My review will go live on my blog on Monday 12/16. Here is the link - http://itsareadingthing.com/?p=3398

Beautifully written and enchanting. I loved the unique storyline and the characters. I couldn’t put the book down!

I spent 75% of this book absolutely despising Tessa and thinking Simon deserved so much more. She was selfish and self-serving, with little regard for how that affected Simon. So let me back it up a bit. Tessa is a suddenly famous writer and has had to immerse herself in the life of book tours, book signings, and a rather nomadic life with no ties. And that serves her well, as she is extremely commitment-phobic, in both life and relationships. Enter Simon, who has the misfortune (IMHO) of setting eyes on her and falling almost instantly. He loves her wanderlust and spirit and carefree ways. They are complete opposites. He's a nerdy, scientist type. Very organized and methodical. She just flies by the seat of her pants. The first 6 "goodbyes" just made me angry...because they were all her doing. "Her" plan. What "She" needed. But then came Goodbye #7 and from that point on, I had the urge to put my Kindle back in it's deserved spot - the freezer! Some of what happened from that point on was foreshadowed, easy to spot...but that doesn't make it any less impactful. I needed a little more depth in what happened between goodbye #7 and goodbye #8, but all in all, this was a pretty powerful story for me.

Tessa and Simon keep saying goodbye to each other. Will they ever get to the point where they can simply be together without knowing they'll be saying goodbye to each other again?

Tessa is a newly successful author when she first meets steadfast scientist, Simon. As they keep meeting up all over the world in order to get to know each other and continue their relationship, it seems as if they'll never quite be on the same page. I could feel the big blowup coming from the very first. These two people were destined to be together and yet couldn't be more ill-suited. She, the free-spirited and quite frankly, selfish and self-absorbed, author, and he the stable, resolute, patient man from England who did the majority of the pursuing. You can probably tell that I favored Simon, because I did. He was pretty great. Lovely actually. And he deserved far better than Tessa's half-hearted, selfish character.

I wanted to love this story, was prepared to, actually; but I just couldn't. I couldn't get past Tessa's off-putting character. And I never really connected with these two as a couple. I loved Simon and wanted so much better for him. But the two together? Nope. But I can't fairly rate this lower than 3 stars because the writing is wonderful and lyrical.

4.5 Stars

Every once in a while I come across a book that makes me stop and ponder for a considerable time after I’ve finished it. A book where the story, the characters - their actions and their thoughts - are so unique it takes me some time to figure out exactly what my thoughts and feelings are. After finishing Eight Goodbyes last night, I still find myself thinking about Tessa and Simon, and feeling unsettled. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing…

Tessa catches Simon’s eye on a flight to New York. He’s immediately smitten and slips his business card into her purse while he’s getting it out of the overhead bin on their plane. He then, coincidentally, sees her at their hotel, and then runs into her while she’s out for a run in Central Park. Simon then spends the next eight months following Tessa - who has book signings and publicity events for a recently released book - to a variety of locations all over the world, stealing mere days at a time together.

Tessa is a bit slower to fall in love. Having had a heartbreaking and unstable upbringing, she’s not as forthcoming with her feelings. But Simon is kind and patient, and eventually wins her over. Just when they’re on the cusp of having everything, their world falls apart around them.

And that is all I’m going to give you, because this really is a story that is best revealed as the author intended it to be.

What I can tell you is that this is an exceptionally well written story, but even then, I’m still left feeling unmoored. Tessa and Simon had such opposing personalities, but they complimented each other perfectly. Even so, there relationship was hard fought, and hard won. As a romance reader, I want - no need - a couple to get to that happily ever after! But as in real life, things fall apart. Terrible, unexplainable things happen, and finding their way back to each other was a bit messy. This was not necessarily a fun book to read - Simon is so earnest in his pursuit of Tessa, and she keeps him at arm’s length for so long. It was sweet to see a man be so patient, when Tessa so clearly tried his patience. That, for me, is true love. And then when things fall apart, it was even harder to read - I was seriously doubtful things were going to work out. But again, as in real life, sometimes you have things you need to learn first. For Tessa, that lesson came from an older lady she meets on a ferris wheel in Las Vegas.

