One Night on the Island

BOOK REVIEW 3.5/5 ⭐️

“Life is the stuff that happens between the cracks in your plans and expectations.”

All the books I read this month had the element of travel on it.

Josie Silver has such a way with words, I felt the lyrical prose down to my core. This was my first book by her and I'm already a massive fan. I will be sure to read all her other books!

One Night on the Island is about two people who visit a remote Irish island and end up having to share a cabin, which happens to be the only accommodation available. Both Cleo and Mack are at a crossroads, trying to figure out how to move forward in their lives.

This book reads like a millennial's escapism fantasy. Getting away from the hubbub of work and the hamster wheel life, to a remote and peaceful location with lovely people, and a love that won't smother you or try to change you. If someone asked me to change places with Cleo tomorrow, I'd say yes.

I loved the focus on self love. It was definitely more prominent than the romantic love. That both of our main characters put their own needs above the romantic interest was empowering, So much so that I would have loved this book regardless of how the romance was resolved, because their individual stories were so strong.

That's not to say the romance wasn't amazing. Everything from their first kiss, where it seemed like I felt the emotions together with them, to how they were there for each other, but still gave the space to the other to do their own thing, was amazing. It felt like a fundamentally good, real, adult relationship.

But what makes the book so great is that it's not about just Cleo and Mack, it's also about the island, and the people on the island. The island felt like another character in the book after all. And all of them, including the island, are such welcoming and warm characters, even though on the outside they're inhospitable, they become true friends to Cleo and Mac, and as you're reading, it feels like they're your friends too. I loved them so much, I can't even name a favorite, they're all unique and amazing people.

I know Josie Silver doesn't usually do sequels, but I'm really hoping for one about a relationship between two islanders that seemed to be alluded to at the end of the book.

Is the book perfect? Possibly not, at the beginning I had some trouble buying into the premise of marrying yourself or that these two characters really had no other option but to stay together, but once I got over that, I loved this so much.

This book took me on a journey to Salvation Island, gave me a hug, told me I'd be okay, and gave me an adorable romance to read along the way. HIGHLY recommended.

Cleo and Mack unexpectedly end up reserving the same Irish island cottage for the same dates. There are no other accommodations on the island and the weather has curtailed the transport off the island. Cleo and Mack are stuck together, and both have issues which sent them to this remote retreat. How can the two figure out a way to share the cottage and work on the problems they face in their personal lives?