Nicole Ryan’s contemporary romance with a Swifty twist
SYLVANIA – Nicole Ryan’s contemporary romance with a Swifty twist
None of us escapes this life without some level of regret accompanied by the sense that, if it were possible, going back in time would fix everything. That’s what local author Nicole Ryan explores in her third novel, The Very First Night, a contemporary romance with a time traveling protagonist.
“Kat wakes up five years in the past, and she really wants to make it work with this person,” says Ryan. “We think about a lot of things through rose-colored glasses, and it’s a story of self-growth and self-worth. Those are huge themes in the book, just because I think that impacts all of our relationships with ourselves and other people.”
This novel is a departure from Ryan’s earlier work (her Just Peachy series concludes with its third novel being released in March 2025) in that it is considered a new adult novel. The characters (at least post-time-travel) are college-aged. To tap into the mindset of an undergrad like Kat Marritt, Ryan drew from her own experiences navigating life and love in her early 20s.
“I did take a lot of inspiration from my relationship past, especially Kat’s relationship with Elijah…the aspects of it that weren’t totally healthy,” she said.
I wanted to give it the care that it deserved, and I think, as a writer, you’re always growing. I wanted to have a few [books] under my belt before I tackled something so personal.
The initial inspiration came to Ryan while listening to Taylor Swift’s Red album. In her song “The Very First Night,” Swift sings, “I wish I could fly. I’d pick you up and we’d go back in time. I’d write this in the sky. I miss you like it was the very first night.” That’s where Ryan first thought about time travel for a protagonist who is having a hard time moving on from the one that got away.
A Swiftie to the core, Ryan’s release party at Finch & Fern Book Co. included an Eras costume competition and other references to Taylor Swift lore. What she hopes for Swifties and contemporary romance lovers alike is that they’ll come away feeling self-assured when they read The Very First Night.
“Don’t settle. I think we often think to ourselves that we put so much time into this person, that if you let it go, it was all for nothing. But holding onto that person is what could be holding you back from meeting the right person.”
Learn more about Nicole Ryan’s work at nicoleryanbooks.com, and follow her on Instagram @nicoleryanbooks for the latest news on her work. She also has a Facebook group for her readers called Nicole Ryan’s Peaches for her fans.
About the author:
Favorite romantic gesture: I’m a big acts of service kind of person, and gift giving in the sense of “I saw this and thought of you.” The small gestures.
Top date night in Toledo: Nagoya, which is where we went the night we got engaged.
Favorite writers: K.A. Tucker and Anna Huang.
What are you reading right now? The first Zodiac Academy book.
Best book of all time in your opinion? The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker.
While writing, music or no music? Music, but no lyrics.
Do you write everyday? Toward the beginning of a book, not so much, but when I’m close to a deadline, for sure.
Best heroine of all time: Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games.
Favorite romcom movie: Something Borrowed.
What you do to get inspired when you’re in a writing rut: Read. I find that reading other people’s stories gets my gears going a little bit more.
