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Hands-On Hanukkah
David Nachem doesn’t actually hate Hanukkah.
David Nachem is living his best life. He loves his work, he loves his cat, he loves his family. Who cares if he doesn’t put up holiday decorations? He’s not actually a Grinch – it just feels that way, especially when his boyfriend up and dumped him four months ago with no explanation.
But when Tim reappears in David’s life asking for David’s help as a massage therapist, David can’t say no. Not when David still misses Tim – and Tim’s joyful exuberance about everything holiday-related.
Not when David still wants to know why Tim dumped him in the first place.
Tim Mason doesn’t actually hate his ex.
Tim Mason is living his dream. He’s dancing for a national company in the big city, on the brink of ballet stardom. So what if his ex-boyfriend lied to him? Tim dropped that funsponge like a bad pair of pointe shoes and he’s dancing into the sunset.
But when Tim’s ballet career is almost side-lined right before the biggest performance of his life, David’s therapeutic know-how might be the only way Tim can get to center stage. Tim knows David isn’t as much of a Grinch as everyone says – but even he’s surprised at the turn David’s taken since their breakup.
Can he save David – and save his heart from breaking a second time?
This Hanukkah, all it takes to heal a heart is a pair of willing hands…
Hands-On Hanukkah is a m/m romance. It features sweaty dancers, dubious Hanukkah decorations, and lots of super *ahem* sensuous massages.
David Nachem is living his best life. He loves his work, he loves his cat, he loves his family. Who cares if he doesn’t put up holiday decorations? He’s not actually a Grinch – it just feels that way, especially when his boyfriend up and dumped him four months ago with no explanation.
But when Tim reappears in David’s life asking for David’s help as a massage therapist, David can’t say no. Not when David still misses Tim – and Tim’s joyful exuberance about everything holiday-related.
Not when David still wants to know why Tim dumped him in the first place.
Tim Mason doesn’t actually hate his ex.
Tim Mason is living his dream. He’s dancing for a national company in the big city, on the brink of ballet stardom. So what if his ex-boyfriend lied to him? Tim dropped that funsponge like a bad pair of pointe shoes and he’s dancing into the sunset.
But when Tim’s ballet career is almost side-lined right before the biggest performance of his life, David’s therapeutic know-how might be the only way Tim can get to center stage. Tim knows David isn’t as much of a Grinch as everyone says – but even he’s surprised at the turn David’s taken since their breakup.
Can he save David – and save his heart from breaking a second time?
This Hanukkah, all it takes to heal a heart is a pair of willing hands…
Hands-On Hanukkah is a m/m romance. It features sweaty dancers, dubious Hanukkah decorations, and lots of super *ahem* sensuous massages.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2021
3 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Peters
16 books50 followersPenelope Peters wrote her first story at the age of nine, based on a dream she couldn’t shake. This is probably why most of her romances usually include the weird and whimsical. Penelope has been happily married to her college sweetheart for two decades, which is probably why her romances are practically guaranteed happy endings. Armed with her two kids, her husband, and her somewhat-trusty laptop, Pen’s traveled to more countries than you can count on two hands. (She’s very close to filling up that third.) Currently Penelope has returned to the land of her birth (somewhat reluctantly), where she is surrounded by trees, taco trucks, and her collection of counted cross stitch kits.
You can find Penelope on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PenelopePetersAuthor), Twitter (@penelope_writes), Tumblr (azriona – it’s her personal account, you are hereby warned), and her website (www.penelope-peters.com), where you can learn about how to receive updates and ARCs.
Icon by anotherwellkeptsecret.tumblr.com
You can find Penelope on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PenelopePetersAuthor), Twitter (@penelope_writes), Tumblr (azriona – it’s her personal account, you are hereby warned), and her website (www.penelope-peters.com), where you can learn about how to receive updates and ARCs.
Icon by anotherwellkeptsecret.tumblr.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 23, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
I feel like I have a lot to unpack here with this one, and this may be a “your mileage may vary” situation depending on how you feel about various aspects of the story. First off, I picked this one up because it is a Chanukah book and I try to read at least one every year. The holiday is a pretty subtle part of the book and is generally used as a way to reflect David and Tim’s relationship. When the story starts, David is very much not feeling the holidays and I think the story would also appeal to readers who aren’t specifically looking for a “holiday” romance.
