A perfect mix of female empowerment and whirlwind romance, One Night on the Island will speak to your heart and stay with you long after the final page.
 
Cleo Wilder is a romance columnist who feels like she has been searching for her flamingo forever. Flamingos mate for life didn’t you know?
 
When her boss Ali books her a writing break on a remote Irish island to ‘self-couple’ in time for her 30th birthday, Cleo can’t think of a reason to say no. A solo adventure may be just what she needs to reenergize her. What she doesn’t expect is the tall, brooding American to also be sharing her cosy idyllic lodge on Salvation island. One night only, or so they think…
 
Despite my love of thrillers, I have a special place in my heart for romance. One Night on the Island has become one of my all-time favourites!
 
Humour, heartbreak, community, family – all strong themes running through this warm hug of a novel.
 
Neither Cleo or Mack are perfect. No one is swept off their feet. Romance is explored with eyes wide open and battered hearts on their sleeves.
 
I liked the focus on Cleo finding herself. ‘Self-coupling’ sounds hippy-ish, but to make a commitment to yourself to consider yourself whole without anyone else is quietly empowering, especially for a writer previously committed to finding her soul mate.
 
The rugged terrain of the island contrasts beautifully with how warm and welcoming the villagers are. It is almost expected that a closed-off, remote community would be averse to the addition of strangers, but the joyful characters of Raff, Ailsa, Delta and more just shine off the page. I wish I could meet them (though not sure I would be welcome at the village knitting group, being a crocheter myself..)!
 
The dual narrative kept the novel pacy and seeing both sides of the romance gave us a window into thoughts and feelings of Cleo and Mack. Saying that, I still couldn’t predict how the ending would turn out! Silver crafted quite the ambiguous perspectives on both sides of the Atlantic!
 
I loved it and wish I could read it again for the first time. Will definitely read more by Josie Silver! I’ve since discovered that Silver lives in my hometown, so I’m proud to celebrate her wonderful book from deepest darkest Midlands!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin books for the advanced copy. One Night On The Island is out now!

When writer, Cleo, and photographer, Mack, end up together in a remote Irish island cottage, due to a double-booking, sparks fly, and a line is (literally) drawn between them. Cleo is on a journey of self-love for her 30th birthday, while Mack is trying to connect with his ancestors.
This is definitely a grower of a love story. The first few chapters are the classic 'enemies at first sight', and from there it's a slow, tentative burn from enemies to lovers. For several chapters I couldn't fathom how Josie Silver was going to weave romance in. Mack is written so sensitively as the heartbroken husband, separated from his wife and children, that I just couldn't fit the pieces together. When, suddenly things seem to heat up. I admit the initial switch left me a tiny bit confused, but I understood the way Mack dealt with it, and yet also felt for Cleo (no spoilers!) When they finally come to their agreement, it's so heart-wrenchingly beautiful.
I think this story works so well because of the island backdrop, and the supporting characters adding light and shade to the obvious turmoil and chemistry building between the two protagonists. In many ways, the weather itself is also a supporting character, mirroring many of their moods and significant events. I particularly loved the 'three-things' moments, it reminded me a little of 'The Proposal', with both of their most vulnerable moments shared under the cover of darkness. And yes, it is a love story. But not just of romantic love. There's self-love, honest and real friendship, and love that comes from embracing the life you want.
This is an emotional rollercoaster of a story, that tightly gripped at my angst-loving heart, and had me sobbing at times, particularly during the last quarter. But don't be mistaken, there's also plenty of sharp humour and heartwarming moments too.

Some stories tug at your heart, this one clawed at it, and perhaps even left its very own sliver there... 😉 I read almost exclusively on Kindle these days, but I immediately had to order the paperback of this because I genuinely want to hug it!
P.s. Josie Silver, you had me at Han Solo 😍

Favourite Quote:

‘We’re like two jumbled-up jigsaw pieces,’ I say. ‘A piece of you has turned up on my board and I can’t work out where you fit.
’‘It’s the odd eyes,’ he says. ‘You’ll never fit me in.’

*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

Overall Rating ❤❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating 🔥🔥
Emotional Rating 😊😊😍😍💔💔😭😭

I loved this book so much. Just from reading the first few pages I knew I was in for a treat.
The writing is so beautiful and realistic that I wanted be there on Salvation island experiencing it all myself.
I liked that, as well as romance, this book is filled with the journey of self love, friendships and real life relationship issues.
I laughed, I cried, I gasped. This had all the feels and I couldn't read it quick enough. And now I want to escape to a cottage on an island please.
This is my favourite book of the year so far and it will take something really special to beat it. I will most certainly re read this at some point which I never normally do but it was just that good.

