"Unorthodox Love" by Heidi Shertok is a gem of a story that throws tradition out the window and embraces love in all its quirky glory.

Right from the start, Shertok's writing pulls you into the lives of characters who feel like friends you've known forever. They're real, they're flawed, and they're navigating love in a way that's refreshingly honest.

What makes "Unorthodox Love" stand out is its willingness to tackle the tough stuff. Shertok isn't afraid to dive into topics that might make some blush, and that's what makes the romance feel so authentic and raw.

But don't worry—it's not all heavy stuff. There's plenty of swoon-worthy moments to keep you grinning from ear to ear. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and you can't help but root for them every step of the way.

Shertok's storytelling is addictive, pulling you along on a rollercoaster of emotions that you won't want to end. And with just the right balance of drama and heart, it's the kind of book you'll find yourself thinking about long after you've finished.

In a nutshell, "Unorthodox Love" is a love story for the modern age—one that proves that love doesn't always follow the rules, and that's what makes it so beautiful. So grab a copy, cozy up, and get ready to fall head over heels!

I actually dinged this book 3/4 of the way though cause I couldn’t connect with the mc ……. I am sorry I wanted to to like it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I just dont like romances with religion much and i feel this didnt focus as much on the main couple as I wouldve liked. not for me.

The writing is solid, creating a vivid atmosphere, but the plot is a mix of captivating moments and predictability. Characters are well-developed, though some lack depth. Pacing fluctuates, making it a decent but not outstanding read.

A very fun book! Had a blast and read the entire book very quickly. Stayed with me after I put it down.

I read a book called Unorthodox Love, and I found it interesting because it explores the world of Orthodox Jewish traditions and romance. The story follows Penina, a 29-year-old woman who belongs to the Orthodox Jewish community and is infertile. She's been using a matchmaker to find love but agrees to fake date one of her matches due to her family's financial problems. Her boss, Sam, becomes her love interest, and the book shows how their relationship grows amidst their differences. The book has good banter, family moments, and characters, and it depicts Orthodox traditions and practices nicely. Overall, I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you, Alcove Press and Netgalley, for this arc for an honest review!

I really wanted to love this book as someone who was raised orthodox Jewish but Penina’s character grated on me too much and Sam was just mean. I kept trying to give it more chances but ended up DNFing.

I appreciate more books being about unapologetically Jewish characters and hope one day there will be lots more so I don’t feel so guilty when I don’t love every single one.

Interesting book with interesting characters. I learnt a lot which was a pleasant surprise. Will definitely recommend this!

I loved this romantic comedy so much and I could not stop laughing. The storyline was original and I loved Penina's character so much. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were the cherry on top.

Sweet, easy read. Fast, entertaining and engaging.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, and don't really understand how it happened.

Heidi Shertok's debut Jewish rom-com, Unorthodox Love, is incredibly enjoyable throughout! I had a lot of fun reading it and getting to know Penina. And Sam is definitely swoonworthy!

Penina has a lot of stress in her life. It was interesting to see what kind of decisions she would make. I like that this novel teaches different facets of Orthodox Judaism, from holidays to keeping Kosher to shomer negiah (men and women not touching before marriage, keeping a door open if they are in a room together, etc.) to family purity...there is a lot you can learn through such a charming and delightful story. Penina reminds me of myself in some ways, especially with the desire to help people. I liked that about her.

The story opens with a really bad blind date that was arranged by a shadchen (matchmaker). It's actually hilarious but hard not to totally cringe for Penina and want to be her emergency call. From there, it just continues to stay fun and interesting, especially when Sam enters the scene. I loved the banter between Penina and Sam and how she was teaching him about Orthodox Judaism. However, his reaction to one of the rituals was a bit triggering for me.

I really like that Heidi touched on the subject of infertility and its impact on Orthodox women. While I don't wish this on anyone, I hope that someone who is going through it can find comfort from reading this novel.

There were some inconsistencies that I hope were ironed out for the final publication, as I read an advanced copy. There were also some comments that could be seen as insensitive. In the long run, it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.

I already am looking forward to Heidi's next novel! And if she lived closer, I'd invite her over for a Shabbat meal.

Movie casting suggestions:
Penina: Lily Collins
Sam: James Wolk
Zevi: Max Rhyser

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.

Unorthodox Love is a romantic comedy based upon Orthodox Judaism. Written by Heidi Shertok, the main two characters are Penina, an Orthodox Jewish fashion blogger who also works in a jewellery store, helps her family out and volunteers at the local Nicu and their cuddle program. Sam Kleinfeld, a Jewish (but not Orthodox) new grumpy the store manager.

Penina still strictly follows the Orthodox Jewish teaching that everyone has a soulmate but as she is still unmarried at 29 despite being sent on lots of disastrous dates by her matchmaker and working in a jewellery store which sells engagement rings to happy couples ever day she is starting to wonder if this is actually true. Unfortunately for Penina she is sadly unable to have children and as the family is a central tenant of the Jewish faith this means her options are limited. She needs to get married in order to help out her sister and brother in law otherwise they will lose their home in three months time.

Sam is the jewellery store’s bosses son. He has come to manage the shop whilst his father battled cancer. Sam is grumpy and whilst he is Jewish he is not from the Orthodox branch. As he isn’t an Orthodox Jew he can see beyond the fertility/ brood mare aspect and sees Penina as a fashionable, caring fun person who wants to help everyone. He takes the time to talk to her at every opportunity and slowly their relationship shifts.

Zevi is a guy she meets via the dating app. He is very rich and has an intriguing proposal for her. He will pay her to marry him as he want to please his mother before she died and hide the fact that he is gay.

Penina had two choices marry a rich gay guy in order to help her family or marry Sam who will either have to adapt to the Orthodox way of life or she will have to give up her religion which she holds dear to her heart.

The ending is very uplifting and the epilogue ties the whole book together.

I thought this book was fascinating and went way beyond the traditional rom-com novel. I enjoyed that Penina wasn’t depicted as the archetypal frumpy Jewish girl but as a fashion blogger (who had modest success on ins) she was interested and blogged about kosher food, fashionable modest clothing and their religion’s customs and teachings. The infertility/ still a virgin at 29 aspect and how uncomfortable Penina was with feeling that she didn’t fit in to the social hierarchy despite being there to help anyone who needed it is rather sad and as a reader I felt for her. I also felt sorry for Zevi who had to hide his sexuality from his dying mother and presumably the wider community. The banter between Sam and Penina was fun and more interesting than if they had just fallen into bed together. I really enjoyed this novel and would love to read other books by this author.

I enjoyed how I was gain a tiny insight into Orthodox Judaism and it’s customs. It is a fascinating religion. I follow a few Orthodox Jewish fashion/ family Tiktokers and I don’t think I would ever be able to live their lives. There are so many rules and customs.

The cover has changed since I requested on NetGalley and have to say -- I love the upgrade!

I'm always looking for more Jewish romance books, so I was all over this one as soon as I saw the title. There was humour (almost to an outrageous extent at times, but hey, it's a comedy!), chemistry (looove a workplace romance, and the chemistry between Penina and Sam was *chef's kiss*), and all the Jewish representation! Loved how much we got to explore Orthodox Judaism and Penina's complicated relationship with the social structure she was born into. This is definitely one I'll come back to!

Unorthodox Love is a fantastically written storyline that weaves in so many interesting elements of a culture I feel I know so little about! What could be better than not only enjoying a wonderful storyline, but also learning so much as you go.

Shertok has written absolutely sublime characters who feel so incredibly real it’s almost like they’re reaching off the page. The plot is funny, emotional and well structured and the representation of both Orthodox Jews and a woman with fertility issues was brilliant to see.

I’d recommend this as a read for anyone looking for something a little different, but very enjoyable. Also an ideal read if you’re not comfortable with spice.

I really struggled to get into this book which is really disappointing because I thought the title was great and the premise seemed really interesting. I'm not sure if it was because the whole book is the FMC's POV and this story needed a dual POV or if the story itself lacked some structure. There was a lot going on and since I didn't find any of the characters likeable, I wasn't invested at all. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

As someone whose faith is apart of their everyday life, I connected with Heidi Shertok’s Unorthodox Love!!!

Penina isn’t the most desirable bachelorette in her Orthodox community, but she hasn’t given up hope. Despite dating from the age of nineteen, her inability to have children has resulted in limited and often incompatible options. But none of this matters now that she learned her family is in need of financial rescuing. Is marriage the answer to their problems, or will she hold out for her HEA?

I adored this book! Heidi Shertok wrote a contemporary romance relatable for ALL women of faith. You don’t need to be Orthodox to relate to Penina’s story.

Penina as a protagonist was a breath of fresh air! She was firmly grounded in her beliefs and resisted every temptation thrown her way. And she had a lot of them!

I also loved that Penina was not this old, frumpy shell of a woman. Shertok’s decision to make Penina a modest fashion influencer on Instagram was genius. It perfectly summed up how Penina navigated living in the world, but not letting it define her.

After seeing Penina’s loving and pure heart, I worried she wouldn’t get her HEA. I was so happy with how her story ultimately wrapped. It was the perfect ending!!!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Heidi Shertok, Embla Books, and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Penina grew up under the Orthodox Jewish faith and with the teaching that everyone has their soulmate. At 29, she's still single and starting to question her belief. She can't have children, and while it is a main tenant of her faith, she can't believe this would keep her from her soulmate. Enter Zevi, who has proposed, albeit with an odd proposal, and Sam, her new boss, who she can't stop thinking about. Will one of these keep her heart? It's a fun romance with a unique and unlikely sunshine heroine.

. I liked the premise of this book, but this book ended up being an absolute mess. Penina is a relatable, frazzled heroine. her internal monologue is SO horny. There's nothing appealing about Sam, other than his supposed good looks. There's so much unnecessary information about unimportant characters/events.
This book has an unexpected amount of medical content, from casual mentions of illnesses and injuries, to main plot points of cancer, infertility, and other ailments. I found it a bit jarring.
The audiobook is possibly the worst I've ever listened to. The narrator pronounces words- common English words, and Yiddish and Hebrew, extremely weirdly. She also uses random accents that aren't in the text.
In short, this book could have been fun, but just didn't work.