thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of unorthodox love. this was wonderful, i was very happy to see other religions represented in the more recent romance novels and as a woman coming from a jewish family i was so happy to see this.

A great read, the story of Penina. I loved her as a character and hoped everything would work out for her. Interesting for me to find out about a culture so different to my own as well.

Unorthodox Love is a great, quirky read for those who are looking for a few laughs and a real character as the main heroine.

I would have like to see more romance spent between Penina and Sam (which maybe would've given more opportunity to let his character grow organically) and less time between Penina and Zevi, though I'm happy that they turned out to be great friends.

One part I really enjoyed was the look into the lives of Orthodox Jews, and from Sam's point, a non-Orthodox, non-practicing Jewish person. I really liked how important Penina's faith and family were to her and I could feel that, but I did find that this was the main point of the book and the romance really did take a back seat.

I would've given the review a 3.5 stars if able to, but I did round it up to 4 stars as I did enjoy the read for what I found it to be, just a contemporary fiction, with some romance. I would definitely recommend Unorthodox Love to anyone, I would just be sure to let them know that it's a slow burn and there's no spice, which is completely ok.

‘Unorthodox Love’ follows Penina, a single Orthodox Jewish woman, as she looks for a husband and tries to help her family. Her plans are thrown by her new, gorgeous boss, Sam.

I was completely immersed in this book - I read it all in one sitting. I liked the story, in particular the mix of Penina’s emotional struggles and big life decisions whilst still going on with her everyday life. This made me feel like I was actually experiencing life with Penina, so I was absorbed into her world.

Shertok’s characters were also great. Penina was annoyingly clueless in the classic romcom way; she makes you want to shake her and shout “he’s in love with you!”. My favourite character was Fraydie, who provided comedy and a great contrast to Penina.

I liked how Shertok deals with Penina’s emotional journey with infertility. It was handled sensitively and I appreciated how we could feel Penina’s pain.

I felt that the clothes/fashion element of Penina was a bit of a miss. I know that its purpose was to show that Orthodox Jewish women and others who dress modestly can be fashionable and like clothes, which I would say the book achieved. However I felt that it wasn’t that consistent: there were large swathes of the book where I completely forgot that Penina runs a fashion Instagram account, or that fashion was something she cared about. Having said that, this didn’t spoil the book and I completely understand that this feature was aiming to dispel myths and stereotypes.

Whilst not explicitly pro-Zionist, this book does feature an Isr*eli side character and characters who consider moving to occupied Palestine. This is information I would have liked to know when deciding whether or not to read this book which is why I am including it in my review.

sorry i loved this book SOOOOOOO MUCH!!! its a 5 for meeeee

it was just so sweet and really fun and such a fun palette cleanser! i think i’m probably also a little bias because i live in minnesota too. there were so many minnesota references i understood compared to other books based in minnesota that were either more woodsy or vague. i just really adored it.

i loved the main heroine, penina, and her romantic lead, sam. they were a fun pair to follow with all their differences and chemistry. penina’s well meaning and sweet outlook on life was such a breath of fresh air while sam was grounded and teasing.

the aspect of penina being orthodox was interesting as i didn’t know a lot about the religion. it was really cool to read about and i really enjoyed her family and all the things that came with her lifestyle.

the book was also really touching for me and had me shedding just a few tears just because it was relatable to me. i really just sympathized with penina! the situation she was put in was simultaneously funny and difficult (for what she was ultimately trying to find). it was just an overall fun romcom and i definitely see myself rereading it in the future.

thank tou netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I thought this was really funny and to me it read sort of like a sitcom. I didn't enjoy the beginning and it was sort of like the FMC was being really hard on herself, in my opinion. There were so many laugh out loud moments in the book that I really loved. I always enjoy a good pop-culture reference and this book had several. I also loved how it compared the Orthodox Jewish practices such as dressing and cultural traditions to other religions. I always enjoy a good representation story because there are never enough of them out there. Also, it's a way for me to learn about them since I honestly don't know much about there practices.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review, as always all words are my own.

This is a fabulous Jewish romance. Although the story isn't a traditional line story, it is the story of a traditional Orthodox woman trying to find her way in life when life doesn't go as planned. It's cute, it's sweet, it's heartbreaking and the HEA is more than I could have wished for. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Unorthodox Love follows Penina, an Orthodox Jew, on her journey of finding a husband. She has spent the last decade dating and looking for a husband which became more difficult after discovering she was unable to have children naturally. I think Penina had been on a journey of discovering her worth as a wife, a partner who could not have children, something that was highly revered in her religion. You could tell is was a struggle for her but one person reiterated to her that she was still worthy, regardless of her fertility. She also shared her fashion on social media, gathering a significant following for her modest outfits.
Penina was definitely devoted to her family: her two sisters, nephews and her parents. She volunteered in the NICU with the cuddle program for babies and worked in a jewellery shop. She also always went out of her way to help anyone, even if they were strangers.
During one of her volunteering shifts, she literally runs into a mystery man and is shaken by her attraction and reaction to him. Turns out it was Sam, her boss’s son who had taken over the business while his father fought cancer. Although their initial attraction was obvious, the two bumped heads more often than not. Sam had a habit of catching Penina during compromising conversations which was definitely unintentional.
After multiple failed dates, Penina meets Zevi who had a very strange but enticing proposition for her: marry him to appease his dying mother in return for money. Zevi was secretly gay but was determined to make his mother proud before she passed away. This is where Penina came in. She mulled over the decision for a while but it became more and more attractive due to her sister Libby and her husband Natan potentially losing their home in three months.
What seems to interfere is her progressing friendship and attraction to Sam: her infuriatingly gorgeous boss who seeks every opportunity to get to know Penina more.
I really loved this book. Penina was a fantastic character who was loyal to a fault, fully prepared to marry a gay man to not only help him but her family as well. She was really funny and down to earth. Sam was also fantastic. As a male main character he couldn’t have been more perfect. He wholeheartedly respected Pen’s religion and by the end was accepting some parts of Orthodox Judaism into his life, literally visiting a friend of his in London to seek advice, I would definitely read more by Heidi Shertok. Thank you for the eARC!

Unorthodox Love was funny, light-hearted, and genuinely lovely to read.

Panina is 29 and searching for love. She's an Orthodox Jew, and her matchmaker keeps sending her on awful date after awful date - leading her to think she may never find the one. We follow her on this journey.

Panina - you have my heart! She's totally on my wavelength. A people pleaser who'll do anything to see her loved ones happy, while sacrificing her needs and goals. I loved getting to embark on a journey with her as she learned that sometimes it's better to put yourself first, say no, and do what's right for you. She has the most beautiful soul, strong values, and a penchant for style.

Sam took me a little longer to warm to, but I liked that about him - it gave the book more depth than your typical girl + boy meets, immediately falls in love kinda trope. Throughout it all, though you know that he'd do anything for Panina, and literally worships the ground she walks upon...even if he is stubborn!

The plot was well thought out and had enough going on throughout that I never felt bored or like it was too long - something that can be hard to gauge. Side characters and settings were great too. The insight into love and life as an Orthodox Jew was also so interesting for me, I've never read a romance like it, and it was so well done!

I've given this book 4 lovely, well-deserved stars.

Thank you, NetGalley for this arc in return for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

I'd never heard of this author before so wasn't sure what to expect but it was a lovely fun read and I laughed a lot while reading it I would definitely recommend it

Penina is kind and caring and follows her religion like a good Orthodox Jew, but she is unable to give the one thing all traditional Orthodox Jews want, she is unable to bare children; because of this, she finds herself being matched with the least of favourable men. But when Zevi comes along marriage may not be for love but business and it may just work out.

This was a great read, I could not help but love the character of Penina, she was kind and caring, but also selfless! Shertok writes a genuine and lovable character that I could not get enough of. With witty one-liners, I burst out laughing too. Penina and Sam were perfect for one another and all readers just want them to get together from the start.

