This book was a typical rom com that felt like an easy and fluffy read. Based in Edinburgh, the story focuses on Steph as she navigates her love life after splitting with her long term boyfriend. I loved the relationship between her and her ex and how they remained strong friends in the aftermath. I was not a fan of Steph’s family or the need to focus on social class and homelessness at all, it made the story depressing rather than upbeat and the author didn’t change the tone of voice during these scenes so it just seemed so false and unnatural. Like the scene where Steph tells her family the truth towards the end, I would have been cringing so bad if I was Jamie with the way she took the lead when it’s his story to tell.

A lovely summer read with likeable characters and a wonderful story arc I had a lovely weekend reading this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the novel.

This book was such a cute story of "will he? won't he?" and very in line with what dating is like in the 2020s.

I also really enjoyed that instead of writing the character as bitter and causing such an uproar in her life, she was able to remain friends with Connor and he was a character throughout.

The writing style was not formal, so it was easy to fall into this story like it was a friend telling us their relationship story, or their trials and tribulations of dating after a long relationship. I also loved the female friendships!

Overall, this book was a classic rom-com. It didn't have a lot of substance but it definitely was a fluffy read. Wouldn't suggest it for getting out of a reading slump though.

THINGS I LIKED:
I like the time jump and how it doesn't quite explain things but it still makes sense.
The exposition was well executed. I like the pacing
Connor and Steph's dynamic was really, really good after the initial him leaving her thing. I love how supportive they are of each other and a lot of their dialogue made me giggle.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
I didn't like the attempt the author made to sound quirky because when they were trying too hard it sounded forced.
I wish that Connor being interested in guys was presented as less of a betrayal or plot twist. Also, explicitly stating bisexuality could've been nice- we don't need to undermine his attraction to Steph because he's now in love with a man.
The beginning banter between Jamie and Steph wasn't very cute at all- it felt kind of awkward and I didn't see the romance/sparks. Some lines would be sweet, but then they would devolve quickly- like if he had just said "it's cute when you do that", it would've been nice but he went on and on about it.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (plenty of other reviews like that out there already!).

This is the second Nina Kaye book I've read, and I enjoyed it, I like her writing style. It's a cosy, sweet, romantic story with some great characters - some nice, some not so nice. Liked the setting of Edinburgh, having visited the city a few times it was nice to recognise some of the places.

Our heroine (Steph) has a rather horrid-sounding family who constantly put her down (apart from her brother, who's on her side), so I admired her sticking to her chosen career in the face of their disdain. I also admired her determination to find Jamie, great inventiveness there!

I didn't really think that Steph would have got over her break-up so fast, but suspended my disbelief and enjoyed the story. The hidden twist was quite unexpected, and credit to Steph for sticking to her guns again!

Recommended if you're looking for a cosy and easy read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

I'm sorry, I absolutely cannot finish this book. There's a full and fun story being told in the first 15% of the book about a girl who meets a perfect boy too soon after a breakup and goes to the ends of the earth to find him again when she realizes what she could have had, then they're reunited and everything is grand. That could have been the story, instead all of the detail is rushed through, none of the characters get to speak at length or express themselves in anything other than a silly one-liner, and the search for the man takes up like 10 pages. I can't imagine the book gets any better now that they've found each other. It's not one night in Edinburgh, it's a whole life story of a woman who lives, works, and dates in Edinburgh. And in the year 2022, she's still using the term "gay best friend?" No thank you. That's outdated and stereotyping at it's finest. He's her best friend and was living as straight for years, but suddenly he's out and he's like, every gay stereotype. I don't even want to know what Jamie's big secret is now. I have no draw to hear about these boring people any more. Give a romance heroine more personality than "quirky!"

This was the first book that I have read from Nina Kaye and I loved her writing style. I really enjoyed the characters Steph and Jamie, especially how they met. It was fast paced for me and was glued to the page from the first word. I will definitely be reading more of Nina Kaye's books in the future.

It's Hogmanay and Lydia's boyfriend of 9 years has just told her that he's leaving her because he's gay! Lydia's best friend and co-worker drags her out to ring in the new year and encourages her to chat to the hot stranger. Lydia and Jamie spend the night together but in the morning, Jamie rushes out when Lydia's ex comes home. He leaves without leaving a phone number. How will Lydia ever find him again? She concocts a longshot of a plan that involves his favorite beer. Remarkably, it works and they reunite but Jamie is witholding information from her. What does he do? What is his surname??? What are his secrets? Can they form a lasting relationship when he has all these secrets?

