Eight Perfect Hours - Lia Louis

Book Synopsis: In this romantic and heartwarming novel, two strangers meet in chance circumstances during a blizzard and spend one perfect evening together, thinking they’ll never see each other again. But fate seems to have different plans.

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, without food, drink, or a working charger for her phone. 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.

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Ever since I saw this book on Instagram or to be more specific "Bookstagram", I knew that I had to pick up a copy to read. Honestly, I was expecting much more from this book... and it fell a little flat for me.

Noelle Butterby's and Sam Attwood's "romance" did not spark any emotion for me other than confusion. The coincidences that surrounded the main leads lives seemed so thrown together, and the humor in this book is so dry. There were two moments I almost found myself DNF'ing the entire story and picking up something else to read, but I powered through.

List of things that I hated in this book:

1. Ed - Noelle's ex-boyfriend that tried to wiggle his way back into her life.

2. Noelle the pushover - Noelle let her mum and brother and pretty much everyone else walk all over her.

3. Noelle's Mum Belinda - She pressured Noelle to carry the family, "money is tight" and showed favoritism to Dilly.

4. Noelle's Brother Dilly - The definition of lazy, no real aspirations in life, and expected Noelle to do everything.

5. Lack of romance - This one is self-explanatory, Sam and Noelle had no reason to be together other than proximity.

List of things I loved about this book:

1. The Start of the Book - The letter on the first few pages to Noelle from her best friend tricked me into thinking that this book was going to be amazing.

2. The Ending - Who doesn't love a happily ever after, the book wrapped up pretty nicely.

Overall, would I recommend for you to read this book? No, but my taste in books aren't everyone else's, stories are subjective.

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars