I'm calling it, this is going to be one of my favorite romances if the year. It was nowhere near a perfect love story and that just endeared itself to me even more. I'm smitten with Cleo and Mack and the island and its cast of characters. I both wanted to rush through this and never wanted it to end. When can I rent Otter Lodge?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I recommend for fans of The Simple Wild.

Review of One Night on Silver Island by Josie Silver

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I really loved One Day in December back when I read it and didn’t care for The Two Lives of Lydia Byrd. This one falls somewhere in between for me. I loved the setting of the island in Ireland and I absolutely fell in love with the people who lived there. The small town feel where everyone knows one another and loves and supports each other was just my absolute favorite. I liked the main characters and their love story but I was slightly underwhelmed by it. The book definitely dragged at places. Overall a decent read for love month.

Quick synopsis: Cleo is a single woman who is a dating columnist in London. Her 30th birthday is coming and her boss sends her to a tiny island called Salvation Island so she can “marry herself”. While there, due to a misunderstanding and double booking she is forced to share her lodge with an American named Mack who needs an escape from his crumbling marriage. They both grow to love the island, the people who live there, and then each other.

I can’t wait to discuss this one soon with #theyearofnetgalley. We have already posed the question of why it’s called “one night”😂

Thank you to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for my digital copy.

Cleo Wilder is at a crossroads. The dating columnist for an online magazine is sent on assignment to Salvation Island, a remote location on the Irish coat, to “self-couple” (aka marry herself) and document the experience for her column. Feeling a mild sense of discontent, and weeks away from turning thirty, she takes the opportunity to indulge in some solitude and self-reflection. Except she’s not alone. A booking mishap means the one room cabin has also been reserved for Mack, a thirty-something American who is exploring his roots on Salvation Island while also escaping his marriage-in-shambles. Initially they demand the other leave, with neither of them willing to budge. Eventually an uneasy alliance is formed and when a storm hits the island and ferry service is suspended, their forced togetherness leads to a growing connection that neither of them ever expected.

One Night on the Island is one of those novels that makes me feel thoroughly inadequate when attempting to explain its power, its message, and the way it resonated with me. I admit that I was unsure of Cleo at first. Her initial interactions with Mack were filled with snarky barbs and a total unwillingness to make the best of the situation – as if their predicament was Mack’s fault. But the combination of some solitude (where she could find it), time spent with Mack, and with the island’s quirky yet welcoming residents, softened Cleo’s demeanor. Silver slowly developed these characters, adding layer upon layer, making them feel fully authentic and completely sympathetic. I loved the way Cleo, in particular, made a place for herself on Salvation Island, basking in the acceptance that was so freely given by the group of women she bonded with.

The romance was handled with such care, and in such a realistic way; it felt like my heart was on the line as much as Cleo’s and Mack’s. They entered into a relationship with their eyes wide open, knowing what it was – and what it wasn’t. Cleo had a life in London (albeit one she was no longer sure she wanted to return to), Mack lived in Boston, and he had yet to come to terms with the dissolution of his marriage. It was messy, and complicated, and I ached for these characters who seemed to find the right person at the wrong time in their lives.

Straddling the line between women’s fiction and contemporary romance, One Night on the Island was a one of a kind story. Beautiful, introspective, funny, romantic, and uplifting – and sure to be one of my favorites of the year.

This enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity romance between British Cleo and American Mac, both of whom have booked the same cabin on a remote Irish island - an island that has no route off except for emergencies - was charming and warm and felt like a hug on a cold day.

I first fell in love with Silver’s books with One Night in December and this one really found its way into my heart as well. What started as a story of two people running away from various circumstances turns into something so much more.

Have you ever read a book that was so messy that you were like.. this is real life? Well, this is that book for me. Cleo is almost 30 and on her quest to find love. She has, in fact, been writing about it at the women's magazine she works for, but it has eluded her for so long. Her boss wants to send her away, to a remote island, to find herself and also marry herself, self-coupling it's called.
Mack has to get away. Really, he had to leave Boston because his wife (whom he's separated from) needs space. He misses his family, but he decides to throw himself into photographing the island and learning about his ancestry.
When the two of them realize that they both have the cabin rented for the forseeable future and of course, there is only one bed, tempers flare, but that is not the only thing that sparks. After the initial fallout, these two realize that there may be more to life than what they originally thought. Sometimes fate steps in and shakes us up so that we can see all the things we have been missing.
This wasn't a typical romance that is like a fairy tale and nothing bad happens and they live happily ever after. This is about two people who are flawed and love is messy. Unlearning what you thought was your truth for so many years could be the hardest part.
Thank you to Netgalley, Josie Silver and Random House for an early copy.

Wow…
The journey this book takes you on is absolutely exceptional. I went into this story expecting a cute, enemies-to-lovers romance - and it is, in a way- but it’s so much more as well.
Cleo and Mack both have wildly different reasons for visiting a small island off the coast of Ireland, but their stories entwine so perfectly and so tragically I didn’t see how they could possibly have anything close to a happy ending, yet the ending was so perfect for them. The journey Cleo goes on throughout this story blossoms into something that truly moved me beyond words. The difficulties Mack is facing literally tore my heart out, there was nothing I wanted more than for that man to be happy.
The other characters were absolutely perfect, coming alive and making you fall in love with them as if you had been transported to the island of Salvation. I did find that it took me a few chapters to really be drawn into the story, however I think that had to do with my preconception of the genre.

I loved this sweet romance! I adored the setting and the two main characters! This is my first Josie Silva but I’ll be checking her out more. Recommend and for some reason I’d read it in March

4.25 stars. I just adored this book. Adore is the perfect word to describe my feelings about it. I loved that it was a more mature story. It was refreshing to read about characters that focused more on big life things, rather than the dramatic little things. I also loved that this story was realistic in so many ways. It wasn't a perfect romance where the characters did things out of character. It was much more like real life with big decisions, responsibilities, realistic logistics and a messy love in between.

I absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere and landscape description, as well as the community and side characters.

There was so much to love about this book. I didn't love the banter of the 2 in the beginning. I found it a little much but loved the rest of the book so much! And I was very pleased with the ending.

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC! After reading One Day In December by Josie Silver, I was excited to read One Night on the Island, especially because I love a forced proximity trope!

Looking for solitude, our main characters, Cleo and Mack, both end up on Salvation Island but for very different reasons. Mack is there to connect with his heritage and his latest photography exhibit, while Cleo has been instructed by her boss to go for a self-coupling ceremony for her dating column in honor of turning 30. Due to a scheduling mix-up, Cleo and Mack unexpectedly find themselves stuck together in a small cabin, Otter Lodge, which of course leads to frustration but quickly evolves into more.

I loved how Josie really developed all the characters, including the people of Salvation, like Delta and Raff, and made you come to love the island itself. But I connected most with Cleo, and while I was nervous the self-coupling ceremony would be cheesy, it was probably my favorite scene in the entire book. It really reinforced the importance of being your own best friend and advocate.

Mack and Cleo's relationship was sweet and calm but still deep and wonderful to read. I think it was great to see that their love story was also a journey of self-acceptance and finding your own way. I definitely recommend One Night on the Island!

I don’t know if Josie Silver will ever be able to top “One Day in December”, but I did like this one well enough and more than “The Two Lives of Lydia Bird”. “One Night On the Island” is a non-conventional romance that stems out of a little messiness that you don’t typically find in the genre. The story is told from the prospective from both protagonists at the heart of the love story which I realize I haven’t experienced a lot. They both were likeable and the story was cute. I have to admit that the big scene of Cleo’s finding herself came off a bit lame, but I just skimmed my way through that part. 3.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up to 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

So cute! I flew through this one. Like all romcoms it could be a little cheesy at times, but that’s exactly what I loved about it! So heartwarming. Even more than the Romance I loved all the female friendships that the MC found. Really perfect v-day read! Eat pray love vibes for sure!

