Scan barcode
lisawhelpley's review
4.0
I don't remember ever reading gay fiction before and wasn't sure what to expect. Answer: nothing different from any other romance. EXCEPT - this is pretty well written and there's character development and likeable characters. Delightful.
endemictoearth's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This is billed as romantic suspense? Ehhh, not really. I didn’t know that going in, and I just had a fun time. It’s a rivals to lovers, snowed in for the whole of Hanukkah, there’s a thief amongst us mystery, with some unexpected art history, coming out after 30, and a bit of excitement near the end. Mainly, I loved how sweetly persistent Ethan is with Jonah.
indiekay's review
4.0
In this is novella, Jonah decides he’s finally going to tell his parents that he’s gay when he sees them for Hanukkah – except when he lands, it’s his childhood bully and crush that picks him up at the gate, not his parents, and oh! He's spending the holiday with them, and will be sleeping in Jonah's bed, and is he really trying to hit on Jonah?!
The book involves the normal awkwardness of being home for the holidays, and having to spend time with extended family you don't know all that well - except there's also a snow storm and days long power outage that has the entire family stuck indoors. And, oh, the family heirloom that Jonah's uncle gifted to Jonah's father on the first night of Hanukkah has gone missing, and now his uncle is blaming Jonah for it's theft, and Jonah has to try and figure out who stole it before the storm abates and everyone can go home.
I could see this book as a romantic comedy movie - it's quirky and fun and every person in the family seems to have a motive to have stolen the heirloom.
I'm only giving it 4 stars because I didn’t really like the romance as much as I enjoyed everything else.
The book involves the normal awkwardness of being home for the holidays, and having to spend time with extended family you don't know all that well - except there's also a snow storm and days long power outage that has the entire family stuck indoors. And, oh, the family heirloom that Jonah's uncle gifted to Jonah's father on the first night of Hanukkah has gone missing, and now his uncle is blaming Jonah for it's theft, and Jonah has to try and figure out who stole it before the storm abates and everyone can go home.
I could see this book as a romantic comedy movie - it's quirky and fun and every person in the family seems to have a motive to have stolen the heirloom.
I'm only giving it 4 stars because I didn’t really like the romance as much as I enjoyed everything else.
myzanm's review against another edition
3.0
Short and sweet... Loved Jonah, but Ethan left me cold. Luckily the other quirky characters made up for his lack of charisma.
kaje_harper's review
4.0
Maybe a 3.5 - This was funny and an easy read. Jonah reluctantly comes home from his successful life as an out gay writer in Seattle to spend Hanukkah with his family. He finds himself trapped by the storm of the century in his parents' house, surrounded by his relatives and faced with sharing a room with Ethan, the guy he secretly had a crush on but was tormented by in high school. What's worse, all his gifts are in his lost suitcase, and he has only copies of his gay novels to give to his parents, to whom he has never come out.
Jonah's voice is clever and funny. The mystery element helps drive the plot, although the family interactions are the best part of the book. I didn't really find Evan's character appealing or consistent (too shy to phone Jonah in Seattle but willing to practically jump him in his parents' house?) Jonah's understandable resentment of him seemed to fade rather easily, with just proximity and a basic apology. The relationship seemed a bit superficial. I could imagine these guys breaking up as easily as staying together.
Jonah's voice is clever and funny. The mystery element helps drive the plot, although the family interactions are the best part of the book. I didn't really find Evan's character appealing or consistent (too shy to phone Jonah in Seattle but willing to practically jump him in his parents' house?) Jonah's understandable resentment of him seemed to fade rather easily, with just proximity and a basic apology. The relationship seemed a bit superficial. I could imagine these guys breaking up as easily as staying together.
ktomp17's review
4.0
I really loved this book! I loved how there wasn't a lot of angst surrounding the relationship but there was a fun little "mystery" to keep me guessing. Very cute story and I really loved the MC's. Definite 4 star read with me wondering if I should even bump it up to 5.
girvinia's review
1.0
“Ooh, a queer Hanukkah romance where the MC goes back to hometown and meets the guy he had a crush on in HS!” ...I thought.
But the reality is different. In fact, the crush, Ethan, was actually an asshole bully in HS. And brushes it off with “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what I was feeling at the time.” Yes, he apologizes, but always with a “but”. Hello, there were plenty of closeted gay people in HS who didn’t bully others.
Now, Alfie Bell of “Pansies” was also the school bully, and didn’t realize the gravity of his actions until his friends showed him the light. So since Ethan doesn’t have any of Alexis Hall’s brilliant friend groups around, I was giving him some Alfie-Bell-inspired benefit of the doubt. Until...
Ethan just won’t take no for an answer. Basically it’s this: “Hey wanna fuck?” “No, you were a jerk to me in HS.” “Sorry. But I like you.” “Too bad.” “Can I give you a blowjob?”
Or take this later scene when Jonah cuts himself shaving.
Ethan: Let me clean it for you.
Jonah: I’m not a child. I can do it myself.
Ethan. I don’t think of you as a child, I just want to help.
Jonah: No, thanks.
Ethan: Let me have a look, that’s all. [Ethan comes up close.]
Jonah: What are you doing?
Ethan: Trying to kiss you.
WTF.
W.T.F.
F that. This is creepy as hell. I thought we were done with "bodice rippers." Not recommended.
But the reality is different. In fact, the crush, Ethan, was actually an asshole bully in HS. And brushes it off with “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what I was feeling at the time.” Yes, he apologizes, but always with a “but”. Hello, there were plenty of closeted gay people in HS who didn’t bully others.
Now, Alfie Bell of “Pansies” was also the school bully, and didn’t realize the gravity of his actions until his friends showed him the light. So since Ethan doesn’t have any of Alexis Hall’s brilliant friend groups around, I was giving him some Alfie-Bell-inspired benefit of the doubt. Until...
Ethan just won’t take no for an answer. Basically it’s this: “Hey wanna fuck?” “No, you were a jerk to me in HS.” “Sorry. But I like you.” “Too bad.” “Can I give you a blowjob?”
Or take this later scene when Jonah cuts himself shaving.
Ethan: Let me clean it for you.
Jonah: I’m not a child. I can do it myself.
Ethan. I don’t think of you as a child, I just want to help.
Jonah: No, thanks.
Ethan: Let me have a look, that’s all. [Ethan comes up close.]
Jonah: What are you doing?
Ethan: Trying to kiss you.
WTF.
W.T.F.
F that. This is creepy as hell. I thought we were done with "bodice rippers." Not recommended.
sweetesteph's review
5.0
This was a fast fun good read, I really enjoyed it and I might check out more books by this author, Jonah's pov was quite entertaining, and the atmosphere light but full of emotion
evila_elf's review
5.0
Jonah is a fairly successful gay fiction writer. He is visiting his relatives for Hanukkah, and dreading it. No one knows he is gay, and he has to put up with his high school crush, who was a total ass to him in high school.
He runs into so many problems, from a flight transfer that causes his luggage to be MIA, to an Uncle who seems to hate him, to a blizzard that traps the whole family + relatives in the house for most of Hanukkah.
I loved this. Poor Jonah. I could really feel his frustration. The story was okay, but the character's voice was awesome and really made the story for me.
He runs into so many problems, from a flight transfer that causes his luggage to be MIA, to an Uncle who seems to hate him, to a blizzard that traps the whole family + relatives in the house for most of Hanukkah.
I loved this. Poor Jonah. I could really feel his frustration. The story was okay, but the character's voice was awesome and really made the story for me.
More...