Heartbroken on Hogmanay, Steph wanders through the Edinburgh street party until she bumps into Jamie. He’s funny, attractive and clearly interested. In a word, he’s perfect – but she didn’t get his number. All she remembers is his lime and mango beer.
Determined to be reunited, Steph tracks him by a milk carton style campaign, sticking a message to his favourite beer across local pubs. Although eventually reunited, Jamie is frequently uncontactable and evasive, and Steph worries she’s on the path to heartbreak once more.
There’s a fine line between being patient and being gullible, and Steph’s reaching her limit. When a chance encounter with Jamie reveals his secret, she faces an even tougher decision. Should Steph give love another chance, or was one night in Edinburgh all she and Jamie were meant to have?
Nina Kaye is a contemporary romance author who writes warm, witty and uplifting reads with a deeper edge.
Nina started writing her first novel when she was seventeen (and locked in her room, supposedly studying for her future). It was a short-lived experience that ended as soon as Nina’s exams did, but the dream of writing never left her.
Nina lives in Edinburgh with her husband and much adored side-kick, James. In addition to writing, Nina enjoys swimming, gin and karaoke (preferably all enjoyed together in a sunny, seaside destination).
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!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and Canelo for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
Oh, I just loved this new romcom from Nina Kaye. This is a story about a girl coming off a breakup, which in itself is a complex subplot that is sure to delight. She meets Jamie at a New Year celebration and they totally connect, but then he disappears, and he isn't anywhere on social media. Determined not to let him get away, she brilliantly (and creatively) starts leaving notes for him around Edinburgh in hopes she can see him again. Why Jamie disappeared is a great twist, and one I didn't see coming, but by the end totally makes sense. The characters are wonderfully flawed with refreshing dialogue. A quick read, a fun read. And one to enjoy!
This was a rather unique experience. I have to give the author some credit for providing solid explanations for some of the events and their outcomes in the story. The break-up and everything that followed worked for me because the author lessened the blow for me. I don’t want to reveal all, but I will say that it played out nicely.
I had a fantastic whirlwind celebratory night with Steph and Jamie. If that’s how they ring in the New Year in Scotland, sign me up! Sounds amazing to me. This duo had instant sparks, and given the circumstances, I was sort of excited for Steph to find someone who lit a fire in her. The search for Jamie was fun, too, and it was exciting to see them reunited.
Obviously, there was a bump in the road to the HEA. I wasn’t shocked, but I won’t say it’s something you read about in many contemporary romances. The story took on some weight at that point, and I felt the author was very thoughtful in her approach to the issue.
Though, the story took a more serious turn, it did return to the lighter side. The ending was one that filled me with glee. I love my loose ends tied up, and this was a wonderfully tidy ending with something good for everyone. And again, I thought the author made some great choices when it came to the conflict and resolution.
Overall: I enjoyed meeting both Jamie and Steph, and I really wanted them to succeed. A nice and tidy ending left me fully satisfied with a smile and a warm heart.
I've read Nina Kaye's other books and this has her signature style of writing - a thoughtful approach to important issues, with strong characterisation and character growth, an intriguing story (what an original idea!) and - of course - (lovely, lovely) romance.
Highlights for me included how beautifully drawn Steph and (supporting character) Connor's relationship was developed - particularly how Connor's storyline was handled so sensitively and thoughtfully. I also thoroughly enjoyed the interplay between Steph and her family members, which acted as another layer for Steph and informing how she sees the world. Anna was a well-drawn best friend to Steph, and of course, Steph's love interest, Jamie ... I just absolutely LOVED Jamie. Not only was his character and his subplot complex (no spoilers), he was a beautifully rendered love interest for Steph, bringing out in her a verve that had previously been missing. The originality of her plan and the plot twist (again, no spoilers) made this book is my favourite Nina Kaye book yet - though, I loved the others too. 5 big fat stars from me - a total page turner and highly recommended for romance lovers AND lovers of contemporary women's fiction.