I mean.... I just finished this book less than 5 minutes ago so I am having trouble processing words... nevertheless, I had to immediately come write this because I am simply in awe of Josie Silver and this book. This was a slow burn for sure, and I am not normally a slow burn fanatic, but let me tell you, I do not think Josie could have told this story any other way. This was absolutely not a love story in the traditional sense. Yes, while there was the guy-meets-girl type of love story sprinkled in there, this was not what this book was about. This book was a love story about learning to fall in love with yourself. It was incredibly written and I could not be anymore in love with this book and what it represents. This hit me square in the chest and resonated with me in a way that I have not experienced with a book in a long time.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and Josie Silver for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I will be recommending this one for years to come.

As she nears her thirtieth birthday, dating columnist Cleo is sent to a isolated island off the Irish coast by her boss to gain a new perspective for her column. However, she soon learns her cabin is double-booked, having also been promised to Mack, a photographer from Boston. With no other lodging available, and no way to leave the island, the two are forced to stay together in the same one-bedroom cabin.

I went into this novel with high expectations, having absolutely LOVED both of Josie Silver’s previous novels, but unfortunately this one missed that five-star mark for me. I did love the idyllic Irish island setting, and think the author’s writing makes you feel as if you are fully immersed in the picturesque scenery. Initially, I was intrigued and invested in the story, but then felt like it got slow and I started to lose interest. I think much of this was due to the fact that I was not a huge fan of either of the main characters, and felt their relationship lacked chemistry. Their coupling felt odd, with Mack grieving and not-yet-divorced, and Cleo unlucky in love thus “marrying herself” at age 30. While this was not my favorite book, that was just due to my personal taste, so it’s worth a shot to read it for yourself!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my gifted e-ARC!

This book is the perfect mix of sweet and funny. Josie Silver is an absolutely genius, and the Irish setting only adds to the perfection that is this novel. I love the one bed trope, and this feels like the big brother of that trope. This book was sweet, and funny, and absolutely lovely.

Every once in a while, you read a book that makes you understand what you need in the world and what you deserve to get out of it. This is one of those books.

One Night on the Island follows Cleo, a journalist from London who’s become a bit disenchanted by romance and the bustling city life, and Mack, who’s retreated from his life and crumbling marriage in Boston. Both come to Salvation Island hoping for an escape and a chance at a fresh start, never realizing they’ve accidentally booked the same one-room cabin for the same days. While this book might have the basic premise of a rom-com (and it has plenty of both), One Night on the Island is less about a romance and more about two people growing together and on their own. Josie Silver really shines with the way she writes her characters— both of the leads, the islanders they meet in Salvation, and the background characters that tie Cleo and Mack to lives outside of the island. But the truly magical part of this book is that the setting itself feels like a character, and drives the story just as much as any character does.

I felt a deep connection to it, to every part of it, just like the characters and their connection to Salvation Island. I learned from these characters that we all deserve good things, especially when it comes to relationships, and that whenever we might be searching for something in life, there’s a good chance that the thing we need is something we hold within ourselves.

Overall, this is a wonderful gem of a book. It has well-developed characters that stick with you after reading, a romance between two people trying to find meaning and then finding it, an island community, writing about writing, and a setting that will make you wish that Salvation was a real place.

Thank you to the publisher for the earc! I liked this one a lot it was a light romance with depth and realistic characters. I got virgin river vibes and couldn’t get enough of Cleo and Mack!! My favorite Josie Silver so far!

DNF at 30%

A real disappointment. I have loved Silver's work in the past, but this fell flat. I was so bored. The premise is simple and unoriginal, but I was willing to read because I trusted Silver to imbue magic into a well-travelled trope. (There's only one bed / romance on a quaint island). I just found myself dreading picking this up.

