What do you think?
Rate this book
Hot Rabbi
For fifteen years, Shoshana Goldman has avoided her childhood synagogue. Her successful custom-furniture store keeps her busy enough, and the synagogue brings bad memories not peace. It will take nothing short of a minor miracle to change her mind. Intrigued by her friends’ convictions that the new “hot Rabbi” is that minor miracle, Shoshana agrees to attend a service. It’s only one service, right? But meeting the new Rabbi changes everything. David Freedman is settling into his new town and his new job easily. As a single dad and a Rabbi, his priorities are his daughter and his congregation. He doesn’t have time for romance, especially with the sexy pink-haired Shoshana whose tendency to say whatever she’s thinking is a breath of fresh air. But his attraction to Shoshana is a distraction he doesn’t want to give up. He knows a romance with a congregant is a bad idea. So it’s a very good thing Shoshana isn’t a member. As David and Shoshana grow closer, Shoshana’s troubled past threatens to destroy their happiness. Will David be the miracle she needs to live fully in the present? Content discussions of grief over loss of a parent
304 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2021
17 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 2, 2020
Blakeman is a new-to-me author and I stumbled upon this in my Twitter feed and am glad I did because this was everything she promised:
- A cinnamon roll hero
- A bisexual heroine (with pink hair)
- Friends who give no fucks
- Loads of delicious angst
- Multi-chapter sexy times
- There's a very large cat
David was a very self-aware hero with an adorably precocious child and I liked Shoshana, despite going through much of the book wondering what her baggage was. Her anxieties felt real to me and I just loved how David knew what he wanted and was straightforward about it, instead of playing stupid head games. Their conflict at the end seemed irrational, but the explanation tracked with his character so I'm OK with it.
My one critique is that as a non-Jew, it would have been helpful to have a glossary because there were a lot of yiddish terms in here about Jewish culture/religion, which you would expect with a book called Hot Rabbi.
- A cinnamon roll hero
- A bisexual heroine (with pink hair)
- Friends who give no fucks
- Loads of delicious angst
- Multi-chapter sexy times
- There's a very large cat
David was a very self-aware hero with an adorably precocious child and I liked Shoshana, despite going through much of the book wondering what her baggage was. Her anxieties felt real to me and I just loved how David knew what he wanted and was straightforward about it, instead of playing stupid head games. Their conflict at the end seemed irrational, but the explanation tracked with his character so I'm OK with it.
My one critique is that as a non-Jew, it would have been helpful to have a glossary because there were a lot of yiddish terms in here about Jewish culture/religion, which you would expect with a book called Hot Rabbi.
June 14, 2024
4 Stars for Hot Rabbi (audiobook) by Aviva Blakeman read by Scarlet Everdeen.
It was fun watching these two opposites find their attraction to each other. I just love the characters and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
It was fun watching these two opposites find their attraction to each other. I just love the characters and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
November 28, 2020
I wish I had ended up liking this more than I did. The first half was very promising and I blew through it, but the pacing of the second half felt very off in comparison. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t come together as well as it could have.
I have a few gripes with the way the story went, but my main one is regarding the whole “hot rabbi” thing. There’s never a discussion about what it will mean for the rabbi to be dating (not just dating, but having premarital sex with) a secular Jew who’s not a member of any congregation. I think the emotional payoff might have been higher if this had been addressed at all, especially considering Shoshana’s misgivings about anything religious. Or the angst/baggage part could have been left out entirely to give us a fun, sexy, suspend-your-disbelief-about-an-unmarried-rabbi-having-sex-on-the-first-date erotic romance. This book wanted to be both and it needed to be one or the other, I think. It was all fine. It just could have been so much more.
CW: grief/loss, emotionally abusive parent (described, not on-page), character with past divorce
I have a few gripes with the way the story went, but my main one is regarding the whole “hot rabbi” thing. There’s never a discussion about what it will mean for the rabbi to be dating (not just dating, but having premarital sex with) a secular Jew who’s not a member of any congregation. I think the emotional payoff might have been higher if this had been addressed at all, especially considering Shoshana’s misgivings about anything religious. Or the angst/baggage part could have been left out entirely to give us a fun, sexy, suspend-your-disbelief-about-an-unmarried-rabbi-having-sex-on-the-first-date erotic romance. This book wanted to be both and it needed to be one or the other, I think. It was all fine. It just could have been so much more.
CW: grief/loss, emotionally abusive parent (described, not on-page), character with past divorce
January 27, 2021
The title might suggest a hot read but it turned out to be going for something more emotional and heart-warming, with mixed results. This is a tricky one to review because it felt like two different books. The first half was super enjoyable: it made me laugh out loud, it was steamy, and Shoshana and David had enough chemistry to see if they could make things work. It was hard to put down. The second half got bogged down in pacing issues, loose threads, underdeveloped plot lines, and then manufactured conflict when the hero was incredibly mean out of the blue. It wasn’t something I’d forgive someone I was dating for and I never felt David groveled sufficiently, especially since he paired his apology with professing his love for her. It didn’t feel honest, especially when his daughter still doesn’t know they’re dating and she’s part of the reason the fight began in the first place. (The explanation for why he started the fight also made no sense to me.)
They also still haven’t dealt with how their relationship will work when he’s a rabbi and she’s basically avoided going to Beth Elohim for 10 years for good reason and she doesn’t believe in God. There does appear to be room within the Jewish faith for her in her unbelief and it's not a dealbreaker for him (I have the vague sense that his ex-wife may not have been Jewish but we don’t know much about her) but they need to address what a rabbi’s wife or girlfriend needs to do in order to support him. Otherwise I’m worried they’ll stay at the same impasse and Shoshana will continue to have reservations.
I did love learning more about the Jewish faith and the way the temple serves their community. We get to see why Beth Elohim is a source of pain for Shoshana (though her reasons should have been introduced much, much sooner), while contrasting that to what it means to her best friends and to David. It felt like a bit of a reach that a rabbi would have sex on the first date, given teachings about premarital sex, but David does seem pretty progressive across the board. While there are some great secondary characters, I don’t think the representation is all that great for the two People of Color, as you really have to keep your eyes peeled for a small reference that they are in fact POC. It wasn’t anything egregiously bad, that I could tell, but they largely functioned as white characters.
This is a very interior book. Shoshana and David are very much in their heads and David has even named the voice in his head. I had to decide Moshe was a quirk and not a sign of schizophrenia. But this interiority threw off the pacing and dialogue. It was compelling to read and I liked the author’s voice enough that I’d try something else from her but I hope she finds a better editor for future projects.
Character notes: Shoshana is a bisexual woman in her 30s with pink hair. She runs a furniture store and has a Maine Coon cat named Deev (short for D’varim), David is a rabbi who moved to Shoshana’s town from Baltimore. He has a 4 year old daughter named Dani.
CW: social anxiety, past death of parents, heroine’s father had a stroke (not clear if this is what he ultimately died from), hero is divorced, gendered insults, gender essentialism, secondary character discusses a mystery chronic illness she had but she has since recovered, reference to racism and anti-Semitism toward off-page character, reference to the death of a baby in his old congregation
They also still haven’t dealt with how their relationship will work when he’s a rabbi and she’s basically avoided going to Beth Elohim for 10 years for good reason and she doesn’t believe in God. There does appear to be room within the Jewish faith for her in her unbelief and it's not a dealbreaker for him (I have the vague sense that his ex-wife may not have been Jewish but we don’t know much about her) but they need to address what a rabbi’s wife or girlfriend needs to do in order to support him. Otherwise I’m worried they’ll stay at the same impasse and Shoshana will continue to have reservations.
I did love learning more about the Jewish faith and the way the temple serves their community. We get to see why Beth Elohim is a source of pain for Shoshana (though her reasons should have been introduced much, much sooner), while contrasting that to what it means to her best friends and to David. It felt like a bit of a reach that a rabbi would have sex on the first date, given teachings about premarital sex, but David does seem pretty progressive across the board. While there are some great secondary characters, I don’t think the representation is all that great for the two People of Color, as you really have to keep your eyes peeled for a small reference that they are in fact POC. It wasn’t anything egregiously bad, that I could tell, but they largely functioned as white characters.
This is a very interior book. Shoshana and David are very much in their heads and David has even named the voice in his head. I had to decide Moshe was a quirk and not a sign of schizophrenia. But this interiority threw off the pacing and dialogue. It was compelling to read and I liked the author’s voice enough that I’d try something else from her but I hope she finds a better editor for future projects.
Character notes: Shoshana is a bisexual woman in her 30s with pink hair. She runs a furniture store and has a Maine Coon cat named Deev (short for D’varim), David is a rabbi who moved to Shoshana’s town from Baltimore. He has a 4 year old daughter named Dani.
CW: social anxiety, past death of parents, heroine’s father had a stroke (not clear if this is what he ultimately died from), hero is divorced, gendered insults, gender essentialism, secondary character discusses a mystery chronic illness she had but she has since recovered, reference to racism and anti-Semitism toward off-page character, reference to the death of a baby in his old congregation
October 26, 2020
A very quick read, recommended by Cannonball at Pajiba, and a nice insert into my reading routine.
I probably could have read a book twice as long about Sho and her complicated relationship with Judaism and how it affects her relationship with someone like David, who has a different sort of relationship. You know. Being a rabbi.
But I really appreciated that a) we immediately head off the issues of power dynamics (Sho is not a member of this congregation, and even if she eventually becomes a social member she's not looking for the spiritual guidance) and b) at its core, the story is really just about two people who like one another and make moves on said attraction. Like adults.
Agreed with the earlier review that I saw that it is awesome to read a book about an entire culture without the incessant "in-line translations." Some that are required to understand what's going on are explained (tateh for father in Yiddish), others are just presented as fact and the reader is the one who needs to catch up. Bless Kindle integration with Wikipedia/dictionary for some of the items that I wanted more nuance one!
I probably could have read a book twice as long about Sho and her complicated relationship with Judaism and how it affects her relationship with someone like David, who has a different sort of relationship. You know. Being a rabbi.
But I really appreciated that a) we immediately head off the issues of power dynamics (Sho is not a member of this congregation, and even if she eventually becomes a social member she's not looking for the spiritual guidance) and b) at its core, the story is really just about two people who like one another and make moves on said attraction. Like adults.
Agreed with the earlier review that I saw that it is awesome to read a book about an entire culture without the incessant "in-line translations." Some that are required to understand what's going on are explained (tateh for father in Yiddish), others are just presented as fact and the reader is the one who needs to catch up. Bless Kindle integration with Wikipedia/dictionary for some of the items that I wanted more nuance one!
November 20, 2020
Hot Rabbi blew me away, for being so entirely sexy and so emotionally impactful. A total slump buster, got me out of a bad spell post-election. Rabbi and single dad David is a total dream boat. He listens! He is really into oral! Whew.
A messy heroine is my favorite, and this one is no exception. Also the discussion of religion and belief is exceptional, along with the complications of grieving someone who you truly loved but who also really did some lingering damage to your mental health.
Highly recommend.
A messy heroine is my favorite, and this one is no exception. Also the discussion of religion and belief is exceptional, along with the complications of grieving someone who you truly loved but who also really did some lingering damage to your mental health.
Highly recommend.
December 7, 2020
When I was putting together my 2020 Best/Worst list for Cannonball Read I added a note that my reading year was predominantly saved by Romance Twitter and then proceeded to name drop a bunch of books that are sexy, feminist, and inclusive but didn’t quite clear the very high bar to be Top 3. Hot Rabbi is one of those books. The book does great things around consent, power dynamics, and various approaches to one’s faith. Its nuanced and brilliant, and the discussions surrounding the topic in the book rang absolutely true to my ear. The characters are multi-dimensional, and this is important – the book is steamy.
full review: https://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/...
full review: https://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/...
November 14, 2020
Full RTC
What a beautiful book - enjoyed it thoroughly.
What a beautiful book - enjoyed it thoroughly.
December 21, 2023
Okay I'll admit it, I bought this for the title alone. The title is kind of ridiculous, and I wasn't expecting much. So I was really surprised to find that it's a *fantastic* and incredibly refreshing romance novel. For one thing, it doesn't rely on a meet cute or silly situations. And the characters actually TALK. The relationship that evolves is real. Neither character is perfect, and they make mistakes, but it all feels true. I loved Shoshana's friends and David's relationship with his daughter. And frankly I'd never read a romance (or really any novel, if I'm honest) set against the backdrop of life in a synagogue. I visited a different culture in this book, and learned a bit while still being thoroughly entertained and having my heart warmed. I needed this.
December 18, 2020
I wanted to take my time with this book because it was truly special! The characters felt real and genuine especially with regards to their own messy feelings. I greatly enjoyed the discussions about faith and ethics and power dynamics, which were all handled respectfully. I loved this, and I can’t believe an end of the year book might make it to maybe one of my favorite books read this year. (I will say that there were some mentions of the MCs being “purely feminine” or “male” and it rubbed me the wrong way, but that’s me)
October 30, 2022
CBR14 Bingo: Hot (hot features in the title, and a lot of the contents are also decidedly spicy)
There don't seem to be a lot of romance novels, contemporary and certainly not historical, that feature Jewish protagonists. I certainly can't remember reading many of them. The Jewish faith is pretty much front and centre in this book, what with the hero being a rabbi and the heroine being raised in the faith (she considers herself an atheist). This means there were quite a few words and terms that I wasn't immediately familiar with. Did it in any way impact my enjoyment of the book? Not even a little bit.
As well as being a really well-plotted and sexy book, I was surprised at how funny and emotional it is. Shoshana's dad reacted badly when her mother died, and as a result, Shoshana doesn't feel comfortable going to the local synagogue, even if it also means she's lost touch with a lot of people. She is convinced she manages fine on her own, running her family's custom-furniture business more or less single-handedly. Her entire social network consists of her two best friends and her loyal employee.
Her friends insist that she has to come and check out the new "hot rabbi" and Shoshana lets herself be persuaded. Shoshana and David, recently divorced and the primary caregiver of a little girl, form a pretty instant connection. David has been deftly avoiding all attempts to set him up, as he doesn't want to get romantically involved with anyone in his congregation. So the fact that Shoshana isn't part of said congregation anymore is perfect. They are both a bit flabbergasted at how quickly they seem to fall for one another but meeting this funny, intelligent, understanding and caring man brings up a whole host of insecurities in Shoshana, whose life is also further complicated when her loyal sidekick at work announces that he's quitting and Shoshana needs to learn to deal with the business side of her furniture shop in less than a month.
Confession - I know the author of this book and consider her a friend. That has not influenced my review (rather made it more intimidating to write, frankly) and I am only sorry that it's taken me so long to actually read and review this book. My friend wrote this clever, funny, sexy, and emotional book and published it and sold it and I'm so very proud of her. If I have any criticism at all about this book it's that it's a bit short, and I wanted to spend more time with pretty much every single character in it. Now I can look forward to checking out the next book in this series (about a hot lumberjack, who I think was mentioned in passing at least once in this book) and hopefully keep being amazed by Aviva's writing skills.
Judging a book by its cover: This book has more than one cover, but I prefer the one where you can see the protagonists more clearly (the other one has them in shadow, almost silhouetted against the cover). While I imagine Shoshana's hair as a bit curlier, and with several different shades of pink in her hair, I really like this cover.
There don't seem to be a lot of romance novels, contemporary and certainly not historical, that feature Jewish protagonists. I certainly can't remember reading many of them. The Jewish faith is pretty much front and centre in this book, what with the hero being a rabbi and the heroine being raised in the faith (she considers herself an atheist). This means there were quite a few words and terms that I wasn't immediately familiar with. Did it in any way impact my enjoyment of the book? Not even a little bit.
As well as being a really well-plotted and sexy book, I was surprised at how funny and emotional it is. Shoshana's dad reacted badly when her mother died, and as a result, Shoshana doesn't feel comfortable going to the local synagogue, even if it also means she's lost touch with a lot of people. She is convinced she manages fine on her own, running her family's custom-furniture business more or less single-handedly. Her entire social network consists of her two best friends and her loyal employee.
Her friends insist that she has to come and check out the new "hot rabbi" and Shoshana lets herself be persuaded. Shoshana and David, recently divorced and the primary caregiver of a little girl, form a pretty instant connection. David has been deftly avoiding all attempts to set him up, as he doesn't want to get romantically involved with anyone in his congregation. So the fact that Shoshana isn't part of said congregation anymore is perfect. They are both a bit flabbergasted at how quickly they seem to fall for one another but meeting this funny, intelligent, understanding and caring man brings up a whole host of insecurities in Shoshana, whose life is also further complicated when her loyal sidekick at work announces that he's quitting and Shoshana needs to learn to deal with the business side of her furniture shop in less than a month.
Confession - I know the author of this book and consider her a friend. That has not influenced my review (rather made it more intimidating to write, frankly) and I am only sorry that it's taken me so long to actually read and review this book. My friend wrote this clever, funny, sexy, and emotional book and published it and sold it and I'm so very proud of her. If I have any criticism at all about this book it's that it's a bit short, and I wanted to spend more time with pretty much every single character in it. Now I can look forward to checking out the next book in this series (about a hot lumberjack, who I think was mentioned in passing at least once in this book) and hopefully keep being amazed by Aviva's writing skills.
Judging a book by its cover: This book has more than one cover, but I prefer the one where you can see the protagonists more clearly (the other one has them in shadow, almost silhouetted against the cover). While I imagine Shoshana's hair as a bit curlier, and with several different shades of pink in her hair, I really like this cover.
January 16, 2022
On one hand, this did exactly what it said on the tin - the Rabbi was indeed hot, as were the sex scenes, but on the other hand, I found myself genuinely moved by the story and character development. Perhaps it's where I am in life and what I'm currently dealing with this, but I shed the odd tear and felt very seen by this book. (And I'm not even Jewish!) Overall, I thought it was a well-written and tender story of self-discovery... with a very hot Rabbi included!
May 14, 2023
Egy relatable jelenet volt ebben.
Ahogy bugyog a felszínre a méreg belőled, és tudod, hogy bántó lesz, amit mondasz, tudod, hogy meg kéne állítanod, amit mondani fogsz, értelme sincs, és biztosan nem konstruktív. És még megvan annyi mentális kapacitásod, hogy látod, hogy baj lesz, de azért se tudod visszafogni, és azért is kimondod, hogy fájjon.
Ahogy bugyog a felszínre a méreg belőled, és tudod, hogy bántó lesz, amit mondasz, tudod, hogy meg kéne állítanod, amit mondani fogsz, értelme sincs, és biztosan nem konstruktív. És még megvan annyi mentális kapacitásod, hogy látod, hogy baj lesz, de azért se tudod visszafogni, és azért is kimondod, hogy fájjon.
did-not-finish
December 30, 2020Having trouble getting into this one - love that it's a Jewish romance but the writing isn't for me.
February 20, 2023
So cute and sexy! A surprising delight!
October 8, 2024
heres the thing i was 1. lusting after adam brody as a rabbi 2. sent a nyt list of jewish romance books so i read this one and if u want me to be so fr idk the name david just isnt doing it for me this was fine but not my cup of tea for some reason
December 20, 2020
This book was not for me. Rating wise this was more of a 2.5 stars but I rounded up since this has more to do with my own personal pet peeves than the author’s writing. Spoilers ahead.
Something I absolutely loved was the community in this book. Even members of the Jewish community who I thought were being set up to be super catty ended up being lovely people who formed a great connection with Shoshana. And that was just perfect. Such amazing and strong friendships in this book.
Shoshana herself was a good character. I think I mostly just had a hard time really clicking with her? On the one hand she jokes about how she likes to sleep around and the next she is blushing because David smiled at her or something. This is probably a stereotype I have in my own head, which is why I think me not completely clicking with her is just me. And I think the fact that the reason she cut herself off from most of the Jewish community isn’t revealed until farther into the book maybe made it harder for me to really understand her position and actions? While I ultimately would say her feelings were valid, her actions and attitude just overall seemed very selfish and self-centered. However she grew on me more and more as the book progressed.
David on the other hand. I loved David for most of the book. He was funny and he had a very relaxed attitude towards most things. While he clearly has strong beliefs and sticks to them, he doesn’t try to restrict how people express themselves and doesn’t try to impose his views on others. His approach is very refreshing. However, I stopped liking him when
I am not Jewish, so I can’t actually speak to the rep there but I thought it was good from the little I know. And I really liked those aspects of the story. My main problem was all to do with the two MCs and that could be largely a me problem and not something other people would mind. I know other people have very much enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.
Something I absolutely loved was the community in this book. Even members of the Jewish community who I thought were being set up to be super catty ended up being lovely people who formed a great connection with Shoshana. And that was just perfect. Such amazing and strong friendships in this book.
Shoshana herself was a good character. I think I mostly just had a hard time really clicking with her? On the one hand she jokes about how she likes to sleep around and the next she is blushing because David smiled at her or something. This is probably a stereotype I have in my own head, which is why I think me not completely clicking with her is just me. And I think the fact that the reason she cut herself off from most of the Jewish community isn’t revealed until farther into the book maybe made it harder for me to really understand her position and actions? While I ultimately would say her feelings were valid, her actions and attitude just overall seemed very selfish and self-centered. However she grew on me more and more as the book progressed.
David on the other hand. I loved David for most of the book. He was funny and he had a very relaxed attitude towards most things. While he clearly has strong beliefs and sticks to them, he doesn’t try to restrict how people express themselves and doesn’t try to impose his views on others. His approach is very refreshing. However, I stopped liking him when
I am not Jewish, so I can’t actually speak to the rep there but I thought it was good from the little I know. And I really liked those aspects of the story. My main problem was all to do with the two MCs and that could be largely a me problem and not something other people would mind. I know other people have very much enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.
December 20, 2020
I didn't really know what to expect from this book and I really enjoyed it! I loved the centering of Jewish characters and that this wasn't focused around a particular holiday, and I also really liked the chemistry and humor.
Shoshana owns a custom furniture store and has been avoiding going to temple and interacting with the local Jewish community for years until her friends convince her to come to services and see the sexy new rabbi. David, the hot rabbi himself, is new in town and a single parent to his adorable daughter. The beginning of this book hooked me, and I found myself laughing out loud. David and Shoshana's attraction is instant and mutual and the possibility/threat of them having something serious is almost palpable. I loved Shoshana's emotional growth and her bisexuality, and I appreciated that both main characters were flawed and human. This book has some serious steam, and I am always pleased when main characters' professional lives and day to day realities are incorporated in a story. For a short work, a lot was covered and it never felt rushed.
Before reading, I was worried that David would be objectified as the rabbi in a way that would have made me uncomfortable (especially outside of a taboo novel) and I was wary of the role Judaism would play in this work, but both were handled in a way that really worked for me. There were nuances I would have liked to see acknowledged but nothing I'm hung up on.
