As a jewish reader, I didn't even realize how much I'd been longing for a Hanukkah holiday romance like this! I was rooting for Seth and Abby from the very beginning. I appreciated how accessible this book seemed to non-Jewish readers who might not be as familiar (if aware at all) of Hanukkah food and traditions, while still feeling like a big warm hug to those of us who do. More books like this please! Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for my copy!

This book was so much fun! I loved the romance between Abby and Seth, and the tropes were top tier! Grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, forced proximity, and a holiday romance? It was so good! I also loved the Jewish rep in this book. Amanda Elliot really captures the experience of being Jewish at Christmastime, and it made me feel not so alone.

This was an enjoyable read! I loved the story and the characters a lot, but there was a certain spark that I missed, that kept me compelled to continue reading. So a book that I can definitely recommend, although it didn't particularly stand out to me.

This is a refreshing holiday novel from the view of a Jewish pair who live in a small, non-Jewish community. The story really lets you see that the holiday season leaves Hanukkah out of all the large celebrations. Abby is a struggling coffee shop owner who has not family (that she will speak to), no boyfriend and no friends. What she does have is an annoyingly happy customer that gets on her last nerve every day. Seth, the aforementioned annoying customer has a proposition that should be mutually beneficial, pretend to be his girlfriend for Hanukkah with his family and friends in New York. She does this for him and he will help her find vendors for the Hanukkah Festival that the town business owners dumped in her lap.
This is a funny and eye-opening rom-com that will have you laughing, and sometimes crying, from beginning to end.

The holiday read we chose for you this year is exactly that, for the holidays. No, not Christmas.
This is about Hannukah. And no, it’s not kind of the same and that is very much the premise of this book.
Abby runs a coffee shop in Vermont, a place she moved to for ex but stayed because she liked the community and her shop. Truth be told, her coffee shop isn’t doing too well and she’s hoping the Holiday Festival the town is putting on might help draw in some customers.
No, it’s not a Christmas market. It’s a Hannukah festival and as the only Jewish independent shop owner on the tourism board, Abby has been put in charge of organising it. Except she isn’t a very observant Jew since she left her parents’ house (and never went back) and it takes Seth, the other Jew in town and a surprise Hannukah trip back to New York City for her to rediscover the joys of the community and the traditions.
It's a completely different world – more prominent in the US than the UK – than we are used to, as we just assume everyone kind of assimilates to the Christmas traditions, but it is in fact very different.
The story is peppered with details of Jewish traditions and foods and drinks, some well-known, some less, but it’s transporting us into a completely new kind of celebrations.
As Abby dives back into the celebrations she grew up with, this time surrounded by a sweet and loving family who invited her into their home for the holidays, she is also becoming more confident in taking a stand against Lorna. She was the one who suggested making it a Hannukah festival but is still trying to get a Christmas tree and making it mainstream, but now Abby is ready to take a stand: Hannukah is a beautiful holiday that deserves to be shared with tourists, Jewish or not, and they will enjoy the novelty.
And Seth, her regular at the coffee shop who dragged her to New York? We’ll let you find out for yourselves.
Happy holidays!

I couldn’t resist starting off my holiday reading with a Hanukkah romance and Amanda Elliot’s new book Love You a Latke was exactly the kind of heartwarming story I was looking for!

Abby Cohen is a young Jewish woman who owns a coffee shop in a small town in Vermont. She also happens to be the only person on the town’s tourism board, so when the other members decide a Hanukkah festival would be a great idea to bring more tourists to their town, Abby is immediately recruited to take the lead in planning the festival.

Abby, who has mostly abandoned her Jewish roots due to an unhealthy relationship with her parents, knows she’s in over her head so she reaches out to the community in hopes of finding other Jewish residents to help her out. Who answers the call? Abby’s most obnoxious customer, Seth, who is apparently the only other Jewish person in town.

Abby reluctantly accepts his help and soon grows to realize that Seth isn’t nearly as obnoxious as she initially thought he was. He does extract a favor from her in exchange for helping her out though. Seth wants Abby to come home to New York with him and pretend to be his girlfriend. Not only does this fake relationship give way to real feelings and a swoony romance, but it is also the catalyst for Abby reconnecting with her Jewish roots and culture as she experiences the welcoming and vibrant Jewish community Seth immerses her in.

Cozy and heartwarming, Seth and Abby’s romance has major Hallmark holiday vibes with a Hanukkah twist, and I especially loved Abby’s personal journey as she rediscovers her beloved Jewish culture.

Out On: October 8, 2024

This was a fantastic read! I haven't read a lot of books with Jewish main characters before, but the way this was written was so wonderful. I especially enjoyed how much I was able to learn about the Jewish religion through the way that the plot was brought forward in this book! Also, the reverse grumpy-sunshine trope was very well executed (aka. I didn't find the grumpy female annoying haha).

