I read this book slowly, during a bit of a slump, and it was the perfect book to get me through it. I love holiday romances, and EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING felt so perfectly cozy. I absolutely loved THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS last year, so I was thrilled to see more of Abby and Noah!
I loved seeing Shira learning to be brave, to speak up and go for what she wants. Tyler, too. Him breaking out of the mold he created for himself was wonderful. These two were such a fun pair to read about. Enemies to lovers and the snowed-in trope are my catnip, so this book is easy for me to recommend to everyone. A sweet romance, a captivating mystery, a huge, welcoming family, this book has it all.
-
4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to review an eARC. EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING is available now!

After reading 10 BLIND DATES, I've been on the hunt for another charming, YA holiday read, and I was thrilled when EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING fit the bill. Sixteen-year-old Shira Barbanel is spending Hanukkah on Nantucket with her extended family, and she's determined to make Isaac, one of their guests, notice her. The problem? She doesn't know how to flirt and enlists the help of Tyler Nelson, resident golden boy, flirt, and her former unrequited crush. While learning to flirt, Shira learns what it means to find her inner confidence and truly embrace life.

There were so many things to love about this novel. Reynolds truly captured the meaning of family, and I appreciated the multitude of definitions represented. While absolutely YA, both Tyler and Shira possessed a maturity and self-awareness that had me rooting for them the entire time. I enjoyed the snippets of Nantucket's history, and the resolution to the minor mystery was incredible. I'm glad that I read this while it was snowing, as it made me feel like I was on Nantucket with Shira and her family.

I'll be the first to admit that I do not know much about the Jewish faith. I loved learning about it while reading, including the fact that Hanukkah is a minor holiday, and while definitely worthy of celebration, it isn't the most important holiday on their calendar. I am grateful for my friend that is an Own Voices Reviewer, as she graciously allowed me to ask questions. I hope to try some of the food described in the novel this year!

I didn't realize that this story was preceded by THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS. While EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING can be read as a standalone, I'm looking forward to going back and reading Noah and Abby's story, as well as learning more about the conflict between Shira's grandparents. A huge thank you to Razorbill and Penguin Teen for the gifted finished copy in exchange for an honest review. I can't recommend this one enough!

Eight Nights of Flirting has a fantastic premise and opening. Meeting her former crush who is charming and irresistible, Shira decides she has to ask him how to flirt. Because she's totally over him. Right? I feel like you might have an idea of how things will not go according to plan. I could empathize with Shira, with this secret language of flirting, and this self-confidence that we are supposed to impersonate. So what could go wrong when she asks Tyler to teach her to flirt?

And from the premise that we've set up alone, Eight Nights of Flirting is an entertaining and fast paced read. It's perfect for fans of To All the Boys I Loved Before. But while it's so easy to get caught up in the immaculate banter and the ways in which we fall in love, what I ended up enjoying the most were the themes. How for Shira and Tyler they have to expose the lies they've been telling themselves. Tyler who has become a chameleon to become well liked, but having lost himself. And Shira who is so convinced in what looks good, what should work, that what if it doesn't?

This book was just delightful. A perfect ya romance set over Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years. Shira is 16 and on a mission to find a boyfriend. The trouble is, she has no idea how to flirt or make new friends or be open. When she gets stuck with her former unrequited crush, Tyler, they strike a bargain where he will teach her how to flirt over the holidays and she will introduce him to her family for a coveted internship. They also find some hidden treasures in the attic concerning Shira’s ancestors and go about searching for history and clues to the owner’s identities. The large family gatherings of Shita’s family were so wholesome and lovely and the small family relationship with Tyler and his moms were so loving and good. Both Tyler and Shita have trouble being their true sleeves but somehow around eachother, the walls come down. Just a cute, holiday read and perfectly executed.

I’ve never read a story about Hanukkah before this, and I am hoping to do it again in the future, I really enjoyed the romance and the writing.

