"Eight Bright Lights" by Sara Gibbs is a mesmerizing novel that seamlessly combines dark humor and poignant moments. It follows eight women facing the complexities of modern life, from motherhood to heartache. Gibbs' witty storytelling reveals the lives of these vibrant characters and their intertwining stories. As the narrative unfolds, it offers an astute examination of resilience and the beauty of female friendships. This book is a beautifully written testament to the strength of women and their enduring connection in the face of adversity.

First off, thank you NetGalley, Headline and the author for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OUTLIER ALERT!! 🎶Its me!🎶 The synopsis for this book sounded amazing and I was super excited to read it. I mean who doesn't love a festive holiday rom-com!?! Although I love Christmas books this one did not meet my expectations because I struggled to connect with the characters, unnecessary name labeling and not humorous at all to me. Essentially, you get three main characters with their POV's and three separate stories going on at the same time. The author did an amazing job of intertwining the stories together at the end. This is a story about Christmas, female friendships and a pinch of romance! 🤏

✨I know many people will love this book so please do not base your decision to read this book solely on my review.✨

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars!

Rachel is getting married on Christmas Eve. However, her focus isn't on the wedding but a major job interview she has first.

Ella is a wedding planner who finds herself out on her own - can she ensure Rachel gets the wedding she dreams of?

Rachel's cousin Hannah loses her estranged father 8 days before the wedding and has to fly to Tel Aviv. Will she make it back in time?

A really enjoyable book, with lots of likeable characters and well woven strands of story. Fairly predictable at times, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment. Definitely an author I'll come back to.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to get this book on Netgalley and I absolutely loved this book it was a wonderful read that really adds the sparkle of the festive season.

The story follows the main characters Hannah, Ella and Rachel whose lives interweave in the lead up to Rachel's wedding however they all have their own issues they are dealing with.

I can find it difficult to keep pace when books are written from different characters POV but I felt this author was able to weave the story really well so that I didn't feel like I lost track, and I loved the ending with the second wedding.

Really enjoyable, festive read that has love, hope and heartbreak but a book that I would definitely recommend.

Wow this book was so fabulous! It was definitely a lot more than your average festive story and so well written. I loved the three main characters and found their stories were really well done and easy to follow. Highly recommend!

This book was stunning in every way. It's the first e-arc I've read that I'm thinking carefully about purchasing for myself when it's released. Three Jewish young women are beginning a phase of their lives that will change them all, but each in a very different way.

One leaves her job working for an oppressive boss to start her own wedding planning company, but her supervisor continues to try to undermine her as she leaves. When another learns that her estranged father has passed away and that she must fly to Israel for his burial, her life has stagnated a few years after she graduated from university. The third is getting married in a couple of weeks, and on Christmas no less, but she also has an interview.

I have read this earlier in the year cause i was in the mood for a christmas romance but i unfortunately couldm’t bring myself to enjoy and finish this story. So i have to dnf it. I really tried and forced myself even, but it was just not it. I feel sorry.

I loved it. Not gonna lie, I had my favourites and sometimes read a chapter bit quicker than others but I didn't dislike any characters. There was lots to discover in the story. I enjoyed that it all came together at the end.
It was my first book based in Israel and I want to read more like asap. I am not new to the jewish faith so I enjoyed the story even more understanding a bit of the culture and faith.
It was great fun and I cant wait to read more from Sara Gibbs.
Thanks so much for the arc headlinebooks.

A festive read with a twist.

'Eight Bright Lights' follows Ella, Rachel & Hannah who's intertwined lives take a dramatic turn on the lead up to Rachel's wedding on Christmas day. Each character faces challenges of their own to overcome before Rachel's wedding.

Ella is forced to quit her job as a wedding planner due to her evil boss, but not all is lost when she manages to secure one of her clients back. But can she pull off the wedding of the year?

Rachel is about to interview for her dream job, right before her Christmas day wedding. In order to get the job, she may dig a little too far into her families past and unveil a secret that her Grandma never intended to share.

