“He could envision Amit’s reaction to the gift: a surprised lift of his heavy brows, then a slow, earnest smile. Inner happiness, though, even if there was no outward indication, was what Dave hoped to give. More than a little piece of kitschy-cute art. More than a social obligation. Something that would bring a spark of warmth whenever Amit looked at it. And wasn’t that the spirit of Hanukkah? The miracle of kindling a lasting light―hope and peace―from next to nothing?”
It was also very low-angst, which I did enjoy, but almost to the point where I wasn’t sure where the story was going. There was a big deal made of Dave’s dislike of the consumerism and one-upping gift culture around the holidays, and while Amit offered one Hanukkah-centered rebuttal that seemed to sway Dave, it didn’t seem like it sunk in for him. Although, the low angst-ness also extended to its LGBT characters – Dave is bi and a supporting character is trans, and it’s all viewed as no big deal, which is always lovely to read.
Overall, this was quick and charming, but didn’t quite hit the spot for me. If you’re looking for a m/m Hanukkah romance, however, you should still give it a try.