I also really like the characters of Libby and Natan, and wished there were more of the two throughout the book, they had brilliant banter and I could see all their scene in my mind, I just couldn't get enough.

This was a brilliant narrative showing the insight to a specific religion but also the hardship when it comes to love, the pros and cons as well as the compromises and sacrifices. Shertok gives a fantastic storyline that everyone will enjoy.

Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok is a sweet, emotional story about an Orthodox Jewish unmarried, twenty-something who offers a unique view at modern social issues and traditional expectations and how they affect her. At twenty-nine and unmarried in a community where young women most often get married by their early twenties, Penina Kalish is considered old in the Orthodox world. A medical condition ensures that she’ll never have children, and as this is something extremely important to Orthodox Jews, Penina knows she’s damaged goods and unlikely to find a husband. The dates she does go on, set up by a feisty but out-of-touch matchmaker, never go well. Penina works at a jewelry shop, but also helps out with her family, volunteers with preemies at the NICU, and maintains an Instagram account focused on modest, budget-friendly, and fashionable attire. Sam Kleinfeld is Penina’s new boss, the son of the jewelry store’s owner. He’s rich, incredibly handsome, Jewish (though not Orthodox), possibly single, a little rough around the edges, but with a good heart. Being an outsider of the Orthodox community, Sam sees Penina as she truly is; not broken or missing something essential as she often thinks of herself. As Penina gets to know him, she realizes how easy it would be to love him, but he’s off-limits. As Penina struggles to keep her heart in check and help save her sister’s house, she’ll learn a thing or two about how she is truly not damaged, what makes a person whole, and maybe she’ll fall in love along the way. Penina truly does love her Judaism, exactly the way she practices. She is not struggling against the rules of the orthodoxy she follows, nor does she ever consider a way out; her doubts are only whether Sam, as a secular Jew, is willing to fit into her life.


Ms. Shertok wrote a cute, fun romance that gives you a peek inside a world most people aren’t familiar with along with a lot of Orthodox Jewish traditions. I enjoyed the banter between Penina and Sam, funny moments that had me laughing, and many of the issues brought up in this book. There isn’t any spice in this book which is necessary because of the religious aspect of this and respect that the author stuck to that. As one who grew up as a secular Jew, it was wonderful to read about a story with a Jewish female character and enjoyed the portrayal of an orthodox Jewish community throughout the book. For those who are not of the Jewish faith, the book does an excellent job going over and explaining the details without being too over the top. I highly recommend Orthodox Love to other readers.



I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

A captivating read ❤️ 29-year-old Orthodox Jew Penina dreams of romance and finding herself one true love within her religious community. She is signed up to a dating app, but her fertility issues are an added complication. Penina experiences her fair share of entertaining dates! The perfect potential match soon arrives in the form of Zevi, an Orthodox Jew too, but she cannot stop thinking about her grumpy boss Sam. A cute romance that touches on deeper issues. #unorthodoxlove #HeidiShertok #embla #netgalley #OrthodoxJew #unorthodox #truelove #matchmaking #fertilityissues #dating #romance

Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the fact that the main character is 29 & a virgin - this should be represented MORE as I feel this is more common and simply "hushed" amongst society.

The story read slower than I expected, but I overall had a fun time!

I thought it was hilarious in parts, and laughed out loud.

It was also interesting to read a romantic comedy set in an Orthodox Jewish community. I was already familiar with many of these concepts, but I think this would equally appeal to a reader who is less accustomed to the background.

Penina was a wonderful main character. She was quirky, fun, loyal and a delight to read about. Her relationship with her family and her employer were lovely and very believable. She was a social media influencer of modest fashion and this provided the reader with something a bit different.

The author did an equally good job with the secondary characters. Pernina's sisters were particularly good, and I really enjoyed reading about them.

