The love story we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. Owen Nicholls’ gorgeous romantic comedy, Love, Unscripted, is published in hardback today by Hachette / Headline.

Can love ever be as it is in the movies? Nick and Ellie are about to find out…

It’s​ ​2012​ ​and​ ​Nick​ ​loves​ ​Ellie.​ ​He​ ​loves​ ​her​ ​easily​ ​as​ ​much​ ​as he​ ​loves​ ​his​ ​job​ ​as​ ​a​ ​projectionist.​ ​So​ ​when​ ​she​ ​tells​ ​him​ ​she​ ​doesn’t​ ​feel​ ​the​ ​same​ ​as​ ​when they​ ​first​ ​met,​ ​his​ ​world​ ​collapses.

The​ ​fallout​ ​from​ ​Ellie’s​ ​declaration​ ​causes​ ​Nick​ ​to​ ​reminisce​ ​about​ ​their​ ​first​ ​meeting, but his memories​ are​ ​as​ ​rose-tinted​ ​as​ ​the Hollywood​ ​love​ ​stories​ ​he​ ​idolises. ​​He’s haunted by ​their shared​ ​jokes,​ ​her wry smile and how perfectly everything​ ​fell​ ​into​ ​place​ ​that​ ​one​ night.​ ​

Four​ ​years​ ​later,​ ​however,​ ​Nick​ ​is​ ​struggling​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​why​ ​Ellie​ ​is​ ​gone​ ​and​ ​why he​ ​can’t​ ​seem​ ​to​ ​do​ ​anything​ ​about​ ​it.​ ​He​ ​checks​ ​his​ ​phone​ ​for​ ​messages​ ​from​ ​her,​ ​drafts texts​ ​to​ ​send​ ​and​ ​finds​ ​solace​ ​watching​ ​old​ ​Hal​ ​Ashby​ ​films.

But what did she really mean when she said her feelings have changed? Could their love ever be the same as it was that perfect first night in 2008?

Nick is about to find out that perhaps real love is better than reel love.

US rights were snapped up by Penguin Random House / Crown for publication in February next year, and it has also sold into Germany, Sweden, Italy and Canada.

The novel has received high praise from early reviews:

“High Fidelity for the multiplex generation. Owen Nicholls makes it look easy but it’s a smart and funny book, laced with wisdom. A lovely, warm, engaging read.”Richard Lumsden, author of The Six Loves of Billy Binns

“A gorgeous romcom filled with movie references and Obama-era nostalgia” Kate Davies, author of In At The Deep End

“This is one of the best books I have ever read. If When Harry Met Sally and High Fidelity had a book baby, this would be it“ Emma Cooper, author of The Songs of Us

“A properly funny, clever, bittersweet romcom” Richard Roper, author of Something to Live For

“One of the most realistic love stories I have read” Michelle Elman, author of Am I Ugly?

A complete delight for film lovers (and lovers of love)”. Holly Bourne, bestselling YA and Adult author

Owen Nicholls is a screenwriter with a Masters in Scriptwriting from the UEA.

His first screenplay – a biopic of the filmmakers Powell and Pressburger – is currently under option to Bedlam Productions, the BAFTA and Academy Award-winning producers of The King’s Speech. His work has appeared in Empire and NME, and in 2018 Love, Unscripted was selected for the Escalator Scheme run by the Writers’ Centre in Norwich, where he currently lives with his family.

Owen is our next author in the author interview series. Check it out here.