I’ve never been a fan of chick-lit, but One Day by British author David Nicholls is what I imagine good chick-lit is like—- funny, poignant, romantic without being overly cheesy, good supporting characters that don’t fade into the background, all that with an ending that still manages to surprise.

Any story worth telling has a “hook” and One Day has a pretty good one: we visit our two characters’ lives on the same date every year for twenty years. Dexter, the boy who always wanted to be famous but only somehow manages to become a drunk infamous reality/variety show host. He’s friends slash lovers slash emotional parasite with Emma, a school mate whom he had a one-night stand on the eve of their university graduation. I initially thought the hook was gimmicky but the authenticity of the stories told over time managed to change my mind.

Will they or won’t they questions keep coming up as we follow their love story through the years. I also find myself wondering about that classic man-woman relationship question: Can a man and a woman just be friends? In Nicholls’ mind it’s all pretty much a gray area. Isn’t friendship just an extension of romantic love? Emma’s love enables her to accept Dexter totally, flaws and all. Whether or not it’s because she interested in him romantically or just as a friend becomes irrelevant.

The other interesting thing about the twenty-year time line is that it shows the evolution of love, at least from David Nicholls’ perspective. We can’t realistically expect love to burn as brightly through time when our needs and wants change at the same time. Young Emma starts off wanting to write that one great novel and change the world through protests and movements. Older Emma turns out to be a successful childrens’ book writer who complains that no one bothers protesting anymore.

One Day is about change, inevitable change but the best kind of change nonetheless, the kind that makes you want to be a better person for the sake of love.

Rating: This is not your Bridget Jones diary. Even if you never plan to watch Anne Hathaway put on a British accent (again) on film, read this book for its funny and moving bits.

Focus Features is my favourite movie maker in the world right now, and so I have only the highest expectations about how well this adaptation is going to turn out (other than the sour Jane Eyre film). If you haven’t read the book and plan to do it before watching the movie, I suggest not watching the One Day movie trailer.