Member Reviews

When Bea, a reclusive author, goes to stay with her godmother she realises she is going to have to share her bed with Gibson, a fellow house guest. So begins their will they won't they story against the backdrop of Santorini.

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It was the Greek setting that did it for me. Reminds me of a relaxing holiday.

But in terms of romance, I couldn't connect with the characters, I could feel their chemistry.

I adored Bea, I thought she was stand out character with her humour and wit, and how she opened herself up to Gibson.

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I really liked the story but I don't think I was vibing with the writing style. I would definitely give this author another shot with another book.

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Bea is in need a of a well deserved vacation and her Godmother's owns a Greek island retreat which she thinks will be perfect place to enjoy some R and R. She is going there to relax, forget about work and have some me time but it turns out the universe has other plans for her. When she gets to the island she is face with her childhood friend Gibson and they are forced to share 1 bed.

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I unfortunately could not finish this book completely for a few reasons.
1) I found it difficult to connect with the characters in this book. They were both introduced completely different to how they were later on portrayed, and I think that mostly had to do with the situation they were forced into, simply for the sake of witty banter rather than keeping true to their character. I understand that this was supposed to be a “one bed” trope, but I just couldn’t get behind the reasoning for their forced situation. And their past situation too. Why couldn’t Gib have stayed with his father at Golly’s cottage rather than with a younger girl that he’s never met before?

2) I think this author may be British and a lot of British slang was used, which isn’t a problem. But it is when it is mixed with American terms as well. The narrative just seemed a bit jumbled and not as cohesive as it could have been for me. The names, as well, I was not a fan of, particularly Navy, and Gib admittedly is not the most attractive name for a spicy romance, but that is probably personal taste.

I don’t usually rate or post reviews of books I did not finish, because I think it is an unfair assessment for the writer. But I, personally, just was not able to enjoy this book. Thank-you for the opportunity to read this book though!

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I am absolutely in love! This book is a delightful mix of romance, tension, and unexpected twists that kept me hooked from the very first page. 💕

The chemistry between the characters is off the charts! I loved how their relationship developed in such a fun and relatable way, with all the ups and downs that come with sharing a bed (and so much more!). Wood’s writing is engaging and witty, making it impossible to put down.

What really stood out to me was the emotional depth of the story. The characters are beautifully flawed, and their journeys of self-discovery and connection felt so authentic. I found myself laughing, swooning, and even tearing up at times!

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This book was a lot of fun. I picked it up because I love reading books set in Greece. It just seems like such a magical place, and this book really highlights how wonderful a place it is. The romance between Bea and Gib was top notch. I enjoyed how they met and dealt with being stuck in the cottage together. I always enjoy the one bed trope, and it worked out really nicely in this book. The tension and then banter between the characters was well done. Their relationship felt realistic, and it flowed naturally. This is a pretty lighthearted novel, and it is a lot of fun. The spice scenes weren’t overwhelming, and it fit the story nicely. It wasn’t out of place and the writing was done well.

If you’re looking for a fun romance set in a beautiful location, then you need to check this book out.

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I really enjoyed the Santorini setting of this book. I felt like it was a character in itself. Bea and Gib were great characters but I didn’t really connect with them until about 70% in. I definitely enjoyed Golly and thought she was very entertaining. The book wasn’t bad but also wasn’t great. I’m sure many people loved it through! It just wasn’t for me.

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One Bed is a perfect summer read. I loved the dynamic between Bea and Gib but would have loved to see more tension between them at the beginning when they first find out that they have to share a bed. I loved Golly (Bea's godmother) and her relationship with Bea as it added something unique to the book. I also absolutely loved Bea's character development.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to readers who love a lighthearted, summer romance.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and Joss Wood for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A steamy and engaging contemporary romance that offers a perfect mix of passion, humor, and emotional depth. The story centers on two characters, Sydney and Luke, who find themselves sharing a hotel room during a business trip due to a mix-up. With only one bed available, the tension between them quickly escalates, leading to a fiery and unexpected connection. As they navigate their complicated chemistry and feelings for one another, both Sydney and Luke are forced to confront their pasts and what they truly want from their futures. The chemistry between Sydney and Luke is undeniable, making their romance feel both intense and satisfying.

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I've typed--and retyped--the first sentence for this review about 4 different times, and none of them quite capture the tone and real feeling I had about One Bed. They're either too harsh, making it seem as though this was a trainwreck of a book (which it isn't) or it's too blandly nice, which also isn't my style. So in the end, all I can say is One Bed is....fine, but it really isn't the writing I had hoped to read.

One of the first things writers get beaten into them is "show don't tell," but, more or less all the writing in this book IS tell. From chapter 1 on, it's just information after information being told to us readers. No mystery, no character layers to peel back. Just "this character is traumatized from X so they do X." And I thought to myself, "maybe this is the erotica genre" (since the book is tagged on NetGalley as such), but then, I get to the sex and it's not interesting sex writing. I've read hotter, more explicit sex in just regular "open door" romances, so the erotica tag feels very un-earned.

And maybe all this would have been forgivable if the characters were interesting. But no, both of them just use their traumas as excuses not to be adults about situations until the last 20% of the book or so. And don't even get me started on the side characters. Most of them could be replaced with cardboard cutouts, and Golly, Bea's godmother is supposed to be this quirky dynamo we fall in love with, but frankly, I found her immature and annoying. I could not WAIT for her to get out of each scene.

Yet, I read the whole book. So. Take from that what you will. At least the descriptions of Santorini's sunsets were nice.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

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This book took me longer than usual to get through, but once I hit my stride with the storyline, it became one of those reads you don’t want to put down. Set in the dreamlike paradise of Santorini (all the great descriptions made me want to visit again, and stay for longer! need directions for the crevice), One Island, One Villa, One Bed is a heart-shifting love story that delivers exactly what the title promises—an idyllic villa, stunning sunsets, parties that go until dawn, and an insane amount of sizzling tension between the leads. The story follows Bea, a headstrong, take-no-nonsense writer, and the MMC (aka walking hotness incarnate), who is equal parts swoon-worthy and unexpectedly sweet. Their banter is electric, their chemistry off the charts, and their vulnerabilities hit you square in the feels.

The real treat here isn’t just the romance—though, trust me, it’s spicy—it’s the peek into the writing world and the hilarious, relatable moments that come with it. Bea-darling (or Bea-baby, depending on your mood) is a powerhouse of a character, and honestly, who wouldn’t see themselves in her stubbornness and strength? And don’t even get me started on the side characters. I’m going to need a spin-off to learn the stories of Navy, Cass & Nadia, and of course, more of Golly’s one-liners, stat. If you’re into unapologetically heartfelt love stories with a heavy dose of escapist fun, this book is a must-read.

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In One Bed, thirty-year-old Bea finds herself on Santorini celebrating her godmother's retirement. It's a bittersweet celebration, as Golly is also Bea's literary agent and Bea isn't prepared to step out from behind her pseudonym "Parker Kane" in order to acquire a new agent. Also on the island is Gib, the young CEO who's married to his work due to a self-aware inability to process emotions beyond those at the most surface-level of consciousness. He'd visited Santorini as a child and had actually met Bea then - though the two of them barely remember this meeting, and what they do remember is that they didn't like each other at that time. Unfortunately for both, Golly announces that both of them have to share the cottage on the estate. A cottage with only one king-sized bed. Doubly unfortunate for Bea and Gib is that they both find each other incredibly attractive. As Golly's days-long party continues, the two grow closer to each other - that is until Gib's cousin, an up-and-coming literary agent who wants to sign Parker Kane, makes the connection and reveals he knows Bea is Parker.

This book was, unfortunately, just not for me. While it had the bones of something that could have been fun, there were too many possible plotlines that went unexplored. For one example, Golly mentions Lou, Bea's mother, will be attending the party and that Bea needs to get over her ghosts from the pain her mother's caused. However, this never happened. What was possibly a great tension and growth scene just... disappeared. I don't remember if Lou actually made an appearance, but if she did there definitely wasn't a confrontation. In addition, and probably more of a reason why my experience wasn't the best, is that I could not bring myself to connect with Gib, Bea, or Golly. I connected with Reena and the other background characters who had names, but the main characters were difficult. One final thing I'll say, as I don't like to write a treatise when I don't enjoy books, is that there were quite a few scenes where I was left feeling just really icky, for lack of a better term. Many of these feelings were because of what felt like internalized misogyny among the characters.

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Rising star author Bea Williams needs a vacation. And her godmother’s snug Greek island retreat is the perfect place to use as an escape from her writer’s block.

Until she finds she’s going to have to share her idyllic one bed cottage with him – Gibson Caddell, one time childhood friend and a great big, drop-dead-gorgeous red flag. As the sun sets on Santorini, Bea’s thoughts soon turn to something much more pressing – there’s two of them. And only one bed…

This is a fast, fun read! I really enjoyed the banter between the two. This was steamier than I expected. I enjoyed the chemistry between Bea and Gib. The one-bed trope is one of my all-time favorites, so this was a treat! 4⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

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This was okay. It took a little long for me to get into it. I appreciate a good description, but I don’t prefer it to be somewhat of the main focus. It got better halfway through and the the FMC development was great! She was slightly boring at first.

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this book is a lively rom com, it had some charming moments, especially with the godmother who I think added a refreshing spark to the story.

this book also had a great character development the FMC became more likeable and compelling as she revealed more of herself to the MMC, I LOVE LOVE LOVE GOOD CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
the side characters in this book added to the story as well as they were funny and well-developed! it was easy to imagine these characters and give them faces

thank you for allowing me to read this book!

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I liked the concept of this a lot! Santorini/Greece sounds absolutely beautiful. I don't think I was the right target audience for this though, as much as I would have liked to have been. I did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped, but thank you to the author and netgalley for giving me the chance to read this! I think for the right person who enjoys the more comical, quirky style of writing, this will be really loved!

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When Bea arrives at her godmother’s cottage in Santorini, she’s surprised to find that someone else is already there—Gibson, the boy who visited the island when they were kids and has now grown into a man she can’t stop thinking about.

I read this book hoping for something quick, light, and fun, and it fulfilled those requirements. I think romance readers who are just looking for a fun and spicy read will enjoy this. But if readers are looking for greater depth, this book has many unrealistic and problematic elements. The descriptions of the home and village sound like they were written by a person who has never been to Santorini, and Bea and Gibson’s relationship is entirely lost on me. Gibson is often unkind, sometimes overtly mean, and the two of them do a terrible job of communicating with one another. Their relationship is based entirely on physical appearance, and that detracted from the romance element of the story for me.

If you’re looking for a cute, easy read, you might enjoy this. If you’re looking for more depth and character development, I’d skip it.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This was a really lovely and cute read with a fun premise and great characters. It was fun being whisked away to the greek islands and the chemistry/banter between our two leads had me invested the whole way.

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“Only one bed” is a favorite trope of mine, so I was very excited to receive this ARC. However, it took me a while to get immersed into the storyline, and I found myself easily distracted. Mainly because I felt like it revolved too much around describing the idyllic Greek setting, and not enough on building the sexual tension/relationship between the two main characters. However, once I was about 3/4 of the way through, the emotions were there and the book redeemed itself a little bit. One Bed definitely has me wanting to plan a trip to Santorini- it sounds like an incredible vacation spot!
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