Reviews

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

mreallyhatesyou's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

cjsamuel's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

jayywing's review against another edition

3.0

While this took me a few chapters to get into, the story unfolded in an unexpected way that kept me glued to the pages. Without giving too much away, I appreciate a love story that still keeps the characters’ independence, and integrates secondary characters in a way that doesn’t make the romance aspects totally consuming of the storyline. I find Josie’s books sometimes touch on some morally grey areas (like One Day in December) which can be conflicting at times when you want to root for characters. Was this book kinda cliche? Yeah lol. But don’t read this book if you want something with incredible depth and new storylines that haven’t been done before. This was predictable enough in the ways I expected it to be.

Overall, really enjoyed this and recommend it if you’re looking for a romcom style book!

rjsthumbelina's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ninareadsbooks_'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

brittanystoess's review

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

amberwallace2012's review against another edition

4.0

Such a sweet story! I love that one of the major focuses for the story was loving oneself, but it is also okay to find love with someone else too.

Pepper Scale rating

margymatson's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Wow…this book is sticking with me for a while! Josie Silver has now written two self-journey, coming-of-age books I’ve absolutely adored (the other being The Two Lives of Lydia Bird) and both were automatic favorites. This one is about a magazine writer who writes a dating column and goes to an isolated island as part of a work assignment to marry herself. While there, she meets/lives with (in a rom com situation) a man also escaping the island on a self discovery journey (messy marriage going south). They wind up falling in love but have the understanding it will only ever be a vacation romance because their lives are too incompatible- he has kids, is navigating where to go with his marriage, and lives in the US and she isn’t going to sacrifice her whole life to move to the US and insert herself into his messy situation. I adored the vulnerable writing from both perspectives throughout the novel and how well Josie articulated the “micro love” feeling of falling for someone in a short amount of time and then the sadness of leaving when you’re not ready to say goodbye and “breaking up” when neither of you wants to break up and all the small reminders of them once you’re back to your normal life and how impactful this experience was and how no one else would understand its magnitude and the sadness of eventually having to rip off the bandaid and end the text messages…. So perfectly articulated- a new favorite!! 

aswanson1223's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

happylilkt's review against another edition

DNF @50%- what a bummer to read this after the roughest draft which also had themes of infidelity— though this one I think is worse because it's also boring!

Neither character had much personality (being a talented photographer and loving your kids does not equal a personality!)—and THEN the MC proposes a fling to someone who still feels loyal to their estranged spouse...?!? This just feels unethical, not just because *marriage* but also: emotionally reckless to pressure someone who is obviously vulnerable! (Oh but this is all conveniently okay because the spouse is also having an affair + we are SO attracted to each other!!!!)... I get it's supposed to be a complicated situation but I think this author just has completely different values from me to create a fictional situation like this..

Overarching theme: insta-perfect sex between basic MCs conquers all, including ethics.