Review by Booklist Review
Evelyn is spending Hanukkah running rehearsals for A Christmas Carol. As producer, she's hoping that this achievement will finally catapult her to working on film. When she runs into a piano and blacks out, she is treated by her ex-husband David, who is filling in for the studio medic. In the aftermath, she passes out each night and is visited by ghosts showing significant moments in her past with David. The ghosts range from people to a puppet from her current production to the laughter of an unborn child. Evelyn has always worked hard for long hours to avoid emotions. David left Evelyn a few years back after they lost a baby, and he could not get her attention as she obsessed over work. Meltzer (Magical Meet Cute, 2024) expertly adds humorous details about David's failed dates and Evelyn's dealing with the diva starring in the production even as they revisit their sorrows. Their path to a new start together ultimately delivers a satisfying ending in this delightful holiday story.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Meltzer (Magical Meet Cute) puts a cute twist on A Christmas Carol to help her workaholic heroine find joy during Hanukkah. TV producer Evelyn Schwartz is weeks away from premiering her live televised version of A Christmas Carol. Convincing herself that the frequent migraines induced by the stress of juggling actors, set pieces, and crew will be worth it if the result is a promotion, Evelyn does everything she can to hide her chronic illness and avoid perceptions of being weak. It becomes harder to manage her stress levels, however, when her ex-husband, David Adler, is brought in as the on-set doctor. Evelyn still doesn't know why David ended their marriage or why he seems so concerned about her now--until eight spirits (possibly hallucinations resulting from her migraines) visit Evelyn on each night of Hanukkah and show her flashbacks to her and David's shared childhood and early relationship, reminding her of what they had and revealing where they went wrong. Meanwhile, David knows that a lack of chemistry was never their problem; it was a breakdown of communication. The result is a sweet, supernaturally tinged second-chance romance that readers will root for. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Evelyn Schwartz is producing a live-action TV musical version of A Christmas Carol when she has an on-set accident with a piano that knocks her out. She comes to in the doctor's office to find that Dr. David Adler, her ex-husband, is filling in for the usual doctor. Reeling from unexpectedly seeing her ex and suffering from her usual migraines, Evelyn retreats into her work and falls asleep at her desk, where's she's visited by the ghost of her deceased boss, Marla Feinberg, who is literally chained to her job and informs Evelyn that she'll be visited by the eight heartbreaks of Hanukkah. While Evelyn initially tries to explain this all away as hallucinations from the migraines, eventually she starts to see key moments from her life in a different light, making her wonder if she and David might have a second chance at love. Meltzer effectively uses the heartbreaks as flashbacks to emotional and important moments in their long relationship, from a young David comforting his childhood neighbor Evelyn as her parents fought, to years later during the loss of David and Evelyn's unborn daughter. VERDICT Meltzer (Magical Meet Cute) writes a successful Jewish reimagining of A Christmas Carol that's both heart-wrenching and heartwarming.--Melissa DeWild
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Exes are reunited during a chaotic, miraculous Hanukkah season in Manhattan. Evelyn Schwartz is at the top of her game at work, and all her effort and long, thankless hours have led to a project that will let her truly make a name for herself: executive producing a live televised musical ofA Christmas Carol, which will have her working all through Hanukkah. When an injury lands her in the studio's medical bay, she's shocked--and infuriated--to see her ex-husband filling in for the usual on-set doctor. David Adler hasn't seen his wife since he left her two years ago, moved out of the city, and started an animal rescue farm. Despite their unresolved history, they agree to be professional and get through this production. When Evelyn encounters the ghost of a former co-worker, she thinks she must be hallucinating even though that's never been a symptom of her chronic migraines before. Throughout the eight days of Hanukkah as Evelyn counts down to her show, solving one problem after another, more spectral and outlandish visitors appear to show her eight heartbreaks of Hanukkah past. As Evelyn relives the things that brought her and David together and then tore them apart, her love for him is reignited. It'll take a Hanukkah miracle, though, for them to work through their past heartache. Meltzer blends the deep, somber emotions of heartbreak and loss with moments of pure hilarity and adds a dash of holiday-season magic to create an affecting, heartfelt story. Tough topics are deftly handled with tenderness, care, and compassion, while the characters are allowed to be realistically messy and complex. Evelyn's growth as she faces her grief feels more substantial than the romance, although the two meaningfully weave together and the couple's happy ending is well earned. A moving, magical holiday romance. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
