Review: Lighting the Flames by Sarah Wendell

Stand Alone
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4 Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday Story
Publisher: Smart Bitches Trashy Books LLC

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

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.

 
Review

I can't believe this is her first piece of full-length fiction. Now, I know Sarah Wendell can write because I've read her reviews. And novellas are particularly hard in my opinion. I consider this a novella.

I do not know a lot about Judaism beyond the basic. She shows you what life means being a practicing Jew without feeling like a primer. I did learn things and it actually made me look at the constant comparisons between Christmas and Hanukkah differently.

The romance was cute and well-developed. Even though it's a shorter story I believed Gen and Jeremy loved each other. I also believed that they've  known each other since they were kids. They have a natural banter.

I know she's a busy lady, but if Sarah decides to write another book I'll read it.

Thanks for reading!
Holly