Eight Perfect Hours

Louis (Dear Emmie Blue) fills this sweet romance with twists of fate and rich emotional considerations. A snowstorm strands aspiring florist Noelle Butterby on a British highway on her way home from a college reunion. Needing to get in touch with her anxious, reclusive mother, she accepts the offer of similarly stranded American mountaineer Sam Attwood to charge her phone in his car. They spend hours together before the weather clears, but despite the spark they both feel, they part without sharing contact information. A series of chance encounters throw the pair together again—as when Noelle happens to be hired to clean Sam’s father’s apartment—but Sam explains that he has a girlfriend back in America and they are trying to work things out. Meanwhile, Noelle tentatively patches things up with her doctor ex-boyfriend, Ed, who abandoned her two years earlier with harsh words about her losing her life to her mom. Things come to a head when Noelle agrees to do the flowers for a wedding in Scotland and the trip spurs her to make some decisions. Witty moments and a delightful supporting cast bolster this slow-burning romance, and Louis manages to make the many coincidences feel believable. Fans of clean contemporary romances will find plenty to enjoy. (Sept.)