I really enjoyed this latest contemporary romance by Josie Silver. Cleo, who writes a dating article, comes to remote Salvation Island for a self commitment ceremony. The cabin she has rented is double booked, and she is forced to share it with Mack, who is reeling from a separation from his wife and children. The descriptions of the island and its inhabitants were one of my favorite parts of this story. And, I enjoyed the more realistic and complicated paths of the two main characters and their relationship. A solid read!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book early via an eARC. My review is my personal opinion and view alone.

Truth Time: I have a hard time reading books by British authors. The words are and phrases are so different and I feel I'm slowed down by needing to look the words up to know what's being talked about or referenced.

That of course happened with this book. It was sweet and ok. Just that. If you're all about a woman finding herself, self-marrying, being one with nature on a desolate , save one tiny town, island and rainy gloomy days followed by more rainy gloomy days then this book would be your jam!

Not feeling like I wasted my time on this book but I've read it and am just moving on. Not gonna be a memorable book that sticks with me. And that's OK. For someone else I'm sure it may be! Just wasn't for me. But if it's on your radar you should give it a try!

After reading and loving One Day in December, I was highly anticipating Silver’s newest novel One Night on the Island for a light romantic read. Unlike a lot of the reviews I’ve seen so far, I didn’t love this read even though I loved the premise.

The book starts out with all of the elements for a perfect “meet cute”. Cleo, a London columnist who writes about dating (finding her flamingo) goes to a small island off the cost of Ireland to marry herself on her 30th birthday. When she arrives at her one room house to stay, she realizes the home has accidentally been double booked. Cue Marc, an American photographer escaping to the island of Salvation as he processes his wife’s desire to end their marriage and to give her some space.

Cleo and Marc can’t stand each other from the start and realize neither one is going to go home so they have to figure out a way to make it work. You have an idea of what happens next…

While this surely sets us up for an adorable whirlwind romance of two people at the right place wrong time (think 28 Summers or One Day in December) I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their romance didn’t feel authentic for me. I wish there was more depth all around, especially with wonderful group of locals we’re introduced to.

Salvation island felt like my own personal snow globe sanctuary. Josie silver does it once again with this amazing heartbreaking romance about finding who you are and learning to love yourself. Mack and Cleo instantly felt like real people to me with real problems. And the salvation Island women have my whole heart and are a huge reason for my love of this story. If you are looking for a heartwarming romance without the unnecessary drama this is the book for you 10/10!!
I would like to thank Random house publishing group with Ballantine and NetGalley for giving me access to this title in exchange for my honest review and thoughts.
This title releases February 15 2022.

In many ways, I loved this book but a few things missed the mark for me. What’s to love? A wild, vivid setting with a real sense of community; a wide cast of interesting characters with realistic and charming, colorful personalities; a combination of humor and heart-wrenching pain; complex main characters with raw, messy emotions who are both broken and resilient facing real life issues; a strong but quiet sense of romance.

After a couple of days of reflection, there are a few issues that still bother me. Overall, the pacing was uneven especially in the development of the relationship between Cleo and Mack. There was a lack of connection or understanding with Cleo – her blog, journey and purpose (self-coupling) for traveling to the island. The ceremony itself was a tad too much even though the message was beautiful. Researching the references to Emma Watson filled in the missing link. I question whether the story should have stood on its own without that preknowledge. Another was the ending. It was commendable in that it was both a logical and unusual choice. It left the relationship unfinished which made sense. But even after having read the ending, especially the eighteen month follow up, several times, it also left me confused.

Overall, <i>One Night on the Island</i> was both entertaining and thought-provoking. I look forward to reading more from Josie Silver.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars. This book was like a giant hug and I loved it oh so much!!! The setting in Salvation Island felt like pure magic. There literally felt like no better place in the world for both Cleo and Mack to work through their issues, discover who they are and then find each other. It felt like a slow, quiet romance, but there was definitely heat and it felt perfect. I could not put this down and I did not want it to end. All of the people on Salvation Island felt perfectly written and the sense of community and strength and belonging provided such a wonderful backdrop to Cleo and Mack's stories. Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Dating columnist Cleo Wilder feels lost in her own life. Her editor pushes her into a self-coupling experiment after reading about Emma Watson doing it in Vogue magazine. On the verge of turning thirty, Cleo decides to escape the surprise party her family has planned for her and holiday on a remote island. Let her self-coupling experiment begin…
Her plans are quickly sabotaged when the only available room on the island that she thought was booked for her, is also booked for the obnoxious American she encountered on the ferry ride to the island. As you might guess, both are too stubborn to leave. Even if one had agreed to leave, the island is so remote that boat service only comes once a week. So they are stuck together, and must now learn to get along. I found this to not be your stereotypical love story. The formula that most romance writers seem to follow was not used here. The development of the secondary characters in this book played a more dynamic role. Their presence did not overshadow the main storyline but added a nice depth to the plot. It would be enjoyable to visit the island again and see some of these characters in their own book.

