What do you think?
Um Romance Atípico
Uma celebração do amor que não pede desculpas por ser como é, e também das mulheres que nunca puderam ser protagonistas da própria história.
“A estreia de Elle na literatura adulta é divertida e sincera, com diálogos ágeis e uma autenticidade que reflete vivências reais, tornando a jornada de Raina cativante e esclarecedora.” – Kirkus Review
Raina Lewis é a garota mais badalada de Londres: descolada, intrigante e aclamada por seu podcast Na faixa da deficiência, que dá voz a mulheres autistas e com outros tipos de neurodivergência.
Certa noite, ela é arrastada para uma festa literária chique pela melhor amiga, Pepper. Lá, chama a atenção do jornalista investigativo Tom Branimir, que está no evento para conhecer gente nova e conseguir uma história inédita para o livro que está escrevendo.
Apelidado de “Rei da Cultura do Cancelamento”, Tom se convence de que Raina não pode ser tão incrível quanto parece e decide desmascará-la.
Enquanto se aproxima e tenta expor a rachadura em sua fachada de perfeição, ele não consegue resistir ao magnetismo de Raina, que reúne todas as características que ele sempre sonhou em encontrar em uma mulher.
Quando os limites entre o objetivo profissional e o fascínio amoroso se misturam, Tom percebe que seu verdadeiro desafio será não se apaixonar.
“A estreia de Elle na literatura adulta é divertida e sincera, com diálogos ágeis e uma autenticidade que reflete vivências reais, tornando a jornada de Raina cativante e esclarecedora.” – Kirkus Review
Raina Lewis é a garota mais badalada de Londres: descolada, intrigante e aclamada por seu podcast Na faixa da deficiência, que dá voz a mulheres autistas e com outros tipos de neurodivergência.
Certa noite, ela é arrastada para uma festa literária chique pela melhor amiga, Pepper. Lá, chama a atenção do jornalista investigativo Tom Branimir, que está no evento para conhecer gente nova e conseguir uma história inédita para o livro que está escrevendo.
Apelidado de “Rei da Cultura do Cancelamento”, Tom se convence de que Raina não pode ser tão incrível quanto parece e decide desmascará-la.
Enquanto se aproxima e tenta expor a rachadura em sua fachada de perfeição, ele não consegue resistir ao magnetismo de Raina, que reúne todas as características que ele sempre sonhou em encontrar em uma mulher.
Quando os limites entre o objetivo profissional e o fascínio amoroso se misturam, Tom percebe que seu verdadeiro desafio será não se apaixonar.
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2026
About the author
Elle McNicoll
22 books936 followersHey, I'm Elle. I'm Scottish, autistic and an author/screenwriter who is really bad at logging her reading choices.
I write about autistic girls finding out who they are and what makes them happy, because I'm an autistic girl trying to find out who she is and what makes her happy.
I don't read reviews, as they are for readers, but I'm grateful to any and everyone who engages with my work, on the page or on the screen. My Young Adult Romance debut is called Some Like It Cold in it will be published on the 3rd of October. Official professional shiz below:
Elle McNicoll is a bestselling and award-winning novelist and screenwriter. Her debut, A Kind of Spark, won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Overall Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, as well as Blackwell’s Book of 2020. She is a four time Carnegie nominated author, and was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Awards 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Branford Boase Award 2020 and The Little Rebels Award 2020 and 2021. She was also honoured in the US with the Schneider Award, 2022.
Her second Middle Grade novel, Show Us Who You Are, was Blackwell’s Book of the Month and one of The Bookseller’s Best Books of 2021. Her first fantasy middle grade, Like a Charm, was nominated for Best Children’s Book for Older Readers in the first ever Week Junior Book Awards, and was highly praised in the New York Times.
Her debut novel, A Kind of Spark, has also been adapted for television, which debuted on UK and US screens on the 2nd of April, 2023. It is Emmy nominated and won Best Children’s Programme at the Broadcast Awards and the Royal Television Society Awards in London, 2024 and is now streaming in many territories around the globe. A second season is currently airing on CBBC.
Her debut Middle Grade was named as one of the greatest children’s books of all time, coming in at number 75, and she is twice nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
Her YA debut, Some Like It Cold, will be published on October 1st (US) and October 3rd (UK). She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing, as an autistic and dyspraxic novelist, and currently lives in North London.
I write about autistic girls finding out who they are and what makes them happy, because I'm an autistic girl trying to find out who she is and what makes her happy.
I don't read reviews, as they are for readers, but I'm grateful to any and everyone who engages with my work, on the page or on the screen. My Young Adult Romance debut is called Some Like It Cold in it will be published on the 3rd of October. Official professional shiz below:
Elle McNicoll is a bestselling and award-winning novelist and screenwriter. Her debut, A Kind of Spark, won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Overall Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, as well as Blackwell’s Book of 2020. She is a four time Carnegie nominated author, and was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Awards 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Branford Boase Award 2020 and The Little Rebels Award 2020 and 2021. She was also honoured in the US with the Schneider Award, 2022.
Her second Middle Grade novel, Show Us Who You Are, was Blackwell’s Book of the Month and one of The Bookseller’s Best Books of 2021. Her first fantasy middle grade, Like a Charm, was nominated for Best Children’s Book for Older Readers in the first ever Week Junior Book Awards, and was highly praised in the New York Times.
Her debut novel, A Kind of Spark, has also been adapted for television, which debuted on UK and US screens on the 2nd of April, 2023. It is Emmy nominated and won Best Children’s Programme at the Broadcast Awards and the Royal Television Society Awards in London, 2024 and is now streaming in many territories around the globe. A second season is currently airing on CBBC.
Her debut Middle Grade was named as one of the greatest children’s books of all time, coming in at number 75, and she is twice nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
Her YA debut, Some Like It Cold, will be published on October 1st (US) and October 3rd (UK). She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing, as an autistic and dyspraxic novelist, and currently lives in North London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
November 27, 2025
This is written with heart for anyone who has been told you don’t look autistic enough. Or that you’re *too* different. Or for those who feel they aren’t autistic enough. Or for ANYONE who wants an incredible love story that will make you laugh and tear up and glow from within.💜
Raina Lewis is a 28-year-old podcaster spotlighting autistic women. Tom Branimir is an investigative journalist who is known as the King of Cancel Culture. When Tom crosses wits with Raina, he is surprised to find a sparring partner.
As someone who recently got an autism diagnosis, someone who didn’t even realise I could claim a community, a sense of being understood; this hit home.
This book highlights how autistic people (women especially) listen to people talk at length about how tragic and terrible it is to be them, or to be in their lives, or how they’re not real.
You can tell this is an own-voices romance from someone desperate to see themselves represented.
If Clark Kent’s signature glasses did represent autistic masking, they’d been discarded.
Raina is bubbly and optimistic, Tom is more cynical and comes across as dour at first. I wouldn’t call this opposites attract as Elle artfully demonstrates masking and also the desperate need to fit in - even from neurotypicals.
The steamy scenes will have your toes curling, but it is balanced out with emotional resonance.
Yes, it was occasionally cheesy. Yes, the romance felt too perfect, too quickly. But, hey. This is a love story. A projection we can dream about.
“No one is voiceless–some people just don’t know how to vary their listening skills.”
Physical arc gifted by Pan MacMillan.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Raina Lewis is a 28-year-old podcaster spotlighting autistic women. Tom Branimir is an investigative journalist who is known as the King of Cancel Culture. When Tom crosses wits with Raina, he is surprised to find a sparring partner.
As someone who recently got an autism diagnosis, someone who didn’t even realise I could claim a community, a sense of being understood; this hit home.
This book highlights how autistic people (women especially) listen to people talk at length about how tragic and terrible it is to be them, or to be in their lives, or how they’re not real.
You can tell this is an own-voices romance from someone desperate to see themselves represented.
If Clark Kent’s signature glasses did represent autistic masking, they’d been discarded.
Raina is bubbly and optimistic, Tom is more cynical and comes across as dour at first. I wouldn’t call this opposites attract as Elle artfully demonstrates masking and also the desperate need to fit in - even from neurotypicals.
The steamy scenes will have your toes curling, but it is balanced out with emotional resonance.
Yes, it was occasionally cheesy. Yes, the romance felt too perfect, too quickly. But, hey. This is a love story. A projection we can dream about.
“No one is voiceless–some people just don’t know how to vary their listening skills.”
Physical arc gifted by Pan MacMillan.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
November 30, 2025
[arc review] I so badly wanted to enjoy this book and now I feel like the minority while reading everyone’s positive reviews—I just didn’t connect with the story. I think it’s definitely a me problem, because I’m not a huge fan of the writing style and traditionally prefer to read romance in first person.
I did like the way the story touched on the difficulties neurodiverse women face—being told you don’t look like you’re autistic, but then made to feel like you’re just difficult for wanting to establish health boundaries that work for you and make you feel comfortable in a world built for those that are neurotypical.
as someone with debilitating high functioning ADHD—I too struggle establishing boundaries on what is expected of me, so I found myself relating to raina throughout the story.
I didn’t—controversially—like tom, and at times I found myself rolling my eyes at him. I also feel like third act break ups only really work if it makes sense for the plot, but in this it felt predictable and only there to serve as a final push towards the end of the book.
I know that when ‘unapologetic love story’ is published, it’s going to be one of those books that becomes well loved and received by a lot of people—I just wish I was one of them!
I did like the way the story touched on the difficulties neurodiverse women face—being told you don’t look like you’re autistic, but then made to feel like you’re just difficult for wanting to establish health boundaries that work for you and make you feel comfortable in a world built for those that are neurotypical.
as someone with debilitating high functioning ADHD—I too struggle establishing boundaries on what is expected of me, so I found myself relating to raina throughout the story.
I didn’t—controversially—like tom, and at times I found myself rolling my eyes at him. I also feel like third act break ups only really work if it makes sense for the plot, but in this it felt predictable and only there to serve as a final push towards the end of the book.
I know that when ‘unapologetic love story’ is published, it’s going to be one of those books that becomes well loved and received by a lot of people—I just wish I was one of them!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
i enjoyed this a lot!!! a fun romance that packed an emotional punch, true to its comparison to an emily henry novel. also yay for neurodivergent rep!!! we love to see it!!!
the reason this isn’t a higher rating is because i simply couldn’t connect to the characters, especially the mmc, no matter how hard i tried. and i so desperately tried. we just didn’t click. and the third act conflict was so annoying, one of those that feels thrown in just to be there when it really didn’t have to be. but these didn’t ruin the book for me at all!
★ starting a 24 hour readathon and only reading arcs because my netgalley ratio is horrendous 🫠
★ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc, all opinions are my own <3
i enjoyed this a lot!!! a fun romance that packed an emotional punch, true to its comparison to an emily henry novel. also yay for neurodivergent rep!!! we love to see it!!!
the reason this isn’t a higher rating is because i simply couldn’t connect to the characters, especially the mmc, no matter how hard i tried. and i so desperately tried. we just didn’t click. and the third act conflict was so annoying, one of those that feels thrown in just to be there when it really didn’t have to be. but these didn’t ruin the book for me at all!
★ starting a 24 hour readathon and only reading arcs because my netgalley ratio is horrendous 🫠
★ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc, all opinions are my own <3
May 29, 2026
I definitely think I'm in the minority with this one, especially after seeing all the positive reviews! But I can acknowledge that this is a me issue and not the book.
But I just could not connect to the characters in this book, and I didn't even like the MMC which is never a good sign! I thought the third-act break-up was pointless... I need romances to stop doing them. Give me something new because I hate how predictable they are.
That said, the writing was good and I loved how neurodiversity was represented throughout, especially as a neurodiverse woman.
Wish I had loved it, especially as the author was lovely but alas... twas not for me.
I received an advanced copy for free through the publisher (PanMacmillan) and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
But I just could not connect to the characters in this book, and I didn't even like the MMC which is never a good sign! I thought the third-act break-up was pointless... I need romances to stop doing them. Give me something new because I hate how predictable they are.
That said, the writing was good and I loved how neurodiversity was represented throughout, especially as a neurodiverse woman.
Wish I had loved it, especially as the author was lovely but alas... twas not for me.
I received an advanced copy for free through the publisher (PanMacmillan) and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
as an autistic woman, this book hit so close to home on a pretty much permanent basis for me which was equally so amazing and terrifying! it was like Elle McNicoll took a little wander into my brain and started taking notes about my thoughts lmao... i think the world would be a better place if it had the full rundown of Raina's podcast episodes out there, i know i would definitely go running to them
i think in a lot of books at the moment theres such a heavy focus on being perfect from the very start but this book has genuine character improvement and characters that make mistakes (give me more IMMEDIATELY??) this wasnt just the case for our main characters but also our side characters and i absolutely love that the focus was spread out
i will say, there were definitely times that i personally felt like the spice was overflowing but that genuinely is just personal preference?? i wouldve loved to get a few more instances of Tom and Raina taking care of each other in their own little ways
oh please im absolutely OBSESSED with this narrator? the way she perfects every emotion and accent was genuinely a blessing to my ears lmao... i genuinely felt this book through her even more than i already was just out of relatability and man do i love her for it!! genuinely running to check out what else she has narrated immediately!
thank you so much to netgalley, macmilan audio and at. martins press for providing me with an arc and alc of this book - this review is entirely voluntary and honest!
i think in a lot of books at the moment theres such a heavy focus on being perfect from the very start but this book has genuine character improvement and characters that make mistakes (give me more IMMEDIATELY??) this wasnt just the case for our main characters but also our side characters and i absolutely love that the focus was spread out
i will say, there were definitely times that i personally felt like the spice was overflowing but that genuinely is just personal preference?? i wouldve loved to get a few more instances of Tom and Raina taking care of each other in their own little ways
oh please im absolutely OBSESSED with this narrator? the way she perfects every emotion and accent was genuinely a blessing to my ears lmao... i genuinely felt this book through her even more than i already was just out of relatability and man do i love her for it!! genuinely running to check out what else she has narrated immediately!
thank you so much to netgalley, macmilan audio and at. martins press for providing me with an arc and alc of this book - this review is entirely voluntary and honest!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
This rating is 100% because of how this book made me feel 🩷
There were certainly things that I thought could have been better, but I connected so hard with this book that I think it's going to change my life.
The neurodivergence representation here is 🤌🏻
This book not only provides insight into the current state of neurodivergence, but it has the possibility of making the reader feel so understood.
I really don't think there is much else I can say here. I loved this book and absolutely recommend to those who want to see neurodivergence representation 💜
This rating is 100% because of how this book made me feel 🩷
There were certainly things that I thought could have been better, but I connected so hard with this book that I think it's going to change my life.
The neurodivergence representation here is 🤌🏻
This book not only provides insight into the current state of neurodivergence, but it has the possibility of making the reader feel so understood.
I really don't think there is much else I can say here. I loved this book and absolutely recommend to those who want to see neurodivergence representation 💜
April 4, 2026
the most down bad man ever.
I enjoyed this a lot, but some of the moments that were intended to be tense and climatic were so drawn out that they lost steam and fell kind of flat.
I also thought the main conflict (her being a subject of a potential story) was really weak; he was so enamored with her but he didn’t think to reassure her even once that he didn’t want to write about her, and that even from the beginning he only had positive things to say?? Also, I get that he eventually ditches his horrible friends, but he never enjoyed their company in the first place, so why tf did he spend time with them? It would have been more powerful if there was a thread of connection, even tenuous. Instead, they were just cartoonishly evil. In that same vein, I liked the Pepper as a character, and she was written in a really interesting way, but her friendship with Raina did not make any sense to me. I couldn’t feel their connection.
All that said, this was safe (for me), with a smitten, blithering, falling-over-himself in love MMC.
safety deets
-OM: h’s ex shows up, causes some tension, but there’s no lingering feelings from her end. his presence was used more for Pepper’s character development
- OW: none. one or two mention of unserious exes, nothing else.
I enjoyed this a lot, but some of the moments that were intended to be tense and climatic were so drawn out that they lost steam and fell kind of flat.
I also thought the main conflict (her being a subject of a potential story) was really weak; he was so enamored with her but he didn’t think to reassure her even once that he didn’t want to write about her, and that even from the beginning he only had positive things to say?? Also, I get that he eventually ditches his horrible friends, but he never enjoyed their company in the first place, so why tf did he spend time with them? It would have been more powerful if there was a thread of connection, even tenuous. Instead, they were just cartoonishly evil. In that same vein, I liked the Pepper as a character, and she was written in a really interesting way, but her friendship with Raina did not make any sense to me. I couldn’t feel their connection.
All that said, this was safe (for me), with a smitten, blithering, falling-over-himself in love MMC.
safety deets
-OM: h’s ex shows up, causes some tension, but there’s no lingering feelings from her end. his presence was used more for Pepper’s character development
- OW: none. one or two mention of unserious exes, nothing else.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. 4.25⭐️ Jessie Mei Li was the perfect narrator for this book, and I’m amazed at how well she was able to encapsulate a multitude of different characters for this being a single narration!
Neurodivergent representation and a Scottish MMC? Count me in! Honestly, this was such a cute romance. Raina was a relatable FMC, witty and wholly comfortable and confident in her own skin. Tom was flawed and on the more realistic side in terms of a male love interest. I loved this – while the perfect MMC is nice to read about, it’s not practical, and it was refreshing to see a man that felt more authentic.
I laughed, I raged, and I even teared up throughout this story – giving vibes of a rom-com but with a bit more substance! I also loved the interview between Elle McNicoll and Jessie Mei Li at the end and cannot wait for book 2 to come out!
Neurodivergent representation and a Scottish MMC? Count me in! Honestly, this was such a cute romance. Raina was a relatable FMC, witty and wholly comfortable and confident in her own skin. Tom was flawed and on the more realistic side in terms of a male love interest. I loved this – while the perfect MMC is nice to read about, it’s not practical, and it was refreshing to see a man that felt more authentic.
I laughed, I raged, and I even teared up throughout this story – giving vibes of a rom-com but with a bit more substance! I also loved the interview between Elle McNicoll and Jessie Mei Li at the end and cannot wait for book 2 to come out!
April 25, 2026
นิยายรักที่นางเอกเปนออทิสติก เขียนโดยนข.ออทิสติก
ชอบประเด็นที่ใส่มา บางทีอ่านแล้วก้รีเฟลคเหมือนกันว่าเคยไปทำตัว insensitive หรือ ignorant ใส่คนกลุ่มนี้ไหมวะ🥹
แอบคิดว่ามันไปทาง chick lit นิดนึง แต่โรแม้นซ์คือหวานเลยล่ะ พระเอกรักนางเอกมากไม่ไหวแร้วๆๆๆ และถึงเราจะรู้สึกว่ามันยังขาดๆ เกินๆ มีช่วงไม่เก็ตความคิดตลค.อยู่บ้างกับการตัดสินใจในสถานการณ์หลายๆ อย่าง แต่ว่านะ ยี่สิบเปอสุดท้ายคือเลิ้ชชชชชชชชช มีแต่เหตุการณ์ปึ้งๆ พระเอกง้อนางเอกแบร่บ bro that's not grand gesture it's Graundé Ghestqué
spice: 2/5
ชอบประเด็นที่ใส่มา บางทีอ่านแล้วก้รีเฟลคเหมือนกันว่าเคยไปทำตัว insensitive หรือ ignorant ใส่คนกลุ่มนี้ไหมวะ🥹
แอบคิดว่ามันไปทาง chick lit นิดนึง แต่โรแม้นซ์คือหวานเลยล่ะ พระเอกรักนางเอกมากไม่ไหวแร้วๆๆๆ และถึงเราจะรู้สึกว่ามันยังขาดๆ เกินๆ มีช่วงไม่เก็ตความคิดตลค.อยู่บ้างกับการตัดสินใจในสถานการณ์หลายๆ อย่าง แต่ว่านะ ยี่สิบเปอสุดท้ายคือเลิ้ชชชชชชชชช มีแต่เหตุการณ์ปึ้งๆ พระเอกง้อนางเอกแบร่บ bro that's not grand gesture it's Graundé Ghestqué
spice: 2/5
Want to Read
September 9, 2026Adding this to my tbr solely because his last name is...BRANIMIR 👁️👄👁️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a beautiful book with fun moments and spicy bits. I loved the inclusion in this one! The star off is due to the MMC, I dont know why but I just couldn't connect to his character. He seemed dry and lackluster of a character. I tried my best but it just never clicked with him for me. The FMC 100% won me over and carried the story for me though so I guess that made up for it. I saw a comparison of this to Emily Henry books and I can see the similarities! Cute, funny and a little spice! I enjoyed the audiobook version, the narrator did a wonderful job for this wonderful read.
I received this Audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio to listen/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully listening to this audiobook.
I received this Audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio to listen/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully listening to this audiobook.
April 21, 2026
I hugely respect and admire Elle McNicoll for all her work advocating for neurodivergent people, and I've previously loved several of her books. This is her first adult romance, and quite honestly, I struggled with it. I think that's largely because it was, at no fault of the book, Not For Me, which is 100% fine and I really hope a lot of other (autistic) people will connect with it more.
Ultimately, what I took away from this book was mainly that it felt almost like it was intended as a movie rather than a novel. I also think it would work exceedingly well as a movie, it has all those early 2000s UK romcom vibes. But as a novel, it didn't work for me in several small ways.
Mainly, I struggled to really connect with the characters. Raina, because she was just SO witty literally all of the time and it felt a little exhausting to read. Tom, because he seemed to almost worship Raina to an uncomfortable degree. He seemed to think she was entirely perfect, and I would have liked to see a little more nuance in their relationship. I also didn't love how Tom chose physical violence towards some of the bad guys not once but twice, and I really don't see how that could ever be romantic. I genuinely did see the chemistry between them, but it didn't land for me in the end.
I also struggled to read so much hatefulness towards Raina and hatefulness in general through Raina's parents, Tom's friends, Raina's online haters, et cetera. Elle McNicoll has always had a great way to deal with ableism head-on, and it's very valuable, but as a fellow autistic person, I do have a hard time reading it.
Ultimately, what I took away from this book was mainly that it felt almost like it was intended as a movie rather than a novel. I also think it would work exceedingly well as a movie, it has all those early 2000s UK romcom vibes. But as a novel, it didn't work for me in several small ways.
Mainly, I struggled to really connect with the characters. Raina, because she was just SO witty literally all of the time and it felt a little exhausting to read. Tom, because he seemed to almost worship Raina to an uncomfortable degree. He seemed to think she was entirely perfect, and I would have liked to see a little more nuance in their relationship. I also didn't love how Tom chose physical violence towards some of the bad guys not once but twice, and I really don't see how that could ever be romantic. I genuinely did see the chemistry between them, but it didn't land for me in the end.
I also struggled to read so much hatefulness towards Raina and hatefulness in general through Raina's parents, Tom's friends, Raina's online haters, et cetera. Elle McNicoll has always had a great way to deal with ableism head-on, and it's very valuable, but as a fellow autistic person, I do have a hard time reading it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Respectful neurodivergent representation AND a romance spicy enough to make me blush? Oh, this book absolutely knew what it was doing. 🔥💛🎙️
I’ll tell you what: this book really does have the perfect title. It is, unapologetically, a love story. But it’s also a story about identity, advocacy, feminism, ambition, and learning how to fully take up space in the world.
Reina, our FMC, is autistic, and that is central to both the story and her character arc. She hosts a hugely popular podcast called The Disability Track, where she interviews experts and advocates about disability and neurodivergence. When journalist Tom Branimin — known as the “king of cancel culture” — comes to write an exposé on her, their relationship starts off tense and contentious. Naturally, feelings complicate everything. 👀
I’ve read many wonderful books featuring neurodivergent characters — books like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, When We Were Vikings, and the beautifully awkward characters in Emily Austin’s novels — but this one felt different to me because Reina is so deeply aware of herself and her diagnosis. She was diagnosed at 15, and watching her navigate the world with both vulnerability and confidence was honestly beautiful.
As someone who has a child on the autism spectrum, I found the representation incredibly respectful and emotionally moving. There were moments that genuinely brought me to tears. 💛
Tom also has a strong character arc as he begins to reevaluate his work, his motivations, and the kind of person he wants to be. Both characters feel layered and human, and the emotional development between them is written exquisitely.
And yes… this romance is SPICY. 🌶️😂 A little spicier than my personal taste, if I’m being honest, but that’s entirely a preference issue and not a criticism of the book itself. If you like emotional chemistry with a lot of heat, this absolutely delivers.
Bonus points for the London setting and all the British terminology and atmosphere. 🇬🇧 The characters are truly the heart of this story, though — messy, passionate, intelligent people trying to figure themselves out and love each other well.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
📚 Unapologetic Love Story publishes October 13, 2026
⭐️ 4.5 stars
📚 Sometimes a reread changes everything.
I have a personal rule: if I rate an ARC 4.5 or 5 stars, I try to reread it when the finished book comes out. I originally gave Unapologetic Love Story 4.5⭐️, so when I saw the audiobook available, I was excited to experience Rena and Tom’s story again—this time with my ears. 🎧
And… my rating dropped a full star. 😬
I still really appreciate this story and its representation. Rena is autistic, proudly neurodivergent, and hosts a disability-focused podcast. I love that this is a romance that allows an autistic woman to be complicated, ambitious, desirable, sexual, and completely worthy of a big, messy love story. Autistic people deserve those stories, too. 💛
The narrator is also neurodivergent, something she discusses with Elle McNicoll in a wonderful conversation at the end of the audiobook. I really appreciated that intentional casting.
But for me, this story worked much better on the page. 👀 > 👂 The audio felt considerably slower, and I didn’t feel quite the same chemistry between Rena and Tom that I did when I first read it. The performance wasn’t bad—the delivery simply changed the energy of the romance for me.
And yes, it is still VERY spicy. 🌶️🌶️😂 Definitely spicier than my personal preference!
I remain a huge fan of the disability representation, the feminism, the London setting 🇬🇧, and especially Rena’s character arc. I’m glad I revisited it, even if rereading reminded me that sometimes the format really can change how a book lands.
⭐️ Original read: 4.5/5
🎧 Audio reread: 3.5/5
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy! 💛
I’ll tell you what: this book really does have the perfect title. It is, unapologetically, a love story. But it’s also a story about identity, advocacy, feminism, ambition, and learning how to fully take up space in the world.
Reina, our FMC, is autistic, and that is central to both the story and her character arc. She hosts a hugely popular podcast called The Disability Track, where she interviews experts and advocates about disability and neurodivergence. When journalist Tom Branimin — known as the “king of cancel culture” — comes to write an exposé on her, their relationship starts off tense and contentious. Naturally, feelings complicate everything. 👀
I’ve read many wonderful books featuring neurodivergent characters — books like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, When We Were Vikings, and the beautifully awkward characters in Emily Austin’s novels — but this one felt different to me because Reina is so deeply aware of herself and her diagnosis. She was diagnosed at 15, and watching her navigate the world with both vulnerability and confidence was honestly beautiful.
As someone who has a child on the autism spectrum, I found the representation incredibly respectful and emotionally moving. There were moments that genuinely brought me to tears. 💛
Tom also has a strong character arc as he begins to reevaluate his work, his motivations, and the kind of person he wants to be. Both characters feel layered and human, and the emotional development between them is written exquisitely.
And yes… this romance is SPICY. 🌶️😂 A little spicier than my personal taste, if I’m being honest, but that’s entirely a preference issue and not a criticism of the book itself. If you like emotional chemistry with a lot of heat, this absolutely delivers.
Bonus points for the London setting and all the British terminology and atmosphere. 🇬🇧 The characters are truly the heart of this story, though — messy, passionate, intelligent people trying to figure themselves out and love each other well.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
📚 Unapologetic Love Story publishes October 13, 2026
⭐️ 4.5 stars
📚 Sometimes a reread changes everything.
I have a personal rule: if I rate an ARC 4.5 or 5 stars, I try to reread it when the finished book comes out. I originally gave Unapologetic Love Story 4.5⭐️, so when I saw the audiobook available, I was excited to experience Rena and Tom’s story again—this time with my ears. 🎧
And… my rating dropped a full star. 😬
I still really appreciate this story and its representation. Rena is autistic, proudly neurodivergent, and hosts a disability-focused podcast. I love that this is a romance that allows an autistic woman to be complicated, ambitious, desirable, sexual, and completely worthy of a big, messy love story. Autistic people deserve those stories, too. 💛
The narrator is also neurodivergent, something she discusses with Elle McNicoll in a wonderful conversation at the end of the audiobook. I really appreciated that intentional casting.
But for me, this story worked much better on the page. 👀 > 👂 The audio felt considerably slower, and I didn’t feel quite the same chemistry between Rena and Tom that I did when I first read it. The performance wasn’t bad—the delivery simply changed the energy of the romance for me.
And yes, it is still VERY spicy. 🌶️🌶️😂 Definitely spicier than my personal preference!
I remain a huge fan of the disability representation, the feminism, the London setting 🇬🇧, and especially Rena’s character arc. I’m glad I revisited it, even if rereading reminded me that sometimes the format really can change how a book lands.
⭐️ Original read: 4.5/5
🎧 Audio reread: 3.5/5
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy! 💛
April 7, 2026
4.5
Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am no way shape or form a romance reader.
But I am always very excited to try out books by autistic authors or with autism rep in it. So after a bit of debating I decided to give the audiobook a try and I don’t regret it!!
I loved Raina so much, she was so sweetly relatable in very specific ways and a majestic cloud of optimism! I adored the friendships and even kicked my feet at the romance!!
Jessie Mei Lin did an amazing job narrating which was surprising because I didn’t know she narrated but it fit so so perfectly I couldn’t think of anyone else doing it!
Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am no way shape or form a romance reader.
But I am always very excited to try out books by autistic authors or with autism rep in it. So after a bit of debating I decided to give the audiobook a try and I don’t regret it!!
I loved Raina so much, she was so sweetly relatable in very specific ways and a majestic cloud of optimism! I adored the friendships and even kicked my feet at the romance!!
Jessie Mei Lin did an amazing job narrating which was surprising because I didn’t know she narrated but it fit so so perfectly I couldn’t think of anyone else doing it!
September 14, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
This was such a sweet, funny, and heartfelt romance. I really loved how much this story focused on being unapologetically yourself and finding someone who sees you for who you really are. Raina and Tom had such a fun dynamic, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop.
I especially appreciated the representation and the way the book explored masking, feeling like you don’t quite fit in, and what it means to finally feel understood. There were definitely some emotional moments, but there was also plenty of humor and romance to balance it out.
Some parts felt a little too perfect or moved a bit quicker than I would have liked, but overall, this was an enjoyable read that left me with a smile. 💜
I listened to this as a NetGalley audiobook ARC, and it was a great way to experience the story. The narration fit the characters well and kept me engaged throughout.
This was such a sweet, funny, and heartfelt romance. I really loved how much this story focused on being unapologetically yourself and finding someone who sees you for who you really are. Raina and Tom had such a fun dynamic, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop.
I especially appreciated the representation and the way the book explored masking, feeling like you don’t quite fit in, and what it means to finally feel understood. There were definitely some emotional moments, but there was also plenty of humor and romance to balance it out.
Some parts felt a little too perfect or moved a bit quicker than I would have liked, but overall, this was an enjoyable read that left me with a smile. 💜
I listened to this as a NetGalley audiobook ARC, and it was a great way to experience the story. The narration fit the characters well and kept me engaged throughout.
April 27, 2026
3.75* Unapologetic Love Story has all the vibes of a naughties British rom-com, whist also being the antidote to the rampant ableism those classic rom-coms often contain.
I adore both Elle's and Raina's passion for uplifting and highlighting neurodivergent voices and experiences, something that shone through in this book. This is such a wonderfully empowering story, whilst also being enlightening, funny and emotional. I'm definitely looking forward to more romance from Elle in the future.
tw: ableism, disordered eating, body shaming
I adore both Elle's and Raina's passion for uplifting and highlighting neurodivergent voices and experiences, something that shone through in this book. This is such a wonderfully empowering story, whilst also being enlightening, funny and emotional. I'm definitely looking forward to more romance from Elle in the future.
tw: ableism, disordered eating, body shaming
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm usually very consistent at not requesting cishet books as arcs, personally more of a queer fiction reader, but I saw a promo post for this book on insta and was curious so I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did because this was really fun.
I loved how the author approached neurodivergence and diversity, I loved the side characters and how involved in the story they were, I especially enjoyed reading about raina's sister and her shenanigans. This was such an amazing adult debut and I'm thankful to St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved how the author approached neurodivergence and diversity, I loved the side characters and how involved in the story they were, I especially enjoyed reading about raina's sister and her shenanigans. This was such an amazing adult debut and I'm thankful to St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2025
This is Elle McNicoll's adult debut and it is very much an adult novel (sweary words and sexy scenes included!). And as a reader who enjoys romance I really, really enjoyed this book. She has a very (unapologetic) way of telling things like they are in her books. And I love it.
This story focuses on older main characters in their late 20's and early/mid 30's who have a lot of their own lives sorted, which I always enjoy reading. Tom and Raina know who they are, or who they want to be, but just want that one special thing to complete their wee puzzle... And because the characters are older in this book - with a life and jobs and experience - we get sweary words and physical affection and life. We also get to see how the romance between Raina and Tom forms, how they are drawn to each others intellect, wit, and their banter. This is their foundation (and doesn't it just smack 'autistic stereotypes' in the face!) and it's really quite fun to read/watch develop.
I loved this more 'adult' story about an adult autistic woman from Elle McNicoll. Yes, we've read about similar characters in her other books, but in 'Unapologetic Love Story' we also get to talk about the shushed over aspects of being an autistic women, which is refreshing and very much needed. As an autistic woman, I find that is isn't uncommon for people to be surprised that I have emotions, big feels, about things (pick a topic; climate, environment, and human right are some of my favorites) but can't handle wooly jumpers, loud noises/bright spaces, or people telling me to 'smile, it can't be that bad', or f*cking supermarkets . All this to say that this romance book is real, it made me feel seen, and will undoubtedly make others feel seen too. It has a rawness to it, a reality that I feel lends itself to the story. Some romances paint unreal expectations of relationships and life; I don't think this one does, not at it's heart.
Did I shout, sigh, swoon, swear, sweat through drama? Yes, I did. Did I also say 'f*ck yes' and 'isn't that the truth' so many times that I lost count? Also yes. Is Tom so totally swoony, and Raina deserving of all the love. Absolutely. Did I cry a few times? Yes.
And not just because I felt seen. Not just because some of this was too sweet and cute. Not just because I felt the pain of some of Raina's experiences. But because all of those things together. The tears were of sadness and joy combined. Of those big feelings we autistics 'are not meant to have'.
We need more books by neurodivergent authors with neurodivergent characters. I think I get so much joy from books with this representation because it's a reality for so many - and such a diverse reality too. How do we show authors its safe to write like this, that the support is there, that
I received this as an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. It has not affected my opinions - but I did squeal when it came through!
Also I wrote way more than I wanted to here. A simple "Sweary-word yes!" didn't seem appropriate for a GoodReads review. ... I'll do that somewhere else..
This story focuses on older main characters in their late 20's and early/mid 30's who have a lot of their own lives sorted, which I always enjoy reading. Tom and Raina know who they are, or who they want to be, but just want that one special thing to complete their wee puzzle... And because the characters are older in this book - with a life and jobs and experience - we get sweary words and physical affection and life. We also get to see how the romance between Raina and Tom forms, how they are drawn to each others intellect, wit, and their banter. This is their foundation (and doesn't it just smack 'autistic stereotypes' in the face!) and it's really quite fun to read/watch develop.
I loved this more 'adult' story about an adult autistic woman from Elle McNicoll. Yes, we've read about similar characters in her other books, but in 'Unapologetic Love Story' we also get to talk about the shushed over aspects of being an autistic women, which is refreshing and very much needed. As an autistic woman, I find that is isn't uncommon for people to be surprised that I have emotions, big feels, about things (pick a topic; climate, environment, and human right are some of my favorites) but can't handle wooly jumpers, loud noises/bright spaces, or people telling me to 'smile, it can't be that bad', or f*cking supermarkets . All this to say that this romance book is real, it made me feel seen, and will undoubtedly make others feel seen too. It has a rawness to it, a reality that I feel lends itself to the story. Some romances paint unreal expectations of relationships and life; I don't think this one does, not at it's heart.
Did I shout, sigh, swoon, swear, sweat through drama? Yes, I did. Did I also say 'f*ck yes' and 'isn't that the truth' so many times that I lost count? Also yes. Is Tom so totally swoony, and Raina deserving of all the love. Absolutely. Did I cry a few times? Yes.
And not just because I felt seen. Not just because some of this was too sweet and cute. Not just because I felt the pain of some of Raina's experiences. But because all of those things together. The tears were of sadness and joy combined. Of those big feelings we autistics 'are not meant to have'.
We need more books by neurodivergent authors with neurodivergent characters. I think I get so much joy from books with this representation because it's a reality for so many - and such a diverse reality too. How do we show authors its safe to write like this, that the support is there, that
I received this as an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. It has not affected my opinions - but I did squeal when it came through!
Also I wrote way more than I wanted to here. A simple "Sweary-word yes!" didn't seem appropriate for a GoodReads review. ... I'll do that somewhere else..
July 28, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
As someone with Autism, I feel seen.
It felt like something healed inside me a bit as I read this book. It was so understanding and knocked down the stereotypical walls that we tend to get placed into.
You can really see what life is like for our FMC as a woman with Autism. The author does a wonderful way at writing in so that those who are neurodivergent will recognize it and those who are neuro-typical will be able to understand it. This is though only a small part of the story and I really enjoyed the female empowerment that Raina faces throughout it. I got grabbed from the very first sentence and devoured the book. Not only are Raina and Tom, Our Neuro-typical MMC, fleshed out, but the author did a great job at writing the supporting characters. There are some you love, some you hate and some you love to hate. Even Raina's best friend got to be a bit much at times but I liked that aspect as it felt like a real person. No one is one-dimensional.
This story is fun but it packs a powerful message that I feel will make a huge impact to those who read it.
As someone with Autism, I feel seen.
It felt like something healed inside me a bit as I read this book. It was so understanding and knocked down the stereotypical walls that we tend to get placed into.
You can really see what life is like for our FMC as a woman with Autism. The author does a wonderful way at writing in so that those who are neurodivergent will recognize it and those who are neuro-typical will be able to understand it. This is though only a small part of the story and I really enjoyed the female empowerment that Raina faces throughout it. I got grabbed from the very first sentence and devoured the book. Not only are Raina and Tom, Our Neuro-typical MMC, fleshed out, but the author did a great job at writing the supporting characters. There are some you love, some you hate and some you love to hate. Even Raina's best friend got to be a bit much at times but I liked that aspect as it felt like a real person. No one is one-dimensional.
This story is fun but it packs a powerful message that I feel will make a huge impact to those who read it.
August 23, 2026
Well, this was ridiculously swoony 🥹💕
I buddy read Unapologetic Love Story and spent half the book sending quotes back and forth because there were SO many moments that made me melt. Tom makes mistakes, but the way he communicates with Raina, shows up for her, and continually finds ways to show her how he feels? Top-notch book boyfriend behavior. The acts of service alone!! 🫠
But Raina was really the heart of this for me. She’s funny, eccentric, romantic, and determined to live a life where she doesn’t have to apologize for who she is. I loved that her neurodiversity and disability are a huge part of her story without ever becoming her entire story.
And I especially loved that she doesn’t allow anyone to turn her into an inspiration. She doesn’t exist to teach everyone else a beautiful lesson about overcoming adversity. This is simply her life. She gets to want things, struggle, fall in love, make mistakes, need accommodations, be messy, and take up space without apologizing for any of it. THAT felt important.
There’s also so much here about the way we present ourselves to other people, especially online. Podcasts, trolls, cancel culture, class, privilege, public personas… it feels incredibly current without losing the dreamy romance at the center of it all.
