theespressoedition's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Drug abuse, and Suicide
sarahflanders's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Gaslighting, Car accident, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide
chloelj27's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Suicide
Minor: Infidelity
fictionalsarah's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Mental illness
laheath's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Brought together under less-than-ideal circumstances, after spending an evening stranded but enjoying each other's company and conversation, Noelle and Sam go their separate ways. What follows is a series of serendipitous encounters that leave Noelle questioning whether fate is trying to bring them together or she should reunite with her ex-boyfriend. The serious side stories with her friends and family occasionally seemed to be taking up a lot of time, even darkening the mood. However, though somewhat predictable, the additional "coincidental meetings" between Noelle and Sam helped to lighten the mood and made for a fun, sweet story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Infidelity, and Suicide
bookrecsbyjess's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was so cool to see how interconnected Sam and Noelle’s lives were. Parts of this were pretty light, but I like how the author also included the discussion of grief and guilt in this story. Overall, I would recommend it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Cursing
Minor: Suicide, Car accident, Death, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
leahhmorriss's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Okay so I had a bit of a love hate relationship with this book. For a start it took me a week to read because I just did not want to pick it up for a good chunk of the book.
Before starting this book I though that the ‘8 perfect hours’ would take up a good part of the book but it literally lasted a couple of chapters? The middle half was then quite boring and I wasn’t really loving the whole story line with Noelle and her mum, I was expecting much more romance. The ending then picked up and I actually loved the ending (even though it was extremely predictable) which really saved the rating.
I enjoyed the romance aspect of this book and the idea that Noelle and Sam’s lives were tied together in so many different ways. However, I didn’t love the plot line involving Noelle’s mum. As much as I understood why Noelle felt obligated to be there and care for her mum, I did find it quite frustrating that she was willing to throw her aspirations away and not try to help her mum get better so that she could live her own life. I feel like this is one of the reasons I didn’t hate Ed. I understand his frustration with Noelle and just because she wasn’t able to live her life, that didn’t mean that he shouldn’t live his either. I didn’t like the way Ed treated her though in terms oflying about having a girlfriend, but I think that is clearly just stupid man syndrome.
I loved Charlie and Theo, they were great side characters. Ian was also so cute and I liked Frank towards the end too. I did not like Dilly at all.
The ending of this book made me cry so much. I love the thought that Daisy and Lee have been trying for years to push Noelle and Sam towards each other; I think they are a second chance of what Daisy and Lee’s love story could have been.
Overall, this was a cute romance with a big boring section in the middle but I mostly enjoyed reading it.
Before starting this book I though that the ‘8 perfect hours’ would take up a good part of the book but it literally lasted a couple of chapters? The middle half was then quite boring and I wasn’t really loving the whole story line with Noelle and her mum, I was expecting much more romance. The ending then picked up and I actually loved the ending (even though it was extremely predictable) which really saved the rating.
I enjoyed the romance aspect of this book and the idea that Noelle and Sam’s lives were tied together in so many different ways. However, I didn’t love the plot line involving Noelle’s mum. As much as I understood why Noelle felt obligated to be there and care for her mum, I did find it quite frustrating that she was willing to throw her aspirations away and not try to help her mum get better so that she could live her own life. I feel like this is one of the reasons I didn’t hate Ed. I understand his frustration with Noelle and just because she wasn’t able to live her life, that didn’t mean that he shouldn’t live his either. I didn’t like the way Ed treated her though in terms of
I loved Charlie and Theo, they were great side characters. Ian was also so cute and I liked Frank towards the end too. I did not like Dilly at all.
The ending of this book made me cry so much. I love the thought that Daisy and Lee have been trying for years to push Noelle and Sam towards each other; I think they are a second chance of what Daisy and Lee’s love story could have been.
Overall, this was a cute romance with a big boring section in the middle but I mostly enjoyed reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Grief
hellobellarose's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Not my taste, but we’ll written. Very character focused with complex relationships and emotions
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Mental illness, Infidelity, Suicide, Death, and Medical content
nubrevnasnow's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Suicide and Death
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Eight Perfect Hours is a sweet “meant to be” story. Noelle and Sam meet when their cars are stuck next to each other during a snowstorm. Eight hours later the roads are clear and they go on their way not expecting to see each other again And yet their paths keep crossing in unexpected places - again and again. This story was underpinned by grief, regret, anxiety and depression but the characters do grow, move on and let go so it isn’t unduly heavy. Some of the meetings and connections feel contrived and unrealistically coincidental, so this is best enjoyed in a go-with-the-flow manner rather than read through a critical, analytical lens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief and Car accident