Eight Bright Lights

by Sara Gibbs

' Warm and funny with characters you can't help but fall for ' EMILY STONE, author of Always in December

' The perfect festive read! I adored it ' CATHERINE WALSH, author of Holiday Romance
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EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING
Hannah is stuck - in South Devon and her dead-end job. But when her estranged father dies, she suddenly finds herself in Tel Aviv. With only her insufferable - yet irritatingly sexy - host for company, can she pick up the pieces of her father's life and make it home in time for her cousin's wedding?

FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING
More preoccupied with securing her dream job writing for an iconic fashion magazine, Rachel is already a distracted bride. But when an article unlocks a long-held family secret, will her simple Christmas wedding become much more complicated?

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING
Spontaneously quitting her job was not wedding planner Ella's idea - neither was burning bridges with her terrifying boss. Left with only one client - and no money - how will she pull this wedding together, when everything else is falling apart?

The debut novel from Sara Gibbs is the PERFECT festive romance for readers of Beth Moran and Laura Jane Williams, follow Hannah, Rachel and Ella's journeys in the most hilarious and romantic read of 2023.
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READERS HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH EIGHT BRIGHT LIGHTS :

' Warm, witty and sparkly . . . it's a treat' HOLLY SMALE, author of The Cassandra Complex

'Beautifully written and hilarious, I adored this book! ' JOANNA BOLOURI, author of Driving Home for Christmas

' Sara's debut novel is hilarious . . . We have a new rom-com queen!' SHAPARAK KHORSANDI, author of Scatter Brain

' OMG this book is amazing , I want to cry because it's finished' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review

'A wonderful read . . . and a whole lotta festive goodness ' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review

'Gorgeous . . . will have you lost between the pages ' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review

' Lovely ' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review

Genres: Romance, Holiday, Christmas, Fiction, Holiday Romance, Adult, Contemporary

409 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2023

About the author

Sara Gibbs is a UK-based comedy writer, author and notorious cat lady. Having been diagnosed as autistic at the age of 30 after a lifetime of being misdiagnosed as just Jewish, it’s now all Sara talks about. That, and the Australian soap opera, Neighbours. Yes, Toadie is still on the show – no, he doesn’t still have a mullet.

Sara’s comedy writing credits include the Daily Mash, Dead Ringers, the News Quiz, the Now Show, Sketchtopia, the Mash Report, Greatest Ever TV Blunders, Greatest Ever Movie Blunders and Have I Got News for You amongst many others.

Her debut book, Drama Queen – One Autistic Woman and a Life of Unhelpful Labels (published by Headline), a memoir about growing up undiagnosed autistic in a new-age community, is out now and available to buy at all good bookstores, as well as e-book and audiobook downloads.

Sara is currently working on several top-secret narrative projects – mainly so she can sound cool and mysterious. She lives in the south east of England with her husband, known by her family as Saint John, and their many, many cats.

You can find Sara on Twitter and Instagram as @Sara_Rose_G. Sara is available to hire for topical, sketch and narrative comedy writing projects. For work enquiries, please contact Rowan Lawton at the Soho Agency.

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

An emotional family drama that is sure to delight fans of #ownvoices autistic and Jewish authors. This wasn't so much a holiday romance as a story about three estranged sisters who have to deal with the sudden death of their father. Recommended for fans of books like Jenny Bayliss's A December to remember. This wasn't as great as I was hoping it would be but it was still a solid read. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cosy read. I was lucky to read a ARC and I’m thankful to @HarperCollinsAustralia for the opportunity.

This book was stunning in every way. It's the first e-arc I've read that I'm thinking carefully about purchasing for myself when it's released. Three Jewish young women are beginning a phase of their lives that will change them all, but each in a very different way.

One leaves her job working for an oppressive boss to start her own wedding planning company, but her supervisor continues to try to undermine her as she leaves. When another learns that her estranged father has passed away and that she must fly to Israel for his burial, her life has stagnated a few years after she graduated from university. The third is getting married in a couple of weeks, and on Christmas no less, but she also has an interview.

This is a cosy book and I am excited to read more from this author! It’s really a delightful book to get you in the Christmas mood!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm torn on this one. I was expecting rom com and there really wasn't any com and I didn't find the rom interesting or compelling. Long on angst and people being shitty to each other, including a ridiculously over the top villain, and then the HEA comes right at the end and is too short to really feel like a relief. I think having 3 interlinked main characters who don't interact with each other until the last minute split the focus too much and in the end I didn't care much about any of them. But it made a pretty good attempt at handling several difficult things with nuance.

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this such a cute, adorable hug of a book! I was instantly invested in the characters, especially Ella. I loved reading their individual stories and how they linked together and their interaction.

This is the perfect read for the festive period, funny, romantic, full of friendships and also handles serious subjects well.

I’m excited to read more by the author, I love her writing style, it completely engaged me and I couldn’t put the book down 👌🏻

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5.

What a brilliant debut this is! I loved this Christmassy story that got pretty deep…

First things first, probably best to mention the elephant in the room, which is that a lot of the novel is set in Israel before the current horrifying war, and there are quite a few conversations around Palestinian and Israeli history which could be especially emotional or difficult now. But they were also tackled with great sensitivity and balanced viewpoints.

And this IS a Christmas novel that goes a lot deeper than some - not only does it delve into the political and religious, but it also has brilliant representation. One of our main characters has autism, whilst another is proudly fat (I use that term as it’s used in the book, in no way derogatory!) and paving the way for body positivity. I loved every single one of our main characters, and thought they were all so compelling and relatable in one way or another!

But of course, whilst it doesn’t shy away from tough topics, there is also plenty of romance, friendship, family and laughter, and I smiled as much as I wanted to cry! And that’s without even mentioning Doofus 🐶 Definitely one to put to the top of your Christmas TBR!

[Shoshanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be one of my favourite Jewish books I’ve ever read. Not only did I feel completely seen but there was amazing representation for the plus size and neurodivergent communities.

I also have to applaud Gibbs on how they managed to touch on the Israel-Palestine conflict in a way that was respectful and didn’t feel out of place in the story.

The book followed the interconnected lives of three separate women; bride to be and community journalist Rachel who needs a gripping story to win her a job at Voglio, wedding planner Ella who has quit her job assisting for demon-boss Corrine and starting up her own company, and fresh out of uni Hannah who travels for her father’s funeral and comes to terms with the fact that maybe he wasn’t as deadbeat as she convinced herself. It was a truly beautiful story and really funny yet serious and passionate when it needed to be. I totally cried during the wedding.

[Emily Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. I was captivated by all three of the protagonists’ stories (and loved Ella, the autistic protagonist). Contemporary/romance isn’t always for me, but this was gripping, engaging, funny and emotional, and I couldn’t put it down.

[Christine Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful festive read with a difference. This debut novel from Sara Gibbs is a must read.

The story follows Hannah, Ella and Rachel, whose lives are intertwined in the lead up to Rachel's Christmas Day Wedding.

Rachel is more interested in bagging a new job than her wedding, yet a family secret and how Rachel manipulates it to get the job of her dreams threatens to ruin both th wedding and her relationship with her family.

Hannah lives a care free life much to the fustration of her Mother, but her life is thrown into turmoil when her Father suddenly dies in Tel Aviv. She has to go and pay her respects, right? It's a week till her Cousin Rachel's wedding, she's in a country she has never been to and has more to deal with than she ever imagined.

Ella - finally loses it with her impossible dragon of an employer and quits her job as a wedding planner. She manages to secretly keep one client, Rachel, the weddings in a weeks time, her ex boss will never know, will she? But her ex employer has other plans and does everything she can to ruin the wedding and Ella's dream of running her own business.

I was found reading about Jewish traditions as part of this story fascinating and ut certainly gave a different vibe to the usual Christmas rom com.

We have a new chicken lit queen! Sara writes beautifully, characters to fall in love with, witty humour and romance form this perfect Christmas read.

I was given an early copy of this book via Netgalley and Headline Books.

[Andrew Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

ObDisclaimer -- Sara's a friend and she gave me a pre-release copy to read for feedback. That said, if I hadn't liked the book I would have just not reviewed it. But I'm trying to start using this site more again with the death of Twitter, so might as well start here...
I'm not normally a romantic comedy person because the tropes of the genre -- in my limited experience -- tend to the problematic. Too much of what gets presented as romance looks to a dispassionate eye more like stalking and sexual harassment. So take this review with a pinch of salt as from someone who is an outsider to the genre.
But all that said, Eight Bright Lights is a remarkably light, funny, book that manages not to make any of the missteps I associate with the genre. The best comparison I could make is that it's like a Richard Curtis film -- it reminds me most of Love, Actually -- except that where Curtis' films tend to romanticise truly awful men acting in truly awful ways, and somehow managing as a result to get stunningly beautiful, eternally patient, women to fall in love with them on almost no acquaintance, this book has a variety of actually sympathetic viewpoint characters.
The viewpoint characters are all Jewish women, and a variety of sexualities, body types, and neurotypes, all portrayed well without the usual stereotypes. Sara is herself autistic and Jewish, and so her characterisations of these aspects of the characters' identities are both accurate and self-aware, allowing her to make the kind of jokes that members of a community can make from the inside. She is not fat, but I am and am very aware of the pitfalls thin writers fall into when writing fat characters -- she's not fallen into any of them, and has very clearly spent a lot of time reading the works of fat activists to avoid doing so.
In short, it's a romantic comedy without any of the things that have spoiled the genre for me in the past. But of course avoiding the downsides does not mean anything unless there's a positive reason to read the book too. Thankfully there is. The characters are all likeable and interesting, and more to the point the book is *funny*, and made me laugh out loud many times while reading it.
Those who've read her earlier book Drama Queen, or who follow her on social media, will already know that Sara is capable of very funny work. She does that here, but without her humour overwhelming the distinct voices of the three narrators.
The book contains some discussion of serious subjects, but it's not a deeply intellectual book -- but that's not the same as saying it's not an intelligent book. It's froth, but froth that doesn't insult the reader's intelligence. In genres I'm more familiar with, it's on the same easy-read level as Andrew Cartmel's Vinyl Detective, Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London, and Nev Fountain's Mervyn Stone series -- a quick, fun, romp rather than something intense and weighty. But there's a craft to doing that sort of thing well, and it's done very well here.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an impressive debut novel, that features a diverse assortment of characters, in a holiday romance that believe it or not isn't Christmas.

As you may have guessed from the title, this book is set at Hannukah, and it features three main characters, who for the majority of the story aren't ever in the same place at the same time. But it does all link together really well, and makes total sense. There are even some fascinating sub plots at play too.

Hannah's story takes her to Tel Aviv to set Shiva for her estranged father, only for there to be more to his life than she ever knew. For Hannah all of this is a journey of self discovery, and learning to be more of an adult.

What I liked about Hannah's chapters was seeing Tel Aviv, which is a location I don't think I've ever come across before in fiction. Hannah also has some views about the general political situation out there - and this was a book written before the latest war erupted (I know this for a fact given how many months the book had been unread on my kindle for, having downloaded it from Netgalley). In fact the mentions of anything to do with the conflict were the only parts of the book (and thankfully small) that I was less keen on.

Mainly cos it was a bit too much like real life intruding on my fictional reading time!

Rachel, was someone I could identify with to a certain extent, not just cos we share a name, but also because we are both overweight (and not on a diet to do anything about it). There is a lot of body positivity in her chapters, as she gets ready to marry Chris on Christmas day. I also reckon if I was to ever get married it would be like Rachel, and a marriage to a non Jew.

Seeing Rachels's family dynamics felt so familiar, and I loved the sub plot with her Grandma.

Yet it was probably Ella's storyline that I was most drawn to at times. She is also the person I want to give away the least details about - but will say the battle with her about to be ex boss was brilliant. And learning about Ella's thought processes was eye opening.

I'm pleased to say that although it includes Israel, Hannukah, Shabbas and a bit of religious thoughts, it is not a book steeped in religion, or faith, it is just a backdrop to the story of these three ladies, over the 8 days of Hannukah.

And I loved how many of the North West Jewish London locations are familiar to me, or at least in passing and fairly local.

There was a lot I could identify with, and generally found it an all around fabulous book to read. I'm already curious to see what this author will write next.

Thank you to Headline and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Laura Hundley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight Bright Lights
Written by Sara Gibbs
Publisher Headline Review
Release Date November 09, 2023
Genre Romance


Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

“ The clock is ticking, and getting their happily ever after might just take a miracle . . .”

This is a beautifully written romance that melts your heart and plays with your emotions throughout the book. When I finished, I was devastated. I wanted to be able to keep reading, wanting the story to go on and on. Heart felt with the Christmas time feels that keep you engrossed as well as entertained from page one. This is Sara Gibbs debut novel and boy did she hit this one out of the ballpark. The characters were very well developed and emotionally they could not have been more perfect and you will definitely fall in love with them. While the romance genre is not my normal genre to read however, books like this could certainly change that. Told in multiple POV style the chapters are fast and they fluidly move easily. If this book does not hit #1 on the charts, I will be greatly surprised.

In this story we follow Ella, Hannah and Rachel as they maneuver their lives and become intertwined leading up to Rachel’s Wedding.

Ella has worked under the boss from hell for sometime now and decides to quit her job and become a wedding planner, yet her old boss tries his best to degrade and humiliate her well after they parted ways.

Hannah has been dealt an emotional blow when her estranged father passes away and she must travel to Tel Aviv to pay her respects. Her mother feels that Hannah has a care free attitude about life and while in another Country Hannah starts to realize that maybe she is lost without the care and support of others.

Racheal is getting married on Christmas Day and it seems that she is more concerned about a job interview she has coming up, however she has a secret that she continues to use as a ploy to get what she wants but could it destroy everything that she has done so far with her soon to be husband and possible new job?

Ella was able to make a miracle happen
Hannah found the closure she so desperately needed
Rachel, well she married the man of her dreams.


The ending was perfect and brought together a story about three women and how they each played a part in creating Bette lives and a happy romantic wedding.

5+++ stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

[Inge · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was a joy from start to finish. I loved each individual protagonist (which is a real feat!) and found each story interesting enough on their own. I expected to love the autistic protagonist (Ella) most, but I also loved Rachel’s career drive and activism and Hannah’s romance (it felt like I developed a crush on Lior alongside her) and nuanced discussions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. This isn’t a romance, even though it seems to be advertised as such, but a great, cozy book about family and finding your joy in life.

I did think the book as a whole was perhaps a bit long, and yet the ending felt slightly rushed. The overall story took 400 pages to develop, and in the last 20-30 pages we suddenly see each storyline come together ánd wrap up. Maybe this is why the happily ever afters feel so rushed, too. Ella’s overall story all fell into place a bit too conveniently. The other stories felt a bit more realistic, so I thought hers was maybe meant to be the more chaotic, fast-paced, funny one. But then Hannah just decides to move to Israel after having been there for a week, because she’s got a job now (not sure how she can combine that?) and she’s really rich, too, solving her and her mum’s problems at once. Rachel has a new idea for an article which might not even have worked, but of course it does, and people who have body shamed her for decades suddenly turn round. I get this book is meant to be a feelgood one, but I loved seeing each character pick themselves back up after hardship and face their issues with succes.

But really, I contemplated rating this 5 stars - which I very rarely do. It’s so comforting, thoughtful and just overall a great read. If you’re looking for a comfortable read to wrap up your reading year, this is it!

[Courtney Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Headline Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book marked the beginning of my holiday reading for the season, and I must say it was an absolute delight! It is narrated through the perspectives of three women, whose lives are intertwined yet also distinct and fascinating. What stood out to me is the remarkable positive representation in this book, which includes characters who are neurodivergent, body-positive, and of Jewish and Israeli backgrounds. This made the reading experience all the more enriching. This book was truly such a fun way to get into the holiday spirit and does an excellent job of giving a quick and easy explanation of some Jewish and Hanukkah traditions.

I initially had reservations when I saw that a portion of the story is set in Israel, given the current situation. However, I was relieved to discover that the author adeptly addresses the conflict and the struggles faced by both Israelis and Palestinians. She seamlessly weaves these elements into the narrative in a manner that is easy to comprehend and digest. The author has also made a statement regarding this, which can be found on her social media pages. I highly recommend reading it before delving into the book.

All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a delightful holiday read. I truly loved all of the characters and their stories. The book offers a unique breath of fresh air in the world of holiday romcoms!

[Opus_bookclub · Rating 2 out of 5]

Romance à trois voix.

Huit jours avant le mariage : Hannah est coincée dans le sud de Devon. Mais, lorsque son père meurt, elle se retrouve soudainement à Tel Aviv, avec pour seule compagnie son hôte insupportable – mais terriblement sexy.
Quatre jours avant le mariage : préoccupée à l'idée de décrocher le travail de ses rêves, Rachel est une mariée distraite. Toutefois, lorsqu'un article dévoile un secret de famille de longue date, les choses s'enveniment.
La nuit avant le mariage : quitter spontanément son emploi n'était pas l'idée de l'organisatrice de mariage Ella, ni de couper les ponts avec sa terrifiante patronne. Avec un seul client et sans le sou, comment va-t-elle organiser ce mariage, alors que tout s’effondre ?

Le résumé était prometteur, mais je n'ai pas réussi à être happée par l'histoire, ni à m'attacher aux personnages que j'ai vraiment trouvés pessimistes. Le sujet de l'autisme est intéressant et trop peu représenté dans la littérature, mais ici, il est rappelé trop souvent comme si notre mémoire avait vacillé entre deux pages. 

J'attendais beaucoup plus d'humour et de légèreté de la part de ce roman, et j'ai été plutôt déçue. Par contre, cela m'a donnée envie de lire Drama Queen de la même autrice.

Merci à Netgalley, à l'autrice et aux éditeurs pour cette lecture.

[Janette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eight Bright Lights is the interwoven stories of 3 women just before Christmas. At first the different characters appeared to be totally unconnected but gradually the links appeared and I loved the way that all three storylines came together at the end. Each of the characters, Hannah, Ella and Rachel are at a turning point in their lives and I really enjoyed seeing how they coped with everything that life threw at them.
All three women have a Jewish background and the story plays out over the period of Hanukkah up to Christmas day. It was interesting to have a slightly different take on a festive romantic comedy and I really loved the part of the story that took place in Tel Aviv. As well as having some very humorous scenes, the book also had some touching moments which really put the humour into perspective.
One of the women Ella, is autistic, a characteristic that she shares with the author and I guess that one of the reasons some of the events ring so true is because the author is drawing on her own experience.
This was a really enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more by Sara Gibbs. Many thanks to Net Galley and Headline Publishers for providing my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely story full of the feels of Christmas but, obviously, without much Christmas at all! There was so much tolerance and understanding of others amongst the usual festive angst that it made a beautiful story come alive.
The story is told to us broken up into each of the days by the 3 main ladies:
Hannah who needs some direction in her life and gets just that when she receives the news on her Father and even with all that is going on in the world right now as I write this, it is worth remembering those who just live in this disputed part of the world
Rachel who seems to have issues with most of her family members but still wont get married without them present. She's a great role model for us larger ladies in her work writing magazine and local news articles.
Ella understands her limitations due to her condition and tries to live within ways that keep her feeling comfortable, when that comfort is destroyed and then repeatedly bombed, it's wonderful to see her working to rise above and conquer!
I really did enjoy this read, it's about 3 women becoming who they want and were meant to be, the characters are likeable and the arcs that each travel on, makes for an almost unputdownable read!

[Melody (buenobooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @netgalley and Headline for the chance to read!

A festive story with a twist.

Eight bright lights follows three women, all with their own POV and journeys that intertwine in unexpected ways.
I really enjoyed this read. The first of the festive books for me. I thought it was going to be a festive romance but was met with much more plot and dialogue than expected.

There was representation of different cultures, autism and some other heavy topics that were discussed in a natural and understandable way which was educational and enjoyable to read about.

There was a bit of humour and romance but it was the typical festive rom-com I was expecting. I did have to take a break or two and get back into it over the week.

My only negative was the over-use of certain brand or name drops. I also found it hard to connect with the characters because we were being reminded of their
'Traits' or 'likes' repeatedly at the beginning but once the story began to build, this became less. Sometimes I personally prefer a less is more approach but this may just be how I read into the introduction of the characters.

Overall recommend for those looking for a thought provoking story which is festive but not based on the usual Christmas love and romance!

[Colin Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is centred around three main characters, Rachel, who is due to be married on Christmas Day, Hannah, her cousin, and Ella, the wedding coordinator.
All three of the main characters are Jewish, which gave me an insight into their culture, but this is both the main part of the story yet conversely not so important. It is more about the struggles that they each have, Rachel about her body image, Hannah about her being abandoned by her father when she was still young. Ella is autistic, which presents it's own challenges, but she is the character that I can most associate with. It is told from each of the three's viewpoint, which can be confusing but is clearly signposted and is the only way that it could be told. There is humour to counteract the more somber moments, with a generally upbeat feeling. Again this is one of the books that you have to pay attention to, rather than flick through, but I did enjoy reading it.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

[Im · Rating 4 out of 5]

From heart wrenching to truely heartwarming 💕
Follow Hannah, Ella and Rachel as they manoeuvre their way through a wedding season and numerous life changes.
Hannah’s journey and self-realisation was a growth for us all. In fact all girls growth had you feeling happy and sad along with them.
Ella’s representation and work dramas was an excellent representation and written beautifully.
Rachel’s storyline gave me some Letters To Juliet vibes which I loooooved.
I have such a love hate relationship for multiple POVs, cause something happens then you have to wait for their chapter to roll back around and I just waaaant to know. Although despite that I adored following each girls stories and how they connected.
I spent the whole book stuck on the ‘Two Weddings’ and wondering who the second wedding was gonna be and making speculations from the middle of the book onwards. The second wedding did not let me down nor did everyone’s ending.

[Valerie Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
The blurb promises a festive laugh-out-loud romcom set in England, and other reviewers seem to have to enjoyed it. I do not intend give any spoilers.
The amount of American spellings throughout was a huge disappointment, ruining the British setting for me. That said, there was a great deal written about Tel Aviv that was unexpected and didn't interest me. Sections of the story concentrated on each main female character and seemed quite disparate at times. I found them quite long winded, somewhat predictable and yet lacking credibility on occasion, such as Ella's tolerance of her sister's ridiculous behaviour. The wedding was set over Christmas but this didn't feature as the Jewish faith was a big part of the story.
Overall I didn't feel the book delivered what was promised.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly really enjoyed this book. The multiple POV provided an interesting perspective on the story, as the 3 story lines all were related and it was cool to see them all come together at the end. It makes you think about how all of these different lives are going on simultaneously and overlap in different ways. I also loved the representation in this book (Jewish / Israeli MCs, LGBTQ+, neurodivergence, body positivity / fat activism, nontraditional families…). There was so much to like. I also really enjoyed the parts set in Israel because it featured so many things I enjoy about the trips I have taken there. I found the characters to be relatable. There were definitely some fun twists and turns that made me want to keep reading. I definitely would like to read more books by Sara Gibbs!

[Amy Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to get this book on Netgalley and I absolutely loved this book it was a wonderful read that really adds the sparkle of the festive season.

The story follows the main characters Hannah, Ella and Rachel whose lives interweave in the lead up to Rachel's wedding however they all have their own issues they are dealing with.

I can find it difficult to keep pace when books are written from different characters POV but I felt this author was able to weave the story really well so that I didn't feel like I lost track, and I loved the ending with the second wedding.

Really enjoyable, festive read that has love, hope and heartbreak but a book that I would definitely recommend.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normalerweise lese ich keine Liebesromane, aber ich brauchte leichte Unterhaltung und da kam dieser Roman gerade richtig.

Gute jüdische Repräsentation, schöne Auseinandersetzung mit Body Positivity und ich habe einiges über Autismus gelernt.

Viele Rezensionen bezeichnen dieses Buch als einen "Weihnachtsroman", dabei sind alle drei Protagonistinnen jüdisch und feiern Channukah. Die einzelne Rolle, die Weihnachten in dem Roman spielt ist, dass Rachel an Weihnachten heiratet, was es schwierig macht auf die schnelle einen neuen Caterer und eine Stylistin zu finden als die Alten abspringen. #Gojnormativität

Es werden eigentlich alle Handlungsstränge abgeschlossen, aber die wichtigste Frage bleibt: Wie kann sich Lior als Mitte-20-jähriger Freelance Fotograf, der für die Tourismusbranche Fotos schießt, ein Top-Apartment in Jaffa leisten 😂???

[CatsBnB · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, thank you NetGalley, Headline and the author for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OUTLIER ALERT!! 🎶Its me!🎶 The synopsis for this book sounded amazing and I was super excited to read it. I mean who doesn't love a festive holiday rom-com!?! Although I love Christmas books this one did not meet my expectations because I struggled to connect with the characters, unnecessary name labeling and not humorous at all to me. Essentially, you get three main characters with their POV's and three separate stories going on at the same time. The author did an amazing job of intertwining the stories together at the end. This is a story about Christmas, female friendships and a pinch of romance! 🤏

✨I know many people will love this book so please do not base your decision to read this book solely on my review.✨

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars!

[Emma Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about three different woman. It deals with loss, romance, funny bits.

Hannah ends up going to Israel as her Father has just died who she hasn’t seen for years, she is at a crossroads does not know what to do for work. Rachel is her cousin who is getting married on Christmas Day and wants to work for this magazine but needs to come up with a good story. Ella is the wedding planner who quit her job but Rachel agreed to stay with her, everything seems to go wrong for Ella with the planning.

The book was very enjoyable found some of the situations funny. It was interesting to read about the Jewish community. I read the book quickly. I liked all the characters and they all worked well together.

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet holiday romance about 3 Jewish young women who are at a crossroads in their lives. Ella, a wedding planner, is tired of working for her dragon of a boss and impulsively quits her job. She decides to start working for herself as a wedding planner and agrees to plan Rachel's wedding, despite her boss's attempts to sabotage her. Rachel is looking forward to getting married to Chris on Christmas Day as she deals with her crazy family's antics and secrets while trying to land her dream job as a journalist. Hannah, Rachel's cousin has been flighty and irresponsible and working at her mom's pub until she learns that her father passed away. Her father was a famous Israeli photographer, so she flew out for his funeral and connected with her newfound family. It's a light-hearted holiday story with some romance, humor as well as serious issues. The author did a great job of tying the character's storylines together. I loved the story and the character's journey as it led up to Rachel's wedding. There was great representation as well- Jewish/Israeli, LGBTQ, Autism, and plus size.

Thanks, Netgalley, Headline Books, and Sara Gibbs for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Laura Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a captivating tale of three women facing unexpected challenges on the path to their respective weddings. From Hannah's sudden trip to Tel Aviv after her father's death to Rachel's quest to uncover a family secret, and Ella's spontaneous career change, the novel weaves together their stories with wit and charm. Each woman's journey is unique, and as their paths intersect, the narrative explores the complexities of love, family, and self-discovery. With its engaging plot and relatable characters, this book offers a delightful and heartwarming reading experience, filled with unexpected twists and moments of joy.

[Kerstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Not gonna lie, I had my favourites and sometimes read a chapter bit quicker than others but I didn't dislike any characters. There was lots to discover in the story. I enjoyed that it all came together at the end.
It was my first book based in Israel and I want to read more like asap. I am not new to the jewish faith so I enjoyed the story even more understanding a bit of the culture and faith.
It was great fun and I cant wait to read more from Sara Gibbs.
Thanks so much for the arc headlinebooks.

[Sarahlovesbooks76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel is getting married on Christmas Eve. However, her focus isn't on the wedding but a major job interview she has first.

Ella is a wedding planner who finds herself out on her own - can she ensure Rachel gets the wedding she dreams of?

Rachel's cousin Hannah loses her estranged father 8 days before the wedding and has to fly to Tel Aviv. Will she make it back in time?

A really enjoyable book, with lots of likeable characters and well woven strands of story. Fairly predictable at times, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment. Definitely an author I'll come back to.

[Laura Potts]

Eight Bright Lights is such a fun, funny and adorable romance. I loved seeing Hannah grow throughout this book and also the female friendships were so nice to read and I really enjoyed that this wasn't just romance there's a lot of other elements as well. However the romance is also adorable and heart-warming, you can't help but root for them. Overall this is a beautifully written book with gretat friendships, humour and romance.