Language: R (73 swears, 3 "f"); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13
This book technically doesn't have any sex scenes, but I found that the main character's brief descriptions of imagining oral sex were just as unwanted. Something I enjoyed was learning about Hanukkah as the main character focused on the holiday.
The mature content rating is for alcohol use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, mentions of drugs and sex, and several allusions to oral sex. The violence rating is for mentions of the holocaust and child abuse.

2.5 stars

Abby has no idea what to do when asked to plan a Hanukkah festival to increase tourism in her small Vermont town. As the only Jewish person on the small business council, it certainly rankles that Hanukkah is being treated as a mere means to an end. But as the owner of the local café, an increase in tourism sounds really great. With the latter in mind, Abby agrees to organize the festival. The trouble is, Vermont is not known for its Jewish population, which means finding vendors both willing and able to supply authentic Jewish food and decorations is a difficult task. Short on time and options, Abby is forced to rely on the only other Jewish person in the near vicinity: Seth. Despite being her most annoying café regular, Seth is surprisingly willing to help. In exchange, all she has to do is go home with him for Hanukkah and pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his parents. What could be easier, right?

Love You a Latke is a fake dating, grumpy-sunshine romance that was frankly just okay. While I enjoyed the seamless incorporation of Jewish customs and traditions into the story, I was sadly never convinced of the chemistry between Abby and Seth. Part of the issue was how Seth was introduced as Abby's annoyingly cheerful customer whose mere presence gives her a headache. While I can see how it was supposed to establish their grumpy-sunshine dynamic and add humor to the story, it also made it hard to believe that Abby could ever fall for Seth. Her irritation with him was commented on a bit too frequently for their eventual romance to seem realistic.

I also think that the fake dating trope is getting a tired. It doesn't feel like an exciting scenario anymore. Instead, it feels like a set of criteria that the author is just checking off. (Have a ridiculous scenario that warrants fake dating? ✔️ Have the hero and heroine do pretend couple things in front of family and friends? ✔️ Have them catch feeling for each other and then incessantly doubt said feelings even though the evidence of their mutual attraction is staring them straight in the face? ✔️)

All things said and done, I do think this book will resonant with readers looking for a romance that centers on found family and the rediscovery of religious/cultural community.

This review will be posted on Storygraph a few days before the book's October 8th publication date.

Thank you PRH Audio and Berkley Romance for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own. I’ve enjoyed all of Amanda Elliot’s books and this was really enjoyable too. I really enjoyed the narration by Kelli Tager.

Abby is a grumpy coffee shop owner struggling to stay afloat. She’s tasked with organizing a Hanukkah festival for her town as one of the only Jewish residents. She doesn’t have very many Jewish acquaintances so she tries a dating app to find support. She ends up matching her most annoying customer, Seth. He agrees to help her with the festival if she agrees to come to NYC with him for Hanukkah as his fake girlfriend.

I just loved Seth and Abby together. She was the grump to his sunshine. She’s shut herself off to making friends and surrounding herself with Jewish culture because of her past. Seth introduces her to his friends and family and she sees what friends and community can really be like. I liked their slow burn acquaintances to friends to lovers. It seemed very appropriate for Abby as she slowly healed from her past. I also enjoy learning more about Jewish culture and holidays through Elliot’s books. It also definitely made me want to try more traditional Jewish foods!

Pub date: 10/8

Thank you berkeley romance for the #gifted copy and prhaudio for the alc!

If you are looking for a book with jewish representation, that takes place in nyc around the holidays then this is the book for you!

Abby Cohen is a grump who owns a coffee shop in a small Vermont town. Every day she gets annoyed by Seth, a sunshine-y guy who comes into her shop. When Abby is tasked to host the town's Christmas turned Hannukah festival, she starts making moves to reconnect with the Jewish people around her to help. Unfortunately for her, the only jewish person within a hundred miles is Seth.