I must confess to having some of Nina Kaye's previous releases on my Kindle, but I haven't got round to reading them. However, now I have finished One Night in Edinburgh, I am sure I won't be waiting long before I do read them! Steph is reeling from the break-up of a long term relationship and ends up spending a magical night with a certain someone on New Year's Eve. She feels the connection, and is sure he did, too, but the situation is such that he leaves without leaving any contact details. Cue some creative ways to contact the elusive, but lovely, Jamie, which reap benefits, but uncover other discrepancies in his lifestyle and personality. Things do work out in the end, but not without a whole lot of kerfuffle, especially from her pretentious family, and concerns from her own close friend Anna and ex-boyfriend, turned bestie, Connor. It was a fun, easy to read book, which would be perfect as a beach read, or any time read, to be honest! Many thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After breaking up with her long term boyfriend, Steph wanders through Edinburgh on Hogmanay, until she meets Jamie. He is engaging and attractive and soon, they find themselves spending the night together. But when her ex-boyfriend returns home, Jamie leaves and soon Steph realises that they have not swapped details. So Steph decides to track him via a milk carton style campaign. When they are finally reunited, Jamie seems to be evasive, only wanting to meet up on weekends. Soon, Steph wonders whether her heart will be broken again. However, Jamie has a secret that could possibly destroy their future happiness, leaving her to wonder whether all she will have is one night in Edinburgh or a long term future with Jamie. This was a great story with a twist, that totally threw me yet fully explained the story. Both Jamie and Steph, are multi-layered characters who had such great depth to them. Without revealing the plot, all I can say is that this was great read, yet brought with it, a story that will leave you thinking after the last page is read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Canelo. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Set in my favourite city, this delightful book grabbed me from the start. I adored Steph, felt her pain when a out-of-the-blue revelation blows a hole in her world, and grinned with delight when a Hogmanay encounter promises serious romantic sparks. But the path of true love rarely runs smoothly, and there are many road bumps along the way. Not least Steph's judgemental family (the WhatsApp group chats are a hoot), dealing with the altered dynamics between Steph and Connor – no spoilers, but I really enjoyed how their relationship progressed – and the small matter of Jamie. More elusive than the Scarlet Pimpernel, Steph's determination to track him down keeps the plot bubbling along nicely and leads to some lovely comic moments. I'll forgive the author for making me desperate to return to Edinburgh. I'm just happy I had the chance to read this gorgeous book and join Steph on her adventures. My thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy.
The setting for this book was a treat, and the descriptions of the fun at Hogmanay were appealing. I also loved the description of Steph (who works for a local nonprofit) trying to politely escape an overly long visit to a lonely donor.
However, the initial set of events that spark Steph's quest for the elusive Jamie grew so unbelievable that the "willing suspension of disbelief" was lost. That Steph so easily accepted the end of a many-years-long relationship and transitioned within 24 hours to a platonic friendship and cohabitation was unconvincing.
I would be interested in trying other titles by this author.
DNF at 45%. Everyone in this book has the personality of a jar of mayonnaise. Bland, boring, and annoyingly squeaky clean. I don’t necessarily need a play by play, but this was beyond fade-to-black, to the point I didn’t even realize they had sex until it was mentioned the next day. Just no. Life is too short and there are too many books to waste time on a book full of nothing.
Thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.
2.5. Nearly was one star when I clocked 'princess street' early on but thankfully all the other Edinburgh descriptions were correct and very faithful. We wanted a Scotland set romance for this month's book club and this was probably preferable to an outlander style book, but still a little young and meh for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review
Requested this arc due to the setting – Edinburgh is my home city. I did really enjoy the setting but that was about it. I understand what Kaye was trying to do with the narrative of this, but the writing left me wanting. The characters were all fairly thinly drawn, and it falls into a sector of books where everyone (aside from the token few rude but ultimately decent people) is just so nice but not interesting and the dialogue doesn’t sound like anything anyone’s ever said. It wasn’t for me but I’d recommend for anyone who enjoys a cosy read.
I kind of suspected this would be nonsense- in a way, I only have myself to blame. I was feeling nostalgic for Edinburgh so bought it anyway. This was badly written, populated with uninteresting characters, and the twist was an inevitability rather than a shocking reveal. Not good.
What a sweet and heartfelt book! This book is primarily about Steph whose heart is broken right before Hogmanay, aka the last day of the year. Right when she thought everything was going to her plan, it all gets turned upside down!
Steph may be a bit naive, but things went her way for a long time so that’s to be expected. Her strength and clarity is admirable, and I loved how much she values giving back to people and giving respect no matter your status.
The book dives into some tough social class issues and I found them to be handled respectfully and in an informative manner. I always appreciate when a book can so seamlessly teach you something.
You’ll have to read it to find out if her Hogmanay fling works out!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher Canelo for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my own personal opinions.
I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my Kindle, in return for my honest review.
