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Hannah Levin is allergic to two things: horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by both this Hanukkah when, thanks to a freak snowstorm, she’s stranded with her grandmother in the small town of Rosenblum, Texas. She hasn’t seen her grandmother in years due to family drama, and all she wants is to be back home in New York City with her friends, eating good food, and surrounded by the Jewish traditions that make Hanukkah … Hanukkah.
When she follows the scent of fried potatoes (and quite possibly Rosenblum’s only reliable wi-fi) while exploring town, Hannah discovers an old deli. There she meets the only other Jewish teen in town. Noah is equal parts adorable and annoying. He’s full of over-the-top Hanukkah spirit, and he’s determined to get Hannah in the spirit too.
Amid a sea of Christmas books, Eight Dates and Nights sticks to its point: This is a Hanukkah story. It’s about Judaism and what it means to be Jewish in both a big city and a small Southern town. And there’s food — a lot of food.
At under 250 pages, Eight Dates and Nights is definitely a short, fast read. I wish it had been longer, though, and that Hannah and Noah’s relationship could have been more fully developed. Instead, the romance seemed to come out of nowhere. However, I did enjoy the story overall. It has a youthful innocence and that feel-good vibe that always has a way of putting you in the spirit of the season (however you choose to celebrate).
Rated: None. Characters kiss.
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