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Reading lists

The best books about friendships

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Must-read books by women, as chosen by our readers

By Your Side

The joyful and life-affirming new novel from the BAFTA-winning co-writer of Gavin and Stacey and the Sunday Times bestselling and Richard and Judy Book Club author of Love Untold. 
 
'A heartwarming and funny read from the brilliant Ruth Jones' Heat (Book of the Week) 
 
'Filled with compassion and populated with wonderfully engaging characters' Observer 
 
Because second chances come when you least expect them . . . 
 
Linda Standish has been a friend to the friendless for the past thirty-three years, in her role at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit. And now she’s looking forward to the joys of an early retirement. 
 
But before she hangs up her lanyard, Linda takes on one last case – that of Levi Norman – a Welshman who made his home on a remote Scottish island for the five years before he died. Linda must visit Storrich to track down Levi's remaining relatives . . . 
 
What brought Levi here? And who did he leave behind? Obliged to travel (by hearse!) with her arch nemesis, and helped (and hindered...) by the local residents, Linda searches for clues to a life now lost. And in the process unexpectedly makes new friends, and discovers things about herself she never knew. 
 
Bursting with all the heart and humour that has made Ruth’s name as a screenwriter and author, By Your Side is a joyful celebration of friendship, love and community. 
 
'Brilliantly told, you'll laugh, cry - and love it.' Woman & Home 
 
‘Ruth’s books are always a joy and full of gorgeous characters’ Prima 
 
***OUT NOW!*** 
 
--- 
 
Readers are loving By Your Side! 
 
'Funny and heartbreaking and wonderful. Five huge flashing stars' ***** Reader Review 
 
'A brilliant, life-affirming, feel-good book' ***** Reader Review 
 
'Filled me with a great deal of joy' *****Reader Review 
 
'It’s one to devour in one sitting and tell your friends about.' *****Reader Review 
 
'I did not want this to end' *****Reader Review 
 
'I loved Linda's job - working for the council as a sort of special detective... (Is this a real job, and can I do it?)' *****Reader Review 
 
'My first book by the wonderful Ruth Jones and I'm kicking myself I haven't read any sooner.' *****Reader Review 
 
Praise for Ruth Jones: 
 
'Ruth Jones is excellent on human nature and why we make the mistakes we do' JOJO MOYES, bestselling author of Me Before You and Someone Else's Shoes 
 
‘Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster ride. Beautifully written, with characters that I know will stay with me’ JO THOMAS, bestselling author of Escape to the French Farmhouse 
 
'Ruth Jones writes with such warmth you can't help but fall in love with the characters she creates.' 
JAMES CORDEN 
 
'A cast of characters you'll lose your heart to.' ADELE PARKS, bestselling author of Just Between Us 
 
'Beautifully warm and totally absorbing.' JANE FALLON, bestselling author of My Sweet Revenge and Strictly Between Us 
 
'Heartfelt, joyful, brave, utterly compelling' RACHEL JOYCE, bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry 
 
'Ruth's characters will stay with me for a long time.' CATHY BRAMLEY, bestselling author of The Lemon Tree Café

'Ruth's books are always a joy and full of gorgeous characters'

'A heartwarming and funny read from the brilliant Ruth Jones'

DON’T MISS THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE BAFTA-WINNING CO-WRITER OF GAVIN & STACEY. 
 
'Ruth Jones writes with such warmth you can't help but fall in love with the characters she creates.’ JAMES CORDEN 
 
The joyful and life-affirming new novel from the co-creator of Gavin and Stacey and the Richard and Judy Book Club author of Love Untold. 
 
Linda and Levi will never meet. But they’re going to change each other’s lives. 
 
In her role at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit, Linda Standish investigates the lives of those who’ve died alone and tracks down any living relatives. She’s been a friend to the friendless for the past thirty-three years. And now she’s looking forward to an early retirement. 
 
But before she hangs up her lanyard, Linda takes on one last case – that of Levi Norman – a Welshman who made his home on a remote Scottish island for the past five years. 
 
What brought Levi here? And who did he leave behind? Obliged to travel (by hearse) with her arch nemesis Fergus Murray, and helped (and hindered) by local residents, Linda searches for clues to a life now lost. And in the process unexpectedly makes new friends, and discovers things about herself she never knew. 
 
Bursting with all the heart and humour that has made Ruth’s name as a screenwriter and author, By Your Side is about finding joy in the most unlikely connections, and the importance of holding onto friendship, love and community – especially when life gets messy. 
 
AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW. 
 
Praise for Ruth Jones: 
 
‘Ruth Jones is excellent on human nature and why we make the mistakes we do’ JOJO MOYES 
 
‘A cast of characters you'll lose your heart to.' ADELE PARKS 
 
'Beautifully warm and totally absorbing.’ JANE FALLON

Us Three

***THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*** 
 
Get ready to fall in love with the funny, feel-good novel and instant Sunday Times bestseller from the author of Richard and Judy Book Club pick Love Untold and co-creator of Gavin & Stacey. 
 
