Pinkies out, teacups up, I loved everything about this book!

Noelle meets Sam when they’re stuck on a snowy motorway—hence the title, EIGHT PERFECT HOURS. They don’t even exchange numbers because he’s an American visiting his sick dad and she’s British taking care of her mum. He’s in a long distance relationship and she’s reconnecting with an ex. But they keep meeting! And both their pasts and futures seem intertwined.

I couldn’t help but adore Noelle. She’s a cleaner, an amazing friend, a good sister, a supportive daughter, and an aspiring florist. Sam was also positively dreamy and likes to hike icy mountains. Excuse me while I swoon. Their relationship built slowly, but so satisfying. A perfect, sweet romance (with a bit of swearing).

My first by this author and what a fun ride! Ok cover but the blurb is what caught my eye.

What did I like? I thought this book was such a fantastic idea! This book features two people who seem to be a fated match. When you meet a stranger more than three times is it the fates trying to pair you up? The book just delivers on the entertainment value.

Would I recommend or buy? This was a fun read that any romance lover will devour! This would also make a great beach read! I would definitely read more by this author! Four stars!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review!

I read and reviewed Dear Emmie Blue by this author last November and loved it so was eager to read this ARC (pub date 9/28/2021). Eight Perfect Hours is a sweet story centered around Noelle and Sam who appear to be meant for one another as fate/destiny keeps intervening with chance encounters that neither can explain. Of course there are complications and other characters in the book to consider. I am teased at times for being a romantic and believing that sometimes two people are just meant to be together (fireworks, butterflies and all of that dreamy stuff💕). However, this romantic soul felt the "destiny " piece of this book was a bit over the top at times. Noelle was almost "too good". I liked her very much but there were times I became frustrated with her lack of confidence and passivity. There are some serious issues in this book, grief in particular, as well as anxiety/panic attacks and depression. I liked Sam, as well, and although there were very real and very funny moments in this book, I felt it was just a tad too predictable. 3.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️ #netgalley #eightperfecthours #atriabooks #goodreads #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #withhernosestuckinabook❤️📚 #booksandmrdarcy

Hovering somewhere between 3.5 and 4.

There's so much to like here. Lia Louis's writing is lovely, and she came up with an interesting cast of complicated people. The story is tied together with a red thread of fate, and for the most part this works. I actually loved that aspect.

Where it fell down for me was the development of the relationship. I think if we'd been able to see Sam's POV at least at crucial chapters, it would have felt less like the author's hand pulling Sam forward at the correct moment, and shoving Ed, Noelle's ex, back. (Also Sam's father's sudden turnaround really needed at least a bit of explanation.)

But other than those aspects, I enjoyed the other characters and the pacing kept me turning those pages. I will definitely be on the watch for more by this author.

After reading Lia Louis' novel "Dear Emmie Blue", I was impatiently awaiting her next book, and this did not disappoint! Eight Perfect Hours is heartwarming, sometimes frustrating, funny, and ultimately wonderful story, and I will be highly recommending it to anyone that will listen!

Such a cute book that I loved and couldn't put down. Loved the story, loved the characters and loved the setting. My first book by Lia Louis, but will definitely not be my last.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, this book is like a warm hug. It's so dang cute! Noelle gets stuck on the highway during a big snowstorm. Her phone is dead and she's freaking out. A cute American named Sam offers to let her charge her phone in his car. She reluctantly agrees and sits in his car with him. They totally hit it off! They have eight perfect hours together and are bummed when they separate again. Neither one of them offers to exchange information to keep in touch. They go on with their lives in separate directions until they unexpectedly run into each other again a few weeks later. Eight Perfect Hours is a sweet serendipitous story that will make you swoon! I loved it! I can't wait to re-read it when it's cooler outside!

I love a book where fate steps in and brings characters together unexpectedly, and that's this book to a T! Eight Perfect Hours is a charming read, one I won't be forgetting anytime soon. I hope to read more by the author in the future because it's clear she has a gift when it comes to giving her readers everything they want!

