Women's Fiction
![Josie Silver - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B07D126534.jpg)
One Night on the Island: A Novel
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?
"A perfectly executed and quintessential romantic comedy."-Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022-PopSugar
Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is not what dating columnist Cleo Wilder wanted, but she plans a solo retreat―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 self-care while she figures out the next steps in her love life and her career.
Mack Sullivan 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 to explore his roots and find some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both have reserved the same one-room hideaway on exactly the same dates.
Instantly at odds, Cleo and Mack 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 charm, 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.
"A perfectly executed and quintessential romantic comedy."-Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022-PopSugar
Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is not what dating columnist Cleo Wilder wanted, but she plans a solo retreat―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 self-care while she figures out the next steps in her love life and her career.
Mack Sullivan 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 to explore his roots and find some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both have reserved the same one-room hideaway on exactly the same dates.
Instantly at odds, Cleo and Mack 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 charm, 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.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for One Night on the Island
"How this book manages to be simultaneously uproarious and sweetly nostalgic can only be explained by Josie Silver's masterful pen. Love ‘only one bed'? Try ‘only one cabin, only one island.' With Silver's dazzling voice, belly-laugh hilarity, and the coziest Irish setting you can imagine, One Night on the Island is a perfectly executed and quintessential romantic comedy."-Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners
"Gloriously romantic, full of characters who jump off the page, and a setting that made me want to go visit a remote island immediately . . . Josie does sexy, funny, and poignant so, so well. This book will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with all the characters-prepare to get invested!"-Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year
"What a gorgeous warm hug of a novel! I adored it. I wish I could sail off to Salvation for a drink at the pub with them all. And the writing is a delight―there were several passages I read multiple times just to revel in how gorgeous they were-Josie writes love (in all its forms) so beautifully."-Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flatshare and The Road Trip
"Silver spins gold from the story of two lost souls whose paths cross on a remote Irish island. . . . Laughter is abundant. . . . This celebration of unexpected love will leave readers thoroughly satisfied."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
Praise for Josie Silver
"It absolutely charmed me."-Reese Witherspoon, on One Day in December
"A must-read."-Us Weekly,on One Day in December
"A dreamy love story."-
"How this book manages to be simultaneously uproarious and sweetly nostalgic can only be explained by Josie Silver's masterful pen. Love ‘only one bed'? Try ‘only one cabin, only one island.' With Silver's dazzling voice, belly-laugh hilarity, and the coziest Irish setting you can imagine, One Night on the Island is a perfectly executed and quintessential romantic comedy."-Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners
"Gloriously romantic, full of characters who jump off the page, and a setting that made me want to go visit a remote island immediately . . . Josie does sexy, funny, and poignant so, so well. This book will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with all the characters-prepare to get invested!"-Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year
"What a gorgeous warm hug of a novel! I adored it. I wish I could sail off to Salvation for a drink at the pub with them all. And the writing is a delight―there were several passages I read multiple times just to revel in how gorgeous they were-Josie writes love (in all its forms) so beautifully."-Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flatshare and The Road Trip
"Silver spins gold from the story of two lost souls whose paths cross on a remote Irish island. . . . Laughter is abundant. . . . This celebration of unexpected love will leave readers thoroughly satisfied."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
Praise for Josie Silver
"It absolutely charmed me."-Reese Witherspoon, on One Day in December
"A must-read."-Us Weekly,on One Day in December
"A dreamy love story."-
Readers Top Reviews
Sharon Thérèse
Silver has a knack for drawing me into her stories from the first line, and believe me, One Night on the Island was no exception. Not sure what to expect from her latest offering, I was delighted with the sublime humour. But, the emotional scenes—ooh my, to say I cried my heart out would be putting it mildly. Silver paints the picture of the setting flawlessly. Snuggled up in my comfy reading chair, I was there on the isolated Irish island, taking in the magnificent sea views. And her description of the cold, blustery weather even made me shiver under my blanket! What I look for in a good book are unique and relatable characters. That it has; however, why I loved it so much was because it’s far from your straight-up lovey-dovey romance. Cleo is seeking her inner self for reasons I’d rather not divulge, and Mack needs time to put a family issue into perspective. But to top the lot, neither of them like the situation they’re in, want each other’s company or get on. Subtle wit that brought out all the smiles combined with gripping moments consumed me to such a point that I couldn’t put this perfectly paced book down. Also, I’ve always had a preference for reading dual narratives in the present, possibly because I want to know the protagonists’ thoughts and reflections. Here, the author gave me plenty to mull over. Cleo and Mack’s story isn’t black and white. It deals with personal predicaments, and an act of crossing that fine line reaching its climax isn’t sit-back-in-your-seat while enjoying the ride but yelling out loud stuff. That said, it’s impossible not to like Cleo and Mack. This reader got lost in their worlds, learning about their weaknesses, doubts, fears, and it felt like I’d known these two forever. That folks, in my book, makes for a worthy read. I could go on and on, but I won’t because I would most probably spoil it for you. Would I recommend One Night on the Island to my book buddies? Absolutely! But go in with an open mind, be benevolent and try your hardest to understand that what you’re reading is life itself. Last words. If everything had been bright and rosy, I am absolutely sure Silver’s novel wouldn’t have had the impact it had had on me. The well-thought-out plot, the secondary players whom I adored to bits, the story per se—this is where the author has left her indelible mark. Saying bravo doesn’t seem enough.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Cleo, September 28, London
Finding my flamingo
You genuinely want to send me to a remote island to marry myself?"
