For Jess and Tom, timing is everything.
For her, it’s the moment she delivers the perfect punchline. For him, it’s the heartbeat in the music he makes with his band.
And from the night they meet, sharing the same stage at the Edinburgh Festival, their attraction is undeniable. At first, it seems their timing is as perfect in the wings as it is in front of a crowd.
But as Jess and Tom’s careers take off, the moment for true connection is always just out of reach. With fate pushing them together, only to pull them apart, will the timing ever be right?
After all, when it comes to love, the timing has to be perfect. . . Doesn’t it?
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Perfect timing takes us on a journey through the hustle and bustle of life within the entertainment circuit. This is where we meet Jess and Tom, two very different people who are striving to achieve their dreams, and also trying to defy the odds of the lifestyle that is keeping them apart.
Jess is a comedian from Sheffield, she is one half of a comedy duo alongside her best friend Julia. They are on the way to Edinburgh Fringe, alongside thousands of other acts who will be taking part. Whilst travelling there, Jess ends up crossing paths with Tom, a musician from Edinburgh. The pair click instantly, and the conversation flows freely between them. With one thing leading to another, the pair spend the night together, but this happy encounter doesn’t last. A misunderstanding causes a rift between the pair, and as Tom tries to cover things up, Jess finds herself feeling rather deflated and betrayed. Without leaving Tom any way of contacting her, she storms away, and the pair lead very separate lives for several months, until they find themselves thrown in to one another’s orbit once more.
This book had everything I could possibly have asked for from a love story, although I must point out that there is so much more to this book than a simple ‘boy meets girl’ plot. I love how the story was told from the alternating perspectives of Jess and Tom, allowing us to get a better grasp of who they are as individuals, and provides the opportunity to connect with them on a much deeper level.
The story is written in such a captivating way, you find it almost impossible to part with it. The characters are well fleshed out and have their own quirks and flaws, something that certainly allows them to feel more human like to the reader.
The romance between Jess and Tom was utter perfection. It is certainly far from a smooth sailing story, but the way in which the author intertwines the lives of both of these characters really tugs on the old heart strings and allows you to believe in fate once more.
A breathtakingly beautiful love story that I didn’t want to end. I adored everything about this book.
About the Author
OWEN NICHOLLS is an author and screenwriter.
His debut novel, LOVE, UNSCRIPTED received a Kirkus Starred Review. Among many great write-ups, it was described as “Pure pleasure” by EMPIRE and “A complete delight” by Holly Bourne. Josie Silver labelled it, “Nostalgic, tender and achingly cool”.
His second novel, PERFECT TIMING is a love story about a musician and a stand-up comic who meet at the Edinburgh Festival. It follows them for the next few years as they struggle to navigate success, each other and themselves. It is due for release in Summer 2021.
When he isn’t writing you’ll find Owen in the cinema, watching everything from the latest Pixar to the best in independent film.
He lives in Norfolk, England with his wife and children.
*Thank you to Alara Delfosse at Headline Publishing and Owen Nicholls for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in return for my honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*
Victoria Wilks 