Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Ray Fine would like to forget Hanukkah even exists. The holiday holds too many sad memories for the young widower. When he's paired with new convert Josiah Wilson in a year-long welcoming program at his synagogue, he doesn't know how he’ll get through eight days of celebration, let alone twelve months of guidance.

Josiah has enough on his plate—school, conversion, the holiday concert season—without becoming someone's shoulder to cry on. But when he discovers there's more to his new synagogue buddy's sadness than a case of the "Hanukkah Blues," he sets out to show Ray how much there is to live for.

The first blizzard of the season has other plans, though, and Hanukkah might be a lost cause if Ray and Josiah can't plow through the snow—and their differences. Determined not to lose Ray to his own darkness, Josiah plans to teach him a lesson about the real Miracle of Light—and love.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2016 Advent Calendar "Bah Humbug."

 

Book Review

One of the many things that I like and respect about Dreamspinner Press's annual Advent Calendar is the effort to include religions other than just Christianity, and to show the joy that exists in those traditions as well. I'm pleased to be able to share in this story as Judaism is close to my heart and I adore the Hanukkah lights.

I can easily sympathize with Ray regarding the loss of his partner two years before. The fact that Mark collected chanukiyah, or the menorah candelabra, has not made the Hanukkah season any easier for Ray. As far as he is concerned Mark may have lit all two hundred and twenty-nine of them each year, but the light certainly didn't banish the specter of Mark's illness and eventual death. They are still all over the house except for the couple of rooms that Ray uses, and he has no desire to see them or do the celebration of light.

It seems as if Rabbi Esther has the right idea when she pairs Ray and Josiah together. Josiah has enough energy and vitality to counter Ray's old-soul seriousness, and maybe they're exactly what the other needs. I'm not much of a believer in miracles but I did love the ending of this story. A wonderful reminder of shining a light in the dark.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Short Story, 34 pages/10802 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-December-2016
Price	$1.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/dont-let-the-light-go-out-by-la-merrill-7981-b