Review: 8 Crazy Nights...and Years
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 20, 2013
I would say I split my reading into thirds: history, supernatural and romance. What a combination, huh? One thing I notice about romance novels is that there are almost never any Jewish MCs. And when we're in supernatural books, we're always werewolves - which isn't bad, since I love werewolves. But...to find a book where not only are the MCs Jewish, but EVERYONE is Jewish - pure bliss. Not only that, there are Hebrew and Yiddish phrases sprinkled throughout - and I understood them all!! So apparently I did manage to get something out of my Jewish education when I was a kid.Don't misunderstand me - I think this is a book that anyone, Jewish or not, will enjoy. But it just made me cvel.:)You have two very interesting MCs here. Macabee is the narrator, and he isn't always sympathetic. First and foremost, he is completely clueless. For years. He can also be mean, occasionally petty, cocky and arrogant. You know...a guy. And Josh isn't perfect either. There are certain pressures that Macabee is under that Josh doesn't seem to understand either. These people are flawed. They aren't broken, but they aren't your typical romance MCs either.I'm straight, so I don't know how traumatic coming out can be (friends who told me years ago got the response "And?" "So?", so I was someone who made their lives a little easier), but I do know that coming out to family can be terrifying. If neither person is out, and one wants to come out and the other isn't exactly sure he's even gay (the clueless factor again - since he only sleeps with one guy and many women, he can't be gay, right? - and I've known some people who think like that too), there's going to be trouble. Or "tsuris" as us Jews say. It's a really intense story, and I just wish it was twice as long as it was. But I loved it and recommend it highly...and not just because they talk about latkes and dreidels either!Favorite quotes:"Mom never met a cookie she couldn't burn.""What are you talking about?""Sodomy""Oh, OK"(and this conversation is between two women and a man - it ain't quite what you would think it is)