Love One Day? These are the 5 best David Nicholls novels, rated by us

In my opinion Nicholls is under-rated as a comic writer. Alongside the poignant moments, there are some absoutely hilarious scenes in this novel - anyone who has had an awkward first encounter with a new partner will relate. It's the story of Michael and Marnie, two lonely people who meet on a coast-to-coast hike. Both come with a lot of baggage, but as they walk, they begin to open up to each other and develop a tentative friendship. This might be controversial but I prefer it to One Day!

If you're one of the very few people on the planet who haven't yet read One Day, this modern classic is a hard recommend. Nicholls’s story of love lost and found over decades is a tear-jerker full of charm and heart. It's the story of Emma and Dexter, who meet on their last night at university, and charts the course of their rollercoaster relationship.

This perceptive look at the ups and downs of long-term love is the perfect blend of compelling, funny and moving. Us is the story of a couple whose 20-year marriage begins to unravel, just as they head off on one last Summer holiday with their son before he leaves home for university. Cue much tension and heart-break, set against the sights of Paris, Munich and Venice. An elegant, grown-up read.

This tender novel focuses on a life-changing summer for 16-year-old Charlie, who falls dizzyingly in love for the first time. It’s nostalgic, funny and bittersweet, and takes you back vividly to the feeling of being young and in love.

David Nicholls' first novel, published in 2003, is a witty and entertaining exploration of the agonies and ecstasies of university life and working out who you are. Brian Jackson, a working class teenager, arrives at college determined to fulfil his secret ambition to appear on University Challenge - and to make teammate Alice fall in love with him in the process.