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Eight Dates and Nights
Two teens with two very different ideas of how to spend Hanukkah learn to work together to save the last Jewish remnant in small town Texas in this cozy holiday romance!
New Yorker Hannah Levin is allergic to exactly two things, horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by both when she’s snowed in at her grandmother’s home in a small Texas town.
Super lonely, missing latkes and reliable Wi-Fi, Hannah wanders into an old deli where she meets the only other Jewish teen around, Noah, who happens to be equal parts adorable and full of annoying, over the top festival of lights spirit that he’s determined to share with Hannah one itchy Hanukkah sweater at a time.
As the days pass—and a spectacularly memorable kiss following Noah’s made up game of truth or dare dreidel takes place—Hannah begins to wonder if maybe there’s more to Hanukkah than she thought. . .
New Yorker Hannah Levin is allergic to exactly two things, horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by both when she’s snowed in at her grandmother’s home in a small Texas town.
Super lonely, missing latkes and reliable Wi-Fi, Hannah wanders into an old deli where she meets the only other Jewish teen around, Noah, who happens to be equal parts adorable and full of annoying, over the top festival of lights spirit that he’s determined to share with Hannah one itchy Hanukkah sweater at a time.
As the days pass—and a spectacularly memorable kiss following Noah’s made up game of truth or dare dreidel takes place—Hannah begins to wonder if maybe there’s more to Hanukkah than she thought. . .
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2023
51 people are currently reading
2436 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
February 3, 2024
✨Bonus points because her name is Hannah 🩷✨
I enjoyed the story overall and loved how it was structured around each night of Hanukkah, and what it’s like being Jewish in both a big city and a small town.
The book is super short so I think more pages could’ve been given to developing their relationship; they said “I love you” SO FAST. They knew each other for like a week and it just really made me think that they would definitely not last through college. I get that they’re young, so maybe youthful innocence is the reason lol? I definitely cared more about saving the bakery than I did about the romance.
I enjoyed the narrator, especially hearing the Texas accents. If you’re looking for a cute Jewish YA story, I definitely think you should give the audiobook a try.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
Thanks so much to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.
I enjoyed the story overall and loved how it was structured around each night of Hanukkah, and what it’s like being Jewish in both a big city and a small town.
The book is super short so I think more pages could’ve been given to developing their relationship; they said “I love you” SO FAST. They knew each other for like a week and it just really made me think that they would definitely not last through college. I get that they’re young, so maybe youthful innocence is the reason lol? I definitely cared more about saving the bakery than I did about the romance.
I enjoyed the narrator, especially hearing the Texas accents. If you’re looking for a cute Jewish YA story, I definitely think you should give the audiobook a try.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
Thanks so much to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.
November 5, 2023
This was a cute little read. There aren’t a ton of YA Hanukkah books and so I was really looking forward to it. I enjoyed the comparisons between being Jewish in big city New York versus small town Texas. I also liked the descriptions and little events for each night of Hanukkah. However, at less than 250 pages, this was far too short to really be developed enough, which meant that the romance came out of nowhere. The story was very slow despite the short length of the book.
November 23, 2023
This was fine. I didn’t love, but I didn’t hate it. I definitely appreciated that this book stuck to its guns about being about Hanukkah and Judaism because I feel like a lot of books meant to be about Hanukkah are still overwhelmingly about Christmas too. And that it was about more than just Hanukkah and also focused on the important ways of being Jewish.
I did find both Hannah and Noah annoying and just couldn’t get behind their week long romance though.
I did find both Hannah and Noah annoying and just couldn’t get behind their week long romance though.
January 1, 2024
My first book of the year turned out to be a really great story centred around the eight days of Hanukkah. The food descriptions alone are worth the read. Latkes sound absolutely delicious, fried potato patty’s with sour cream…yes please. I learned a lot about Hanukkah and various Jewish traditions, while enjoying this cute story set in Texas during the holiday season.
December 16, 2023
Eight Dates and Nights is a YA contemporary centered around Hanukkah and this was so cute!
The story starts off with Hannah at the airport, she’s from New York but headed to Texas for the winter break to spend time with her grandmother. She isn’t super excited to be spending the winter break there working on the ranch, but she jumps in. She ends up meeting Noah while there, he’s working at his family’s deli in town and she finds out her own dad used to work there when he was younger. Noah tells her the deli is struggling and she wants to help him try and save it, so she takes to social media.
When a freak snowstorm hits Texas, she finds out she’ll be stuck there for Hanukkah and Noah says he’ll show her a fun, Texan Hanukkah since she’s sad about missing out on her NY traditions with her friends and family. He says he’ll prove to her in the 8 nights that Hanukkah can be charming in Texas too.
This was just super cute and I loved the audio. Hannah finds out about her father’s complicated relationship with his late father and why he left town years ago. If you’re in the mood for a YA contemporary, definitely give this one a go!
The story starts off with Hannah at the airport, she’s from New York but headed to Texas for the winter break to spend time with her grandmother. She isn’t super excited to be spending the winter break there working on the ranch, but she jumps in. She ends up meeting Noah while there, he’s working at his family’s deli in town and she finds out her own dad used to work there when he was younger. Noah tells her the deli is struggling and she wants to help him try and save it, so she takes to social media.