To start, this romance features a lot of tropes that I love. From the synopsis, you learn that this is a one-bed romance which I am a big sucker for and it also indicates some kind of (light) enemies to lovers thing going on. I loved both of those tropes so I was really looking forward to diving in. I would warn to potentially not go into this one thinking it is an enemies to lovers because, it isn't really that at all. They dislike each other by circumstances rather than any strong hatred/miscommunication as you usually find with that trope. I didn't mind that though, enemies to lovers is so variable anyway that I was open-minded going into it.

Before we get to the details of the romance though, I want to talk about the characters. I have to say I preferred our male character, Mac than Cleo. This romance also deals with some very real issues especially with Mac who is trying to come to terms with his role as a father when he is no longer with his wife, attempting to not become like his own father who was rather absentee. I really appreciated the look at that and I think perhaps some older people who can relate to that and have children of their now will really enjoy that discussion within the book. Cleo on the other hand, I didn't like as much. I think her fear of becoming 30 was very realistic and she has some great character development throughout the book but, I didn't completely buy into the whole marrying yourself part of the plot. On the one hand, I loved the presentation of a woman who was learning about herself and becoming more confident in herself alongside building a relationship. It's not an either or situation. You can work on yourself and a relationship at the same time. You often see that as an ultimatum in books and I'm glad that wasn't the case here.

This book also has many side characters and I especially loved the found family element of the island. In this small Irish island, you see such a strong sense of community and you can feel the love between them coming off the page. Admittedly, these are mostly women but, regardless, they're great friends to our protagonists. I would have liked to have seen more of them. However, as much as I liked this aspect, in the latter section of the book there is a character death (no spoilers!) and I just don't think that was necessary. I understand why it happened to drive the romance forward but, I didn't feel the emotional connection to the character as they had only briefly been mentioned and appeared throughout. It wasn't very impactful for me personally and I think other methods could have been used to reunite our characters.

Finally, onto the romance. I know this is the bit you've all been waiting for. So, at the beginning of this book I thought this was going to be an amazing slow burn romance. It seems to set off that way and then suddenly, they're together. For me it went from like 30 - 100 real quick and I was really enjoying the process so, when it became rushed. I wasn't the biggest fan. We saw them really getting to know each other and building a friendship as they deal with the situation they've found themselves in. Then it falls into the habit of "I've wanted you all along" when there was no indication of that sexual tension as of yet. It was just a little rushed which is ironic given my complaint for the latter section of the book in which it becomes very dragged out. I really dislike that section of romance where the issue could be resolved but instead, the characters more to different locations and we hear them pine for each other. I'm all for the pinning but in this one, it lasted far too long. There were multiple opportunities within this section of the book for them to be reunited yet it just kept on going. In the end, I was just waiting for it to end which is not what you want with a romance. I didn't have that yearning for them to be together.

That being said, there were cute elements to the romance as they started getting to know each other and I appreciated some of the elements like a chalk line to split up the cottage. It just wasn't a romance that I was particularly invested in unfortunately. For that reason, I didn't like this book as much as I was hoping for. According to early Goodreads reviews, it seems that I am in the minority so far so you may really enjoy this one. One Night on the Island was okay, but I have such a mixed bag of thoughts that this not a romance I'll be shouting about from the roof tops anytime soon.

Once again, a big thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the early ARC of this one. Although I didn't enjoy it, I'm still very grateful for the opportunity to read it early. One Night on the Island was released yesterday (17th February) so you can purchase it now!

This was such a lovely read! 🤍
I absolutely loved the relationship between Mack and Cleo from the get go. It’s always fun when it starts off on the wrong foot and turns out they have a lot more in common than they think!

I really enjoyed following their stories and getting to know them. Mack was such a lovely, generous guy! Cleo was out there and such a laugh!

Would 100% recommend!

I had to take a couple of days before I could being myself to write this review.

This book hit a little to close to my heart and brought out some unresolved feelings I had for my own micro love.

A credit to the author for writing so beautifully and realistically that I could feel the memories coming to the forefront.

There was humour, romance, self love, friendships and self discovery.

It had one of my favourite tropes, stuck in the same cabin after a mix up with a booking and nowhere else to go.

I couldn't not give this 5 stars because it evoked such an emotional response in me that I don't get easily. I loved the characters and the banter. The story whisked me away and now I just want to escape to my own cabin on an island.

And to my micro love, I hope you are well

I loved this book what a lovely amazing read. Might have even liked it more than one day in December. Just beautiful. Highly recommended.

One of my all time favourite books is One day in December so I was really excited to read Josie Silver’s new book. I expected a full on romance and prayed it would have the will they won’t they suspense to it that One day in December has.

I felt this was really a story about self discovery, lifelong friendship and community spirit just as much as it was about possible love and romance. It’s about messy relationships, trusting your gut feelings and finding the courage to make life changing decisions with the risk that they might not always be the right ones.

