Unfortunately this book just couldn’t hold my interest. It felt heavy and sad from the beginning and dragged on too much for me to enjoy the story.

This story starts very slow and rambling. Josie Silver books are always a meandering a journey. This book was full of very imperfect but lovable characters. I had no trouble falling in love with the eclectic crew of villagers. They reminded me a bit of the Guernsey Literary crew. Salvation Island is a total dream. Cleo goes on such a self-discovery journey through these pages. She learns to value true companionship and care from unlikely friends as opposed to friends who cut you down in the name of “I’m just kidding”. She learns to be at peace with herself, and to slow down and savor each moment. Her and Mack have a sweet little enemies to lovers, forced proximity storyline, but it doesn’t eclipse the rest. I spent a majority of this book how it would end, and while the conclusion isn’t what would typically make me swoon, I was still satisfied.

As a side note: The heartbreaking details of the reality of divorce is soul-piercing. The difficulty and pain of separating two lives. Of no longer feeling welcome in the home you built. Of not being entitled to unlimited access to the children you helped create. Of finding a way to say goodbye to what has been comfort and safety for decades.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review!

I have no idea why this book was called <i><b>One</b> Night on the Island</i>, especially as there were many nights on the island...

* Source: NetGalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



One Night on the Island sees two individuals at pivotal moments in their lives crashing into each other's orbit at a most inconvenient time. Cleo is supposed to be at Salvation Island 'self-coupling'. She's an online columnist who's turning 30 and she and her editor decided that she should go to the island to celebrate that milestone by marrying herself as a way to embrace herself as she enters into her thirties. It's so weird even to Cleo. Then of course Mack shows up to the same cottage that Cleo booked claiming that he's supposed to be there as well. He rented it from his distant cousin so he could immerse himself in his photography while he gives his estranged wife space after she asked for a divorce the year before. Neither he or Cleo are willing to budge and there's really nowhere else to go on the island. Their solution is to draw a chalk line through the house and they can each reside on their own side. Stuck on the island, they have to make do and be civil.

This was a strange kind of romance and I have to tell you, I was on the fence through most of it. I was unsettled by the initial hostility between Cleo and Mack because some of it felt so unnecessary. Cleo seemed to put on tantrums and Mack was so closed off. It just comes down to that fact that I didn't want to encounter this kind of vibe in my reading. Things between them thaw when they start to find some common ground and make peace. And yes, it's weird again how they swing from antagonists to buddy-buddy and start revealing their secrets. Mack is distraught over the breakup of his marriage and still after over a year apart can't accept that it's over. Cleo is finally embracing her single life and keeps lobbing truth bombs Mack's way about the state of his relationship. Her honesty is brutal but one thing that's a no-go zone is is two boys. He adores them and wants everything for them. While he and Cleo get cozy and attraction builds, he's still hesitant to let go of his marriage. Even if it's his wife wanting the divorce and already off with someone else. His vows are sacred to him.

There were times I felt that the book should've been two different books. What Cleo and Mack were going through independent of each other was more interesting to me than their 'thing'. I liked being in on their thoughts and self-analysis when they were off by themselves. I normally enjoy a forced proximity romance, but this didn't get its hooks in me. It just felt that the other person was conveniently there and they thought, why not? It's difficult to explain because there are profound moments between them where I understood the sentiments they shared, but as far as the romance goes, I didn't feel their heat.

I did appreciate the residents of Salvation Island. They're all such engaging characters making anyone feel at home amongst them. I liked how they'd tease Mack and Cleo about their accommodation snafu and hint at any budding romance between them. They all had their own interesting stories and I thought they were absolutely delightful.

I adored Silver's other book, One Day in December because I liked those characters and I liked what they were working through so I was hoping I'd feel the same about One Night on the Island. It's a quiet, subdued story and romance that worked in parts, but this time it wasn't for me.

I knew going in this book was going to be emotional because of Silver’s other books.

Two strangers reserved the same rental property on a quaint island in Ireland. Both have come to escape their personal lives for a bit and gain perspective. Cleo is a journalist from London who writes a column about dating. Mack is a photographer from Boston who has two kids…and a wife! I really liked this story and I would have rated it much higher if Mack was actually divorced from his wife in the story. In reality, they are separated and I couldn’t get past that fact to fully invest in them as a couple.

My favorite storyline was Cleo’s personal journey to loving herself. I got emotional reading these parts.

What I Liked:
-the setting. The island was magical and I want to visit this fictional paradise ASAP.
-the townspeople. They were quirky and charming.
-the forced proximity trope. It’s one of my favorites.

What Didn’t Work For Me:
-the infidelity plot. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Recommended if you like:
-forced proximity /one-bed
-vacation romance
-Ireland, small town, or coastal settings
-self discovery journeys
-dual POV romances


CW: infidelity, death

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. One Night on the Island is out now!

