Jean MeltzerCritiques

I heard about this one from a Debbi (Walklover). The author herself has a chronic illness and her protagonists are always Jewish and always coping with some sort of chronic illness themselves.

The Cohen family and the Lippman family haven't spoken in decades. since the original founders of a kosher bakery had a falling out. Avital now runs Best Babka and also deals with a chronic painful illness. Ethan Rosenberg has been dispatched to get a job at Best Babka by his grandfather Moishe Lippman. His assignment is to steal their signature Pumpkin Spice Babka recipe without letting them know he's the grandson of the man who founded Best Babka with Avital's grandfather.

Of course Ethan and Avital fall for each other. Of course they have differing interpretations about why the families despise each other. Ethan becomes less concerned about finding the secret recipe and more interested in both Avital and baking. The secret has to come out and you know it will be devastating to their relationship when it does.

I loved this one. I learned a lot about kosher laws, Jewish traditions, baking, Interstitial Cystitis, Medicinal marijuana and thoroughly enjoyed the whole story.

I will definitely be reading the author's other books.

"Magical Meet Cute" by Jean Meltzer offers a whimsical journey into the life of Faye Kaplan, a Jewitch potter navigating love, identity, and the consequences of her magical creations. While Meltzer's witty prose and exploration of serious themes add depth to the narrative, the fusion of romance, fantasy, and weighty topics did not resonate with me.

Set in Woodstock, New York, Faye's life takes an unexpected turn after a night of drinking leads her to create a golem, a Jewish protector against anti-Semitic attacks. When the golem transforms into Greg, Faye's dream man, after a chance encounter involving her bike, she questions the limits of her magic.

Meltzer skillfully addresses themes such as abuse, trauma, and identity, allowing for genuine character development and emotional depth in the slow-burn romance between Faye and Greg. Faye's relationships with her friends and her journey of self-discovery add layers of complexity to the story.

Known for her delightful romcom stories, I felt she tried to throw too much at me in her latest book. The inclusion of "Jewitch" practices and the exploration of anti-Semitism alongside the romance felt disjointed and detracted from the overall narrative cohesion.

Despite its flaws, Meltzer's adept writing style and exploration of complex issues make for an interesting read, although one that may require a willingness to accept its eclectic mix of genres.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This was a new-to-me author who was recommended to me by a friend and, oh, I liked this book! Faye is a "Jewitch" potter who meets Greg, an amnesiac she hits with her bike. But is Greg really the clay golem she created the night before when a hate crime is committed that hits close to home? Read the book to find out! A mix of the serious and comedic, this is a wonderful story about finding out who you are, and learning to live with generational trauma and love yourself despite your flaws. My only complaint is that the title, the description, and the cover of this book belie the serious themes that run through this story. I felt like they really made it seem like it was going to be a much lighter story than it was, which is an injustice to the author's work. I will be reading more by this author, her ability to mix light and dark (as well as her comedic voice) made this an enjoyable read.

Predictable but OH so delightful, Mr. Perfect on Paper is about a third-generation matchmaker living with generalized anxiety disorder. Dara Rabinowitz has become a Jewish dating app tycoon and is looking to take J-Mate to the next level. During a media push with her matchmaker grandmother, Dara is horrified when Bubbe takes over the interview and plays the shidduch, challenging Dara to look for her perfect match; the dreamy single-dad goyish host Chris Steadfast offers to capture the whole thing as a recurring segment as double duty to help out their family business (over 10,000 matches made!) and save his failing good news show.

Dara’s perfect husband list limits occupation to doctor or lawyer; no baggage of past marriages or children, and MUST be Jewish. She meets a few men who seem perfect on paper, but all of the dates that trails on end laughably horribly–until she meets an actual doctor who a family member has been trying to set her up with. Maybe it’s beshert! Meanwhile, Chris is (steadfastly) in the background on each date, providing comfort and support, and while the reader can see they are meant to be, it’s clear Dara can’t break tradition to marry a non-Jew, no matter how much she likes him… or can she?