'A touching celebration of the beauty and endurance of female friendship.’ DAWN FRENCH 
 
‘Heart-warming, entertaining and, at times, deeply moving story’ The Observer 
 
'Best book of the year so far. To sum it up I'd say "it was bloody lush' 5-star reader review 
 
****** 
 
Friends forever is a difficult promise to keep... 
 
Meet Lana, Judith and Catrin. Best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may. 
 
After the trip of a lifetime, the three girls are closer than ever. But an unexpected turn of events shakes the foundation of their friendship to its core, leaving their future in doubt - there's simply too much to forgive, let alone forget. An innocent childhood promise they once made now seems impossible to keep . . . 
 
Packed with all the heart and empathy that made Ruth's name as a screenwriter and now author, Us Three is a funny, moving and uplifting novel about life's complications, the power of friendship and how it defines us all. 
 
Prepare to meet characters you'll feel you've known all your life - prepare to meet Us Three. 
 
Praise for Us Three: 
 
'A warm, smart, uplifting tale of true friendship.' BETH O'LEARY, bestselling author of The Flatshare 
 
'This novel oozes warmth and honesty. A big-hearted book that provides a cast of characters you'll lose your heart to.' ADELE PARKS, bestselling author of Just Between Us 
 
'I loved this brilliantly gripping depiction of the complexities of female friendship over the years. Love, betrayal, comedy and loss - Us Three has it all.' FIONA NEILL, bestselling author of The Haven 
 
Readers love Us Three: 
 
'I love the way Ruth Jones writes. The relationship between the 3 friends is perfect and a wonderful book to read about friendship' 
 
'I absolutely loved this so much. There were moments that made me cry and other moments that made me laugh.' 
 
‘The most enjoyable book I’ve read in ages. I laughed and cried, and at one point sobbed, my way through the book’ 
 
 
*** RUTH'S NEW NOVEL BY YOUR SIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER***

Friends forever is a difficult promise to keep... 
 
Meet Lana, Judith and Catrin. Best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may. 
 
After the trip of a lifetime, the three girls are closer than ever. But an unexpected turn of events shakes the foundation of their friendship to its core, leaving their future in doubt - there's simply too much to forgive, let alone forget. An innocent childhood promise they once made now seems impossible to keep . . . 
 
Packed with all the heart and empathy that made Ruth's name as a screenwriter and now author, Us Three is a funny, moving and uplifting novel about life's complications, the power of friendship and how it defines us all. 
 
Prepare to meet characters you'll feel you've known all your life - prepare to meet Us Three.

Never Greener

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, PICKED FOR THE ZOE BALL TV BOOK CLUB 
 
'Ruth Jones is excellent on human nature and why we make the mistakes we do. I felt for every character. Unputdownable.' Jojo Moyes 
 
The past has a habit of tracking us down. And tripping us up. 
 
When Kate was twenty-two, she had an intense and passionate affair with a married man, Callum, which ended in heartbreak. Kate thought she'd never get over it. 
 
Seventeen years later, life has moved on - Kate, now a successful actress, is living in London, married to Matt and mother to little Tallulah. Meanwhile Callum and his wife Belinda are happy together, living in Edinburgh and watching their kids grow up. The past, it would seem, is well and truly behind them all. 
 
But then Kate meets Callum again. 
 
And they are faced with a choice: to walk away from each other . . . or to risk finding out what might have been. 
 
Second chances are a rare gift in life. But that doesn't mean they should always be taken . . . 
 
- 
 
In her unmissable debut, actress and screenwriter Ruth Jones shows us the dangers of trying to recapture that which was once lost and failing to realise the beauty of what we already have. 
 
Praise for Ruth Jones: 
 
'I love books about gnarly, messy relationships and this one kept me gripped from the beginning. A great read.' Jane Fallon 
 
'Heart-rending, provocative and astutely written, Never Greener is a love story about getting what you want and losing everything you need. Ruth's characters will stay with me for a long time.' Cathy Bramley 
 
'Easy to read and full of laughter - and truth.' Daily Mail 
 
Readers have fallen in love with Never Greener: 
 
***** 'Loved this book from start to finish.' 
***** 'I fell in love with all the characters and could not put it down.' 
***** 'Brilliantly written, laugh-out-loud hilarious yet tear-jerking.' 
 
****RUTH'S BRILLIANT NEW NOVEL BY YOUR SIDE IS AVAILABLE NOW****

A Story of Love and Friendship

When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between

From the BAFTA award-winning writers James Corden and Ruth Jones, discover the funny and intimate memoir about the making of one of our most beloved shows. 
 
'Gavin & Stacey’ is a TV series like no other. Now, for the first time, its creators tell the full extraordinary story of how they turned their little show into a full-on cultural phenomenon. 
 