“Remember, Tessa, have faith in love. Whether or not you find him again, it’s the journey that will mold you, build your character. Never regret anything you do from the heart. Never fear, never doubt you will find love again.”

Amongst all the angst in Eight Goodbyes, is a true love story. Where love is earned and hard fought for. But it is not a love story that is neat and fits nicely in a box. It is a story that frequently made me uncomfortable in its messiness. The ending didn’t help any, not tying everything up in a nice ending bow for me. I would have liked an epilogue that shows us how things settled down for them - because if two characters ever deserved that, it’s Tessa and Simon! Instead, I’ll probably just wander my house the next couple days trying to untie the knot this book put my stomach in.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Vesuvian Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Want to see what else is feeding my addiction?! Visit my blog: www.ereaderaddict.wordpress.com

I enjoyed this story. It was original and took you on a wonderful journey with the two main characters. I definitely recommend this book and this author.

I received a copy through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Wow! This is the first book of Christine Brae’s books that I have read and I was blown away. Tessa is full of life and fear. She lives every moment to the fullest or at least that’s what she thinks until she meets Simon who is the opposite. I don’t like dropping spoilers but this was a tale of so much more than two people meeting and falling in love. It was a journey and oh my! What a ride. Eight Goodbyes is witty, sexy, poignant and yes I shed a few tears too. I look forward to the movie version because it is one of those tales that will remain with me long after I have closed the book.

A good and kinda sorta sweet love story. Two random people meet on a plane and even though they only spoke a few words to each other there was an instant attraction, though neither acts upon it and they go their separate ways. Chance circumstances reunites them once again, only to have to say goodbye once again. Things continue on this way for several months, only now, they communicate between their goodbyes. Of course they start to grow closer to the other and feelings become real. They both lead very different lives and those lives are a barrier between them and put a stop to any serious progression in their relationship.

The story moves a little slowly, yet at the same time there are a few incidents that seem to fast forward. As far as the writing goes there were multiple scenes between the couple that left me feeling unfulfilled. For instance, one would ask the other a serious question, and the other person wouldn't reply at all. Like they never heard the question. Then all of a sudden they were back to normal conversation like the question was never asked. No "Well, are you going to answer me?" type of rebuttals. Usually this happened during the more emotional times. Often one was mad or upset at the other for one thing or another. This left me frustrated with the characters... and not in a good way. The Hero's character was kind and although he had a very brilliant mind, he was out of the loop socially. He wasn't a hermit or anything, but gave off the vibe of being a bit of a loner. He was sweet and while he may have come off as a bit of a stalker, he was endearing and it was easy to fall for him. The Heroine had the background that would gain her sympathy, her actions often turned me off. She came across as a bit selfish, in my opinion. I understand she had some fears due to her past, some of her excuses seemed extreme and it made her appear to not even want to try. She didn't take his feelings into account a lot of the times. (He was the one who had to make all the sacrifices.) It was all about her. Having said that, I still did want to see them get their happily ever after. I wanted her to come to her senses and realize what a good thing she had with him before it was too late.

The last 20-30% of the book, was by far my favorite. That's where you'll need some tissues handy. There is some devastation, yet also where the characters finally grow and accept things that happen and accept each other's feelings. Kinda like the light bulb moment.

I had been looking forward to this book because I've heard so many great things about Christine Brae and I thought this book would be a great one to start with. Plus that cover was really drawing me in. I'm disappointed to say that this book just didn't do it for me. The main character, Tessa, wasn't very likable and I had a hard time connecting with her. It's a shame because I really did like Simon but my dislike of Tessa made it hard to root for them as a couple.

While this wasn't the book for me, I won't let that deter me from reading more from Christine Brae in the future. The writing was decent and this would have been at least 4 stars if I had been able to connect with the main character.

This story had so much potential that I couldn’t wait to read it based on the synopsis. The cover image gave it such an ethereal feel and the quote made my heart sigh. I breezed through the first few chapters, anticipating the growing romance between two people who could not have been more opposite. I persevered through the next portion of the book, sure that so many glowing reviews could not be wrong. And I finished the book in disappointment that the story never panned out the way I had anticipated, hoped, or that such a great idea deserved.

The concept of the book was beautiful. Two people, fated to be together, but destined to keep saying goodbye. Tessa Talman was a new author, struggling with the obligations her sudden fame entailed. Simon was an intellectual, captivated on first sight with Tessa. These two were day and night from one another. Tessa was flighty and non-committal. Simon was precise and methodical. Life taught Tessa not to plan, while Simon was a fan of science and structure. Yet, Tessa forced Simon to spread his wings in order to chase after her after each goodbye.

My initial impression of Tessa was not a positive one. I felt that she was selfish and often cruel in her disregard for others. She played fast and loose with other people in an attempt to insulate herself, and it came across to me as insensitive and harsh. The way she behaved throughout the entire book, starting with her unforgivable actions when she and Simon first got together, all the way through to the secrets she kept from him, she was always only thinking of herself and her emotions. She had a man that loved her to distraction and was willing to follow her all over the globe to show how he felt about her. And she did nothing to reciprocate. I found her thoroughly unlikeable.

Simon on the other hand, was perfect. He was kind and loyal and deserved more than Tessa. It actually seemed to me that he spent the majority of the book in tears, and with the magnitude of the constant betrayals that Tessa inflicted, I couldn’t blame him.

This book was not for me. The concept was fantastic, the writing was lyrical, but the execution fell short and frankly left me feeling betrayed for getting invested in this relationship.

This is the first book by this Author that I have read and I am not disappointed I did so. A well-written story that both kept me turning pages and my interest as I did so. I received a copy from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Tessa Talman is an author on a book tour, flying all over the world and doing things on the spur of the moment. She meets Simon Fremont in the airport, and he's grounded, practical, and the type of person that needs things planned out in advance. Their attraction to each other is instant, and he joins social media to chat with her and eventually meets her in various places during her tour. As much as Tessa isn't as ready to settle down yet, each goodbye is harder and harder, until her world shatters.

I don't really relate well to Tessa's fly by night lifestyle at the start of the book; I'm very much more like Simon in that I like having a home base, plans, and a schedule to work from. I'm more spontaneous and social than he is, so those are aspects of Tessa that I do relate well to. They influence each other over the course of the book, and I do like how they are able to seriously discuss their past selves as well as their wants for the future without making the others' needs seem silly. It's a very real and mature romance that develops between them, which I do appreciate. If only more people were able to discuss their futures like this!

The tragedy that breaks Tessa is heartbreaking and marks a really sharp divide between the first two thirds and the final third of the book. Thanks to an author's note at the end, I know it's based on a real-life tragedy that took place, which added to the pain of reading it. While I understand her reaction to it, I'm not enough like Tessa to react in the same way. It leads to a lot more pain and wrecked emotions before the conclusion of the novel. I'm glad she has a therapist at the end of the novel because she definitely needs the help to work through the tragedy and the emotional issues it left behind. The ending does feel like a worthwhile one, and I do feel as though everyone had earned it.

I get really excited when I hear Christine Brae is releasing a new book. They don't come out quickly, one after another. She takes her time, and it shows in a quality story. I know I'm going to invest myself in her characters, and the places she takes them.

I enjoyed following Simon and Tessa's path. They had chemistry, and formed a bond...but when you are damaged, is that really enough to carry you thru? Some people can't find their way out of the sadness, the trama, or the unpredicability life throws at you. Real life can be hard. It can also be wonderful if you are able to work thru your past.