The main tensions in this book (The relationship conflict and Shoshana's avoidance of the synagogue) didn't work as well for me, they felt like a mismatch of build up and payoff, but that could just be my own interpretation.
Overall, this was a delight and I look forward to reading more of this author's work!
Shoshana owns a custom furniture store and has been avoiding going to temple and interacting with the local Jewish community for years until her friends convince her to come to services and see the sexy new rabbi. David, the hot rabbi himself, is new in town and a single parent to his adorable daughter. The beginning of this book hooked me, and I found myself laughing out loud. David and Shoshana's attraction is instant and mutual and the possibility/threat of them having something serious is almost palpable. I loved Shoshana's emotional growth and her bisexuality, and I appreciated that both main characters were flawed and human. This book has some serious steam, and I am always pleased when main characters' professional lives and day to day realities are incorporated in a story. For a short work, a lot was covered and it never felt rushed.
Before reading, I was worried that David would be objectified as the rabbi in a way that would have made me uncomfortable (especially outside of a taboo novel) and I was wary of the role Judaism would play in this work, but both were handled in a way that really worked for me. There were nuances I would have liked to see acknowledged but nothing I'm hung up on.
The main tensions in this book (The relationship conflict and Shoshana's avoidance of the synagogue) didn't work as well for me, they felt like a mismatch of build up and payoff, but that could just be my own interpretation.
Overall, this was a delight and I look forward to reading more of this author's work!
December 1, 2021
So sweet, so sexy. I loved the characters and it was super hot.
I learned a lot about the Jewish faith without being hit over the head with it. No obvious explanations that didn't need to be made. Less obvious stuff was subtlety explained in text in a way that didn't detract from the story.
I hate having to say this about a book, I wouldn't comment on this kind of thing if the characters in the book were Christian which I realize is because of dominant cultural things im probably not aware of(ok i would if things like Christmas or something was annoying described in detail in a way that didn't serve the story) but the fact of the matter is I have read books with Jewish characters where they explained what the word smuck means (like somehow even if I lived under a rock the ability to highlight a word and get a definition didn't exist) and I've read books where super complex parts of the Jewish faith that were critical to understanding the story were glossed over with nary a footnote to fill this gentile in on significance. This book hit all the notes so perfectly and is frankly a master class in lovingly putting a culture/faith on the page in a way that is accessible to people outside of said culture.
Anyway I'm gonna go wake my husband up and ask him why he doesn't have a religious experience when we are together the way Sho and David do.
I learned a lot about the Jewish faith without being hit over the head with it. No obvious explanations that didn't need to be made. Less obvious stuff was subtlety explained in text in a way that didn't detract from the story.
I hate having to say this about a book, I wouldn't comment on this kind of thing if the characters in the book were Christian which I realize is because of dominant cultural things im probably not aware of(ok i would if things like Christmas or something was annoying described in detail in a way that didn't serve the story) but the fact of the matter is I have read books with Jewish characters where they explained what the word smuck means (like somehow even if I lived under a rock the ability to highlight a word and get a definition didn't exist) and I've read books where super complex parts of the Jewish faith that were critical to understanding the story were glossed over with nary a footnote to fill this gentile in on significance. This book hit all the notes so perfectly and is frankly a master class in lovingly putting a culture/faith on the page in a way that is accessible to people outside of said culture.
Anyway I'm gonna go wake my husband up and ask him why he doesn't have a religious experience when we are together the way Sho and David do.
March 15, 2022
3.5 out of 5 stars
CW: previous parent death
I liked this story. I loved how David and Shoshana seemed so dazzled by each other. Just their voices seemed to enchant the other. There was almost no conflict to cause them to adjust things. I liked that David did not attempt to fix Shoshana but accepted her feelings and fears, then showed her his respect. David's daughter did not play a large role in the story. She was adorable and I wish we saw her more. I found Sho's problems with her father were interesting and different from the norm. That was refreshing to read. I did expect something more volatile to keep her from the shul for so long, but as a non-practicing Catholic/atheist, I do see her reasons for not attending. I definitely wish there had been more to the grovel. The ending seemed more HFN than HEA, but I was glad that we get to see Sho interacting with Dani. That seemed like an important step in their relationship. Overall, this is a wonderful book. As a non-religious person, I did find myself getting bogged down in some of the more descriptive portions of religious life.
CW: previous parent death
I liked this story. I loved how David and Shoshana seemed so dazzled by each other. Just their voices seemed to enchant the other. There was almost no conflict to cause them to adjust things. I liked that David did not attempt to fix Shoshana but accepted her feelings and fears, then showed her his respect. David's daughter did not play a large role in the story. She was adorable and I wish we saw her more. I found Sho's problems with her father were interesting and different from the norm. That was refreshing to read. I did expect something more volatile to keep her from the shul for so long, but as a non-practicing Catholic/atheist, I do see her reasons for not attending. I definitely wish there had been more to the grovel. The ending seemed more HFN than HEA, but I was glad that we get to see Sho interacting with Dani. That seemed like an important step in their relationship. Overall, this is a wonderful book. As a non-religious person, I did find myself getting bogged down in some of the more descriptive portions of religious life.
