ONE Day takes the concept of ‘chick-lit’ and ‘beach reads’ to a whole new literary level. It has many laugh out loud one liners but it is so much more than a romantic comedy.

ONE Day takes the concept of ‘chick-lit’ and ‘beach reads’ to a whole new literary level. It has many laugh out loud one liners but it is so much more than a romantic comedy. It manages to achieve the almost impossible – to be a novel about relationships that will appeal to both men and women.

Warm, funny, opinionated but directionless Emma meets confident, arrogant and shallow Dexter on the eve of their graduation from university. The novel then follows their relationship for the next 20 years focusing on the anniversary of the day they met. So every chapter the reader finds out what they are both up to on July 15 every year.

Perhaps because of their weaknesses and flaws the characters are so real that you soon feel as if you are part of their world. There is no soppy romanticism or gratuitous sex, just a believable and real portrayal of human relationships. It’s almost impossible to put into words how good this book is except to say that when you are finished you will be left feeling as if you have lost your best friends and be desperate to share it with someone else.