Hannah finds out that her Dad has died in Tel Aviv. Although not a close relationship, she may find out the truth that she's been missing her whole life, when a trip to her birth city reveals more than she could imagine.

The book highlights some very important topics which were definitely a thought provoking angle to the story through the characters views and behaviours.

I am a lover of everything Christmas, including Christmas books, however this book was much, much more than your usual Christmas book. It had a number of stories and angles which were fascinating to read and I am so ready for a book that follows each character!

A wonderful festive read, thanks Sara Gibbs!

Advance copy from NetGalley.

This is a captivating tale of three women facing unexpected challenges on the path to their respective weddings. From Hannah's sudden trip to Tel Aviv after her father's death to Rachel's quest to uncover a family secret, and Ella's spontaneous career change, the novel weaves together their stories with wit and charm. Each woman's journey is unique, and as their paths intersect, the narrative explores the complexities of love, family, and self-discovery. With its engaging plot and relatable characters, this book offers a delightful and heartwarming reading experience, filled with unexpected twists and moments of joy.

Romance à trois voix.

Huit jours avant le mariage : Hannah est coincée dans le sud de Devon. Mais, lorsque son père meurt, elle se retrouve soudainement à Tel Aviv, avec pour seule compagnie son hôte insupportable – mais terriblement sexy.
Quatre jours avant le mariage : préoccupée à l'idée de décrocher le travail de ses rêves, Rachel est une mariée distraite. Toutefois, lorsqu'un article dévoile un secret de famille de longue date, les choses s'enveniment.
La nuit avant le mariage : quitter spontanément son emploi n'était pas l'idée de l'organisatrice de mariage Ella, ni de couper les ponts avec sa terrifiante patronne. Avec un seul client et sans le sou, comment va-t-elle organiser ce mariage, alors que tout s’effondre ?

Le résumé était prometteur, mais je n'ai pas réussi à être happée par l'histoire, ni à m'attacher aux personnages que j'ai vraiment trouvés pessimistes. Le sujet de l'autisme est intéressant et trop peu représenté dans la littérature, mais ici, il est rappelé trop souvent comme si notre mémoire avait vacillé entre deux pages. 

J'attendais beaucoup plus d'humour et de légèreté de la part de ce roman, et j'ai été plutôt déçue. Par contre, cela m'a donnée envie de lire Drama Queen de la même autrice.

Merci à Netgalley, à l'autrice et aux éditeurs pour cette lecture.

This was a very good story . Took a little time to get into it. Told through 3 people Hannah, Rachel and Ella. You a learn a lot about being Jewish. I You had weddings, I loved how every problem came the solution in weird ways. That was well written. It was also set part in Israel . Can’t say too much as it will spoil the story. I love the woman giving birth and the twists there. Just read it. A really enjoyable book. One for the book clubs and to give.

I was so excited by the prospect of this book from reading the introduction but I struggled with it from the very beginning. The designer label 'name dropping' felt laboured and unnecessary. The 3 main characters were all so negative and self serving that I found them extremely annoying and disagreeable. One of the character's has autism and although it's great to create awareness around people with mental health issues, we do not need to be reminded EVERY third chapter that she's autistic, we get it, we don't need to be smashed over the head with it over and over again.

To be honest, I wanted to give up so many times through this book. Hannah's story and her trip to Tel Aviv was the only thing that got me to the end of the book.

The description for this novel has "hilarious" in capital letters but I'm not sure I found any part of it even remotely funny.

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for advanced access to this novel. All opinions are my own.

This premise was so cute! But to be honest, the execution just didn’t capture me the way I thought it would. I’d still buy for a friend though!

A brilliantly written heart warming and emotional novel and an absolutely cracking debut. The characters are well portrayed and come to life, the different POV giving the reader a more in depth feel for them. Multiple storylines can be confusing but they are seamlessly woven together and the book has great flow. Filled with Christmassy vibes and romance it is a thoroughly enjoyable read that has you engaged and entranced from the first page to the last. A fabulous and uplifting romance perfect to snuggle up with and loose yourself in.