Meltzer beautifully incorporates modern-day Judaism into a rompy dating app rom-com where everyone just has best interests at heart. She doesn’t shy away from the realities of chronic illness, and these details make the story more real, more compelling, and more authentic.

I read #MrPerfectOnPaper via OverDrive from my local public library; after finishing Kissing Kosher, I needed to get my hands on everything else Jean Meltzer ever wrote, and while I didn’t love The Matzah Ball as much, partly because the formatting of the galley edition made it difficult to read, I think this an author who gets better with every book.

https://hiplibrariansbookblog.com/2023/07/05/mr-perfect-on-paper-by-jean-meltzer...½

The Lippman and Cohen families have been rivals for two generations after a mysterious falling out. Avital Cohen, the general manager of Best Babka in Brooklyn, is helping to keep the business she now co-owns with her very distractable brother Josh afloat–in spite of her chronic illness–he has a head for baking but not for business. Their company is hugely successful but growth is limited by their small shop. It’s secretly infiltrated by Ethan (Lippman) Rosenberg, who at his grandfather’s behest, plans to steal the pumpkin babka recipe that made Best Babka famous. His dreams are dashed when instead of starting out in the kitchens, he’s stuck folding boxes and going on a supplies runs. His meet cute with Avi is seeing her naked tuchus after they collide (due to her chronic cystitis, she’s sans underpants), and his attraction is immediate. Avi keeps Ethan at arms length first because of her challenging pelvic issues and then because she learns his true identity–and keeps his secret.

Their burgeoning relationship grows slowly as Ethan, who is truly a mensch, becomes a friend, then supporter, then lover of Avi, always empathetic to her illness without ever making her feel less than. The plot is complicated by Ethan’s family issues (the grandfather who took him in alongside his pothead younger brother and disabled younger sister after their parent’s death is abusive and controlling). Avi’s depiction of living with a chronic illness is real, matter-of-fact, informative, and well-characterized; suffering readers will feel seen. Finally, a fantastic subplot about a halachic rabbi in the medical marijuana trade brings it all together in a satisfactory way.

Jean Meltzer keeps getting better with every book. Hebrew/Yiddish/Jewish terms and festivals are succinctly explained, but I think she could take the lead from writers like Sonia Dev or Elena Armas who let terms in their original language sit as they are used, providing context but leaving it to the curious reader to do the grunt work to define a term, look up a translation, or do their own research. In fact, Meltzer could do less telling and more showing. I did have a sense that things were cut or simplified to keep the page count a little lower while maintaining wonderful details like the characterizations of other workers at Best Babka (a shout-out to the phenomenal ex-con who loves to knit and make bourekas; his presence serves to show tikkun olam in action). The over-explaining is the only reason this is a 4 1/2 star book instead of a 5 star book for me, and I’m blaming it on editing, not content, writing, setting, or characterization, which are all A+.

Additionally, I take with the reviewer who claimed in their NetGalley review, “This book had serious representation issues, that made me wonder (and look up) whether the author was Jewish.” Not only is Meltzer Jewish, she went to rabbinical school and cites rabbinic supervision in the acknowledgements! If there is one thing my conversion to Judaism taught me, it’s that there is more than one way to be Jewish; it’s a culture, a religion and an ethnicity with tons of diversity and degrees of practice. Just because she went with an interpretation that breaking a glass in a wedding represents the fragility of human life (which is just one of several meanings of the symbolic ritual) or that her main character schedules an interview for Friday afternoon (it’s not sundown YET) does not mean she doesn’t know what she is talking about. Avital and Ethan are not modern orthodox, but prayer and tradition is important to them and maybe supercedes travelling on Shabbat, and that’s okay.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #KissingKosher from #NetGalley.

https://hiplibrariansbookblog.com/2023/07/05/kissing-kosher-by-jean-meltzer/½

Not a fan.