Content Warnings: (major) infidelity, (moderate) emotional abuse, sexual content, (minor) death, grief

When I pick up a book written by Josie Silver, I’m almost always guaranteed a dose of sweet romance, heady laughter, and at least one moment of tears. One Night on the Island provided exactly that.

Similar to One Day in December, this book made me clench my teeth a bit at the beginning when I read that who I supposed was the love interest was indeed a married man. I was worried that there would be an uncomfortable amount of infidelity that was written to seem more glorified than it was as a cautionary tale. Instead of that being the case, the relationships were really well done. It felt realistic for a man struggling with his separation while still wanting to be in his kids’ lives. So, I was able to anticipate where it was going and quickly reassure myself that this was going to be a wholesome tale.

Okay, so “wholesome” is maybe the wrong word because there was some truly perfectly-placed spice throughout this story! I appreciated the way the scenes weren’t there for the sake of just being there, but they were necessary to elicit emotions as the story was read. They caused anxiety, embarrassment, and of course, there were a couple of swoony scenes too.

The location and the secondary characters played a huge part in what endeared me to the book. I mean, a small Irish island with a group of knitting “oddballs” who really take in all the strays. What’s not to love? I want novellas or spin-off stories for every one of those incredible characters! I appreciated that the more that we got into the book, the more they appeared and the further we got to look into their lives.

I recently watched “A Castle for Christmas” and so many elements of that movie reminded me of this book – from the similar location, to the knitting group, to a writer looking for inspiration in where she’s staying but finding love as well! If you’ve seen that movie and enjoyed it, you’ll love this book. Also, this book has the “one bed” trope (or… one cabin? but essentially the same concept).

Speaking of looking for inspiration, I loved that the whole reason for Cleo visiting the island in the first place. Marrying herself might sound like a weird concept, but the self-love that was represented was truly inspiring for ME! And I love that she didn’t just give up on that idea even though she “found a man” as well. So many books seem to just ditch the self-love mantra when the romance comes into play, but not this one!

Honestly, I could keep raving about this book, but I’m going to leave it at that and say read it ASAP!

One Night On The Island by Josie Silver

4/5 🌟

Heck Yes to this new Silver novel! I have really enjoy her previous two books: One Day in December and Two Lives of Lydia Bird and this fits right in with her vibe on romantic relationships.

This book follows Cleo to a remote island of Ireland where she is going to write and commit to her self and her growth as a single woman. She ends up sharing a small cabin with Mack who is a Bostonian on the island to connect to his roots and get some space from his rocky marriage.

I love how the characters have chemistry and it feels magnetic. These two are in completely different places but have a draw and openness that can only come from the close quarters they share. 🛖

Due to some weather A week turns into a month and a month to more but the island doesn’t let them leave until they have a full shift in perspective.

Both characters are fully formed and beautiful but there is something about Cleo and her drive for self acceptance and love that stands out. I also am in my late twenties and could totally relate to her path and wanting to be coupled as well as have freedom.

This story will meet you where you are at and provide you a warm fulfilling feeling. I didn’t love the supporting characters as much only because their relationships felt rushed and less authentic. If new people are one your island and you are extremely tight knit it feels forced to have the welcome and bond they did.

However I would definitely recommend this and her other books to anyone in my friend group. 😊

Why my nose was in this book:
1. Josie Silver is hands down my favorite romance author and I will read anything and everything that she publishes
2. The evolved relationship between Cleo and Mack was inevitable, the slow burn was worth the wait, and once they hit their stride (albeit temporary), I gobbled up the rest of the book within hours
3. True to Josie Silver’s other romantic stories, the plot and characters within are not cheesy and one-dimensional. The thing that I absolutely love about her stories is the complexity of her characters across time, whether it span across years, or days, these people always make a lasting impression on me.

Title: One Night on The Island
Author: Josie Silver
Available now

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

One Day in December was one of my
fave reads of 2020, so I couldn’t wait to dive into this one by Josie Silver. Admittedly, I’m not usually one for romance or rom com reads, but I loved One Day so much that I was hoping for the same here. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.

Cleo is a romance article writer documenting her quest for a man in London, or her perfect flamingo as she describes. Her boss sends her off to a remote Irish island, for her thirtieth birthday to document her “self -coupling” where she marries herself. She gets to Otter Lodge only to find it occupied by Mack, an American stud trying to get over his dissolving marriage.

I liked the romance and relationship between Cleo and Mack and also the welcoming Irish culture depicted on Salvation Island, - I kinda want to go there, but I think the whole self-coupling premise seemed silly to me and was just a little too sugary sweet. That being said, I think many people will love this one

4.5* This book makes me 3 for 3 with Josie Silver’s books. I really love her propulsive writing, her protagonists and supporting characters, and how she doesn’t make their situations seem silly or trite. This one may be my favorite. Cleo, a love columnist, hasn’t found her one true love yet as she’s approaching her 30th birthday. Mack’s marriage is in trouble, and so he takes a trip to his Grandmother’s homeland to photograph for his next exhibit. They both end up on Salvation Island, Ireland. I loved the description of this isolated island, the people who embrace the new visitors, and especially Cleo’s celebration of herself. I found it very touching rather than corny! Kudos to Josie Silver for writing a woman who is trying to understand herself better. And big thanks to #Netgalley and #RandomHouse #Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What I liked about this book:
-how funny Cleo was in the beginning. I was expecting dainty, typical rom-com girl and that wasn’t her at all.
-the three things that Cleo and Mack would always tell each other one was not just sweet, but informative. I loved these little tidbits.
-the journey of self-discovery for Cleo. There was much to be learned from this.

My pitfalls with this book:
-it felt much longer than it was. I didn’t anticipate turning the pages.
-more than half of the book was Mack still in love with his wife while he has this “holiday affair” with Cleo. That makes it hard to be invested in Mack and Cleo when his heart is elsewhere. I mean it pretty much played with my emotions. Like where is the love here? Is it with the wife? Is Cleo his true love?

All in all it was a very steady flowing book, with a love story between two people, one who was one a journey of self discovery and one who was going through marital strife and wasn’t ready to let go. It was at times sweet and at others sad. It just didn’t give me the warm fuzzies I was expecting. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Pros: When I started reading this book, I thought it was going to be a predictable romance with predictable romance tropes (one bed, enemies to lovers). Part of the book was those things, but I was pleasantly surprised that there was much more to this book than just the romance. My favorite things about this book were its setting—an island off the coast of Ireland—and the found family the main character meets on the island.

Cons: I can’t think of any specific cons. This book does well what it’s supposed to do for the genre—I just save higher star ratings for extra special books.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I’ve shared this review on Goodreads and StoryGraph.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/2948ed12-6166-42c7-b2ac-2435f2a0786d

One Night on the Island tells the story of Cleo, a British romance columnist who is trying to find herself as she turns 30, and Mack, an American photographer struggling with the separation from his wife and two sons, who end up double booked in a cabin on a remote island. Mack has family ties to the island through his grandmother and wants to photograph it, and Cleo wants to perform a self-coupling ceremony there on her 30th birthday—for work and herself, so they both refuse to leave and reach an uneasy truce, splitting the one-room cabin in half with a line of chalk. Over the next few weeks, however, they fall in insta-love as they learn more about each other until Mack finally learns about something that happened at home and decides to cut his trip short and return to the States.

The first half of the book was insta-love, meet-cute central. It was sweet, but it was typical of so many romance books that I struggled to really invest in it. I found Cleo to be so typical of girls our age that I struggled to figure out why I should empathize with her. The second half of the book I liked a lot more as we saw them living separate lives and got some of the back story that we didn’t have at the beginning. It also helped me understand the characters a little more. Mack was also just so amazing…his storyline is heartbreaking from beginning to end which I think is why Cleo pales in comparison although it’s hard not to empathize with her too. One line that I related to mentioned their envy for each other—Cleo envied Mack’s ties to his family, and Mack envied her lack of ties. That was really profound. Parts of it were sappy and way too cliche. But overall, it was a sweet, light, and sometimes heartbreaking read.