A warm flush creeps up my neck as I sit across the desk from Ali, my terrifyingly enigmatic boss at Women Today. She's asked me to do some fairly out-there things over the years, but this one tops the lot.
"It's not legally binding," she says, as if that makes it better.
"Look." I pinch the bridge of my nose, choosing my words carefully. "It's one thing for an A-lister to declare she's ‘self-coupling' for an interview in Vogue, Ali. It's altogether different for an almost thirty-year-old dating columnist to claim she's doing it too."
I stumble as I say my age; the number sticks like glue in my mouth. Thirty felt like just another year until I was twenty-nine and three-quarters, but now that my landmark birthday is a few weeks away, I've started to experience all kinds of unexpected and unwelcome anxieties. I was, I am, determined not to be someone who makes a big drama out of it, but with every passing day it's as if someone adds an extra weight onto my shoulders-one of those mini cast-iron ones you see in old-fashioned kitchen scales. I'm disappearing under tiny, invisible kitchen weights, and Ali has noticed my diminishment because Ali notices everything. She didn't get to be the editor of one of the UK's leading online women's lifestyle magazines by resting on her laurels; her meteoric rise is well documented in the industry with both green-eyed envy and huge respect. I consider myself lucky to work for her; I'd even go so far as to count her as a friend. A laser-eyed, ball-of-energy friend who terrifies me and makes me do things I don't want to, such as decamping to a remote Irish island I've never heard of to marry myself.
"Honestly, Clee, I came across that old Emma Watson interview again over the weekend and all I could think about was you." She gets up from her chair to pace, too excited by her own idea to sit. "A string of dating failures and disasters, about to turn thirty"-she ticks the list off on her fingers as she speaks-"trying to define her place in the world as a single woman, pressured by the media and the expectations of others."
"I feel sick with sorrow for her, I really do," I say. "It must be a shocker having to snog R-Patz for a living." He made a lasting impression on teenage me-all that immortal glittering. Is it any wonder I've struggled to find love after being set such unrealistic expectations? There's a whole other column for another day.
"She's never had to snog R-Patz. Don't minimize Emma's contribution to make yourself feel better, you know I'm onto something here."
I pick at a loose thread on the arm of the office chair. "It's not strictly fair to say I've had a string of dating disasters. It is my job."
"I know, I know. We pay you to swipe right and wear your big, beautiful heart on your sleeve. We love you for your optimism and your faith in finding your flamingo."
Finding My Flamingo is the name of my online column, so called because flamingos mate for life. We experimented with other animals that mate for life too, but Finding My Gibbon suggested red bums and picking each other's ears, and Finding My Beaver lowered the tone in a most unstylish way. Finding My Flamingo felt appropriate, but as time has gone on I've become somewhat less invested, in no small part because I've been gifted so much flamingo-related shite that I could open a flamingo-related shite shop.
"Look, Clee, you need to do something to mark turning thirty. It's a seismic moment in a woman's life." Ali pauses in that specific way she does when something bad is coming next. "It's this or the tattoo."