Giving two starts because I enjoyed the idea and the Jewish spin was a refreshing change of pace but the writing was incredibly repetitive and the behavior of the characters was childish and there was no believable development of their relationship whatsoever.

I really enjoyed this read. It was such a fun read. I loved how this book was a jewish story. You rarely get those, in a industry full of christmas romances. This book was also unqiue and I also loved the rep of chronic ilnesse as well. I also really enoyed the flash for the past romance! It was a super fast pace read!! I really enjoyed this book!

I really enjoyed this read. It was such a fun read. I loved how this book was a jewish story. You rarely get those, in a industry full of christmas romances. This book was also unqiue and I also loved the rep of chronic ilnesse as well. I also really enoyed the flash for the past romance! It was a super fast pace read!! I really enjoyed this book!

The feud between the Lippmanns and the Cohens because of their bakery, Best Babka Bakery in Brooklyn, still continued after all of these years.

It continued with another idea by Moishe Lippmann that forced his grandson Ethan to get a job at the bakery and to not reveal who he was or what he was after.

What he was after was the recipe for the pumpkin-spiced babka recipe that Chayim Lippman claims Moishe stole from him.

Having that recipe would be the ultimate win because that recipe is literally kept under lock and key by the family and loved by every patron and lover of sweets in Brooklyn.

Ethan presented himself for the job as a seasoned chef who had worked in Paris when he had never baked or worked a day in his life.

Can he pull it off since he has no baking experience?

Well…it seems so since he was not allowed in the kitchen. He was relegated to taking out the trash and assembling the trademarked pink boxes.

While he has no access to the kitchen, he does have another perk - Avital Cohen the owner.

She makes his heart flutter, but it would be a sin to fall in love since their families are such mortal enemies.

Will Ethan and Avital be able to keep apart?

Will Ethan be looking more for love than worrying about stealing the recipe his extremely stern and critical grandfather demands?

KISSING KOSHER was a delightful, entertaining read with some nice surprises. You will love all the characters.

It was also educational for me as I learned about the Jewish culture and customs. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Another delightful read from Jean Meltzer. While her books have a not-quite-perfect Jewish female protagonist dealing with some form of chronic illness, they are still funny and heartwarming. It was also a quick read as I became immersed in the story and could not put it down.

“Kissing Kosher” opens with a line sure to get your attention. “Avital Cohen wasn’t wearing underwear.” Probably not what you think. It has to do with her illness.

Anyway, Avital is co-owner, with her twin brother Josh, of a kosher bakery in Manhattan. It is very popular, and she needs help. Her chronic pelvic pain wears on her, making it difficult to keep up with all the things she must do in managing the bakery. Ethan Rosenberg applies for the position and is hired. What Avital doesn’t know is that Ethen Rosenberg is actually a Lippmann – as in the grandson of Moishe Lippmann who was the original co-owner of the bakery with Avital’s grandfather Chayim. Moishe and Chayim were childhood friends but had a falling out over the bakery and have not spoken since. Now Moishe wants Ethan to steal a recipe that Moishe claims Chayim stole from him.

As they work together in the bakery, Ethan and Avital fall in love. But he knows he must reveal his true name at some point…and risks losing Avital when he does.

I loved the characters – Avital, Ethan, Ethan’s brother Randy, ex-con baker Tootles, Josh, and hippie Rabbi Jason. They seemed so real with their emotions and their flaws, people you would want in your life. The family dramas are real. I am sure they will remind us of all of a family we know.

I have now read all three of her books, and my book club loves them as well. This one lends itself well for book club discussion – family squabbles that carry across generations, living with chronic pain, the use of medical marijuana (I learned a lot there), building your own family, sex versus intimacy. (My book club will be reading it in October.) And let me warn you – the delicious-sounding baked goods are sure to make you crave them.

Thank you to Harlequin MIRA for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

A cute, funny and engaging nonsensical Jewish romance novel. Takes place over Chanukah with 2 former sleep-away campers re-connecting after years apart. The feelings they felt as kids are re-kindled but hit some bumps along the way.