When a freak snowstorm hits Texas, she finds out she’ll be stuck there for Hanukkah and Noah says he’ll show her a fun, Texan Hanukkah since she’s sad about missing out on her NY traditions with her friends and family. He says he’ll prove to her in the 8 nights that Hanukkah can be charming in Texas too.
This was just super cute and I loved the audio. Hannah finds out about her father’s complicated relationship with his late father and why he left town years ago. If you’re in the mood for a YA contemporary, definitely give this one a go!
January 23, 2024
thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
⭐️=2 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | 12+
thoughts: the best (and only good) part of this book was its exploration of rural vs urban Jewish culture in the US––interesting stuff I wasn’t even aware of––but it was put into the context of an incredibly cringe-worthy teenage romance that was physically painful to read. every time a contemporary romcom author mentions TikTok or Olivia Rodrigo or has (I wish I was joking) the movement #BagelBae as a large plot element, a piece of me dies inside and I’m so so serious when I say that. like it’s just not a good romance?? the protagonist kept emphasizing “oh, I’m the grumpy one he’s the sunshine one we’re so mismatched and cute” but I’m not seeing any actual evidence of this?? like maybe show your characters’ personality traits, don’t just tell me about them???? and then she said she LOVED HIM after knowing him for LESS THAN A WEEK????? girl??? especially in a she’s grumpy/he’s sunshine romance the girl would NEVER admit she loved a guy first, let alone after four days. this just wasn’t good, but I’m being generous in my rating because the Jewish culture stuff was genuinely interesting.
⭐️=2 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | 12+
thoughts: the best (and only good) part of this book was its exploration of rural vs urban Jewish culture in the US––interesting stuff I wasn’t even aware of––but it was put into the context of an incredibly cringe-worthy teenage romance that was physically painful to read. every time a contemporary romcom author mentions TikTok or Olivia Rodrigo or has (I wish I was joking) the movement #BagelBae as a large plot element, a piece of me dies inside and I’m so so serious when I say that. like it’s just not a good romance?? the protagonist kept emphasizing “oh, I’m the grumpy one he’s the sunshine one we’re so mismatched and cute” but I’m not seeing any actual evidence of this?? like maybe show your characters’ personality traits, don’t just tell me about them???? and then she said she LOVED HIM after knowing him for LESS THAN A WEEK????? girl??? especially in a she’s grumpy/he’s sunshine romance the girl would NEVER admit she loved a guy first, let alone after four days. this just wasn’t good, but I’m being generous in my rating because the Jewish culture stuff was genuinely interesting.
November 26, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
December 12, 2023
Eight Dates and Nights is a cute YA Hanukkah romance.
It was the perfect book to read during Hanukkah.
Hannah travels from NYC to a small town in Texas to visit her grandmother. I really loved Hannah getting to know her grandmother better. The family part of this story was so well done.
I also loved the Jewish deli. And the different things that Noah did to make Hanukkah special. What a delightful book full of amazing Jewish rep.
January 10, 2024
I was trolling so many lists to find Christmas books for the 2023 season, and I randomly came across Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge and thought I would give it a shot. While a little cheesy at times, this was an adorable Jewish YA romance that gave me all the holiday and cozy feels! It is always fun to see a New Yorker in the South, and I loved the bit of culture shock Hannah gets when she winds up in small-town Texas. My favorite part of the entire book might have been her grandma's ranch as well as her grandma who is such a wise and stable character throughout the story.
The audiobook is narrated by Tara Sands who I have listened to quite a bit now, and I really liked the way her voice fit with Hannah's character and the book as a whole. You can really speed through this one because not only is it light and breezy, but it is also just over 6 hours on audio which isn't much if you listen above a 2x speed like me. The pacing moves quickly, and while our FMC doesn't always make the best choices, I still found her and the other characters very lovable. If you want to learn a bit about Hanukkah while enjoying a cute young adult romance, Eight Dates and Nights will fit that bill.
The audiobook is narrated by Tara Sands who I have listened to quite a bit now, and I really liked the way her voice fit with Hannah's character and the book as a whole. You can really speed through this one because not only is it light and breezy, but it is also just over 6 hours on audio which isn't much if you listen above a 2x speed like me. The pacing moves quickly, and while our FMC doesn't always make the best choices, I still found her and the other characters very lovable. If you want to learn a bit about Hanukkah while enjoying a cute young adult romance, Eight Dates and Nights will fit that bill.
November 30, 2023
Cute, short and sweet—a gentle romcom featuring Hanukkah!
December 17, 2023
Oy vey! Jewish New Yorker Hannah Levin hates to kvetch, but she’s really not looking forward to a holiday season outside the creature comforts of the city. Sure, she’s always happy to see her grandmother, but the idea of spending the holidays in the small and mostly Christian town of Rosenberg, Texas isn’t exactly at the top of her holiday to do list.
Then things go from bad to worse when Hannah gets stuck in Texas for longer than anticipated after a snowstorm leaves her stranded. Missing matzah ball soup and fried latkes, Hannah wanders into an old deli that not only contains some of the highly coveted Jewish penicillin, but another anomaly-the only other Jewish teen in town, Noah.
It feels like finding such a hot spot of Kosher concoctions seems too good to be true. Then Noah reveals the deli is struggling to stay afloat. Bonding over bagels and mutual commiseration, the pair make a pact- the social media savvy Hannah will help Noah resuscitate the family business if he, in turn, is a true mensch, helping her get over her feelings of being homesick. A lot can happen in eight days. Can Noah and Hannah each get their Hanukkah miracles, or are they both just truly meshuggeneh?
I decided to give this a listen after looking for an alternative to the typical Christmas stories, but still attempting to keep the festive spirit. Although Jewish traditions were somewhat touched upon, this book didn’t leave any lasting impressions (other than Noah’s narration sounding like an old Jewish man instead of a young, Texan teen).
In a literary land of vast holiday reads, I wouldn’t rush to read this one as this young adult Hanukkah tale, while in theory unique, didn’t really light me up.
Then things go from bad to worse when Hannah gets stuck in Texas for longer than anticipated after a snowstorm leaves her stranded. Missing matzah ball soup and fried latkes, Hannah wanders into an old deli that not only contains some of the highly coveted Jewish penicillin, but another anomaly-the only other Jewish teen in town, Noah.
It feels like finding such a hot spot of Kosher concoctions seems too good to be true. Then Noah reveals the deli is struggling to stay afloat. Bonding over bagels and mutual commiseration, the pair make a pact- the social media savvy Hannah will help Noah resuscitate the family business if he, in turn, is a true mensch, helping her get over her feelings of being homesick. A lot can happen in eight days. Can Noah and Hannah each get their Hanukkah miracles, or are they both just truly meshuggeneh?
I decided to give this a listen after looking for an alternative to the typical Christmas stories, but still attempting to keep the festive spirit. Although Jewish traditions were somewhat touched upon, this book didn’t leave any lasting impressions (other than Noah’s narration sounding like an old Jewish man instead of a young, Texan teen).
In a literary land of vast holiday reads, I wouldn’t rush to read this one as this young adult Hanukkah tale, while in theory unique, didn’t really light me up.
December 17, 2023
*3.5 Stars* for a Texan Hanukkah!
October 3, 2023
This was too CUTE and full of hope, heart, and history. I loved the message of opening your heart and mind to new possibilities, and discovering community and belonging in unlikely places.
Hannah and Noah were adorable 🥰 Even though their relationship veered a bit into insta love territory, I found their chemistry more believable because it was centered around a shared history rather than a brief moment of attraction. I loved how Noah sought to gently nudge Hannah into broadening her mindset when it came to holiday celebrations - helping Hannah preserve her family’s traditions, while making the most of being somewhere unfamiliar for Hanukkah, welcoming her into his family and local community, and sharing light and love with strangers who quickly became friends.
While a smidge predictable, the ending was very sweet and full of warm fuzzies that made my heart happy. This grumpy sunshine YA romance was tender, the humor heartfelt and without being cheesy, and the themes of faith, family, and friendship were beautifully written.
Hannah and Noah were adorable 🥰 Even though their relationship veered a bit into insta love territory, I found their chemistry more believable because it was centered around a shared history rather than a brief moment of attraction. I loved how Noah sought to gently nudge Hannah into broadening her mindset when it came to holiday celebrations - helping Hannah preserve her family’s traditions, while making the most of being somewhere unfamiliar for Hanukkah, welcoming her into his family and local community, and sharing light and love with strangers who quickly became friends.
While a smidge predictable, the ending was very sweet and full of warm fuzzies that made my heart happy. This grumpy sunshine YA romance was tender, the humor heartfelt and without being cheesy, and the themes of faith, family, and friendship were beautifully written.
December 2, 2023
3.5⭐️
This was a cute, fun and festive YA romance. It was a quick and easy read and I liked the discussions about family and holiday traditions.
I think the romance felt a bit rushed to me. This book happened over such a short period of time and I had a hard time believing that the connection between the two main characters could really get that deep.
This was still an enjoyable read overall and I liked getting to learn more about Hanukkah. It’s great that there are more stories being written for the holidays that feature celebrations beyond Christmas.
This was a cute, fun and festive YA romance. It was a quick and easy read and I liked the discussions about family and holiday traditions.
I think the romance felt a bit rushed to me. This book happened over such a short period of time and I had a hard time believing that the connection between the two main characters could really get that deep.
This was still an enjoyable read overall and I liked getting to learn more about Hanukkah. It’s great that there are more stories being written for the holidays that feature celebrations beyond Christmas.
November 24, 2023
Such a cute read. And it’s a fast read too, which makes it a perfect read for a cold winter night. I also loved how it was truly a book about Hanukkah. A lot of times, especially YA, books focusing on Hanukkah still get overshadowed by Christmas.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
December 21, 2024
This was a cute, sappy, hallmark-esque book. I would actually love to see this in movie form. It was a quick and enjoyable holiday read. I loved how it shared the struggles of Jews who don’t live in big cities and how resourceful they are with celebrating their Judaism. I did find it weird that it was high schoolers as the main characters and love interests. Feels like it would’ve been better as college kids or adults.
March 11, 2024
SO GOOD!!!!
Noah can marry me rn because he is........
It was a black cat girl and golden retriever boy and I love LOVE LOVEEEED it so much. I kinda want a sequel...
Noah can marry me rn because he is........
It was a black cat girl and golden retriever boy and I love LOVE LOVEEEED it so much. I kinda want a sequel...
October 3, 2023
Eight Dates and Nights
by Betsy Aldredge is a great contemporary and festive YA romance that I enjoyed.
Hannah and Noah are just great together. I really, really enjoyed this YA romance that incorporated the opposites attract concept. I know this is geared towards the YA age group, but by golly anyone of any age can be excited about an adorable, sweet, heartfelt, Hallmark-type holiday romance. This book has meaning, positive lessons, sweet and heartwarming moments full of family, friends, and learning to open up one’s heart and mind to new possibilities.
Having both kids meet in a small-town Texas backdrop, really added to the growth of Hannah’s character, and it was nice to see both MC learn more about themselves and their place within their families and in the world…all the while experiencing life, romance, and reality. I also liked the positive messages added in about respect, hard work, perseverance, accepting when you have made mistakes, and that maybe, just maybe tossing away some of this rigid plans and offering up a bit of vulnerability, really can make a difference.
I also loved the incorporation of Hanukkah and the religious and cultural themes within the book. It balanced perfectly with the dry wit, sarcasm, and lol one-liners that were presented within the narrative. This nice balance really added to the authenticity and positive messages that made this book the gem that it is. This could totally be turned into a TV movie.
Very cute and sweet.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Random House Children's, Underlined for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/3/23.
Merged review:
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge is a great contemporary and festive YA romance that I enjoyed. Hannah and Noah are just great together. I really, really enjoyed this YA romance that incorporated the opposites attract concept. I know this is geared towards the YA age group, but by golly anyone of any age can be excited about an adorable, sweet, heartfelt, Hallmark-type holiday romance.
This book has meaning, positive lessons, sweet and heartwarming moments full of family, friends, and learning to open up one’s heart and mind to new possibilities. Having both kids meet in a small-town Texas backdrop, really added to the growth of Hannah’s character, and it was nice to see both MC learn more about themselves and their place within their families and in the world…all the while experiencing life, romance, and reality. I also liked the positive messages added in about respect, hard work, perseverance, accepting when you have made mistakes, and that maybe, just maybe tossing away some of this rigid plans and offering up a bit of vulnerability, really can make a difference.
I also loved the incorporation of Hanukkah and the religious and cultural themes within the book. It balanced perfectly with the dry wit, sarcasm, and lol one-liners that were presented within the narrative. This nice balance really added to the authenticity and positive messages that made this book the gem that it is.
This could totally be turned into a TV movie. Very cute and sweet.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Random House Children's, Underlined for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/3/23.
by Betsy Aldredge is a great contemporary and festive YA romance that I enjoyed.
Hannah and Noah are just great together. I really, really enjoyed this YA romance that incorporated the opposites attract concept. I know this is geared towards the YA age group, but by golly anyone of any age can be excited about an adorable, sweet, heartfelt, Hallmark-type holiday romance. This book has meaning, positive lessons, sweet and heartwarming moments full of family, friends, and learning to open up one’s heart and mind to new possibilities.
Having both kids meet in a small-town Texas backdrop, really added to the growth of Hannah’s character, and it was nice to see both MC learn more about themselves and their place within their families and in the world…all the while experiencing life, romance, and reality. I also liked the positive messages added in about respect, hard work, perseverance, accepting when you have made mistakes, and that maybe, just maybe tossing away some of this rigid plans and offering up a bit of vulnerability, really can make a difference.
I also loved the incorporation of Hanukkah and the religious and cultural themes within the book. It balanced perfectly with the dry wit, sarcasm, and lol one-liners that were presented within the narrative. This nice balance really added to the authenticity and positive messages that made this book the gem that it is. This could totally be turned into a TV movie.
Very cute and sweet.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Random House Children's, Underlined for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/3/23.
Merged review:
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge is a great contemporary and festive YA romance that I enjoyed. Hannah and Noah are just great together. I really, really enjoyed this YA romance that incorporated the opposites attract concept. I know this is geared towards the YA age group, but by golly anyone of any age can be excited about an adorable, sweet, heartfelt, Hallmark-type holiday romance.
This book has meaning, positive lessons, sweet and heartwarming moments full of family, friends, and learning to open up one’s heart and mind to new possibilities. Having both kids meet in a small-town Texas backdrop, really added to the growth of Hannah’s character, and it was nice to see both MC learn more about themselves and their place within their families and in the world…all the while experiencing life, romance, and reality. I also liked the positive messages added in about respect, hard work, perseverance, accepting when you have made mistakes, and that maybe, just maybe tossing away some of this rigid plans and offering up a bit of vulnerability, really can make a difference.
I also loved the incorporation of Hanukkah and the religious and cultural themes within the book. It balanced perfectly with the dry wit, sarcasm, and lol one-liners that were presented within the narrative. This nice balance really added to the authenticity and positive messages that made this book the gem that it is.
This could totally be turned into a TV movie. Very cute and sweet.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Random House Children's, Underlined for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/3/23.
September 28, 2023
First things first, thank you to #NetGalley and Penguin Random House - Underlined for allowing me to read this arc!
This book was honestly so cheesy and cute that words cannot describe it. I honestly wish there were more books and movies (!!!) that surround Hanukkah and some not all Jewish holidays. If there's a Christmas/Valentine's Day/Thanksgiving, etc. book why can't we try for more Jewish representation!
I think the thing I loved the most about this book is Hannah. Hannah right off the bat describes her family dynamic with Judaism, her grandmother (who she is visiting in a small town in Texas) wasn't Jewish, her husband was, but were not that religious so Hannah's father's up bring wasn't that strict. Her mother on the other hand grew up more Conservative. Hannah having grown up in NYC has been surrounded her whole life to this religion and coming to her grandmother's small town is like a big 180 for her. I felt it was very important for this to be brought up because while you may consider yourself Jewish there are so many ways, especially now, on how you interpret it. I personally know that.
You now have Noah who helps run the only Jewish deli in town that has been in his family for generations. He tries to bring spark to Hanukkah, HE EVEN HAS A RABBI GNOME SO CUTE!
Being stuck in this small town with very little Jewish representation Noah tries to spread the Hanukkah spirit, yes you called it, for 8 nights for Hannah. Personally each night getting better than the next.
So thank you again #NetGalley and Penguin Random House - Underlined for allowing me to read this wonderful book! This is definitely a must if you are into holiday rom-coms and you don't need to be Jewish to get it! Shalom, y'all! 👋🏻
This book was honestly so cheesy and cute that words cannot describe it. I honestly wish there were more books and movies (!!!) that surround Hanukkah and some not all Jewish holidays. If there's a Christmas/Valentine's Day/Thanksgiving, etc. book why can't we try for more Jewish representation!
I think the thing I loved the most about this book is Hannah. Hannah right off the bat describes her family dynamic with Judaism, her grandmother (who she is visiting in a small town in Texas) wasn't Jewish, her husband was, but were not that religious so Hannah's father's up bring wasn't that strict. Her mother on the other hand grew up more Conservative. Hannah having grown up in NYC has been surrounded her whole life to this religion and coming to her grandmother's small town is like a big 180 for her. I felt it was very important for this to be brought up because while you may consider yourself Jewish there are so many ways, especially now, on how you interpret it. I personally know that.
You now have Noah who helps run the only Jewish deli in town that has been in his family for generations. He tries to bring spark to Hanukkah, HE EVEN HAS A RABBI GNOME SO CUTE!
Being stuck in this small town with very little Jewish representation Noah tries to spread the Hanukkah spirit, yes you called it, for 8 nights for Hannah. Personally each night getting better than the next.
So thank you again #NetGalley and Penguin Random House - Underlined for allowing me to read this wonderful book! This is definitely a must if you are into holiday rom-coms and you don't need to be Jewish to get it! Shalom, y'all! 👋🏻
December 27, 2024
This. Was. Adorable. I'm feeling oh so warm and fuzzy inside. 🥰
As someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, I admit that I always feel a little grinchy around the holiday season. 😅 My family doesn't do much for Hanukkah either, but it's a holiday I love even if I haven't celebrated it properly yet. This was such a cute read to cheer me up during a conflicting time of year, and I especially loved learning about the various traditions I'm not totally familiar with and all the descriptions of yummy Jewish food. I really am going to have to make some latkes and sufganiyot and maybe even some challah this week. 🤪
Hannah and Noah were adorable, and I'm happy to say the book was completely clean except for maybe one or two slightly crude jokes.
Also, bonus points for the mention of kolache. No, Texans do not get Czech kolache right (SAUSAGE IN A KOLACH IS AN ABOMINATION), but they make a good effort and I love to see the same in a book. 😂
5 stars and a pile of gelt to this wonderful read 😊😂
As someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, I admit that I always feel a little grinchy around the holiday season. 😅 My family doesn't do much for Hanukkah either, but it's a holiday I love even if I haven't celebrated it properly yet. This was such a cute read to cheer me up during a conflicting time of year, and I especially loved learning about the various traditions I'm not totally familiar with and all the descriptions of yummy Jewish food. I really am going to have to make some latkes and sufganiyot and maybe even some challah this week. 🤪
Hannah and Noah were adorable, and I'm happy to say the book was completely clean except for maybe one or two slightly crude jokes.
Also, bonus points for the mention of kolache. No, Texans do not get Czech kolache right (SAUSAGE IN A KOLACH IS AN ABOMINATION), but they make a good effort and I love to see the same in a book. 😂
5 stars and a pile of gelt to this wonderful read 😊😂
December 10, 2023
This was such a cute book to read during Chanukah. It had Hallmark vibes, a coming of age theme, and explores one’s relationship with their community / family.
One of my favorite parts in the book was Noah taking Hannah on a date for each night of Chanukah since she gets stuck in Texas and cannot return home to New York. I also enjoyed that the story doesn’t force these teens to grow up too fast and they take their relationship one step at a time and we see it grow from the beginning. Noah’s commitment to his Jewish identity and community differed with Hannah’s own experiences and showed that even with similar beliefs we express and celebrate in our own ways.
One of my favorite parts in the book was Noah taking Hannah on a date for each night of Chanukah since she gets stuck in Texas and cannot return home to New York. I also enjoyed that the story doesn’t force these teens to grow up too fast and they take their relationship one step at a time and we see it grow from the beginning. Noah’s commitment to his Jewish identity and community differed with Hannah’s own experiences and showed that even with similar beliefs we express and celebrate in our own ways.
December 3, 2023
This was a fun and festive YA holiday romance.
January 3, 2025
I found this book from libby’s holiday collection. it has a cute cover, it was short, lighthearted romance, perfect to help me complete my reading goal (I didn’t). and the story takes place in texas! my home state! the stars had aligned!
unfortunately this book was far far farrrrrrrr from perfect and it had very few redeeming qualities. hannah levin is a brat and not in neon green kind; she’s selfish, mean, and unfunny which is probably the worst crime of them all. it’s obvious that betsy was going for a grumpy / sunshine romance and as much as I love women in male dominated fields, she just doesn’t pull off grumpy well. does she have a good reason to be mad? absolutely! who the hell wants to spend the holidays away from their friends and family and in a place with no wifi? but the way she’s written just comes off like a petulant toddler refusing to cooperate. she’s also not very smart and by that I mean, zero (0) common sense. it’s only a few inches of snow, why does everything have to close down? 😱 bitch you’re in texas, why do you THINK? this would’ve been forgiveable if she was like 8 but at this point in the book she’s 18, about to go to college AND her dad grew up in texas. there’s no way he never told her how it was hard to get used to all the snow in new york or whatever. and again, common sense??? why would a warm state be prepared to have any snow???? her dad graduated from ut and rice, the two most prestigious schools in texas but she got none of the smarts. and another thing, her mom’s a theater director but she only knows idina menzel from frozen? really? wicked and rent don’t exist in this universe? I could forgive either of these grievances if her parents were absent from her life BUT THE WHOLE STORY hinges on the fact that they are a very close family so it just doesn’t make sense!!!!
she’s also SO mean to noah for literally no reason. I get it, you’re mad about being in fuckass nowhere for the holidays and you want to take it out on someone. but in that case, just don’t spend time with them?? she puts him down so much in this book and never properly apologizes for it, it’s ridiculous! I can understand her not being on the same wavelength when it comes to how they celebrate hanukkah but saying noah’s approaches are ridiculous? his grandma died and he’s trying to cheer up his grandpa! have some fucking empathy. another time she’s unnecessarily mean, they’re doing toasts for whatever reason and she decides to give him a backhanded compliment because he hasn’t done enough to show her the magic of hanukkah. at this point he’s already gotten a bunch of kindergarteners to sing “I have a little dreidel” at their winter concert, had those same kids spell out “happy hanukkah han” at said concert AND made you a sweater with your fabric preferences in mind. if that’s not enough, fine but you don’t have to be mean about it!
on top of being awful to noah, she also has zero regards to his feelings / approach in life. why doesn’t he want to leave rosenblum? why does he only want to run a bagel shop? why doesn’t he have his 4 year plan mapped out? why is he upset that I’m posting him on tiktok? I have so many bones to pick with how she’s trying to “help” the bagel shop but it all boils down to her being self centered. everything has to go her way, how she planned it. god forbid she thinks about how her actions affect other people.
I honestly wish I could say noah was this book’s saving grace but that would be A LIE. he’s such a sweetheart, probably the best love interest I’ve read about in 2024 but it was to a fault. honestly he felt like a fucking doormat at times. hannah would just say whatever she wanted and he’d take it! he was mad at her a couple of times but he’d still give her a kiss and act like everything’s okay. even after their big “fight”, if you can even call it that, the whole time he’s not speaking to her, he’s planning a big celebration and getting her friends and family to come to texas like ?? sweet guy, deserved sooo much better than hannah.
some other complaints I have before moving on to what I actually did like, the references to social media were sooo forced and awkward. when I picture betsy writing hannah sending her friends a snap or posting #bagelbae 🤢 on tiktok, I imagine amy poehler in mean girls. I fear this woman’s only knowledge of gen z is from watching tiktok compilations on facebook. worst offenses are tied for mentioning the corn audio and “you guys are being so sus”. hannah’s friends, whose names I can’t be bothered to remember, have zero personality. the storyline about her dad and grandpa becoming estranged wasn’t woven in very well, but even then it was a much better story than whatever the hell was going on with her and noah. while we’re talking about their relationship, falling in love in 3 DAYS is insane behavior. you’ve barely scratched the surface and you want to say I love you?? WHAT??? the worst part of all is the mentions of israel 🫥 like we’re really just going to gloss over all the atrocities they’ve committed because they have donuts and sesame street. fuck israel, fuck you betsy aldredge, and fuck the publishers for letting that shit slide.
