Welcome to Litsy!

I enjoyed Silver‘s debut novel, so I was excited when my book club voted this as our March selection! Set on a remote Irish island, this forced-proximity romance makes for a fun, albeit predictable, read. Cleo arrives ready to focus on herself & lay to rest the dating of her 20s to culminate in a self-coupling ceremony on her 30th birthday. Mack, still reeling from his separation, wants to explore the island he‘s heard so much about!

I thought this would be a rom-com love story about 2 people, Cleo & Mack, who share a cabin on Salvation Island because of a booking mistake. The first 1/2 dragged & left me rolling my eyes. I stuck with it & found a story rooted more in reality than Hallmark. The best part is definitely the Irish island & the community that lives there. Cleo & Mack grew on me and matured as characters, which made the book worth it. *Also the title makes no sense.

Read as a break. It was ok. Misleading name, not sure why. The story had some genuinely sweet moments, and then there were some that felt like not quite as developed, and even unnecessary. But overall I enjoyed it. A little bit of mature content.

Final rating 4 🌟

Cleo moves to a remote island for some soul searching and a work assignment. What Cleo didn‘t realise was that she would full in love with the island, it‘s way of life and it‘s people. Mac is also looking for solitude, a mix up with the bookings means both have reserved the same lodge but both did not get on from the word go.
Not a typical rom-com, with great female secondary characters and the author has written with honesty and charm. 3⭐️

Maybe it's just because I'm also about to turn thirty, but this book just enraptured me. I loved and felt for Cleo and Mack, and the setting was absolutely ideal. Realistic yet perfect for fantasizing about island life and meeting The One. I'm in for anything else Josie Silver writes! #contemporaryfiction #contemporaryromance

Self-discovery and self-acceptance story on a whimsical small-town island - somewhat delightful book 😊
P.S.: weird title (not accurate) 😒

I‘m racing through romances on vacation and not keeping up with my reviews. Given my horrid memory, this always gets me into trouble! But I know I loved this one. Small, rural, coastal town? Check. Sisterhood & a hearty dose of feminism? Check & check. Cleo has British Carrie Bradshaw vibes. I had to tamp down my Boston stereotypes (which I say fondly, as a former Masshole) but I managed. 😉 This was my first Josie Silver; I‘m eager to read more!

Book 7 of 2023 complete. I always, ALWAYS cry when I read Josie Silver books 😭 impatiently waiting for the next one, though I may just reread her others now.

I loved this book SO MUCH. I went in expecting some cheese considering the "oops, me and this strange but handsome man must now share a space because of a booking mixup" trope, but my goodness it was so much more than that. I identified (maybe a little too much) with Cleo's quest to fall in love with herself, and the reasons why she came to the realization that it was time to leave city life behind. Now maybe one day I'll find my flamingo too ?

THIS. Replace "Londoner" with "New Yorker" and I identify with this sentiment so hard, reflecting on my own decision to leave the city after so long. I'm loving this book!

I liked “One Night on the Island”. My one wish is that there was a bit more comedy involved in the story. The book made me long to get lost in some wildly obscure place like Salvation Island. 4/5 ⭐️

When I was reading the tagged book, I could see it being a movie so clearly in my head, and even wrote in my review that I needed it to be made into a film. I also recently read On the Island by Tracy Garvis Graves (#BlameitonLitsy) and thought it would make a great series, and even saw it was optioned for a film but didn‘t go anywhere. #Littenswanttoknow

While vacationing on an island myself, it's a great book to enjoy on the beach.

#alphabetgame #LetterO

I plan to start this soon, so I cannot recommend this yet. It‘s one of my “summer” reads.

Enemies to lovers is my favorite romance trope, and this one didn‘t disappoint! Cleo, a London-based dating advice columnist, and Mack, an American photographer with tons of emotional baggage, arrive on a remote Irish island only to find that the sole lodging has been double-booked. Neither are happy about it, but resolve to make the best of a bad situation. Really enjoyed this one!

#bookspinbingo - by the skin of my teeth, I got a second bingo!

This one was interesting.. It‘s supposed to be a romance but didn‘t always feel like one. I also feel like I need to do research into Emma Watson marrying herself 🤷🏻‍♀️. I liked the story about self love and figuring yourself out before you hop into another relationship. However, I don‘t understand the stress about turning 30.. I really liked the island setting of this book.

This was so freaking fluffy. I loved it. Josie has made a comeback imo after that last hot mess. My book club picked this for June.

Recommend! Cute love story. 💛👏🏼

The good part of getting somewhere early (besides missing rush hour)? Reading a few chapters, of course!

I was so excited for this one and unfortunately, it did not meet my high expectations. I don‘t like how the romance takes a huge backseat to Mack‘s marital issues. As a result, the chemistry between Cleo and Mack seems forced. By the end of the book I was wishing that he reconnect with his wife and leave Cleo behind as a vacation fling. The setting of Salvation, Ireland is beautiful and the secondary characters are fun. That‘s one positive⭐️⭐️⭐️

Started the tagged book when this little demon woke me up at 3. I hope to survive kittenhood.

01. One Day on the Island; Sea of Tranquility
02. White daisies
03. Mother‘s Day brunch + the bookstore

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Oh boy, this is boring. I had to switch over to “Lockdown on London Lane” and I‘m loving it so far! I hope they make it into a movie. I‘ll get back to Josie‘s latest at another time. ☺️

Squeezing this one in at the end of the month...
#bookspinbingo

I didn‘t love December, so my expectations were low. But oh my… I loved this. A celebration of love - for others, for community, and most of all, self. And on a charming Irish island nonetheless. There were so many beautiful, quotable phrases that took my breath away. A book I desperately want to be made into a film.