Shira and her former crush Tyler are forced to spend the night together after a day of travel during a big storm. Convinced she’s 100% over her old crush and with eyes on a new dating prospect, Shira asks Tyler to teach her how to flirt in exchange for an introduction to her successful great-uncle. When Shira hatches her plan to use her newly acquired flirting skills to seduce Isaac, she finds being herself much easier with the charming, noncommittal playboy Tyler. Would she continue to pursue something serious with Isaac or settle for casual with Tyler?

This one checked all the boxes for me! Fun characters, big family, debunking a family history mystery, lots of rep (LGBT, Jewish), and of course a swoony YA hero. Loved Tyler! And I have to admit that I saw a lot of my younger self in Shira. It was a sweet, festive read that I recommend to fans of Lynn Painter YA and Cameron Lund!

DNF at 60%. I'm in the minority here, but I just wasn't invested in this story nor the characters. The premise initially drew me in, but then I just found the story to be really repetitive and just wanted to be done with it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! It was incredibly well done and I loved the plot. Loved the jewish representation!

This book HEALED me. I was looking for an adorable YA romance that will make me see rainbows and butterflies because life has been so stressful recently - and Eight Nights of Flirting delivered!! I want to escape to Nantucket right now because I am obsessed with that town. This was the first book that I read about Hanukkah, and it was really interesting to know about Jewish culture and traditions in such a detailed manner.

Shira and Tyler were the cutest, OMG. Their conversations were filled with banter, and I LIVED FOR IT. I couldn't stop reading at all and finished the book in a day. The way their relationship developed throughout the story was really enjoyable - especially with their awkward history. The book was really charming, yet had a heart-warming touch!

Highly recommend to my fluffy, romance readers!

Eight Nights of Flirting is such an adorable romance! Shira is a wonderful and passionate character who loves her culture and religion - being very excited to share it. I loved the representation and diversity in this book! The romance in this book was sweet and really entertaining and left a happy sweet feeling after.

I was super happy to see a Chanukah YA romcom. The main relationship was sweet and the flirting was good. But I hate that subplot of teaching the main character to go flirt with some other guy when we obviously know who she’ll end up with. also, wtf was that line about some 14 year old kid jerking off to Billie eilish ?? get rid of that

4.5
Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this book to read and review! I loved this one so so much. It was full of winter and holiday vibes and I loved the community feeling of Nantucket. Also this took place over Hanukkah and there was so much Jewish joy which made me so happy. I thought the play put on by all the cousins was so fun and it made me want to be a part of the tradition. I definitely related to Shira's insecurities and I loved watching her grow throughout the story. Tyler was such a great match and I enjoyed his wit and banter with everyone he talked to. Watching their relationship grow was so fun and I was rooting for it the entire time. Seeing Jewish main characters in contemporaries or romances warms my heart and this one was so delightful.

Eight Nights of Flirting is a ya romance about an enemy-like pair teaming up to get our main character, Shira, the boy of her dreams. Or so she thinks. Shira enlists the help of Tyler, her childhood crush and first person to ever reject her, to get Isaac to date her. Being stuck together by forces out of their control, the two begin to warm up to each other at the start of Hanukkah.

This book is the perfect comfy read for the holiday seasons. At times the book’s pacing was slower than I would have liked, but there is a side plot that involves characters from another of this authors books. I hadn’t read it, and you don’t have to before going into this one, but that knowledge could be something people want to have before reading.

Definitely recommend for an end of the year read!

Eight Nights of Flirting is the story of a 16 year old in search for the perfect boyfriend for Hanukkah. She’s the perfect guy in mind, her uncles assistant Issac. He’s super hot and really reliable.. the perfect guy to show off. But that gets thrown off course when Shira’s nemesis Tyler comes crashing in. Shira use to like Tyler a lot, but things changed and now she wants his help to win Issac. Shira and Tyler end up getting snowed in together and what turns from annoyance to actual feelings has this story rolling.

