It Had to Be You

Life after Deborah reaffirms Nobbs as the best writer of comedy and observer of the nuances of human nature that there is today.

One man, five very different women.

James Hollingshurst is a man shaped by those who surround him. And in James's case, it's some very different women. Be it his trusty wife Deborah, his hapless PA Marcia or his ex-girlfriend Jane. And there's one woman in James's life who looks set to upset the status quo…

But a tragic accident is about to shake the bedrock of life as James knows it. An event sets a train in motion, which will challenge everything he's ever known and everyone he's ever loved. It will also bring his beloved daughter, Charlotte who he has not seen for fifteen years, tantalisingly close to him…

Reviews

Praise for It Had to Be You:

‘A beautiful, surprising, sometimes searingly painful account of the eight days between a married woman’s sudden death and her funeral.’ Jonathan Coe

Praise for Obstacles to Young Love:

‘Painfully hilarious, wonderfully observed and slight sour at the same time.’ Guardian

‘Thank goodness for David Nobbs! He carries on the comic tradition of P G Wodehouse with this marvellous new book; a sweet and touching love story written with his trademark sly and subversive humour. A perfect antidote to these dark times.’ Joanne Harris

Praise for David Nobbs’s novels:

‘Probably our finest post-war comic novelist’ Jonathan Coe

‘A delicious entertainment, as comic and sharp as they come’ Guardian

‘The most satisfying novel I have read in years’ Express

‘A marvellously comic novel’ Sunday Times

‘One of the most noisily funny books I have ever read’ Michael Palin

‘Very funny sketches of provincial newspaper life’ Sue Townsend

‘We should be thankful for the continuing brilliance of David Nobbs … Going Gently is richly funny and rich in many other ways. Buy it’ Mail on Sunday

About the author

David Nobbs’s first break as a comedy writer came on the iconic satire show That Was The Week, That Was, hosted by David Frost. Later he wrote for The Frost Report and The Two Ronnies and provided material for many top comedians including Les Dawson, Ken Dodd, Tommy Cooper, Frankie Howerd and Dick Emery. Apart from his twenty novels, David is best known for his two TV hit series A Bit of a Do and for The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. David Nobbs died in 2015 at the age of eighty.