Hanukkah Erotica Book Club

Raizel and Malya catch up now that Passover's over, and discuss the romance novel "Texas Cowboy Sweetheart" by Rebecca Crowley.

Raizel and Malya discuss "A Masc for Purim" by favorite author Roz Alexander. "A Masc for Purim is an angsty, steamy, second chance romance novella between a bisexual butch and her tomboy lesbian. It's a standalone part of the "Hot for the Holidays" series."

Raizel and Malya review "Hot Lumberjack," the sequel to "Hot Rabbi" by Aviva Blakeman. "Abi thought she had a charmed life. She’s got her dream job, family and friends who love her, and she just bought a great old house! Everything would be perfect, if not for the logging company that’s just set up shop next door."

Raizel and Malya discuss "Sadie on a Plate" by Amanda Elliot. "A chef’s journey to success leads to discovering the perfect recipe for love in this delicious romantic comedy."

Malya and Raizel are back, kicking off their second season of Hanukkah Erotica Book Club with "Unorthodox Love: A Novel" by Heidi Shertok. "Twenty-nine-year-old Penina longs for true love and marriage, but being infertile in the Orthodox Jewish community means she’s rarely matched with the cream of the crop—or even skim milk two weeks past its expiration date. Matchmakers either set her up with men twice her age or those with serious mommy issues. At this point, she might as well wear a sign around her neck that says “professional virgin.” As if things weren’t bad enough, her sister Libby then shares a terrible secret: her husband’s failed businesses have already put strain on their marriage, and now they might also lose their family home. Penina is desperate to help, so when a secretly gay Orthodox Jew offers a payout in exchange for a fake marriage, it feels like kismet. Who needs true love anyway? Enter Sam Kleinfeld. Rude, secular, undeniably sexy, and also…Penina’s new boss. The last thing he wants is a relationship, especially not with a beautiful, smart-mouthed employee. But soon an attraction builds that they both can’t ignore. Will Penina follow her heart and find true love, or will she stick to the traditions she knows best?"

Raizel and Malya celebrate the first anniversary and conclusion of Season 1 of their Hanukkah Erotica Book Club podcast with a live event at The Ripped Bodice in Park Slope, Brooklyn, reviewing "Eight Kinky Nights" by Xan West.

Raizel and Malya review Marcella Bell's "Snowbound in Her Boss's Bed" in their final episode of Hanukkah Erotica Book Club Season 1.

Raizel and Malya review "Marry Me by Midnight," their first historical Jewish romance by Felicia Grossman.

Raizel and Malya are back with special guest Sherrie Schneider, co-author of bestsellers The Rules: Time-Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right and The New Rules: The dating dos and don'ts for the digital generation. This episode was recorded before the events of October 7 and released after our 30-day period of mourning. Am Yisroel Chai

Shana Tova! Raizel and Malya review "Home for the Challah Days" by Jennifer Wilk. "When big-city advocate Sarah Abrams returns home for the High Holy Days, she’s got a lot on her mind—especially whether to marry her perfect-on-paper boyfriend. The last person she wants to encounter is Aaron Isaacson, her first love and the one who broke her heart. But after Aaron and Sarah join forces to fight an act of hate, it’s clear that their deep connection never abated. If only they could forgive one another for the past…in time for a sweet new start!"

Raizel and Malya are joined by Too Stupid to Live podcast host Becky Feldman to discuss "Higher: A Butch for Butch Romance" by Roz Alexander

Raizel and Malya welcome author Stacey Agdern to discuss her romance novel "B'Nai Mitzvah Mistake."

Raizel and Malya review "The Intimacy Experiment" by Rosie Danan along with special guest Sarah Tuttle-Singer, writer and New Media Editor at Times of Israel.

Raizel and Malya discuss Hannah Reynolds' "The Summer of Lost Letters." "Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Ruta Sepetys, this sweet, summery romance set in Nantucket follows seventeen-year-old Abby Schoenberg as she uncovers a secret about her grandmother's life during WWII."

Raizel and Malya review "Jewish Summer Camp Mafia" a YA novel by Malina Saval.

Raizel and Malya continue to celebrate Pride Month with their review of Dahlia Adler's "Going Bicoastal." "A queer Sliding Doors rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she's always wanted) or LA with her estranged mom (and the guy she never saw coming)."

It's Pride Month! Raizel and Malya are back to review Shira Glassman's "Knit One, Girl Two." "Small-batch independent yarn dyer Clara Ziegler is eager to brainstorm new color combinations--if only she could come up with ideas she likes as much as last time! When she sees Danielle Solomon's paintings of Florida wildlife by chance at a neighborhood gallery, she finds her source of inspiration. Outspoken, passionate, and complicated, Danielle herself soon proves even more captivating than her artwork..."

Raizel and Malya discuss "The Matchmaker's Gift," a Jewish romance novel by Linda Cohen Loigman.

Raizel and Malya are back with a double header episode to interview matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom from the new Netflix reality series "Jewish Matchmaking."

Raizel and Malya interview cast member Dani Bergman from their new favorite Netflix reality series "Jewish Matchmaking."