Until good advice from family and frineds, as well as desire, some wisdom, latkes, donuts, and lots of maturing save the day. Thank God.

This was so ding dang cute, would recommend!

A delightful mix of sparkling holiday magic grounded in Jewish traditions and a mediation on chronic illness and being seen in the world. The big scene really was a traditional rom-com improbable moment, which I'm not a fan of, but I loved everything else about it. It took the author a long time to get this published but I'm glad she did.

Thank you to the author which I won on her FB page.

The title is a play on words and it took me a while to figure it one out until it finally played out while reading.

Being Jewish, you would think I would have read a book about Chanukah, but I have not. Being Jewish, it makes me feel good to know that she wrote this book not only about Chanukah but about Judiasm. It feels personal.

Jacob and Rachel met at Camp Ahava when they were 12 years old and pulled pranks on each other and were basically archenemies. Fast forward to when they were both 30 and came together again thanks to the Matzah Ball and her parents Shabbat dinner. Rachel doesn't know her feels for him have totally changed and he tries to prove himself to her that he's not the jerk he used to be and now he's a big “macher” (influential maker/man/woman) planning parties for celebs and the like.

I found this book not only to be humorous because who would think that a nice Jewish girl like Rachel who has a rabbi for a father and observes, would be so obsessed with Christmas and all it's symbolism. Of course no one knows this and what she actually does for a living, especially her observant family.

On a serious note, she has to contend with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which is not a laughing matter but a serious disease which she handles as best as she can in her own way, and most times knows how to slow down when she feels symptoms come on. I know what CFS is but never knew a lot about it really affects a person personally until I read about it. I also appreciated the author's acknowledgements at the end not only because she thanked everyone but how she was living with this.

So many good qualities about the other characters and this book that I can go on and on but will let the reader delve into them on their own but I'll let the book speak for itself.

Soms lief maar vaak ook tenenkrommend en met veel herhaling. Meisje doe niet zo moeilijk denk je toch vaak...

I finished this book despite myself. It was cute and occasionally funny, and it had the emotional heft that I’d expect from a holiday-season romcom on Netflix. In fact, it read as if it had been written for the sole purpose of being adapted into a holiday-season romcom on Netflix, with the climactic scene happening on Chanukah. The main character had nothing about her except anxiety and loving her grandmother, and the book read in parts like a PSA about anxiety, though less so than Meltzer's earlier book was about Fibromyalgia. The hero had nothing about him except grief for his dead wife and worry for his daughter. The book was full of Jewish terms and characters, over-the-top and often unbelievable. It was as if the writer made a list of little Jewish oddities and tried working them into the story with minimal understanding of what they were or how they’re done. I skimmed much of the book. I don’t even really know why I finished it, except that I had a long stretch of time during which all I could do was read. I read this author's earlier book and found it superficial and childish. Even though I didn't enjoy her earlier book, I tried this one because I liked the premise. I won't try more.

That said, I'm not an ideal contemporary romance reader. I often fall for the premise of the books and then find them too shallow and simple to be satisfying. For anyone who actually likes contemporary romance, this book will probably be a winner. It has all the tropes of the genre, a good mix of cuteness, humor, and emotion, and a happy ending. I'm judging the book by standards that don't suit the genre, which isn't really fair to it. As a book, I give it two stars. As a contemporary romance, it deserves better.

Dara Rabinowitz is a third generation matchmaker, and she still has her grandmother Miriam to help her if necessary.

She also is the creator and owner of a dating app - J-Mate.

Dara and her grandmother are guests on a live TV show, and her grandmother definitely wasn't any help according to Dara, but
she actually stole the show with her comments about matchmaking and her granddaughter who makes matches and isn't married.

Dara wanted to crawl under her chair especially since she did have a crush on Chris, the host of the show. He couldn't be for her, though, because he wasn't Jewish.

