Josie Silver already wrote one of my favorite romance books One Day in December, but this one was so much more than just your typical romance. I appreciated the depth here. I wasnt sure I'd be sold on a romance that partly revolved around self coupling, but as the story progressed I saw it more as loving one's self. What a worthy concept taking care of your own heart and believing in yourself, not waiting for outside validation.

What started as a slow build really grew to a warm my heart novel. I adored getting to know the people of Salvation Island. Unique personalities and a loving community. Made me want to hop on a ferry and go visit.

I absolutely love Josie Silver's books, but this one was hit or miss for me. I just felt like I never could get rolling with it. Maybe my own build up was the cause. I needed more spark, chemistry? Maybe because I love One Night in December so much, I expect to love them all as much.

Cleo arrives on Salvation Island only to realize the spot she's book has also been booked by Mack.

They devise the plan to tell each other 3 things about each other in order to get to know each other.

Mack's life is in disarray. He wants to be there for his boys. He still loves Susie...

There are a lot of self help journeys in this book, which is very real life. We are always on one, working through something.

I just reviewed One Night on the Island by Josie Silver. #OneNightontheIsland #NetGalley

This was pretty fun (albeit average) read! I really enjoyed the almost whimsical small-town island setting and all of the side characters that inhabited it, but if I'm being completely honest I didn't really care much for either of our main characters, Cleo and Mac. There was nothing necessarily wrong with them as individuals, but together I just felt like they had no actual chemistry? And it really kind of took away from the romantic ~there's only one bed~ potential this book had. With all that being said, this wasn't terrible! Just not a new favorite for me and with this being my third somewhat meh book from Silver, I'm not sure I'll be rushing back to read more from her anytime soon. We shall see!

CW: death of a loved one, divorce

I was surprised by One Night on the Island - surprised that I liked it so much, surprised by how invested I was in Cleo especially. I find writers in romance type books kind of meta - it feels a little cliche but I still like it somehow. But Cleo was such a complex character: someone who needed time and space to figure out who she is as a person, and fall in love with that person.

I knew Mack and Cleo were gonna end up in an entanglement (lol) but I was surprised at how conflicted I was, knowing that Mack has a wife (separated). Part of me wanted his relationship with his wife to work, even though there is something to be said to have a book really tease about the intricacies of marriages and why they fall apart. Being in a marriage, I felt that Mack and his wife weren't fair to each other and then Cleo and Mack's relationship felt like it was built off this shaky foundation. YET, I was still extremely invested.

Overall, I enjoyed this. It's for people who like character driven books with a strong location (and strong side characters) that you will immediately want to whisk away to. And people who like a conflicted love story.

The story was good in the beginning but the lack of chemistry made the romance and the rest of the story boring.

This book was so fun! It took place in a dream location and had witty banter- my favorite!

Cleo and Mac first meet on a rough ferry ride to the obscure Salvation Island, where Cleo is looking to rediscover her individuality and write about it for her magazine, and Mac is finding a place to take a breath after his family life starts to fall apart. The second time they meet is in the single available cabin on the island that they’ve both managed to rent at the same time. The forced proximity/shared bed trope is perfect and leads to so many funny moments between their clashing personalities!

While a LITTLE bit too much cheese for me and a couple aww moments that were a bit too shallow for me knocked it to a 4⭐️, this book also has a lot of depth that make it such a beautiful romance book. To be vague and avoid spoiling it, the ending is not perfect, but it also is, and I’m so grateful the author chose to craft her story that way! The islanders were such a comical and sweet addition to the plot.

Overall, I highly suggest that you check this book out and spend a night on the island yourself!

This was a fun book to read! It's one where you laugh a lot and cry a little. The characters are interesting and lively. The setting is the coast off Ireland. Could that be any more interesting.

The interaction between Cleo and Mack is interesting to say the least. It starts off volatile and ends off -- well I'll leave that to the reader. It is thoroughly enjoyable!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Josie Silver, notorious for intertwining all the the raw, realistic, grief stricken challenges we face in life into her novels.

This is no different. I love that we see both characters working through completely different kinds of grief, one being unwanted divorce, the other life after the loss of a loved one.

It felt so raw and real, and even though their connection happened really quickly, all of the other components tied in felt super realistic.

Have been and continue to be a huge fan of Josie’s writing!

Cleo is a 29-year old single woman who writes a dating column for a popular London online publication. For her 30th birthday, with the encouragement of her boss, she books a stay in a cabin on Salvation Island, an extremely remote Irish island, in order to "self-couple" or marry herself, as a ceremonial way to enter a new decade and find self-acceptance and love for herself.

Mack, a photographer from Boston, is in the midst of a surprise separation from his wife and decides to return to his ancestral home of Salvation Island as a way to connect with his past and also give his wife the space she has requested. A distant cousin has offered him a stay at his cabin for an indefinite amount of time.

Due to a communication mishap, Cleo and Mack end up at the same cabin at the same time and must share the small living quarters until the next boat arrives on the island. With their plans interrupted, can they accomplish their personal goals and stay out of each other's way?

What I liked about this book:
I am ready to retreat to a remote Irish island, join a knitting circle and maybe write a book. I love the setting and the village in this story. I thought the main characters were developed well, particularly Mack. His struggles with navigating life post-separation, particularly in his role as a father, were really heartfelt and written thoughtfully. The banter between Cleo and Mack never felt forced and was written well.

What I didn't like about this book:
Overall, I enjoyed the book but the middle moved very slowly and I found myself not as eager to continue to read. I'm glad I stuck with it as I appreciated the ending but ultimately I think the story could have been shorter.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Come for the promise of meet cute, stay for the friends you make along the way. One Night on the Island is a great book to curl up to during the dark days of winter. The atmosphere, a small island off the coast of Ireland, aside from the churning sea, matches the blustery landscape I find outside my own window. 

This is a contemporary romance but the romance seems to be an afterthought with a focus on self-development and making sense of one's place in the world. The premise wasn't wholly believable but it worked as the story progressed.

Romance aside, the sense of community found in this little spot in the world was most appealing. Maybe this is a new hallmark of British contemporary romance: the remote location with it's promise of reflection and growth, coupled with a cast of quirky townspeople sure to welcome with open arms, but I'm here for it.

One Night on the Island, by Josie Silver, is an intriguing tale of two lost souls meeting in a most unusual way. Cleo Wilder, a writer for a popular women’s online magazine, has been given an extended stay at a cottage on the coast of an island to the west of Ireland.

Cleo has been funded for this trip by her publisher to seek solace and the unique idea of marrying herself. The premise is to commit oneself to themselves so that the future is wide open. However, when she arrives she finds that American Mack Sullivan, cousin to the cottage owner, is also there with the same claim to the cottage that she has.

In a “It Happened One Night” scenario, Cleo and Mack divide the cottage. As they go about their business, he a naturalist photographer, her a columnist, they spend much time as two ships passing in the night. However, the time comes where they can no longer discount the other.

When they can no longer keep the wall’s between them, Cleo has the strength to pursue her interests, and Mack gains understanding that while his wife is a part of his past, his sons will always be his soul.

This is such a well plotted story with a rugged setting and unique, well drawn characters. Both lead characters are at a crossroads in life and their meeting just might have been orchestrated by the universe as it comes together under a broad field of stars.

This is a lovely story written with humor and heart. I very much enjoyed this story and getting to know its characters. I do recommend this book!

“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘐’𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴.”

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖: cleo goes off to salvation island to take a mini break from her dating column and focus on figuring out what’s next for her. mack heads there to escape his messy life and boston and to connect with his roots.

𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒: while written in josie’s tried and true writing style which i absolutely adored in one day in december, i struggled with this one a bit. it’s a forced proximity romance that alternates between mack and cleo’s points of views. the book really focuses on their thoughts and emotions. they both grew a lot which was special - especially cleo. it was an extremely slow burn, i didn’t fully get on board with the idea of cleo “marrying herself”, i hated that mack was still married with a sliver of hope of making things work with his wife (cringe), and honestly i just didn’t really see or feel the chemistry between mack and cleo. the ending also just feel super flat for me. i would say it you’re a fan of josie silver & you like forced proximity romances it’s worth a shot.

𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: i liked it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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I was nervous about this at first as I'm not a huge romance reader and am a bit sick of the "impending doom" that 30s bring to women, but this was a charming story that filled me with warmth and comfort this winter. Josie SIlver is about the only romance writer I truly trust.

