This book is dedicated to my parents. They didn’t give me everything I wanted, they gave me everything I needed. And that’s a much better thing to have. Love you both. We are insanely lucky to have you.
To the magnificent Hayley Steed. Whether in London, visiting Norwich, or becoming a bona fide Welsh woman, it always feels like you’re in the next room ready to fight for me. How was I ever so fortunate to get an agency like Madeleine Milburn in my corner?
To Jess at Headline. This one has been a wild ride. But worth it. For every note and prod and “Are you sure?,” this book has your name in it and on it. Thanks, also, to everyone at Headline, including, but not limited, to Alara Delfosse, Ellie Morley, and Viviane Basset.
Hilary at Random House and Iris at HarperCollins, your input, as ever, has helped turn that first messy thing into something much, much better. One day, I’ll get on a plane and thank you in person.
Big thanks to my first readers, Jake Marcet and Suzanne Sharman. I ask a lot of you both and you always deliver. Time and time again. I’ll try and make it easy to get through the early bits next time.
My other writing buddies. Lewis Swift for the Lockdown Tuesdays. Kate Davies for talking me off the ledge countless times. Mike Walden for making me feel like I’m a peer. Hannah Harper for helping start all this. And Rob Perry, I can’t wait to see my name in the back of Dog.
I was fortunate enough to get an invaluable insight into an industry I’ve never been a part of from Jack Burton. The Wolf Number forever. Thanks to Alexandra Haddow for the nudge to see a word-for-word stand-up set in a novel was an act of folly.
Finally. To those who have made me laugh or made music I love, this book is my love letter to you and your world. The list of artists who inspire me would fill another book entirely, but I’d be remiss not to give a full-blooded (and fast-blooded) mention to the words and music of Frightened Rabbit.
If you’re not a fan, give them a listen and you will be. Once you are, visit tinychanges.com and see the most excellent work their founding member, Scott, has inspired.
Perfect Timing
OWEN NICHOLLS
A Book Club Guide
Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. When Tom and Jess first meet at the Edinburgh Festival, their spark is immediately apparent as they spend the evening getting to know each other. Have you ever experienced an instant connection like that, where you thought about someone constantly even after just a brief meeting?
2. Unfortunately, things between Tom and Jess go awry quite quickly after Scott reveals to Jess that Tom has a “girlfriend.” Have you ever been in a position similar to Tom’s, where lying seemed like the easier thing to do, only for the lie to derail something else? If so, what happened?
3. After hearing Tom’s song on the radio, Jess is determined to find Tom’s “girlfriend” and tell her the truth. In Jess’s position, would you have reacted similarly, or would you have brushed it off instead? Why or why not?
4. A miscommunication at the airport causes Tom and Jess to hit another bump in their relationship; have you ever experienced similar fallout from a miscommunication with a friend or partner? If so, were you able to resolve it?
5. After Jess’s stint in Australia, her style of comedy takes a very different turn. Even though she doesn’t really like what she’s doing, she feels compelled to keep going because it is what everyone expects of her. Have you ever felt compelled to fulfill someone else’s expectations the way Jess does? Do you understand why she kept it going for as long as she did, or do you think you would have stopped sooner had you been in her position?
6. Tom also struggles with expectations, though his struggle is more about the expectations he sets for himself. We see him fighting with his anxiety and with his concern for what others think of him. We also see him struggle with his need to be successful like his grandfather, but also fearful he’ll walk the same tragic path as him. Do you think Tom copes with his struggles in a healthy way? Why or why not? If not, what would you do to cope in a similar position?
7. Throughout the novel, the reason Tom and Jess can’t be together is because they are never in the same place in their lives, be it in regard to their careers, their other relationships, or their own personal struggles as they make their way through their twenties. Do you think it is important that both parties in a relationship are on the same page in these regards? Why or why not?
8. At the end of the book, Tom and Jess finally seem to have found the perfect timing. Do you think their individual experiences and personal growth, which we see throughout the novel, will mean they will have a better relationship than if they had gotten together that first night they met? Why or why not? What importance do you think timing plays in relationships?
BY OWEN NICHOLLS
Perfect Timing
Love, Unscripted
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Owen Nicholls is the author of Love, Unscripted and a screenwriter with a master’s degree in scriptwriting. He lives in Norwich, England, with his partner and their two sons.
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