While the romance side of this story wasn’t exactly what I’d hoped for there were still plenty of parts of the story I enjoyed. I especially loved the strong female friendships and the remote setting with it’s wonderful island community. There was some great British banter that I’ve come to expect from Josie Silver and I really appreciated the realistic ending ☺️

Thank you to Viking books and Netgally for sending me the eARC of this book

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

What’s not to love about this story, it had it all happiness, love, leaving and lots more.

Cleo and Mack head Salvation Island, each for their own reasons, when they are having to share the only available accommodation on the island. Having to live together under these circumstances, they begin to form a relationship, still trying to deal with their issues,they start to slowly heal and u sweat and their lives and what they have been through.

The way the story changed from Cleo and Mack’s viewpoints was lovely. I also loved how the characters were developed and the relations interlinked, it was beautifully written.

The story made me cry and laugh. A fabulous book Josie Silver!

Highly Recommend This Book.

Two people, a chance encounter and a love story that will last a lifetime. That really sums up this beautiful and heartwarming romance story with lovable characters and a great romance between Cleo and Mack. They are the definition of grumpy/ sunshine couple and their banter was just perfect to show it up.
If you want to reward yourself for a few hours with a smile on your face, read this book.

Imagine having to live in one room, with a complete stranger, on a remote island, that's exactly what happened to Cleo and Mack.
One night on the island, was in my opinion, brilliant. It was funny, sad, cute, emotional and very much page turner.
This book had magic in its pages from the very start right to the end.
I absolutely adored both Cleo and Mack and the quirky islanders that made up the story. This book gave me several very late as I kept telling myself, 'just one more page'.
I would highly recommend this and Josie Silver's other books as well for that matter as they are brilliant too.

A great easy read very emotional, just loved the atmosphere of the island so colourful and all the people who lived there and took Cleo and Mac into their hearts.

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful, wonderful story, I didn't want it to end, the love between two people is so very special but the sisterhood on Salvation Island is a whole new level! More please

Quite likeable characters but a simplistic plot, unrealistic speech and too many sex scenes spoilt it for me. Shame because it sounded like an easy to read romance and I enjoyed Josie Silver's previous books One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.

ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND by JOSIE SILVER.

Cleo writes a dating column, but her own love life is less successful. Sent on a sabbatical to Salvation Island she meets Mack. Mack is a photographer who is visiting Salvation Island to discover his family roots.
The island.
Can they both find what they are looking for? And maybe a whole lot more.

This was a pleasant read, funny, emotional and feel good.
It was a little predictable, but still an enjoyable read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to #Netgalley and #PenguinUk for an arc of #OneNightOnTheIsland by #JosieSilver.

Ebook out now.
Paperback and audio available available from 17/2/22

Another great Netgalley read by Josie Silver, One Night on the Island. The perfect cosy romance if you love her other books.

I know I was gripping my kindle praying for the ending I needed as I binged through this perfect love story.

Not just a typical woman falls in love with man story. But woman also learns to falls in love with herself.

On the cusp of turning 30 Cleo a successful dating columnist on her quest for finding her flamingo is coaxed by her boss into spending her 30th on a self coupling sabbatical to mark the milestone, on a remote Irish island. Cleo takes the chance to get away from London and finds herself in the luxury cabin ready to figure out her next steps and sort her life out. Safe to say Mac was equally surprised to find Cleo there.
With his marriage falling apart Mac borrows the cabin from the distant relative that owns it, hoping that distance between Ireland and America will help them figure out what the other wants, no matter how much he will miss his two boys he is excited to get back to his roots and explore the island his family calls home.
Now the two must learn to share the cabin until the next ferry is scheduled to arrive. That day cannot come quick enough for the both of them. Instantly at each other throats, both reluctant to leave insisting the other should go, chalk borders on the floor and a list of rules on the fridge. Will Cleo finally find her Flamingo? Or will the American drive her completely insane and make her give up her search forever?

Thankyou Netgalley for this perfect read, I really enjoyed it.

A trip to a beautiful, remote Irish island with barely any people, an abundance of cake, and a hot photographer who bears a resemblance to a young Harrison Ford? Sign me up! After really enjoying Josie Silver’s One Day in December a few years ago, I was really excited to give One Night on the Island a read but, sadly, this wasn’t the romance for me.

Less Romance, More Individual Journey

Part of the problem I had in gelling with ONotI is that I went into it with a misunderstanding about the type of novel it was. When I read One Day in December, I was very clear on the assignment: romantic drama. Yet, the setup and blurb for this book made me think it would be more in line with a romantic comedy. While it does have elements you’d find in a rom-com e.g. only one bed, that’s not what it is. I would even go so far as to say the romance isn’t the focus of the book. It’s more about the individual journeys of two characters who just happen to fall for one another while on their way to other things. This isn’t a criticism, but something to keep in mind if you’re hoping for an intense romance read.

