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Eight Ways to Say I Love You
Not yet published
Expected 27 Oct 26A spark of attraction burns brighter each year between childhood friends in this sweeping Hanukkah romance by USA Today bestselling author Amanda Elliot.
This Hanukkah, Shira Levinson is returning home to New Jersey riding the high of achieving major milestones. Though she only just graduated from college, she's got her dream job and a perfect Los Angeles apartment—an actual miracle in the city of dreams.
Life has not been quite as kind to Leo David. Not only did he fail out of college, he was forced to move in with his estranged dad, who he still hates for cheating on his mom years ago. The only silver lining? Getting to see Shira, his childhood friend (and crush, though he’ll never tell her that) while she’s home for her family's holiday party.
But that's just the beginning. Over the next eight years, Shira's and Leo's lives spin them in all sorts of directions as they grow and change, taking them places they never imagined going. Sometimes those paths take them farther away from each other, and other times closer together. If they can only time it right, they might uncover a love that burns forever.
This Hanukkah, Shira Levinson is returning home to New Jersey riding the high of achieving major milestones. Though she only just graduated from college, she's got her dream job and a perfect Los Angeles apartment—an actual miracle in the city of dreams.
Life has not been quite as kind to Leo David. Not only did he fail out of college, he was forced to move in with his estranged dad, who he still hates for cheating on his mom years ago. The only silver lining? Getting to see Shira, his childhood friend (and crush, though he’ll never tell her that) while she’s home for her family's holiday party.
But that's just the beginning. Over the next eight years, Shira's and Leo's lives spin them in all sorts of directions as they grow and change, taking them places they never imagined going. Sometimes those paths take them farther away from each other, and other times closer together. If they can only time it right, they might uncover a love that burns forever.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 27, 2026
About the author
Amanda Elliot
5 books538 followersUSA Today bestselling author Amanda Elliot lives with her family in New Jersey, where she experiments with homemade ice cream flavors, tries her best to grow vegetables in her tiny garden, and writes mysteries under the name Bellamy Rose. You can follow her on Instagram @amandaelliotbooks
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 6, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. An enjoyable friends to lovers Hanukkah romance. The pacing was a little slow but I liked that is was closed for, never spicy, and the characters were kind.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️ | This was a verymsweet, cozy holiday romance! I really enjoyed the unique format of following Shira and Leo over eight Hanukkahs and getting little snapshots of where life had taken them in between. Their friendship, the family dynamics, the annual Hanukkah parties, and all of the traditions gave the story a lot of warmth. I also loved watching Leo slowly figure out his life and career, as he was definitely my favorite of the two. There was some great banter, and I really liked the emphasis on family and the strong Jewish representation throughout the book.
That said, I wanted a little more from the romance itself. With eight years of history and all those missed opportunities, I expected to feel a stronger emotional build between Shira and Leo. Sometimes the time jumps made it feel like I was being told about their relationship rather than getting to experience enough of it. Shira could also be a little judgy and controlling at times, although I did appreciate that both characters had room to grow and figure themselves out.
I also have to mention that this is completely closed-door, which I honestly wish I had known going in. The book was sweet, but I do personally like a little steam with my romances (not looking for total smut, just a bit of spice.... I always feel like I'm reading YA without it) so that did affect my enjoyment. Obviously, that's a personal preference and not a flaw in the book itself. Overall, this was a charming, easy holiday read with a really fun concept, lots of Hanukkah warmth, and a satisfying friends-to-lovers payoff.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
That said, I wanted a little more from the romance itself. With eight years of history and all those missed opportunities, I expected to feel a stronger emotional build between Shira and Leo. Sometimes the time jumps made it feel like I was being told about their relationship rather than getting to experience enough of it. Shira could also be a little judgy and controlling at times, although I did appreciate that both characters had room to grow and figure themselves out.
I also have to mention that this is completely closed-door, which I honestly wish I had known going in. The book was sweet, but I do personally like a little steam with my romances (not looking for total smut, just a bit of spice.... I always feel like I'm reading YA without it) so that did affect my enjoyment. Obviously, that's a personal preference and not a flaw in the book itself. Overall, this was a charming, easy holiday read with a really fun concept, lots of Hanukkah warmth, and a satisfying friends-to-lovers payoff.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review
Eight Ways to Say I Love You by Amanda Elliot was such a beautiful, heartwarming slow burn. Watching Shira and Leo navigate eight full years of growth was easily my favorite part of the story. Every single year brought a totally different version of who they were, and seeing them evolve both inside and out made their journey feel so real. No matter what life threw at them or how far apart their paths pulled them, they just kept finding their way back to each other. Their friendship and love blossoming through every stage of life was so special to read
The character dynamics outside of the romance made the book even richer. Leo’s journey with his parents was written with so much care. Seeing him heal his dynamic with his mom while slowly finding closure with his dad added so much emotional depth to his arc. Shira’s bond with Talia softening near the end was another really sweet moment. Shira’s perspective on her fallout with Danica also hit close to home because non romantic friend breakups truly hurt in a unique way, so having that chapter close with so much honesty felt deeply satisfying
My only small wish is that we could have gotten a little more closure when it came to Ellery and Nora, but overall the character development across the board was incredible
Eight Ways to Say I Love You by Amanda Elliot was such a beautiful, heartwarming slow burn. Watching Shira and Leo navigate eight full years of growth was easily my favorite part of the story. Every single year brought a totally different version of who they were, and seeing them evolve both inside and out made their journey feel so real. No matter what life threw at them or how far apart their paths pulled them, they just kept finding their way back to each other. Their friendship and love blossoming through every stage of life was so special to read
The character dynamics outside of the romance made the book even richer. Leo’s journey with his parents was written with so much care. Seeing him heal his dynamic with his mom while slowly finding closure with his dad added so much emotional depth to his arc. Shira’s bond with Talia softening near the end was another really sweet moment. Shira’s perspective on her fallout with Danica also hit close to home because non romantic friend breakups truly hurt in a unique way, so having that chapter close with so much honesty felt deeply satisfying
My only small wish is that we could have gotten a little more closure when it came to Ellery and Nora, but overall the character development across the board was incredible
September 26, 2026
Amanda Elliot has done it again with another fantastic Chanukah romance! Having absolutely loved Love You A Latke, I was so excited to dive into her newest book, Eight Ways to Say I Love You, and it definitely did not disappoint.
The story follows Leo and Shira, childhood best friends who drifted apart after being separated, only to reconnect when they both return home. On the surface, Shira is living her best post-graduation life with everything seemingly going her way, while Leo is struggling to figure out his next steps after dropping out of college. Watching their individual journeys—and their relationship—grow and evolve over eight different Chanukahs was such a unique and captivating way to frame the plot. I am a complete sucker for childhood friends-to-lovers stories, and their dynamic hit all the right notes.
The only reason I’m giving this four stars instead of five is that Shira wasn't always the most likable character, and her behavior could be a bit frustrating at times. Even so, her flaws made her feel like a realistic, complex young adult navigating the messy path to finding herself.
At its core, this is a beautiful story about love, friendship, family, and forgiveness. If you’re looking for a heartwarming holiday romance with genuine emotional depth and great character growth, I highly recommend picking this one up!
The story follows Leo and Shira, childhood best friends who drifted apart after being separated, only to reconnect when they both return home. On the surface, Shira is living her best post-graduation life with everything seemingly going her way, while Leo is struggling to figure out his next steps after dropping out of college. Watching their individual journeys—and their relationship—grow and evolve over eight different Chanukahs was such a unique and captivating way to frame the plot. I am a complete sucker for childhood friends-to-lovers stories, and their dynamic hit all the right notes.
The only reason I’m giving this four stars instead of five is that Shira wasn't always the most likable character, and her behavior could be a bit frustrating at times. Even so, her flaws made her feel like a realistic, complex young adult navigating the messy path to finding herself.
At its core, this is a beautiful story about love, friendship, family, and forgiveness. If you’re looking for a heartwarming holiday romance with genuine emotional depth and great character growth, I highly recommend picking this one up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is Shira and Leo’s story—a friends-to-lovers romance that unfolds over many years. They meet when they are children and their relationship grows and changes while they try to figure out who they are and what they want from life.
There are plenty of obstacles along the way, and sometimes it seems like the timing will never be right. But their connection is always there, making you keep hoping that somehow they’ll find their way back to each other.
Another aspect of this story is it isn't just about romance. There are family issues, career changes, plenty of disappointments, and life happening. The Hanukkah setting year after year adds an engaging, warm touch as you experience the family dynamics during the holidays. There are definitely times I wanted to move the story along and tell Shira and Leo to share how they feel about each other. However, that’s what keeps you turning the pages!
This is a feel-good romance with characters you will enjoy. Definitely a good book for the holidays!
There are plenty of obstacles along the way, and sometimes it seems like the timing will never be right. But their connection is always there, making you keep hoping that somehow they’ll find their way back to each other.
Another aspect of this story is it isn't just about romance. There are family issues, career changes, plenty of disappointments, and life happening. The Hanukkah setting year after year adds an engaging, warm touch as you experience the family dynamics during the holidays. There are definitely times I wanted to move the story along and tell Shira and Leo to share how they feel about each other. However, that’s what keeps you turning the pages!
This is a feel-good romance with characters you will enjoy. Definitely a good book for the holidays!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is my second Amanda Elliot book, and I highly recommend you reading her books. Eight Ways to Say I Love You is a winter/Hanukkah love story. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced e book copy. Shira the artist grew up in New Jersey and had a best friend Leo who lived across the street. They did everything together until Leo's parents divorced and Leo moved with his mom far away. Fast forward many years, Leo comes back to NJ to live with his dad and Leo and Shira start to hang out for the holidays. But Shira's art career has taken her to California. But each year she comes back for the annual Hanukkah party. This book is told over the course of 8 years and I loved that aspect. Loved that they didn't get their sh$t together right away, they and we the reader had to work for this relationship. This book was filled with life's ups and downs and how special friendship really is. I got all the Hanukkah feels with this book! Add this to your winter TBR.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Okay, this was a fun Hanukkah book. One of the more fun ones that I have read. I liked the format, how we through 8 Hanukkah's with our main characters and only saw little snippets of their year in between; leaving you wondering what actually happened and seeking answers in the next chapter. Watching our leads slowly come together after reconnecting their friendship....SO GOOD. Our main guy character gets into working with video games, when the games were being discussed I got "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" vibes. That's a massive compliment from me.
Overall, just a great read. I took this one slower than I normally do, so when I finally finished, I started to miss seeing what Leo and Shira were up to.
This is a great book for the holiday season, and perfect for those who enjoy childhood friends to lovers.
Thank you Net Galley for this arc!
Overall, just a great read. I took this one slower than I normally do, so when I finally finished, I started to miss seeing what Leo and Shira were up to.
This is a great book for the holiday season, and perfect for those who enjoy childhood friends to lovers.
Thank you Net Galley for this arc!
September 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: Shira and Leo were childhood best friends until he had to suddenly move when his parents split up. They lost track of each other until after college.
Their story is told in both their points of view over 8 years of trips home for the holidays. Eight years of one doing well in their career, but not the other. Eight years of one having a partner and one not. Eight years of ups, downs, losses, miscommunications, and even fun.
Overall of nice friends to lovers romance. Leo was endearing and worked hard to get his life in order and find his true calling. Shira was a little judgy and controlling, but honestly what oldest Jewish daughter isn't? ;) Happily ever after.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance digital copy to review. These opinions are my own.
Their story is told in both their points of view over 8 years of trips home for the holidays. Eight years of one doing well in their career, but not the other. Eight years of one having a partner and one not. Eight years of ups, downs, losses, miscommunications, and even fun.
Overall of nice friends to lovers romance. Leo was endearing and worked hard to get his life in order and find his true calling. Shira was a little judgy and controlling, but honestly what oldest Jewish daughter isn't? ;) Happily ever after.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance digital copy to review. These opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoy this author's writing so it pains me to say that I thought the first third of the book was dreadful and I was ready to DNF it. I couldn't even work out what year it was meant to be set in, and it felt really juvenile (even after the main characters were teens).
I did carry on reading and in the end I am glad that I did as I found the book a really cute read. Predictable - yes, but the story was never really meant to be hidden. At times it did feel a little drawn out, but again I accepted this as part of the premise of the book.
There were lots of super adorable moments, and some painful things too. It was interesting to see the characters grow, especially Shira who was pretty superficial early on.
Not the best book this author has written, but that's ok and I'll still be ready to read the next one.
I did carry on reading and in the end I am glad that I did as I found the book a really cute read. Predictable - yes, but the story was never really meant to be hidden. At times it did feel a little drawn out, but again I accepted this as part of the premise of the book.
There were lots of super adorable moments, and some painful things too. It was interesting to see the characters grow, especially Shira who was pretty superficial early on.
Not the best book this author has written, but that's ok and I'll still be ready to read the next one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️
✨Hanukkah
✨Childhood friends to lovers
I absolutely loved Love You a Latke by this author, so I jumped at the opportunity to ARC read her newest holiday romance! I enjoyed this book a lot, especially that it was mainly told during the holiday seasons of eight years and with family dynamics being at the center of the story. I thought Leo was such a sweetheart and Shira was a firecracker! It was definitely a slowwwwww burn & I wish there was a bit more pay off, and sometimes I got frustrated with the maturity of some characters, but overall, it was a super sweet & quick holiday read!
Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Amanda Elliot for an ARC 🩷
✨Hanukkah
✨Childhood friends to lovers
I absolutely loved Love You a Latke by this author, so I jumped at the opportunity to ARC read her newest holiday romance! I enjoyed this book a lot, especially that it was mainly told during the holiday seasons of eight years and with family dynamics being at the center of the story. I thought Leo was such a sweetheart and Shira was a firecracker! It was definitely a slowwwwww burn & I wish there was a bit more pay off, and sometimes I got frustrated with the maturity of some characters, but overall, it was a super sweet & quick holiday read!
Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Amanda Elliot for an ARC 🩷
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eight Ways To Say I Love You was a great and sweet romance that had so much depth to it despite feeling light and fun to read.
The format of this was an interesting one and I really enjoyed seeing the story progress and characters grow in one week each year. Before starting each one I found myself excited to hear about everything that happened during that year, and to see how Shira and Leo would be interacting.
The way their lives and careers affected their perception on the relationship was realistic and fascinating, which made for relatable characters who I loved to read about, and I feel that the progression of their story was a slow and sweet one.
The format of this was an interesting one and I really enjoyed seeing the story progress and characters grow in one week each year. Before starting each one I found myself excited to hear about everything that happened during that year, and to see how Shira and Leo would be interacting.
The way their lives and careers affected their perception on the relationship was realistic and fascinating, which made for relatable characters who I loved to read about, and I feel that the progression of their story was a slow and sweet one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So much of life is timing, as Shira and Leo learn. Best friends growing up until Leo moved away and they lost touch for the eight years of high school and college. When they reconnect at Hanukkah every year for the next eight years, their lives are in drastically different places each time. This slow burn, friends to lovers romance is told from both of their points of views. If you are looking for a delightful Hanukkah love story this year, this is it! Be sure to have latkes on hand. Highly recommended.
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
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July 5, 2026🕎❤️ Eight Ways to Say I Love You ❤️🕎
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Childhood Friends to Lovers
• Slow Burn Romance
• Holiday Romance
• Unrequited Crush
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: October 27, 2026
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Childhood Friends to Lovers
• Slow Burn Romance
• Holiday Romance
• Unrequited Crush
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: October 27, 2026
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A lovely, nostalgic, absolutely aching slow burn between two friends who just can't quite quit each other. This book excels in detailing all of the stickiest bits of early adulthood - ambition, career, family dysfunction, insecurity, and drama between platonic friends. I love Amanda's prose and how she constructs characters. A festive, sparkly holiday romance!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sweet, slow burn friends to lovers/second chance romance. Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews