Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Adam Bernard’s love-life is on ice.

Adam gave up his dreams of professional hockey when his mom died ten years ago; now his only focus is being the Jewish son his dad’s always wanted. Problem is, the pee-wee hockey team he coaches is in Boston for an international tourney the same week as Hanukkah. Now he’s stuck in a foreign city without so much as a candle. Enter Ben Daniels, the super-cute owner of the local kosher-style bakery. All Adam wants is a chance to celebrate the holiday away from home – but sweet and sexy Ben could light more than just Adam’s candles.

Ben Daniels’s love-life is on the back-burner.

Ben hasn’t stepped on the ice in three years. The official reason is that he’s too focused on making his kosher-style bakery a success. Problem is, he’s never kept kosher in his life, and internet searches only take you so far. Enter Adam Bernard, in town for one week only, with all the cultural touchstones anyone could want. All Ben wants is Adam’s Certified Jewish Opinion on his sufganiyot – but Adam could be the one to light Ben’s desire for ice again.

This Hanukkah, Adam and Ben find their miracles aren’t only on the ice.

Their fling was only meant to last for the holiday. But Adam’s about to get the chance to rewrite his history – and Ben’s dreams of business success are about to come true. Will they be so willing to extinguish their relationship in eight days – or will their Hanukkah miracle last for a lifetime?

Ben’s Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle is an amazing treat to start the holiday season. The prologue was a bit hard to read since it felt as an omniscient narrator took over but in the end, it worked. After the first chapter, it’s easier to follow the author’s vision.

This story reads like a Hallmark Holiday movie. It’s sweat, steamy, interesting, and filled with hope and well wishes. All the characters were well-rounded and had a roll in moving the plot forward. The secondary characters are diverse but not simple tokens. They added color to the story.  The kids were perfect and acted their age, a mix of curiosity and innocence that balanced the adults and the drama.

Ben and Adam had great chemistry from the instant they met. All their matchmakers gave the reader a little window into their personality. They are both Jewish but were brought up differently. It took them several nights to get over the majority of their differences but they made it work.

I can’t tell you everything the author shows is accurate but she did an excellent job bringing culture and religion to the forefront of the story without making it feel as a soapbox. I loved the little details and how much they meant to Ben and Adam. I haven’t tried any of Ben’s dishes but I will love to do it now, even the eggplant 😉

This is definitely the way to start the Holidays this year.

The cover by Creativindie goes perfectly with the story. The characters are exactly as the author described them, and all the other little elements are present in the book. Great color and composition.

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Book Details:
ebook, 242 pages
Published: November 13, 2018, by Penelope Peters
Edition Language: English