DNF at 40%
- 2 stars

I contemplated whether I should leave a star rating at all since I didn't finish the book. However, I know if I continued the story, my rating would be lower. I applaud myself for getting this far because, after the first chapter, I was honestly so bored.

The writing hooked me from the start - but the storyline & characters didn't. I couldn't connect with Sarah (she annoyed me SO MUCH), or any character for that matter, I just didn't care about them at all. The connection between Sarah and Declan felt forced for me. It was like the author was trying too hard at making me like both characters which did the opposite for me.

A good attempt from the author on their debut novel but the book fell short for me. It failed to pull me in and it felt mediocre.

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. I love when a debut author comes out of the gates with great banter and witty dialogue and that's exactly what Catherine Walsh did. This book is about a woman named Sarah. She has a "One Night Only" rule after she got her heart broken by her long time boyfriend. The book opens with Sarah in bed with a man she doesn't remember and its a work day so she wakes him up and says he has to leave. He immediately starts joking with her and the reader is instantly endeared to the Irishman, Declan. She finally gets him to leave, but then a few days later when she goes to Ireland for her best friend's wedding she finds out he's the grooms brother! The first night there goes off with many hijinx, including the boy's mom trying to match make Sarah and Declan by putting them together at the "loner table". Throughout the trip, the 2 keep bumping into each other despite her efforts to avoid him. While I loved Declan at first, there are times when he is very hot and cold and truthfully, by the end I didn't like him. He is constantly assuming he knows what Sarah wants and he bases his actions around that, despite the fact that he's not always right. Then when it inevitably all blows up, he blames her walls for keeping them apart and doesn't take any blame for the distance they experienced. He also kept a pretty big secret from her and I just didn't like him by the end. As for the writing of the book, there are definitely some pacing issues for me. After the Ireland trip, there is a chunk of time where the 2 are apart and it got pretty boring. We would spend a lot of time on one day then it would jump forward a couple weeks and we'd have to catch up, but this is also a debut novel so I think a little bit of grace is deserved. I loved the Ireland vibes in this book and loved the cast of characters surrounding Sarah and Declan (his brother and her best friend, Annie; Sarah's roommate; Sarah's coworker, Will, etc.) but I didn't love Declan's action and the sources of conflict in this book were dumb. Overall, a cute read that I would recommend!

SPOILERS AHEAD:
He is in the process of a divorce and doesn't tell her so of course his wife comes back but she's super kind and just causes some misunderstandings. Sarah also has a brief fling with a coworker despite the fact that there is zero chemistry.

This book has a few detailed sex scenes.

3.5 stars

Sarah and Declan have a one night stand. Sarah expects to never see Declan again, after kicking him out of her apartment the morning after, but to her surprise she is the best man at the wedding in Ireland, where Sarah is the maid of honor.

The start of the book was quite slow, with an excess of mundane mentions, but it did get into prime plot points relatively quickly. I was surprised by how quickly the wedding was over, as it seemed like it was going to be a bigger portion of the book, based on the summary.

Declan was so likable, his appearances in the book and dialogue were consistently funny and sweet. One of my favorite moment’s was when he asks if another male character is Sarah’s assistant. I found myself wishing that this book was dual point of view, especially with the hidden parts of his character. I cannot say I felt the same way about Sarah, most of the time her character was not likable to me, nor someone I felt like I related to or understood well. Maybe due to my dislike and annoyance of Sarah, I often wondered why Declan seemed to like her so much. Sarah was the queen of the jumping to conclusions and making assumptions, while also being so blind to other obvious things. While being hurt before contributed to her affinity for one night stands and attitude towards relationships, she was so standoffish and selfish at times especially towards Declan it made me dislike her.

CW: there is one scene where there is an attempted sexual assault (forceful drunk kissing in a bar)

*Thank you to NetGalley and the author of this book, who gifted this audiobook in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers and the Author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was like a warm hug, and incredibly comforting. I thought the book was absolutely flawless, and something I could listen to again and again. The narrator was perfect for the book, and her accents were done really well without feeling over the top.

I thought the premise was really well-executed, with lots of comical moments in addition to plot twists. As I was listening to it, I was laughing aloud, gasping at the twists and completely engrossed in the story (something I sometimes struggle with when I'm listening to audio books). I even got annoyed when people wanted a chat whilst I was listening to it!

In all, it was a fantastic book. I can see myself re-listening to this many times in the future, and it has become one of my favourite books of this year so far!

One night only would not be a romance pick for me. I will not be recommending it. This main character came off as a hoe. She had no respect for herself or others. She was a step back for women. Don’t write books that make women into that having no respect for themselves. Shame on you

TW// divorce & sexual assault

Sarah has a one night stand who coincidentally is the brother of the groom & the best man at her best friend’s wedding. Will she be able to forget this hookup or will feelings approach?

Omg when I finished this book I literally wailed!! 😂😂😂 I loved it so. dang. much!!!!
It has
* slow burn ✔️
* The lovely Irish Countryside ✔️
* Fun side characters✔️
* Irish hottie✔️
* Grumpy FMC + Sunshine MMC ✔️
* Opposites attract ✔️


I enjoyed the banter & the chemistry that Declan & Sarah have is great, & since I’m a sucker for character development I liked seeing Sarah grow from one who avoids relationships at all costs to being in one with someone she really loved 🥺 she deserved that happy ending. The last few chapters made me smile so hard my cheeks were hurting especially the last one. I love their relationship so much I’m glad both Sarah & Declan were able mto move on their past & face the present & future together.

For the audiobook portion Jessica Regan brings life to the characters in “One Night Only.” Her voice especially fit well for Sarah and when I first listened to the audiobook I kinda chuckled a little at her Irish accent when narratoring for Declan & Paul. It wasn’t too heavy and it wasn’t too subtle I quite liked it. Will, however sounded exactly like Sarah- no change in his voice whatsoever. I feel like the narrator could have given him a different tone of voice, when Will & Sarah were interacting I wasn’t sure who was saying what- it just sounded like Sarah was just talking and responding to herself. I like Soraya’s voice, it reminded me a bit of a valley girl but her voice differed from Claire- who sounded like Sarah with a higher pitch & Annie.

Speaking of Sarah’s friends, I liked her friend group! Wish we had more of them together!

I really enjoyed this rom-com, One Night Only. Sarah Anderson came from a split family and was raised by her father. She has no intention of settling down after seeing her father grieve for his marriage after his wife leaves. She is famous for her one night stands and is shocked when the handsome Irishman wants to go for breakfast and she actually has to kick him out of her apartment. Fast forward a bit and Sarah is in Ireland, the Maid of Honour in her best friend's wedding. Imagine her surprise when the groom's brother and best man turns out to be her one night stand. When they return to New York, they continue to run into one another and they both develop feelings for one another, but can Sarah get beyond her belief that she is only going to have one night stands?

The characters were the best part of this story. Both Sarah and Declan were real. They had dreams for their jobs and professional life and part of this story dealt with that. They were also single and wanted to enjoy life. Declan was amazing. I loved his monthly mixers/brunch for seniors. They made me swoon over his character. Sarah was beautiful and enjoyed sex, so she went after it and felt no guilt. That was the only thing I didn't like about her character, but she also had some baggage that had her acting this way. The chemistry between Declan and Sarah was awesome and it sizzled just under the surface. They say opposites attract and these two are definitely that. The secondary characters were also important to the story. Will & Sarah brought them together, but they were also great characters. Their interactions added a lot of humor to the story. The story was well written with the only issue being that it was a bit slow in the middle, but the ending made up for it. I enjoyed that although there was a lot of talk about sex, there were no graphic sex scenes that made me flip the pages.

I did a read/listen with this book and really enjoyed that flexibility. Jessica Regan narrated this story and I enjoyed her performance. She added expression and emotion to the story to make it a pleasant listening experience. I really enjoyed this rom-com and recommend it to lovers of this genre.

One Night Only by Catherine Walsh

Synopsis: 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…

Review: I adored this book. I was hooked from the first moment the narrator began. I felt like Sarah was a character that I could truly connect with and that Declan was charming and hilarious. Both of these characters have flaws, but that just made me love them more.

I look forward to Catherine Walsh’s next book.

I was given an ALC of One Night Only in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Bookouture Audio and NetGalley.

wow. Just wow.
This was such a nice surprise. I love romances and I had an inkling I would enjoy the book, but it definitely exceeded all my expectations.
Audiobooks are great for me to listen as I do other things, but not with this one. I was so invested in the story I literally couldn't get myself to do something else, it'd be too distracting.
The story is your typical meet-cute after a one night stand, but the amazing writing and ongoing flirting just kept me interested the whole way through. I loved the relationship development and the fact that none of the characters were perfect.
Catherine's writing style is, in my opinion, sublime. I enjoyed every single sentence of this book. Nothing sounded cringe or like it didn't belong, it just made sense.
I would definitely recommend this book as a light-hearted fun romance and would definitely love to read more of her.

I found this a fun, uplifting read. It’s a sweet romantic comedy, with the usual misunderstandings and miscommunications. The narrator was good, though the Irish accents weren’t always totally authentic. It’s very much a clean romance, so no naughtiness here! I found the characters easy to relate to and will definitely look for more from this author.

Narrator 4 stars

Story 3 stars

This was a good enough story. I didn't particularly like Sarah as a person but really liked Declan. Sarah's reason for being detached from relationships wasn't believable to me.

I would try this author again however.

One Night Only falls into the fun, cute rom-com category. It's exactly what I am looking for when I just want to read a book to escape. I love Sarah and Declan's relationship. You are always rooting for them- well Declan at least, Sarah has her eye-roll moments when she (shockingly) overreacts because of a lack of communication. The audiobook was great (even if the narrator's accent slips a few times). Overall I am giving it 3.5 stars, because (spoilers ahead) while I prefer a non-perfect rom-com, this one left a gaping hole. Sarah basically loses her job to a man who was stealing her work, and it was never talked about or resolved. For a character who seems very strong, letting this guy walk all over her and get away with it felt very strange. But other than that, I would recommend picking it up!

It was fine. It was a fast read. I liked her friendship with Annie. I didn’t like the miscommunication and how the conflict got resolved so quickly. It was a fun concept.

I would like to thank NetGalley for sending me an arc of this beautiful book.

I adored this book so much!!
I could not put it down! Once I started it I didn't put it down till I was done! It was fun, light and so good.

The story is so cute and the friendships are so nice!!
Sarah is a hilarious and relatable heroine, I liked seeing things from her perspective and I enjoyed watching her grow and evolve as a person.
And Declan? OMG where can I find one cuz WOW.
I loved their relationship and at points I wanted to strangle one or both of them!! But thankfully by the end I was happy. I enjoyed every single page of this book and I loved that something interesting was always happening.

I would say I would've appreciated if the couple fought a bit less and spent more time going on dates and communicating! I also would've liked to see more of Sarah and Annie's friendship.

4.5 // audiobook arc
I love this book!! I’m obsessed with every character and the humor in this book is 10/10!!! The chemistry is great throughout the whole story and I think I’m in love with Declan.
I recommend listening to it because the narrator made it even better with the Irish accents!
I really enjoyed this book and personally I think it explained really well the fear of opening yourself up again after a heartbreak and then overcoming it.

One Night Only by Catherine Walsh

Sarah Anderson only does one night stands! She’s not looking for a relationship.

Sarah travels to Ireland to be the maid-of-honor in her best friend, Annie’s wedding. The best man and also the brother of the groom, Declan Murphy, happens to be the latest man Sarah’s hooked up with just a few nights before. What are the chances?!

Can Sarah learn to trust again? Can they both open their hearts for a chance at love? Forget about their hurtful pasts?

This a cute romance! I enjoyed listening to this book!! Enjoyed both of the main characters!

Thank you Catherine Walsh, Bookouture and NetGalley for the audio to listen to this book in return for my honest review!

This was a fun sweet “will they won’t they, sort of second chance, will they let go of their past issues and get it together romp. The narration was great. Two people with lots of issues that have made them into who they are with very strong feelings about relationships. Life is complicated for us all and there is truly no one specific fairy tale text book happily ever after. We make our own HEA, but only if were willing to take chances. Sarah is all tangled up emotionally and truly believes she can shield her heart by never having a second encounter with the same man. Declan is living his life and trying his best to move forward and get out from the pressure of his family and their thoughts about him and his choices. They meet and have a one night stand. Surprise, they meet again and their path to HEA is a terrific listen. I enjoyed the listen and hope to look forward to what comes next from her. And I really want to go to Ireland now!!

The description for this one sounded so good to me but I felt it lost a lot of steam about half way through and I just forced myself to finish (probably would have DNF if I didn't have an audio copy to be perfectly honest). I loved the one-night stand that comes back when you least expect it premise and all the wedding scenes set in Ireland. However, when the story went back to NYC I totally lost interest. I was also a little disappointed this was a closed door romance. I would have enjoyed some more heat with this story. Overall a good first attempt but just a mediocre story for me that wasn't very memorable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.

Every girl has rules that were created by the life experiences they have lived through, but if Sarah doesn't learn to unpack her baggage and bend the rules then she may just miss out on all that she could have. Life is messy, complicated and yet can be a lot of fun. The plot of this book really drives home these life lessons. A great plot entwined around wonderful characters that are brought to life very skillfully by a fantastic narrator. If you like a great romance with a touch of second chances in the theme, then this book is definitely one that should go on your must listen list!

Really well-written rom com with multi-dimensional, well-rounded characters.

The female, a New Yorker burned by love in the past, protects herself by swearing off relationships & only indulging in one-time hookups. At the same time, she’s dealing with career and friend challenges. This all changes when one of her hookups re-enters her life as the best man to her maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding in Ireland. Interesting complications ensue in the workplace and in her personal life after the wedding. I listened to the audiobook and the narration—with Irish accents—was great.

I’ve never given a rom com 5 stars because I’ve never felt the books in the genre merited it. I give this book 5 stars because it was well-written, it had likable conflicted characters I cared about, it had an interesting story arc, and it had humor. All in all, a “good read”.