Thanks you net galley for reviewing this book. I liked that the female narrator is the person who read her other book.I liked that this book took place on an island.My favorite quote is "regrets get heavier as you get older."

Oh Cleo, Oh Mack. What a perfect little island getaway. Loved the characters of this beloved little town. Charm, humor and a touch of fire made for the perfect read. Pack this one in your beach bag!

This was a cute, easy-to-read enemies-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed it and the beautifully descriptive writing about the landscape of Salvation Island made me want to visit / live there! It was a bit of a slow start for me, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down and was fully invested in the CleoMac relationship. There were a few things that I found annoying - that Mac clearly wasn't over his marriage / wife, but at the same time was obviously falling for Cleo. I found this difficult to believe and feel it could have been better handled with the author drawing a more obvious conclusion to the marriage. However, I loved the 2 main characters and the chemistry that eventually developed. But for me, the highlight of the book were the supporting characters of the islanders - I wanted to hear more about each of them and part of me hopes we'll get to revisit Salvation sometime in the future. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I wish I coulgive this book more than one star. Unfortunately, this was book was a Did Not Finish book for me. I just couldn't not get into it. I tried multiple

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, enjoyable beach kind of read.

This is the second book I read from Josie Silver and I liked this one even better.

Cleo writes about relationships. Her boss sends her to a secluded island to marry herself for her 30th birthday. When she arrives she find Mack at her lodgings and they find they are both booked to stay in the same 1 bedroom house. Mack is running away from the life he has in Boston. He thought he had the idyllic life, but learns that is not necessarily true.

The opening seemed very typical with both protagonists disliking each other and wanting the other one to leave. When circumstances leave them stranded on the island for an extended amount of time, they decide to grin and bear it.

What develops is a beautiful friendship that turns into love with an agreed upon end date, that leaves them never seeing each other again. Both are severely broken, but together they heal and become the people they hoped they would be.

I really loved Silver’s book about self discovery, the healing power of friendship and unexpected love. I thought this was going to be a much lighter novel, but it was so much deeper than that and I loved it all the more for that.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Josie Silver will be an author I reach for any time the storm clouds roll in and I am in need to trigger some deep feelings. Silver has a way of tugging on the most inner workings of my heart - she weaves together theses gut wrenching stories that hurt just enough to remind me that I do in fact, know how to feel. One Night on the Island is no different, but may be my favorite book of hers so far. I am a writer at heart and deeply connected with Cleo’s wanderlust and need to escape into community. Mack was hard and complicated, it took me a while to warm up to him but once I did, I knew that Cleo was exactly right for him. This is the perfect grumpy/sunshine but in a way that does not hit you over the head with any type of aggression. I am now trying to talking myself out of flying to the outer islands and writing my first novel, knowing it will not go this well for me, however, Josie Silver convinced me of impossibilities and taking a chance on myself. Five out of five stars for One Night on the Island.

I DNFed this! I just could not get into the story. The premise of "marrying yourself" seemed incredibly cheeky and unengaging. Having also read One Day in December by the same author, a book that I was underwhelmed by, I decided there was no need to continue. There's been a lot of hype around this book online, but it just did not work for me.

The premise of One Night on the Island was so wonderfully quirky and unique. Cleo is a dating columnist, and for her 30th birthday, she’s given the assignment of going to a remote island to ‘marry herself.’ When she arrives however, she finds there’s been a mixup with her lodging and she’s forced to share the small cottage with a photographer named Mac, who’s escaped from Boston to face his own set of demons. Initiate forced proximity romance.

Salvation Island was such a perfectly atmospheric setting. From the seaside hill where women occasionally go to scream, to the charmingly nosy cast of locals, I fell in love with this Irish island. The stark, rural location perfectly framed Cleo and Mac’s inner turmoils and outer thawing as they slowly got to know each other and the motivations that drew them to the same place.

Cleo and Mac were both detailed and realistic and the difficulties they were dealing with made me feel like I understood them. Salvation Island was a temporary stopover for both of them, a pause as they figured out how to forge onward with their lives. I was holding my breath to see what would happen with the two of them when that pause ended.
Although I found parts of the story a bit slow, and I found the number of characters a bit hard to keep track of, I loved the realness and messiness of the romance, and above all, I loved the ambience it took place within.

A great novel I would recommend to anyone who thinks it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver is a fun concept, with enjoyable characters, and a perfect setting. Fans of the author’s previous books will enjoy this latest novel and its heart-wrenching plot. It is a perfect book for a spring reading list.

