Member Reviews
Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture and Catherine Walsh for providing me with an arc for this.
This book is exactly what it says on the cover, a funny feel good romance that if you’re anything like me, you zipped through in one sitting.
One night only, follows Sarah who’s only interested in one night. She doesn’t want love and she isn’t into relationships. After a fling with a sexy stranger she flies out to Ireland and who other than her once night stand, could possibly be the best man. After returning home, she keeps bumping into him and just maybe, Declan might just be a keeper.
This was an incredibly well written, fast paced and just generally quick to read. It’s a book for a lazy afternoon spent drinking tea and munching popcorn. It’s easy to swallow, and the perfect no-stress/low commitment book that’s needed after an intense one. The witty banter between Dec and Sarah was so natural and had me laughing the whole way through. I loved that it wasn’t too angsty and if there are any bonus epilogues or sequels you can sign me up!
Will, the snarky gay ‘office husband’/best friend came a little too close to the whole romcom cliche thing especially when he started giving fashion advice and talking about doing the dentist. I keep having flashbacks to how they tore the cliche apart in; Isn’t it romantic and after that I couldn’t take him seriously as a character anymore. I also didn’t find the supporting characters engaging and so any time not focused on Declan and Sarah was spent waiting for the narrative to pan back around.
To anyone in Sarah’s position, if you keep bumping into a guy that much. It’s clearly fate so go for it 😂
All in all it’s definitely an author I’d check out again!
4. 5 stars !
I absolutely loved this book !! It was so entertaining, witty and I could not put it down!! The characters are so well written, and I loved the banter and tension between Sarah and Declan. Their relationship was so well paced and you just can’t help but root for this couple!!
I highly recommend this for the perfect summer read!
Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for the digital copy !
My soul needed some good romance in my life! One Night only was a cute book that I devoured in one sitting. Sarah has a long history of one night stands and she likes it that way, but she’s not used to her one night stands wanting more. She’s also not used to being intrigued by them enough for a second date. When she sees her latest hook up at a wedding in IRELAND, she’s got to wonder if this a cruel joke or some twist of fate.
I enjoyed that this novel went past the wedding and into their daily lives. We really watch them work up to the point of a tentative relationship. I think their relationship was really organic, especially as we learn more of Declan’s background and his admiration of Sarah.
This was just a super sweet book and was good for my soul. I would definitely love to read a little follow up chapter or two on Sarah and Declan’s life after this book because I enjoyed it so much. Their chemistry is steamy but the sex is closed door, so if you’re smut shy, this is a good romance for you!
One Night only comes out on July 9th, thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the review copy!
Sarah is about to travel to Ireland to attend her best friends wedding, when she has a one night stand (not atypical for her). Unbeknownst to her, the best man/brother of the groom, is the man she slept with. She soon finds that her rule of only having one night stands will be tested.
I really enjoyed this book! The chemistry and banter between Sarah and Declan was truly delightful. It was a great summer/beach read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book!
Disclaimer: This book has a very special place in my heart.
I have a very deep connection to Ireland and I love stories which are set there. But I’m extra anxious beforehand, because irish people tend to be painted quite loud, a little difficult and sometimes even plain.
BUT LO AND BEHOLD! This book does it just right.
The description of the country and its people is edgy, but warm and heartfelt. And this is a really important aspect, because the story is carried by its special characters and their relationships.
Sarah Anderson is an independent young woman, who sticks by her needs and desires and isn’t unapologetic about it, which I find quite refreshing.
Declan Murphy is the all-irish-dream, in my humble opinion, and is pictured as the perfect Casanova (mind without the women and in the best sense).
I especially like the open dealing with emotions and the description of the inner turmoil of the female main character.
During the whole reading process I had a warm feeling in my chest and a small smile on my lips. This book was the perfect mix of emotions, humour and the scenery.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED it so much!! This was a perfect summer read. This book was so funny, charming with loveable characters. Declan and Sarah were super cute!! I couldn't put this down. I finished it in a day!! 4.5 stars:)
This is a perfect beach read. I was able to finish it in a day!
What better way to start a romance novel with a one-night stand gone bad. I seriously enjoyed this read. It was very easy to follow along and it had me second-guessing my predictions of how the two were going to end. I did enjoy the chemistry between Sarah and Declan it was hot and had me on the edge of my seat begging for more. It was not just a romance novel and I loved how the author acknowledges Sarah's biggest flaw: trusting people. As a child of divorce, separation anxiety and abandonment issues affect a person's everyday situations including a person's work life. Sarah never felt like she was good enough for those around her. Sarah feared being alone and this allowed me to create ties to the character. I loved how she talked about being a sideline character in her own life. LIKE I FELT THAT. This book had me analyzing myself and my own life choices. Do we make ourselves small to benefit those around us? I wish there was more growth for Sarah when it came to her career development.
