By Carmen Lebar
One Night on the Island by Josie Silver is a romance novel set on a secluded island off the coast of Ireland. It follows Cleo, a single dating columnist who has been asked to “marry herself” for her next column. When arriving at the island’s only lodge, an unexpected guest is already there: Mack, a photographer, has also booked the lodge from his cousin, causing confusion as to who is really meant to stay at the lodge. Cleo and Mack’s romance is heartwarming, and it explores how two very different people can bring out the best in each other. I found the novel’s themes on toxic relationships and choosing a new path to be great additions to the romance.
Both Cleo and Mack bring a lot of emotional baggage to the island. Because the island is meant to be a tranquil escape for the two of them, it soon becomes a place to let go of what is holding them back; specifically, the people that do so. Cleo’s friend Ruby is a fair-weather friend at best, and throughout the novel demonstrates to Cleo how she is unreliable. It’s only when Cleo joins the women’s knitting club on the island that she learns what true friendship should look like, and is able to re-evaluate her friendship with Ruby. In Mack’s case, he comes to the island to escape an emotional tug-of-war with his wife and to give her space during their time of separation. I enjoyed how Silver wrote about toxic relationships, and how they can occur in both romantic and platonic relationships. Within these relationships, Silver shows the strength Cleo and Mack develop and how they are able to set boundaries with the people in their life. Even when new love is growing, she writes about how letting go is just as important.
Cleo is on a journey to create a new path in her life as her birthday approaches. Cleo came to the island to marry herself, but she is also there to figure out what she wants her thirties to look like. At 29, she is facing things that many people do when approaching their thirties. Cleo is constrained in her job, making her unable to focus on her true passion: novel writing. It’s through this trip that she realizes the importance of the people around her and decides what kind of life she wants to live. Cleo’s struggles, and her journey of self-acceptance and embracing change, are things many people in their late twenties and early thirties can relate to. Although the article she was meant to write focused on relationships and being happily single, it develops into something more introspective and life-changing. It was refreshing to see a character approach their 30th birthday with gratitude and acceptance, rather than trying to make time stop.
Josie Silver exceeded my expectations of romantic comedy by delving into important aspects of life that can surround a romance. A romantic comedy can demonstrate more than just love; it can show people becoming emotionally stronger, setting boundaries, and going after their dreams. I think this novel would be great for anyone who may feel a little lost and want to approach aging with open arms. (I read this novel as a 29-year-old, and I felt a deep connection with Cleo.) One Night on the Island is an inspiring novel that will pull on your heartstrings while making you laugh out loud. Cleo and Mack’s story is definitely a romance, but the individual journeys they go on is what makes this novel so special. This is an unforgettable read.
Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.