Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis

A special thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

On her way home from her college reunion, 30-something Noelle Butterby is stranded on a highway in a blizzard. She's alone and is without food, drink, or a working charger for her phone. Everything seems hopeless that is 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. 

Parting ways, the two strangers think they'll never never see each other again. But it seems that fate has more in store for them. As the two keep serendipitously bumping into one another, they begin to realize that perhaps there truly is no such thing as coincidence. 

Eight Perfect Hours is a fated love story that with its weightier topics of loss, grief, and mental health transcends the romance genre and becomes more of a contemporary offering.

Louis' writing is witty yet tender. She truly has an ear for dialogue and imbues the narrative with feeling and charm. This serendipitous love story has a strong and vibrant cast—Noelle and Sam's chemistry is palpable and has incredible emotional depth. 

The fated lovers trope works exceptionally well as do the subplots with Noelle's mum, brother, best friends, and father. Louis fully fleshes out her characters and readers will be just as vested with the supporting cast as with the main players. It is a slow-burn romance that gains momentum as the story goes on. 

Beautifully written, Eight Perfect Hours will make you believe in the power of fate.

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LIA LOUIS was the 2015 winner of Elle magazine’s annual writing competition and has been a contributor for a blog for aspiring writers. She previously worked as a freelance copywriter and proofreader and is the author of Somewhere Close to Happy and Dear Emmie Blue.

Louis lives in the United Kingdom with her partner and three young children. 

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis

A special thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When she was sixteen, Emmie Blue released a red balloon attached with her name, email address, and a secret. Having discovered the balloon on a beach in France, Lucas Moreau immediately emailed Emmie, thus sparking a life-changing friendship.

Fourteen years later Emmie has another secret: she is desperately and hopelessly in love with Lucas and as a result is neglecting her life. Emmie has stopped trying to find out who her father is, has given up on trying to salvage any sort of a relationship with her mother, and barely knows the elderly lady that she rents a room from.

When Lucas tells Emmie he has a big question to ask, she's sure it is the declaration of love that she's been waiting for. But instead, Lucas drops a bombshell on her.

What an endearing and lovely book! I'm such a sucker for British rom-coms and although there are definitely elements of this being a romantic comedy, it is so much more.

With a narrative structure that relies on flashbacks—versus alternating perspectives or a past to present format—the story is fully fleshed out and well-paced. Through the multi-layered plot, Emmie experiences growth in all of her relationships. Even the one with herself! There is an underlying darker storyline that seeps through. It is a little unexpected given the cute cover and lighthearted synopsis but it helps propel the narrative.

The characters are complex and layered, yet also full developed. They give the story an emotional depth that took me by surprise. Although there's some cheeky comedic bits, there are some tender and beautiful moments too. For fans of My Best Friend's Wedding, I highly recommend!

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LIA LOUIS was the 2015 winner of Elle magazine’s annual writing competition and has been a contributor for a blog for aspiring writers. She previously worked as a freelance copywriter and proofreader and is the author of Somewhere Close to Happy and Dear Emmie Blue.

Louis lives in the United Kingdom with her partner and three young children.