Today I am excited to be featuring the book Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge on the Blog Tour hosted by TBR Book Tours! This post contains affiliate links, so if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
About The Book:
Title: Eight Dates and Nights
Author: Betsy Aldredge
Genre: YA Rom Com
Publisher: Underlined, 10/3/23
Source: TBR Book Tours
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Book Description:
Two teens with two very different ideas of how to spend Hanukkah learn to work together to save the last Jewish remnant in small town Texas in this cozy holiday romance!
New Yorker Hannah Levin is allergic to exactly two things, horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by both this Hanukkah when, thanks to a freak snow storm, she’s stranded in the small town of Rosenblum, Texas, visiting her grandmother, who she hasn’t seen in years due to family drama.
Super lonely, missing latkes and reliable wi-fi, she follows the scent of fried potatoes and wanders into an old deli where she meets the only other Jewish teen in town, Noah, who happens to be equal parts adorable and full of annoying, over the top Hanukkah spirit that he’s determined to share with Hannah, one ugly, itchy Hanukkah sweater at a time.
She makes him a deal, she’ll help him save his family’s deli, which is practically the only Jewish remnant in a town that once had a thriving community of European immigrants, if he’ll leave her to sulk in peace. However, after a spectacularly memorable kiss Hannah wonders if there’s more to Hanukkah, this community, and even her grandmother than she thought.
About Betsy Aldredge:
Betsy Aldredge is a former magazine editor turned communications professional who has worked in the non-profit sector, the arts, and the Jewish community, including several years at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. She is the co-author of Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughter, and rescued cats and dog, who all hog the couch.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
My Review:
Due to a shipping snafu, my copy was a bit late to arrive and I ended up listening to the audio of this book via the publisher. I enjoyed this sweet and quick read about Hannah, who visits her grandmother in Texas and ends up getting stuck there for Hanukkah. Hannah is somewhat traditional and doesn’t enjoy the commercialization of Hanukkah – a lot like myself! She meets Noah, who is running his grandfather’s Jewish deli and loves celebrating Hanukkah – he even has a Hanukkah gnome in the restaurant window. Noah decides he’ll show Hannah how fun Hanukkah can be, even in Texas.
This is a short book so the romance between Hannah and Noah was very much insta-love. However, it was sweet how they bonded about their shared customs and background while also getting to know each other’s differences, especially the difference that Hannah is from New York City and Noah is from small town Texas!
I think this quote summed up Hannah nicely: “Unlike people, pickles are praised when they become more sour and a little salty. I should have been a pickle. Then I would be appreciated for who I truly am.”
Tour Schedule:
You can find the rest of the tour schedule here!
