I love that there is more content available that reflects aspects of Judaism in a realistic light. not overly dramatic or satires. That representation is key, and even though I am not Orthodox, I feel represented in a way other books haven't yet achieved.

This was a good adult romance novel, that I would recommend to those who think it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I liked the story. It opened my eyes to the Orthodox Jew religion and I enjoyed learning about their community and culture. I loved the hero. He was the perfect guy. However, I didn't like Penina. Coming from a culture where siblings sacrifice a lot for each other, I still can't get how Penina could marry someone just so her sister could keep her house. She's too good and it's just unbelievable for me.

I was also hoping to laugh more but it didn't really crack me up. No emotionally charged moments for me too so this will not go to my favorites list.

This was a great book with real-life problems that readers can relate to. I'll definitely be reading more of Shertok in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

What I didn't like was that the novel begins with an emphasis that Penina is really connected to her faith and it is very important to her. She is often reminding other characters of what is dictated. So I don't really buy into an ending where a character pushes aside their faith for a HEA.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved not only the Orthodox Jewish representation but the interfaith relationship representation as well.

There aren’t nearly enough Jewish romcoms available, and I always try to make a point to diversify my reading, so I was excited to read and listen to UNORTHODOX LOVE.

I really enjoyed this story, and thought that Penina was a great Jewish rep, and an overall sweet story between her and Sam, who happens to be her new boss.

*many thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I did like this book, but as I am not Jewish, I felt like I was missing something a lot of the time. This book would really, really work for someone who can relate to the MC and understands the ins and outs of the culture!

Penina wants nothing more than to find true love and marriage. Unfortunately, she is infertile in the Orthodox Jewish Community. This means, rather than Matchmakers introducing her to those outstanding members of the community, she's introduced to men twice her age and those who need more help than she can provide. On top of all that, her sister Libby has told her a terrible secret. Libby's husband's failed business is straining her marriage, and they are about to lose the family home. Desperate to help her sister, Penina agrees to a fake marriage of convenience to a secretly gay Orthodox view. She thinks she's about to say goodbye to the possibility of true love when she meets her new boss, Sam Kleinfeld. Sam is brash, not religious, and not the relationship type. He's and Penina find themselves instantly attracted to each other. Will Penina choose to stay with the community she knows or take a risk with someone who just might be the secular answer to her prayers? Unorthodox Love paints a positive portrait of an Orthodox Jewish woman on a chaotic and unorthodox path to love.

This was a great story that wove together romance, family, and Judaism. The Jewish rep was well done. It was nice to read about an Orthodox Jewish woman in a positive light.
I did feel like parts of the book went on a bit long and I almost wishd we had some POV from Sam. But overall this is a good read and I'd recommend it!
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Such a cute story and I loved the Jewish representation, though the overall story seemed chaotic and didn't hold my attention well.

Enjoyed this debut from Heidi Shertok, rife with Jewish representation - I had so much fun reading this as a Jewish woman and I look forward to more from Shertok in the future!

Cute, fun and heartfelt romcom. The chemistry between Sam and Penina steamy and not overkill. The banter between them was fun. Enjoyed reading this one and learning about Jewish cultures.

Title: Unorthodox Love

Author: Heidi Shertox


Ch: 30 plus epilogue


Pg: 33


Genre: Jewish rom com


Rating: 4 stars


Publisher: Alcove Press


Thanks to Jean Meltzer I’m hooked on Jewish rom com and romances and any books that focuses on Jewish joy. And Unorthodox is the debut novel by Heidi Shertox. The heroine Penina is an Orthodox Jew who match makers send her on dates with not best pickings because she can’t have kids. But then her boss Sam Kleinfield comes into the picture. Sam is Jewish but he’s not Orthodox.


Sam starts out as a bit of a jerk but then Penina isn’t exactly the friendliest to him. But for me he quickly grew on me and became one of my favorite fictional heroes. And he delivers one of my favorite lines in chapter seventeen of the book. Why does it seem like all the best guys are fictional?



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Matchmakers think of twenty-nine-year-old Penina as past her best-before date due to her infertility, since being able to bear children is important in the Orthodox Jewish community. She seems to be consistently matched with men who are considerably older or ones who have issues, never with first-rate matches.

Penina finds out that her sister, Libby, may lose her home due to her husband’s poor business decisions. Penina can’t fathom her sister’s family not living in their home, and wants to do whatever she can to help, even if it means a fake marriage for money.

To top it all off, she has a new boss, Sam Kleinfeld. Penina finds him arrogant and attractive but he’s also secular and not looking for a relationship. They spend more and more time together under the guise of work, the attraction continuing to build. Will Penina follow her heart, marry for money for the sake of her sister or stick with tradition?

I really enjoyed this novel and learned a great deal about Orthodox Jewish traditions. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #UnorthodoxLove

This book was a hit for me - I love the Jewish rep, Penina's need to make the world a better place, Sam's cheekiness, and the hilarious, witty banter between the two. The only thing about Penina that I didn't love was how oblivious she was to glaringly obvious things that were going on. I get that the author likely did this to draw out the story, but her lack of awareness of what Sam's actions meant was almost insulting. Penina is smarter than that and sacrificing her intelligence for the sake of drawing out their love story wasn't worth it to me. Otherwise, I loved the book and enjoyed reading it. If there was a sequel following the next stage of their relationship, I'd read it.

One thing about me is I will enjoy every romcom I come across. This is most definitely one of them! Couldn’t get enough of these two.

Heidi Shertok's 'Unorthodox Love' is a captivating read. The book expertly explores themes of love and self-discovery, weaving a touching love story with unexpected twists. The vivid setting and sincere exploration of human emotions make it a memorable read for both romance enthusiasts and those seeking deeper insights.