Simon and Tessa meet on a plane, while they are flying to New York. She is a writer. And Simon is a scientist attending a convention.
They don't even speak but they are attracted to each other. Especially Simon.
They meet again by chance. And they decide to keep in touch. So they start planning some different meetings in different countries, since they are travelling due to their jobs.
At the beginning it was difficult for me to get involved in the story because I did't like Tessa. She is too afraid of commitment. And some of her actions are not very nice. Moreover, Simon is so cute, sweet and patient that it made me dislike her even more.
But I was really surprised how my opinion about her changed throughout the story. I began to understan her. The more I knew about her past, the more I saw where her behaviour was coming from.
And then, suddenly my heart broke. How much pain can a woman live through without giving up?
Some parts of this book are devastating.
It's the first time I have read a book from this author. I will read the rest. I promise. As soon as I move on from this one. And let me tell you, It won't be that easy.

An emotional tale of love, loss, and redemption. We follow the relationship of Tessa, a writer afraid of love because of a traumatic past, and Simon, a man avoiding love due to an uncertain future. When they meet there is no denying the connection... and we follow them through all their meetings and goodbyes as they struggle to overcome their obstacles.
Have the tissues ready! I cried happy tears, sad tears, and tears from pure emotional overload.

**Big thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book!

4.5 stars

Wow. That was.... something else. It’s not often anymore that a story line surprises the heck out of me, leaving my jaw hanging slack and pure despair knotted up in my tummy. Everything was going so swimmingly for the first half of the book- normal man/woman issues, but nothing out of the norm. Then SMACK. The universe shifts and throws you for a twist you never saw coming. That, and so much more is contained in this consuming and un-put-downable read.

Tessa is a renowned author that travels the world doing meet and greets with her adoring fans; Simon is a intellectual Englishman that meets Tessa aboard a plane on one fate- filled day. Their worlds continue to cross as they travel the globe, learning they need each other more than they ever thought possible. Life happens.... joys, tragedy, shared memories, family, opening one’s heart to love and pain alike... they’re all found within these pages. Pages that tore me apart, found healing, then tore me open again. A roller coaster of emotions to say the least. Just go read it, you won’t be disappointed.

Another win for an author I’ve come to love!

Eight Goodbyes is the love story between Tessa and Simon. My favorite part about this story are the characters. They were unique and had depth. I loved in particular how Simon broke the mold of the stereotypical romance hero. He was a brilliant scientist and was a good man all around. Tessa was also refreshing. She had flaws and these imperfections made her relatable and real. I am impressed with Christine Brae’s ability to create such interesting and believable characters. However, I found the events that happened at the turning part of the book to be too much for my tastes. I’m sure there will be many people who like extra angst in books that will love this book. At times near the end, I felt like things were rushed and I would have liked more explaination. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves deeply emotional reads with interesting characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it very much. I thought the writing was good, the story was told very well. The characters were well developed. The book was emotional and heart warming. As a reader I felt everything that the characters were feeling. Well done.

Where do I even begin with this book?? Honestly. Do you ever start a book and just KNOW it’s going to be a good one? That’s how I felt with this book. From the very first paragraph, there was something different about 8 Goodbyes. The tone that the author writes in, the way that the characters are REAL people with real flaws, the humor that is dispersed throughout...it all is wrapped up with a great big red bow. (Haha, I amuse myself. Read the book, you’ll understand)

I have so many spots highlighted in this book. From little quirky things like, “....the only thing she could see past the older man, who had now removed his shoes...” (barf) to zingers like, “...life just passes you by when you’re lonely. You fill your days with contentment. Tasks, goals and bouts of staring, sitting, contemplating.....”and romantic, gushy moments like, “...she handed him her phone and he typed his name into her contacts list. He sucked in a breath before congratulating himself for winning the lottery...” I feel like -I- won the lottery for getting to read this story.

I realize that I’m not the typical romance reader. I don’t long for graphic, vulgar sex scenes. In fact, I tend to skim over those completely. There was no skimming with this book. Not a single word. I wanted to keep Tessa and Simon (and Riley and Jacob and even Revete) with me at all times. Every detail in this book was included for a reason and I love the way that certain things kept making appearances. There were times that i just wanted to shake Tessa but, sister redeems herself, by leaps and bounds. This book was written for readers with a passion for reading. It’s a book for people who are actual grown ups. People who live in a world with responsibilities. Not some fantasy world where you have sex all day long for weeks on end. These characters will suck you in and you’ll feel as if you’re part of their story. I did anyway.

I’ve read all of Ms. Brae’s books and this is by far her best writing to date.

5+++ Stars ~ Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse

To say Eight Goodbyes is a gem of a read would be putting it mildly. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and even after finishing it, I had an unappeasable urge to reread which I might add, I did. Narrated in third person, the book’s structural framework is an unusual one as it’s split into eight goodbyes, chapters included and in three parts. What really caught my attention was the female protagonist’s growth throughout the book. It’s a very character and plot-driven novel, the different sections highlighting a distinct change in a relationship that appears to be ill-fated from the start. Passions didn't quite seem to coincide and made me constantly question if the one who loved unconditionally deserved so many goodbyes, their steadfast commitment to conquer all the setbacks literally left me reeling.

