One Night on the Island

When I first heard of Cleo's plan of 'self-coupling', I thought the same as Mack: "It sounded like a crazy idea when she first told me." But the more he gets to know her, the more he understands what she intends with this ceremony on her 30th birthday.
To be at ease with yourself, not needing to be part of a couple in order to feel 'whole' and most of all - loving yourself with all your heart (and all your imperfections). Actually, it sounds great!

The whole book was great, for that matter. Although I'm absolutely no fan of anything ethereal or spiritual, but thankfully Josie Silver goes very light on this. She rather focuses more on her two protagonists, who are both very likable characters. Maybe not so much on the very first pages, especially Mack is very grumpy about the fact that he has to share "his" lodge with a total stranger. (Well, yes, I would have been grumpy, too. And probably never agreed to the co-habitation compromise they come up with. But still, it wasn't Cleos fault that there was a double-booking.)

I really enjoyed the fact that this is no romance with an 'insta-love' and a constant inner monologue about how hot the other one is, even if her/his pure presence is getting on his/her nerves. It was refreshing to get to know Cleo and Mack each on their own, and then when they 'meet' in their neutral zone on the kitchen table.

Since this book belongs to a certain genre, you can easily guess the outcome. But honestly - I would have been just as happy with a different one, or maybe with a more open ending. That's how much I enjoyed just getting to know Cleo and Mack and their little Irish island called "Salvation". And that's also how much I admire Josie Silvers writing style.