June 20, 2023
I liked this one but I was left wanting more. The first half of the book promised one thing but by the second half the book was another thing entirely. I did love learning about the Jewish faith and David and Shoshana had chemistry for days...but the break-up spoiled the fun for me.
-SPOILER ALERT-
That third act break-up was a mess. It didn't make sense while it was happening and I was so confused. Like, why is this man so mad that Shoshana was at his daughter's school? Her friend's a literal teacher there! And then when she confronted him about it cause he was being an ass to her he decided to do the meanest thing he could think of, and I was sitting there like: Why is he doing this? Cause I don't get it. Obviously they break up and when they have an opportunity to talk about it we find out the reason and it is the stupidest reason to ever exist. He used Shoshana's insecurities/trauma against her because he was missing his daughter. WHAT THE ACTUAL F***? And after all that she forgave him. WHY? I couldn't look at David the same after that whole debacle. He literally proved that at any minor inconvenience he was gonna use her lack of faith against her.
-SPOILER ALERT-
That third act break-up was a mess. It didn't make sense while it was happening and I was so confused. Like, why is this man so mad that Shoshana was at his daughter's school? Her friend's a literal teacher there! And then when she confronted him about it cause he was being an ass to her he decided to do the meanest thing he could think of, and I was sitting there like: Why is he doing this? Cause I don't get it. Obviously they break up and when they have an opportunity to talk about it we find out the reason and it is the stupidest reason to ever exist. He used Shoshana's insecurities/trauma against her because he was missing his daughter. WHAT THE ACTUAL F***? And after all that she forgave him. WHY? I couldn't look at David the same after that whole debacle. He literally proved that at any minor inconvenience he was gonna use her lack of faith against her.
August 29, 2022
J'avoue que j'ai été un peu déconcertée par ma lecture. Je m'armais contre une poussée "inspirationale" de l'autrice... et je suis tombée sur une romance légère et très sexy avec de longues scènes de sexe. D'un côté, on a un nouveau rabbin, papa divorcé, qui cherche à refaire sa vie, mais pas dans le petit cercle de la communauté religieuse dans lequel il étouffe un peu, et une jeune femme bisexuelle, juive, non pratiquante (et non croyante), qui, après une liaison de huit ans, souhaite un nouvel amour dans son existence.
Si pendant la moitié du roman, l'ensemble reste donc sexy et primesautier (notamment grâce aux facéties de la petite fille du rabbin) les choses vont un peu se compliquer lorsque cette liaison va très vite devenir sérieuse. Des mauvais souvenirs envahissent notre héroïne, alors que la pression des rumeurs et des tâches se fait de plus en plus sentir... C'est très bien fait, et même assez émouvant. Notre si parfait rabbin, ne l'est pas autant que cela, et cela rend tout ce petit monde très humain.
Réussi !
Si pendant la moitié du roman, l'ensemble reste donc sexy et primesautier (notamment grâce aux facéties de la petite fille du rabbin) les choses vont un peu se compliquer lorsque cette liaison va très vite devenir sérieuse. Des mauvais souvenirs envahissent notre héroïne, alors que la pression des rumeurs et des tâches se fait de plus en plus sentir... C'est très bien fait, et même assez émouvant. Notre si parfait rabbin, ne l'est pas autant que cela, et cela rend tout ce petit monde très humain.
Réussi !
April 12, 2023
Actual rating 3.66 ⭐️
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was very Jewish. I wonder if it is as accessible to someone without a Jewish background because there was a lot of Hebrew and Yiddish without explanation.
The buildup of the story was great and I liked the coming together of Shoshana and David. But I don’t know how fully invested I was in Shoshana’s conflict about being a part of or coming back into the community. It wasn’t super clear to me why it was such a problem. Likewise, with the third act breakup, I wasn’t 100% sold on the reason behind David’s hurt.
The friend game was great throughout. I liked how her forever friends had her back and how the old friends came back into her life. Shoshana clearly saw things through a certain lens and it was nice not to get any judgement or cattiness among the female friends.
Like I said, I liked the book as a whole and the parts where Shoshana and David were getting together and when they were together. Some parts of the book felt weak, but there wasn’t anything so egregious that it ruined the book for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was very Jewish. I wonder if it is as accessible to someone without a Jewish background because there was a lot of Hebrew and Yiddish without explanation.