One of my favorite moments in Eight Goodbyes was being introduced to Millie who reminds us "It's the journey that will mold you, build your character. Never regret anything you do from the heart."

And kudos to Christine Brae on her best writing to date!

So, I’ve had this book for a while.. but I was a little hesitant to start it. Not because I though I wouldn’t like it, because I knew I would love it. But because then I would be finished with it! I knew that I’d never want it to end. So, I finally started it, and of course couldn’t put it down.

Christie Brae is one of my absolute, all time favorite authors. She has a way to writing words that you feel down in your soul. She can weave a story together and transport you to a completely different world.

8 Goodbyes was no different, in that you fall in love with the characters and story. What was different, is that it is written in third person POV. While it’s always an adjustment for me to read in third person, I loved the story all the same. It’s a story of love, of living life and taking chances. There is some heartache. I cried, but then again I always cry during one of Christine’s books. Sometimes it’s from sadness other of pure joy and happiness.

It’s a must read! Everything by Christine is a must read.

Simon was a scientist who was brooding, deep, and Intellectual yet he had a sadness about him. While Tessa is a well known romance author but her life hasn’t been very easy on her as she had lost people she had cared about to the point she know had thick walls around her heart and doesn’t want to take the chance of caring and getting hurt yet again.Tessa’s work is time consuming and now her priority. But Tessa does run to the world’s beauty not settling down. Simon met Tessa on the plane is on his way to a convention as Simon is career driven. They sat pretty much next to each other. Simon and Tessa are complete opposites Tessa is free spirited and Simon is organized and focused. Tessa has a problem telling her feelings to those she cares about.Simon had never did anything online until he met Tess then he got the apps he needed to keep in touch with Tessa. Then Tessa and Simon keep in touch for a few months then he flies out to while she is on a book signing tour and this starts a long distance relationship between the two. Simon goes to different places around the world to meet up with Tessa and spend time with her. Each time it is so very hard for Simon to say goodbye to Tessa and getting harder. Tessa is afraid to take the next step in a relationship. Simon’s pursuit of Tessa was not his usual way but the chemistry he felt for Tessa was so hot. But each goodbye hurts Simon and Tessa does seem willing to give him more.
I really enjoyed reading this book. At first I didn’t like Tessa too much for how she treated Simon nut as the book went on I understood more why she acted as she did. I did feel like I was there with Tessa and Simon and loved it. The author did a great job on describing the places Tessa visits and I could picture them in my minds eye and I loved that. I loved how devoted Simon was right away even though Tessa didn’t make it easy for him. I loved how Tessa and Simon inspired each other and how they met at different places around the world. But I will say at times tessa being so indecisive irritated me. I would have liked the author to keep the same pace through the whole book as I felt the second half of the book was rushed. This was a sweet, very emotional-heart wrenching at times- read. I did choke up while reading this. I felt this was very well written. I loved the characters and the ups and downs of this book and I recommend. I wish I could rate this 4.5

3.5 "SIMON" stars!!!

"Of all the places you've taken me to around the world, the only place I want is with you. This is the best place. Here. With you."

THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK!!!

Eight Goodbyes is the first book by Christine Brae I've read, and although I loved her writing style, this book didn't work for me. And all because of Tessa.

Seriously, guys, the struggle was fucking real. I didn't connect with Tessa at all. She was you, me, or the girl next door. She was just so freaking real, it hurt. Vulnerable is not something you want to be, and Tessa used selfishness as a shield to protect herself from that—and, sorry, but in my book that didn't make her worthy of Simon's love.

Simon! Oh, Simon. My heart soars with just reading his name. He stole my heart from the moment I met him. His dedication was swoon-worthy. He loved Tessa so fiercely. His love was the kind of love you don't see every day. I didn't give up reading this book because of him, because my heart needed to know what was going to happen to him. Is he going to get his HEA with Tessa? Or with another girl? I volunteer as a tribute, just saying!

But let’s leave my feelings toward Tessa to one side for now. Eight Goodbyes was an unpredictable and beautifully written story. I fell in love with the author's writing style and all the places the characters visited—it was like if I was traveling around the world with them. It was fascinating.

Christine Brae will take you on an unforgettable ride full of love and very emotional moments. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

It had been a while since I have read a story written by this author. I’m not sure why. This 5 star story really captured my undivided attention. I won’t be forgetting about Christine Brae in the near future.

Tessa is a writer who loves to travel. She never stays at the same place for very long. Simon is a scientist who does some traveling for his job. Simon sees her at the airport and he’s drawn to her. They will meet each other at different places in the world during their travels.

Once I started this story I wasn’t sure what kind of story I was going to be reading. The blurb was captivating but vague. I understood why after a few chapters. It needs to be spoiler free. There were so many shocking twist and turns. I was kept reading none stop with this highly heartfelt addicting story. Once I was in, I couldn’t put it down for very long.

I hadn’t read a story written in the third person in a while but it was beautifully written with an unique storyline. There were never any dull moments. It flowed well. The concept of them meeting at various times and places in the world was amazing. I got to read about some parts of the world. I felt like I was there. These characters were so perfectly created that I felt what they were feeling. Simon holds a special place in my heart.

Standalone told in the third person with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.

They say opposites attract and with Eight Goodbyes' Tessa and Simon that is definitely the case. He's a smart, sensitive scientist and businessman, while she's best described as having her heads in the clouds. As an author Tessa is afforded the ability to travel the world, giving in to the words in her head whenever she wants and keeping everyone at arm's length. Simon, though, is persistent in winning her over and as they meet up in various locations all over the world she begins to find comfort in the consistency. They say goodbye each time, there's no promise of the future, no plan, until one day finally Tessa gives in and offers Simon everything. Life though, like love, is unpredictable and the two are set on different paths.

"Take me to the stars with you."

Oh my, the first half of this novel I cringed at each goodbye, hoping the pair would find a way to be together and yet still be their individual selves. I liked both main characters, connecting with Simon's clean way and formula style thinking and envying Tessa's ability to hop around the world embracing every new experience, though I wasn't quite a fan of her arrogance. They changed each other with each meeting, each evolving into a new version of themselves, though they seem to already fit perfectly together. Tessa gradually becomes less flippant about life and Simon becomes less rigid, more open to the unknown. We only get glimpses of their time together, relatively unaware of what goes on when they are apart. We see Tessa with new walls built around her each time they meet, unable to shake the loss from her life. Simon, on the other hand, wields emotions like a sword, working Tessa's walls down and learning to embrace her adventurous side. He keeps secrets from her though and I struggled with how much he asked of her while still not giving all of himself. Their vulnerabilities seem to be something that both attracts them to one another and pushes them apart. Finally though we see them embrace this unknown, this love, only to watch it shatter. It's difficult, the struggles they continue to face are hard, but it is realistic and Christine Brae takes you on a journey of loss, love, and rediscovery.

"His heart had been besieged with rules. Just this once. Let him keep the one thing."

There is an event in this book that is a topic I currently avoid, so when I got to that scene I set aside the book and pondered how I felt about reading about something that I had a similar experience with. I wasn't sure I'd go back in, but Simon and Tessa called to me and with a bit of apprehension I started reading again. Christine Brae deals with the topic delicately, similar to how she writes about sex, she skims the actual events, leaving us with the character's emotions and the aftermath. I found it really interesting how the timeline of the book skipped ahead after the event, revealing that the characters are still reeling from the event though their lives have moved forward. I appreciated how Christine Brae worked through the emotions with the characters, showing each having done something different. It was unpredictable and there were certainly some twists that I loved and some I hated, much like how I feel about real life sometimes.

"Up to then, the details are murky. How she let him go, how he let her go."

Eight Goodbyes is a romance novel that takes you on a journey, embracing all that life has to offer, the beautiful and the painful. Christine Brae has a lyrical writing style and while it isn't for everyone I think it worked well for this type of story. For me, this book was reminiscent of One Day by David Nichols, with the characters going about life and meeting briefly, and I generally enjoyed the unknown even if the characters didn't. I loved the various settings and the character growth Tessa and Simon go through as they discover what love is together. I absolutely recommend this novel, if anything read it just for Simon who is obviously in the running for Book Boyfriend of the year.

Ok, so I am not really sure how to write this review. I have really mixed feelings about this book, which is why I am stuck in the middle at 3 stars. Tessa and Simon’s story was different, I couldn’t wait to see where they would meet next and where things would take them. The jet setting and the unknown was romantic and refreshing. What I got hung up on was the clear differences between the two of them and the plot points that were either unnecessary or not elaborated on enough.

I had a difficult time connecting with Tessa at first, the “head-in-the-clouds romance author”. The romance world that we all know (the signings, the fans, the book boyfriends, the models) seem forced to me. Tessa was so hung up on her career and herself, it made it hard for me to really like her for awhile. Once she finally starts to revaluate her feelings, she became more likable to me.

Then there’s Simon. He is opposite from Tessa in EVERY way possible. I liked him a lot, but at the same time I also found him to be a bit annoying and even whiny at times. He’s so hung up on himself, his future - ok they are a little alike - his feelings. I don’t think he took enough time in the beginning to understand Tessa much at all. His feelings overtook his senses and he seemed to act irrationally now and then. Love can do crazy things but I felt like he actually deserved more than Tessa was giving him.

I also felt like many parts of the book were irrelevant to the story and weren’t really needed. We meet Tessa’s cover model (whom she is “close” with) and you would think it would be a HUGE bump in the road at some point and then it’s just kind of passed by. As a realist, the amount of travel was weird for me too. That she just happens to meet someone that can meet her wherever she is on a whim, giving in to her and just waiting for her to have a change of heart, change who she is.

So you see why I am stuck in the middle here. The story had potential. It was romantic and I really did end up liking Tessa and Simon, there were just so many little things that didn’t add up or that irked me along the way.

"Can you blame me for always feeling left out? I'm the one who keeps having to find you!"

Rating: 3/5

Newly debuted author Tessa is having the time of her life at only 26 - fame, fortune and travel with no relationship attachments. World-renowned pharmaceutical developer Simon has no shortage of that either. When the 2 encounter on a plane ride, she has become the full focus of his life, making him spontaneously courageous as he ventures out of his comfort zone. The two initiate a long distance world traveling hook-up but tragedy ensues and heartbreak is inevitable.

- Characters -
I really despised Tessa's character. She was very weak and childish majority of the time. I understood her reasonings but they were crappy excuses for her allowing love to enter her world, especially when it costs Simon a hell of a lot more than it cost her. Simon's character I loved - it was a perfect rendition of how love tosses aside all our beliefs and values and encourages us to take risks we normally wouldn't. He was so brave and sacrificed so much that Tessa really didn't deserve him, especially at that engagement scene.

- Setting/World -
The author focused on the aspect that technology really rules our lives nowadays and that without it, Tessa and Simon's love would never have had a chance. This made me realize how dependent we really are on it and that Simon's way of living is one we should all take a chance to remember how to do and actually do it. I'm not sure if his method was due to his health, but I'd rather not wait for something as drastic as that before remembering to smell the roses so to speak.

- Writing -
The writing was very jumpy and hard for me to maintain focus. Tessa's character in itself was so flighty that the novel immersed into that sort of storyline as well. The title was effective at what the author was trying to accomplish, but once that Paris engagement scene occurred, the gap was so huge I was lost and couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"Time?" His eyes were dark, despite being in the sunshine. "As a doctor, that's something life can never have enough of. You think you have it one day, and the next, you're on an operating table fighting for time."