Um… why is goodreads trolling me? Yes, I know I have books on my TBR that I haven‘t read yet. I don‘t need you reminding me…

This enemies to lovers holiday romance was lovely. There‘s a remote Irish location, a British dating columnist ‘marrying herself‘ for an article, a US photographer with a load of baggage, and a double-booking for the only empty bed on the island. With a cast full of endearing islanders, a complicated holiday romance and hearts being broken all over the place… I shed tears. Good stuff on friendship, found families and choosing a life you want too.

This was the 1st of Silver‘s where I read the physical book. I listened 2 1 Day in December & own The 2 Lives of Lydia Bird but haven‘t read it yet. This was a cute story about a woman trying to find herself when she goes to an island off the coast of Ireland for a work assignment & is forced to share living quarters with a man who is a descendant of the islanders & can‘t accept that his marriage is over. It makes for a good read & of course love!

I really loved Silver‘s book about self discovery, the healing power of friendship and unexpected love. I thought this was going to be a much lighter novel, but it was so much deeper than that and I loved it all the more for that.

I enjoy the complex characters Josie Silvers creates in her easy-to-read stories so spending a day with Cleo and Mack on a stormy Ireland island was just the ticket for me. I also appreciate writing characters who prioritize discovering happiness on their own vs finding a partner in order to gain happiness.

An easy read about a columnist and a photographer who both escape to Salvation Island for some alone time only to find they have rented the same cabin and there are no other places stay. This was the perfect palate cleanser after all the thrillers I have been reading.

Gorgeous story set on a remote Irish island. Josie went seeking for soltitude and ran smack into Mack, who was there seeking a connection to the land of his ancestors. This was a wonderful rom-com that was just the right amount of steamy and the perfect amount of character building. I want to go to Slánú to meet those warrior women and sit on the boulder screaming, even if it‘s only a literary place and not real. Book #12 in 2022

I have mixed feelings. I think what throws me off is that the two stories (Cleo‘s & Mack‘s) feel a bit unbalanced. And I get it. I like that the author does not shy away from complicated/complex situations & she doesn't try to tie everything up neat because life is messy. Life happens. And we can't always prepare or plan for it and sometimes we can't even move forward.

Although I still prefer One Day in December, I gave this one 4⭐️.

Another good book from Josie Silver! Cleo is a relationship columnist about to turn 30. Her boss sends her to remote Salvation Island in Ireland to write and perform a self-marriage as she‘s been unlucky at finding her flamingo (mate). Mack, an American photographer with roots on the island, journeys there to soak up its history and take photos for an upcoming showcase. Unfortunately they discover they are both booked at Otter Cottage 🔻

1. Chocolate every time for me! But books would be next, although I like to choose my own books.

2. The tagged book would be my current choice or any by this author, the tagged book is published on the 17th of this month.

#Two4Tuesday

Thanks for the tag @Nute and @TheSpineView . I tag 👇

Cleo Wilder is a dating columnist in London who escapes to Sullivan Island, a remote Irish island, for a solo retreat of self-care in order to refresh herself. Mack Sullivan from Boston USA goes to the same island as he needs some time to himself for soul-searching as his marriage is breaking up. A mix-up with the bookings means both have reserved the same one-room hideaway on exactly the same dates.

My favourite read for #November was the new Josie Silver book, which is published next month. Another brilliant read from this great author. #12Booksof2021 #10thBookof2021

A notable mention for A Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, a great series.

I was sceptical at first, thought the "there's only one bed" trope just couldn't work. Yet, Josie Silver gave it its own spin. I liked how Silver managed to give the complicated situation the characters were in a suitable ending.

#AVeryMerryReadathon @TheSpineView
#20in4 #NewYearSpecial #readathon @Andrew65 - no more words for the #TreasureHunt

#20in4 #readathon @Andrew65
#TreasureHunt

Swear I did not expect this. It happened within two chapters. Hence I'm going to try to find a) all the words in this book and b) all the words in the other books I intend to read.

#AVeryMerryReadathon @TheSpineView
#MountARC

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

»'You genuinely want to send me to a remote island to marry myself?'«

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

Trying to make the most out of the last day of #AVeryMerryReadathon @TheSpineView and #Adventathon @ozma.of.oz

I have loved Josie Silver‘s first two books so jumped at the chance to read and review an early copy of her latest book One Night on the Island. Thanks to the publisher, the author and Net Galley for a copy of the book for an open and honest review. 👇

Starting Day 2 of #NovelNovember and Day 3 of #AnyWayYouReadthon by continuing this book which is due for release next year. Currently at 56%.

A day late but here goes :

‘You genuinely want to send me to a remote island to marry myself ?‘

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

1. Tagged book, The Silence of Scheherazade and The Last Story of Mina Lee #SundayBuddyRead

2. I use Leio and have for a few years now. http://leio.co/ Free initially but a very small one -off charge once you get above so many books. http://twitter.com/leioapp

3. The Last Story of Mina Lee.

Thanks for the tag @MoonWitch94

#WeekendReads @rachelsbrittain

Started reading the new Josie Silver book, which is published on 17th Feb 2022.

Hope it is as good as One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.

@TheBookHippie @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Very good. Another powerful story from this wonderful author. Even though this is a love story between two people it is also a love story towards yourself. It shows that sometimes you just need to deal with your own love connection with yourself before anything else. Love how the author uses the island as a character in itself. Thank you #PenguinRandomHouse for inviting me to read this via #Netgalley

#Penquin
@PenguinPublishing

The new Josie Silver book is available to request on #NetGalley