This was enjoyable, but I do have to say that Lydia was a bit naive. There were so many red flags with Jamie! But it's fiction, so I guess it's ok.

I loved this book!!!

I have a serious weakness for Scottish set romances (especially when we have a gorgeous Highlander ready to sweep us away) even more so when you include a love-at-first-sight and second chance trope and this is a great addition to the genre.

This is all about not letting ‘the one’ through your fingers, pin him down and don’t let him go no matter what!! I love that Steph and Jamie meet at a Hogmanay street party, Steph has just had her heart-broken and she has been dragged along to the famous street party by her fabulous bestie; Anna (we all need an Anna in our lives, she is a whirlwind) she wasn’t looking for love, but she is charmed by a gorgeous stranger (to be honest, who wouldn’t be?). She and Jamie click, the only problem is they don’t exchange numbers (noooooo) and afterwards she is wondering if was meant to be, I love the ways she goes about finding her hunky highlander, but once she does track him down he isn’t quite what she thought him to be – our boys has secrets, he is a complicated man.

I loved, loved the supporting cast they are all so brilliantly portrayed and very realistic, her two best friends are perfect, their friendship is fun and engaging and I loved watching them grow throughout the course of the book – whereas Steph’s family are far too judgy for my liking – they are far too real if you ask me and would rather not focus on them for too long, they gave me a headache.

This is a gorgeous second chance/love-at-first-sight romance, it’s a light and breezy read perfect for when you aren’t in the mood for anything too heavy with lots of angst. Recently I have been leaning towards easy and up-lifting rom-coms, it’s been so hot and then I frazzled myself with heat-stroke so I was craving something light and fun and this one ticks all the boxes; funny, heart-warming, gorgeous setting, wonderfully flawed characters but not full-on angsty, cheerful, a light0heart quick read.

Overall, this is your stereotypical romantic comedy, it’s light and fun and will have you sighing and giggling in equal measure, perfect for those times when you don’t feel like a heavy too emotional book, it’s perfect for when you just feel the need to lounge about and fall into a good old-fashioned romantic romp.

As a Scot, I saw Edinburgh in the title and had to try it.

Overall, this was a sweet story from what I read but I felt it fell a bit flat for me. I ended up DNF’ing it as i didn’t really feel the book was for me. However, if a you need a cosy read, this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF review

20 June 2022

I'm sorry to say but as I much as I tried to like One Night in Edinburgh, it eventually just didn't stick with me. The story about a second chance romance may grab you in some way.

Similar to Just One Day by Gayle Forman, the novel follows a girl named Steph who after getting heartbroken meets a seemingly perfect guy called Jamie. Unfortunately, she doesn't get his number which leads Steph trying to find him.

Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for letting me give this book a try anyway.

I knew I had to read this just because it’s based in Edinburgh and as a fellow Scot, I’ve only been to Edinburgh 2 times and that was when I was car shopping! 😂

I loved the character development and thought it was a cute, romantic book. It’s a very creative storyline - Steph meets Jamie at Hogmanay and then he disappears and in such a unique way, she starts leaving notes around Edinburgh for him!

I love it, it’s unique, different and romantic. The book kept my attention and made me smile. I felt there could be more sex appeal from the characters and I’d love to have seen a bit more of a relationship side to the two characters like at the beginning but I love the concept.

Thanks to @rachelsrandomresources for having me on tour and to Nina for allowing me a copy of this ARC.

3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Taking place in Edinburgh, this novel tells the story of Steph and Jamie. After a recent break up, Steph finds herself falling fast for a complete stranger named Jamie on New Years Eve. After going on a few dates and him being elusive, she discovers a big secret he’s been keeping.


It’s an insta- love rom-com book. I found the main character, Steph, to be self absorbed and a bit annoying. I did love the sweet ending!

5☆ A Cheeky, Fun-loving Romance!

Steph meets Jamie at Hogmanay after a shocker of a breakup.
Next day Steph loses Jamie after that shocker walks back into her life!

Steph hatches a spectacular plan to find that so called boy again after their sizzling chemistry ignited over Hogmanay.

Steph finally finds Jamie again after nearly giving up hope of ever seeing him again!
They have a whirlwind romance but something just doesn't feel right.
What is he hiding!

Then just when you think everything is perfect she loses him again!

Throw in a clanger of a twist that I definitely didn't see coming!
And what you have is a Heart-warming Romance about Second Chances, Friendships, Fresh Starts, Strength and self reflection with a good dose of humour, drama and sizzling chemistry for good measures!

There's a lil bit of everything and some difficult subjects such as homelessness, sexuality and social class divides, which was all in theme of the storyline.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed One Night in Edinburgh and it makes me want to visit even more!
If your looking for a Feel-good, Cheeky, Fun Romance then I definitely recommend grabbing a copy of One Night in Edinburgh!

I loved Steph right from the start. It may seem mad to go to such extremes to find Jaimie, a guy she had had one amazing night with, but I totally understood her.

I loved going on the journey with her and seeing the good work she was doing at the charity and how she struggled with her family. I really felt for her! Families can be so difficult, but thankfully she had some great friends always there for her. Jaimie's story was... well I can't even put it into words!

It was heartwarming to see how Steph and Conor's relationship developed after they had broken up and how Steph stayed so strong in what she believed in no matter what pressure her family put her under.

This is a warm and witty romance with quite a serious social issue at its core. Steph meets up with the mysterious Jamie and we don't learn for quite a while why he is so elusive. Their relationship has real heart and I enjoyed the lengths she went to as she tried to track him down. Steph's family add to the vitality and their group chats made me smile.

Set in Edinburgh, the city is a gorgeous setting for the story and added so much to the book. Whether Steph feels able to give Jamie a second chance and how their relationship dynamic shifts are two aspects of the story I enjoyed. It is a lively tale with some moments of real humour but also some sadness and personal anguish. This is a great holiday read where you can immerse yourself in Steph and Jamie's story and try to work out how you would react if in either of their shoes.

In short: A warm and humorous romance with a thorny issue at its heart

I adore Nina Kaye’s writing style. It just flows and is so easy to read. It sucked me into Edinburgh life and I felt as though I was a character whilst reading. I was smitten from the beginning of this book and fell completely in love with Steph, Anna and Jamie and Connor very quickly grew on me.
I love Edinburgh and really enjoyed reading about places that I have actually been. If you have never been there, don’t worry because Nina really brings it alive with her rich description and genuine passion for the city.
Steph was such a lovely character and I was rooting for her all the way. I adored her spark with Jamie from the beginning they met and was desperate for them to both have happy endings. I was addicted to their journey together and couldn’t put the book down until I knew what the ending was going to be. Anna is such a good friend to Steph and their personalities really complimented each other. I liked how Nina wrote Connor too and Steph’s reaction and support was so sweet.
This is such an adorable and addictive novel and I loved every single word of it.

Steph and Connor have been together since University – their relationship is comfortable and steady, so the last thing Steph is expecting is for Connor to end their relationship on New Years Eve after confessing to Steph that he is actually gay. Reeling from the break-up, Steph is persuaded by her best friend, Anna, to join her in celebrating the New Year at the Hogmanay street party in Edinburgh. This is where Steph meets Jamie. He is attractive and fun, and they both have the best evening together.

Waking up the following morning, Steph is on cloud nine – there is just one small problem – she didn’t get Jamie’s number – all she remembers is his favourite lime and mango beer, so she goes on a mission to track him down by sticking a message to his favourite beer across local pubs. After some bvery inappropriate messages from people claiming to be Jamie, they are both eventually reunited. However, Jamie repeatedly becomes elusive and uncontactable, and Steph worries that she is heading for another major heartache.

Does Jamie really want to be with Steph, or is he just messing her around? Or is there something else going on with Jamie? One Night in Edinburgh is a cute story of a romance building between two people, both who have complicated lives and who both are wary of getting hurt. A lovely light-hearted romantic story.

Steph and Jamie meet on new years eve, just after she has been dumped by her long term boyfriend. They have one night together, but then he is gone - can she track him down and will they have a chance together if she finds him?
A great read

Thank you to the author, publisher, ans Net Galley for an ARC of this book.

I'll start with saying this book was not what I expected. I really wanted to enjoy it - and did enjoy parts - but overall just left with a meh feeling. The characters are all too "good" and some of the relationships and parts of the plot lines were just unbelievable.

2 1/2 stars rounded up.