This was a cute retrospective read with a lot of Jewish representation, which was a nice twist. I'm glad they called the FMC out for not changing at all because I was getting very annoyed with her lack of understanding and change, but it was very sweet and sugary and despite the tragedy depicted at times.

3.5 stars

thank you to jean meltzer, her publishing team, and netgalley for the ARC!!

this was cute! jean meltzer always does a great job of balancing the more lighthearted and humorous aspects of her books with the traumatic and sad moments. i do wish some aspects that become major plot points in the book were explored earlier on, though. i didn’t find myself falling in love or relating much to any of the characters as i normally do with other books, which lowers my rating just a tad. i did, however, like the production aspects (as someone who recently graduated with a film degree and is looking to get into that field) and, as with all of jean’s books, the jewish references. as a jewish person who never went to hebrew school or had a bat mitzvah, reading jean’s books allows me to learn a little more about my culture which i enjoy. it was also fun seeing some callbacks to jean's previous books.

overall, despite a few flaws, the eight heartbreaks of hanukkah was very enjoyable and is a great choice for a holiday read if you are looking for a heartwarming romance with some grief sprinkled throughout.

Every time a new Jean Meltzer book comes out I have to grab it right away. I love reading about Jewish characters because of the familiar cultural references, though you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy her rom-com novels.

My favorite of hers is Kissing Kosher, and in The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah we get an update on the characters from that book as well as from all her other books. I love that they exist in the same universe.

You do know where The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah is going from the beginning, but it doesn’t stop you from enjoying the story, which is a Jewish take on A Christmas Carol. Clever idea, especially since the MC is a TV producer putting on a live action dance version of A Christmas Carol! The Jared Sparks character provides immense comic relief into what would otherwise be a bit of a downer, and I loved his antics (but don’t ask me to suck your nipple).

Jean Meltzer writes about difficult topics with sensitivity as well.

Critiques are that it was repetitive at times, and aside from the big “thing he did,” David seemed a bit too perfect? But I enjoyed it regardless.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

title: The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah

author: Jean Meltzer

publisher: MIRA

publication date: October 21, 2025

pages: 368

peppers: 2 (on this scale)

warnings:

chronic illness
disability
migrains
divorce
grief
infertility
abortion
loss
wrongful termination
fetal abnormalities

summary: Evelyn is working her tail off to produce a live-on-TV version of A Christmas Carol; unfortunately, everything is going wrong. The first disaster comes when she gets knocked in the head by a piano and discovers that the on-set physician is none other than David, her ex-husband, who walked out on her two years ago with no explanation at all.

tropes:

second-chance
enemies-to-lovers
Scrooge!
holiday
workaholic

what I liked:

 Hanukkah celebrations
behind-the-scenes TV world
humor
disability representation
parodies of celebrities
the scope of the relationship
shenanigans
explaining Judaism without getting soapboxy or political
dealt with hard issue in sensitive ways

what I didn’t like:

 I wanted them to talk with each other earlier

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

This author is one I usually enjoy reading. I appreciate her plots and characters and how she is able to incorporate medical issues every day people struggle with. This book severely missed the mark for me though.

Before the first chapter we get a trigger list—which I actually appreciate. A couple of the topics did trigger my anxiety. The list was helpful to prepare me for what was to come.

The plot dragged, and I couldn’t root for the characters. What happened to Claire? And why was Derek constantly asking if people wanted to get comfort from his nipple. WHAT WAS THAT?!? The ending was rushed, and I felt no connection to anyone. This one wasn’t it for me.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This is a sweet heartfelt book. I like the characters in this book. This book was very well written and very interesting.

This book had a trigger warning on it, which I found unusual. I'm not overly sensitive about fiction, but I thought about this books warnings for awhile. So, because there were so many of them, I decided not to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

You fear the world too much. May you be happy in the life you have chosen.

Evelyn Schwartz is producing a big budget live action TV show of A Christmas Carol. She is divorced and it seems her career has been her entire world.
When her ex-husband David is filling in for the on set doctor can Evelyn handle seeing him?
Evelyn gets migraines and I can really relate to that.
Evelyn starts to experience some strange events as each night of Hanukkah she is visited by a ghost. She starts to believe the ghost’s are taking her through her most painful past heartbreaks.
A story with humor, heartbreak, tradition, culture, real characters that are flawed.
Healing, love, identity, facing one’s past in order to move on. A Christmas Carol with a “Jewish” twist.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this thought provoking book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and MIRA for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah fed my love of time hop books and taught me a bit along the way. Evelyn is dealing with the mother of all migraines (and getting knocked out by a piano…) when she finds her ex, David, is the on set doctor for her big live streamed A Christmas Carol production. Things still aren’t well between them and there’s a lot of grief to be explored, both in Evelyn’s child and in events during their marriage, that this book explores. But of course Evelyn gets visited by eight ghosts of Hannukkah to lead her to some realizations (a very cute spin).

This isn’t just a rom com so be aware of trigger warnings going in, but it’ll keep you engaged. I found some lulls and points where I was deeply frustrated by Evelyn, but since I was not as familiar with the Jewish culture I found those balanced out by the education I got which was a great bonus. If you’re a fan of time hops you’ll get some good ones here but you’ll also find some emotional moments and yes, romance as well.

The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah follows Evelyn Schwartz, a Jewish TV producer as she navigates the production of a special musical of A Christmas Carol. Surprise! In need of medical attention, she finds her ex-husband, David, in the studio medical bay, on call for the usual doctor who is on vacation. From there, the story unfolds.

Evelyn is visited by the Hanukkah “ghosts” each night, walking her through a past memory a la Scrooge. This opens her eyes to heartbreaks of the past, bringing back vivid memories to teach lessons.

The characters in this book were very easy to picture and follow. I could see being part of their lives, whether at a Hanukkah gathering, or in the studio. The heartbreaks were also easy to picture and they will be a trigger for some, who have experienced motherhood and loss.

Overall, the “ghosts” weren’t my favorite, but the book itself was a delight to read, outside of a few tears. I also loved the multiple references to the author’s other book “The Matzah Ball.” Highly recommend for a light read with some emotionally intense moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy!

This is a super cute quick holiday read. I enjoyed getting to dive into the story and feel the hanukkah vibes in July/August. Definitely sharing with the chat.

I loved, loved, loved this book! I've read everything Jean Meltzer has ever written, so I was so excited to get approved for this (I wasn't approved for her last book). This book was perfection. It was brilliantly paced, had a great plot, and David was the perfect book boyfriend. My only problem was with Evelyn. She was totally unlikeable! Although, maybe that was the point? I know it's supposed to be an updated A Christmas Carol, and everyone knows Ebenezer Scrooge is not likeable in the beginning of that book. Obviously, she redeems herself in the end, but getting there...oof! She is a complete witch to David. I cannot understand why he even wants her back! And really I don't remember anything saying why Evelyn and David made such a good couple when they were originally together except that they had great sexual chemistry, and that bothered me. Overall though, I loved this. Five stars. Can't wait for her next book!

Evelyn ends up in the hospital with a chronic migraine, her ex-husband, David is her doctor. this is a retelling of a Christmas carol with a Jewish twist.

While I understand the message the author was attempting to send here, and I appreciate the inclusion of a heroine many will probably see as unlikable (in other words, she's human) the writing style and choices here didn't work for me. The framing is clever, but the imagery of the chicken, giggling kids—it was all very twee for me. I didn't get a sense of chemistry between David and Evelyn, I thought the inclusion of Jared was confusing (and felt kind of dated?) and the jumbled feeling of the story made it difficult for me to connect.

Thanks to MIRA and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you SO MUCH for letting me pre-read this story! I've adored Jean Meltzer's books for years, and am thrilled to read her newest work! While the book started slowly, and I was a little nervous about the ghost plot, I fell in love with the characters. I laughed and cried, and am thankful for her work as a Jewish reader. I hope she continues to write Jewish romance books, with more & more relatable and enjoyable characters. Thank you!

The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer
I was provided an early copy from NetGalley. Release Date is 10/21/25. This post contains affiliate links.

