Nicola Moriarty on five inspirational novels about friendship

As a writer, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I love to read. And while I can immerse myself in anything from psychological thrillers to crime dramas to fantasy novels or witty rom-coms, I can’t go past a feel-good story that’s based around friendship. They’re relatable, they’re fun, they make you laugh and they make you cry and it (usually) all works out in the end. (I’m a sucker for a happy ending). As such, here’s my top five inspirational novels about friendship. And yes, I did cheat and include a trilogy in the list, so technically there are seven books here, but I couldn’t help myself.

The Other Side of the Story

Marian Keyes

I love every single Marian Keyes book that I read and this one was no different. It delves into a friendship that has been fractured due to a betrayal but the stories play out with plenty of Keyes’ trademark dry wit and I absolutely adored the characters but Gemma was my favourite.

The Colours of Madeleine Trilogy

Jaclyn Moriarty

So many different and varied relationships are played out in Jaci’s gorgeously whimsical trilogy, but my favourite is of course Madeleine and Elliot and their long-distance friendship, which gradually grows and develops over the course of the three books.

Truly Madly Guilty 

Liane Moriarty

In Liane’s thrilling and completely unputdownable novel, Clementine and Erika have been friends since school – but do they still actually want to be a part of one another’s lives? Or are they just remaining friends because it’s what they’ve always known and because it simply seems like the right thing to do?

Anonymums

Anonymous

Written by three anonymous mothers, this book explores an unusual friendship between three women where they dare one another to do crazy challenges in order to shake up their lives. The thing I most loved about this book was how much I related to the brutally honest way they described the darker sides of motherhood.

About a Boy 

Nick Hornby

A funny and tender coming of age novel, this one is about an unconventional friendship that grows between a bachelor in his thirties and a young boy who’s a bit of a misfit. I read this when I was a teenager and it was one of those stories that just stayed with me. A few years later, I loved the movie adaptation (with the brilliant soundtrack by Badly Drawn Boy) just as much.