I must admit that I really enjoyed this will-they-won’t-they rom-com of a romance and really enjoyed the authors style of writing. This was actually the first book that I have read from this author but I will definitely be coming back for more!! One Night In Edinburgh was a very easy to read book and I found myself turning the pages really quickly, just so that I could find out what happened next! This was a very intriguing story and I thought that Jamie was a wonderful character too. This was a perfect, heartwarming book that left me feeling very happy…..
Super fun and cute rom-com that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It is a little predictable, but that wasn't a deal-breaker because the writing was solid and the characters were interesting. It was a quick read, but I prefer my rom-coms that way.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for access to an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Great Read, loved reading something set in my own city too!
Steph has just come crashing out of a relationship with her high school sweetheart after he finally admits to himself he is gay.
To take her mind off her relationship she still goes out with her best friend Anna for New Years and meets her perfect partner Jamie however the more they date the more her friends and family fill her with doubts about her new relationship.
I love the many twists and turns along the way in this book. The story is very similar to most books but a fresh context gives it a new vibe. The use of online dating and how it has changed is also well reflected in the story.
The dynamic between Steph and Connor who is still ultimately her best friend is beautiful and I love the way they remain true to each other throughout the story.
A great feel good story and also has enough depth to make you think. Overall a fab read.
I received a digital advanced review copy via NetGalley for my honest review.
Steph is happily in a long term relationship with Connor, who she believes to be her soulmate - until he gives her earth-shattering news that lead to them breaking up. With really bad timing, too: being dumped on New Year’s Eve sucks - or it would have had Steph not gone out and met Jamie. After a “magical night” together, she realizes that she is not as heartbroken as she should be and that the two of them had a connection. With no way to contact him, she hatches a few crazy schemes to find him - and when she finally does, the two of them start dating. Unfortunately, Jamie seems to be hiding something big: Steph only sees him on the weekends, and he is nowhere to be found on the internet. She also doesn’t know where he lives, or what his last name even is - which all of her friends find sketchy. Becoming increasingly insecure and worried about Jamie’s “complicated situation” and his refusal to share, Steph decides to end this relationship and remains completely in the dark about what is really happening - until she accidentally stumbles upon the truth. Does Steph and Jamie’s love actually stand a chance with the last piece of the puzzle finally falling into place?
Spoiler : Jamie is actually homeless. That’s the big secret. I wasn’t surprised at all and found it a bit predictable: the author mentions homeless people a few times, which you know is no coincidence. Authors rarely ever include such details if they’re not going to matter at least a bit in the end. This and the fact that Steph works for a charity hinted that this was where it was going. I could also tell that Jamie was never a bad guy, so the awful scenarios she thinks about were a bit far-fetched to me.
Anyways, Steph is a romantic and appears to be a good person who doesn’t have the same standards as her family, so her looking for Jamie and trying to rekindle their relationship made sense. I also understand Jamie’s reaction, and his concern that Steph just didn’t know how to draw a line between her job and her personal life was legitimate in my opinion. I like that he waited until he got back on his feet before going back to her more than I would have liked it if he had just accepted her help: now there’s no question of whether or not they’re together because he feels grateful, and it’s less toxic that way. I especially liked the way he got back in touch with her, cutely reminiscent of the plan she made to find him at the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a fun, light-hearted read set in the beautiful Scottish city of Edinburgh. We meet Steph who finds herself unexpectedly single just before New Year. Whilst out drowning her sorrows on New Years Eve, she meets Jamie and falls head over heels for him! When he leaves the next morning leaving no contact details, Steph makes it her mission to find him again!
I liked Steph’s character, although I have to admit I’m not sure I would be so forgiving so quickly with her ex-boyfriend, Connor! I do like how their relationship progressed over the rest of the book though and enjoyed their storyline together. Steph and Jamie worked well together, but I could just feel something niggling at me throughout that pointed to all not being as simple as it seemed with the otherwise perfect Jamie! Jamie is a lovely character though and I really warmed to him from the beginning. Whilst most of the characters were very likeable, Steph’s family were the exception to the rule! They seemed a complete nightmare and I rooted for Steph to put them in their place several times throughout the book!
This was a lovely read, which I enjoyed right from the beginning. It did feel a little unseasonal at the beginning reading about New Year in May, but it got me into the New Year spirit nice and early! The location was perfect, the characters were interesting (including Steph’s family), and the storyline had me wondering ‘will-they, won’t they’ throughout! Heart-warming and easy to read with equal amounts of romance and laughter scattered through it! Would recommend!
