[PRE-ORDER] Eight Ways to Say I Love You by Amanda Elliot

Release Date: 10/27/2026

friends-to-lovers • slow burn • childhood friends • hanukkah romance • second-chance feelings

Sometimes love takes years to find the right moment. For Shira Levinson and Leo David, a lifelong friendship becomes something more complicated as they grow from childhood neighbors into adults trying to figure out who they want to be. Spanning eight years of Hanukkah celebrations, this tender contemporary romance explores the timing, growing pains, and enduring connection that can bring two people back to each other again and again.

The Vibe

Shira is fresh out of college with a dream job and a new life in Los Angeles, while Leo is trying to find his footing after taking a very different path. Their annual reunion at Shira's family's Hanukkah celebration gives them a chance to reconnect, even as their lives continue changing in unexpected ways.

Their relationship unfolds gradually, with friendship, attraction, nostalgia, and the messy realities of young adulthood all intertwined. They may not always be in the same place at the same time, but the bond between them remains difficult to ignore.

Warm, funny, and heartfelt, Eight Ways to Say I Love You brings together Jewish traditions, family celebrations, career ambitions, and the cozy magic of Hanukkah. Perfect for readers who love a truly slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance where the journey matters just as much as the destination.

Tropes & Tags

• Friends-to-lovers
• Childhood friends
• Slow-burn romance
• Hanukkah romance
• Contemporary romance
• Holiday romance
• Jewish romance
• Small-town and hometown nostalgia
• Young adulthood
• Career and personal growth
• Family celebrations
• Emotional romance

Please note: This is a pre-order item and will not be available for pickup or shipment until the official release date. You’ll receive a notification as soon as your order is ready.