REVIEW:

The main character of Josie Silver’s latest romance, One Night on the Island, says she only gives novels 59 pages to hook her or she’s out. Had I followed her advice, I wouldn’t have made it to the end of this one.

I hung in there though, and the result was an enemies-to-lovers story that blossomed into a refreshing tale about learning to love yourself.

The “self love” construct is a primary theme here. On the eve of her 30th birthday, a British dating columnist is sent to a remote island by her boss to perform a self-coupling ceremony to essentially marry herself. The problem is that her cabin has been double booked, so naturally she finds herself sharing it with a handsome, albeit semi-unavailable, stranger. Will she cheat on herself with him? Will he cheat on his estranged wife with her?

Jeepers, could I have rolled my eyes more while writing that paragraph? Probably not. Cliches at every turn, and I seriously just cannot stand the term “self-coupling.” I like the idea of not needing a better half to feel whole, but sweet cripes on a cracker phrases like self-coupling, self-love, and self-care really get my goat.

Still, Josie Silver’s writing is lovely, and I did come to root for her characters. One Night on the Island is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a breezy book club read that still opens itself up to thoughtful topics of discussion. (First and foremost, why is the title One Night on the Island when they’re there for weeks and months? Anyone? Anyone?)

PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS:

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.