“My life has started. I’m in it. It’s not something I’m waiting for anymore. I’m here. And whatever I wanted for my life, was it this?” Was it this? Was this what I wanted for myself? And what is it that I wanted? Am I still waiting?
We absolutely adore Lia Louis and once again she showed us why, in Eight Perfect Hours. It was a wonderful and emotional story of life, hope, dreams, and relationships. Of the sacrifices, we make for those we love, of pushing ourselves out of a stagnant rut, and of the risks we’re willing to take. It was a story of love and kismet. Once again, this Author wowed us with her beautiful writing, her moments of quirky fun, her strong and relatable characters, and of course a slow-building romance with angst.
“…sometimes it feels like I’m fading into the background or something, and – nobody can see me. You know? But I thought – well, I can see me…”
Noelle Butterly goes through a momentous emotional journey in Eight Perfect Hours. Her shoulders are at a point of collapse from the burdens of others, as well as the ones she’s unwittingly chosen to place upon herself. Living with perpetual guilt, unresolved relationship issues, feelings of failure, and anxiety would break the strongest of people. Yet Noelle refuses to break because who would carry her burdens?
‘…I wonder how often the pair of them think, “Noelle will sort it. Noelle will deal with it.” And I wonder what would happen if I said, “No. Noelle won’t actually. Noelle is sick of dealing with it.” But I don’t.’
At thirty-two she finds herself at a crossroads; does she continue life as she knows it? One that is so far removed from her dreams and aspirations, or does she take a leap of faith and put herself first for a change? Does she stick with what she knows, or does she take a chance on the handsome and mysterious ‘stranger’ she serendipitously keeps meeting in moments of emotional need? We fell in utter love with the wondrous notion of kismet for Noelle and Sam, and how she found a fellow broken soul who understands her, who sees her, and who doesn’t sit in judgement.
“I want you to know something,” he whispers, words barely there, his nose inches from mine. “You said nobody does but – I see you, Noelle. I do.”
We loved the premise of Eight Perfect Hours; it was so deliciously swoony it made us melt into puddles. But this wasn’t just a meant-to-be romance, it was so much more. It was about friendships, grief, family, mental health, and second chances. All weaved together in such an insightful and emotional manner, we were fully invested and captured by this feel-good romance from the first page till the last. If you haven’t experienced Lia Louis’s work yet, you really must add her to your reading list, you won’t regret it!
‘We’re living now. Because now is all there is…the only way to live forever is to leave parts of yourself behind.’
