Book about a solitary worker bee who belatedly starts building a life. The importance of both deep & superficial social connections is a major theme. Not a rom-com. I felt it could have been just as affecting if Eleanor hadn't had a newspaper-worthy childhood trauma, and was "just" a depressed misfit loner who has a bad relationship with her mom & with alcohol. I was glad the book only dabbled slightly in cringey rom-com territory, before rejecting it. I liked how the main character was the biggest jerk (in the beginning, at least), but was still written sympathetically. I was constantly struck by how much less bleak life in Scotland is than in the United States: e.g. former foster kid Eleanor was never homeless, multiple characters are able to leave their jobs to care for or just be with sick loved ones (most severely sick people I know wouldn't be able to get the time off for themselves!), it being notable that there's a place not served by a bus, office worker is able to afford therapy, etc. Is Eleanor's preference for Vodka (over whisky, which is never mentioned) in Glasgow meant to be an indicator of how much of a detached weirdo she is?