I was also turned off by the love interest being legally married (albeit separated). For much of the book, he's really pining for his wife and is hopeful they'll get back together. It's just not a setup I love for a romance.

What a sweet, heartfelt, utterly delightful novel!

Basically, dating columnist Cleo goes to a small island off the coast of Ireland in order to "marry herself" on her 30th birthday after years of unsuccessfully trying to find "the one." While on Salvation Island, she meets Mack, a photographer there to think and explore the place of his family's roots. Both of them have ideas of what they will find there, and they find those things and so much more.

This novel is filled with humor, heart, friendship, and love. It was an unexpected delight for me. I just truly enjoyed every part of this novel, even though some of it is difficult and it's interesting to see how people cope with and react to the trials of life. I typically shy away from books that have any hint of infidelity, but that part of this book is more nuanced and handled incredibly well. I loved getting to know Cleo and Mack, as well as all of the various personalities on the island. Just thinking about this book as a whole brings a smile to my face.

If you're looking for a lovely story of life, love, and all of the complications that brings, then this novel is a perfect delight.

One Night on the Island is Josie Silver’s newest book and it was a cute one! Cleo is a dating advice writer for a U.K. online magazine. However, she has not had much luck at dating and her 30th birthday is fast approaching, so she accepts an assignment to go to a remote Irish island, Salvation, to spend time alone and marry herself. At first I thought this was going to get too much, but it actually starts making sense as you go through her time there. Things are complicated by the fact that the cabin she is renting has been double booked and she finds herself sharing space with an annoying, but very handsome, American man named Mack. Mack is also searching for some alone time after he found out his wife wants a separation, but he is terribly missing his two boys. Will Cleo be able to stay focused on herself and her self-coupling journey with the distraction of Mack? Will she enjoy life in this tiny remote village or miss the hustle and bustle of London? I loved the people on the island and their tight community but I’m pretty sure I couldn’t live that remotely for long! I also enjoyed the contrast between Cleo’s “I can truly do whatever I want” singleness and Mack’s “I’ve got responsibilities back home” singleness.

There were a few things over the top and a few things didn’t make complete sense, such as why the title is “One Night on the Island” but they spend many, but in the end it was a sweet story about finding yourself. If you enjoyed Silver’s first book, One Day in December, I think you’ll like this one too! It’s being released tomorrow, Feb 15th, so, check it out!

Josie Silver guts me more with each book she writes. One Night on the Island continues the tradition of a love story with obstacles and more emotion that I could ever expect from words.

Cleo Wilder is turning 30 and writes a dating column. After years of documenting unsuccessful dates and relationships, her boss decides in the vein of a famous actress, Cleo should 'couple with herself' and sends her to a remote Irish island to focus on this new relationship with herself. But when she gets to her cottage, Mack Sullivan is there. Mack is a Boston photographer, father and husband. His distant cousin owns the cottage and told him he could stay there as long as he needed, not realizing it was already rented out. Between their mutual stubbornness, as well as the fact that the island is so remote, a boat only comes weekly, and that's only if weather-permits, Cleo and Mack grudgingly accept they have to share the space if they both want to be able to stay on Salvation Island.

The more time they spend together, Cleo and Mack realize they really see and understand each other. An unexpected and unlikely bond is formed between the two.

Josie Silver digs into the things that we may not always see... just because we are always around people, doesn't mean we aren't alone, sometimes your idea of where your life should be changes and it isn't a bad thing, and soul mates can be found anywhere.

The raw emotion Josie Silver can pull out of me with her words astounds me every time. I didn't know which outcome I was rooting for because I didn't know what truly would equal a true 'happy' ending. But she knew what the characters needed and gave them the ending that was right for their story, although I could have used a little bit more with the ending. Overall, another beautiful book that I adored as much as One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.