I thought that the character growth we get to watch happen as the story progresses was great. Abby is clearly very traumatized by the way her parents treated her as a child, and that is a large part of her story. I appreciated the delicate way that Amanda Elliot discussed this throughout the book, while still allowing for Abby to open up to Seth in a way she hadn't done with anyone else before.

Seth was an all around wonderful character. The constant positive way he interacts with the world was inspiring and also just a tad unbelievable. I think I would be on the same train as Abby with finding him a little annoying (until you get to know him more of course).

Again, I think that the way we got to watch Abby interact with Seth, his family, and Hanukkah/Jewish culture was really lovely and I honestly didn't want this book to end! A very sweet holiday romance if you are looking for one!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced copy on NetGalley! 🤍

This one isn’t my favorite of this authors. Whole decent enough to read, I was really disappointed in Abby’s attitude towards people and life in general. She was rude af to Seth, but Seth also had his flaws. He was a major conflict avoider. I did appreciate all the Jewish rep though.

I’m still not completely ready for holiday reads, but I made an exception in October for this highly anticipated read!

Abby owns a cafe in a small Vermont town. Her most annoying customer, Seth, keeps coming in with his sunshine attitude and is determined to break down her carefully constructed walls. She also finds herself planning the town’s fledgling Hanukkah festival as the only Jewish person on the tourism board. However, the vendors and other board members don’t seem to understand that you can’t just slap blue lights on a Christmas tree and call it a Hanukkah festival.

Desperate to not feel like the only Jewish person for miles, Abby puts out a cry for support. And it turns out she’s not the only one…there’s also Seth. Seth’s parents have been badgering him to bring home a nice Jewish girl for Hanukkah, so a deal is struck.

I really, really enjoyed Love You A Latke. I thought it did an excellent job depicting what it’s like to celebrate Hanukkah and what it’s like to be Jewish in a primarily non-Jewish area, but it never felt preachy or condemning. The themes of community and identity were very well done, and I want so many more books from Amanda!

Love You A Latke was laugh out loud funny and had a great grumpy-sunshine romance! You should definitely add this one to your winter reading list!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

As a grumpy person, the value of finding someone who still thinks you're great at your grumpiest cannot be underestimated. This is a book about accepting yourself for who you are and who you want to be, and not letting anyone stand in the way of doing the right thing.

Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed Abby and felt that she had an important journey to go on about forgiving herself, forgetting the people who wronged her, and embracing that she's only shut out of community if she wants to be, I also felt too seen at times as we are the grumpy people.

But Seth. oh my god, Seth. How she did not give in and kiss that man's face off like twenty times before it actually happens is beyond me. He is so sweet, and so understanding, and tries so hard to tell her about his feelings for her. But he's not confrontational, and that's his journey.

You're going to learn about Hanukkah, and community, and that potato pancakes (latkes) are actually the most perfect food vehicle for any type of flavors. Sweet? Savory? You got it. Umami? Yes. Acid? You bet. I could've hated this book and then been like, listen...latkes. That's it. That's all I needed. But it was also ADORABLE, so there you go.

I adored this book!! Give me allll the Abby and Seth… every high holiday deserves a book with this couple. Abby’s growth was incredible. The Jewish rep and learning so much about the rituals and customs was just wonderful. Seth is a big ol teddy bear. They were the perfect black cat/golden retriever couple.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Abby lives in a small town in Vermont. And when the neighborhood business community declares it's time for a "holiday" festival, she knows what that will mean: another Christmas extravaganza that ignores all other holidays. Instead, the board director declares their festival will be for Hanukkah. But she schedules it weeks after Hanukkah ends and tells Abby as the only Jewish person to organize it.

Abby recruits Seth to help her with planning. And he agrees so long as she will be his fake girlfriend for Hannukah with his family.

This book splits its time between small town Vermont and New York city. Both were lovely. And it was amazing to see how Abby reconnected with her Jewish faith. The book also made me consider my part in "holiday" traditions near me.

I loved his friend group. And I always enjoy getting a sneak peek of what's happening with characters from previous books. There were a few loose ends I wanted tied up a bit better.

But all in all, I quite enjoyed this. It further cemented Amanda Elliot as one of my favorite authors sharing tales of Jewish joy.

Kelli Tager narrated the audiobook very well in about a 9.5 hour length.

CW: abusive parenting

4.25 stars

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the opportunity to read this!

This book made me want to take a trip to New York City or Vermont and try the local coffee shops and stroll through the town with my warm drink admiring how beautiful the landscape it.