I read this in less than a day because I genuinely did not want to put it down. Romantic, thoughtful, incredibly swoony, and such refreshing neurodivergent representation 💕✨
Five very easy stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕
I buddy read Unapologetic Love Story and spent half the book sending quotes back and forth because there were SO many moments that made me melt. Tom makes mistakes, but the way he communicates with Raina, shows up for her, and continually finds ways to show her how he feels? Top-notch book boyfriend behavior. The acts of service alone!! 🫠
But Raina was really the heart of this for me. She’s funny, eccentric, romantic, and determined to live a life where she doesn’t have to apologize for who she is. I loved that her neurodiversity and disability are a huge part of her story without ever becoming her entire story.
And I especially loved that she doesn’t allow anyone to turn her into an inspiration. She doesn’t exist to teach everyone else a beautiful lesson about overcoming adversity. This is simply her life. She gets to want things, struggle, fall in love, make mistakes, need accommodations, be messy, and take up space without apologizing for any of it. THAT felt important.
There’s also so much here about the way we present ourselves to other people, especially online. Podcasts, trolls, cancel culture, class, privilege, public personas… it feels incredibly current without losing the dreamy romance at the center of it all.
I read this in less than a day because I genuinely did not want to put it down. Romantic, thoughtful, incredibly swoony, and such refreshing neurodivergent representation 💕✨
Five very easy stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕
February 16, 2026
Unapologetic Love Story by Elle McNicoll is hands down one of my favorites of 2026. Yes I know the year’s just started but trust me, it’ll take a lot to bump this one down the list. I have to preface this review by admitting that Elle McNicoll is one of my favorite authors and Some Kind of Spark captured my type of autism so extremely well I force everyone around me to read it (while I keep Role Model close to my heart because of the relatable school trauma). So I already am quite familiar with everything she wrote. I loved her YA romances already, but this one. THIS ONE.
If you’re autistic, stop reading this review and (pre)order it. It is 100% healing. It is a warm hug, a familiar space with understanding and love. If you’re not autistic, please order this one too but you might want to read this review first.
What I love is that you can really feel and see what autism is like for the main character Raina, both in her POV and when Tom is trying to understand her. It makes it recognisable for fellow autistics, and at the same time it gets explained to a neurotypical reader who slowly will get to know Raina’s autism. It’s so beautifully done it made me cry. But of course this book, like the main character, is so much more than autism! It’s just my focus as a fellow autistic. Because the story is amazing too, I was sucked into this stort at page 1, it didn’t let me go. The supporting characters are so layered! Raina’s best friend was at times unbearable and at other times amazing, she felt so real to me!
But Tom and Raina themselves really shone in this one. Their meetings and banter and getting to know each other is chef’s kiss and I was so invested in their relationship and the plot! It is very character driven, just how I like it, but enough happens to keep it interesting. This novel is truly fun, yet deep and meaningful with a message simmering underneath. I can honestly say this is my favorite romance book ever and I will be rereading this many times in the future.
I received a free copy through netgalley, many thanks, but my opinions are my own.
If you’re autistic, stop reading this review and (pre)order it. It is 100% healing. It is a warm hug, a familiar space with understanding and love. If you’re not autistic, please order this one too but you might want to read this review first.
What I love is that you can really feel and see what autism is like for the main character Raina, both in her POV and when Tom is trying to understand her. It makes it recognisable for fellow autistics, and at the same time it gets explained to a neurotypical reader who slowly will get to know Raina’s autism. It’s so beautifully done it made me cry. But of course this book, like the main character, is so much more than autism! It’s just my focus as a fellow autistic. Because the story is amazing too, I was sucked into this stort at page 1, it didn’t let me go. The supporting characters are so layered! Raina’s best friend was at times unbearable and at other times amazing, she felt so real to me!
But Tom and Raina themselves really shone in this one. Their meetings and banter and getting to know each other is chef’s kiss and I was so invested in their relationship and the plot! It is very character driven, just how I like it, but enough happens to keep it interesting. This novel is truly fun, yet deep and meaningful with a message simmering underneath. I can honestly say this is my favorite romance book ever and I will be rereading this many times in the future.
I received a free copy through netgalley, many thanks, but my opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An incredibly refreshing romance novel. Raina is a podcaster behind the show, The Disability Track, on which she discusses autism and interviews disabled people. Tom is a writer, well known for his take downs of terrible people, earning him the nickname, the "King of Cancel Culture."
The pair meet at an extravagant event and are immediately drawn to one another. Tom thinks she might be a good story for his book, but quickly realises that she's so much more than fodder for his writing. Raina is reluctant, hesitant to let him in, especially when so many horrible and ableist comments have been said about her before.
Luckily, they continue to spend time together and Raina begins to let Tom in. The more he sees, the more he finds to like. But the world is cruel to autistic women, especially successful, attractive autistic women who don't fit the preconceived ideas of what an autistic woman "should" be like. Tom and Raina might be able to unmask in the comfort of her Barnes home, but in the outside world it's a different story.
This book truly has it all, brilliant side characters, spicy scenes, great representation, thoughtful social commentary and a third act conflict that actually makes sense.
I thought I was sick of romance books, but I just needed to read this.
Unapologetic Love Story is Elle McNicoll's first adult book, but reads so naturally that I would've thought she's been writing for this audience forever. I'm definitely going to read her YA books now!
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the eARC.
The pair meet at an extravagant event and are immediately drawn to one another. Tom thinks she might be a good story for his book, but quickly realises that she's so much more than fodder for his writing. Raina is reluctant, hesitant to let him in, especially when so many horrible and ableist comments have been said about her before.
Luckily, they continue to spend time together and Raina begins to let Tom in. The more he sees, the more he finds to like. But the world is cruel to autistic women, especially successful, attractive autistic women who don't fit the preconceived ideas of what an autistic woman "should" be like. Tom and Raina might be able to unmask in the comfort of her Barnes home, but in the outside world it's a different story.
This book truly has it all, brilliant side characters, spicy scenes, great representation, thoughtful social commentary and a third act conflict that actually makes sense.
I thought I was sick of romance books, but I just needed to read this.
Unapologetic Love Story is Elle McNicoll's first adult book, but reads so naturally that I would've thought she's been writing for this audience forever. I'm definitely going to read her YA books now!
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I wanted so badly to love this story, and while I did love Raina, our FMC, the rest of the story fell flat to me.
Let me start with Raina because I just absolutely adored her. She had so much life and personality in her character and I loved getting to know her throughout the story. She felt like a fully realized character, with her own interests, struggles, relationships, and just so much personality. I really enjoyed how the book explores autism through Raina as well. It showed how she experienced the world, the difficulties of navigating through a world that wasn't built to consider neurodivergent people. I really liked that it wasn't treated as something to be "fixed", but something that's simply part of her. I especially loved seeing what love and relationships can look like from her perspective and I really did appreciate the discussions of disability as a whole.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same way for Tom, the MMC. At all. I never really felt like he was his own character outside of being Raina's love interest. He obviously had his own personality and goals, but they didn't feel developed to me and so much of his characterization revolved around how he felt for Raina. And because he was so head over heels for her from the start, it didn't feel like he was falling for her, but instead was infatuated with the idea of her. I'm usually a fan of the "he falls first and harder" trope, but his feelings developed so quickly that it felt unnatural to me. I wanted more time to see him develop his feelings as he got to know her, rather than him being so immediately captivated by the fact that she was different from what he was used to.
