REVIEW: One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

In One Night on the Island by Josie Silver, As a writer of a London magazine dating column, Cleo Ward has been thrown into some outrageous experiences. But she’s never had her room–or in this case, her cozy lodge–double-booked. Arriving on Salvation Island off the coast of Ireland was supposed to begin the countdown to Cleo’s thirtieth birthday and the day that, like Emma Watson, she will “wed” herself, per her bosses suggestion. Something symbolic to start a new decade of her life. But with an unexpected (handsome) American roommate who is less than pleased with the arrangement putting a damper on her plans, Cleo has no idea how her trip, or her column for the magazine, will turn out. And then there’s the bothersome attraction she feels for Mack…

“Accidentally kissed? As in a brush on the lips, or a full-on accidental snog?”
They all openly stare at me. I don’t think any of them are breathing…
“Full-on accidental snog.”
“And?”
“I didn’t know kisses like that even existed.”

Hoping that putting some distance between himself and his hometown of Boston will help him make some tough choices, Mack Sullivan is all for learning everything he can about Salvation and his family’s history there. But the picturesque beauty and soothing sounds of the ocean are pretty much shattered when he learns he’s to share a one-bedroom lodge with Cleo. Mack definitely doesn’t need more drama in his life–his family at home has that covered. Expecting to photograph the island for his exhibition in Boston, make connections with his mother’s family, and perhaps find some peace, Mack instead becomes hung up on Cleo. Something that will likely leave him with nothing but a broken heart.

“I don’t want you here, you don’t want me here. I get it. Trust me, no one wishes that boat was coming tomorrow more than I do.”
“Because you think I’d have been on it?”
“Cleo, I’d have put your bags on it myself.”

What was supposed to be a working island vacation for two people from drastically different parts of the world ends up being the catalyst for major life changes in One Night on the Island, Josie Silver’s latest charmer of a novel.

‘Salvation is an almost invisible mark on a map, but it’s left an indelible imprint on me.’

What do you get when you take a photographer from Boston who is in the middle of a messy family crisis and a writer from London who is unhappy with where her life is headed and put them in a double-booked island lodge? Romantic chaos at its finest. Along with that, author Josie Silver managed to weave the adoringly eccentric islanders (love them!!) into Mack and Cleo’s stressful situation, adding some levity as well as some sage advice that turned the tables for them both while keeping their feet firmly on the ground.

I truly enjoyed Silver’s evocative, almost poetic, prose that vividly described everything from Salvation Island itself to the myriad emotions Cleo and Mack felt. It was smart and lively, witty without being pretentious, and made for a lovely reading experience. It also felt like Silver captured each important moment while Mack and Cleo sorted their lives out in a way that was genuine and relatable. I won’t get into specifics about their issues–that was an important part of the story, with both of them giving clues here and there as they went from almost-enemies to roommates. But the fallout of their co-lodging was felt far and wide. And what started off rocky between Cleo and Mack turned into a profound relationship that was tender, fun, all-consuming, and seemingly not meant to be.

So I do want to caution that while this was basically a happy-for-now ending, it was not what most romance readers would think of as traditional. But it worked for Mack, Cleo, and where they were in their lives at that time. Oh…and that final scene will definitely leave you with a smile!

QOTD: Would you have stayed on the island and tried to make the best of the situation or would you have hopped on the next boat the minute it appeared?

Book Info:

Publication: Expected publication: February 15th 2022 | Ballantine Books |

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December . . . When a double-booking at a remote one-room cabin accidentally throws two solace seekers together, it feels like a cruel twist of fate. But what if it’s fate of a different kind?

Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is the last thing that dating columnist Cleo wanted, but she is going on a self-coupling quasi-sabbatical–at the insistence of her boss–in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island she’s booked is a far cry from London, but at least it’s a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet, solitary self-care while she figures out her next steps in her love life and her career.

Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can’t bring himself to acknowledge, his soul searching has brought him to the same Irish island in search of his roots and some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have reserved the same one-bedroom hideaway on exactly the same dates.

Instantly at odds with each other, Cleo and Mac don’t know how they’re going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they would…

Written with Josie Silver’s signature warmth, charm and insights into the human heart, One Night on the Island explores the meaning of home, the joys of escape and how the things we think we want are never the things we really need.