Having loved 'Dear Emmy Blue', I was highly anticipating this book! Louis completely delivered again, offering her readers a chance to get wrapped up in Noelle's story. Being located in the US myself, I enjoyed the taste of another setting and culture! I would absolutely recommend this title to Young Adult readers.

I picked this up because I was surprisingly enchanted by Dear Emmie Blue and needed to hear what else this author had to offer. I'm really glad that I did, it felt like Lia Louis grew even more in eight perfect hours. Although it should be more like five perfect hours because that's how long it took me to read this.

The characters were great. I liked that Noelle wasn't overly pathetic, but with room to grow, she wasn't a doormat and it wasn't a complete transformation, but it was subtle and I think that went a long way. I think you could see the twist coming, but I didn't care because we were treated to some of the other characters along the way. Dilly was incorrigible, and silly, but all the characters were. The ex was necessary, and even he wasn't terrible to read about. I loved Charlie, and do wish she had been more fleshed out, but she played a great support. Sam was also multi dimensional and flawed which I appreciated.

I would have liked to see more of Frank and maybe how that dynamic with Noelle grew, but I didn't hate how that ended either. I'd recommend this as a good heart warming read.

I couldn't make it to the end of this one. I was bitterly disappointed, as I had really enjoyed the author's "Dear Emmie Blue". I felt no spark between the romantic couple. The eight hours was supposed to be revelatory, but didn't feel special in any way. With that premise blown, the rest of the novel is hard to get through. I also found the female protagonist to be very weak, which is a big turn off for me.

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the ARC of Eight Perfect Hours out September 28, 2021. I was so excited to get approved for this cute little story that I couldn’t help but read it right away. I needed something heartwarming and, @lialouisauthor delivered. I read the whole thing in a day and did not want it to end. It put me in such a great mood!

15 years after Noelle’s college graduation and the anniversary of losing her best friend, Daisy, Noelle returns to retrieve items long ago buried in a time capsule. One of those precious items, a letter from Daisy, was written before her death. In the letter, Daisy predicts how amazing Noelle’s life is as an adult. Noelle, reading the letter caught on the highway during a rare snowstorm, can’t help but feel like she is letting Daisy down. Her life is far from amazing. Single, in a job she isn’t passionate about, and the main caretaker of her mother, she cries in her car. At her lowest point, she meets Sam who saves the day with a phone charger. They spend eight perfect hours together caught and, despite going their separate ways, Noelle can’t help but feel they were brought together for a reason.

The slow burn love story (my favorite) made for a more authentic reading experience. I loved the serendipitous nature of their meetings and the red string metaphor that ties everything together. However, what I appreciated most about this book is that while it presents itself as a love story, it is actually so much more! The author explores many other themes such as friendship, grief, mental health, and family. I felt all the emotions and teared up a few times while reading.

The book is written from Noelle’s perspective and, you get to know her and the other characters as the plot develops. She is very relatable- and I love how the author did not make her overly quirky. The writing flowed so effortlessly from the start and, the well-developed characters kept me invested until the end. I highly recommend picking this one up in September! (FYI: While some of the plot takes place during the winter, it is not a holiday book).

CW: death, mental illness, panic attacks/ disorders, car accident

This gave me alllll the happy vibes! I Like Christmas in July! This will be the talk of bookstagram!

I absolutely loved Dear Emmie Blue so I was very excited to recieve an ARC of Eight Perfect Hours! Thank you! This story did not disappoint!
Heartwarming, sweet and couldn't wait to see how it ended!

On her way home from a school reunion, a surprise blizzard traps Noelle on the highway. She ends up spending eight splendid hours talking with Sam, the handsome American in the car next to her. As Noelle keeps running into Sam, she begins to realize that she wants more in life than what she has settled for.

Although I loved Lia Louis's debut, Dear Emmie Blue, Eight Perfect Hours fell flat for me. The sheer number of Noelle and Sam's coincidences tipped the scales from cute to completely contrived. Moreover, Noelle spends so much time in her head repetitively going over the same doubts that the story loses force. Although still an enjoyable rom-com, Eight Perfect Hours needed much more nuance and character-building to be worth recommending.