Dara made matches for everyone but herself.

Will she ever find love and Mr. Perfect for herself?

You will find out when you read this cute, funny, light read...I laughed out loud and also shed some tears at times.

I loved Grandmother Miriam…Dara, Lacey, and Chris were pretty lovable too. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.

In this charming, if overlong, romance novel, Rachel is a Jewish novelist with a secret (but totally secular) Christmas obsession. She also has a chronic, fatigue-causing illness, which sidelines her at the worst possible times. Her love interest, Jacob, is a fabulously wealthy and handsome event promoter whose latest extravaganza is planned as the ultimate Hanukkah bash. Can this adorable, meant-to-be-together couple overcome past and present misunderstandings to create a bright future together? Of course they can!

I appreciated the development the characters of Rachel and Jacob underwent throughout the course of this novel. Rachel learned about not keeping secrets from those she loves, while Jacob got a handle on his abandonment issues. Too many of the secondary characters, however, are built on stereotypes (the gay best friend, for example, or the Jewish mother and grandmother who constantly urge loved ones to eat traditional pastries).

On the whole, I found this novel entertaining in the same way a Hallmark Christmas movie would be.

Get ready to laugh out loud with this delightful, witty, romantic comedy by the author of “The Matzo Ball.” This time Meltzer has us following a third-generation Jewish matchmaker who thinks she has mapped out a list for the perfect match for herself. With the help of a TV reality show host and her loving Bubbe, things don’t always go as planned. If you are ready for an escape, this lighthearted, funny story is for you!

Mr Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer
Contemporary romance.
Dara is a successful woman with a thriving technology company, a beautiful home and assistants to take care of the details. She is also Jewish and single and keeps a kosher home. Her faith is her history and her everything. In her mid-thirties, Dara decides it’s time to find a husband. Since she is from a family of matchmakers, that should be an easy task but her General Anxiety Disorder holds her back. What can she do in her life to move forward?

I’m not Jewish. But I am a romance reader. And this book was a Perfect romance.
Ok, maybe that’s me but I laughed and cried and rejoiced at the resolution and romance. Yes, I was lost on a lot of the Jewish words but I learned a bunch which always a good thing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that loves a good heartstring-pulling romance story. This is my second book by this author and she has now become an auto-buy.

*******minor spoiler ********
I was so happy at the hints of a potential relationship for the Daniel. He didn’t deserve to be hurt and that glimpse plus a second scene, had me relieved and hopeful for the ending I wanted. *********

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I’m buying a copy to keep and will probably buy copies for friends that I can’t wait to share it with.

Last year I read a cute holiday romance, The Matzah Ball, by Jean Meltzer. It was a nice changeup from all the usual Christmas-themed books that pop up around the holidays, and I learned a lot about Hanukkah celebrations.

Jean Meltzer's new novel, Mr. Perfect on Paper, tells the story of thirty-something Dana Rabinowitz, a matchmaker. She is a third-generation matchmaker, following in her beloved 90 year old bubbe (grandmother) Miriam and her deceased mother's footsteps. Dara took matchmaking into the 21st century creating an app called J-Mate, specifically for Jewish people looking for a marriage mate who shares their values.

Dara has General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), something that many people battle silently. One of the only things that calms her is listening to a police and fire scanner app, which you might think would create more anxiety, but it has a soothing effect on Dara.

Dara and Miriam are invited to appear on Good News, a national afternoon show with a low ratings. At first reluctant to do the show, Dara agrees because it will help her company launch a new feature on their app, because Miriam is so excited to do it, and the fact that Dara has a major crush on the handsome anchorman Chris Steadfast doesn't hurt.

Things are going well until Miriam embarasses Dara by sharing a list Dara made years ago called Mr. Perfect on Paper. The list is an extremely detailed description of the perfect man for Dara. Dara is mortified even more so when the segment goes viral.