Three’s a Crowd

Speaking of the romance, unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me. I have two main reasons for this. First, it didn’t feel as though Cleo and Mack spent enough quality time together to really justify the depth of their feelings. Second, I had trouble reconciling their relationship with Mack’s marriage situation. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with Mack being separated from his wife and this being his first romantic interaction since. However, it’s tough to root for a couple when the male lead is not over his wife and the marriage itself is still ending. One thing I did quite like was the ‘reveal three things’ exchanges between Cleo and Mack throughout the novel. I thought it was super endearing and worked well in showing us the two getting to know one another.

Lacklustre First Impressions

When it comes to the characters themselves, the first few chapters were rocky. Cleo is rude to Mack before there’s any real reason to be and I found it bizarre that Mack somehow thought his distant relative saying he could crash at the cottage trumped Cleo’s booked and paid for vacation. Still, they grew on me a little with time, despite Cleo’s occasionally childish antics. Something I wish had been toned down a little, though, was the immense focus on Mack as a father which dominated a lot of the story and his characterisation. I completely understood why being a good parent was so important to him but it felt repetitive and overwhelming at times.

Take me to Salvation Island!

My favourite part of ONotI was the setting. Salvation was such a lovely, peaceful (despite the weather) and isolated place, and it was so easy for me to imagine Otter Lodge in all its cosy, cottagecore comfort. By halfway, I was ready to pack my bags and head to Ireland in search of a quiet spot where I, too, could scream like a maniac knowing no one would hear me and only get decent reception on a random rock at the top of a seaside hill. I also liked the addition of the small handful of Salvation locals with their knitting circle, packed to bursting pub on trivia night and welcoming nature. Although, I wish that these characters had been better developed as they did feel weak outside of group settings.

Self-Partnering?

On Cleo’s self-marriage journey, I’m torn. The marriage itself felt silly but I was very supportive of the ideas of self-love and self-partnering behind it and appreciated the sense of freedom and empowerment it instilled in Cleo. However, I can’t help feeling like this was an odd storyline to include alongside Cleo’s romance with Mack. This is mainly because, for me, it wasn’t able to properly find momentum until Mack departed the island, giving Cleo the time and solitude to think about her life and make some big changes. Then there’s the fact that the book literally includes a scene in which Cleo lists three things she fell in love with during her trip and, even with all the talk of self-love, she still ranks herself below Mack. It's just a bit of a vibe clash.
____________________________
Despite this not being my cup of tea, I can still see myself reading more of Josie Silver’s books in the future. The things that didn’t work for me here were subjective so I definitely recommend giving One Night on the Island a read if you’ve liked Silver’s previous books or if it catches your eye.

2 Stars

Review - One night on the Island

Cleo is an online magazine columnist whose column is all about finding your flamingo!!!
Still single and about to turn thirty years old,  Cleo feels like a disappointment!
Her boss sends her to Salvation Island in Ireland to Self-couple, that is basically marrying yourself and be happy with that.
When she arrives at the rented cottage she isn't alone. There she finds Mack, an American, that has also rented the cabin. A problem starts - Neither wants to leave!
In the story, is evident the community of strong and genuine people in the Island, always welcoming and inviting Cleo into their lifes like they have known her forever. Very heartwarming!! The author really makes the reader feel they need to visit and stay in this island and like it's name find salvation!
The ceremony of her wedding was empowering and symbolic marking the transformation into a woman.
The narrative was very realistic and although still a romance/love story,  family priorities and self love are always on top of everything.
Is the second book I have read by Josie Silver and again one that I have truly enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing for my complimentary copy.

This is the third book I’ve read by Josie Silver and I’ve enjoyed them all.

An easy read, a little predictable but escapism and fun.
Good characters

BOOK REVIEW 3.5/5 ⭐️

“Life is the stuff that happens between the cracks in your plans and expectations.”

All the books I read this month had the element of travel on it. 🤣 Not intentional at all.

This is beautifully written, there are so many quotable quotes and I am a sucker for that kind of thing.

This book does not revolve around the micro-love of the 2 main characters, it had subplots that I enjoyed so much. Mack’s family, finding self love, and the community of Slanu. I loved the people of Salvation Island! I wanted to go there and meet them all and be a part of their knitting group!

*Spoiler*
Although I hated the fact that Mack was still legally married, although they have been separated, it’s clear that he is still in love with his wife. I just found it unbelievable that he would “fall in love” with Cleo in a span of few days. I did not feel bad for Mack at all when his wife chose Robert because he technically cheated.

I did not expect to shed a tear for this book, at all, but boom, it suddenly hit me and before I knew it I had tears in my eyes. The ending is not the ending I hoped for but it’s not the worst either. Though I felt like the book gone on longer than it should but I still liked it anyway.