Unapologetic Love Story - Elle McNicoll

Raina runs a successful podcast spotlighting autistic women called 'The Disability Track' and lives in London, spending her free time with her best friend and socialite Pepper Cousins.  During a charity event at at the V&A, Raina meets Tom Branimir, an investigative journalist who takes an interest in Raina.  Their first meeting is less than successful on Tom's part but, undeterred, he pursues Raina, to find out more about her for his book and because he finds her fascinating. 

What unfolds is a love story that will draw you in and sweep you away.

I don't quite know where to begin with this review, and before I've even begun typing I know that my words will not be able to do this book the justice it deserves.  Unapologetic Love Story is an utter triumph and Elle deserves all the praise and accolades that will undoubtedly come her way when this book publishes in April.

What I loved:

• Raina is a master-piece (she's strong, fiercely independent, funny and blows serious raspberries at autistic stereotyping).
• Tom is deliciously at odds with himself, battling the strength of his feelings with his professional curiosity.
• There are host of other wonderful people in the book; some you will love, some will make you squirm and some will really touch your heart.
• The romance: the tension and the thrill of the chase; the will they, won't they... the need to keep reading to find out if they do... ❤️
• The sex: steamy and romantic! 
• The twist you think is coming but you desperately hope isn't, then the tension to see if what you really want to happen in the end happens ... 
• The fact that I got completely lost in the book and had to be reminded to eat!
•  Dalkeith.  Ok, this is a personal one for me but as a kid, we used to drive through here to get to my grandparents' and it's where my grandad used to go on a Saturday to buy his weekly bag of sweets! Every time the town is mentioned, I can hear him saying the name in his wonderful Scottish accent and it brings back such fond memories.
• The fact that I love a good romance story and this is absolutely that.

Unapologetic Love Story is unapologetically brilliant. I read it in one sitting and got completely and utterly swept away by it. This is Elle's first book for adults but I sincerely hope it won't be her last.  For so many reasons, this book left me completely broken in the very best way (there were many tissues used!) and I woke this morning still thinking about it.  I said it at the beginning of this review and I'll say it again: Unapologetic Love Story is an utter triumph and I can't wait for the rest of the world to read it when it publishes on the 2nd April.