Heartwarming and heartfelt - this is a great holiday read. A recommended purchase for collections where romance is popular.

Unpopular opinion, here we go: (spoilers ahead) This is perhaps the harshest book review I have ever written, but I was very unhappy with Eight Perfect Hours. I hated every character in this book except for Ed. Just a searing, visceral rage for Noelle's mom/brother, and their selfishness, and all the ways they were taking advantage of Noelle, and holding her back.

And she just takes it! Like, "Oh, yeah, that's who they are, is what it is." Noelle is just totally complacent and fine with it all, and doesn't even see it for the dysfunctional mess it is. So I was even angrier at her for allowing it. She's willing to let a 12-year relationship just disintegrate, because somehow that's easier than setting boundaries with her family.

Sam wasn't quite as deserving of my perhaps-not-quite-justified wrath, but with no chapters written from his point of view, his character came off as flat and undeveloped. Even at the close of the book, I still don't think I knew his true feelings for Noelle. Sure, they ended up together, but he didn't reciprocate when she made her bold declaration of love.

But Ed. Ambitious, motivated, hard-working, big-dreaming Ed. He is a man we got to know, a man who shot for the moon and went after his dreams, all while remaining loyal and steadfast through his 12-year relationship with Noelle. He saw her, loved her, and accepted her just as she was. All he asked was that she be brave enough to take a risk with him, to come with him as he pursued a dream. And she didn't do it.

Ed and Noelle's history together seemed so precious and meaningful; her willingness to let go of all that without a fight made me hate her the most. I wanted her to choose Ed! I wanted her to realize her mistake in letting him go, to see how badly she’d hurt him, to own up for that, to step outside her comfort zone, and to accept the rare gift of a second chance!

Even after he found someone else, Ed's heart still belonged to Noelle. Sure, he went about it the wrong way, but he gave it one last shot. That's more romantic than any of the forced, indulgent drama about getting stuck in traffic with some random guy. And there it is: my Ted Talk on why I'd rather read a book about Ed, and how he moves onward and upward after wasting 12 years of his life on a girl who clearly never really loved him at all.
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Thanks to Lia Louis, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I adored Dear Emmie Blue, so I jumped at the opportunity to read another novel from Lia Louis!! I’m thrilled to say Eight Perfect Hours was everything I hoped it would be! I feel like lately it’s been difficult for me to get “hooked” in the first the first couple chapters, but Lia Louis did a fantastic job hooking me from the very first page! I love romance novels that center around serendipity or fate and that was a thread throughout this novel and I WAS HERE FOR IT! Lia Louis also did a great job with creating barriers and obstacles for her characters that were very realistic and relatable. This wasn’t an insta-love situation and the storyline very organically built-up and plays out wonderfully - love that! Lia Louis has created another 5 star, must read with Eight Perfect Hours!

‘Eight Perfect Hours’ is a perfect fit for those who love books like ‘One Day in December’. Everything about this book is steeped in a heavy dose of fate, which at first is pretty subdued, but becomes a little heavy-handed by the end.

When Noelle meets Sam, it’s under the most random of circumstances: a snowstorm in the middle of a roadway. After spending an effortless eight hours together, they go their separate ways, assuming they’ll never see each other again. When they do? They both write it off as a coincidence. When it keeps happening? Noelle begins to question whether or not they’re meant to be in each other’s lives, even as Sam continually pulls away.

First off, this is definitely more Women’s Fiction than Romance. The romantic plot is highly important, but it’s a slooooow burn, and everything happens behind closed doors. So, if you’re expecting lots of steam, or a steamy scene at the end, this is not the book for you. If you like angsty longing with a satisfying conclusion but nothing physical depicted on page, this is much more your speed.

The plot plays with fate the entire narrative arc, and it is definitely done with a heavier hand. Subtle, this is not. But the way that author Lia Louis wraps up the story is definitely cause for a fair amount of chills, and perhaps a few (mostly happy) tears.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was beautiful. I loved how the author incorporated mental health into the story line. She did not shy away from it and every character was dealing with something. Beautiful story! And I also loved the romance too!