A super cute Hanukkah YA rom-com. It did feel a bit Hallmark-y with the insta love, though. I don't usually love insta love, but I did love the Jewish rep and having a Hanukkah book. I'll be recommending this one!

Eight Dates and Nights was a super cute young adult romance. The romance was cute, though I definitely found it young adult, skewing to the younger side, as a lot of the romance was cheesy. I think this would work for 7-12th graders, likely better with most middle schoolers. The characters were great and kept me wanting to read more to find out what happened. I appreciated how both main characters changed and we got to see character development in many of the characters. I think some of the plot could have been developed more -- for example, the rift with her family seemed under-developed. We learn that the rift was because of a disagreement about how the family expressed (or didn't) their jewishness. However, I don't see why this would cause a rift for so long nor why the family would join her in Texas later but not originally; why wouldn't the family go together? My favorite aspect of the book, and the one that I think makes this book unique and special, is the Jewish representation. Not only was this book about Hannukah (hard to find good Hannukah representation, especially in YA literature!), but there were really thoughtful and well done conversations about how people view their Jewish identity, what it means to be Jewish to each person, and how people express their religion. I would recommend this as a Hannukah present for sure! I also think it would be a great addition to any library.

This was amazing and perfect for the season. It got me right in the mood and left me wishing there were more pages at the end. Highly rec. also amazing representation.

Such a cute read. And it’s a fast read too, which makes it a perfect read for a cold winter night. I also loved how it was truly a book about Hanukkah. A lot of times, especially YA, books focusing on Hanukkah still get overshadowed by Christmas.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I enjoyed this book and I love reading stories that explore the Jewish culture and religion.

So cute! It was enjoyable and I read it in one setting. It moved pretty quickly. Perfect time to read!

I was really excited for this one since there is such a lack of Hanukkah books out there. While the concept intrigued me, I found myself getting bored halfway through, and I wasn't convinced by Hannah and Noah's relationship. I also found that some of the social media/pop culture elements feel outdated (#BagelBae was too much for me). That said, I really appreciate the exploration of Jewish culture in New York vs. in small town Texas, and this is still a cute holiday read. I know that there are many out there who will enjoy this one more than I did.

This was adorable. I loved the writing, I loved the relationship Hannah and her grandmother developed. I loved Noah. This was sweet and a great read filled with Jewish joy.

Where was this book when I was younger? This was the most adorable YA Jewish romance. I loved how grumpy Hannah was. I loved how differently Noah and Hannah celebrated the Hanukkah holiday. I loved Blum deli (and pretty sure I need a shirt for the deli). Noah was legit perfect. This book was so great and I truly believe anyone (Jewish or not) would fall in love with the characters.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

If you are in search of a high school Hanukkah romance, look no further! Hannah Levin is not looking forward to spending part of her Winter Break in the small Texas town of Rosenblum with her grandmother, instead of at home in New York City with her family and friends. She barely knows her father's mother. While there she mets Noah, who seems to be her opposite in every way. As Hannah and Noah work together to save Noah's family's deli, Hannah re-examines her own Jewish identity and the many ways American Jews celebrate all over the country. Highly recommended for grades 7 & up.

Hannah Levin is upset that she is being forced to spend part of her winter vacation with her grandmother in small-town Texas. There is nothing she dislikes more than the tinsel of Christmas and wants to spend her Hanukkah with her friends and family in NYC.

When there is a snowstorm and her return flight home to New York is delayed, she is forced to spend Hanukkah in Texas. She meets Noah, who is annoyingly adorable and is determined to not only bring Hanukkah to his small town but also teach Hannah that there are different ways to celebrate. This is a YA holiday romance at its best. If you are looking for the best holiday books, this Young adult pick is a gem.

Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge is perfect for readers with Christmas rom-com fatigue who also love the grumpy/sunshine trope!

Big city girl, small town world
Hannah Levin holds tightly to her Jewish heritage. Every year, she and her family take their Hanukkah celebrations seriously. But this year, her parents are shipping her off to a small town in Texas to spend a few days with her non-Jewish grandmother. At first she thinks she can just power through the four-day trip, but when a huge snowstorm leads to a canceled flight, she’s stuck with a longer trip than she expected.

Meanwhile, in town, she meets Noah, the only local fellow Jewish teenager. His family runs a deli, the only Jewish business left, but sadly, it’s in danger of closing. Now Hannah and Noah immediately butt heads due to their different opinions on how Hanukkah should be celebrated. Hannah views it as a somber affair, commemorating past tragedies, while Noah sees it as a joyful holiday. So they strike a deal. Hannah agrees to help Noah save his family deli, and he insists on showing Hannah the joy of Hanukkah with eight nights of celebration…

Undeveloped protagonists
The best rom-coms don’t focus solely on the romance. Usually, the main character has some kind of goal to achieve and flaw to overcome, and the romantic lead helps her learn something crucial. In this story, however, we learn almost nothing about Hannah’s backstory. She vaguely mentions her anxieties about college, but never specifies what her dream college is or what she wants to study. While I got a strong sense of Hannah’s personality, I still feel like I don’t know her all too well. It centers on her relationship with Noah, which is precious, but we lose out on deeper character growth.

Noah, in contrast to Hannah’s grumpiness, is a ray of sunshine. He basically overwhelms Hannah with boundless energy and affection. Good good good. Unfortunately, his character suffers from the same issues. We don’t learn what he wants to do with his life. He shares that he doesn’t get along with his dad, but strangely, his parents never make an appearance, despite living in the same tiny town. I feel like we missed out on an epic showdown between Noah and his dad.