Because of that, the romance ended up feeling a little forced and insta-love-ish to me. Which is a shame because I really liked Raina and wanted to love their relationship. I also usually enjoy third-act breakups (unpopular opinion, I know) but unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy this book's take on it. It felt unnecessary to me and like it didn't add anything more to the story or their relationship.
The audiobook was another thing I really enjoyed though. The narrator put so much personality into the characters and I appreciated how easy it was to differentiate them. Their tones and accents were distinct enough that it felt like each character had their own voice.
Despite not loving the book, I still really appreciated the way the book explored Raina's experiences as a woman with autism, and what it's like living life with disabilities as a whole.
I wanted so badly to love this story, and while I did love Raina, our FMC, the rest of the story fell flat to me.
Let me start with Raina because I just absolutely adored her. She had so much life and personality in her character and I loved getting to know her throughout the story. She felt like a fully realized character, with her own interests, struggles, relationships, and just so much personality. I really enjoyed how the book explores autism through Raina as well. It showed how she experienced the world, the difficulties of navigating through a world that wasn't built to consider neurodivergent people. I really liked that it wasn't treated as something to be "fixed", but something that's simply part of her. I especially loved seeing what love and relationships can look like from her perspective and I really did appreciate the discussions of disability as a whole.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same way for Tom, the MMC. At all. I never really felt like he was his own character outside of being Raina's love interest. He obviously had his own personality and goals, but they didn't feel developed to me and so much of his characterization revolved around how he felt for Raina. And because he was so head over heels for her from the start, it didn't feel like he was falling for her, but instead was infatuated with the idea of her. I'm usually a fan of the "he falls first and harder" trope, but his feelings developed so quickly that it felt unnatural to me. I wanted more time to see him develop his feelings as he got to know her, rather than him being so immediately captivated by the fact that she was different from what he was used to.
Because of that, the romance ended up feeling a little forced and insta-love-ish to me. Which is a shame because I really liked Raina and wanted to love their relationship. I also usually enjoy third-act breakups (unpopular opinion, I know) but unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy this book's take on it. It felt unnecessary to me and like it didn't add anything more to the story or their relationship.
The audiobook was another thing I really enjoyed though. The narrator put so much personality into the characters and I appreciated how easy it was to differentiate them. Their tones and accents were distinct enough that it felt like each character had their own voice.
Despite not loving the book, I still really appreciated the way the book explored Raina's experiences as a woman with autism, and what it's like living life with disabilities as a whole.
September 9, 2026
This book was so refreshing! I always love a book with autism rep, but this one just hit differently for me. A lot of books featuring autistic characters tend to focus heavily on the negatives, so it was really refreshing to read one that held other people accountable for their crappy mindsets and narrow-mindedness.
Raina was such a breath of fresh air. She was so bubbly and kind, even while battling her own inner demons and trying to navigate everything life was throwing at her. I adored her positivity towards the community and her determination to make a difference.
At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of Tom, but he definitely showed some serious personal growth throughout the book. And let’s face it, the way he treated Raina was adorable. That boy fell, and he fell HARD. 😂 Also, when he finally binned off those awful friends of his, I was jumping for joy!
This is such a sweet and impactful romance, and I’d definitely recommend everyone pick it up.
Also, bonus points for being set in London! 🇬🇧❤️
Raina was such a breath of fresh air. She was so bubbly and kind, even while battling her own inner demons and trying to navigate everything life was throwing at her. I adored her positivity towards the community and her determination to make a difference.
At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of Tom, but he definitely showed some serious personal growth throughout the book. And let’s face it, the way he treated Raina was adorable. That boy fell, and he fell HARD. 😂 Also, when he finally binned off those awful friends of his, I was jumping for joy!
This is such a sweet and impactful romance, and I’d definitely recommend everyone pick it up.
Also, bonus points for being set in London! 🇬🇧❤️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ahhhhh....I'm so disappointed that I didn't love this. I loved the autism representation in here and how there was this eye roll moment of what people think and assume.
I was having the grandest of times in the beginning. Her attitude was so funny and great that it drew me in.
But I just couldn't connect. I thought Tom was off and the way their first meeting went...it just soured the book for me.
I think after that point, Raina started to feel exhausting to read....I totally hear them on how they need to be careful or else they could be used, but every single time she sees Tom that point gets reiterated.
I was having the grandest of times in the beginning. Her attitude was so funny and great that it drew me in.
But I just couldn't connect. I thought Tom was off and the way their first meeting went...it just soured the book for me.
I think after that point, Raina started to feel exhausting to read....I totally hear them on how they need to be careful or else they could be used, but every single time she sees Tom that point gets reiterated.
June 18, 2026
ARC REVIEW:
What a lovely book. This book was unapologetically and beautifully written. So many of the books that I have been reading recently have lacked a strong powerful female main character and Raina was exactly that. Tom was also such a great male main character and I love it when the man falls first and harder. Even the third act break up of this book was good (even though miscommunication is my least favorite quote). This book was so amazing and I was so glad I was able to receive an advanced copy of it.
⭐️4.5/5
What a lovely book. This book was unapologetically and beautifully written. So many of the books that I have been reading recently have lacked a strong powerful female main character and Raina was exactly that. Tom was also such a great male main character and I love it when the man falls first and harder. Even the third act break up of this book was good (even though miscommunication is my least favorite quote). This book was so amazing and I was so glad I was able to receive an advanced copy of it.
⭐️4.5/5
May 5, 2026
4.5💫
Ugh🥹
Ugh🥹
May 9, 2026
I really wanted to love this book but it just felt like something was missing. The story and characters were all very obvious stereotypes and it just lacked depth for me. 3 stars as it was a nice story, super easy to read with good writing and I finished it🤷♀️
April 15, 2026
4,5 ✨ ‘He loved me unapologetically. He saw me and loved me in and out of my mask. Now I no longer wear one. My whole life, I’ve felt unnatural. But with him, everything is easy. I feel more natural than ever before. I feel human. For the first time.’
I enjoyed this story a lot and am so glad to have listened to the audio-book read by Jessie Mei Lee, a neurodivergent actress, who brought the story to life beautifully. I loved her narration, the characters and the steamy romance. This book felt full of hope and possibilities and I thoroughly adored it and hope lots of people will read and enjoy it as well.
I enjoyed this story a lot and am so glad to have listened to the audio-book read by Jessie Mei Lee, a neurodivergent actress, who brought the story to life beautifully. I loved her narration, the characters and the steamy romance. This book felt full of hope and possibilities and I thoroughly adored it and hope lots of people will read and enjoy it as well.
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