J Is For Jewish Stories

Jennifer reviews a Hanukkah book…

Some of the contemporary romance I write involves Jewish characters. I’ve spoken before about the need for diversity in romance (as have many others) and why I choose to sometimes write Jewish romance. There are many other authors who have echoed my thoughts and in fact, there was an interesting article in RT Magazine about this very subject. While I didn’t agree with everything the author said, I’m glad the discussion is occurring—we all benefit from discussions of diversity, whether it’s regarding religion, skin color, culture or anything else.

Sarah Wendell, known for her amazing blog, Smart BitchesTrashy Books, also wrote a Jewish romance, Lighting the Flames: A Hanukkah Story, revolving around Jewish summer camp and Hanukkah. I read it and thought I’d post about it here.

Amazon

Blurb:

Genevieve and Jeremy have known each other since they were seven, and have been summertime best friends at Camp Meira, a Jewish overnight camp in the mountains. As campers, and then as staff, their friendship was a constant, something neither wanted to change, no matter how tempting those changes might be.

Then, last year, with little warning, Jeremy left camp early. After that summer, Gen left the country on a graduate fellowship.

Now, a little over a year since they were last at Meira, Gen and Jeremy are back together to help run a special Winter Camp during Hanukkah. Any water under the bridge is frozen this time of year, and with so much left unspoken and unexplained, this week may be their chance to rekindle their friendship, or turn it into something new.

The book was a lot of fun to read. Although I never went to a Jewish summer camp, my kids did and my husband is involved with it and I loved how the experience was portrayed. She did a great job capturing the intensity of relationships that develop at camp, as well as the “weirdness” of trying to maintain that relationship outside of camp. The characters were well developed and the story was enjoyable to read. If you’re looking for a story where the religion and culture are woven in seamlessly, this is a great place to start.

4 Hearts

Saturday Snippet: The Seduction of Esther

An excerpt from Jennifer's contemporary romance...

The Seduction of Esther is on sale this month for $0.99.

Amazon

“Hello, Zoe!” Samara pulled away from the Rabbi and the other woman, grinned and put her arm out and hugged Zoe, who raced up and hugged her back.

“I want you to meet my Daddy. I told him all about you and how great you sing and here he is!”

Samara looked up, her face open, eyes wide with happiness. Nathaniel met her eyes and for a moment, everything was fine. Fine, until recognition turned her brown eyes to cognac and her face to rose. Fine, until her hand shook and spilled her red wine down the front of his light blue shirt and burgundy tie.

He jumped back. This was the woman he remembered.

“I’m so sorry,” she gasped as she grabbed a bunch of napkins and blotted the front of his shirt. The heat of his body permeated the fabric and warmed her fingers. As she stood this close to him, the scent of his aftershave—a rich, masculine smell she couldn’t yet identify—enveloped her. The typical chatter of the congregation after services faded and she kept her gaze lowered, sure if she looked up, all eyes in the room would be focused on her. Her friend Rachel, who’d been talking to her moments before Zoe and her dad approached, had melted into the throngs of people. Even the Rabbi had disappeared. Was he off talking to someone else, or just staring at her in disapproval, waiting for her to make more of a spectacle of herself? Her face heated and her feet itched to escape. Silence surrounded her like a cloak and she tried not to gasp for air. As the wine soaked through the napkins in her hands, she reached for more. In her haste, she knocked into a plate of cookies and sent them tumbling to the floor.

“It’s okay.” His quiet voice was meant to give reassurance. It should have. But the rich timbre sent chills down her spine and her stomach flopped. The man from the grocery store. The one who’d watched her make a fool of herself. Maybe he wouldn’t remember her. Please God.

“No, it’s not.” She thrust the napkins into his hands and bent to clean up the cookies. Her hip hit the edge of the table and it rocked. She dropped her head in shame. Could this possibly get any worse? One glance up and she had her answer. As she suspected, the whole room stared at her, the silence thick, like cotton wool. She took a deep breath, and another. Rachel approached with extra napkins and Samara pleaded with her wordlessly for help. She had to get away before he realized who she was.