I loved the alternating POVs in this story. I felt like the story moved really quick and kept my interest. I felt like the characters were developed wonderfully. I always look forward to her books because they’re cozy books that build up slowly but perfectly paced.

I received an advanced copy of One Night on the Island by Josie Silver from the publisher Random House-Ballatine books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Cleo, a dating columnist, is spending her thirtieth birthday alone on a quasi-sabbatical- at the insistence of her boss- in the name of reenergization and self-discovery, they call it marrying herself. Her boss has booked her a cabin on a remote Irish island. Mac’s life is falling apart, his wife has left him, and he needs guidance so he leaves to a cabin on the Irish island that his cousin owns. Unfortunately, these two solitude seekers have ended up at the one-bedroom cabin on the exact same days. These two clash immediately, and wonder how they will get through till the next ferry comes in but these two find an unexpected connection.

What I Loved: Some of my favorite television shows take place in small British/Irish/Scottish villages where everyone knows each other and there is a quirky town full of characters. You definitely get that here! Other elements I liked was the characters exploring how their life has changed and not where they expected while they are struggling with very different things figuring out your life and how it changes or needs to change from the current situation. There’s beautiful writing and wisdom here and exploring this made this book endearing.

What I Didn’t Like: The romance did not pop as much as I’d like. I really wasn’t sure about these two being long term partners. I would have bought in more for people who fit a particular season in your life.

Who Should Read It: People who like books about characters at a turning point in their life connecting at the right moment.

Summary: Two souls at a crossroads, connect.

This book is told in alternating perspectives from Cleo and Mack. The chapters have titles, something I thought we gave up in elementary school.

Anyway, Cleo is annoying. She thinks the world does and should revolve around her. She has a series of failed relationships, but she blogs about them so it's ok! Her editor sends her to a remote island (without her permission) to marry herself. Yes, it is as stupid as it sounds. Cleo goes.

And finds a man before she even steps foot on the island!

Sure, they don't get along at first, but then they share three random facts about each other at night and they are best friends who fall in love with each other. Even though he's married. With kids. That he misses so much that he had to travel across an ocean in order to... what? Be a good dad? This never made sense. And Cleo is supposed to be loving herself and finding herself as an individual.

Clearly, she is incapable of that. Yet, she goes ahead and marries herself... even though she hasn't spent any time alone and is making the same mistakes as she's made all along. But the book deems this a success, so just play along. It fits with the other annoying issues in this one, including, but not limited to the fact that they are madly in love after barely any time actually together. The fact that the island only has transportation off of it once a week (if the weather is ok) and yet they have plenty of food, wood, supplies and all other necessities. Magic! How about the fact that Cleo must apparently be made of money and doesn't need to leave the island for anything, ever?! More magic! Or how the author apparently doesn't realize that the end of October in Boston isn't exactly the time that a parent would PULL HER TWO SONS OUT OF SCHOOL to go to the lake? What? Wrong season. I could go on.

And the twist/surprise/totally expected and pathetic end... doesn't work with the boat timing. But we'll just go with it.

Anyway, for a book where our heroine was supposed to have self-love and find herself... it doesn't work when she isn't actually alone.

This book surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. The characters were well developed and relatable.

The author found a way to put into words the feeling of wanting to escape to a small island hideaway and see how life plays out without the pressures we generally feel in a world constantly fueled by social media and technology.

I would definitely recommend this book to a friend and am looking forward to trying more books from the author.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4569506076

Man, I love Josie Silver. Her stories are so sweet and slow and cozy, and this was maybe the coziest of them all -- who doesn't want to spend an entire book immersed in an idyllic island cottage? While it's hard to get close to the excellence of "One Day in December," I'll keep coming back to Josie Silver again and again.

I wanted to try something different and this light hearted page turner was a good read, although I couldn’t warm to the characters as there wasn’t much chemistry,

When Cleo escapes to a remote Irish island to celebrate her 30th birthday, the last thing she expected was to be stranded with Mack from Boston in the remote one-room cabin until the weekly ferry arrives.

This felt similar but very different to Trish Doller's The Suite Spot - it was more serious and sweet. I enjoyed it!

So I 5 Starred One Day In December and would happily recommend that book to anyone, but I am sad to report when it comes to this one . . . well.

Let’s start with the title. One Month on the Island would have been more accurate – or Eight Days of Instaloving Bang Session, but I get it – the marketing powers that be thought the tie-in to the title of “One Day” would be a winner. Not actually what happened, but nobody asked for my input. Really, since Cleo and Mack get to know each other by telling three things about themselves every night, Tell Me Three Things probably would have been the most fitting title, but Julie Buxbaum already wrote that book (and I gave it 5 Stars too, so you’re welcome for me ruining your TBR today if you trust my opinions).

Next we get to the trope. While I am a fan of the unplanned roommate situation, after reading this one I think I might need them to know each other beforehand. This whole cottage/island situation was weird for me. You’re talking about a place that would obviously be a quaint tourist trap, but the people apparently hate outsiders and all must be independently wealthy that they don’t need outside dollars whatsoever so there’s other lodging aside from one tiny cabin. But then the ladies of the town instantly embrace all things which are Cleo?????

