Review Detail

This book has great Jewish representation, and made me feel seen as a Jewish reader who hasn’t always felt seen when reading holiday books. It’s a sweet, fun, and funny holiday romance that incorporates not only Hanukkah, but also Christmas and New Years, making this the perfect winter holiday read. Shira is an overachiever and perfectionist, but one area that she can’t seem to master is social interaction, especially with boys. But as she gets closer to someone she never expected to become friends with, her flirting lessons start to feel real, yet still appropriate for the recommended age group (12-17. Shira’s growth over the course of the story felt relatable and realistic, and it was wonderful to watch her come out of her shell and start really deciding what she wanted for herself instead of just letting things happen. There’s diversity, and easy to understand explanations about the holiday of Hanukkah for people who aren’t familiar with the holiday, and there’s plenty of humor included in the story.

The story was fairly predictable, and didn’t offer any surprises beyond what was included in the blurb. This wasn’t necessarily a negative, if you’re looking for a light and low-stakes holiday read, but if you’re looking for more of a twist, this probably wouldn’t be a good fit for you.

It touches on the isolation that we can feel when we don’t connect with people around us, and on the pressures that we put on ourselves to succeed rather than to enjoy ourselves in the moment. The story also talks about the magic of the holiday season, no matter what you celebrate, and how people often have hidden depths that we don’t always notice if we don’t take the time to really get to know them.