Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok - #BookReview

 

On the scale of catastrophic things in the world, being a twenty-nine year old virgin isn't that bad. It's not like losing a loved one or getting robbed at gunpoint or being thrown in prison for a crime I didn't commit, or anything else that requires therapy and a good lawyer. Which is why if tonight's date ends up being a total disaster, I'm going to be just fine... I will not curl into a ball on the floor and imagine dying as an old maid, then go to the kitchen and finish off a tub of ice cream. In fact, I will not even think about the cookie dough ice-cream sandwich that gazes at me with seductive eyes every time I open the freezer.

***

Penina has grown up believing the Orthodox Jewish teaching that there is one soulmate out there for everyone. But now she's twenty-nine and single, she's starting to wonder if she's the exception.

She has tried everything to find 'the one' and after yet another disastrous date, she can feel even her faith starting to dwindle.

Add to that spending her days surrounded by diamond engagement rings in the jewellery store where she works and her new boss, Sam Kleinfeld, making her life a living hell, and Penina feels more hopeless than ever.

Until she meets Zevi, a handsome, successful, Orthodox singleton just like her. Who has a rather unusual proposal.

Could Penina be about to get everything she's ever wanted?

But then there's Sam, her pain of a boss, who she just can't stop thinking about...

***

I am always a little wary when a book is described as 'laugh out loud funny'. Humour is so subjective that I sometimes find that I barely raise a smile to books described in this way. This book was the exception to that, and I thought it was hilarious in parts, and did indeed laugh out loud.

It was also interesting to read a romantic comedy set in an Orthodox Jewish community. I was already familiar with many of these concepts, but I think this would equally appeal to a reader who is less accustomed to the background.

Penina was a wonderful main character. She was quirky, fun, loyal and a delight to read about. Her relationship with her family and her employer were lovely and very believable. She was a social media influencer of modest fashion and this provided the reader with something a bit different.

The author did an equally good job with the secondary characters. Pernina's sisters were particularly good, and I really enjoyed reading about them.

All in all, this was hugely entertaining whilst being an entirely wholesome book and I loved every page. I found myself thinking about it when I was doing other things and could not wait to get back to it each time. I heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy or has an interest in Judaism.

ISBN: 978 1471413384

Publisher:  Embla Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  368 (paperback)

About the Author:

Heidi Shertok is an Orthodox Jewish woman, wife to a stud muffin engineer, and mother of three. When she isn't writing, she can be found walking her eight pound attack dog, admiring other people's gardens, or hiking in high heels.

(ARC courtesy of NetGalley)