Wednesday, May 24, 2023

REVIEW: One Night Only by Catherine Walsh

Title: One Night Only
Author: Catherine Walsh
Narrator: Jessica Regan
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Publication Date: July 2021
Genre: Chick-Lit / Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Who could have predicted this? Being at the same wedding. In Ireland. There’s a reason one-night stands are one-night stands. You’re not supposed to see each other again, especially not when you’re the maid of honor, and he’s the groom’s brother…

Sarah Anderson has never been more excited about anything in her life. She’s going to her best friend’s wedding. And not just any wedding. An Irish wedding. Goodbye New York, hello rolling green hills and men with beautiful accents and twinkling eyes.

But Sarah should have known that not all guests are fairy-tale princes…

There’s the chinless Uncle Trevor, whose idea of small talk is to claim climate change is a conspiracy.

Then there’s Great Aunt Eileen, who doesn’t talk at all (she’s too busy replacing the hotel cutlery with her own set).

Worst of all, there’s Declan Murphy. Best man. Brother of the groom. And the man Sarah last saw naked.

Is there anything more mortifying than bumping into a one-night stand halfway across the world? Especially as Declan seems determined to embarrass Sarah at every turn. At least when the wedding’s over she’ll never have to see him again.

But, back in New York, Sarah finds the more she tries to forget Declan, the more she can’t shake the thought of that infuriatingly charming smile and the way he wears a tux…

Was he really just for one night only, or might Declan Murphy be The One?

Prepare to laugh until you cry with this perfect feel-good romantic comedy about taking a chance on love. Fans of Sophie Ranald, Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes won’t be able to put this down!

My Thoughts: Fun premise for a story I enjoyed but did not love. How awkward would it be to have a one-night stand with a hot guy with an Irish accent only to have him show up at your best friend’s wedding because he is the groom’s brother? For Sarah Anderson, this is exactly what happens.

I liked Sarah for the most part, but I thought her aversion to relationships became tiring and annoying. The reason for her aversion was completely understandable, but get over it, already! Not every guy is your ex who dumps you after you tell him you love him or your mother who bailed.

Declan Murphy, on the other hand, was a great character. He has looks, charm, a great sense of humor, loves his family and has a fantastic work ethic. Sarah, and every dang unattached woman in this book, should be clamoring to catch Declan’s eye. In spite of their initial hook-up, Sarah and Declan have great chemistry and, when she isn’t trying to ruin it, what it takes to make a go of a relationship.

Lots of great supporting characters add to the story and it should be a keeper shelf book, right? I went with the audiobook edition and enjoyed the narration by Jessica Regan. Her Irish accent was lovely and her American accent was good, though I caught hints of her Irish lilt in Sarah’s voice at times. I will check out more of Catherine Walsh’s stories, especially if the protagonist male is anything like Declan.

I would have loved to see Sarah cut loose a little bit and let her hair down, which you would think she does considering she has no problem picking up and sleeping with men she just met. Unfortunately, not Sarah. She’s wound tighter than a straight man’s butt cheeks in prison. Hopefully with Declan around, she will learn to lighten up, grab life by the horns and live in the moment.

My Final Verdict: Fans of the romantic comedy, chick-lit and women’s fiction genres will likely enjoy this book. Books set in interesting locales such as New York and Ireland also hold great appeal.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of One Night Only from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


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I am not a professional reviewer, but I love to read and share my opinions on my reading with others who are interested. I work full time but my ideal perfect day would be to curl up with a good book. The majority of the books I review here are from my private collection and my reviews are provided purely for entertainment purposes. I receive no compensation whatsoever for sharing my thoughts and review on any book. If you would like me to review your book, please email me at sharalsbooks@yahoo.com Happy Reading! :o)