DNF @ 18%.

I found the information about Orthodox Judaism to be really interesting and it’s great to see another culture represented in a contemporary romance. However, the characterization and writing both felt shallow and I couldn’t envision this being any more than a 3 star read. I’m sort of past the point of wanting a mediocre read right now.

Quick Recap: A 29-year-old Orthodox Jewish woman with fertility problems meets an attractive secular man who drives her crazy-LITERALLY. But sparks cannot fly because she needs a man of faith and he is her boss.

I liked this book. It kept me entertained. Our main protagonist, Penina, had a few issues that I am familiar with and so I felt it easy to connect to her. I really enjoyed her relationship with her sisters and her deep-rooted need to help her family. She was an imperfect character but I loved her flaws and all.

On the other hand, I felt her romantic partner and boss, Sam, took some time to get to know and root for him.

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.


Thanks to NetGalley and Embala Books for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Goodreads Review Published 04/05/23
Expected Publication Date 06/06/23
#UnorthodoxLove #NetGalley.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC for review.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Penina is an orthodox Jewish woman who has a hard time finding a match in her community due to her infertility.
Sam is a non orthodox Jewish man who also happens to be her boss.
They both set professional boundaries early, but their chemistry cannot be ignored.

I am not a really religious person, and for that reason, I was scared that it might be too preachy for me. Well it wasn’t. It presents aspects of orthodox Jewish life in a rewlly relaxed way. You feel like you’ve been invited to a nice family dinner.

Even though Panina cannot touch men before marriage, her chemistry with Sam is apparent through the writing. I smiled a lot while reading it. It had many wonderful and interesting characters besides the MCs.

The ending was a bit intense for me, but it is personal taste.

Overall, it was a fun romance that made me smile and I’m convinced everyone who likes romance will enjoy it.

Lighthearted, amusing and cute story. I loved the characters with all their foibles which added to the humour elements. I would have liked a bit more depth to the story but despite the ending being predictable I enjoyed this easy to read book. 3.5*

2.0/5- i don't think i am the intended demographic for the book.

i learned a lot about a religion and way of life that i was otherwise unfamiliar with, and that was great, but as a queer and left-leaning agnostic atheist, i had a tough time relating to a book about a straight and conservative orthodox jew.

i did have a number of issues with the book, hence the rating, but i think it's important to note that that disconnect impacts my experience and, however much i might try, this review.

however, i was not a fan of how the mmc was described. also, i am so unbelievably over mmc's being downright rude because they were in love. because the mmc was nothing short of intolerable in the first 40%. and then, gasp, we learn that it's because he was just so head over heels for her, so now he gets a pass for not being a decent human being? how does that make any sense?

not only is that offensive if someone just doesn't care enough to be polite to you, but it perpetuates the idea that men can't help themselves and have no accountability over their actions if they feel emotional/in love/horny.


and then there's the fmc. i've never met someone so inanely oblivious. and so horny. i can confidently say, i've never been in a situation where speaking to a man has made me so turned on i was genuinely concerned i would faint. it was so over the top.

and i understand that a large part of this book is about the fmc trying to realize her overdeveloped sense of obligation and savior complex, but taking on the burden of everyone else's unrelated problems, and then crying "woe is me," isn't a good look.

also, the financial issue, which was a large part of the conflict, HAD A MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTION THAT EVEN MY LAX PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS RECOGNIZED AT LEAST 150 PAGES BEFORE IT WAS RESOLVED.


all that being said, i liked the representation. i liked being able to learn more about a different culture. and though i am historically not a fan of endings where one partner relinquishes their religious/social beliefs for the other (see: purple hearts), i rather liked how this one was done.
i don't feel like any religious beliefs were being pushed on other characters (except for maybe a little her younger sister who, for the record, is an adult and can choose her own path).
and despite it all, i have a lot of respect for books that have characters that show a different side of life than generally portrayed.

Unorthodox Love, by Heidi Shertok, is a breezy, very funny romance that is both light and heartwarming. The main character is a very observant Orthodox Jewish woman who falls for a much more secular, very attractive Jewish guy. Unlike many novels involving Orthodox society, these are characters fully integrated in the modern world. Some serious relationship and family themes are addressed as well as identity and self esteem issue when you just don't quite fit the expectations of a demanding, restrictive social group. I enjoyed seeing the relationships between all of the characters evolve, and how they were "helped" by family and friends. This is a very quick read and an excellent change of pace if you need a break from heavier reading. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Embla books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

This is more or an explanation of Jewish religion and less of a story. DNF after a few pages in.


************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.***********************

As a reform Jewish woman I found this a really interesting read! Penina is 29 but infertile and the matchmaker is finding it difficult to find her a future husband. This book was funny but it did make me think about the infertility dilemma with Orthodox Jewish women as they are expected to produce a lot of babies. I wasn't sure if Penina's attitude to life, fashion, social media, love etc was typical of Orthodox women but i found her very entertaining!

I really enjoy reading romance novels where the main character(s) are from a different background from me. It's always so lovely to be set into someone else's world entirely and read their story. I was delighted to immerse myself in this very sweet romance with the background of orthodox tradition and the rules that come with that. I loved that Penina had a fashion Instagram where she showcased her modest yet fun and creative style.

I thought the conflicts that came up between Penina and Sam. Yes, some of the conflicts could have been easily resolved by an adult conversation, which is usually a pet peeve of mine, but the hang ups that they each came to the table with could easily explain why neither of them wanted to be so forthcoming, so I was not bothered.