All in all, this was hugely entertaining whilst being an entirely wholesome book and I loved every page. I found myself thinking about it when I was doing other things and could not wait to get back to it each time. I heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy or has an interest in Judaism.

I felt so deeply for Penina because she felt that her family and friends depended so much on her that she was too self sacrificing. She really wanted to help everyone and I think that’s admirable but I felt that it was going to get to a point that she wouldn’t be able to give anymore and she’d lose herself. Fortunately her boss Sam recognized that in her and after seeing that she’s about to sacrifice herself for her sister’s happiness tries to take matters into his own hands.

I’m so glad that I got to read such an inclusive story. I feel that sometimes the Orthodox Jewish community gets dragged a lot, but it’s nice to read stories where there’s such inclusiveness that I’ve also seen within friends and family members that are Modern Orthodox. I loved that Sam, Maya and Zevi are all Jewish (practicing or not) and they all have respect for Penina and how seriously she takes her Orthodox faith. Also the representation of fertility issues in any book is so important! I’m glad that although it was a major part of Penina and how she saw herself both as a woman and marrying someone within the religion was harder, this wasn’t the one defining characteristic of who she was.

The reveal at the end of where Sam had gone and what he had done for Penina was really splendid and it was so cute. It really uplifting to know that he really saw her and how much she cared about helping others by calling her “Superwoman”.

Thank you so much to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for giving me a copy. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5 ⭐️

Penina is me and I am Penina. I love her. There is never a dull moment with her. The first chapter had me howling in laughter. This is funny from the first page to the last. I totally enjoyed this book. I have not laughed at a book from the first page to the last.

It is about the ‘antics’ of a single Jewish woman (who everyone is convinced will never marry). As one of the last sitting on the shelf, the book explores how she navigates her job, life and family.

Told from Penina’s perspective with often hilarious antidotes and sarcastic comments, the author brings to fore the culture and practices of the Jews.

It touches on deep cultural issues such as adoption, pregnancy and marital relations between couples, which makes me fall in love all over again with Penina.

All of the characters are extra, especially Penina’s family. Their antics and side comments are so hilarious.

There was character development with almost of the characters and Penina and Sam becoming better versions of themselves.

I will love to see the author explore Fraydie’s story and to revisit all of the characters again.

If you love rom com, laugh out loud books, boss/employee romance and diversity and own voices then you will love this.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a great story about a Jewish girl with a health issue that has left her still unmarried long after most women her age are long-married with several children… she’s had to resort to a terrible matchmaker in the community trying to set her up with the worst scraps and leftovers who are orthodox, just to get her married off. Everyone keeps treating her like she’s worse than damaged goods (just because of an infertility issue). Shame!

Finally she is paired up with someone with promise… just to find out his “issue” and he offers her something hard to decline, but would be a marriage in name only - but would help to solve not only her own problem of the moment. Too bad her super-attractive new boss keeps sticking his non-orthodox Jewish nose in where it doesn’t belong, and keeps causing her to question everything.

I loved the chemistry between Penina and Sam and how it was such a slow burn, boss employee, sort of enemies to lovers sort of storyline. They had fantastic banter and it was just so much fun! Even though it was completely clean, I barely noticed that part, because I was enjoying everything else happening. I definitely recommend this one! If you’ve read and enjoyed Jean Meltzer’s books, give this one a shot!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Embla Books, and this is my honest feedback.

I’m excited to see more books coming out with Jewish representation. This read was a cute rom-com about an Orthodox Jewish woman struggling to find a relationship because of her infertility. It also focused a lot on her Orthodox Jewish traditions/culture with her family. I liked how it wasn’t too preachy, it was entertaining to learn a bit about this culture. The only issue I had with this book was the pacing. I felt like it was a slow burn in the beginning then it picked up really fast half way through, this made the romance feel unrealistic. Very quick, enjoyable lighthearted read! Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this but it just missed the mark for me! I am definitely open to reading other books by this author, but unfortunately this just wasn't really for me. As a Jewish person I love to see this rep in romance novels, though!