Seth, who is getting ready to head home tto NYC for Hanukkah and is looking for a fake girlfriend to bring home to get his parents off his back. You can assume how this goes :)

I liked this story, but I did find Abby hard to connect with. I listened to it on audio and it felt like she was just complaining the whole time. I think this book did a lot of telling vs showing, which can be fine, but I felt like I wanted more. From my POV, the Jewish rep was really well done, and probably the best I have ever read. I felt like I learned a lot.

This is a very cute fake dating romance with lots of Hallmark holiday movie vibes, only the vibes were unapologetically Jewish which was so nice to see! I always love a good grumpy-sunshine match, and Abby and Seth were fun couple that way.

Fake dating, eight days to fall in love during the holidays, and two polar opposite personalities. Abby Cohen is a cafe owner and she's annoyed with her regular customer, Seth who is the epitome of sunshine. Seth is determined to break down her walls but Abby wants no part of it. Abby is also the only Jewish person on the tourism board in her small Vermont town and has been put in charge of planning the board's fledgling Hanukkah festival. Yet when local vendors don't really understand the theme or the point, Abby turns to the internet for help.... and discovers that she is not the only Jewish person for a hundred miles... Seth is too. Seth needs a fake girlfriend to get his parents off his bake and Abby needs help, so when they both begin to spend time together, the sparks start flying and this fake relationship is beginning to feel very real. This was a holiday romance but it just kind of felt a bit boring for me. I love a fake dating holiday rom com but it was just not really hitting the way I was hoping it would. While this one wasn't for me, its definitely one I would say you should add to your tbr this holiday season!

Release Date: October 8,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Holy emotional depths, Batman! This holiday romance was only 1/4 romance and 3/4 metaphorical therapy sessions and it works. It’s obviously a more serious tone and Abby’s personal journey was long, though the story pace didn’t lag, but beautifully rewarding. Her quizzical thoughts and angsty contemplations on her faith and place in the Jewish community were heartfelt and thought provoking. Watching her rediscovering and asserting herself, championing Hanukkah and the right to take up unique space during the Holidays was everything.

It’s a reverse grumpy/sunshine and Seth is a giant ray of freaking sunshine. The optimistic Teddy Bear. And that’s my only complaint with this story. Even with a couple bits of backstory and his family securely in the secondary characters mix, Seth was too superficial. There needed to be more layers and depths to him. He was supportive but he was also just sort of there, like a bland statue. The romance, a lesser theme, could have been so much more.

But I still loved it. The backdrops of NYC and small town Vermont have all the winter feels. Plus the food! Oh my gosh it made me so hungry. Everything came together for a great read.

Finished this on erev Rosh Hashanah, and it was the sweetest way to start the new year. This was such a loving embrace of a book—every page had love for New York, for Hanukkah traditions, for the vulnerable, prickly FMC, and for complicated Jewish families. And of course I fell in love with sunshine man and all around mensch Seth. I’ll be smiling all day thinking of this book.

This sweet fake dating grumpy sunshine romance in which the guy the happy go lucky one (which feels like a gender swap of the usual trope) was a quick and adorable festive read. Abby and Seth both had good character arcs, and their love story was quite satisfying. Jewish culture, community, and food played such a large role in this story, as well as the difficulties and frustrations of navigating all the constant Christmas craziness of December. This book felt like a holiday Hallmark movie, and left me wanting a doughnut.

Abby is a little bit cranky and every day her most annoying customer Seth comes in and gets a seasonal latte and he’s just always so happy. As the only Jew on the tourism board on her small Vermont town, Abby has been put in charge of their first annual Chanukah festival (since every other town does a Christmas one, the town thought they would try something different and unique) - the problem is that their vendors don’t really cater to Jewish culture (why can’t we just throw some yarmulkes on a nativity scene?). It turns out Seth is also Jewish and makes a deal with Abby, if she goes to his parents’ for the holidays and pretends to be his girlfriend he’ll introduce her to vendors that will make the festival a success (which will in turn help her struggling coffee shop). However once in NYC and after spending time with Seth and his family and friends, Abby starts to realize that maybe Seth isn’t as annoying as she once thought…

