** spoiler alert ** For some reason, I had high hope for this book. I expected to be blown away and instead, when I finished the book, I felt decidedly underwhelmed.

*spoilers ahead*

I hadn't known much about the book before I started: I was aware of the film's existence but I hadn't seen it; I knew there was a sad ending; I had read (and thoroughly enjoyed Nicholls's previous novel Starter for Ten); I had read the blurb which described the format as visiting these two characters on the same day through twenty years of their lives.

My biggest problems with the book were as follows:

1) I just couldn't stand Dexter; even his name annoyed me. I was not rooting for him until the very end when I finally felt some sympathy towards him.

2) Whilst I didn't dislike Emma, I found her rather dull. She came across as a bit whiny and it irritated me.

3) The book was too long for the amount of story. Whilst it is true that years can go by, especially in your twenties, without much changing, it is not interesting to read.

4) I read the book in a constant state on unease, waiting for something awful to happen. Dexter certainly seemed like he was one eff-up away from total disaster and so when Emma met her sudden end, it was a shock - I had expected it was something that would happen to Dexter or at least because of his actions.

Despite enjoying Starter for Ten, I can't see myself rushing out to read more of Nicholls's work when there are already so many books on my 'to-read' list.