A decent enough read with an interesting twist at the end which made me question what I would do or how I would feel in that situation.
The story however does happen extraordinarily fast, which makes huge parts of it unbelievable. When Steph and Connor break up, there is not much time (only a few hours) before Steph has moved on. Similarly, her and Jamie’s relationship moves incredibly quickly and makes it difficult to empathise with the main character as her friends are telling her to slow down, which she blatantly ignores. Another jarring part of her character are her inability to stand up to her awful family and I found myself becoming annoyed with Steph for most of the book. The job promotion is also ridiculous…
That being said, it’s a nice easy read for the New Year season and touches on issues not often dealt with in contemporary fiction.
Thanks to @netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this book
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.
This book very well could have been a flimsy, cheesy love story, yet instead takes on a perfect amount of depth for a romantic comedy (i.e., not enough to make you cry, but enough to feel changed by what you've read). it tackles some sensitive issues with grace and a humanistic center: homosexuality, homelessness, and flimsy family ties. The one character I truly did not like was Kayleigh, Steph’s sister — but I don’t think we were supposed to. I loved Steph’s relationship with Connor, and I was inspired by the way Steph continually reacted with positivity and compassion to all the unpleasantness in her life. I’m excited to share this book immediately with as many people as possible.
I read this author's first book and found it delightful! I was happy to see this one pop up as I'm a lover of Edinburgh, but also I just love this author's style. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fun book with plenty of atmosphere with real characters that feel as if you know them. , which isn't what we all want? One of my favourite books of the year so far!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book was horrid from start to finish. I got through it with strength of will alone. Not only was the plot weak, the characters sucked, and the romance was no existent. There is nothing redeemable about this novel.
wow a beautiful love story ...definitely a 5 star for me ..the way she fought and never gave up on their love.An unexpected suprising relationship the way they met thank you to the author and her team .I learnt not to give up and have hope..personal favorite
It would be hard not to feel for Steph when her relationship ends unexpectedly on Hogmanay of all days. When she is persuaded to go to the Street Party in Princes Street by her friend Anna, she meets the gorgeous Jamie and despite her recent heartbreak, there is most definitely a spark. After a night to remember, they go their separate ways with seemingly no way to get in touch. If fate brought Steph and Jamie together on Hogmanay, would fate bring them together again? I really enjoyed reading about the ways Steph tried to give fate a helping hand by visiting the area she knew he lived in, going to the pub they had gone to that night and launching a beer can campaign. It read like a rom-com film and I do think this would be a brilliant film actually.
It soon became apparent that Jamie perhaps wasn’t all he seemed and was hiding something major from Steph. Like her, I did feel he was one of life’s good guys and couldn’t imagine what his circumstances and reasons were for behaving the way he did. When all was revealed, although I was surprised, it all made perfect sense and tied in nicely with many of the themes of the book.
Steph has some great friends and Anna and Connor were excellent supporting characters. The friendship between Anna and Steph in particular was so well written. Connor and Steph’s relationship was rather unusual to say the least but I really enjoyed how it developed over the course of the book and the genuine pleasure they found in each others happiness.
Steph’s family, on the other hand, were so materialistic, really quite unpleasant and judgemental, apart from her brother Mikey. I have to say though that the family WhatsApp messages were often quite funny. I did wonder if they remembered that Steph was part of the group! 😄
I loved the setting of this one of course. The detailed mention of streets and shops, bars and buses that I’m so familiar with really brought the book to life for me. There’s something special about reading a book set somewhere you know so well. It was obvious that the author also knows Edinburgh well and hadn’t just chosen it as a nice place to set a book. A lot of it was set around north Edinburgh where I’m from. I feel that I’ll be expecting to see Steph or Jamie next time I’m passing Leith Links or walking along Duke Street!
One Night in Edinburgh is an engaging, romantic read. Meeting the right person can happen at the most unexpected of times and I really enjoyed reading about Steph and Jamie’s journey and the will-they-won't-they path the book takes you on.
Already knew this wasn't my sort of book from the cover, "tartan romance" is definitely a genre I usually avoid, but I do like an Edinburgh novel. This was the featured read on Libby with no wait time, so thought I'd give it a go.