I will be honest the FMC Abby came off as very unlikeable to me at the start of the book until I got to learn more about her. I am used to FMCs always being bubbly and happy and Abby just was neither of them. Could that make her more realistic? Perhaps. Abby is in charge of a Hanukkah festival in her town but its not going as well as she had hope. In exchange for some help with his family, one of her customers at her coffee shop Seth offered to help her with the festival.

Seth was such a warm personality and brought Abby back to life throughout the book. Abby had a not so great childhood while under her parents roof and it has left her incredibly guarded. Seth introduced her to his family and friends (included his ex fiancee) and really just helped putting herself out there. Seth's relationship with his family was very sweet and supportive especially compared to what we learned about Abby's parents.
I felt that a lot of the book was them flirting and showing off to make their relationship come off real as opposed to really seeing them together. When they were together they were so sweet and you could tell it came off genuine.

Check this book out if you enjoy fake dating, yummy food, set along the winter season!

Jewish representation
Grumpy/sunshine
Fake dating
He falls first
Forced proximity/there is only one bed

I couldn't put down this charming holiday romance. I enjoyed the Jewish representation and reading about Hanukkah customs and celebrations. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, so I loved Abby and Seth's relationship and how Abby gradually opened up to the possibility of love. The book has many mouthwatering food descriptions that made me want to taste everything Abby and Seth were eating. Love You Latke is one of my favorite holiday reads. It's a perfect book for the holiday season.

DNF @ 20%

I really thought that I was going to love this one. I was excited for a romance with Jewish leads putting on a Hanukkah festival. I love the grumpy/sunshine and fake dating tropes, too, so this seemed like a book I would eat up.

Unfortunately, at 20% I am feeling no chemistry between the two lovers. As a sunny person myself, I am having a hard time spending the whole book in the grumpy POV without any breaks to see the sunshine character. I think what I tend to like in a grumpy/sunshine romance is that the grumpy character tends to be grumpy to everyone but the sunshine character in some way. Abby is really annoyed with Seth in a way that some readers may really enjoy, but I do not.

What I did like about Love You a Latke was hearing Abby talk about some Jewish traditions, both around Hanukkah and other areas. Readers who enjoy a first person, single POV, and who are looking for a fresh character may really enjoy this one!

4.5 stars overall

I will be making sure that all of my book friends add Love You a Latke to their holiday tbr this year. This was such a sweet story to kick off holiday reading with. I always enjoy reading about other religions and their community's holiday traditions and learning more about Hanukkah has always interest me. I believe Amanda was sensitive to specific themes within the book and properly expressed how it does seem like Hanukkah always takes second place next to Christmas. I really enjoyed how Abby and Seth's relationship developed over time. Abby's parents constant emotional and mental abuse during her upbringing led her to constantly believe she was not good enough in life, work, and especially when it comes to relationships. I thought it was really beautiful how even though she started out as the grumpy MC deep down she really just was never loved properly in her life. That is before Seth becomes a constant in her every day life and introduces her to his family and friends group. Due to that she once again finds not only herself but a place for herself within the Jewish community which she thought was lost once she cut ties from her parents and moved to Vermont. Abby finding her voice and speaking up when she didn't like Lorna controlling the logistics for the Hanukkah festival really showed her finding self confidence and that she did have a purpose in life. Overall I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by Amanda. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Abby Cohen is grumpy and she has reason to be. As the only Jew on her small town’s tourism board, she’s been tasked with throwing a Hanukkah festival… in a few weeks, after Hanukkah, and maybe can it really be all about Christmas with some blue thrown in? Abby can’t say no, but she’s not about to let a Hanukkah festival become a Christmas festival in disguise so she turns to the only other Jew in the area for help: her most irritating customer, Seth Abrams. Seth is all-too-happy to help, but he needs something in return: a Nice Jewish Girl to bring home to his family for the holidays. Abby agrees to the bargain but of course, fake dating becomes something much more real as the two spend Hanukkah together in New York City.

Love You a Latke is an entertaining romance with a grumpy heroine, a sunshiny hero, and some lovely Hanukkah spirit. Abby is closed-off with walls that are miles high, covered in spikes…you get the picture. She grew up in an emotionally abusive household and hasn’t been able to open up as a result. When she left home, she also left the Jewish community and she feels the loss keenly. Going home with Seth brings that all back: the traditions, the sense of belonging, the history, and the joy. It was lovely to watch Abby get that part of herself back, to feel rooted in her community again. Seth is a sunshiny hero who has a problem with confrontation. I liked Seth, but I felt like we could have gone deeper into his character – I wanted a bit more from him. I absolutely adored his group of friends and how they absorbed Abby into their circle. As for the romance, it’s a foregone conclusion that Seth and Abby are going to fall in love. But while I absolutely enjoyed them together I did want a touch more to really take this book to the next level.

