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The Matzo Ballers: A Hanukkah Romance Anthology
Eight nights. Four love stories. One unforgettable cruise.From authors Jessica Topper and Amanda Usen comes a sparkling collection of contemporary Hanukkah romances celebrating love, laughter, and latkes in equal measure.
Meet the Matzo Ballers—a tight-knit crew of friends who reunite every Hanukkah for the ultimate party cruise around Manhattan. Between menorahs and mishegas, these eight friends prove that when it comes to love, miracles really do happen.
This box set includes four complete novels from the Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance Series. Warm, witty, and wildly entertaining, each book can be read as a standalone. However, they are best enjoyed in pairs! Each duet is spoiler-free, takes place simultaneously, and can be read in either order.
THE HANUKKAH HOOK-UP - by Jessica Topper - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #1A workaholic ready to break the rules. A nice Jewish boy hiding a big secret. One night on the Matzo Baller that changes everything.THE DREIDEL DO-OVER - by Amanda Usen - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #2A frazzled chef, a reluctant bartender, and a game of strip dreidel that rekindles an old friendship—and ignites a new flame.THE MENORAH MATCHMAKER - by Amanda Usen - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #3A perfectionist planner who swore off office romance. A charming boss who loves to test her limits. When the sparks start flying, even her Bubbe’s matchmaking can’t compete.THE RUGELACH ROAD TRIP - by Jessica Topper - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #4A stranded rock star. A driven artist. Three days, one blinking oil light, and a mad dash to make it home for Hanukkah—and maybe find love along the way. From workplace mischief to road-trip hijinks, mistaken identities to matchmaker meddling, The Matzo A Hanukkah Romance Anthology is perfect for fans of holiday rom-coms, found family, and sweet-and-spicy love stories.
Light the candles, pour the wine, and fall in love—one cruise at a time.
Meet the Matzo Ballers—a tight-knit crew of friends who reunite every Hanukkah for the ultimate party cruise around Manhattan. Between menorahs and mishegas, these eight friends prove that when it comes to love, miracles really do happen.
This box set includes four complete novels from the Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance Series. Warm, witty, and wildly entertaining, each book can be read as a standalone. However, they are best enjoyed in pairs! Each duet is spoiler-free, takes place simultaneously, and can be read in either order.
THE HANUKKAH HOOK-UP - by Jessica Topper - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #1A workaholic ready to break the rules. A nice Jewish boy hiding a big secret. One night on the Matzo Baller that changes everything.THE DREIDEL DO-OVER - by Amanda Usen - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #2A frazzled chef, a reluctant bartender, and a game of strip dreidel that rekindles an old friendship—and ignites a new flame.THE MENORAH MATCHMAKER - by Amanda Usen - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #3A perfectionist planner who swore off office romance. A charming boss who loves to test her limits. When the sparks start flying, even her Bubbe’s matchmaking can’t compete.THE RUGELACH ROAD TRIP - by Jessica Topper - Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance #4A stranded rock star. A driven artist. Three days, one blinking oil light, and a mad dash to make it home for Hanukkah—and maybe find love along the way. From workplace mischief to road-trip hijinks, mistaken identities to matchmaker meddling, The Matzo A Hanukkah Romance Anthology is perfect for fans of holiday rom-coms, found family, and sweet-and-spicy love stories.
Light the candles, pour the wine, and fall in love—one cruise at a time.
- GenresRomantic Comedy
737 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2025
33 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Topper
14 books278 followersRock. Write. Repeat.
Jessica Topper broke the rock romance mold with her 2013 debut novel LOUDER THAN LOVE. Her follow-up romantic comedy, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS, was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2015.
After working almost two decades in the music industry, Jessica hung up her touring boots in order to concentrate on her writing. She lives in Western New York with two cats who love to walk across her keyboard, a teenage writer girl and a husband who wishes to remain anonymous. You can visit her at www.jessicatopper.com.
Jessica is the author of two series:
LOVE & STEEL
(Louder Than Love, Deeper Than Dreams, Softer Than Steel – NEW EDITIONS COMING SOON)
MUCH “I DO” ABOUT NOTHING
(Dictatorship of the Dress – January 2015, Courtship of the Cake – June 2015) from Berkley/Penguin RandomHouse.