I was pleasantly surprised the main character was actually Scottish, not an American here to find a Celtic man. While I had some things in common with her; lives and works in the Leith area, works for a young person's charity, breaks up with a long term boyfriend in her mid twenties, (and I've been to the Hogmanay street party once!); the story was immature, silly, unrelatable and unrealistic. The "twist" is predictable from the halfway point and though in the afterword the author talks about having had a sensitivity reader, the whole thing feels very awkward with stereotyping throughout. Took a frustratingly long time for me to get through it, a lot of words but doesn't say much.
It's a city fan fiction, but could have been set anywhere, Edinburgh is just a tokenistic character. The author "lives" here but I'd bet she isn't from here. I think if you didn't know Edinburgh and Hogmanay you'd be lost as to what was happening, especially for the first few chapters, but the street names and directions aren't necessary and can just be ignored. The details of the Trinity cycle paths and Vegan Quarter at Leith Market were cute, but just shout outs, like if you were writing a book for a child.
It annoyed me that they kept seeming to get buses for distances that were quite walkable. However, I think the most unforgivable part that should have been picked up in editing, was when talking about the Christmas market (somewhere a local would never go), it "... fills the whole of East PRINCES Street Gardens. As we cross PRINCESS Street Street...". The street is called Princes Street (originally Princes' Street) - I hate when people get this wrong, but especially in his case where they've named the gardens correctly, why would you still think that?! 🤦♀️
The title of the book captured my attention right from the beginning. Edinburgh is one my favorite places to visit and I had to read this story. Steph and Jamie pulled on my heartstrings with the genuine personalities and how they found each other.
After breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Steph goes to a street party in Edinburgh to get help move on. That night she meets Jamie and the two have an instant connection. But after spending the night together, Jaime leaves before they can exchange numbers. Determined to find him, she sets out on quest to do that. But Jaime has a secret of his own that she wasn't expecting.
This story was a cute romance story that definitely had heart. You could feel the connection between the two from the beginning. Steph comes from a rich family, and she works with a non-profit for a normal salary. Steph wasn't in it for the glory but to make a difference. Jamie is a good guy even if he's elusive with his past and whereabouts. There is absolutely no cheating, so I don't want anyone to that's what it is. Jaime has his reasons and I respect them. The spice is the bare minimum, so no chapters about those adventures. We get to see more of the relationship building that they have and how they lose each other but find each other again.
This book started off well and it reminded me a little of other stories I have read recently. However, I soon grew frustrated by the protagonist and her family, and I wasn’t too convinced by her romantic life, either.
Steph is brutally dumped on New Year’s Eve. Her childhood sweetheart has called time on their years-long relationship and, naturally, Steph is heartbroken. But, not heartbroken enough, it would seem. When she bumps into handsome Jamie during their New Year’s Eve celebrations, Steph cannot stop her heart from swooning in delight and this marks the start of a relationship that Steph feels is, this time, “the one”.
Yet, I was never convinced that this was true love for Steph. After all, having been with Connor since school, how can she so quickly move on? In my opinion, Jamie was more of a rebound infatuation, and this is proven when they part ways. Jamie and Steph did not swap contact details and Steph goes on an elaborate plan to try and get in touch with him again – with scant information on this new love. At first I found this entertaining, but I couldn’t believe that Steph could feel so deeply about a man she had spent mere hours with – even if the writer explains more about why her dumping was pretty much inevitable.
Not only that, I found Steph’s relationship with her family to be incredibly irritating. They are all a bunch of snobs and dislike Steph’s career as a charity worker – believing it does not bring in enough money and is not a serious job. Furthermore, they all pass judgement on her romantic life and I could not stand how critical and jarring they became. Readers are presented with texts from the family’s WhatsApp group and I felt it was more immature sniping that felt like school playground behaviour, rather than something between adults. In my opinion, Kaye takes the family snobbery stereotype too far, in the sense that it feels old-fashioned and out of touch.
On the other hand, I appreciated the writer drawing attention to the plight of vulnerable young people and homelessness. I thought this added a welcome depth to the novel and I could understand Steph’s passion for her job. This element was surprisingly interwoven into the main narrative in a plot twist that I had not expected, drawing more attention to it. Yet, despite Steph working to help others, her family still don’t get the charitable nature to her work!
I loved the Edinburgh setting and the first half of the novel. However, as the story developed, I found I cooled towards the protagonist and felt she made silly decisions. The people around her are not the most positive of influences which did not help with my overall enjoyment of the story. It’s an ok read for a romance story, but not one that will stay with me for very long.
With thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.