Eight Perfect Hours

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I didn’t know if Lia Lous could replicate the emotional journey I had with her previous novel Dear Emmie Blue, but she did. Eight Perfect Hoursgave me all the feelings, and I relished every minute. If you don’t believe in simple twists of fate or never having any belief in soul mates, or if you are skeptic about any romantic cliches and any kind of meant to be conclusions: stop reading this and start to run away: this book is not for skeptics, enemies of great romcoms or pessimist, moody, grumpy souls who cannot differentiate something heartfelt, unique, extraordinary from regular reads! Eight Perfect Hours is my second book by Lia Louis and she definitely has a distinct writing style. I loved the premise of this book and especially enjoyed the way that Noelle and Sam met. They had the perfect evening together amidst the bad situation they found themselves in. After that night, Sam stayed on Noelle's mind, even though the likelihood of her seeing him again was low. Or so she thought. The characters in Eight Perfect Hours are so vibrant that you could easily imagine their story played out on the screen. Who would be your dream cast for the characters in the book? Enter Sam Attwood. A very attractive American who is also stranded on the motorway. When Sam notices Noelle’s distress, his first instinct is to help.

That said, if you go into this book expecting a “rom-dram”, you’re sure to love it. I really enjoyed reading about Noelle’s struggle to balance caring for her family with having a fulfilling personal life. I loved her friendship with Charlie and especially with Charlie’s husband Theo. (I actually think Theo was my favorite character, despite him having a relatively small role.) Once Eight Perfect hours pass, however, both think that’s it - yet neither can forget the other. The reason? Kismet. This reading group guide for Eight Perfect Hours provides an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Lia Louis. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book. I blame Sam for me not loving this book. After their initial encounter, Sam didn't give me the vibe, he was head over heels for Noelle. He was for the most part trying to avoid her. He didn't want to believe in fate. I felt bad for Noelle who seemed to have fallen hard. After reading two of Louis’ books, I’ve come to see her greatest talent is in characterization. She is adept at creating characters that I want to be friends with. Her multifaceted, real characters are ones I’d like to meet for coffee. Nellie never seems perfect. Her flaws are front and center and also very relatable. And the humor that we find in Nellie and how she approaches life is wholly endearing. Some of my favorite Nellie contemplations throughout the book…the value of a good Krispy Kreme donut, the perfection of a Bon Jovi ballad, and likening a situation to Steve and Miranda in Sex in the City.That’s what happened to Noelle Butterby’s path crosses with charming, sweet Sam: possibly her soul mate. Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. I really thought their initial eight hour meeting would be told way more in dept, maybe even take up a good third of the book. I mean, the title describes those eight hours as perfect so I just assumed that I as a reader would definitely feel like they are meant for each other after seeing them interact for those eight hours.

Destiny. Fate. Serendipity. The red thread. Is all life prewritten? Are souls joined or fated at birth? Discuss something good that has happened in your own lives and some of the events that had to happen to lead up to it. Discuss with each member of the group whether they believe chance or fate brought them to where they are now.Then fate steps in (or is it coincidence?) and the two meet again at the hospital. I really enjoyed this romantic story of Noelle and Sam although it took a while for this one to really get going for me. I thought it took several realistic turns. It did make me think more about fate, love at first sight, etc. and whether you are meant to be with someone. Attention all authors: I regret to inform you that the ENTIRE supply of fate and fortuitous circumstances has been used by Lia Louis in her latest book. It may take some time until new ideas are in supply, so we suggest you read her book and enjoy all the ones she beat you to while you wait. We appreciate your patience.” That's not to say that there aren't a few deeper subjects included--post-partum depression, fear, grief, and aging parents all make appearances. However, it's not so much that the book becomes maudlin, just enough to give it some substance in the midst of the romance.

This week, some junior employees of the US bank Goldman Sachs have had a grumble, daring to point out that they are putting in as much as 95 hours a week. If they were squeezing those hours in Monday to Friday – which I appreciate they are not – their numbers on my Former Yugoslavia Work-Life Balance Index (FYWLBI) would be an awful long way from 8-8-8. Ninety-five hours work over five days comes out at a punishing 19 hours a day. That’s some shift. I’ve got their FYWLBI at 19-2-3 – 19 hours’ work, two hours’ free, three hours’ sleep. But if the BBC drama series Industry is anything to go by, the general pattern is nearer 19-4-1, or even 19-5-0. If you spread the 95 hours over seven days, you are still averaging a gruelling daily regime of 14-5-5. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for the honest review provided here. Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:I really enjoyed this novel. Noelle's best friends, Charlie and Theo, always had me in stitches - what a riot those two were. The world needs more Charlie Wilde's in it! I read Eight Perfect Hours in one sitting, in four perfect hours, because I couldn't bear to put it down without knowing the ending." —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author A tune now,” says the DJ on the radio, “ to warm us all up. And what a swizz we can never have this at Christmas, eh, because it really is coming down out there.” Our main character, Noelle Butterby, has just left her college reunion heartbroken and now she’s stranded in a snowstorm on the roadway. Her older car is unreliable, and she can’t charge her phone. A handsome stranger in a nearby car comes to the rescue and the two spend “eight perfect hours” together talking and connecting. Then the road finally clears up and they go their separate ways. This is a charming book full of coincidences and witty banter between Noelle and Sam. This is a fast, entertaining, and cute book. It is a great book to curl up on the couch with on a cold winter day (any day for that matter). It's all about the journey here and although nothing completely blew me away in this book, it held my attention and was a pleasing read. The romance is on the lighter side - not steamy scenes in this book. But what you get is two people getting to know each other and discovering that it is a small world after all.(channeling Disney here)