As they recount the rejection, obstacles and challenges they faced on the way to giving birth to their beloved comedy creation, Ruth and James also explore the flourishing of their own real-life friendship. While their now legendary on-screen characters Nessa and Smithy had a profound awkwardness to negotiate, Ruth and James forged a magical relationship of mutual support based also on a deep, shared sense of subversive fun. 
 
In their incredible new memoir, When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between, the duo detail what’s occurred every step of the way, from their tentative initial pitch to the emotionally overwhelming final day of filming, bouncing off each other in inimitable style. 
 
Full of revelations and never-before-heard stories, this one-of-a-kind book takes you behind-the-scenes of one of the most iconic and beloved TV shows in British history.

Ruth Jones (Author) Ruth Jones MBE is well known for her television work, most notably BBC One’s multi-award-winning Gavin and Stacey, co-written with James Corden, in which she played Nessa Jenkins. The 2019 and 2024 Christmas specials of this well-loved show garnered viewing figures of 18 million and 21 million respectively. Ruth also created and co-wrote several series of Stella for Sky TV, for which she was BAFTA nominated. Other TV work includes Hattie, Nighty Night and Saxondale. In 2024 Ruth played Mother Superior in Sister Act the Musical at London’s Dominion Theatre. Her latest acting role is Elena Ravenscroft in Harlan Coben’s Run Away for Netflix. 
 
Ruth’s novels have sold over a million copies. Never Greener was a Sunday Times bestseller for fifteen weeks, three weeks at number one, as well as WHSmith Fiction Book of the Year 2018, a nominated Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards, and a Zoe Ball Book Club pick. Her second novel, Us Three, and her third novel, Love Untold, were also instant Sunday Times bestsellers. Love Untold was a Waterstones Paperback of the Year, as well as a Richard &amp; Judy Book Club pick. Ruth's latest novel is By Your Side James Corden (Author) James Corden is an Emmy Award winning host, writer, producer, and actor. Born in Hillingdon in 1978, he grew up in Buckinghamshire where he attended the Jackie Palmer Stage School. Early TV work included Teachers and Fat Friends, where he met Ruth Jones before going on to co-create the BAFTA Award winning Gavin and Stacey together where Corden’s breakout role came with his portrayal of 'Smithy’. Other notable TV credits include The Wrong Mans, which he co-wrote and starred in, Doctor Who and Jezz Butterworth’s miniseries Mammals. 
 On stage, Corden starred in One Man, Two Guvnors - for which he won the 2012 Tony Award for "Best Leading Actor in a Play" -, The History Boys and more recently The Constituent. 
 In 2015, Corden made a monumental leap when he took over as the host of the iconic The Late Late Show in the United States. In his time as host, Corden won multiple Emmy Awards and launched globally loved segments such as Carpool Karaoke. 
 In film, Corden starred in The Prom and received a 2021 Golden Globe nomination for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture". His other feature credits include: Into The Woods and Oceans 8. 
 Corden also hosts the US interview series, This Life Of Mine With James Corden, on Sirius XM. 
 Corden was awarded with an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to drama at Buckingham Palace in 2015

Gavin & Stacey’ is a TV series like no other. Now, for the first time, its creators James Corden and Ruth Jones tell the full extraordinary story of how they turned their little show into a full-on cultural phenomenon. 
As they recount the rejection, obstacles and challenges they faced on the way to giving birth to their beloved comedy creation, James and Ruth also explore the flourishing of their own real-life friendship. While their now legendary on-screen characters Nessa and Smithy had a profound awkwardness to negotiate, culminating in that marriage proposal in the 2019 Christmas special, Ruth and James forged a magical relationship of mutual support based also on a deep, shared sense of subversive fun. 
Here, from their tentative initial pitch to the emotionally overwhelming final day of filming, the duo detail what’s occurred every step of the way, bouncing off each other in inimitable style. Full of revelations and never-before-heard stories, this is a one-of-a-kind book about a show that’s already gone down in history.

Ruth Jones

Grace is about to turn ninety. She doesn't want parties or presents or fuss. She just wants to heal the family rift that's been breaking her heart for decades. 
 
But to do that she must find her daughter Alys - the only person who can help to put things right. 
 
And when she finds her - if she does - she risks betraying granddaughter Elin. Who is far less forgiving of the past, with its hurts and secrets and lies. Meanwhile Grace's great-grand-daughter Beca is oblivious to all these worries, too busy navigating the highs and lows of teenage life and keeping secrets of her own. 
 
All families have their problems. And most of them get resolved. But Grace's problem is thirty years old. And she doesn't have time on her side. 
 
So is it too late for her to make peace? Or is reconciliation still within reach? 
 
Love Untold is about mothers and daughters and the complex bond between them. It's about the heartache that comes from leaving things unsaid and the power of true forgiveness. It is a joy-filled, life-affirming, sob-inducing novel - with characters you'll come to know and love - from no.1 bestselling author Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones

Books by Ruth Jones

Articles featuring Ruth Jones

The best books about friendships

Must-read books by women, as chosen by our readers

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Ruth Jones on Welsh slang | Between The Lines

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