“I have this insatiable need to know everything about you. Maybe it’s the scientist in me. I want to be able to figure you out,”

Time is an equally important element in the story’s different settings as you will see. Also, Brae aroused my suspicions by insinuating something ominous was brewing on the horizon. Those very same subtle snippets completely threw my thoughts off kilter. Clutching at straws, I prayed a love that has its boundaries, timezones and crossed countries, would have a chance to flower. She took me on Simon and Tessa’s emotional journey to beautifully described spots around the world, some I’ve been to and others are on my bucket list.

“Next steps scare me.”

I openly admit that I wasn’t too keen on Tessa’s stance in the first part. Her stubbornness and selfishness caused me to say a few choice words to myself which I’d rather not repeat. I wanted her to be on Simons’s wavelength, to be honest with herself, look hard at what she’d achieved, its worth and handle her restlessness differently. However, learning about her past, what she’d been through and how she’d coped eventually helped me connect to her. Then, when the tough gets going, I fell head over heels for her. I’d like to mention that if it weren’t for Brae’s par excellence character development regarding Tessa, I wouldn’t have changed my opinion so easily.

“I’m sorry. You must know more and more, I die with every goodbye. It used to be okay. It used to be easy to separate you, keep you in a different section from the rest of my life. Now, all I want is for you to be in it.”

Simon Fremont. Ambitious, seriously nerdy in his field with a fabulous sense of humour verging on sarcasm, is a gorgeously lovable Brit and from my adopted town in Essex to boot! Coincidences and jokes aside, us Brits do have a unique wit and his softened even the hardest moments. It baffled me at times since he has a grave problem and knowing full well his plans weren’t to be rushed, he manoeuvres carefully, always with his heart in Tessa’s hands. And tick tock...the clock won’t stop…does his patience and love have a limit? Will his tolerance fade and will time run out for both of them?

“I know if I push too hard, I’ll lose you. I’m going to give you time to figure it out. Don’t take too long…”

I honestly couldn’t find fault with Simon, whereas Tessa, well...hers aren't exactly faults per se but what she has on her plate does tend to stand out and certainly consumed me. On reflection, there were times I felt I wasn't being totally fair to this writer of romance novels who’s trying to find her purpose in life, so please don’t be put off by her. I disliked her demanding literary agent and the influence she had over Tessa irritated me no end. And Andrew...hmm, wasn’t too keen on him either. On the whole, the secondary characters are a very likable bunch, especially Tessa’s brother and his girlfriend.

“Live is short, we have to make the most of it.”

Details. I recently read a book where the pace of the narrative was stunted by overuse. I lost interest because I found them immaterial. This is most definitely not the case in Eight Goodbyes. Brae’s offering is as such that I couldn’t help but cry out for more, so much so I did an all-nighter and believe me, this book isn’t an easy one in the respect that I spent a lot of the dark hours sobbing into my pillow. The storyline. In all its originality and a ginormous twist I never in a million years saw coming, the author gave me hope and made me realise every precious moment in our life is worth cherishing. Her magical penmanship has given this standalone a real life feel and undoubtedly while you're reading, a variety of emotions will arise. Embrace your feelings and every single moment of this love story. You won't ever regret it. Bravo Brae!

Eight Goodbyes is a spectacular contemporary love story. I would dare say, one of the best that I've read in 2018.

Here we have a hero that is not only intelligent and good-looking, he's also flawed. He's not used to living life without a plan. He also has some health issues that affect his decision every single day, but no matter those and other details, he goes after who he wants as soon as he sees her.

The heroine is a strong, independent woman. An author that was touring the world because of the huge success of her first romance book. She was not ready for commitments, she was afraid of next steps in relationships, she was afraid, most of all, of losing the people she came to love.

These two characters meet in a very cute way but what makes this book different for me, is how much I rooted for Simon instead of Tessa. I'm an emotional reader but character-based stories are one of my favorites and this one... I fell in love, it broke my heard and glued it together again by the end.

I'm warning you, if you are an emotional person, have some Kleenex nearby. I certainly needed them because I cried like a baby from the climax of the story until the end of the book. I can say it was because of what happened but the truth is, I missed Simon for the couple of chapters his POV was not shown. That's how emotionally attached I got with him.

This book is a dual POV. We can see both sides and that makes the story so compelling. Tessa got on my nerves a couple of times, and Simon made me fell in love with him hard.

I really loved Eight Goodbyes and I would recommend it to everyone that love romances. This is one of those books that, in my opinion, you won't regret reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

When you open up a Christine Brae book, you do so with a box of tissues sitting nearby. You know, going in, that she is going to wring every feeling you have from you, and you know that when you turn the last page, you will doff your wig to her in admiration.

