Love You a Latke is an enjoyable, well-written, and engaging holiday romance with a few favorite tropes.

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Holiday Romance (enemies to lovers; grumpy/sunshine; fake dating), Festive, Jewish, Hanukkah, Vermont and New York City

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My Summary of Love You a Latke:

Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyBuddyReads for a complimentary e ARC of #LoveYouALatke upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Holidays are approaching but Abby isn’t in the best mood: (1) she’s struggling to keep her cafe afloat; (2) a certain sunshiny customer, Seth, is annoying: and (3) she’s accepted a position to plan a local Hanukkah celebration but she’s short on resources and support. When she seeks help on social media, she discovers that there is one other Jewish person in town….Seth. He’s willing to help her in exchange for her attending Hanukkah celebrations with him in New York City as his fake girlfriend. He needs to get his parents off his back and Abbey can’t afford to turn down his help or his contacts. A deal is struck. Possibilities for complications abound! Can Abby pull off a community Hanukkah celebration? Can she possibly work with Seth and endure Hanukkah with his family?

My Thoughts:

Tropes

I love enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, and fake dating tropes and the wonderful possibilities they present for witty dialogue and hilarious circumstances. One bed is thrown in for good measure! The author doesn’t disappoint! Heavier themes are present, but overall Love You a Latke is entertaining and engaging. Because this is a romance with tried-and-true tropes, we know there will be an HEA….but getting there is so much fun!

Hanukkah

I was pleased with the amount of Hanukkah content in this story. As someone who is an outsider and not Jewish, I enjoyed the food, the customs/traditions, and the learning. The Hanukkah content is substantial but not overdone. I appreciate the intentionality and that Hanukkah isn’t simply a backdrop to the action. This might be a clumsy explanation, but I hope you get the idea! If you are an “own voices’ reviewer, please add your thoughts in the comments and/or a link to your review.

Setting

You will love the rural, small-town Vermont setting, the festive Hanukkah celebration, and the aroma of delicious food. New York City adds its own charm. Vivid descriptions place you right into the story.

Likeable Characters

Abby. is an admirable and likeable character. She cares about her business and her community. She’s a good sport during the fake-dating portion of their agreement. Seth is a sweet and thoughtful guy who follows through on his commitments. I wish we had heard some of the story from his point of view.

Recommending Love You a Latke

I enthusiastically recommend adding this to your holiday TBR! Fans of the tropes mentioned who love a well-written romance and engaging storyline will adore Love You a Latke. Closed-door romance (with some sexual references and inuendo) and limited profanity.

Content Consideration: Abusive parents (in childhood)

Related: You might also enjoy this holiday romance that includes Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan: Three Holidays and a Wedding.

My Rating:  4  Stars

Meet the Author of Love You a Latke, Amanda Elliot

Amanda Elliot lives with her husband in New York City, where she collects way too many cookbooks for her tiny kitchen, runs in Central Park, and writes for teens and kids under the name Amanda Panitch.

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QOTD:

Is this holiday romance on your TBR or have you read it?

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