Thank you Ballantine and Netgalley for my #gifted copy.

I really liked this sweet enemies to friends to lovers story. Cleo and Mack are both expecting to spend time alone in a cabin on a remote Irish island. They end up stuck together after a double booking. They clearly don’t get along to start, but quickly develop a friendship that sparks into more. Mack is separated from his wife and determined to be the best father for his sons while Cleo is on the island to self couple for an article.

For me, there is just something about the way Josie Silver writes. I loved the alternating perspectives of Cleo and Mack. I loved how they said 3 true things to each other every night and did so even after they were no longer together. I appreciated how they didn’t expect the other to magically change or give up their lives for the other. Josie Silver will continue to be an auto buy author for me. I can’t wait to see what is written next.

I will update when I share to my bookstagram account.

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver is a romance novel following Cleo, a romance columnist who has been chronicling her dating experiences in her column. After her boss books a single retreat for cleo in ireland to help reinvigorate her column and celebrate her 30th birthday. However, Cleo's quiet trip in Ireland is changed when a communication error results in her lodgings being double booked. Now, Cleo is stuck sharing a room with Mack, an American from Boston who won't leave the island. To make matters worse, water conditions prevent either from leaving the island on the boat and no other rooms are available on the island. Yet, the more the two spend time together the more Cloe and Mack start to understand each other and maybe this. trip won't be as bad as they anticipated.

I have previously read books from this author and loved every one. Like her previous books, this novel is not afraid to include difficult topics. Mack's character struggles after he separates from his wife and being the secondary parent, resulting in less time with his sons. Meanwhile, Cleo feels lost and is struggling with the expectations and life changes of those around her. These emotions and the attraction between the two characters create so much angst and tension between the two. This had me rooting for each character to grow within themselves and so they could develop as a couple.

The supporting characters helped to balance the emotional aspects of the novel wit witty humor especially the women from the knitting group. I loved their commentary throughout the novel and the bonds that formed, Even the island was almost a character in this story and helped Cleo and Mack grow during their time in Ireland. The writing is easy to read and along with the wonderful story led me to fly through this story.

Overall, this was a lovely romance and I highly recommend this for those wanting an emotional romance. II am looking forward to what comes next from Josie Silver!

Many thanks to the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

It's my 1st Josie Silver and I'm disappointed that I'm not running to gather more from her.

This took a while for me to warm up, it also took a while for the main characters to connect. It was 2.5 to 3 stars.

I was so excited about this one because I loved One Day in December! This one did not disappoint. I LOVED the setting, and it's a perfect beach read that I'll be recommending to friends when they're asking for recommendations for vacation literature ;) Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC!

Columnist Cleo is not exactly looking forward to spending her 30th birthday alone on a remote island, but her boss has made it hard to say no. Photographer Mack is headed to this same island to discover his past and connect to this future. Due to a mix up, the two have to share a tiny cabin until the next ferry arrives. But when it does, who has to go? Any book by Josie Silver is a must read for me, she weaves worlds that make you feel like you are part of them and you're sad to leave them when the book ends. I couldn't race through this book fast enough and I have to admit that Silver kept me guessing the entire time.. I was not absolutely sure how it would end until it actually did. That is the mark of a great book!

This was a sweet story about two people who end up in the same cabin together. I enjoyed the story even though it was a little slow at parts. I adored the small island town. I would recommend this book to others.

This may be an unpopular opinion…but this entire book just didn’t work for me. Perhaps I’m too much of a realist and that was my problem with the entire setup.

1. Man and woman (complete strangers) arrive separately on an island and get booked staying in the very same house. While this COULD happen, you don’t actually follow through with it. No way! One person absolutely, somehow, would find another place to stay.

2. The leads fall for each other, of course. (I won’t tell you how it ends.) However, regardless of this, the leads live on two separate continents. On top of that, one has children, while the other has never even been married. These two seemed to live way too separate lives to ever make this work.

3. The ending is very vague, making it feel like a choose-your-own adventure book. I suppose this okay…except that I just spent all of these pages debating on how/if they could make this relationship work, then it’s not super clear.

I will say I did enjoy getting to know the lead characters, and the island they are on is very much a character in and of itself. The people on the island are very endearing as well. Plus, it was a quick read.

Thank you to and the publisher, ballantine for the ARC!