The buildup of the story was great and I liked the coming together of Shoshana and David. But I don’t know how fully invested I was in Shoshana’s conflict about being a part of or coming back into the community. It wasn’t super clear to me why it was such a problem. Likewise, with the third act breakup, I wasn’t 100% sold on the reason behind David’s hurt.
The friend game was great throughout. I liked how her forever friends had her back and how the old friends came back into her life. Shoshana clearly saw things through a certain lens and it was nice not to get any judgement or cattiness among the female friends.
Like I said, I liked the book as a whole and the parts where Shoshana and David were getting together and when they were together. Some parts of the book felt weak, but there wasn’t anything so egregious that it ruined the book for me.
February 23, 2021
Shoshanna has been avoiding synagogue for more than 15 years until her best friends draw her back in with the promise of a hot new rabbi. He is, indeed, hot, and sparks fly immediately. This was so utterly charming and delightful. I adored David and the voice in his head he named Reb Moshe and his love for his half hilarious/half annoying 4 year old (which is the way 4 years old roll). It took a little too long for Sho's struggle with synagogue to get explained and without it, she did live up to her friend's drama queen nickname. But once it was explained, and she and David navigated it together, it absolutely made perfect sense. I really liked Abi and Leah and hope we get to revisit them in future stories.
I loved that Sho was visibly bi (her last relationship with Kristie was a big part of who she is and her withdrawal from a lot), I love her pink hair, and I love her cultural Jewishness. Somethings I had to look up, but most I either knew or got from context.
I loved that Sho was visibly bi (her last relationship with Kristie was a big part of who she is and her withdrawal from a lot), I love her pink hair, and I love her cultural Jewishness. Somethings I had to look up, but most I either knew or got from context.
September 20, 2021
A rare treasure where the story and writing in general made up for a lot of typographical errors (normally I get stuck on them and it ruins my read...)!
I also found myself looking up the Yiddish words almost every time they were used, which turned this romance read into an educational one, too. (And I love that the author consulted with her rabbi to make sure this was factually plausible!)
Anyway, plot-wise, I enjoyed it on the whole (the nods to mental health were especially nice -- not like, overt, but also not hidden). The crepe scene was pretty uncomfortable for me (or rather, the lead-in to why that scene was happening -- a character who later says, "I hate to let food go to waste" is sitting at dinner, not eating, after saying she hasn't eaten all day, either...). And there were some noncommunicative moments (which felt realistic - it's not always easy to express shit, even if it's usually something you do).
I also found myself looking up the Yiddish words almost every time they were used, which turned this romance read into an educational one, too. (And I love that the author consulted with her rabbi to make sure this was factually plausible!)
Anyway, plot-wise, I enjoyed it on the whole (the nods to mental health were especially nice -- not like, overt, but also not hidden). The crepe scene was pretty uncomfortable for me (or rather, the lead-in to why that scene was happening -- a character who later says, "I hate to let food go to waste" is sitting at dinner, not eating, after saying she hasn't eaten all day, either...). And there were some noncommunicative moments (which felt realistic - it's not always easy to express shit, even if it's usually something you do).
January 30, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up
This was a really fulfilling read, full of depth and heart, and so many feelings about the self, sexuality, vulnerability, faith, grief, family and community.
I adored Shoshanah, she was completely one of my favourite heroines, with her honesty in self and struggles.
This story has stuck with me for a long time afterwards.
This was a really fulfilling read, full of depth and heart, and so many feelings about the self, sexuality, vulnerability, faith, grief, family and community.
I adored Shoshanah, she was completely one of my favourite heroines, with her honesty in self and struggles.
This story has stuck with me for a long time afterwards.
March 8, 2021
I enjoyed this story, but not as much as I had hoped. I felt like parts of the story dragged with certain scenes dragging out for pages and pages. Also, I thought that several plot points (Shoshana's relationship with her dad, her friend leaving, David's remarks at the end) were made overly dramatic.
August 22, 2021
I enjoyed reading this, which says a lot, because as a religious person, I typically loathe reading romances with religious leaders. That is a kink that I just fully lack. I got along just fine by ignoring any possible ramifications of these two hooking up, and the author also ignored any possible ramifications of these two hooking up, so I was in good company.
October 4, 2025
When I started I actually wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did! The characters are endearing, the story is good, the smut is good, the Judaism is great and there are actually some really poignant moments! (amidst the smut!!) A nice easy, heart warming read with great representation and a healthy romance.
September 13, 2022
It was a good book, I liked it. Shoshana wasn't perfect and I liked that, she was herself, flaws and all and that was just amazing. David was so sweet and he also had flaws but I still liked him. They were good for each other, perfect really
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews