I actually finished this on the 1st of Jan 2023 but wanted it to count towards my 2022 reading goal instead. 🙈

This was an adorable, enjoyable holiday read that incorporated components of Hanukkah and Christmas together, along with themes of finding yourself and being assertive in what you want.

I really enjoyed learning more about Hanukkah and it’s place in Judaism through this book, as someone who had limited knowledge in the first place, as well as some more perspectives on the Christmas holidays from an outsider’s perspective.

The romance was cute, but I really liked how there was emphasis on trust and friendship in there, too, and finding the confidence to go after what you want in all aspects of life. I think this would’ve been a good read for me when I was the same age as the main character. It was also refreshing to see the conversations around wanting different things from a situation and how you can’t change what another person wants, so you have to accept it one way or another.

The characters were likeable and the storyline fun though I didn’t think all the talk about the history of whaling in Nantucket was necessary, even though the whaling/jewellery box storyline did play into the resolution. It was interesting, but I don’t think there needed to be as much as there was.

Overall, a really enjoyable holiday time read and I would recommend to those looking for a cozy holiday read!