7 Hanukkah romances to help celebrate the festival of lights

Hanukkah is just around the corner and while you’re lighting the menorah and eating latkes and donuts, why not read a few romance novels? There really is never a bad time to read some romance but for Hanukkah specifically, you can check out these books that are perfect for the holiday.

1. Hot Rabbi

This is one of my absolute favorite Jewish romances. Hot Rabbi is by Aviva Blakeman and tells the story of Shoshana Goldman. For the past 15 years, she has avoided her childhood synagogue as it brings back bad memories. But when her friends drag her to a service and she sees that the new rabbi is hot AF, she wonders if maybe she should change her mind.

David Freeman is the “hot rabbi” but besides that, he is a single father and he is very interested in Shoshana. He asks her out on their first meeting. But when Shoshana’s past comes back to bite both of them, is their relationship strong enough to stand up to it?

2. Recommended For You

More interested in a young adult Hanukkah romance that takes place in a bookstore? You need to check out Recommended For You by Laura Silverman. It tells the story of Shoshana Greenberg who loves working at the bookstore, Once Upon. It’s a local bookstore and gives her a break from her moms fighting at home.

But that soon changes when Jake Kaplan is hired. Jake is the antithesis of everything Shoshana loves. He doesn’t even read!! The horror! But his sales start to catch up with Shoshana’s and she cannot have that so they start a competition. Well, that competition soon has them spending more time together and connecting in a way neither of them could have imagined.

To say I sobbed while reading this would be an understatement. It’s such a sweet story and a must-read for bookworms.

3. Love and Latkes

Love and Latkes is the third book in the Friendships and Festivals series by Stacey Agdern. The book tells the story of Batya Averman who just found out that she will be designing the website for a latke fry-off. Unfortunately, the event is in her hometown which she has stayed away from for quite some time.

One of the reasons she left was her unrequited crush on Abe Neumann. Well, guess who is entering the latke fry-off? Abe! He dreams of quitting his accountant job and running a Jewish deli. But the deli might not be the only thing Abe wants for Hanukkah. Looking at you, Batya!

4. The Intimacy Experiment

If you’re looking for something a little less sweet and a little hotter, you need to read The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan. This is the second book in Danan’s The Shameless series but you don’t need to read the first book to read this one. The book follows Naomi Grant who became famous as a sex worker in porn films and is now running a sex-positive start-up with her two friends. But she wants to extend the educational aspects their company offers by adding live lectures. And that leads her to rabbi Ethan Cohen.

To help bring young people into his synagogue, Ethan asks Naomi to run a seminar series on modern intimacy. It turns out to be a hit! Everyone is drawn to Naomi…including Ethan. This book is outstanding. It’s sexy, emotional, and so thoughtful.

5. Eight Nights of Flirting

If you’re looking for a newer release, you need to check out Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds. It follows Shira Barbanel as she puts her plan into action. What is her plan? To find a boyfriend for Hanukkah. And she has the perfect person in mind: her great uncle’s assistant Isaac. He’s hot, reliable, and super smart. What more could she ask for?

The problem? Shira doesn’t know how to flirt! So she teams up with her arch-enemy Tyler Nelson. He may be evil but he’s also popular and charming. He is the perfect person to give her some flirting lessons.

But when Shira and Tyler get snowed in together, Shira might just change her mind about Tyler. Maybe he’s not so bad after all.

6. Season of Love

Season of Love by Helen Greer tells the story of Miriam Blum who inherits Carrigan’s, a Jewish-run Christmas tree farm (I love this!) from her great-aunt Cass. At first, she just planned to sit shiva and avoid her parents, but then she learns that the business is about to go under. So now she must run the business with the farms’ grumpy manager, Noelle Northwood.

Noelle wants nothing to do with Miriam. She wants her gone. But the more the two spend time together and share ideas about how to save the farm, the more Noelle’s grumpy heart opens up to Miriam.

7. Let it Shine

More interested in historical romance? Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole is the book for you. The book takes place during the 1961 Civil Rights Movement. While Sofronia Wallis would normally be a perfectly proper and polite woman, she is drawn to the nonviolent protests happening in the South.

Ivan Friedman is a boxer and as his family escaped Europe during WWII, he sees the injustice in the US and decides to join the fight.

When Ivan and Sofronia meet, the sparks fly between them and they realize they have more in common than they thought. But with all the odds against them, are they strong enough to stay together? You have to read to find out!

What Hanukkah romances will you be reading this month? Let us know in the comments below!