Chris decides that the only way to keep his show from being cancelled is to set Dara up on dates to find Mr. Perfect and have the show follow the dates live. Dara reluctantly agrees, knowing the publicity will help her company and she'll get to spend time with Chris.

Since the Jewish holidays are approaching, the dates all revolve about each holiday. Each date is more disasterous (literally) than the previous one, providing for good television but embarassing Dara further. When she meets a man who is Mr. Perfect on Paper, Chris finds that his feelings for Dara are more than professional. But he is not Jewish, and that is a deal breaker for Dara- or is it?

Dara dealing with her GAD elevates this romantic novel, and as someone who isn't very familiar with Judaism, I appreciated learning about the history and culture. Being Jewish is more than a religion to her, it is her identity. If you're looking for a romance that will enlighten as well as entertain you, look no further than Mr. Perfect on Paper.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2022 Rom-Com Blog Tour.

there are definitely some amusing and good parts of this, and i do appreciate seeing the jewish life she shows (even though i don't believe in it anymore). there are parts that i liked, for sure. but mostly this is a combination of over the top jewish stuff (i mean american jews just don't call their (heterosexually partnered) mothers ema; it doesn't happen; same with the name shmuel; it was all too much and felt like 'how much can i throw in here before it just explodes') and too little of the building of the romance to make it believable. they fall in love in like a day, in spite of their past.

i applaud the representation and the concept is fun, but mostly i didn't like this. the writing was good enough, though, as was the idea, so it doesn't get rated lower.½

I laughed so hard reading this book, but I also found myself at times with teary eyes. I absolutely loved it!

Dara Rabinowitz is a third-generation Jewish matchmaker. Through the online dating platform, she created she has helped many find their matches. But she hasn’t been able to find love herself.

Dara’s grandmother “Bubbe” goes off-script during a live interview with anchorman Chris on a daytime television show. Bubbe reveals Dara’s list of the ideal traits for her “Perfect Jewish Husband.” Not surprising, the viewing audience falls in love with Dara who wears her heart on her sleeve. In an effort to boost his show’s ratings, Chris proposes a plan to help Dara find her perfect man – on live TV. But Dara lives with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and needs control of everything in her life. Live TV terrifies her. And what happens when Dara finds herself falling for a man that does match her list for the perfect husband?

The characters are entertaining. Dara is so vulnerable and open about her anxiety issues. While charming Chris calmly helps her deal with her anxiety, Dara helps him and his daughter deal with the loss of Chris' wife. Who doesn’t love Bubbe? And her friends the ChallahBack Girls. And I loved firefighter Jensen. Even Chris’ TV production crew had memorable characters. Everyone added their unique spice to the story.

This is clearly a Jewish romance story with quite a bit of information on the Jewish culture. I loved that! It also touches on mental health issues.

This is a light, fun, “feel good” rom-com. A quick read. I highly recommend it if you need a good laugh.

I received an advance copy, but the opinions expressed here are my own.

A delightful, funny holiday romance. Clearly inspired by Hallmark movies in all the right ways.

This was everything I love in a holiday romance! A swoony second chance/enemies-to-lovers story (that started at Jewish summer camp back when they were twelve.) Wonderful disability rep. Hilarious meddling parents and grandparents. Yes, please! In THE MATZAH BALL, Rachel is the daughter of a prominent rabbi. She also lives with severe disabling chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition she has kept a secret from everyone except her family since its onset when she was in college. Her one outlet is her writing—except her family doesn’t know she’s secretly a bestselling Christmas romance novelist. With her publisher wanting her to try writing a Hanukkah book, and her arch enemy Jacob Greenberg returning to town, things are on a collision course with disaster. This book was just sooo cute. I loved all the traditions from Shabat to sufganiyot. Rachel and Jacob both have reasons to believe the other hurt them back at camp when they were twelve… and both are out for revenge. And some fun pranking. My FAVORITE thing was the awesome disability rep. As someone who is disabled, this was so well written and amazing to see. A sweet Hanukkah romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.