Book Review

From Chelsea Weibley at the Library

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

I borrowed this in eAudio when I needed a light, rom-com to recover from the emotionally taxing book I had finished (Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry…not sure if a review is coming on that one, but feel free to ask me about it!). The cover and summary did NOT prepare me for this book, but it was such a wonderful story! It was much more of a life-story than a love-story and…you know me by now…the setting pulled me in and didn’t let me go!

Cleo is on the cusp of her thirtieth birthday and has been writing about her dating experiences for a few years for an online magazine. Her boss, inspired by Emma Watson, decides to send Cleo to a remote island off the Irish Coast for a self-coupling ceremony on her birthday. Cleo will stay on the island at a small cottage, Otter Lodge. Upon arrival, Cleo discovers the lodge (and only available place on the island) has been double-booked. Mack, an American, is on the island for his own personal healing due to his own complicated life experiences. The two start off cold toward each other, but gradually, they begin to thaw. They both grapple with questions about their futures as they get to know each other, the island and the islanders.

This story is told from both Cleo and Mack’s perspectives and I loved both of them equally! Both characters had depth and a personal journey to go through in this novel. I think I loved the relationships they developed, Cleo especially, with the Islanders, just as much as their love story. Cleo formed such a special bond with the women of the island through the knitters group and the local watering hole. And the cold, windy island with virtually no cell reception seemed to provide the opportunity for deeper bonds and more meaningful discussions and interactions.

I really enjoyed this story by Josie Silver!

Check out One Night on the Island by Josie Silver for yourself at the Library (https://catalog.lclibs.org/polaris/search/title.aspx…) or through the eLibrary at https://lclibs.overdrive.com/media/6398448.