BLOGTOUR: Love, Unscripted - Owen Nicholls

Owen Nicholls’ Love, Unscripted is an uplifting love story, following film projectionist Nick as he tries to understand the difference between love on the silver screen and love in real life. 

Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Nick Hornby and Laura Barnett. 

For Nick, love should look like it does on the big screen. And when he meets Ellie on the eve of the 2008 presidential election, it finally does. For four blissful years, Nick loved Ellie as much as he loved his job as a film projectionist in his local cinema. Life seemed pictureperfect. But now it’s 2012, Ellie has moved out and Nick’s trying to figure out where it all went wrong. With Ellie gone and his life falling part, Nick wonders if their romance could ever be as perfect as the night they met. Can love really be as it is in the movies?

My Review:

If only our lives were like the films that we all enjoy… if love played out like the iconic scenes we all know so well.

For film enthusiast Nick, we read his struggles, his inner dialogue; we discover his insecurities and what he puts at risk because he cannot see a way by them.

Love, Unscripted is a wonderful take on someone moving through his 20s into his 30s with who is a complicated, worried soul and how he perceives the relationships he has with everyone around him.

I love how the story of Nick meeting Ellie is interspersed throughout the whole book, as parts of his life seem to break down, we get to see more about their first encounter. I remember the excitement and anticipation that surrounded the 2008 US presidential election, the general feelings of hope for a nation which serves here as a good reflection for the hope and anticipation in this blossoming relationship between the two young characters.

Nicks character frustrated me, I liked him and think he was a funny, quirky character but annoying at times. His inability to see anything from another perspective, well yes it makes him who he is, part of the problem I guess but frustratingly selfish. I do like how he is written, very realistic and very relatable to a lot of people nowadays.  I was rooting for him though, I wanted him to be happy and figure out the best ways forward, I was willing him on and wishing he would sort himself out.

I like how this book is very true to life, realistic characters and realistic situations – sometimes we are given characters that just aren’t relatable but here we have plenty. They all have problems; they are all flawed in one way or another; nobody has the perfect life, and all have a rollercoaster of life experiences.

I loved all the film references littered throughout – you are bound to find one from a film you enjoy. I found myself chuckling away as I was reading, it is really amusing and rather witty. Very well structured and wonderfully written, I thoroughly enjoyed this realistic and modern love story. 

About the Author:  

Owen Nicholls is a screenwriter with a Masters in Scriptwriting from the UEA. His work has appeared in Empire and NME, and earlier this year Love, Unscripted was selected for the Escalator Scheme run by Writers' Centre in Norwich.

Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OwenNicholls

Somewhere Beyond The Sea - Miranda Dickinson

Available here on Amazon 

Miranda Dickinson's Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a romantic tale full of love, stars, living your own life and accepting the magic that can be found all around.

Seren MacArthur is living a life she never intended. Desperately trying to save the Cornish seaside business her late father built – while grieving for his loss. Seren has pushed her own dreams to one side and the pressures soon take a toll. One morning she discovers a half-finished sea glass star on her favourite beach, and cannot resist completing it.  One simple action starts a whole chain of events that will change everything.

Jack Dixon is desperate – wanting work to ensure he can give his young daughter Nessie the life she deserves. Recently widowed and made homeless, Jack has managed to somehow kept their heads above water. Creating seaglass stars with Nessie soon becomes something truly special for them both and the duo discover the magic they need to see a positive future.

Seren and Jack are both searching for something that is missing in their lives, but when they meet in real life, it’s on the opposing sides of a battle. Both have a definite reason to fight –but only one can win. With so much at stake, will they ever find what they are really looking for?
Miranda Dickinson (@wurdsmyth) has given us an incredibly heart-warming tale that transports you to the idyllic, St Ives. A location that adds some extra magic to this wonderful book, written with such description you feel like you are right there (and you definitively wish you were!) We are introduced to the hardworking and creative Seren, a young woman passionately, yet quietly, grieving the loss of her father; and Jack - a single father focused on giving his energetic daughter and with doing whatever it takes to provide her with all the love, attention, and security she needs. 
The characters and their stories of loss broke my heart in such a real way. I identify with both characters - the grief of losing a father and the heartbreak of being left a young widow (although my reality is we had no children and we were very much in love - so not quite the same as Jack). Without my Dad, I feel like a small girl wandering alone without the security and protection I always felt from him and this made everything Seren felt and did more important, I felt like I was with her in every heartbeat, every thought.