Amanda Elliot really brings the Hanukkah spirit to Love You a Latke and it’s one of my favorite things about this story. The Jewish representation is solid there were many things that delighted me throughout the story. It definitely made me want to brave the cold and celebrate Hanukkah in New York City.

There are a lot of things to enjoy about Love You a Latke. Abby’s journey is the heart of the book and it’s a road I liked travelling with her. Her romance with Seth may not have been as spectacular as I wanted, but it was still solid and Elliot didn’t inject any false drama to the story to detract from the happily ever after. All in all, this is a great read for anyone wanting a Hanukkah romance.

In a sea of holiday romances Love You A Latke is a breath of fresh air! The Jewish representation is there at the heart of the storyline, this is not your typical Christmas romance with a blue and white cover slapped on it. There is so much that is unique to Jewish culture weaved effortlessly into this book and added a depth to the plot without feeling like it was pandering to a Jewish audience.


Abby Cohen is tasked with putting on a "Hanukkah festival" in her small Vermont town where she thinks she is the only Jew for a few hundred miles. When *plot twist* she discovers a regular at her cafe (Seth, who she happens to find infuriating) for his perpetual optimism is also Jewish. Abby agrees to come home for eight crazy nights to celebrate the holiday with him as his girlfriend to please his overbearing mother, in exchange for him connecting her to a wide network of Jewish vendors to help pull off her last minute Hanukkah miracle. But along the way Abby ends up confronting the alienation of her culture and the alienation of her parents. While Abby seems frigid and cold on the outside, Seth begins to light a candle in her (pun intended).

Overall I really loved this book! The chemistry between Abby and Seth is great, the side characters are entertaining. It would have been a 4 star easily however I found the pacing to be a little rushed at the end and was left wanting by the resolution of a few of the side plots!

Thank you to PRH Audio influencer program for the audiobook and the free book from Berkley.

This has fun fake dating, holidays, grumpy (FMC) vs sunshine (MMC), and he falls first shenanigans. The first 40% is so good!

The downside for me was the development of the romance. The initial growing spark between the two of them was so compelling. When the FMC is in her head trying to convince herself it’s just physical attraction and there’s nooOoo way she could be actually falling for him or when she misinterprets his actions but we as the reader have a suspicion he’s into her too (duh). But then it just stayed like that!! I realized I was at 68% and how much of a slow burn this was turning out to be- but a plateau slow burn as nothing was building.

The city setting and holiday activities and subsequent reflections were a positive and negative. They were fun and interesting, especially hearing the FMC grapple with how she defines and expresses her Jewishness. But some of the less important moments like random interactions with the MMC’s friends or family took away air/page time from what genre this is supposed to be in- romance.

I was not a fan of the narration. I felt it was overacted especially as the FMC is the grumpy and I know girlie was not putting that much oomph in her inner monologue or sounded that wasted when the narrator attempted to put some flair on people’s speech when they were out drinking (not necessary). 4 star rating for the content, I’d give the narration 2.5.

Abby Cohen has been nominated and now in charge of the newly organized “Hanukkah Market” for her small Vermont town because she’s the “token” jew on the council committee and unable to decline. While she does remember the "basics" she feels the need to find another more "qualified" member of the tribe to help because it’s been years since she celebrated or practiced her faith and is a bit rusty.

A creative plan proves successful locating the only other Jewish person in a fifty-mile radius. When she realizes that it's the same guy who frequents her cafe every day will she find a way to ask for his help? Will he agree to help her secure the vendors she needs in time to save the town? It all sounds like a great plan until Seth makes a few requests of his own.

Along the way Abby will rediscover her faith when she meets Seth's family and friends. As she does so, she defends or explain to strangers that there is actually nothing similar between Hanukkah and Christmas, and that can be relatable and/or believable for some readers.

If Abby can find a way to work through her childhood emotional trauma and embrace who she is rather than running away or hiding from it, she might discover that she is loveable. She comes to understand that not everyone is going to hurt her and we are all worthy of her love and affection.

Judaism has so many avenues to practice and observe as well as layers of traditions. The experience can be, and often is different just based on where you live. This is just one sample of how someone could observe and experience the world as a Jewish person. While this is a fictional world some of the explanations character to character feel like a rabbinical orthodox explanation in regards to the history of Hanukkah and well beyond someone who hasn't practiced in a long time.

With so few Hanukkah romance reads available I feel this one missed an opportunity to rise above the "stereotypical" schmaltzy holiday read or token Hallmark Hanukkah movie. The last thing you want is to grumble because the characters have found a way to talk about almost every other Jewish holiday, food favorites and customs taking it over the top. A few parts left me doubtful that this had a sensitivity read because they were uncomfortable.

Overall this is a festive Hanukkah read that has Hallmark movie vibes with ugly sweaters, family mishegaas, schmaltzy banter, hot cocoa, a cookie decorating contest, and whimsical vibes.