A review by rachels_booknook
Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot

4.5

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @berkleypub & @netgalley for sending me this book for review. Opinions are mine. 

I held out to read this closer to the holidays (let’s not rush winter am I right?). But with the pub date approaching, it was time to dig in. 

I’m so glad I did! Love You a Latka is like a primer on Judaism, and especially Hanukkah. It’s easily accessible for the masses and not over the top. It’s the answer to every child who wished that Hanukkah was as widely celebrated as Christmas. At various times, Abby explains that when people say “holiday” they actually mean Christmas, and I’m telling you, we all have felt this. 

This is a grumpy x sunshine, cinnamon roll hero, fake dating, Jewish representation, found family, holiday (Hanukkah) romance. As usual, Amanda Elliot does the food descriptions so well – this time mostly Hanukkah related. I loved the holiday bar crawl and NYC scavenger hunt, and the Hanukkah festival Abby planned. I would love to take my kids to a festival like that. 

I loved reading about Abby reconnecting to the Jewish community, and why that was important to her. I also really loved the heart to heart she had with Bev, Seth’s mom. I can’t help but wonder if Seth was named after Seth Cohen from the O.C. I felt similarities there when it came to Hanukkah enthusiasm. I would have loved more with Abby’s parents and Seth’s confrontation of them. 

This is the kind of Jewish Joy book that my heart needed right now. I feel so seen. Abby often reflects on the antisemitism in the world, talking about things we all understand – like looking around for the exits in a Jewish building. Thank you, Amanda Elliot, for writing this book for all the Jewish adults that, as children, felt like Hanukkah was second to Christmas. (Although personally I think we got the way better end of the deal.)