The biggest concerns here for me intertwined in that I really disliked Tim, and I felt like the resolution never really addresses the issues that caused the problems between him and David in the first place.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
I feel like I have a lot to unpack here with this one, and this may be a “your mileage may vary” situation depending on how you feel about various aspects of the story. First off, I picked this one up because it is a Chanukah book and I try to read at least one every year. The holiday is a pretty subtle part of the book and is generally used as a way to reflect David and Tim’s relationship. When the story starts, David is very much not feeling the holidays and I think the story would also appeal to readers who aren’t specifically looking for a “holiday” romance.
The biggest concerns here for me intertwined in that I really disliked Tim, and I felt like the resolution never really addresses the issues that caused the problems between him and David in the first place.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
November 24, 2021
Penelope Peters is an author who’s been on my to-be-read shelf for way too long! An enticing mix of heat and humor, Hands-On Hanukkah is a unique holiday romance. In addition to the unusual storyline, I really enjoyed Penelope Peters’ distinctive writing style. This little gem is completely engrossing, and definitely one for the seasonal re-read list.
I’m a big fan of second chance romances, but it seems they’re so hard to capture well. The challenge of uncovering what went wrong, figuring out how the estranged lovers will get back together, and making the whole thing believable? It’s quite a dilemma!
In the case of Hands-On Hanukkah, it’s easy to see why Tim and David got together in the first place. The mystery is, what caused their big breakup? All we know is that Tim dropped David like a hot potato, and we’re just as much in the dark as David is. Penelope Peters artfully places clues, and gradually reveals their backstory, as the two men reacquaint themselves, four months after their split.
Mixed messages and misunderstandings mess up their reconciliation, and until these two finally open up and are honest with each other, progress for their romance is stalled. But they just can’t stay apart and the booty calls continue. It’s clear this couple has spectacular chemistry between the sheets, (or in their case, on the massage table), and the intimacy they share finally paves the way for some true communication.
I’m so pleased to have discovered Penelope Peters’ wonderful stories. The clever dialogue, deliciously dirty sex scenes, and creative storyline make Hands-On Hanukkah a joy to read. I can’t wait to find out what this talented author has in store for us next!
I’m a big fan of second chance romances, but it seems they’re so hard to capture well. The challenge of uncovering what went wrong, figuring out how the estranged lovers will get back together, and making the whole thing believable? It’s quite a dilemma!
In the case of Hands-On Hanukkah, it’s easy to see why Tim and David got together in the first place. The mystery is, what caused their big breakup? All we know is that Tim dropped David like a hot potato, and we’re just as much in the dark as David is. Penelope Peters artfully places clues, and gradually reveals their backstory, as the two men reacquaint themselves, four months after their split.
Mixed messages and misunderstandings mess up their reconciliation, and until these two finally open up and are honest with each other, progress for their romance is stalled. But they just can’t stay apart and the booty calls continue. It’s clear this couple has spectacular chemistry between the sheets, (or in their case, on the massage table), and the intimacy they share finally paves the way for some true communication.
I’m so pleased to have discovered Penelope Peters’ wonderful stories. The clever dialogue, deliciously dirty sex scenes, and creative storyline make Hands-On Hanukkah a joy to read. I can’t wait to find out what this talented author has in store for us next!
November 11, 2021
I usually LOVE Penelope Peters' books, but somehow, this one didn't really grab me. I guess it's because I don't liked Tim. He seems very self-absorbed and very quick to think the worst of David without giving him a chance to explain himself.
And David.... he is too willing to follow Tim's lead, even when it makes him act in a very unprofessional way and puts him in a collision path with his coworkers.
I still enjoyed their journey to happiness, though. Maybe, this was a case of too high expectations :P
And David.... he is too willing to follow Tim's lead, even when it makes him act in a very unprofessional way and puts him in a collision path with his coworkers.
I still enjoyed their journey to happiness, though. Maybe, this was a case of too high expectations :P
Read
June 27, 2025Massage therapist David Nachem used to love Hanukkah, but ever since his boyfriend, Tim Mason, unexpectedly broke up with him several months prior with no explanation, he now has no desire to even hang up some token decorations.
Tim is a member of the National Capital Ballet Ensemble and has the leading role in the upcoming performance of The Nutcracker, but since breaking up with David he’s lost his frequent access to sensual massages and needs some physical therapy before the opening night – and David is the only massage therapist he trusts to go to on short notice.