A welcome break from Christmas madness
Why must all rom-coms be Christmas rom-coms? Why can’t we ever get a nice Halloween love story, or Thanksgiving, or literally any other holiday? It was refreshing to see something different. As someone who knew nothing about Hanukkah or Jewish culture, it was so refreshing to learn more about a new religion and holiday! I also loved seeing how a variety of different characters celebrate it. I will be keeping my eye out for more books like this.

If you’re looking for a short, easy read that will warm your cold heart, check this one out! It’s never too early to start your holiday season!

Strangely, in the beginning, I liked how Hannah was having trouble just getting to Texas. I like when a character has troubles because, in some ways, it makes them more human and not perfect. I did like Noah. He was energetic, hard-working, and loyal. I get how it took Hannah some time to fall for him, and I like how Noah helped Hannah be a little more spontaneous, and she helped him learn that having a plan isn’t always a bad thing. They were the perfect half for the other one. I also liked the side characters, like Abe and Hannah’s parents/brother, and Hannah’s grandmother. I loved the animals, like the horses named after the Beatles band, and the dog named Elvis. I wanted to reach through the pages and give him a pet. This is a good, light-hearted Hannuakah book, and a good teen romance book. Glad I read this.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Is it too soon for holiday books? I say, of course not!!

This YA holiday book about two Jewish teenagers who try to find some Hanukkah magic in a small Texas town was great! This was the cutest, quick romance read that has definitely got me looking forward to the holiday season just around the corner! Hannah and Noah were perfect together and Noah's infectious spirit had me smiling while reading! The audiobook narrated by Tara Sands was also entertaining and well-done! Put this delightful romance on your holiday TBR this year!

Eight Dates and Nights follows Hannah, a New York City teen dropped in Texas for the holidays to visit her grandmother. She and her brother take turns, and this time it's her turn to go to her grandmother's small town. When the weather keeps her there longer than anticipated, Hannah meets another Jewish teen named Noah who shows her how they celebrate Hanukkah in the small town.

I enjoy reading holiday books that aren't just about Christmas, and this fits the bill well. It was cute to follow the teens through the eight nights of Hanukkah as Noah tries to raise Hannah's spirits, especially as she sees there is more to the holiday than her usual celebration.

While fun, much of the romantic energy in this book felt one-sided. There wasn't enough characterization developed in Hannah, despite her being the POV we are reading, to understand or appreciate why she falls for Noah as she experiences Hanukkah in a new way. However, through her eyes, we get a great look at Noah and his actions, and his side of everything makes the narrative work. I think this could've been more effective through his POV rather than Hannah's.

I will say, the meet-cute Hannah and Noah had is one of my favorites that I've read in a while, and for that, I give the author props. It is one that won't leave my head any time soon.

Characters-10

Hannah and Noah were fantastic, and I really enjoyed their personality. Hannah was bookish, and I enjoyed how much she loved books and wanted to help kids. Noah was sweet, and I loved how much he cared about the deli. Seeing a teen without social media, and didn’t care all that much about social media, was refreshing.

Atmosphere-8

I’ve never been to Texas, so I did enjoy the small-town southern town. I did wish that the book had a bit more about the town and the residents outside of the Deli. I know why the Deli was a focal point. I just wish it had expanded the town a bit.

Writing-9

I really enjoyed the writing of Eight Dates and Nights. I really loved the light-hearted scenes, and seeing the romance blossom as the book went on. There were also some more serious scenes and important discussions in the book.

Plot-10

Eight Dates and Nights was a cute story that I really enjoyed. I am someone who loves food, so I loved how much the deli played a part in the story. As someone who also loves horses, I loved seeing the horses in the story. As a romance reader, this was a story that had an interesting plot. Hannah was not home for Hanukkah, so Noah did events for her which was so nice to see. Noah had a new event planned for every night, and I loved seeing all the events in the story.


Intrigue-9

I was interested in this story. I loved seeing all the events, and the book kept me on my toes. I was interested in seeing where Hannah and Noah’s story went.

Logic-9

This was a logical story.

Enjoyment-10

Eight Dates and Nights was a very fun story that I really enjoyed. I thought it was a fun take on the Jewish traditions, while also offering great commentary on modern Jewish traditions. It was also a story of finding yourself.

This was a cute and quick ya romance. I liked seeing her jump in and help the store. The romance was definitely a fast burn but they were two 17 year olds, it made sense.

I received an arc through netgalley.

<i>thanks to NetGalley for the eARC</i>

⭐️=2 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | 12+

<b>thoughts:</b> the best (and only good) part of this book was its exploration of rural vs urban Jewish culture in the US––interesting stuff I wasn’t even aware of––but it was put into the context of an incredibly cringe-worthy teenage romance that was physically painful to read. every time a contemporary romcom author mentions TikTok or Olivia Rodrigo or has (I wish I was joking) the movement #BagelBae as a large plot element, a piece of me dies inside and I’m so so serious when I say that. like it’s just not a good romance?? the protagonist kept emphasizing “oh, I’m the grumpy one he’s the sunshine one we’re so mismatched and cute” but I’m not seeing any actual evidence of this?? like maybe show your characters’ personality traits, don’t just tell me about them???? and then she said she LOVED HIM after knowing him for LESS THAN A WEEK????? girl??? especially in a she’s grumpy/he’s sunshine romance the girl would NEVER admit she loved a guy first, let alone after four days. this just wasn’t good, but I’m being generous in my rating because the Jewish culture stuff was genuinely interesting.

This is a super cute YA Hanukkah romance with small town vibes. Cheesy at times but I love that in a holiday romance.

Hannah is sent to spend part of holiday break with her grandmother in a small town in east texas. She has plans for Hanukkah and loves her family traditions. Her NYC life is waiting.

Noah runs the Jewish deli in town (& the only one around). He catches her eye the first night she’s in town with his hot dog costume.

They bond as the only Jewish teenagers in town. Cuteness ensues for 8 nights!