The chemistry was pretty much nonexistent for me and when it comes to the "we were on a break" trope? Yeah, that’s not my jam either. Mack clearly didn’t want to NOT be married to his wife . . . until magically he’s over her and Cleo is under him.

And speaking of Cleo – the idea that she was going to this island to “marry herself” after not finding her flamingo????

This book was a mixed bag for my Goodreads’ friends which makes me feel like less of a wrongreader. If it’s on your TBR, definitely keep it there because my gripes are ones that could definitely be of the “it’s me/not you” variety.

I really thought this was going to be a rom-com, but there was no rom or com worth sticking around for. I guess you could maybe see it coming after One Day in December, which isn’t always light, but this book was both too much and not enough for me to finish.

One Night on the Island is such a sweet novel. It’s the perfect combination of self-discovery and romance. I loved getting to know Cleo and Mac, and experience the gorgeous Irish island setting.

There is no sugar coating this. I did not like this book. Cleo was unbearable. I rolled my eyes at her character so much. The story itself was tired and uneventful. I was hoping for a fun, cute read and was disappointed. ⭐⭐

I enjoyed the small town feel of this one. The characters were easy to forget. I have to agree with others, I did enjoy it but it’s not one to remember.

Okay this one is a hard one to review. Honesty, I didn't like Cleo or Mack at the beginning. Cleo was kind of annoying and as a mom, I couldn't understand how Mack could leave his kids, when they were having a hard time. So, it took me awhile to get into the story, and I still ponder how I really feel about it. This I would say would be classified as a real-world romance, meaning it's messy, complicated and I can totally see this happening in the real world. Which I usually love the crazy romances, because I read to escape the real world. However, I love Josie Silver's writing and as I read, I started to like Cleo or Mack, although I still had issues with their relationship, it ended up being a sweet and oh so angsty romance story which I enjoyed.

A nice light hearted read about finding yourself and love.

Both Cleo and Mack book a stay in a cabin on a small remote island. Unfortunately it ends up being a double booking and they have to learn to share the space.

In the beginning I thought this was going to be enemies to lovers, but both Cleo and Mack ended up putting their differences aside after opening up about the reasons why they were there.

They both were there to find themselves, but for different reasons. In a way they needed the others help through the process when they thought being alone was the solution.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. It’s a different kind of romance compared to my go to reads, and that’s what I liked about it.

Is there anything by Josie Silver that isn't amazing? no... not possible. I've loved her writing from book one and this book is no different. I felt like the book tackled every day issues with honesty and humor. The humor and banter is laugh out loud funny. Five stars!

What can I say this book had me hooked and loved it all from beginning to end. It was a good read and I am so hooked on Josie Silver books. This had it all. Gave me the feels. I will read anything she writes. Get and get it.

This is not a light rom com, but a romance with a heavy heart. At times I felt for the characters as they find themselves and each other, I felt a connection, but other times, I couldn't wait to finish the book. I have enjoyed other Josie Silver books and I find for most of them I felt the same. Overall, I would recommend the book and I especially liked the ending. The ending is why the score moved from a 3.5 to a 4.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy

This book was really sweet. I thought it had an original plot idea and the use of the “forced proximity” trope was nice. However, I felt a lack of connection with the main characters and this struggle with their development led me to feel unconnected to their challenges and relationship. I also felt like the pacing was off and on, and slow to start.

Sweet romance set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. It's not so much a rom-com, but there are lighthearted moments. I loved the islanders, the setting of the lodge (what we Americans would call a cottage, I think), and the relationship that builds between Cleo and Mack. I'm a big fan of Josie Silver's so far and look forward to her future books.

This is a DNF for me at page 133, which is sad because I love the way Josie Silver writes. This story is easily 5 stars for writing quality. The setting is like a character and I loved that so much! They way she described this Irish island called Salvation, I felt like I was there. The chill of the weather got into my bones. The secondary characters are amazing. I wanted to get to know them right alongside Cleo. However, the characters I didn't want to get to know were Cleo and Mack...the main characters.
At first, it was just fine. I liked the backstory that was unfolding. Cleo was a little too disgruntled and immature in her dealings with Mack, but that wasn't a deal breaker for me. No, the deal breaker came when the first portion of the book set Mack up as the heartbroken husband and father who was going through a rough patch with his wife and all he wanted was to get back to being a family together...until, without any provocation, he's making out with Cleo on the porch and she's ready to bang his brains out. She knows he's married. She knows his heart is broken from missing his sons. The only thing close to an explanation for this shift in their antagonistic relationship is that they sit back to back on the floor and that amount of physical contact with her gets him all hot and bothered. Given his behavior until then, it seemed like it would have been a wake up call to work through things with his wife, who he seemed to still be in love with up to that point.
Once Cleo felt hurt and embarrassed because Mack rejected going further with her physically...not hurt and embarrassed that she was ready to do it with a married man she didn't know or care for, I couldn't root for Mack and Cleo as a couple. Nevermind the fact that Cleo is 29, about to turn 30, and Mack told her he'd been married with two kids by 29...so how old is this guy? (I think he said his oldest son was 12...so 41? Not that it's robbing the cradle, but the age difference hadn't been mentioned at all by that part of the story.)
I couldn't buy into it. It wasn't sweet. Cleo and Mack had done nothing to make this sudden shift in their relationship believable.
The setup for the story was excellent...these particular two characters were the wrong choice for me.