I LOVED this book. It is by turns completely hilarious and utterly heartbreaking. I don't think there is much else I can say apart from read it, just read it, it's brilliant, it's better than One Day (it's better than a lot of others book too but you know, there are bound to be comparisons) it's wonderful.

If you liked the TV series, you will love the novel (or vice versa).

Douglas may not be the most likeliest of protagonists in what essentially is a romance novel - he is a rather conservative professor who in the early stages of the story discovers that though he always believed his marriage to be solid his much more extrovert wife is actually on the cusp of leaving him only moments after their still adolescent son flies the nest - but that is what makes this such an interesting pageturner; the unusual leading man and perspective as a result add to the book's quiet charm. And what could've been a rather depressing read, turns into something quite different when Douglas' wife Connie suggests that their little family unit holiday together one final time before both son and wife will move out of the house. When she dropped her separation-bomb into the conversation just moments earlier Douglas was under the impression that his marriage was over, but with the prospect of the Grand Tour of Europe on the horizon he can't help but feel a faint glimmer of hope about their combined future. After all, the trip will give him the perfect opportunity to try and change Connie's mind about leaving. While undoubtedly a well-written piece of literature, the story was a bit of a slow-burner to begin with. But as it progressed and the characters had a chance to develop there were hints of a quirky road trip, in the vain of Jojo Moyes' recent bestseller The One Plus One, which made this far more charming and unique than I expected from the outset. Douglas was a compelling narrator and so while he wouldn't be a person I would normally feel remotely interested in, it would in fact be the troubled teenage son who looks the more likely candidate for that, the reader can't help but sympathise with his desperate struggle to keep his family together. And Nicholl's excellent sense of place as Douglas travels from landmark to landmark in some of the most historically rich cities in Europe, creates a great backdrop for the story. The places I've visited myself were represented with slightly rose-tinted realism and those that I was not yet familiar with were described into such inviting detail that I've tentatively started to sketch out plans for my own Grand Tour of Europe. After getting hugely invested in Douglas' life I did feel somewhat deflated by the unsatisfying ending of the novel. But then again, Nicholls does have a flair for taken his readers by surprise; rather than going for the obvious conclusion, the lead-up to the finish is a reflection of 'what could have been' instead.

He was a new author to me. I chose this novel as a holiday read - and it was very satisfying. Not the most demanding read but well constructed, good pacey narrative and plot. I do recommend it as a very readable holiday novel - and with much to talk about in a book club group read as well.

This is the story of Douglas, a 50 something year old scientist, who attempts to salvage his marriage and his relationship with his teenage son on a trip around Europe looking at stuff in art galleries. Yes, I know, it sounds like the kind of book that would be filled with either: a) sentimental pap b) talkshow style angst c) Poncey descriptions of old paintings But based on the strength of Nicholls' 'One Day' which was brilliant, I gave it a go. And I am so glad I did. Nicholls saves the book from all of the above, purely by creating such a believable and (generally) likeable character in Douglas. He is a scientist, so he is very logical, straightforward, slightly awkward and not given over to sentimental pap or talkshow angst. Ok, there are some poncey descriptions of old paintings, but Nicholls uses them to demonstrate the essential differences between Douglas (whose scientific brain doesn't really understand them) and his artistic wife and son (who do). He spends plenty of time talking about the past as well as the present - so you come to understand exactly how and why he has reached this place in his life and why he does what he does throughout the story. The book reads like you are just sitting down having a chat with him, and by the end of it, seriously, you feel like you know him so well, you want to give him a ring to check he's doing ok. It is beautifully written. It made me laugh, it made me cry. Like 'One Day' it spans several decades, which is quite sobering, as it makes your own life seem much shorter and more precious. Read it.