The story had a solid plotline, twists I wasn’t expecting and by the end, I wanted more.
If you love lifetime movies and leap year I think you should check out this book! I will definitely be keeping up with Catherine Walsh's next move!
Adorable romance to pick on your way to the beach! 🤩
What could be a better start of the romance book than a one-night stand, a thrilling trip to Ireland, and coming face to face with the already mentioned guy from two nights ago? There is nothing more you have to know before you read it! Maybe note, that story not only takes place in Ireland countryside but in New York as well.
This book was absolutely delightful. Characters were full of flaws, annoying, and having enough communication issues to create misunderstandings for our entertainment. But they were also charming, funny, and just enough emotionally damaged. Perfect for a captivating weekend read at the beach!
Chemistry was there. Absolutely hilarious banter that made me chuckle out loud once in a while. I just could not put it down. Stop wasting your time reading this review, and go mark your calendar because this book comes out July 30th. 🥳
If this is a debut novel, then without a doubt, sign me up for the next one!🤗
The only thing I have lately noticed in romance books that I am not a fan of is an unhealthy work environment the character has to work in. I do not know why all of a sudden I have started to notice, or maybe authors choose to write about it more often these days. Anyhow, it saddens and annoys me. Why do people choose to treat coworkers and employees badly? 🤨
Thanks to NetGalley, Catherine Walsh, and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.🤗
Sarah has been frightened off long term relationships following a break up with Josh and having seen her father suffer after her parents marriage dissolved.
She is not adverse to one night stands and wakes up on the morning of her trip to Ireland for her best friends wedding to find another stranger in her bed. Quickly evicting him from her flat, her trip begins.
However imagine her horror when at the wedding preparations the grooms best man turns round.....and is her one stand.....all the way from America.
This laugh out loud rom com follows the ups, downs, understandings and misunderstandings as Sarah tries to see whether she will ever be able to trust anybody in a relationship again, especially when an unmentioned wife turns.
Great fun, well worth a read.
Wow, ok, I liked it! I wasn't quite expecting to like this so much. Even though the pacing wasn't great the story is quite charming.
Will is my favourite character. He is a ray of sunshine even though all he does is complain and complain. I don't usually give much attention to side characters in romcoms/romance but Will is a force to be reckoned with. I wouldn't mind a book featuring Will as the protagonist.
As for the love story...it is as silly as I was expecting, which is a good thing! Also, bonus points for not including any mature/explicit content. Which is unheard of in romance but I prefer it that way.
I will be on the lookout for more of this author's works!
okey, first of all, wow. i really didn’t expect to like this as much as i did.
after a some stressful weeks, i have had trouble finding books that give me that buzz, but this one absolutely did it for me.
this book follows sarah, who had a one night stand with an irish man, she kicks him out of her apartment the morning after expecting to never see him again, to then find out he is the brother of her best friend's future husband, and they meet again a few days before their wedding.
declan & sarah are so cute & funny, and i absolutely loved them together.
i also think it’s important for me to say that this book kept me up until 4 am, and, as unoriginal as it is, i really wasn’t able to put it down.
overall, i think this is a great rom-com. i had a lot of fun reading it and i’ll be sure checking thus author's new releases.
Sarah is excited to go to her best friends wedding in Ireland, until she discovers the Best Man was also a one night stand.
I always love the opportunity to check out debut novels and this one was pretty great. Sarah carries some deep emotional issues with her, as does Declan. Walsh did a great job writing chemistry between the two, you could definitely feel the tension between them. I enjoyed reading their back and forth and always love when the love interest seems to be an all around good guy. I just wish that Sarah wasn't constantly back and forth about whether she wanted a relationship and if Declan was the one for her.
I loved both settings, rural Ireland and New York City. Both were well painted and I felt myself immersed in them. I also really enjoyed Sarah's friends and the many side characters encountered in this book. The characters definitely made the book more enjoyable. I look forward to reading more of Catharine Walsh's books in the future!
I would definitely recommend this book as a fast paced summer read. I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.
Well, who doesn’t love the chance to go to a wedding in Ireland? Especially when you get stuck seated beside your one-night stand who you threw out in the morning?
This book was definitely an emotional rollercoaster. I really enjoyed the plot, but I think Sarah was a little insufferable at times. I understand she went through a lot but her back and forth between figuring out what she wanted got to be a little annoying. On the other hand, Declan was such a fun and compelling character, and I loved their chemistry and banter. Speaking of fun, I also loved the supporting characters, in particular Will and Annie!
