Short Version: He’s a charmer. She can’t get out her own head. Panic and a medium misunderstanding.
Shorter Version: Oy vey with the comeheregoaway.
Shortest Version: Walk away, man.
Having made the happy discovery of new-to-me author Catherine Walsh, and wanting to encourage her ongoing output, I have snapped up most of her very reasonably priced catalogue. All of her novels come with sub/sur-titles exclaiming, “
From Amazon: 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. But Sarah should have known that not all guests are fairy-tale princes…Worst of all, there’s Declan Murphy. Best man. Brother of the groom. And the man Sarah last saw naked… [but] 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…
As in all three books so far, the hero is Irish, charming, and sincere. There is a wryness and dryness to Walsh’s writing and the characters interaction that is really entertaining and avoids true melodrama when things start to get fraught. What isn’t as strong in One Night Only is the hero’s motivation and overall plotting. Declan and Sarah had a one night stand, she kicked him out the next morning, and they end up reconnecting again and again for shenanigans, but seemingly without much emotional bonding. I didn’t understand why Declan was so fascinated and patient with Sarah. She is caught up in her own history and fears and has decided to remain single, so she either shuts down or freaks out when Declan gets too close. I appreciated that as adults they each have to work through their own stuff to be together, but I did not understand why he is willing to wade through her vacillations. I genuinely reached a point where I thought, “She’s not ready, dude, you’ve got to walk away,”. He didn’t listen. They never do. Fortunately, I had the happy knowledge that Walsh’s later books do not have these narrative frustrations, but do maintain the delightful interplay and dialogue. It’s exciting to see her growth as a writer and I think she has major potential.