July 19, 2021
Nicholls delivers an underwhelming will-they-won’t-they in his sophomore romance (after Love, Unscripted). Tom Delany and Jess Henson first notice each other across a crowded coffee shop, but Jess’s blind date sends Tom running before they can talk to each other. The next time they meet, Tom accidentally bowls Jess over, leaving her with a skinned knee. Despite this rocky start, the couple reconnect after a showcase in Edinburgh where Tom’s band plays and Jess does stand-up. They hit it off and share a magical night—but this too turns out to be a false start when Tom’s best friend mentions the long-distance girlfriend Tom invented as an excuse to visit his grandfather’s grave without telling his friends where he’s going. Before he can explain that he’s not really in a relationship, Jess storms off. But over the next few years, the pair continue to bump into each other, and their chemistry is reaffirmed—if only it weren’t always a case of wrong place, wrong time. There’s the frustrating feeling here that Jess and Tom’s problems could be easily resolved if they were allowed to have a real conversation. Meanwhile, Tom comes across as angry and pretentious, while Jess does most of the heavy lifting to make their relationship work. This is one to skip.
August 15, 2021
A comedian and a musician just might be a perfect match, if only they can get the timing right. Jess Henson meets Tom Delaney when he literally runs into her, knocking her to the ground outside an Indian restaurant in Edinburgh. She's an up-and-coming comedian who dreams of having her big break, while he's in a band that hopes to find success. Despite their movieworthy meet-cute, Tom runs off, squashing any hope for a romance. They meet again when they're both featured at an artist showcase. They each have their own problems--Jess has a distrust of most people because her dad split when she was a kid, while Tom has severe anxiety that causes him to say the wrong things, self-medicate with alcohol, and even make up a fake girlfriend so his band mates won't think he's pathetic--but despite their communication problems, they feel a connection and spend a perfect evening together. That is, until they get jumped by some drunk football fans and Tom ends up in the hospital. Jess comes along, but then Tom's best friend shows up and mentions Tom's (fake) girlfriend. Tom is too doped up on painkillers to set the record straight, and Jess leaves, thus beginning a yearslong string of near misses and almost-kisses for Jess and Tom. Each time they reconnect, there's something in the way--Jess' bitterness, Tom's anxiety, one of them seeing someone else. As their careers take off, they both have to figure out exactly what success means for them--and whether it involves each other. Nicholls writes with warmth and humor, giving Jess and Tom fully developed lives, friends, and families. It's satisfying to watch them grow over the years, though the personal failings that keep them apart can be frustrating to read as their would-be relationship stalls again and again. Nicholls isn't afraid to let Tom and Jess get mean and deal with personal tragedy (such as Tom's musician grandfather's death, Tom's alcoholism and anxiety, and Jess' relationship with her absent father), giving the story a realism that anchors the lighter aspects of their romance. An angst-filled love story about the value of growth and understanding.
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September 7, 2021
From their first encounter, Jess and Tom feel a connection, but their timing isn't quite right. Over several years, their paths continue to cross. Tom is in a band, and Jess is a comedian. Sparks fly at a show in Edinburgh when both perform there, but any potential for romance ceases when Jess is led to believe that Tom has a girlfriend. It turns out that Tom has been lying to his bandmates. By the time the record is set straight, their careers are taking off, pushing them away from each other as they perform in different places around the globe. Despite miscommunications, other lovers, and many frustrations, Jess and Tom continually find themselves pulled back towards each other in the hope that someday will be the perfect time. Although Nicholls, author of Love, Unscripted (2020), has orchestrated comedic moments and created a witty love story, the novel deals not only with the drama and complexities of Jess and Tom's relationship but also with their relationships with family and friends. The couple are flawed, like all humans, and their individual discoveries make their happily-ever-after ending extra satisfying.
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