Swoony, funny, raw, and educational? Sign me up! This book ended up being so much more than what I was expecting. Penina's personal struggles and what it meant in regard to her faith and mindset was such a heart-wrenching experience that I found myself in tears. Struggling with infertility myself, my heart went out to her. This was practically therapy for my soul. I adored the swoony feels that Sam gave, and how he didn't take situations lightly and did his research. That just...my whole heart! That man.
The information explaining the Orthodox faith, what they believe their viewpoints, was such an eye-opening education. Things I would have never even thought about are now on my radar and I ended this book feeling like I just spoke with a great friend about her faith. I wasn't expecting to learn something new when I began this book, but I'm so appreciate that I did.
On top of all this, it was funny! A lot of sarcasm, jokes, and self-deprecation. It was right in my wheel-house. The only thing that I was left sad about was the fact that the last few chapters felt a little rushed. I wouldn't have minded it to be longer so we could have a little more detail and space between events.
Overall, it was an amazing read and it will definitely being going on my list of highly recommended books.

Really easy to read and addictive!! I read this book in 3 days around working full time and socialising! I found the storyline to flow easily and the twists and turns in the story keep me engaged
Overall a very good book and a lovely story

This was an interesting read.

As a non Jewish person, I was completely unfamiliar with their customs except for the sabbath. As an agnostic person, it was slightly hard to try and understand the FMC's pov at times. However, I did like the book. I would also call this a women's fiction rather than just romance.

This story is about Penina, a 29 year old Orthodox Jewish virgin who is infertile. She thinks less of herself because of this and is unsure about the men her matchmaker sets her up with. Enter Sam, her new Unorthodox Jewish HOTTT boss and thus start their banter. Easily, the best part of the book. Both of them are so sarcastic and their sense of humor complement each other. This being a clean romance, We don't get any spicy scenes except for a few thoughts but I still felt the chemistry between them.

I also thought a plus point for this book was that it did not push the religious aspect on the reader or on the other characters. Penina's faith is a big part of her, and learning how to navigate a more worldly life but still clinging on to her faith was something that was well written. A social media page on Modest Clothing, A Kosher diet, A teenage mother, A gay man with a religious mother - All this was very realistic and even if slightly dramatic, It was a fun few hours of my time.

Although I found it interesting learning about Judaism and the orthodox community, I was surprised at events that occurred in the book because based on documentaries and other books I read involving the orthodox community I thought certain things were taboo but that doesn’t appear to be the case in this book. I really struggled to get into the book there appears to be two fake relationship storylines and a get the money to save the house storyline and it just got very confusing. I think due to the fact that the writing is choppy and not always clear I found it hard to follow the book.

I really wanted to like this book but I think cause I struggled with the writing and too many tropes / same trope twice, I just couldn’t get into the book.

A good clean romance. Set in the Jewish Community. Would recommend to those who want to read more diverse books.
Thanks to Netgalley and Embla books for the copy I have recieved.

This was an enjoyable and entertaining read, that also touched upon difficult and emotional topics. In this way it raises awareness of challenges people face on a daily basis. It also educates about an Orthodox Jewish life in the modern world. I found that I connected with the characters and found the storyline entertaining, even if somewhat predictable!

Thanks to Embla Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a really interesting book - not your typical contemporary romance at all. Firstly, there is a LOT I don't know about Judaism and even more I did not know about Orthodox Judaism so I was learning along the way, just like Sam.

It was nice actually, identifying with the male character in this book, and something that doesn't happen to me very often. But anytime he asked a question or seemed surprised by a facet of the religion that he wasn't familar with, I was there with him.

I really liked Penina as a character - her empathy was such a beautiful thing to read.
I was concerned that Penina being orthodox would mean that there was no chemistry or heated moments, but there were plenty of those and they seemed even more meaningful than some of the more spicy books I have read.

Penina's struggle with acceptance in her community and as a woman is a much deeper dive into character than some other romances as well.

I really liked the way this was written and the other characters, especially Penina's family, were interesting. There are some funny moments, and while I wouldn't call this a lighthearted romance, it's definitely worth a read.

A wonderful reminder that love can be found anywhere anytime and it never plays by the rules. Learning about the Orthodox Jewish culture and community was a nice change of pace as you don’t seem to find it in many books at all. This was a nice quick read which kept you entertained throughout. I can’t wait to see more from this author and I know they’ll do fantastically!

Unorthodox Love is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and relatability. This book is a perfect choice for anyone seeking an entertaining and uplifting read that reminds us all that love can be found in the most unexpected places. I would definitely recommend this book!



Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion .

I enjoyed reading Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok. The story has wonderful characters, fashion, social media and dating situation that will make you laugh. **I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

I’ve been trying to get into romance stories recently — historically, they haven’t been ‘my thing’, but they’re so popular that I really want to see what it is everyone else enjoys about them. So, I’m going to look at this from what I hope is an objective perspective and leave my personal feelings out of it. Don’t worry, this is a good thing, as it means I’m giving the book five stars!

As far as I can tell, this is a really strong example of a contemporary romance novel. It hits all the right plot beats and ends happily. The protagonist, Penina, is a nice person, the kind I imagine you’d want to be friends with. She and her love interest don’t like each other at first, but this is normal in romance, and the interesting part is seeing how their relationship thaws and then blossoms (I’m mixing up those nature metaphors here, but never mind).

I’m sorry if this review sounds a bit… flat? Robotic? But I was trying to think about it within the typical romance novel formula, and as someone who can really appreciate an established pattern, this book does exactly what I think it’s supposed to do. Reviewing it has led me to the conclusion that writing a romance is an art form; seasoned romance readers would surely notice if an author didn’t get the formula right. I’ve come to the conclusion that it must, in fact, be very difficult to write a book like this. From my limited experience of the genre, I think the author is spot-on with this one. So, yes, five stars!!!