Novel set across 20th Century CEYLON
A novel of neurodiversity and romance set around LONDON
22nd July 2026
Unapologetic Love Story by Elle McNicoll, a novel of neurodiversity and romance set in London.
Raina Lewis has a terrifically popular podcast that celebrates neurodiverse women. The novel opens as she gives a lecture at a posh girls’ school and drills down to the fundamentals of education to great applause. Rain-Man, she emphasises, is not the be-all and end-all of talking about autism.
Tom Branimir is an investigative journalist who has been given the epithet of the “King of Cancel Culture”. What can possibly go wrong (or right) when they meet? Both attend a do at the V&A and indulge in quite some repartee, therefore it is a surprise when he wants to profile her for his upcoming book.
They are, of course, thrown together on various occasions, although they have monumentally different perspectives and experiences, which naturally leads to sparring, humour and sharp interchanges. And perhaps just a bit of burgeoning romance?
There is plenty of learning about being neurodivergent, although it is not in any way didactic, the storyline highlights the issues that crop up time and again for people who are neurodivergent. Raina has real backbone as she lays out her perceptions and thoughts and navigates her way through her life.
The London setting isn’t particularly strong, but the author amusingly paints the city through the eyes of Tom’s sister Mirren, a newbie in London, still in the honeymoon phase: “She found Leicester Square charming. The M&M store’s presence didn’t cause her to break out in hives – yet… She enjoyed the tube. She hadn’t learned to avoid Bank Station..” She will, of course, soon learn what being in London is really like!
The story could be read in tandem with Hits Different by Tasha Ghouri and Lizzi Huxley-Jones, a “New Adult” novel set on Ibiza.
The hardback cover is a bright and silver manifestation, very eye-catching.
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