With all of the Christmasy books coming out I was so excited when I saw a Chanukah book. Let me tell you why I loved this novel as much as I did - first of all it captured the concept that not all Jewish kids are dying to celebrate Christmas (we don’t all have Christmas envy) and most don’t actually want a tree in their house. Second, Chanukah is not Jewish Christmas, it is actually an important Jewish holiday with significant meaning that happens to fall during the same season (with some delicious foods). And third, what is wonderful about a tight-knit Jewish community is that if your family isn’t there for you, the community is. I loved these messages and the story that conveyed them. This novel mainly takes place in my tight-knit Jewish community (UWS Manhattan) and it just was such a great read - plus there was romance which is always (for me) a lovely plus. I think everyone, regardless of religion, will get something out of this holiday romance.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC to review

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Berkley for the eARC and PRH Audio for the free audio book.

Love You a Latke felt like a Jewish Hallmark movie. It checked so many boxes.

🕎golden retriever hero x black cat heroine
🕎fake dating
🕎holiday background
🕎fun friend group
🕎cozy rom com

And like many Hallmark movies, the main characters seem to fall in love without much build up. I felt like we were missing the relationship development. This book mostly happens over the 8 days of Hanukkah and so much of the story was explaining the Jewish history or customs, or Seth/Abby interacting with his friend group. I wanted more of just them together.

Despite that, Love You a Latke was adorable and cute and a fun holiday read. This was told entirely through Abby’s POV and her audio narrator was great. She really had that “black cat energy” and her snarky-ness came through.

Abby Cohen moved from New York City to Vermont with her boyfriend Connor. Following their breakup, she decided to stay and opened up a coffee shop. Due to lackluster business in the small town, the tourism board decided to host a Hanukkah festival to attract more visitors, as the larger neighboring towns already hosted Christmas events. Abby was asked to run the festival, scheduled to take place after the holiday. As Abby started planning the event, the recommended vendors viewed it as a Christmas event with only minor adjustments such as adding blue and white decorations. Abby knew that wouldn't do. She found help from her customer Seth Abrams, the only other Jewish resident of the town and someone she found very irritating during his daily coffee visits. Perhaps it was his cheery disposition as Abby was not a morning person. Seth agrees to help Abby by sharing his contacts if she goes with him to New York for Hanukkah, posing as his girlfriend to please his parents. Abby, who is estranged from her family, finds Seth's parents to be kind and supportive, a stark contrast to her parents. As she warms up to Seth, Abby also starts to reconnect with her Jewish heritage and the traditions she once loved. 

I hope that the Hallmark Channel discovers this lovely book and turns Love You a Latke into a future holiday movie. Author Amanda Elliot has written a charming story that is a bit more than the standard "fake dating" storyline. The cover and the title make it clear that in addition to the smell of latkes, love is in the air. There are lots of fun references to the delicious and calorie-rich foods of Hanukkah. Craving some sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts)? While Abby's backstory adds some seriousness, this is a light, sweet book that can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter which holidays you celebrate.

4.25 stars.

I found this book slow but I did love all the New York references. I just didn't connect with the characters. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #LoveYouALatke #NetGalley

I am so appreciative of the efforts to diversify romance to include Jewish stories. Amanda Elliot certainly knows he Jewish world and does a great job describing the world. I was enjoying this story while it took place in Vermont. However, when it moved to New York the pace and direction of the story changed and fell short of. Y expectations.

I just cannot say enough great things about this book. This is the standard for all holiday romance books moving forward. It was holiday, but never corny holiday. I loved how Amanda Elliot incorporated a group of friends who celebrate both holidays coming together to celebrate each other because New York is such a big melting pot for Christmas and Hanukkah. Speaking of New York, this book was a love letter to New York and the Jewish people who made cultural Judaism what it is today. I loved that Abby found her love in her old community again, enough to bring the festival more authentic even when the town board disagreed with her.