It’s a struggle for both David and Tim to keep things professional. Their breakup has left them both out of depth and vulnerable, with neither fully understanding why or how things ended between them – especially since they’re both still incredibly attracted and drawn to each other. (It certainly doesn’t help that David’s cousin Kelsey, who is also Tim’s co-star, is playing matchmaker.) But the lines between ex-boyfriend/lover and doctor/patient quickly start to blur, making everything more complicated as things heat up between them, which in turn is starting to rekindle David’s love for Hanukkah.
Normally I find myself easily frustrated with miscommunication and misunderstandings as the basis for conflict, but in Hands-On Hanukkah, I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became in David and Tim sorting out their nonsense and just making up! They are well-matched as a couple (and extremely hot together). Every conversation they have is rife with misunderstandings – I was ready to reach through the pages to shake Tim for his constant assumptions and unwillingness to listen. The entire conflict between David and Tim could have been solved with a single, honest conversation where they just allowed each other to explain things… but if it was that easy, there wouldn’t be such a deliciously hot and well-written Hanukkah romance to enjoy.
On a personal level, I absolutely loved the authenticity of this portrayal of Hanukkah in the hands of a Jewish author – the comments about Hanukkah actually not being a major Jewish holiday, David’s faux-outrage at his cousin’s dubious Hanukkah-themed Christmas elf, lighting the shamash (the ninth candle of the Hanukkah menorah) to light each of the other candles while murmuring the prayers under his breath… even for non-American and non-practicing Jews, reading this novella felt a little bit like coming home.
If you enjoy sensual massages, low-stakes drama and a steamy m/m romance, Hands-On Hanukkah by Penelope Peters is a perfect short read for the upcoming holiday season. Hanukkah Sameach! (Happy Hanukkah!)
Tim is a member of the National Capital Ballet Ensemble and has the leading role in the upcoming performance of The Nutcracker, but since breaking up with David he’s lost his frequent access to sensual massages and needs some physical therapy before the opening night – and David is the only massage therapist he trusts to go to on short notice.
It’s a struggle for both David and Tim to keep things professional. Their breakup has left them both out of depth and vulnerable, with neither fully understanding why or how things ended between them – especially since they’re both still incredibly attracted and drawn to each other. (It certainly doesn’t help that David’s cousin Kelsey, who is also Tim’s co-star, is playing matchmaker.) But the lines between ex-boyfriend/lover and doctor/patient quickly start to blur, making everything more complicated as things heat up between them, which in turn is starting to rekindle David’s love for Hanukkah.
Normally I find myself easily frustrated with miscommunication and misunderstandings as the basis for conflict, but in Hands-On Hanukkah, I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became in David and Tim sorting out their nonsense and just making up! They are well-matched as a couple (and extremely hot together). Every conversation they have is rife with misunderstandings – I was ready to reach through the pages to shake Tim for his constant assumptions and unwillingness to listen. The entire conflict between David and Tim could have been solved with a single, honest conversation where they just allowed each other to explain things… but if it was that easy, there wouldn’t be such a deliciously hot and well-written Hanukkah romance to enjoy.
On a personal level, I absolutely loved the authenticity of this portrayal of Hanukkah in the hands of a Jewish author – the comments about Hanukkah actually not being a major Jewish holiday, David’s faux-outrage at his cousin’s dubious Hanukkah-themed Christmas elf, lighting the shamash (the ninth candle of the Hanukkah menorah) to light each of the other candles while murmuring the prayers under his breath… even for non-American and non-practicing Jews, reading this novella felt a little bit like coming home.
If you enjoy sensual massages, low-stakes drama and a steamy m/m romance, Hands-On Hanukkah by Penelope Peters is a perfect short read for the upcoming holiday season. Hanukkah Sameach! (Happy Hanukkah!)
November 17, 2021
Another fun holiday read! The spiteful banter between the two characters was honestly what made the read so enjoyable. The lies by omission mixed with miscommunication, caused a lot of unnecessary confusion but the making up was so much fun.
“ℍ𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕩 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝”
Tim seemed to be weak-minded, especially when dealing with David. His maturity also showed through his actions throughout the book, between the jumping to conclusions (which were not all on him) and unwillingness to listen to David’s side did not necessarily sit right with me, but to each their own.
“𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟?”
David was the stronger of these two characters. His demeanor was so relaxed and not worked up often. His love for Tim shown through his actions, along with his patience for their past. His downfall was his omissions, and defiance of his true feelings. But, he handled everything from the heart.
“𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕣𝕒𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥—𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕪 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦.”
The chemistry between these two was evident right away! Their connection was strong, shining through every intimate moment and turn of the page. I especially liked the depths at which Penelope went with the scenes with being very descriptive and even adding some humor into some, which was somewhat different for her. Cannot wait to read more!
“ℍ𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕩 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝”
Tim seemed to be weak-minded, especially when dealing with David. His maturity also showed through his actions throughout the book, between the jumping to conclusions (which were not all on him) and unwillingness to listen to David’s side did not necessarily sit right with me, but to each their own.
“𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟?”
David was the stronger of these two characters. His demeanor was so relaxed and not worked up often. His love for Tim shown through his actions, along with his patience for their past. His downfall was his omissions, and defiance of his true feelings. But, he handled everything from the heart.
“𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕣𝕒𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥—𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕪 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦.”
The chemistry between these two was evident right away! Their connection was strong, shining through every intimate moment and turn of the page. I especially liked the depths at which Penelope went with the scenes with being very descriptive and even adding some humor into some, which was somewhat different for her. Cannot wait to read more!
November 26, 2021
I love the holiday season—I'm all about being entertained via books versus watching movies. I don't celebrate this particular holiday or know what goes into it, but honestly, I didn't need to know to enjoy the story. It was about the romance, and everything else is just extra. The characters were a hit and a miss. I'm distraught with Tim and low-key David for taking him back after the considerable lack of trust. I hated that others insinuated that was it was all David's fault for the breakup, and it was truly all about Tim. Tim misunderstanding one of the services David provides at his job was a little too drawn out for me. The length David had to go through to resolve this issue was a bit ridiculous. Most could've been solved with a conversation or Google/YouTube search. The reason for the breakup is the reason I didn't love this one. It was sweet in the beginning, but the relationship issue was too stretched out for me.
** I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review
** I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review
December 6, 2021
This opens very confusingly, with two exes and no clear understanding of why they are in the situation they're in. The truth is revealed slowly and like many other reviewers, I didn't love Tim. So much of what he put David through could have been avoided with some basic communication! That said, the story itself crackled - their chemistry was palpable at all times and David's coworkers were fantastic secondary characters. As were Kelsey and Vasily - I'd love to read their story, if Peters ever decides to write it.
November 15, 2021
I really enjoyed the characters and the story. The formatting in the beginning was a little weird to get used to though- flash backs to their break up set in a way that almost looked like beginning a new chapter when it wasn't.
For a short holiday romance, it's a good read.
*I am leaving an honest and voluntary review after receiving this book as an arc.
For a short holiday romance, it's a good read.
*I am leaving an honest and voluntary review after receiving this book as an arc.
no-thank-you
November 24, 2021This would not be a good match for me based on this review, especially the professional ethics violation in the present day: https://joyfullyjay.com/2021/11/revie...
November 16, 2021
I received an ARC of Hands-On Hanukkah and I am voluntarily leaving a review. I really enjoyed the book. It was a great quick read and I really loved the characters.
November 28, 2021
Enjoyable
I liked Tim and David’s story. It’s a bit of a roller coaster and mildly angsty, but with a satisfying HEA
I liked Tim and David’s story. It’s a bit of a roller coaster and mildly angsty, but with a satisfying HEA
December 22, 2021
This was an enjoyable read. Tim and David's story and the holiday backdrop were creative and fresh. Penelope Peters is an author whose books I always love.
December 4, 2021
I think I'm going to have to give up on reading Penelope Peters' books because they just don't sit well with me - the only one I've ever really enjoyed was "Ben's Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle". I was HOPING this was similar, but alas was hugely disappointed. While David was a meh character, Tim was outright just horrible. Why would David want him back? To go further, why would Tim want to have anything to do with someone he thought was guilty of what he thought David was guilty of? How does ANY of this make sense?
I get the concept of hate sex, but this was not it; I don't even know what this was. Tim spent what feels like the whole book whining, and then sex, and then the ending. I've spent many a shower rewriting the ending in my head, giving it better closure then we got from this. This was my final book from this author, I just can't anymore.
I get the concept of hate sex, but this was not it; I don't even know what this was. Tim spent what feels like the whole book whining, and then sex, and then the ending. I've spent many a shower rewriting the ending in my head, giving it better closure then we got from this. This was my final book from this author, I just can't anymore.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews