Title: One Night on the Island
Author: Josie Silver
Genre: Romance
Published On: February 15, 2022
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: digital
Pages: 359
Synopsis:
One cottage. Two strangers.
Every great love story starts somewhere . . .
Cleo writes about love stories every day. She just isn’t living one of her own.
When the editor of her dating column asks her to marry herself on a remote Irish island – a sensational piece to mark Cleo’s thirtieth birthday – Cleo agrees. She’s alone but not lonely, right? She can handle a solo adventure.
Cleo arrives at her luxury cabin to find a tall, dark, stubborn American who insists it’s actually his. Mack refuses to leave, and Cleo won’t budge either. With a storm fast approaching, they reluctantly hunker down together. It’s just one night, after all . . .
But what if one night on the island is just the beginning?
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
A novel that slipped quietly into my soul, wrecking me in the best ways, One Night on the Island by Josie Silver is more than a romance. It’s a story about loving yourself, finding your place in the world, and being the best version of who you want to be.
I’m not always an emotional reader, which is odd for someone who identifies as a hopeless romantic. I regularly blame it on my no-nonsense spouse. His more pragmatic views of how the world works have dulled the rose-colored glasses I wore in my younger days over the past… well, a lot of years together. I find myself more cynical than hopeful lately. But sometimes the right book comes along and once again I’m that giddy girl who loves love. One Night on the Island had me in tears. From heart-wrenching, gut-punched tears to heart-soaring, hope-consuming tears. I simultaneously wanted to fly through the pages and stay in this book forever.
“We jumped straight into each other, feetfirst.”
Josie Silver, One Night on the Island
The island that brings Cleo and Mack together is a special place. When I turned the last page of the book, I wanted to pack my bags, board a plane, and live on Salvation Island forever. Silver has made it absolutely magical. Not just the setting—the cozy lodge that has become our leads home away from home, or the wind-strewn beach where the icy water bubbles on the sand. But it’s also the people of the island, the found-family Cleo and Mack slowly discover. Silver has done such a good job fleshing out these side characters, I feel a whole history of their own tales without reading a word of their backstories. I came to love them almost as much as our main characters. And I have a budding hope that a few of them might get their own books. Especially if it brings me back to Salvation Island.
When I started One Night on the Island, I felt sure I was reading a romance, the kind of story I’ve come to know and love, but as I read more, I didn’t know if this book would have a happily ever after. Don’t worry, no spoilers here. (If you have to know, you can ask me!) But I was okay with it. I trusted the characters to find their way, to find the ending that was right for them. Because for me, it was more about the individual people—about Cleo and Mack as humans—-than it was about whether or not they found their happiness in each other. Which is kind of the point of a story about someone who goes on vacation to marry herself, I guess.
One issue that might have some readers stumbling is Mack’s relationship status when he meets Cleo. It didn’t bother me at all, though. Silver handled it expertly, illustrating how life is messy. Relationships are messy. And things aren’t always what they seem to be on the surface. That’s about all I can say without getting too spoiler-y.
It’s a dual point-of-view, which works splendidly. Open-door, but done beautifully. In fact, I highlighted many passages. Silver’s words are chosen carefully and lyrically.
“And for a little while, he made me feel as if I’d swallowed stars.”
Josie Silver, One Night on the Island
In the end, I found this book hopeful, joyful, and inspiring! It’s a book I wish I could write. A book I wish I could live in. (You know, if I were single. And younger. Don’t worry, I don’t want to leave my family.) And now I’m off to languish in my book hangover for the foreseeable future.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)
Rating:
Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Indiebound | Amazon
Levels inspired by The Well-Read Librarian from Sourcebooks
About the Author
A Song For A Book
Josie Silver mentions a few songs and artists in One Night on the Island, which meant I had the perfect start for a playlist. I’ve included a link to it below. I’ll be highlighting “Crashing Into You” by Vance Joy. I love his soulful, upbeat sound, which is the perfect fit for this romance with depth. And a book set on the sea!
You were the one to visit my darkness
You were the brightest way
You dropped a stone into the well
We’d wait for the sound it made
When it got quiet, you could hear your heart
Tell me, what did it say?
I was a bird, you opened the cage
It felt like a clean white page
You came along
You light up my days, my personal sun
Showing me all the ways I could fall
You made me feel new
I’m crashing, I’m crashing right into you
Baby, feel me crash
I’m crashing, I’m crashing right into you
Baby, feel me crash
Have you read One Night on the Island? Or did you add it to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Everyone seems to be loving this one, you included. I wasn’t planning on reading it, but I think I might change my mind after your review.
Oh, I hope you give it a try! I would love to hear your thoughts.
This one sounds really cute!
I adored it!
I was so giddy reading this review. I AM an emotional reader, so I love hearing that this story moved you tears. It was really beautiful. I wasn’t too bothered by Mack’s status either because facts were presented and I my view of that situation.
Yes! It takes a lot to move me to tears in a book, so this one packed a punch! I’m glad to hear Mack’s status didn’t bother you either. I would hate for that to be the reason people dislike or don’t read this one. Such a great book!