Audible Originals Bring the Romance to Hanukkah
This series of Audible Originals by Liz Maverick was a delightful discovery of mine during the holiday break. I will admit, having been raised in the deep South Bible belt, I don’t know much about Hanukkah or Judaism, so I can’t tell you if this was a good representation. But there is such an intimate picture of New York Jewish culture presented here, that I have to assume it is.
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About the Books
The Holiday Romance Collection
An audiobook collection about a group of friends living in New York who always seem to find love right around the holidays. Maybe it’s the hot chocolate, the warm fire, the gently falling snow, and the perfect kiss. Or maybe it’s just meant to be…
Book 1: Eight Winter Nights
Last year, Rachel Bacharach met the man of her dreams at a Hanukkah party—and then her outgoing best friend Tamara swooped in and “called” Oz Caplan for herself. It’s a typical outcome for the dependable, bookish Rachel, who is never able to extinguish the spark she immediately felt for Oz. But being secretly in love with her best friend’s boyfriend all year hasn’t been easy.
As this year’s party approaches, Oz and Tamara break up. It’s a worst-case scenario when Oz asks Rachel to help him write Tamara love letters to win her back in time for their Hanukkah anniversary. Rachel’s been writing love letters to Oz into journals for a year; she knows all the words he would need. But will Rachel be able to hide her true feelings from Oz any longer? And might this year’s party finally be Rachel’s chance to trust her heart and put everything on the line for love?
Book 2: Bright Winter Nights
Billionaire businessman Adam Bosch decides to bring a date to the family Hanukkah party this year in hopes of getting a break from his mother’s matchmaking. Trouble is, his busy schedule hasn’t left much room for romance. Since he’s always remained cordial with his high school sweetheart Sara Schwartz, he gets back in touch and asks her to be his plus one. And if he’s being honest, it’s a good excuse to see her again…since he’s never quite forgotten her.
Sara’s a successful designer with a close circle of friends and a thriving business—so what if her love life is nonexistent? When Adam resurfaces and asks her to pose as his date after all these years, she thinks it’s a ridiculous idea. But he’s charming, persuasive…and too cute to resist. Before long, they rediscover the spark that first brought them together. Will their holi-date turn into lasting love?
Book 3: On a Night Like This
After a broken engagement, Cher decides to leave heartbreak behind by signing up for a holiday house swap. For the next few weeks, she’ll ditch sunny California to spend her first Hanukkah in New York City, a time of snow-covered sidewalks, festive store windows, hot cocoa, and…cute neighbors?
As Cher is moving into her temporary new apartment, Eliot is moving his ex’s belongings out, and he soon finds himself offering to play tour guide. He’s nursing a broken heart too, and spending time showing the beautiful traveler around is exactly what he needs. There’s nothing more magical than jaunting around the wintry city together with no expectations…until he starts hoping for more.
With the holiday of lights—and the sparks of attraction—setting their hearts aglow, will they find a way to bridge the distance? And when the past comes calling, will their first season together be their last?
My Thoughts
During the holiday break, I wanted to enjoy a lot of quality time with my family. My husband and daughter wanted to play video games. I don’t enjoy that. I will do it to humor them. Unfortunately, I got incredibly sick – somehow sparing the rest of the household. So sick that even holding a book was difficult. In comes the Audible. And I wanted holiday books. While I grew up Christian, I’ve become a Unitarian Universalist in recent years, which recognizes the wisdom and teachings of many faiths and spiritual experiences. So I’ve recently become more interested in different holidays. So I was excited to see a series of Hanukkah-themed books, even if Hanukkah was over. Also, it’s just always exciting to see more diversity in books.
Well, these books give you the same delightful warm hug and cocoa feeling that a good Christmasy Hallmark movie or book does. So it gave me exactly what I was looking for in a book. I listened to the first one and immediately needed to listen to the other two. I’m hoping for a fourth!
Each book follows a friend in the core friend group through a romance that buds through Hanukkah. The magic is just as beautiful as any Christmas romance. The candles and treats, the presents and family and parties. Everything is a merry backdrop to falling in love.
My favorite was the most recent, On a Night Like This. I think it’s because Simon, the MMC in that one, was nerdy chic, and I always root for the nerdy best friend type.
They’re pretty quick listeners, too. The longest is three and a half hours, so it is not too long. If you’re one of us who listens quickly it’s a long movie. A long Netflix binge. The books each had two narrators, swapping between the FMC and MMC. I enjoyed all the narrators, and they fit the characters well.
If you’re looking for a great, cozy holiday romance, this is it. I’m going to hit up Maverick’s other works because these were so good. These were free with either Audible subscription.
Who’s It For
Anyone looking for some Hallmarky holiday books with Hanukkah instead of Christmas? And anyone who enjoys a cozy, sweet romance. This is not spicy, so if you’re looking for that you will be dissapointed. But all my closed-door/sweet romance friends will enjoy!
Content Warnings: Adult Situations, Adult Language, Religion, Homelessness
About the Author
Bestselling, award-winning author Liz Maverick is a novelist and freelancer whose assignments have taken her from driving trucks in Antarctica to working behind the scenes on reality TV shows in Hollywood. Liz is known for writing smart, funny, emotional romance novels with fast-paced plots. Her previous works include Cosmopolitan Magazine Book Club Pick What a Girl Wants, Wired, a Publishers Weekly Top Book of the Year/PRISM Best of the Best winner, and RITA Award finalist The Transporter. She’s currently writing radio dramas and holiday romances for Audible.
Links
Audible
Book 1: https://www.audible.com/pd/Eight-Winter-Nights-Audiobook/B08MB6B3NG?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp
Book 2: https://www.audible.com/pd/Bright-Winter-Lights-Audiobook/B0BL42KFH6?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp
Book 3: https://www.audible.com/pd/On-a-Night-Like-This-Audiobook/B0CMBVQKPT?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp
Goodreads
Book 1: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56034456-eight-winter-nights
Book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63901994-bright-winter-lights
Book 3: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202433148-on-a-night-like-this
Author Website: https://lizmaverick.com/
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Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram.