Oh. My. Gosh. I was kicking my feet with literal joy for this. The representation of neurodivergent women and their strength, the ableism - even by the ones who love you - was just so artfully done. I fell in love with these characters so fast and I’m not sure I’ll read anything like this again. I sincerely hope the author continues to write stories like this, to give a voice to those who need to see it and for those who already have it. (Those who need it are those who don’t understand the disabilities. Just putting that out there.) BRAVO, Elle. I can’t wait to read more.

Simply fabulous!

I had a wonderful time reading this. It was romantic, cute, funny and had a lot of heart. The romance will sweep you off your feet. The autism representation is also great.

I see this one being quite popular.

I love books with representation and books where the authors can write the representation they always wanted/needed even more because it always gives me a new point of view and more understanding for different living conditions.
I loved how witty both main characters were and their banter/chemistry with each other. I couldn't put the book down and went through all emotions from tears of joy to tears of compassion. Elle McNicoll was a new author for me, but this was definitely not the last book I've read by her.

I haven't really binged many books this year however I will always binge the new Elle McNicoll book. I didn't quite read Unapologetic Love Story in 24 hours however it was another book that once I started reading I couldn't stop. This was another easy 5 star read for me and I loved my experience of reading it so much.

There were a lot of elements of this book I really loved and I cannot wait to learn more about Elle's next adult release because this was such a strong debut.

After loving Elle McNicoll’s YA romances I had quite a good feeling about the romance itself of this one going in and I was right to feel that way. I loved watching the relationships between Raina and Tom develop throughout the course of the book, along with watching Tom learn more about what being neurodivergent means in a way that he previously didn't know anything about.

One of my favourite things about the representation in Elle McNicoll's books is that she doesn't hide away from showing the more difficult parts of being autistic and this book was no exception. Seeing these more difficult parts is really important to me as an autistic reader and to me it helps create a bigger picture of these characters and what life can be like.

As I mentioned I have previously read and loved Some Like it Cold and Wish You Were Her which are YA romances and I did wonder what would be different between Elle McNicoll’s YA and adult romance but I loved the additions to this one with it being targeted towards an adult romance.

There were some other things I loved in this book but I am running out if space to talk about them so I will just mention them here and they include the addition of Tom being Scottish, all the other side characters, and Raina's podcast that featured a character from a previous book!

If you have not read a book from Elle McNicoll I would highly recommend reading one and this is another really strong one, though I have loved them all. Also we are getting three new Elle McNicoll books next year, we are very lucky readers just now.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute romance book ❤️ I absolutely loved it! I couldn’t put it down and may have stayed up way too late reading, but it was completely worth it.

Unapologetic Love Story is so much more than a romance. It's a heartfelt, honest story about being autistic, neurodivergent, chronically ill, and learning to take up space exactly as you are. I felt incredibly seen while reading it.

Raina instantly became one of my favorite characters ever. She’s funny, hopeful, unapologetically herself, and so relatable. Tom was equally wonderful—messy, lovable, and completely gone for Raina from the start.

Their relationship felt genuine, supportive, and full of the kind of connection that makes you believe in love. The banter, chemistry, and emotional depth were everything.

This book made me laugh, cry, swoon, and reflect. It’s one of those rare stories that stays with you long after you finish.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Wonderful writing, to see an autistic love story, especially from an autistic author, is the best representation! Elle never misses, and this adult romance is so exception!

Joyful, sweet, and spicy! What a fun and insightful romance about Raina, an autistic woman who hosts a popular podcast about neurodivergent life, and Tom, a cynical political writer looking for his next story.

Raina has a joyful voice and feels more than 100% of her surroundings and herself. Through her astute self-awareness, Tom’s falling in love with her, and a cast of both loving and not-so-loving friends and family, we get a look inside the life of a woman living with autism.

Refreshing voice Elle McNicoll expertly writes a variety of sensory experiences and ways Raina both lives out loud and copes with the scrutiny of other people and battery of her unforgiving surroundings.

This is an important story that gives us a colorful new character for readers to better understand the intersectionality of neurodiversity and gender. Although the book wraps with lecture vibes, the sunshine x grumpy, spicy romance and banter makes the entire story super fun to read.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press Saturday Books for the advance reader copy!

From the very first chapter, Raina felt so vivid and alive to me. She’s funny, passionate, messy, stylish, vulnerable, sharp around the edges, and so unapologetically herself. I loved the way Elle McNicoll allowed her to exist as a full person instead of reducing her autism down to a lesson or a list of traits. Raina gets to be ambitious, desirable, emotional, guarded, loving, difficult, joyful… human. And honestly? That meant everything to me.

As someone who is neurodivergent myself, this book hit me on a deeply personal level. There were so many moments where I felt painfully seen in ways I honestly wasn’t expecting. The masking. The overanalyzing social interactions. The exhaustion of constantly trying to translate yourself into something easier for other people to understand. The feeling of being “too much” and “not enough” at the exact same time. Elle captured so many of those emotions with such care and authenticity that at times it genuinely made my chest ache a little while reading.

I especially connected with the way Raina moves through the world while still holding onto softness, passion, humor, and hope despite constantly being misunderstood. There’s this quiet resilience to her character that felt incredibly comforting to read. Seeing a neurodivergent woman be fully loved not in spite of who she is, but because of who she is, felt really emotional for me.

And Tom… listen. This man fell first, fell hard, and then proceeded to orbit around Raina like she personally hung the moon. 😭 I loved that his fascination with her never felt like he wanted to “fix” or change her. He genuinely wanted to understand her, protect her softness, and meet her where she was. The tension between them had this constant push and pull of curiosity, chemistry, vulnerability, and emotional intimacy that made it impossible for me to stop reading.

This book made me feel seen in a way I don’t think I even realized I needed. 🩷

Thank you so much to St. Matin’s Press, NetGalley, and Elle McNicoll for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Respectful neurodivergent representation AND a romance spicy enough to make me blush? Oh, this book absolutely knew what it was doing. 🔥💛🎙️

I’ll tell you what: this book really does have the perfect title. It is, unapologetically, a love story. But it’s also a story about identity, advocacy, feminism, ambition, and learning how to fully take up space in the world.

Reina, our FMC, is autistic, and that is central to both the story and her character arc. She hosts a hugely popular podcast called The Disability Track, where she interviews experts and advocates about disability and neurodivergence. When journalist Tom Branimin — known as the “king of cancel culture” — comes to write an exposé on her, their relationship starts off tense and contentious. Naturally, feelings complicate everything. 👀

I’ve read many wonderful books featuring neurodivergent characters — books like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, When We Were Vikings, and the beautifully awkward characters in Emily Austin’s novels — but this one felt different to me because Reina is so deeply aware of herself and her diagnosis. She was diagnosed at 15, and watching her navigate the world with both vulnerability and confidence was honestly beautiful.

As someone who has a child on the autism spectrum, I found the representation incredibly respectful and emotionally moving. There were moments that genuinely brought me to tears. 💛

Tom also has a strong character arc as he begins to reevaluate his work, his motivations, and the kind of person he wants to be. Both characters feel layered and human, and the emotional development between them is written exquisitely.

And yes… this romance is SPICY. 🌶️😂 A little spicier than my personal taste, if I’m being honest, but that’s entirely a preference issue and not a criticism of the book itself. If you like emotional chemistry with a lot of heat, this absolutely delivers.

Bonus points for the London setting and all the British terminology and atmosphere. 🇬🇧 The characters are truly the heart of this story, though — messy, passionate, intelligent people trying to figure themselves out and love each other well.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

📚 Unapologetic Love Story publishes October 13, 2026

⭐️ 4.5 stars