The book is told from two points of view, Cleo and Mac. Cleo is a dating columnist from London who is on assignment in Ireland to self-couple. Mac, on the other hand, is a recently separated dad who is in search of his ancestral roots on the small island of Salvation. When the two first cross paths, they discover that they are both booked for the same cottage rental.

❀ ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS STORY

Both Cleo and Mac are easy to like and interesting characters to read about. This is an enemies-to-lovers story with a slow-burn romance that will make you laugh and rip your heart out at the same time. The witty banter and their eventual realization that they might enjoy their time together on the island is so enjoyable. When things start to wind down and the vacation comes to an end, the story becomes very emotional.

❀ PERFECT FOR A BEACH BAG

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver has so much to enjoy. It also has lovable side characters and a perfect setting that will give you a sense of wanderlust. It has a bit of everything and is perfect if you enjoyed One Day in December. Definitely one to add to your beach bag this year.

On the cusp of her 30th-birthday, Cleo Wilder, a dating columnist for a Woman's publication in London, is given a special assignment by her editor. She is being sent to Salvation, a remote Irish island, on a self-coupling retreat. There she will marry herself and write about it. Cleo accepts the assignment with grace, looking at it as a chance to get away and re-energize herself, as well as her writing.

Mac Sullivan is a photographer from Boston with familial ties to Salvation island and the very lodge in which Cleo will be staying. The twist, Mac is planning to stay at the lodge himself. The very tiny, fit for one person, or a couple lodge. When the two discover the double-booking, they also discover there's no place else on the island for one of them to stay and the next ferry doesn't leave for days.

Short on options, they decide to suck it up and share the lodge until the next boat. They're both adults. Neither one seems like a psycho-killer, so how bad could it be?

Therefore, they do what any consenting adults would do and draw an imaginary line. He has his space, she has her space and they are only allowed to meet and talk in the common areas. After all, they're in a gorgeous location, full of warm and friendly people, it could be worse.

Due to their circumstances, and a bit of whiskey, Cleo and Mac get to know each other fairly quickly. They're both impressed with what they see, soon discovering they're compatible as well, but it's complicated. The remote location and separation from their regular lives provides both characters ample time for self-reflection as well. I enjoyed those quieter moments with each character as much as I enjoyed their witty banter.

There were so many aspects of this story that I loved actually. The whole thing. It was a complete package for me. What surprised me the most was the found family element that was created involving the locals. I wasn't expecting that and because of those connections, this became more than just a romance story for me. I could feel the confidence and self-acceptance in Cleo growing as the story progressed. She was finding her own tribe; it was beautiful.

I loved that for her character arc. It gave the whole self-coupling thing a real boost. I felt that aspect, even though the main focus was the 'will they-won't they' vibe going on between Cleo and Mac.

I think it is safe to say at this point that I am in love with Josie Silver. Seriously, such a fangirl. Sometimes I feel like, the way she writes her stories, we share a brain or something!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am so excited to see what Silver comes up with next.

Cleo is tasked with a special assignment for her dating column on her 30th birthday - she'll be spending it alone and self-coupling. She heads to a remote Irish island to figure out her life as well as write the column her boss has asked of her. While she is there, she meets Mac who also is there for alone time. However, they are booked in the same cottage for the same dates. I loved Josie Silver's book One Day in December and this one hits the right notes as well. It was funny and light with some self discovery and growth set in a perfect cozy Irish setting. The ending was so satisfying and felt like it was just right for the characters. Overall a hit for me!

I received a complimentary copy of this book by Josie Silver from Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.


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My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐/ 5 stars (spice level - 2.5 / 5 )

Cleo is a single dating columnist based in London, where she lives a pretty tedious, uneventful life, where her friends seem to only want to party. She is in a desperate need for change. To celebrate her 30th birthday, her boss Ali sends her to a remote island in Ireland where she can relax and “marry” herself for an article. The only snag when she arrives is that there is also another guest there: Mac, an American father of 2, who is there to get re-connected to his family roots as he finds his family back in Boston falling apart. They try to make it work as it is the only accommodation on the island and the next boat out isn’t coming for a while.

I loved this book - there were a couple moments in which I was brought to tears which took me by absolute surprise. It’s a slow burn, mild enemies to lovers, forced proximity tropes all around. I didn’t really like One Day in December, and this one was so much better. I thought they had way more chemistry. Some things I didn’t love: he is technically married. I wish he was legally separated, but I get that human relationships are complicated sometimes. But it irked me. Also I cringed with the whole concept of “marrying” oneself. It could have been just a trip for self love and relaxation without being so cheesy. Third, I would have preferred more spice - it was so short, and also a lot of fade to black.

Thank you to Ballantine books and Randomhouse for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

josie silver could write nothing and i’d still recommend it. love her books so much and this one was so cute! super relatable characters :)