Marine and Michael, two protagonist find themselves together on a 190-mile  coast-to-coast walking trail across northern England, after being brought together through a mutual friend. A love story develops between the two divorcees as they battle the great British weather to find their way home, finding new love and second chances along the way, exploring the relationships in a way that reflects real life and the search for human connection. 

At first Marine is interested in another group member, Conrad, but as he soon drops out along with the others, leaving Marine and Michael to continue to walk together, starting from the Irish Sea and making their way across the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors.

Marina stuck working alone in her London flat, battling the long afternoons and a life that often feels like it’s passing her by, had only planned to participate for the first few days, but she kept extending her time on the trail to spend more time with Michael who was reeling from his wife’s departure, increasingly reclusive, taking himself on lone, solitary walk across the moors, to develop romantic feelings for each other and kiss though they stop short of being intimate when a hotel worker enforces the “no guests after 10pm policy”.  Marina was considering staying for the final leg, she discovers that Michael is meeting with his estranged wife Natasha, to whom he admit he is still attached. Marine is heartbroken and returns home to London while Natasha is revealed to be pregnant by her new partner.

Months passes by, Michael arranges a school trip to London, where he and Marine reunite in Hyde Park. He apologizes, professes his feelings for her, and invites her to complete the unfinished coast-to-coast walk with him. They kiss and make up  and Marine agrees to consider his proposal.

You Are Here By David Nicholls. Sceptre £25, 368 pages