from trauma and a broken heart? Michael decides to undertake a 10-day hike from Coast to coast to work through everything that has been going on over the last few years in the hope that the scenery along the way gives him a new zest for life, though his route takes him close to his ex-wife's new home. When his best friend suggests that she join him for part of the journey with her family he reluctantly agrees and before he knows it she has also invited some other single friends to join them. The countryside of the Lakes and Peaks (and its changeable weather) has a starring role - whilst the characters navigate their emotions over the loss of previous relationships and the fear of starting afresh with the anticipation of what may happen in the future. Though David Nicholls admits he's taken a bit of licence with the route his descriptions of the landscape had me feeling that I was walking alongside the main characters in parts. An excellent holiday read that may start as a slow burner but will have you hooked and wanting more at the end.

With thanks to #netgalley for early access to this book in return for an honest review.

I cannot stress this enough, go read this book. David Nicholl’s writing makes me remember how special the written word can be. This book takes two characters set in their ways and throws them into a coast-to-coast walk full of witticisms and raw real conversations about life. Marnie and Michael are all too relatable and their journey through life and through the countryside of the UK shows you how two completely disconnected people, with a mountain of differences between them, can connect and seek common ground where you’d least expect to find it.
It’s beautiful, raw, and real. That’s what I love about David Nicholl’s work. Although I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy on my Kindle, I will definitely be purchasing the hard copy when it comes out for my shelf!

David Nicholls has that undefinable ability to tap in to the beauty, fragility, rawness and power of human emotions.

You Are Here follows a line of beautiful novels that explore relationships across the ages ; this new novel enters the world of divorced late 3o /early 40 somethings.

This is the story of Marnie and Michael. Both damaged from their previous relationships and both finding solace in their own isolation from others - finding it safer not to connect socially and openly confront the inner scars.

An invitation from a mutual friend finds Marnie - a London /city resident and copy editor of novels and Michael- a geography teacher who finds comfort in the countryside- embarking upon a walking holiday from coast to coast across the North of England with three other intrepid walkers.

After an initial detachment from one another , the two find themselves walking the route alone and opening up and sharing their deeper anxieties and past histories.

This could easily turn into a romantic or comedic , 'will they won't they' story but what David Nicholls has written is far more sensitive, personal and engaging novel that really digs into the tragedy of the common modern day disease of loneliness and the world of family and friend expectations- how "getting out there' to meet new people should be as easy as opening a door. Yes, there is comedy- Marnie uses jokes and word play as her defence mechanism and Michael's love of nature and the geological terminology adds further moments of humorous interplay.

Marnie and Michael are both wonderfully likeable characters - not in a cloying way - but through the contrast of their personalities and their personal stories, the desire for them to find happiness is palpable . But will they?

This is going to be the read of summer 2024 - an absolute winner.