I grabbed The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah from NetGalley because I’ve enjoyed Jean Meltzer’s books in the past. It sat on my Kindle for months because, given the current political situation, I worried it might be too heavy on politics. I needn’t have worried—there was no mention of the Middle East. I also wasn’t in the mood to read a holiday book in the middle of summer, so I put it off. When I saw it was about to be archived, I dove in. And OMG, it ended up being my favorite Jean Meltzer book yet.

It started a little slow for me. I picked it up several times over the past few months but didn’t have time to sit and focus (I’m almost entirely an audiobook listener these days). Once it clicked for me, around 25-30% in, I devoured it in two days and ended up sobbing happy, bittersweet tears.

I’m Jew-“ish.” Raised Jewish, but I haven’t been to temple since my teens except for weddings and bar mitzvahs. I raised my kids half Jewish and half Catholic, but really neither—we just celebrated all the holidays with the traditional foods. The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah was perfect for someone like me. It didn’t feel like Hebrew School, and it wasn’t political despite what’s going on in the world.

Jean’s books have always resonated with me because they often tackle chronic illness. They’ve also always been a little “Jewy” (to use the author’s own word). This one felt more accessible. While it’s clearly rooted in Jewish culture, it’s also Jean’s most relatable book yet, especially because it mirrored parts of my own life: the devastating loss of a baby in the same way, and a divorced heroine who hasn’t moved on.

Evelyn is producing a big-budget live-action TV show of A Christmas Carol. Her career is her entire world, which is why she’s divorced. When her ex-husband David fills in as the on-set doctor and Evelyn’s migraines spiral from stress, strange things start happening. Each night of Hanukkah, she’s transported back to one of the worst days of her life, and David is there with her through all of it.

It’s clear these two still love each other, but Evelyn needed to face her past and see her mistakes from another angle.

While The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah is billed as a romcom, I found it more emotional and poignant than I expected. The story is deeply heartfelt, though with eight long nights of heartbreak to revisit, I did feel like it dragged a little in places.

Likes:

•Jewish representation.
•Chronic illness representation.
•I loved her ex-husband.
•The loss-of-baby storyline hit me hard and felt authentic.
•Evelyn really grew on me.
•Not overly Jewy or heavy-handed.
•One of the characters reminded me of Russell Brand in Get Him to the Greek.

Dislikes:

•It got a little too long and repetitive with all eight nights of heartbreak.

The Down & Dirty:
The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer was everything I hoped for and more. It’s a heartfelt, emotional second-chance romance wrapped in a Jewish take on A Christmas Carol, and it hit me right in the feels. Jean Meltzer blends romance, grief, growth, and culture in a way that feels authentic without being overwhelming. If you’re ready to start holiday romances, this is a unique, moving, and beautifully written choice that stands out from the crowd.

Rating: 4.25 Stars, 2 Heat

Thank you for this book in exchange for my honest review. This book was cute and had me hooked all the way through. I related well with the characters, too, and found myself attached to their story.

I really enjoyed this Jewish retelling of a Christmas Carol in the midst of presenting a musical version on a Christmas Carol. Jean Meltzer continues to be an automatic read for me with her sensitive descriptions of complicated topics. I do wish Evelyn had been little less stubborn at times although by the end I understood better where she was coming from.

The concept for this book is incredible - make A Christmas Carol Jewish. I wish I loved the book as much as the concept. The circumstances surrounding the visits from the 8 ghosts of Hanukkah are very heavy, so I applaud the author on trying to tell this story. The storytelling felt choppy and the characters were hard to relate to as a result. The steamy moments also felt oddly placed. It was very nice to see such solid and proud Jewish representation, though.

I know there were parts that were meant to be funny, and parts that were meant to be serious and reflective, but I just couldn't make myself care enough about these characters to want to know how they were affected by things. The author's note at the end of the book felt the most real and authentic, and I know she tried to tie in a serious topic into a humorous book, but it just felt like a big disconnect the whole time I was reading. The characters were more annoying than anything else, and too sexualized in strange circumstances. Not a fan of this one. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.