Strange but true novel, In Pursuit of Love (5)
I believe the answer is:
outre
'strange' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'true novel in pursuit of love' is the wordplay.
'novel' indicates an anagram (letters in a new or novel order).
'in pursuit of' means one lot of letters go next to another (some letters chase after others).
'love' becomes 'o' (love means zero in tennis).
'true' is an anagram of 'utre'.
'utre' put after 'o' is 'OUTRE'.
'but' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for outre that I've seen before include "Deviating from normal" , "Outrageous" , "deviating from the norm" , "flamboyant" , "Shockingly unusual" .)