This book was adorable and funny. Take a former crush to enemy to back to crush again is what I like in rom cons. Tyler comes off as this playboy bad guy but really deep down he’s gentle and kind. I also loved Shira’s character and her family. The pacing was also really good and developed the story well.

If you’re looking for a cute winter, finding yourself, YA story than looking no further.

"Isn't there a way to make him fall madly in love with me without having to, I don't know, talk?"

I really enjoyed this Hanukkah-themed holiday romance. This was an unrequited love helps FMC get the man of her dreams. Or the man of her supposed dreams...

This book was a companion, of sorts, to The Summer of Lost Letters. This book follows Shira, who is cousins to Noah, from The Summer of Lost Letters. There was a running side plot in this book that I felt came out of nowhere and now I know why. It's because I didn't read SoLL and it's from that book. I would say for a better reading experience, read that book first, but it's definitely not necessary.

I cannot believe how relatable Shira was. My mouth was hanging open multiple times because it sounded like this book was inside my head. I have had so many of the thoughts that Shira shared throughout the book. It was so crazy to feel like someone else understood everything in my mind. Her thoughts on flirting and dating and everything in between are definitely things I've thought about. It was oddly therapeutic to read about someone who thought the same as me, if if she's fictional.

At first, I was unsure why the whole snowed-in plot was mentioned when it was such a small part of this book. However, after finishing it and reflecting upon it, I see how it affected the trajectory of Shira and Tyler's relationship. They needed time to put aside the things of the past, even just for a second, to strike "the deal." The forgiveness felt a little fast on Shira's part, but I understand needing the plot to move along.

"I had done it...I had touched Isaac. I was a superhero."
There were so many funny moments throughout this book. As Shira struggled to understand how to express her feelings in the form of flirting, her thoughts were again, so relatable and hilarious. As well, Shira's big family with all the kiddos was a lot of fun to experience. As someone that comes from a big extended family, I love books that feature a big family and all the craziness that comes with it.

Shira and Tyler's relationship was interesting to watch unfold. Tyler was easy-going for most of the book but he was also very guarded. Always putting on a show. Watching in relax and open up around Shira as she became more vulnerable about her dating life and thoughts was really nice. They grew together and built a relationship together. Plus, jealous Tyler was amazing.

My one big complaint about this book was the lack of details. There were so many fun and romantic scenes that were missing that punch for me because they lacked details or were too short. Sometimes, the scenes would just move along too quickly to the next thing before I had time to really enjoy where the book was at. I would have preferred more details, more time in scenes to really draw out the emotions.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would absolutely recommend it to those who enjoy holiday romances!

Similar books: Better Than the Movies (enemy helps FMC get the other guy), By Your Side (locked in a room together), You Can Go Your Own Way (locked in a room together), Adorkable (flirting tips), 10 Blind Dates (holiday romance, big family vibes)

WHY DID I LISTEN TO EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING?
I am trying to get through my Netgalley queue and wanted to listen to a book that was a little less heavy than my previous listen – House Of Hunger. Eight Nights Of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds absolutely fit the bill. This contemporary young adult seasonal audiobook was a perfect choice for my needs at the time.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Eight Nights Of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds is set during Hanukkah. It is about Shira Barbanel who has never had a boyfriend and decides to make it her mission to land Isaac who is interning with her family. On paper he’s perfect. When travel issues strike and she runs into her childhood friend Tyler Nelson, she enlists his help as he provides her with some flirting lessons. The two also end up finding some artifacts in the attic and are faced with an old time mystery love — so that’s like a side plot and wonderful. We also get to experience Shira’s large and wonderful family as they come together to celebrate Hanukkah at Golden Doors which is the Barbanel family home on Nantucket.

WHAT DID I THINK OF EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING?
I very much enjoyed Hannah Reynolds’s Eight Nights Of Flirting. I don’t know that I’ve ever read a Hanukkah themed romance before. So, this was the absolute perfect one to start with. It has one of my favorite tropes — dating lessons. Also, where the female main character thinks she wants one person, but it turns out actually they want the one giving them lessons. This story is so sweet and the family element is wonderful. Also, seeing Shira open up to others and let her guard down and be less reserved made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook is narrated by Emily Reynolds who is wonderful. Reynolds is easy to listen to, has a youthful voice and really carries the story. The audiobook is short too – clocking in at 9 hours and 53 minutes. I listened to it sped up to 2x, hence it feeling short.

I absolutely adored these characters and often laughed out loud. I was rooting for Tyler and Shira to break down their walls and find true friendship. Shira's family was so much fun to be with and I enjoyed participating in Hanukkah with them.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly October New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

***

4.5 stars.

First impressions: This made me so happy. At first I thought this was a standalone, but now I’m not so sure. It works better as a companion to THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS, especially if you want to fully understand the grandparent hostility storyline. RTC when it’s not midnight.

***

Okay, I was expecting to enjoy this because the previous installment (featuring Shira’s cousin Noah) was cute and because I love the author’s contemporary romance novels under a different pseudonym. But I was not expecting EIGHT NIGHTS OF FLIRTING to grip me by my heart and squeeze it tightly. I loved it all: Shira’s boisterous and loving Jewish family, the Hanukkah traditions, the practice flirting lessons, the mystery subplot about nineteenth century Nantucket whaling (yes, I’m serious), and just… everything. Reynolds just knows how to craft a well-paced YA romance with multiple storylines (this is rarer than it sounds, so I’ll give flowers where it’s deserved!).

But the real reason this story resonated was Shira, a teenager who felt all too similar to my own teenage experiences. I’m not Jewish, but Shira’s anxiety surrounding friendship/flirtation is so relatable. It’s absolutely true that some people are experts at putting themselves out there in a social setting. And then some people, like Shira and me, struggle heavily and wonder if we missed the memo on how to be a teenager. Also: it is 100% possible to be lonely in a large family while still having a loving relationship with everyone.

These aren’t perfect comps, but I’d recommend Reynolds for fans of Jenn Bennett and Sarah Dessen, even if these books don’t get as angsty. I semi-regret reading in June because this is SUCH a perfect winter read (seriously, they get snowed in and don’t have electricity for a night), but I guess that’s what audiobook rereads are for!

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Young love burns as bright as a candle in this YA enemies-to-lovers, fake dating novel.

Shira thinks she knows what she wants: a romance with her great-uncle's intern, Isaac, who's spending the holidays with them on Nantucket. But when her first crush, Tyler Nelson, gets snowed in with her ahead of their families' arrival, Shira comes up with a plan: have the smooth-talking Tyler teach her to flirt. Shira keeps trying to convince herself the butterflies in her stomach aren't real. Why are conversations with Isaac so hard and flow so naturally with Tyler?

Shira's an awkward teen trying to figure out the big things in life: friendship, love and her future. I adored how relatable her constantly killing moments of chemistry out of fear made her. Shira's both relatable and authentic as she tries SO hard to get her perfect holiday romance. Tyler's perfect as the golden playboy with a beating heart hidden behind his thick walls, and Isaac adds a sense of mystery.

From hot chocolate to gingerbread houses to lighting the menorah, this book provides all the holiday cozy feelings. I also appreciated the focus on Hannukah and what it's like to be Jewish as the rest of the world celebrates Christmas.

This was a charming YA romance that I plan to read again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK WAS SO FUCKING ADORABLE I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH!!! First, this is one of the best book with Jewish rep that I have read. There is so much love expressed by Shira about her love of her culture and religion. She is constantly talking about all the different thing she loves and just has so much joy and happiness for her religion. Second, the romance in this was chefs kiss. Shira is for sure clueless the entire book, but that is something that makes the book really entertaining for me personally. Y'all need the read this as soon as it comes out, it is amazing.