Eight Kisses

Starred review from December 1, 2019
A Hanukkah romance? Not just one, but eight, one for each holiday night! Playing with the themes of celebration, rededication, miracles, family, and tradition, each novella shines as brightly as the candles in the menorah. Ranging from contemporary to Regency in setting, the stories each feature the number eight, whether it's for a romance in the eight nights of Lori Ann Bailey's A Highlander for Hanukkah or the eight dates in Michelle Mars' Frisky Connections. High-school friendships are rekindled along with so much more in Mindy Klasky's Harmony Lights. Rose Grey's Can't Help Falling explores interracial and interfaith relationships. JT Silver's heroine, Rebecca, is mourning her mother's death and hardly expects to find love with an old friend. The miracle of Hanukkah extends to righting relationships gone wrong in Erin Eisenberg's Hanukkah Kisses. In Lavinia Klein's tale, Tamara's beloved Bubbe (grandmother) dies days before Hanukkah begins, leaving Tamara unsure she'll be able to enjoy the festivities, but her hunky new neighbor changes her mind with a wicked smile and a naughty version of the dreidel game. Lastly, Lynne Silver explores the idea of an empty-nest couple rediscovering love and passion. The couples in this unique collection embody the diversity of Judaism and Hanukkah observances; each romance will surprise and delight readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)