The Perfect Meet Cute
Eight Perfect Hours
Contemporary Romance
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
September 28, 2021
336
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.
“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!
