When Tessa Talman meets Simon Fremont for the first time, not only is she attracted to him, she’s intrigued by how different their lives are. He’s a dedicated scientist, practical, pragmatic, and grounded—while she’s a head-in-the-clouds romance author. As their relationship grows, they agree to meet in places around the world, while continuing to live on opposite sides of the globe.

Though their feelings for each other deepen, their priorities remain the same. Simon is in a hurry to be financially sound and settle down, but Tessa is enjoying her freedom and newfound success. Neither is willing to give in, but as each goodbye gets harder, Tessa begins to wonder whether fame is the path to happiness, or if she has everything she needs in Simon.

Just as Tessa finds the courage to go after her own happily ever after, the unthinkable happens, separating them in ways they never imagined. 

To move forward, she must let go of the past, and determine once and for all if love is truly more powerful than the pain of goodbye. 

Eight Goodbyes is a poignant story, drilling home the fact that, while time is long, life is short. Everything you know can change in the blink of an eye. Don’t waste time on regrets and could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. Sadly, there is no rewind button. 

Every. Single. Moment. Matters. 

And, no one knows that better than our protagonists. 

The journey of these characters, at times, can be downright heart wrenching. Other times, they’ll leave you feeling light and giddy. In turn, eliciting a jumble of emotions. Hope you are fond of rollercoasters. But in the end, they’ll have done their job in reminding you to love hard, laugh often, slow down, and forgive easily because you may not have that chance again. 

Simon and Tessa are you and me. They are real. They are raw. They are believable. They are flawed beyond belief, especially our heroine. Forewarning, she will make you want to pull your hair out, or smack her around a bit. BUT if you give her even half a chance you’ll see her flourish and mature in the most exquisite way. I won’t lie, it doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t even happen half way through (well you do see glimpses of it, baby steps), but IT does happen. And when it does you’ll be so damn proud of her. I know I was. As Tessa began to come into her own, she grew on me. I began to see her in a different light and actually rooted for her to find that coveted happily ever after. 

Simon…we’ll Simon stole my heart from the moment I met him. And, he refused to let go. He was swoon worthy. Definite book boyfriend material. Our hero was down to earth, dedicated, and wore his heart on his sleeve. Quite the opposite from our heroine who’s guarded and liked to live life in the fast lane. She didn’t believe in the next steps. Simon’s heart and mind knew exactly what it wanted, though, and he went after it fiercely, all the while letting Tessa move at her own pace. I think I loved that the most about him. He knew when to show his cards and when to hold them. 

Eight Goodbyes is beautifully crafted, affecting not just the heart and soul but the mind as well. Christine Brae’s books focus on the reality of everyday life, this book is no exception. She stresses with each turn of the page that life is unpredictable. It is unfair. It is both beauty and pain. Her words bring love, tragedy, hope, and survival to realization, making them feel so tangible. When it comes to pulling punches, she takes no prisoners. Brae writes beautifully, flawed characters, and makes no apologies for it. With each work of art, her goal is for you to connect, feel, and think about the deeper themes she addresses. And you won’t help but do that with Simon and Tessa.