This was cute, but ENTIRELY TOO PREDICTABLE. Noelle meets Sam first while trapped in a snow storm on a highway, but then again at a hospital soon after. After giving him her number at the hospital, she finds it balled up next to a trash can. How rude! THEN her mom's friend recommends her for a job, and lo and behold, Sam is there! I mean really?! But what romance lover doesn't love the meet-cute trope? This whole book was a bit cheesy, but it did give me all the warm and fuzzies. And though the whole "secret held within in the camera" was a bit EXTRA, at least it made sense (but honestly, extraneous).

Do I judge a book by its cover? Yes. Yes I do. Did I see a cover that could rival a Hallmark movie when I picked up Eight Perfect Hours? Yes I did. And when reading the blurb, I read “romantic and heartwarming.” The main character is named Noelle and there is snow – it was released during the prime holiday story season time. This set my expectations for this story quite high, but I just don’t feel like the story delivered what was promised, or what I hoped for.

The beginning of the story pulled me in – the meet cute had SUCH potential. But it didn’t last very long. For Noelle and Sam to spend 8 hours together, I would think more chapters in the book would be spent on that. But we time jump forward pretty quickly to when they are back to living their own lives and begin bumping into each other. One of the ways they did, when she worked up her nerve to give Sam her phone number only for him to toss it away, and she still didn’t give up on him? That made me so mad!

There were quite a few side stories going on as well. One was the reason Noelle was stuck in traffic (class reunion where she was trying to obtain a camera from her friend who had died – grief trigger warning). Then there was Noelle’s family, her best friend (post partum depression trigger warning) and her ex-boyfriend popping back into the picture. There was just a lot going on here.

When I read through the story, I found myself not connecting with Noelle at all. There were no Christmas vibes, and I couldn’t believe that Sam and Noelle were meant to be bumping into each other. Strangely, I did like the tiny twist at the end though.

This is a great romcom about forced quarters and a slow burn. I really enjoyed the added danger to it and I couldn't put it down!

After raving reviews of EMMIE BLUE, I requested this book.

What a sweet, heartfelt book about fate and moving forward!

Author #Lia Louis is just a fun storyteller. In her novel # Eight Perfect Hours you will have yourself questioning fate. Heartwarming and Romantic!!💜🐾🐾
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Lia Louis and # Atria Books

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

This was a great cozy love story with some witty and fun encounters between the two main characters, and I truly loved to follow their story as they coincidently kept finding each other after their initial meeting.

Sam and Noelle met by chance after getting stuck in a blizzard that closes off the roads. After spending eight hours stuck in their cars, Sam and Noelle part ways thinking they will never see each other again, yet fate keeps bringing them together to the same places in a series of coincidental encounters that convinces both of them they are meant to be in each other's lives.

This was a sweet and warm story in which Sam and Noelle find themselves finding each other at the moment they need it the most. Their chemistry is undeniable since their first encounter, and every time, it becomes clear that they are meant for each other. Even when the circumstances of their lives are meant to keep them apart, they both understand that their connection is something out of the movies. I found their interactions delightful and heartwarming, and I found them so adorable when they were together. Every time they see each other, they realize that life is full of coincidences and moments they need to take advantage of, yet they both struggle with letting things go, which I found rather relatable.

This is an incredibly heartfelt story, and I found it so enjoyable from beginning to end. I liked the characters and the pace matched the plot beautifully. A perfect cozy read for wintery days.

I'm a sucker for a story about fate. Although I don't think I believe in it in my own life, I like seeing examples played out for me in a book or on screen. Once Noelle and Sam's paths continually start crossing at the oddest of times, one can't help but think some type of intervention is at play to make sure these 2 get to know each other. I really enjoyed this story line and realizing the ties that actually bound them.

Very sweet rom-com. Such a perfect book to curl up with on a snowy weekend. Absolutely adorable story of unexpected love and reunions.

I thought I was settling in for a Christmas romance, but boy was I wrong! While I was a little disappointed that the themes didn't lead to Christmas cheer, this was an enjoyable book. Nothing profound, lots of typical tropes like grief and family with a sprinkle of romance. I wasn't impressed, but I wasn't bored either. Thank you Netgalley!

Eight Perfect Hours surprised me in the best possible way. I absolutely adored this book!

Let me preface everything I say by stating that you have to be all in for this book to truly appreciate it. Fate and happenstance are key elements to the story here and so with that, in a way you need to allow the storytelling to simply work its magic and just go along with what unfolds on the page. I personally loved how everything developed in the storyline and how I became genuinely lost in it all. There are some heavy topics in this story but I truly felt that the author handled these things with care and eloquence.

This book really had it all for me. There's emotion and humor, a believable and swoony love story, genuine characters, and the cutest meet-cute. The little twists and turns along the way kept me turning pages and staying up way too late to finish the book. I couldn't put this one down!

Simply stunning and fabulously feel-good, this book is a treasure to experience. I can't recommend it highly enough!

Thank you so much to Atria and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy.

Feel-good and Hallmark-esque vibes abound in this holiday rom-com. I read it a few months back and it paired well with a cozy weighted blanket and tea - squeals over the cute coincidences could be heard for miles around.

“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle. But it will never break.” — Ancient Chinese Proverb

Eight Perfect Hours is a book all about the power of fate, and the idea that we are meant to meet certain people, at certain times. It hinges on the idea that we have a soul mate out there, who one way or another, we are meant to meet and be with, and no matter what obstacles may spring up along the way, fate will win out. Yet what happens when the obstacles include lingering childhood romances, family entanglements, past traumas, and a belief that maybe everything is just coincidental? This book contains the perfect number of twists and turns, surprising connections, and honest soul searching to make it a must-read for contemporary romance aficionados.

Eight Perfect Hours is a sweet and gentle love story, that never veers towards being too saccharine or spicy. It has plenty of bawdy humor, and face-palm level comedic moments to keep it fresh and moving, even when the main characters seem a bit hopeless, and you wish you could reach into the pages and slap some sense into them. Ms. Louis also does an excellent job of dealing with mental health matters, including how traumatic loss, post-partum depression, and medical trauma, can have long term effects on oneself and on caregivers.

As I mentioned, there are plenty of twists and turns in the arc of the story, with some truly gasp-worthy moments towards the end of the book. Every event, choice, and near-miss in the story ultimately serves a bigger purpose, making this tale a truly satisfying one to read. Plus, who can resist a meet cute the includes a blizzard, a dead cell phone, and destiny?

Because I hate spoilers, I am going to avoid saying much else, but will just leave you with the recommendation to buy or download this book right away!

Lia Louis' "Eight Perfect Hours" was a delight to read. I love a story that balances a little romance with authentic characters working through their unique challenges. Lia Louis delivers a heartfelt story that follows Noelle and Sam as their paths meet and diverge while they each navigate their lives in their own time together and apart. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book and couldn't recommend it enough!

A perfect blend of romance with some more serious themes, I was thoroughly invested in Noelle and Sam's story.
This was the perfect escapist mid-winter read - perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary, Sophie Cousens and Lizzy Dent.

Don’t let the cover fool you— this is not a holiday or Christmasy book at all!
It was a cute romance that covered topics like grief, growing old, fate, finding yourself, family relationships, sacrifice and more.
I did not find this to be the typical romance novel, but it was still enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

On a snowy evening in March, 30-something Noelle Butterby is on her way back from an event at her old college when disaster strikes. With a blizzard closing off roads, she finds herself stranded, alone in her car. All seems lost until Sam Attwood, a handsome American stranger also trapped in a nearby car, knocks on her window and offers assistance. What follows is eight perfect hours together, until morning arrives and the roads finally clear.

The two strangers part, positive they’ll never see each other again, but fate, it seems, has a different plan. As the two keep serendipitously bumping into one another, they begin to realize that perhaps there truly is no such thing as coincidence. With plenty of charming twists and turns and Lia Louis’s “bold, standout voice” (Gillian McAllister, author of The Good Sister), Eight Perfect Hours is a gorgeously crafted novel that will make you believe in the power of fate. (Synopsis via Goodreads).

What a sweet, heartwarming, and beautiful story. As a big fan of the holiday movies Love Actually and Serendipity, this book absolutely appealed to my romantic nature, but it went so much deeper than that. It covered topics like grief, sacrificing for family, the difficulty of being a caregiver plus a self, growing old, found family, failed relationships, and reaching for your dreams.

I laughed, I cried, I swooned, my heart experienced flutters and butterflies, and I fell in love not only with Noelle and Sam, but also the book's secondary characters. And that ending ❤️😭

I haven't read Dear Emmie Blue yet, but it is definitely getting bumped up to the top of my list for January! Eight Perfect Hours is not a holiday book per se, but it gave me all the feel-good vibes that I love and long for with holiday reads. I definitely recommend this one!

Title: Eight Perfect Hours
Author: Lia Louis
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Rating: 5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Synopsis: Noelle Butterby wasn’t planning to be stranded in a blizzard on the highway after a high school reunion, but the weather had other plans. Freezing, running low on gas, and without any supplies, Noelle hesitantly takes up an offer from a stranger to sit in his car. The stranger turns out to be a man named Sam Atwood who is visiting Great Britain from America. Sam and Noelle spend a perfect 8 hours together stranded on the highway and feel an immediate connection. After the road clears, Sam and Noelle part ways doubting they will ever see each other again. Is that the case or does life have other plans?

My Thoughts: I LOVED this book! It felt like a warm, cozy blanket and I became so invested in Noelle and Sam that I could not put this book down. I read it in two settings! This was one of those rare books where I laughed, cried, and missed the characters after the book was over.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it for readers who enjoy love stories, the book One Day, second chances, and books that feature characters’ lives that intertwine in the most unexpected ways.

PS- I am a huge Taylor Swift fan and this book perfectly embodies the song “Invisible String” by Taylor.

It was Eight Perfect Hours reading this book! I ended up staying up all night to finish and am exhausted today :) Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Sam and Noelle on their serendipitous crossing of paths and ends with a shocker. I can't wait to read more from Lia Louis!

Talk about a Right Place, Right Time kind of read. EIGHT PERFECT HOURS heavily relies on going along with the story and suspending belief - normally this kind of storytelling would have me rolling my eyes, if not flat out DNFing. But here I was completely charmed and devoured this book. A super sweet romance that came into my life right when I needed it. I so look forward to reading Lia's other work!