An Afternoon with Jean Meltzer at Huxley & Hiro

Huxley & Hiro is thrilled to host author Jean Meltzer for a conversation about her latest novel, The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah. Moderated by Jamie Brenner, it promises to be an afternoon of insight and inspiration!

Book Description:

Can these exes rekindle their love this Hanukkah?

Evelyn Schwartz has the perfect Hanukkah planned: eight jam-packed days producing the live-action televised musical of A Christmas Carol. Who needs family when you’ve got long hours, impossible deadlines, and your dream job? That is, until an accident on set lands her in the medical bay with one of her chronic migraines, and she’s shocked to find her ex-husband, David Adler, filling in for the usual studio doctor.

It’s been two years since David walked away from Evelyn and their life in Manhattan, and his ex-wife is still the same workaholic who puts her career before everything else—especially her health. But when Evelyn begins hallucinating “ghosts” tied to her past heartbreaks, and every single one leads to David, he finds himself spending much more time with her than he anticipated. And denying the still-smoldering chemistry between them becomes impossible.

As Evelyn revisits her ghosts of Hanukkah past, she and David both begin to wonder if they can have a Hanukkah future. But with a high-stakes production ramping up the pressure on Evelyn, and troublesome spirits forcing them both to confront their most difficult shared memories, it might just take a Hanukkah miracle for these two exes to light the flame on their second-chance at love.

About the Author:

Dubbed “The Queen of Jewish Romance,” Jean Meltzer is the international bestselling author of The Matzah Ball, Mr. Perfect on Paper, Kissing Kosher, and Magical Meet Cute, and the recipient of several writing honors including Amazon Best Romance, Apple Best Book of October, Apple Best Audiobook of the Year, Booklist Top Ten Romances for 2023, a starred review in Kirkus, a starred review in Booklist, and LibraryReads.

Jean’s commitment to uplifting Jewish stories and voices has made her a leading figure in Jewish literary advocacy. She is the Founder & CEO of Jewish Joy LLC, the umbrella organization to Jewish Women Talk About Romance Books, The Jewish Joy Book Club, The Jewish Joy Box, and Jewish Joy Con, a groundbreaking three-day event celebrating the best in pop-culture, storytelling, and creativity, scheduled for March 13-15th at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In addition, she has served as a judge for the National Jewish Book Awards, and is a founding member of The Artists Against Antisemitism.

A sought-after speaker and panelist, Jean regularly speaks on topics such as authentic representation, Jewish joy, and writing through adversity. Her work is informed by personal experience—most notably her decades-long journey with chronic illness and her background in Jewish learning and media. Prior to becoming an author, she studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch and built a successful career in television, earning multiple accolades including a National Daytime Emmy Award.

About the Moderator:

Jamie Brenner is the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Forever Summer, The Wedding Sisters and more. Jamie grew up reading the scandalous heroines of Jackie Collins, the gothic horror of Anne Rice, and the family drama of Anne Rivers Siddons. Her dream novel combines all three.

After raising two daughters in New York City, Jamie now lives in Bucks County, PA -- the inspiration for her upcoming novel THE WEEKEND CRASHERS (November 4, 2025) about a mother-daughter knitting retreat gone awry.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

All Ages

Free Entrance, Registration Required

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