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 by Jean Meltzer 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.