Tessa doesn't make it easy, that's for sure. If you don't believe me, ask Simon because she puts him through all manner of love, lightness, and abject misery. I spent at least two-thirds of this book not liking her at ALL. I understood her, though, and that's one of the things I appreciated in how Christine Brae writes this book. You may be occasionally (almost entirely) frustrated with Tessa, but Christine Brae shows you why Tessa behaves as she does--why she disappoints and disheartens Simon (and you) and why, despite all of this, you can't help but root for her.

Simon, on the other hand, is joy. Not that he isn't plagued by afflictions, which brings me to another thing I laud Christine Brae for doing: she has her two characters each beset with agonies, only one suffers from the physical and the other from the emotional. I like that sort of yin and yang.

You can't say "goodbye" until you've said "hello," and that sense of optimism--that there is another "hello" to say--will keep you turning the pages. Even when you are desperate to shout at Tessa to JUST STOP, you will feel compelled to keep reading, to find out what happens after the eighth goodbye.

Of course, there is a final goodbye, the one after which none of us will be able to say "hello" ever again. Keep saying hello, Christine Brae tells you here. Keep welcoming all of the ups and downs, heart fulfillment and heartbreak, all of the closeness and distance that come with those hellos.

Rest assured that you dearly want to say hello to Simon. He is one of those literary heroes who is indelible.

In spite of its choppy narrative and gratuitous sex scenes the characters Tessa and Simon were intriguing and plot refreshing and topical. The author's unique voice, carries through the emotional roller coaster that mundane 'goodbyes' entail and gives the reader an interesting perspective on loss and love. This full lenght novel pulls the reader across exotic shores to a satisfying conclusion.

After discovering Christine Brae's writing in 2016, I have been a huge fan of her work, blog posts, and simply her as a person. I've eagerly been awaiting the release of Eight Goodbyes for more than two years and I'm positively pleased to say it was well worth every moment of waiting. Christine's writing continues to get better with each release, making me always eager to see what she'll come up with next.

I wish I could bottle up the feelings this novel gave me to revisit constantly. Though this is a seemingly simple story about two lovers making their own rules for their relationship, it dives even further by conveying important messages about life and love. Simply, we must make the most of our lives and there is no time to waste on pride, selfishness, or anything besides loving those who are closest to us. As usual, Christine's writing cuts right to the core, making me feel every word and evaluate my own life. I questioned whether I was living each moment as if it were precious and whether I was actively loving those dear to me in the way they deserved to be.

I have to give major kudos regarding many aspects of this novel, the main one being the characters. I simply cannot choose a favorite! Initially, I loved Simon and couldn't wait for a bit of cheer to find its way to his life. He was deep, brooding, and intellectual, while carrying a sadness I was eager to understand. There are many layers to his character that take time to unearth, making him endlessly interesting. Obviously, as a huge Anglophile, I adored that he was a Brit. At times he emulated the witty and sarcastic humor of the English I have grown to love.

Tessa reminded me of myself more than almost any character I have ever read before, personality-wise. Her life has been trying, she's lost people close to her and feels reluctant to be vulnerable again. Her inability to voice her feelings to those she cares about was like looking in a mirror. As a romance novelist, it's easy to put the words on paper to create stories people can't help but grasp ahold of with their hearts, but verbalizing love feels like visiting another planet. Instead, she builds walls around her heart and chases the world's beauty to every corner of the Earth, never settling down.

Not only were the main characters of this novel outstanding and relatable, the secondary characters felt like real-life friends or family. I formed an attachment to each one for different reasons and enjoyed reading about their interactions and lives as much as those of Tessa and Simon. One chance encounter between Tessa and a woman named Millie was one of my favorite moments of the entire book!

Christine's writing never fails to disappoint in being descriptive and making me feel as if I am traveling the world with her characters. Many authors can't walk the fine line of showing their readers what they want them to see, without mundanely describing every detail in a flat and boring manner - not here, my friends! As a traveling businesswoman herself, Christine has real-world experience visiting many of the places described in her novel, allowing every location to come alive. I couldn't wait to see where the characters would venture next.

Along with detailed descriptions, I appreciated how incredibly unpredictable the story was, something that is not easily achieved in the romance novels of today. As an avid reader, it oftentimes seems as if every romantic story has been written already. I couldn't be more relieved to have been proven wrong this time! There was never a moment in the story where I could have properly guessed what events might happen next, despite the title hinting at the possibility. It seems unlikely the characters could say eight goodbyes during their love with the story remaining exciting, but again, Christine was able to manage it effortlessly. At one point there was a twist that made me go back and read three times to make certain I was truly understanding what was happening. I had to set my Kindle down and contemplate the extent of the moment!

Eight Goodbyes is not only a heartwrenching story of two people navigating the globe, their love, and their personal lives, it's unputdownable, exciting, and unpredictable to the very last page. I hope everyone will pick this beautiful story upon its release this fall. If you've yet to read a book by Christine Brae, you are sorely missing out.

Eight Goodbyes releases August 28, 2018!