Side note: I loved the islanders. The whole context of the story was just perfect. Makes me want to get stuck on an island and throw my phone in the ocean.

Josie Silver has done it again. The main characters, Mack and Cleo, go seeking something, neither of them really knows what, on a remote Irish island. In a way only Josie Silver can, the characters come alive with their inner complexities and outward quirks, ending in a heartwarmingly real romance.

Is it possible to fall, just a little, in love with someone who is completely so wrong for you at that moment?

Josie Silver says yes. Absolutely devoured this book.... Cleo is a writer for a British magazine column where she basically chronicles her hopeless dating/love life and takes a vacation to a remote, wintery Salvation Island to celebrate her big 30th birthday and 'marry' herself (a sort of self-love act).. Expecting a completely relaxing getaway in the solitude of a beachy cottage with no cell service, she is met with chaos in the form of an American named Mack, who was somehow promised the cottage at the same time. Mack is clearly a father and with a wife... and just as stubborn as Cleo, refusing to leave the island.

But as these two opposites are stuck together, Silver weaves a story that lets a little love shine each day and Cleo and Mack start to shed their layers of the people they have become, and start to surprise themselves with the companionship they being to form in this totally inconvenient vacation.

Fans of enemies to lovers, the idea of lost loves and taking chances will want to read this. Any fan of Sliver add this to your list!

I was so excited for this new one, because I am a big fan of all things Josie Silver!

This one hit close to home, as Clea is also a 29 year old single gal, reflecting on her 20's as she enters a new decade and hits 30. Cleo is the author of a dating blog for a prominent online magazine in London (think How to Loose a Guy in 10 days). To celebrate her turning 30 and her perpetual "singleness", she goes on a solo trip to a practically abandoned island to marry herself. Yes, marry herself.

I was skeptical at first, but this story unwound in all the best ways. You've got the unruly and unexpected American man who's thrown a wrench in Cleo's plans, the kind and thoughtful locals of the island, and a woman on a path of self discovery. Silver did a great job of incorporating a romance into the story without taking away from Cleo's own journey. She has a way of writing a love story while also showing an independent, assertive, and unapologetic woman, which I love to see!

I still like One Day In December the most, but I like this new one over Two Lives of Lydia Bird. Highly recommend if you are looking for some women empowerment with a side of romance.

Cleo made a career out of finding her “flamingo”, her mate for life. After many years of searching, and with her thirtieth birthday fast approaching, Cleo made the decision to abandon that quest, embrace her solitude, and “marry” herself. She planned on finding her love of self on the small island of Salvation, but when her cabin was doubled booked with a handsome American, she found being alone together could be a great alternative.

I loved this book so much! The idea of escaping to a little island to commune with oneself delighted me. A good soul-search never fails to entertain, but I must admit, having someone intrude on those plans made it even better for me.

Cleo and Mac were such a great pair. Flawed and a bit cracked, but not broken, I was rooting for them both as they waded through their pain, failures, and regret. But what I really loved was the genuine friendship and love that developed between them as they revealed themselves, scars and all, to one another. I adored getting to know them, and I cried for their pain and heartache, while I applauded their joy and success.

Alas, there was lots of angst, but also, lots of laughs. I think many will be amused by the battle for the cabin, where neither Cleo nor Mac will forfeit their reservation. These two were stubborn and relentless in their will to outlast the other. It was fun without being uncomfortable.

A big source of my joy came from Salvation and its stupendous inhabitants. Silver did a wonderful job pulling me onto this island. I could see it, hear it, and feel it. Though the terrain and conditions could be difficult, the community seemed very inviting. Each and every person I met won a place in my heart, and the way they rallied around each other and the newcomers was quite lovely.

Silver made me feel so much and think about so much. I am grateful to have been part of Mac and Cleo’s personal journeys and wholly appreciate what a beautiful and touching story Silver crafted for us.

The relationships between the characters felt so realistic whether it was family or romantic. Cleo’s growth as an independent woman was amazing to read. The way she grew in her career, her love life and as a friend was necessary to the whole story. By the end of the story I felt like a member of Salvation’s community. Josie Silver does it again!