A lovely feel good story, I'd rate 4 out of 5. I have also reviewed on Amazon and goodreads. Would recommend

Oh this was brilliant.

There was so much I could relate to, although I'm not orthodox, there was plenty in this that definitely did resonate with me.

There are two possible paths that Penina could take in this story, and I was never completely sure whether she would choose duty to her family, or her heart - and with those came two rather fabulous men!

This is after loads of completely rubbish dates that led Penina to have no hope for her future. Add in changes at the Jewelry store where she works, and we have a character that has a lot of decisions to make in all elements of her life.

Penina's father almost reminded me of the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, different religion sure, but certainly some similar personality traits. Penina's sisters were brilliant, one married with more children I could possibly count (I think it was five) and then her younger sister is completely independent and I loved some of her opinions.

Penina seems to be the bane of her matchmaker's existence, and some of the potential matches have been totally dire, which adds to the humour of the book.

I loved Sam from the moment I met him, but same with Zevi.

This was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed reading it.

Would love to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Embla Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This book was hilarious and I love that more and more books are Jewish nowadays. I will definitely be reading more of Shertok in the future!

I appreciated the opportunity to read a book from an author with a different cultural background from my own. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters and story of this book. That said, this could be personal preference so I encourage others to read it and decide for themselves.

This was a very good book. I enjoyed reading it. The characters and plot kept me interested. I would read another book by this author.

What a sweet Jewish romance! I like this one quite a bit. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did.

"Unorthodox Love" by Heidi Shertok is a gem of a story that throws tradition out the window and embraces love in all its quirky glory.

Right from the start, Shertok's writing pulls you into the lives of characters who feel like friends you've known forever. They're real, they're flawed, and they're navigating love in a way that's refreshingly honest.

What makes "Unorthodox Love" stand out is its willingness to tackle the tough stuff. Shertok isn't afraid to dive into topics that might make some blush, and that's what makes the romance feel so authentic and raw.

But don't worry—it's not all heavy stuff. There's plenty of swoon-worthy moments to keep you grinning from ear to ear. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and you can't help but root for them every step of the way.

Shertok's storytelling is addictive, pulling you along on a rollercoaster of emotions that you won't want to end. And with just the right balance of drama and heart, it's the kind of book you'll find yourself thinking about long after you've finished.

In a nutshell, "Unorthodox Love" is a love story for the modern age—one that proves that love doesn't always follow the rules, and that's what makes it so beautiful. So grab a copy, cozy up, and get ready to fall head over heels!

I actually dinged this book 3/4 of the way though cause I couldn’t connect with the mc ……. I am sorry I wanted to to like it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I just dont like romances with religion much and i feel this didnt focus as much on the main couple as I wouldve liked. not for me.

The writing is solid, creating a vivid atmosphere, but the plot is a mix of captivating moments and predictability. Characters are well-developed, though some lack depth. Pacing fluctuates, making it a decent but not outstanding read.

A very fun book! Had a blast and read the entire book very quickly. Stayed with me after I put it down.

I read a book called Unorthodox Love, and I found it interesting because it explores the world of Orthodox Jewish traditions and romance. The story follows Penina, a 29-year-old woman who belongs to the Orthodox Jewish community and is infertile. She's been using a matchmaker to find love but agrees to fake date one of her matches due to her family's financial problems. Her boss, Sam, becomes her love interest, and the book shows how their relationship grows amidst their differences. The book has good banter, family moments, and characters, and it depicts Orthodox traditions and practices nicely. Overall, I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you, Alcove Press and Netgalley, for this arc for an honest review!

I really wanted to love this book as someone who was raised orthodox Jewish but Penina’s character grated on me too much and Sam was just mean. I kept trying to give it more chances but ended up DNFing.

I appreciate more books being about unapologetically Jewish characters and hope one day there will be lots more so I don’t feel so guilty when I don’t love every single one.

Interesting book with interesting characters. I learnt a lot which was a pleasant surprise. Will definitely recommend this!

I loved this romantic comedy so much and I could not stop laughing. The storyline was original and I loved Penina's character so much. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were the cherry on top.

Sweet, easy read. Fast, entertaining and engaging.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, and don't really understand how it happened.

Heidi Shertok's debut Jewish rom-com, Unorthodox Love, is incredibly enjoyable throughout! I had a lot of fun reading it and getting to know Penina. And Sam is definitely swoonworthy!

Penina has a lot of stress in her life. It was interesting to see what kind of decisions she would make. I like that this novel teaches different facets of Orthodox Judaism, from holidays to keeping Kosher to shomer negiah (men and women not touching before marriage, keeping a door open if they are in a room together, etc.) to family purity...there is a lot you can learn through such a charming and delightful story. Penina reminds me of myself in some ways, especially with the desire to help people. I liked that about her.

The story opens with a really bad blind date that was arranged by a shadchen (matchmaker). It's actually hilarious but hard not to totally cringe for Penina and want to be her emergency call. From there, it just continues to stay fun and interesting, especially when Sam enters the scene. I loved the banter between Penina and Sam and how she was teaching him about Orthodox Judaism. However, his reaction to one of the rituals was a bit triggering for me.

I really like that Heidi touched on the subject of infertility and its impact on Orthodox women. While I don't wish this on anyone, I hope that someone who is going through it can find comfort from reading this novel.

There were some inconsistencies that I hope were ironed out for the final publication, as I read an advanced copy. There were also some comments that could be seen as insensitive. In the long run, it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.

I already am looking forward to Heidi's next novel! And if she lived closer, I'd invite her over for a Shabbat meal.

Movie casting suggestions:
Penina: Lily Collins
Sam: James Wolk
Zevi: Max Rhyser

Title: Unorthodox Love

Author: Heidi Shertox


Ch: 30 plus epilogue


Pg: 33


Genre: Jewish rom com


Rating: 4 stars


Publisher: Alcove Press


Thanks to Jean Meltzer I’m hooked on Jewish rom com and romances and any books that focuses on Jewish joy. And Unorthodox is the debut novel by Heidi Shertox. The heroine Penina is an Orthodox Jew who match makers send her on dates with not best pickings because she can’t have kids. But then her boss Sam Kleinfield comes into the picture. Sam is Jewish but he’s not Orthodox.


Sam starts out as a bit of a jerk but then Penina isn’t exactly the friendliest to him. But for me he quickly grew on me and became one of my favorite fictional heroes. And he delivers one of my favorite lines in chapter seventeen of the book. Why does it seem like all the best guys are fictional?



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Unorthodox Love is a romantic comedy based upon Orthodox Judaism. Written by Heidi Shertok, the main two characters are Penina, an Orthodox Jewish fashion blogger who also works in a jewellery store, helps her family out and volunteers at the local Nicu and their cuddle program. Sam Kleinfeld, a Jewish (but not Orthodox) new grumpy the store manager.

Penina still strictly follows the Orthodox Jewish teaching that everyone has a soulmate but as she is still unmarried at 29 despite being sent on lots of disastrous dates by her matchmaker and working in a jewellery store which sells engagement rings to happy couples ever day she is starting to wonder if this is actually true. Unfortunately for Penina she is sadly unable to have children and as the family is a central tenant of the Jewish faith this means her options are limited. She needs to get married in order to help out her sister and brother in law otherwise they will lose their home in three months time.

Sam is the jewellery store’s bosses son. He has come to manage the shop whilst his father battled cancer. Sam is grumpy and whilst he is Jewish he is not from the Orthodox branch. As he isn’t an Orthodox Jew he can see beyond the fertility/ brood mare aspect and sees Penina as a fashionable, caring fun person who wants to help everyone. He takes the time to talk to her at every opportunity and slowly their relationship shifts.

Zevi is a guy she meets via the dating app. He is very rich and has an intriguing proposal for her. He will pay her to marry him as he want to please his mother before she died and hide the fact that he is gay.

Penina had two choices marry a rich gay guy in order to help her family or marry Sam who will either have to adapt to the Orthodox way of life or she will have to give up her religion which she holds dear to her heart.

The ending is very uplifting and the epilogue ties the whole book together.

I thought this book was fascinating and went way beyond the traditional rom-com novel. I enjoyed that Penina wasn’t depicted as the archetypal frumpy Jewish girl but as a fashion blogger (who had modest success on ins) she was interested and blogged about kosher food, fashionable modest clothing and their religion’s customs and teachings. The infertility/ still a virgin at 29 aspect and how uncomfortable Penina was with feeling that she didn’t fit in to the social hierarchy despite being there to help anyone who needed it is rather sad and as a reader I felt for her. I also felt sorry for Zevi who had to hide his sexuality from his dying mother and presumably the wider community. The banter between Sam and Penina was fun and more interesting than if they had just fallen into bed together. I really enjoyed this novel and would love to read other books by this author.

I enjoyed how I was gain a tiny insight into Orthodox Judaism and it’s customs. It is a fascinating religion. I follow a few Orthodox Jewish fashion/ family Tiktokers and I don’t think I would ever be able to live their lives. There are so many rules and customs.