Jessica Topper broke the rock romance mold with her 2013 debut novel LOUDER THAN LOVE. Her follow-up romantic comedy, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS, was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2015.
After working almost two decades in the music industry, Jessica hung up her touring boots in order to concentrate on her writing. She lives in Western New York with two cats who love to walk across her keyboard, a teenage writer girl and a husband who wishes to remain anonymous. You can visit her at www.jessicatopper.com.
Jessica is the author of two series:
LOVE & STEEL
(Louder Than Love, Deeper Than Dreams, Softer Than Steel – NEW EDITIONS COMING SOON)
MUCH “I DO” ABOUT NOTHING
(Dictatorship of the Dress – January 2015, Courtship of the Cake – June 2015) from Berkley/Penguin RandomHouse.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 5, 2025
I flat out LOVE The Matzo Ballers: A Hanukkah Romance Anthology by Jessica Topper and Amanda Usen. This series focuses on a group of eight friends (fondly self named The Jew Crew) who met while working on a kibbutz in Israel. While they’ve grown, they’ve remained close and the majority of them make it back to NYC for the annual Matzo Ballers cruise famously hosted by Jay who had the idea to use Hanukkah as a time to raise money for a worthy charity.
Over the years, the Baller has changed and grown by leaps and bounds and draws a pretty impressive crowd including A list celebrities.
This anthology contains the first 4 books in this series with two more coming out in 2025 and then the last two in 2026; it has become a fast favorite holiday series of mine and one I enjoy re-reading.
Every year on the Baller cruise is filled with crazy shenanigans, fantastic food (that one day I’d love to try), the spirit of the season, light, giving unto others, and most of all love.
Both authors write compelling stories as two people find each other while celebrating the season and begin to fall in love. There is so much joy in these books and I highly recommend this series to anyone. As a non Jewish person, I have loved learning more about their faith, their commitment to service, and I am happy to celebrate with them.
Over the years, the Baller has changed and grown by leaps and bounds and draws a pretty impressive crowd including A list celebrities.
This anthology contains the first 4 books in this series with two more coming out in 2025 and then the last two in 2026; it has become a fast favorite holiday series of mine and one I enjoy re-reading.
Every year on the Baller cruise is filled with crazy shenanigans, fantastic food (that one day I’d love to try), the spirit of the season, light, giving unto others, and most of all love.
Both authors write compelling stories as two people find each other while celebrating the season and begin to fall in love. There is so much joy in these books and I highly recommend this series to anyone. As a non Jewish person, I have loved learning more about their faith, their commitment to service, and I am happy to celebrate with them.
December 10, 2025
This is the first 4 stories in Jessica Topper’s and Amanda Usen’s Matzo Baller series. Nora, Talia, Jay, Avi, Sylvie, Libby, Eli, and Jonah took a gap year trip, stayed on a Kibbutz in Israel, and became each other’s found family.
The stories in this anthology focus on Nora, Talia, Jay, and Avi as they journey to finding true love around Hanukkah as they gather on the Matzo Baller, a Hanukkah day cruise run by Jay.
The dialogue between the couples in the making and the friendship between the original eight felt so genuine and relatable. I look forward to reading about the next four friends and their relationships in the next books in the series. It’s always nice to read a Hanukkah story in the midst of all the Christmas celebrations.
The stories in this anthology focus on Nora, Talia, Jay, and Avi as they journey to finding true love around Hanukkah as they gather on the Matzo Baller, a Hanukkah day cruise run by Jay.
The dialogue between the couples in the making and the friendship between the original eight felt so genuine and relatable. I look forward to reading about the next four friends and their relationships in the next books in the series. It’s always nice to read a Hanukkah story in the midst of all the Christmas celebrations.
December 21, 2025
Jewish Holiday Romance
I loved this series. Reading it during Hanukkah made it more special. While most of the characters were far from average, willing suspension of disbelief gave me great Jewish joy!
I loved this series. Reading it during Hanukkah made it more special. While most of the characters were far from average, willing suspension of disbelief gave me great Jewish joy!
December 13, 2025
Perfect treat for Hanukkah. Loved all the characters but avi’s story was my favorite. Only thing that was off was the illustrations they all looked nothing like I pictured the characters.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews