In years past, it was difficult to find new Hanukkah romcoms and romances. For 2023, some of the most talented authors in YA and romance are serving up hot new love stories to go with your latkes and brisket. While it’s true that some of these include Christmas, and one takes place over a number of Jewish holiday festivals, I actually had to narrow it down to just eight. There’s plenty more out there for you to discover on your own.
For a tasty banquet of Jewish joy, here are eight of the latest Hanukkah-themed romances (with one extra to light the rest) to read while the candles burn.
Eight Dates by EM Lindsey
Ben has been in a slump since he caught his boyfriend getting it on with his teaching assistant. To help him get over it, his too-helpful brother Aaron gifts him with a date for each night of Hanukkah via a dating app. While the dates are disasters of epic proportions, what’s not a disaster is the sexy bartender who comes to his aid. Lindsey is known for writing queer romance with a darker tone, so don’t expect Eight Dates to be holiday fluff. What’s outstanding here is how the Festival of Lights becomes a character in the story, rather than a mere backdrop. Lindsey also wrote one of my all-time favorite Hanukkah romances, To Touch the Light, reviewed here.
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldridge
A Jewish author who grew up in Temple, TX once told me that “there’s no temple in Temple.” I’ve wondered ever since what it’s like to be Jewish in small-town Texas. Betsy Aldridge answers this question with this charming YA novel about Hannah, a New Yorker snowed in for the holidays with her bubbe, and Noah, the only Jewish boy in town who works at the old deli. Can a Texan help a New Yorker rekindle her Hanukkah spirit?
The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish
Parrish is one of the first authors of queer romance to break into the mainstream, and I’m happy to report that she writes about Hanukkah in many of her novels with stories that range from family-friendly to Holy Jalapeño! The Holiday Trap is on the sweeter side. Greta Rusakoff needs to get out of her tiny, stifling Maine town and away from her busybody family. Truman Belvedere has just learned that his boyfriend also has a husband and child and he wants to be anywhere but New Orleans. Preferably somewhere with snow. A mutual friend convinces them to swap homes for the holiday. Freed from memories and expectations, Greta and Truman can explore who they are, what they want, and the new attractions that come for each of them during this holiday season.
Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds
Shira is on a mission to find a boyfriend for Hanukkah, and she’s sure that Isaac, her great-uncle’s assistant is the one. The only problem is that Shira has no idea how to talk to boys, much less flirt. Enter Tyler, her former nemesis and the most charming guy in school. They make a deal. If Shira can help him with a career connection, he’ll give her lessons in flirting. But as they spend more time together, she starts to see another side of Tyler. And she begins to look forward to spending time with him—which wasn’t part of the plan. What should Shira trust? Her mind or her heart? An appealing YA romance.
Season of Love by Helena Greer
Numerous websites proclaimed Season of Love one of the best romcoms of 2022, and it’s no wonder. It has all the tropes that have hooked audiences on Hallmark holiday romances: enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, and big city/small town. When artist Miriam Blum inherits her late great-aunt’s Jewish-run Christmas tree farm, she figures she’ll sit shiva, put the farm on the market and get back to her art career. But it’s never that simple. The farm is failing and she has to work with farm manager Noelle Northwood to save it. Noelle would like nothing more than to see Miriam take off — if their growing attraction doesn’t take off first.
Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaludin and Marissa Stapley
It’s hard enough to find a Hanukkah romance, but a romance that combines Hanukkah, Ramadan and Christmas? Sign us up! Three Holidays and a Wedding finds new friends Maryam and Anna snowbound in a Canadian inn on their way to other destinations. Maryam is due at her sister’s wedding. Anna is supposed to meet her boyfriend’s family. But instead, they’re trapped with the bridal party, Maryam’s longtime unrequited crush, and a movie star shooting a holiday movie. You just know there’s going to be holiday magic.
Mistletoe & Mishigas by MA Wardell
Mishigas is one of those Yiddish words that doesn’t have a direct English definition. It means silliness, craziness or nutty behavior. In Mistletoe & Mishigas, the word describes what ensues when perennially sunny first-grade teacher Sheldon and grumpy custodian Theo agree to be each other’s dates for the holidays. Sparks ignite as they prepare each other for what to expect, but can they leave their pasts behind in order to take a chance on something new?
On a Night Like This by Liz Maverick
I do a lot of listening to audiobooks while traveling during the holidays and was delighted to find On a Night Like This as an Audible Original. It’s another house swap trope as Cher decides to ditch glitzy California sunshine for snow and holiday cheer in New York City. New neighbor Eliot volunteers to play tour guide. It’s a great way to distract himself from his broken heart and spending time with Cher warms his heart. Will this be a one-time connection, or can they grow their attraction into something that will last?
Marry Me By Midnight by Felicia Grossman
Hanukkah romance isn’t just for contemporaries. Grossman gives the Cinderella trope a flip in Marry Me by Midnight. Brilliant, capable Isabelle must overcome the sexist practices of 1832 London that threaten her control of her late father’s joint equity firm. Her best hope is to marry well, but she needs an inside man to help her scope out the true intentions of potential suitors. She strikes a deal with Aaron, the orphaned synagogue custodian, who is too poor for hope and not foolish enough to dream. If he will help her discern who will make the best husband during the year’s Jewish holiday festivals, she will bankroll a new life for him. But what happens when their growing connection sparks a passion they didn’t see coming—but could destroy what each wants most?