Eight Bright Lights
Written by Sara Gibbs
Publisher Headline Review
Release Date November 09, 2023
Genre Romance


Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

“ The clock is ticking, and getting their happily ever after might just take a miracle . . .”

This is a beautifully written romance that melts your heart and plays with your emotions throughout the book. When I finished, I was devastated. I wanted to be able to keep reading, wanting the story to go on and on. Heart felt with the Christmas time feels that keep you engrossed as well as entertained from page one. This is Sara Gibbs debut novel and boy did she hit this one out of the ballpark. The characters were very well developed and emotionally they could not have been more perfect and you will definitely fall in love with them. While the romance genre is not my normal genre to read however, books like this could certainly change that. Told in multiple POV style the chapters are fast and they fluidly move easily. If this book does not hit #1 on the charts, I will be greatly surprised.

In this story we follow Ella, Hannah and Rachel as they maneuver their lives and become intertwined leading up to Rachel’s Wedding.

Ella has worked under the boss from hell for sometime now and decides to quit her job and become a wedding planner, yet her old boss tries his best to degrade and humiliate her well after they parted ways.

Hannah has been dealt an emotional blow when her estranged father passes away and she must travel to Tel Aviv to pay her respects. Her mother feels that Hannah has a care free attitude about life and while in another Country Hannah starts to realize that maybe she is lost without the care and support of others.

Racheal is getting married on Christmas Day and it seems that she is more concerned about a job interview she has coming up, however she has a secret that she continues to use as a ploy to get what she wants but could it destroy everything that she has done so far with her soon to be husband and possible new job?

Ella was able to make a miracle happen
Hannah found the closure she so desperately needed
Rachel, well she married the man of her dreams.


The ending was perfect and brought together a story about three women and how they each played a part in creating Bette lives and a happy romantic wedding.

5+++ stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

This book was absolutely gorgeous. It's the first e-arc I've read that I'm seriously considering buying for myself when it comes out. Three Jewish young women are all entering a life changing period of their lives, all in a very different way.

One quits her job working under a tyrannical boss to set up her own wedding planning business, but her boss still tries to tear her down on the way out. Another has stagnated in life a few years out of uni when she hears the news that her estranged father has passed away and has to fly to Israel for his funeral. The third is getting married in a few weeks, on Christmas day no less, but she has also got an interview for the job of her dreams and she really doesn't want to screw it up.

This book has romance and adventures and pure determination and challenging conversations about being a young Jewish woman all in bucket loads. It also has a sapphic late diagnosed autistic woman and a fat woman as main characters, all of which I really appreciated the representation of.

It is an absolute success of a debut and I for one can't wait to read more.

Thanks to netgalley for this book in return for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from beginning to end. Having three different stories going on at the same time can be difficult to follow, but the stories all flowed well enough to make it an easy read. The way they all linked together at the end was well thought out. Overall a great story, well written and thoroughly enjoyed.

I honestly really enjoyed this book. The multiple POV provided an interesting perspective on the story, as the 3 story lines all were related and it was cool to see them all come together at the end. It makes you think about how all of these different lives are going on simultaneously and overlap in different ways. I also loved the representation in this book (Jewish / Israeli MCs, LGBTQ+, neurodivergence, body positivity / fat activism, nontraditional families…). There was so much to like. I also really enjoyed the parts set in Israel because it featured so many things I enjoy about the trips I have taken there. I found the characters to be relatable. There were definitely some fun twists and turns that made me want to keep reading. I definitely would like to read more books by Sara Gibbs!

Christmas, weddings and family what could go wrong. Following the 3 women in the story as they endure three different things but come together to make one of their weddings special despite the evil owner of an event planning company trying to ruin it at every turn.
It was a cute book that at times was confusing as it switched between women but once you figure out what’s going on and who’s who the story flows well.