Synopsis
Enter Raina Lewis, London’s hottest It Girl – effortlessly cool, endlessly intriguing, and beloved for her smash-hit podcast spotlighting autistic women. But not everyone’s convinced by the hype. Investigative journalist and ‘King of Cancel Culture’, Tom Branimir is sure there’s more to Raina than meets the eye. He’s determined to uncover her secret. . . if he can just manage not to fall for her first.
UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE STORY is an unapologetic celebration of love, relationships and the women who have historically been shut out of such stories, until now . . . Elle McNicoll is about to become everyone’s favourite new name in adult romance.
Review
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.”
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