Nessie is fantastic; her character providing fun, comedic moments as well as melting your heart with her honest, innocent views on life. The relationship she has with her father is simply gorgeous, the love they have for each other is almost tangible and reflects what I imagine the relationship between Seren and her Dad was like when she was that age. Also, a very real reminder of the love I lost and deeply miss – as I am sure many other readers will feel too. 
I loved how the story was told through the dual narrative, having it unfold equally from both perspectives and understanding the motives behind each character’s actions.  I find the alternating chapters a treat, quite short and fast paced, it makes it difficult to put down as you desperately want to know each character next move. (It’s difficult enough as it’s such a beautiful book anyway). 

Although this is a love story, a real head over heels tale of falling for someone when it’s least expected, it isn’t all the story is. It is a beautiful reminder of how delicate and fragile we are (like the sea-glass), how deeply we can feel and how although we may be broken, we can still sparkle and shine – especially when you find something, or someone, to feel passionate about. It’s also about how we must, at times, look beyond what we need for ourselves and think about what those around us need more.

Somewhere Beyond The Sea is beautifully written, with characters you love and themes that you will easily identify with. It’s something special and you will not want to put it down. It’s not often something resonates SO deeply and personally. It’s a must read, you’ll be enchanted. 

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

The Perfectly Imperfect Woman - Milly Johnson

Available here on Amazon

I am a huge advocate of visiting and using your local library. My earliest memory is being taken to the library and thumbing through the children's books - taking great delight in selecting which I would take home with me. This excitement has never lessened and now as an adult, I love being able to take home more than I could when I was a child. I can never come away with just a couple. 
'The Perfectly Imperfect Woman' by the marvelous Milly Johnson (follow her on twitter @millyjohnson) is what my library classes as a '7 Day - Chart Topper'  meaning you can take it out but must return it within 7 days and you cannot renew it. Its like some kind of exciting reading challenge I guess. I needn't of worried - it took me less than 24 hours to read this wonderful tale...

Marnie Salt has had a difficult life, mostly due to things beyond her control. After years of continually being made to feel unloved and always at fault she has often made bad choices that seem to end in bigger problems. The lack of love within Marnie’s life is apparent from the outset, adopted by a woman who never shows her love or attention but blames her for everything that goes wrong. We are given glimpses into Marnies’ beginnings but jump to her as a successful,if not lonely, woman. Marnie has worked hard and has a great career, she is successful and has aspirations about continuing to do well but it’s evident she has not had the same success in her personal life. Friends that have abandoned her, failed relationships with the totally wrong types of men leaves Marnie spending many a weekend alone and getting far too drunk. This is how she meets Lillian - an old lady causing a storm on a cheesecake chat room. Marnie, in a drunken stupor, bares her soul to Lillian, divulging her innermost thoughts and feelings. This is the beginning of an amazing friendship that is bound to change both their lives. After a crisis, Marnie needs an escape and Lillian is more than happy to provide this. Marnie is welcomed into Lillian’s life and village -Wychwell- with open arms just not by all that live there. Village folk are suspicious and Marnie in turn feels that maybe this is just another place she doesn’t belong and through the events that suddenly transpire, that it may be time to leave and look for another escape. Marnie soon comes to realise that Wychwell has taken her for its own and knows in her heart of hearts that she must to do what is best for the village, her new friends but most importantly for herself. She discovers that it’s fine to be imperfect, to have the cracks and bits missing that make us unique individuals. Marnies story resonates so to look at yourself and embrace who you are and know that what you consider to be flaws, loved ones will look past and see you for exactly who you are. The people that truly love you will see always see the true you. A magical tale of friendship, self-belief, community and true love.  I am a huge Milly Johnson fan and yet again I was taken to a little place that I just wished I could be part of. I was mesmerised by Marnie, Lillian and the village. I swooned at Herv and adored Emilie too - I found myself to be surprised and even heartbroken at some of the little twists in the story (that doesn't happen often). I thought I could predict what would happen, and yes for some things I was right - but there was definite curve-balls to keep me on my toes. I always look forward to reading Milly's books and hope in the future we can learn more about the people and the goings on in Wychwell but also pay a visit to lovely Marnie and see what happened after 'The End.' Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