I really enjoyed listening to this story. I thought the narration was great and made me feel like it was really someone from Edinburgh sharing her story, although I could be wrong. The narrator did a splendid job making me feel like I knew Ada and I was rooting for her to figure it all out, to move on and be fulfilled in her career and to meet someone. The story was some what predictable, but that didn't stop it from being cute and fun to listen to. There was both drama, laughter, mysteries and some emotional stuff going on, so despite having a good idea of how it would all end the journey there was fun and you never know if the author does decide to throw a curve ball here or there.

Overall a really good story to listen to and an author to look out for!

4/5
I enjoyed this audiobook. The writing was amazing! This combined with the great narration by Lesley Harcourt made the book a good listen. I loved that the book was set in Edinburgh as I have somehow never read a book set in Scotland. The reason I rated this 4/5 is because I think most rom-com readers would enjoy the book but I personally couldn't relate to the characters too often most likely because the book feels more targeted towards millennial readers. So if your a millennial looking for a good cheesy rom-com set in Scotland this is the book for you.
pros:
- great narration -Scottish accent!!!!!
- likeable main character.
- I loved Ada's mum.- the mother daughter relationship was heart warming.
- couldn't stop reading/listening.
con:
- this isn't really much of a con but the book was very predictable.
- if you have never read any Agatha Christie books, like me, a lot of references/discussions will make little sense.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bonnier UK Audio for giving me the chance to read and give an honest review of Virtual Strangers.

*heart eyes emoji*

I LOVED this!

The warm and cozy remedy for this very odd early March weather. Perfect for romance lovers.
An uplifting rom-com for fans of mysteries and Agatha Christie for the references throughout.
It is wonderfully and firmly set in Edinburgh, and you definitely get the feel of the city throughout the novel and definitely by someone who knows the area well (Sam Canning does in fact live in Edinburgh!)

Lesley Harcourt is a joy to listen to, and brought each and every character to life in their own way.

This book was an excellent listen. It is one you could pick up whenever you had a few minutes to spare. Loved the narration which had each character clearly read with their own voice. The story line was fun and the characters very personable.

On the surface a quick, predictable girl-meets-boy story, there’s more depth to it than the back-cover blurb would have you believe.

Ada’s core relationship turns out to be with her best friend Amal, whose post-natal depression she has not spotted because she was working in London. Returning home to Edinburgh after career and romantic disappointments, Ada reconnects with both her friend and her own core values.

And, of course, as we always knew she would be, she is rewarded by getting the good guy in the end.

There’s a nice subplot surrounding an Agatha Christie Fan Fiction Forum, and a great scene in which Ada and her beau attend an exclusive ball at The Signet Library.

And, if you know Edinburgh even just a little bit, you’ll love revisiting some of its famous and less famous neighbourhoods.

4.5/5 - I loved this! Set in Edinburgh I really connected with the story and felt as if I was there. A fantastic romance which left me feeling warm and cosy. Although I did guess the reveal at the beginning so spent the whole book waiting for it to happen! A must read for romance lovers.

I did enjoy the book with it's witty humorous parts, but I was never captured truly into the storyline and never really connected with the main character. The narrator for the book did a great job with the expressions and voices so you could tell the difference between the characters. Thank you for the opportunity for the early access. #netgalley #virtualstrangers

If you’re looking for a super fun romcom with guaranteed giggles then I highly recommend picking this one up! And if you find a Scottish accent as uplifting as I do then get yourself the audiobook on the go because the narration is like a warm hug 🙌

Whilst you’ll obviously work out where the story is going pretty early on, that won’t diminish your enjoyment of this heartwarming novel - the characters are so lovely and the dialogue is mostly hilarious (I need a different word for banter because it’s been ruined by Love Island, BUT the banter really is entertaining!). And it also touches on some emotional and relatable topics like post natal depression, and how friendships change after one person has children. Plus I am SO ready to move to Edinburgh. A cracking debut 🙌

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read this as an Arc! Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author Sam Canning!

I’d like to start this review off with the rating I gave it so that I can then go from there and explain everything I loved about it!

5/5 stars! One of my favourite books I think I’ve ever listened to. The author does an amazing job of writing as well as the way characters! Ugh Ada is an absolute gem and I have never fallen so madly in love with a character in my whole life.

This book is not only a romance, also a slice of life/ friendship story. The characters were all written so perfectly, I honestly will miss them so much and cannot wait to listen to/read this book again in the future. The end line was so amazing I know I keep saying how beautiful it was, but seriously it was!

Ada moves back home after an affair with a coworker turns sour, while she is home she decides to start her on company a firm where she represents clients. Her one client Steve, while I enjoyed listening about, is the biggest pain in the backside ever. Constantly relying on Ada for everything and dragging her down further and further. Honestly he was such a pain.

Ada goes to a cafe everyday for work where she sits at the same table/coffee desk. When she goes one day to find her table has been occupied by a stranger. Who we later learn is frasier, the love I have for him is endless. You know when characters don’t do anything terrible, there’s nothing to redeem and their hearts are just pure goodness ? That’s him.

But struggling Ada finds herself in a love triangle with three men, Frazier, Neil (a man her best friend sets her up with) and Mr E. Mr E is a man she meets on a fan fiction site where he nominated her story for an award. Their budding friendship ends up causing a rift in Ada’s life between her and the other men.

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. I loved the twist and all the turns of the story and I cannot stop raving about this book please please read this! It’s beautifully written, such a gorgeous story and I cannot wait to read more by this talented author!

I absolutely LOVED this. I inhaled it all today. It’s light, bright, airy, funny, relatable and filled me with hope, it was a perfect Sunday read.

Aida is a lovely character nursing a broken heart back home in Edinburgh she’s started her own pr company from a local cafe, is living back with her mum, and her life long friend Anal is determined to fix her up with a man. Aida seems to have other plans though and the fun along the way was brilliant. I loved the narration, the use of local vernacular. Brilliant!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.

I loved this book so much. It was You've Got Mail but updated for millenials. It was also hilarious; I haven't had this much fun with a book in a while. I also loved the nods to and riffs on all the classic 90s romcoms that I grew up loving.

Having Ada and Mr. E meet via Mrs. Marple fanfiction was brilliant and I loved how authentic their quick-blossoming fanfic friendship was and how easily they bared their souls to each other in their messages. And their like-minded banter.

I also loved Ada and Fraser's blossoming friendship, and how much fun and laughter they shared going to all the quirky events for Fraser to write articles about. Paranormal Architecture. Erotic Pottery. There was so much material for their amusement and shared banter, and it all felt so authentic. Shared laughter is one of the most important things in a relationship, in my experience, and Ada and Fraser's style of humor often matched my own.

I could see myself and my partner standing in the corner and whispering together in much the same way that Ada and Fraser do in almost every event they end up attending together, poking gentle fun at the more ridiculous aspects.

There was a lot of humor in this book but there was also a lot of heart and some real struggles. Grief, relationship betrayal, and postpartum depression were all touched on and handled deftly. I loved Ada's relationship with Alma and the way they learned to navigate childhood friendship that follows you into adulthood.

There's also a very interesting thread of Ada and her mother getting used to Ada living at home again in this book. I loved Ada's mom. She had Ada's back and shared her sense of humor but also wasn't afraid to embarrass Ada whenever possible.

The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters and story to life. I couldn't stop listening to it once I started and finished it in a day and a half. It was a very addictive listening experience.

Highly recommend.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Bonnier UK Audio, and Zaffre for providing an early copy for review.