Seth is an ooey-gooey cinnamon roll hero. His optimism is so sunny compared to Maren's more gruff demeanor (read grumpy/sunshine). Throughout the whole story, the contrast between them was noticeable and I loved how it helped level each other out and showed how compatible they could actually be in a relationship light. I loved the secondary plot line of Abby's family issues, compared to Seth who had a very traditional, I'd even say close, relationship with his family.

Read if you like opposites attract, fake dating, Hanukkah Romance. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 10/8

4.25⭐️

This book gave me Hallmark holiday vibes which I loved! The fake dating and forced proximity was so good! I could just envision this book in my mind as a hallmark movie!

Seth and Abby were just so cute 🫶🏽 I loved the black cat/golden retriever vibes. I loved that Seth was always optimistic and kind. It helped Abby open up more when she was rather closed off.

This was my first time reading a book centered around Hanukkah and Jewish characters & I enjoyed it so much! It was so interesting to learn and read about Hanukkah and how it’s celebrated. I loved how this book embraced Hanukkah and being Jewish. I believe it will ultimately will teach others, like me, a little about Hanukkah and the Jewish traditions & customs.
This book was just so cozy and wintery I loved it! This is the perfect read holiday read for the winter time!

I sped through this cozy winter romance. I loved the combination of small town and big city settings (the beginning takes place in Vermont, and the rest takes place in NYC). I loved the grumpy (Abby) sunshine (Seth), forced proximity, and one-bed only tropes, and enjoyed learning so much about Hanukkah and the surrounding traditions and foods. I didn't enjoy how hard Abby was on herself throughout the book, and her constantly doubting herself, but it did allow her to work through those issues. It just felt like they were overplayed, and the romance with Seth was a little underplayed. But I loved the moments were Abby allowed herself to be vulnerable and open with Seth, and exploring the potential of that relationship.

There was a great sense of humor throughout the book, and I loved how the author was able to call out all the ways that Christmas (and Christmas celebrants) overshadows Hanukkah, but without being insulting towards those of us that do celebrate Christmas. It did a great job of creating a sense of awareness for all of us, instead.

When I pick up a book by Amanda Elliot, I know what I'm getting: cozy stories, charming romance between two people who have more in common than they think, and absolutely delectable descriptions of food. I'm pleased to say that LOVE YOU A LATKE hits all those familiar beats in the best way. There are definitely some heavier moments (Abby's family past doesn't skim over the descriptions of emotional abuse), but it's also a really warm and uplifting story about how learning to stand up for yourself is good and healthy, actually, and how healing can mean moving forward, not trying to "fix" what's past.

If Hallmark Channel made more Hanukah movies, this would be a perfect fit! I loved this story, and felt that the emphasis on the appropriation of Christmas into every winter holiday was enlightening to me (as a Christmas celebrant). I did not feel attacked, but was prompted to think critically, all while rooting for 2 young adults to fall in love.

I’m a little torn on how I feel about this one!

First, this was a cute story that I think will really resonate with a lot of people. Abby thinks she’s the only Jewish person in her small town, she feels removed from the community she had in NYC, only to discover Seth, the overly cheerful customer at her coffee shop, is also Jewish. They team up to help each other out (fake dating!) and I loved Abby’s story of rediscovering herself.

They visit NYC in December during Hanukkah and get to be involved with Seth’s family’s celebrations, along with the local Jewish community and Seth’s friends. Abby got to reconnect with her roots and I loved learning about different aspects of Hanukkah and other things I didn’t know much about. You really can’t beat the New York setting for this type of story.

I really think the representation was great and a lot of people will see themselves in this story where they don’t normally in traditionally published romcoms.

However, while the representation and Abby’s journey were great, the romance felt undeveloped at best to me. I was shocked when she told him she loved him (very late into the story) because I honestly didn’t think she was interested in him, She loved his family and community but I never felt like she actually liked Seth all that much which is a bummer because I thought he was great (though maybe a little too great and one dimensional in his greatness)

Overall though I think it was a great story, I read it pretty much in one sitting because it was easy reading and I was interested in all the new things I was learning, but I don’t think it’s a great romance. Still recommend though as a winter women’s fiction story!