Here are the romance writer’s top books to get you feeling loved up after racing through the new Netflix sensation One Day.
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of fans of David Nicholls’s novel One Day, you’ve no doubt heard the good news that’s it’s been transformed into a Netflix series.
Emma and Dex’s decades-long love story has now been brought to the small screen after being adapted into a movie starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in 2011.
The Netflix stars Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod in a bingeable 14 part series available on the streaming platform. But who is the author behind the ultra-romantic tale?
With several of his works adapted for the big and small screen, David Nicholls is somewhat of a household name when it comes to the romance genre. Just like the character Emma in One Day, Nicholls studied English and Drama at university.
He became an actor before transitioning to writing, specialising in novels about love, loss and the intricacies of human relationships and emotions. As of today, David Nicholls has written five books, and famously achieved widespread recognition with his third book One Day.
Several of his books have been adapted into films and TV shows, and he has also worked as a screenwriter adapting other works such as Great Expectations (2012) and Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) for the screen.
Whether you’re a seasoned David Nicholls reader or you’ve just binged all 14 episodes of One Day without having heard of him before, you’re sure to love the rest of his novels. We’ve rounded up the top David Nicholls books to fill the hole in your heart after binging One Day.
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For more on the latest David Nicholls series, take a look at our answer to the question is One Day based on a true story, as well as the One Day ending explained.
Best David Nicholls books at a glance:
- One Day, £9.99
- Us, £9.99
- The Understudy, £8.99
- Starter for Ten,
£9.99£8.18 (save £1.81 or 18%) - Sweet Sorrow,
£8.99£8.27 (save 72p or 8%)
Best David Nicholls books
One Day
It’s the show that everyone’s talking about, including the RadioTimes.com team. David Nicholls’s iconic novel follows the story of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, beginning on 15th July 1988 when they meet at their graduation from Edinburgh University.
The book then follows them throughout the next 20 years, revisiting them on 15th July each year and catching up on all the twists and turns that happen in between.
It’s a story of love, loss and the passage of time as Emma and Dexter’s relationship fluctuates between friendship, romance and missed opportunities. Tissues at the ready.
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Us
Did you know that One Day isn’t the only David Nicholls book that’s been adapted for the screen? The author adapted his 2014 novel Us into a four part comedy-drama series on BBC One starring Tom Hollander.
Nicholls’s penultimate novel to date tells the story of middle-aged biochemist Douglas Petersen, who embarks on a trip around Europe in an attempt to rekindle his marriage, with both his wife, who has recently told him she wants to leave him, and his rebellious son.
Prepare for a tumultuous reflection on families, love and human relationships, all set against the backdrop of magnificent European cities.
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The Understudy
If you fancy a lighter read after finishing One Day and Us teary-eyed, then it’s time to pick up The Understudy, where you’ll meet Stephen C McQueen, an aspiring actor cast as the understudy to egotistical Josh Harper.
Tensions inevitably rise as the two make their way through the cutthroat theatre world, all told through witty prose and humour. Considering that David Nicholls himself used to be an actor, you’re sure to get an accurate insight into the world behind the curtain.
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Starter for Ten
Starter for Ten, David Nicholls’s debut novel, has also been adapted for the screen, this time in the form of a movie starring James McAvoy.
It’s 1985 and Brian Jackson has arrived at Bristol University with hopes of making it onto TV’s biggest quiz show. He’ll have to stay focused on The Challenge, despite the fact that he’s falling hopelessly in love with his teammate Alice…
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Sweet Sorrow
It’s back to themes of love, loss and the passage of time with the most recent David Nicholls book, Sweet Sorrow. Protagonist Charlie Lewis finds himself at a crossroads in his marriage and reflects on his teenage years and his first love, Fran Fisher.
Charlie’s journey sees him reconciling his past with his present and aiming to find hope in the future. This is Nicholls’s most recent book to date, but we hope that he has a few more tricks up his sleeve.
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Listen up bookworms, we’ve got some more books to add to your reading list! Check out the best Harlan Coben books to read this year, as well as how to read Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club books in order.