This was an easy and very fun book read and I look forward to read more of Catherine Walsh in the future.
*special thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars
This was a very cute romance!
I liked how they resolved their conflicts like adults. That’s always refreshing to read! I thought they were cute and had great banter. I was certainly rooting for the two of them.
Sarah wasn’t totally relatable for me, but I did feel sympathetic toward her and her guard towards relationships… but my goodness she needs to get over her problems. She takes her past experiences out on everyone and it was hard to read.
I liked Declan and I liked how he was (eventually) able to talk about his feelings and past openly.
I do wish it was more steamy, but oh well!
Sarah only has one night stands. But her most recent encounter has resurfaced at her best friend's wedding in Ireland - as the groom's brother and best man. Despite the awkwardness between them, they manage to make it through the week, finding themselves together again the night before the wedding. When Declan flies home after the toasts without telling Sarah, she wonders if perhaps she's developing feelings for someone despite her best intentions. Will her past experiences get in the way of an opportunity at a real realtionship?
An interesting romance, though I was a little annoyed at Sarah' at times due to her lack of self-assessment.
Cute! Although I hate this trope (we hooked up and it was the hottest thing ever but we cant be together because ~life~) I did enjoy the banter between the heroine and the love interest
This was not one of the usually cute and overall sunshine-y rom-coms, because it did get more heavy than I'd expected from the blurb.
The story had its ups and downs, and for most parts I really enjoyed it, but the heroine, Sarah, got on my nerves with the pull-and-push thing she had going on with Declan. She never made up her mind and while I could understand it in the beginning, it just got tiring after a while. And I couldn't really get a grip on Declan, sooo... in conclusion, neither of the main characters made me invested in their 'love' story or lifes. Which was a little sad 'cause I found the writing style funny and witty and it still brought the storyline forward.
Overall, an okay read and definitely a debut to be proud of. Catherine Walsh might very well be a name to look after in the future, if she works and improves what she already can.
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Bookouture. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I absolutely devoured One Night Only. (For reference, I only got approved for the ARC this morning and have already finished it, even though I had to work today). After Sarah sends Declan to the One-Night-Stand-Zone in New York, she shows up to her best friend's wedding in Ireland only to discover that the groom is Declan's brother.
I loved the dichotomy of rural Ireland and NYC as the settings, as well as the plethora of endearing side characters. Also, I've read plenty of Americans trying to write Irish characters, so it was interesting read American characters written by an Irish author (I was amused to hear an American say "spoilsport" and "physiotherapist" lol).
Catherine Walsh's writing is really witty and fun, which is what propelled me through this book at such a rapid pace. I found Sarah to be really relatable and Declan has every quality to make him the ultimate book boyfriend (accent, looks great in a tux, emotionally vulnerable, etc.). As a character-driven reader, these two captured my heart, despite having more than their fair share of "will they, won't they" moments. I think this is a great romance debut and I'm already eagerly awaiting Catherine Walsh's next release!
From the description, I was expecting fun and light; this really wasn’t it. There was a some push and pull (almost all exclusively from our heroine), and a few lighter moments, but I mostly felt awkward for her. The book was ok and I’d definitely recommend it for readers who like a little bit of a heavier read or romances. But, I probably wouldn’t suggest this for a poolside/beach read.
I loved it! I cannot believe this is Catherine's debut novel, it was so good! If you are going to read this book make sure to carve out some time because you will not want to put it down.
Sarah Anderson is a thirty something single woman living in New York City. She has a very strict "one night only' rule when it comes to men in part due to a previous relationship and her family history. She does not get involved and so far it has been working out just fine. That is until she meets Declan Murphy. Not only is he reluctant to leave the next morning but as it turns out he is the younger brother of her best friends fiancée.
When the two meet again at said best friends gorgeous Irish wedding just days later things take a turn. She tries to play it cool but Declan doesn't get the memo and outs their previous encounter in front of friends and family. Try as she might Sarah just can't seem to get away from Declan. Away from him and his charming, confident and annoyingly handsome self.
The chemistry between Sarah and Declan is undeniable but they both carry a heavy load from the past which complicates matters. Sarah is reluctant to let herself fall and trust in love again after a previous boyfriend broke her heart and Declan's past isn't exactly tied up in a neat little bow.
This book offered lots of back and forth, highs and the lows. Some moments were so laugh out funny and other times I found myself so frustrated with Sarah for her inability to let go of her past and give Declan a chance. I loved that the characters weren't perfect, they had baggage, the relationship build slowly, they made mistakes but in the end kept being drawn to each other. Too often romcoms lean too close to fairytales but this seemed real and slightly messy.
I would definitely recommend this book, it is the perfect summer read.