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The hottest book Hanukkah Erotica Book Club ever read

I had the strangest and most wonderful experience the other day - Hanukkah Erotica Book Club, a podcast hosted by two ladies I didn’t know, decided to read and discuss my book, Crunching Her Numbers!


I listened to the episode, and I was so wound up, wandering what they'll say about my book. Sweat was running down my armpits, and when it ended, I realized I hadn't moved the entire time—I’d been clenched tight throughout. But in the end, it was a liberating experience. Having your book talked about by people who are completely honest about it is actually great. Fortunately, they ended up liking it. I'm sure I’d feel different if they hated it.


Two women are shown in a split-screen video call, smiling and laughing. Between them is the book cover for Crunching Her Numbers by Mia Sivan, featuring illustrated characters: a woman in a red dress and two men, one in a black suit and the other in a white shirt and jeans. The book is labeled “a steamy romance.” A pink and purple logo in the lower right corner reads “Hanukkah Erotica(l) with Rachel & Maya.”
Raizel and Malya get hot and bothered

I only found out about it because they commented on my Instagram account. When I reached out, they told me they don’t meet with authors because it allows them to speak more freely. That was a first for me. I’ve had several podcasts discuss my books before, but I was always invited  to explain my thought process, what I intended with certain scenes, etc.


Since they were honest about my book, it’s only fair that I be honest about their podcast, right?


So here goes:

Raizel and Malya are two stepsisters who “review Jewish romance novels, movies and television for your listening pleasure.” 

The first eight minutes were pure chit-chat: complaining about not getting a swag box they were promised and talking about their visit to the shul (that’s American for synagogue).

 I was impatient for them to get to my book, but I get it—podcasts tend to start with semi-related personal banter before diving into the main topic.

Once they got to my book, they dedicated almost 50 minutes to it, so no complaints there.

Here’s my take on their discussion:


  • They thought that the financial subplot was too intricate. They did acknowledge that sports romances often have detailed sports elements that go over their heads, too.

  • It was different from any other book they’d covered before, since it’s set in Tel Aviv.

  • They loved Tel Aviv in the book! They kept saying it felt like a character in its own right, which was exactly what I was aiming for. 

  • They said it was the spiciest book they’ve ever read and even had a discussion about what “Lite BDSM” means. 

  • They didn’t know where Crete was, which made me realize something important: things I assume everyone knows… they don’t. As an author, the takeaway is that if I ever hesitate about whether to explain something, I probably should.

  • They gave me an epiphany about my own characters, pointing out that Kelly, my main female character, doesn’t trust Ilan, the older male character. I hadn’t even thought about that while writing, but they were absolutely right.

  • They were blown away by how much sex was in the book, which made me laugh, considering their podcast has erotica in the name.

  • They ended up recommending the book, saying it’s fun, it’s about Tel Aviv, and it has a lot of sex.



Listen here:


One last thing confounded me: they wondered what yoga pants were. I did extensive research on clothing terminology, but I guess my research leaned European? Do you know what I mean when I say someone wore loose yoga pants?


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