really the only good parts of this book were noah (even if he was annoyingly down bad for someone so mean) and the family drama b plot. would’ve loved more focus on the latter but 🤷🏽♀️ I also did enjoy learning about jewish customs, unfortunately that did come at the cost of the main characters being zionists so. 2 stars and one last fuck you betsy 🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽
unfortunately this book was far far farrrrrrrr from perfect and it had very few redeeming qualities. hannah levin is a brat and not in neon green kind; she’s selfish, mean, and unfunny which is probably the worst crime of them all. it’s obvious that betsy was going for a grumpy / sunshine romance and as much as I love women in male dominated fields, she just doesn’t pull off grumpy well. does she have a good reason to be mad? absolutely! who the hell wants to spend the holidays away from their friends and family and in a place with no wifi? but the way she’s written just comes off like a petulant toddler refusing to cooperate. she’s also not very smart and by that I mean, zero (0) common sense. it’s only a few inches of snow, why does everything have to close down? 😱 bitch you’re in texas, why do you THINK? this would’ve been forgiveable if she was like 8 but at this point in the book she’s 18, about to go to college AND her dad grew up in texas. there’s no way he never told her how it was hard to get used to all the snow in new york or whatever. and again, common sense??? why would a warm state be prepared to have any snow???? her dad graduated from ut and rice, the two most prestigious schools in texas but she got none of the smarts. and another thing, her mom’s a theater director but she only knows idina menzel from frozen? really? wicked and rent don’t exist in this universe? I could forgive either of these grievances if her parents were absent from her life BUT THE WHOLE STORY hinges on the fact that they are a very close family so it just doesn’t make sense!!!!
she’s also SO mean to noah for literally no reason. I get it, you’re mad about being in fuckass nowhere for the holidays and you want to take it out on someone. but in that case, just don’t spend time with them?? she puts him down so much in this book and never properly apologizes for it, it’s ridiculous! I can understand her not being on the same wavelength when it comes to how they celebrate hanukkah but saying noah’s approaches are ridiculous? his grandma died and he’s trying to cheer up his grandpa! have some fucking empathy. another time she’s unnecessarily mean, they’re doing toasts for whatever reason and she decides to give him a backhanded compliment because he hasn’t done enough to show her the magic of hanukkah. at this point he’s already gotten a bunch of kindergarteners to sing “I have a little dreidel” at their winter concert, had those same kids spell out “happy hanukkah han” at said concert AND made you a sweater with your fabric preferences in mind. if that’s not enough, fine but you don’t have to be mean about it!
on top of being awful to noah, she also has zero regards to his feelings / approach in life. why doesn’t he want to leave rosenblum? why does he only want to run a bagel shop? why doesn’t he have his 4 year plan mapped out? why is he upset that I’m posting him on tiktok? I have so many bones to pick with how she’s trying to “help” the bagel shop but it all boils down to her being self centered. everything has to go her way, how she planned it. god forbid she thinks about how her actions affect other people.
I honestly wish I could say noah was this book’s saving grace but that would be A LIE. he’s such a sweetheart, probably the best love interest I’ve read about in 2024 but it was to a fault. honestly he felt like a fucking doormat at times. hannah would just say whatever she wanted and he’d take it! he was mad at her a couple of times but he’d still give her a kiss and act like everything’s okay. even after their big “fight”, if you can even call it that, the whole time he’s not speaking to her, he’s planning a big celebration and getting her friends and family to come to texas like ?? sweet guy, deserved sooo much better than hannah.
some other complaints I have before moving on to what I actually did like, the references to social media were sooo forced and awkward. when I picture betsy writing hannah sending her friends a snap or posting #bagelbae 🤢 on tiktok, I imagine amy poehler in mean girls. I fear this woman’s only knowledge of gen z is from watching tiktok compilations on facebook. worst offenses are tied for mentioning the corn audio and “you guys are being so sus”. hannah’s friends, whose names I can’t be bothered to remember, have zero personality. the storyline about her dad and grandpa becoming estranged wasn’t woven in very well, but even then it was a much better story than whatever the hell was going on with her and noah. while we’re talking about their relationship, falling in love in 3 DAYS is insane behavior. you’ve barely scratched the surface and you want to say I love you?? WHAT??? the worst part of all is the mentions of israel 🫥 like we’re really just going to gloss over all the atrocities they’ve committed because they have donuts and sesame street. fuck israel, fuck you betsy aldredge, and fuck the publishers for letting that shit slide.
really the only good parts of this book were noah (even if he was annoyingly down bad for someone so mean) and the family drama b plot. would’ve loved more focus on the latter but 🤷🏽♀️ I also did enjoy learning about jewish customs, unfortunately that did come at the cost of the main characters being zionists so. 2 stars and one last fuck you betsy 🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽
August 25, 2025
I don't know where to start, so I guess I'll just jump right in.
The premise is that the main character, Hannah's, dad doesn't get along with his mother. However, every year someone must visit her before Christmas/Hanukkah. So instead of going himself, he sends his 17 year old daughter out to the middle of nowhere Texas to do it all by herself. They send their allergic to horses daughter alone to visit her rancher grandma, and then are surprised when she doesn't like working with horses. Now, granted, it's mostly her brother telling her to get to know the horses and enjoy spending time with their grandma who won't be around much longer, as he went last year and I guess came to love it, but then...why didn't he go himself? None of them want to do it, but are surprised when she treats it like the chore they're all making it out to be.
Then there's a freak snowstorm, trapping her there, yadda yadda, so she has to spend Hanukkah away from her family. Her mom tells her that she sent Josh, Hannah's brother, his presents to him in college already, but didn't think to send her presents with her because they thought she'd be home already. And I'm like...why didn't you just go WITH her??
Okay, and then the thing that dropped this from a two star rating to a one star (or a 1.5 rounded down, if I'm feeling generous). Her parents and brother do come visit her towards the end of the book (no im not giving them any points for this since it took a random stranger in Texas a whole slideshow argument to convince them). However, she was supposed to fly home, two days before they arrive, but it turns out they had been planning this since BEFORE her canceled flight. SO WHY DID THEY SCHEDULE A FLIGHT FOR HER IF THEY WERE GOING TO DRIVE DOWN TO TEXAS?! What if she didn't ditch the flight on purpose and the weather stayed good?? Oops there goes all their hard work down the drain. It's not like she was a part of looking for flights so they had to book her that one so she wouldn't get suspicious. I don't understand 😭
And finally, this book has the worst case of insta-love I've ever seen. She's second guessing all of her college plans and leaving her two friends in New York out to dry by skipping going to the same college they all got into, and instead stay with the guy she's known for like three days. There's so much more but how could she just...immediately lose interest in her friends once there was a cute guy around?? Inexcusable.
The premise is that the main character, Hannah's, dad doesn't get along with his mother. However, every year someone must visit her before Christmas/Hanukkah. So instead of going himself, he sends his 17 year old daughter out to the middle of nowhere Texas to do it all by herself. They send their allergic to horses daughter alone to visit her rancher grandma, and then are surprised when she doesn't like working with horses. Now, granted, it's mostly her brother telling her to get to know the horses and enjoy spending time with their grandma who won't be around much longer, as he went last year and I guess came to love it, but then...why didn't he go himself? None of them want to do it, but are surprised when she treats it like the chore they're all making it out to be.
Then there's a freak snowstorm, trapping her there, yadda yadda, so she has to spend Hanukkah away from her family. Her mom tells her that she sent Josh, Hannah's brother, his presents to him in college already, but didn't think to send her presents with her because they thought she'd be home already. And I'm like...why didn't you just go WITH her??
Okay, and then the thing that dropped this from a two star rating to a one star (or a 1.5 rounded down, if I'm feeling generous). Her parents and brother do come visit her towards the end of the book (no im not giving them any points for this since it took a random stranger in Texas a whole slideshow argument to convince them). However, she was supposed to fly home, two days before they arrive, but it turns out they had been planning this since BEFORE her canceled flight. SO WHY DID THEY SCHEDULE A FLIGHT FOR HER IF THEY WERE GOING TO DRIVE DOWN TO TEXAS?! What if she didn't ditch the flight on purpose and the weather stayed good?? Oops there goes all their hard work down the drain. It's not like she was a part of looking for flights so they had to book her that one so she wouldn't get suspicious. I don't understand 😭
And finally, this book has the worst case of insta-love I've ever seen. She's second guessing all of her college plans and leaving her two friends in New York out to dry by skipping going to the same college they all got into, and instead stay with the guy she's known for like three days. There's so much more but how could she just...immediately lose interest in her friends once there was a cute guy around?? Inexcusable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
This was a charming reverse grumpy/sunshine YA holiday romance between two Jewish teens spending Hanukkah in a small Texas town. Guilted into visiting her grandmother for the holidays, New Yorker Hannah resents missing out on time with her friends and family back in the city, only to find herself stranded when a freak snow storm hits.
Luckily, local boy, Noah is all too happy to volunteer to be her guide and goes above and beyond to make her have a great Hannukah, taking Hannah on a series of Jewish themed dates full of latkes and family history (both his and hers).
Good on audio narrated by Tara Sands and perfect for fans of authors like Rachel Lynn Solomon, Dahlia Adler or Hannah Reynolds. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
This was a charming reverse grumpy/sunshine YA holiday romance between two Jewish teens spending Hanukkah in a small Texas town. Guilted into visiting her grandmother for the holidays, New Yorker Hannah resents missing out on time with her friends and family back in the city, only to find herself stranded when a freak snow storm hits.
Luckily, local boy, Noah is all too happy to volunteer to be her guide and goes above and beyond to make her have a great Hannukah, taking Hannah on a series of Jewish themed dates full of latkes and family history (both his and hers).
Good on audio narrated by Tara Sands and perfect for fans of authors like Rachel Lynn Solomon, Dahlia Adler or Hannah Reynolds. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
January 2, 2025
Ok this was super cute! A quick read filled with a lot of Jewish culture and tradition, which I loved. The author did a great job utilizing Yiddish while simultaneously explaining the words to readers who might not be familiar.
Hannah and Noah definitely had a grumpy X sunshine dynamic going on and it totally worked for them. I loved their banter. Yes there was an insta-love element to this book, but they’re kids. That’s how it genuinely feels sometimes when you’re 17 lol.
Hannah and Noah definitely had a grumpy X sunshine dynamic going on and it totally worked for them. I loved their banter. Yes there was an insta-love element to this book, but they’re kids. That’s how it genuinely feels sometimes when you’re 17 lol.
December 20, 2024
it was like the author had a list of random jewish terms that she wanted to add in throughout the book and then just checked them off as she went. like mad libs. would be 2 stars but love to see some jewish representation so 3!
December 24, 2024
i’m sorry harper. i truly am. but holy shit. the girl was annoying. i can’t even remember her name. noah was far too much of a golden retriever for her. she was just quite frankly annoying and not funny at all. and this was far too insta lovey. i’m sorry.
January 28, 2024
Yet another adorable YA Jewish book I wish I had growing up that probably would've done a lot of good things for my brain
January 28, 2024
A fun, easy to read YA romance that taught me more about Hanukkah.
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