I sigh; I really should have seen that coming. The tattoo has become a bit of an in-joke at team meetings. Any time I'm struggling for column content, someone gives me the side-eye and then suggests I get a flamingo inked indelibly on my skin, preferably in a place it can't easily be concealed.
"Okay. Look, I always kind of liked what Emma said about self-coupling," I say cautiously. "I get it. She was saying she's enough already, alone but not lonely."
Ali nods. She doesn't interrupt me; I know she's hoping I'm going to talk myself into it. She's excellent at deploying silence to get what she wants.
"She's a vibrant, independent woman who understands that there's more than one way to achieve a fulfilled ...
Finding my flamingo
You genuinely want to send me to a remote island to marry myself?"
A warm flush creeps up my neck as I sit across the desk from Ali, my terrifyingly enigmatic boss at Women Today. She's asked me to do some fairly out-there things over the years, but this one tops the lot.
"It's not legally binding," she says, as if that makes it better.
"Look." I pinch the bridge of my nose, choosing my words carefully. "It's one thing for an A-lister to declare she's ‘self-coupling' for an interview in Vogue, Ali. It's altogether different for an almost thirty-year-old dating columnist to claim she's doing it too."
I stumble as I say my age; the number sticks like glue in my mouth. Thirty felt like just another year until I was twenty-nine and three-quarters, but now that my landmark birthday is a few weeks away, I've started to experience all kinds of unexpected and unwelcome anxieties. I was, I am, determined not to be someone who makes a big drama out of it, but with every passing day it's as if someone adds an extra weight onto my shoulders-one of those mini cast-iron ones you see in old-fashioned kitchen scales. I'm disappearing under tiny, invisible kitchen weights, and Ali has noticed my diminishment because Ali notices everything. She didn't get to be the editor of one of the UK's leading online women's lifestyle magazines by resting on her laurels; her meteoric rise is well documented in the industry with both green-eyed envy and huge respect. I consider myself lucky to work for her; I'd even go so far as to count her as a friend. A laser-eyed, ball-of-energy friend who terrifies me and makes me do things I don't want to, such as decamping to a remote Irish island I've never heard of to marry myself.
"Honestly, Clee, I came across that old Emma Watson interview again over the weekend and all I could think about was you." She gets up from her chair to pace, too excited by her own idea to sit. "A string of dating failures and disasters, about to turn thirty"-she ticks the list off on her fingers as she speaks-"trying to define her place in the world as a single woman, pressured by the media and the expectations of others."
"I feel sick with sorrow for her, I really do," I say. "It must be a shocker having to snog R-Patz for a living." He made a lasting impression on teenage me-all that immortal glittering. Is it any wonder I've struggled to find love after being set such unrealistic expectations? There's a whole other column for another day.
"She's never had to snog R-Patz. Don't minimize Emma's contribution to make yourself feel better, you know I'm onto something here."
I pick at a loose thread on the arm of the office chair. "It's not strictly fair to say I've had a string of dating disasters. It is my job."
"I know, I know. We pay you to swipe right and wear your big, beautiful heart on your sleeve. We love you for your optimism and your faith in finding your flamingo."
Finding My Flamingo is the name of my online column, so called because flamingos mate for life. We experimented with other animals that mate for life too, but Finding My Gibbon suggested red bums and picking each other's ears, and Finding My Beaver lowered the tone in a most unstylish way. Finding My Flamingo felt appropriate, but as time has gone on I've become somewhat less invested, in no small part because I've been gifted so much flamingo-related shite that I could open a flamingo-related shite shop.
"Look, Clee, you need to do something to mark turning thirty. It's a seismic moment in a woman's life." Ali pauses in that specific way she does when something bad is coming next. "It's this or the tattoo."
I sigh; I really should have seen that coming. The tattoo has become a bit of an in-joke at team meetings. Any time I'm struggling for column content, someone gives me the side-eye and then suggests I get a flamingo inked indelibly on my skin, preferably in a place it can't easily be concealed.
"Okay. Look, I always kind of liked what Emma said about self-coupling," I say cautiously. "I get it. She was saying she's enough already, alone but not lonely."
Ali nods. She doesn't interrupt me; I know she's hoping I'm going to talk myself into it. She's excellent at deploying silence to get what she wants.
"She's a vibrant, independent woman who understands that there's more than one way to achieve a fulfilled ...
