Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer

Published by MIRA Books ISBN 9780778334408

Trade paperback, $18.99, 432 pages

I enjoy reading Jean Meltzer's romances (The Matzah Ball and 

Mr. Perfect on Paper) because I've learned so much about Jewish customs and traditions, and her newest novel, Kissing Kosher, adds another layer of learning.

Avital manages her family's popular Brooklyn Jewish bakery, Best Babka. Her twin brother is the creative baker, and Avital runs the business end of things. Avital also lives with a chronic illness called Interstitial Cystitis, which causes her disabling pelvic pain that makes everyday living difficult. Doctors haven't been very helpful, they are unable or unwilling to give her pain medication, and nothing else seems to work.

Business has been good at Best Babka, so Avital decides to hire a new person to join their tight-knit crew.

Ethan Rosenberg applies to work there, and Avital hires him unaware that Ethan has an agenda. He has been sent there to steal the recipe for the famous Pumpkin Spice Babka Bread.

Ethan's grandfather Moishe and Avital's grandfather used to be business partners until a serious falling-out resulted in a breakup of the partnership and friendship. The men became sworn enemies, trading insults and expensive lawsuits over the years.

Of course, Ethan is attracted to Avital which complicates matters. The more time he spends at the bakery and with Avital, the less he wants to do his grandfather's bidding, but there are family complications that he can't ignore.

I loved learning all about the bakery business, I found it fascinating. It made me want to search out the closest Jewish bakery near me to try their delicious treats. 

 Author Jean Meltzer lives with a serious chronic condition and she gives the reader a true look at the challenges of that. Her descriptions are so visceral, the reader can almost feel Avital's pain.

As Ethan and Avital's relationship blossoms, it can only be a matter of time before Avital learns the truth about Ethan's identity. What will happen then?

Once again, Jean Meltzer has created interesting characters and put them in a sticky romantic situation. Kissing Kosher is a little deeper than her previous books, dealing with a serious medical condition that many people (including myself) know little about. 

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2023 Blog Tours.

Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer

Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778386162

Trade paperback, $16.99, 416 pages

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.

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

Published by MIRA, ISBN 9780778311584

Trade paperback, $15.99, 416 pages

At this time of year I enjoy reading Christmas books, and the opportunity to read a Hanukkah story intrigued me, especially Jean Meltzer's The Matzah Ball with its unique leading lady. Rachel is the daughter of an esteemed rabbi father and doctor mother. She's also secretly Margot Cross, the bestselling author of twenty Christmas romances.

Rachel's lifelong best friend Mickey is one of few people who know she is Margot, and the only one who has seen her Christmas room- filled to the brim with all kinds of Christmas decorations, including her beloved and numerous Santa collection. It's every Hallmark movie come to life in one room. 

The other secret Rachel has is that she has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Most people don't understand the disease, believing that people who suffer from CFS are just low-energy or lazy. Rachel can be bedridden for days, unable to even raise her arms without pain. (Jean Meltzer also has CFS, something that gives the reader a better understanding of the disease.)

When Rachel's publisher tells her that this year they want her to write a Hanukkah romance, Rachel is stunned. How can she write a Hanukkah romance? Christmas is so festive, with so many different traditions, like the Rockefeller Christmas tree, and the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show. Hanukkah doesn't have all that.

Rachel decides that she must do some serious research for her Hanukkah book to get it right. She hears about the Matzah Ball, a big weeklong party for wealthy Jewish people to be held at a ritzy New York hotel. That's perfect! There will be lots of single people there, she can soak up the atmosphere and get some good details for her book.

There are some problems though. The host of the event is Jacob Greenberg, CEO of Greenberg Entertainment, one of the premier event organizers in the world. Jacob is also the guy who humilated and broke Rachel's heart at summer camp when she was twelve.

The event is sold out, but Jacob is willing to let Rachel come if she volunteers the week of the event. Jacob has a different view of what happened when they were twelve; he believes that Rachel broke his heart.

What happens when Rachel and Jacob spend the week working together? There are misunderstandings,  mishaps, and yes, sexual tension. The Matzah Ball is a funny, sweet enemies-to-friends story. The characters are delightful, and as someone who has planned events in the past, I reveled in the descriptions of the event coming together. I liked learning about Hanukkah, the traditions and the food, and you will pick up a fair amount of Yiddish phrases. 

The Matzah Ball is a welcome addition to the canon of holiday romances, and I hope that Jean Meltzer continues Rachel and Jacob's story in future books.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Holiday Romance Tour.

Friday 5ive- November 12, 2021

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly blog post featuring five things that caught my attention this week.

1)  When you get up at 6am to do laundry, sometimes you are greeted by this gorgeous red sky over the East River. It almost makes it worth getting up so early. Almost.

2)  Living in New York, surrounded by concrete and highrise buildings, it's a treat to see pretty landscaping. I saw this in front of the Bristol apartment building while I was running errands.

3)  Also while running errands, I listened to a fascinating podcast. On Next Question with Katie Couric, journalist Margaret Sullivan talked with Katie about her book, Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy. Sullivan (now with The Washington Post and formerly with The New York Times) spoke about her work as the editor at The Buffalo News and how important local newspapers are to a community and our democracy. Local newspapers attend city, town council, and school board meetings, report on local arts scenes, and highlight community members. So much of today's media are now in the hands of politically motivated monopolies (Sinclair Broadcasting TV stations) and hedge funds that only care about profits (Alden Global Capital which now owns such prestigious newspapers as Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Baltimore Sun), it's dangerous to our democracy. Young reporters from Report for America also shared their work in local communities underserved by media. As someone who grew up in a small community with a very strong local newspaper that still exists, I really appreciated this podcast and I will be buying Margaret's book. 

4)  On Veterans' Day, MeTV ran the series finale of MASH, which is something that is rarely seen on TV. I've been on a MASH kick, as TV Land runs two hours of episodes in the morning from 9am-11am and I like to watch it while I'm doing my morning chores. I vividly recall watching the last episode in my college dorm, with dozens of us crowded around the television in the common room, and I'm not sure I have seen it since then in 1983. The MeTV broadcast also had interviews with cast members, writers, and producers during the three hour event. It was a powerful ending to a classic television show that artfully combined drama and comedy. You can see the interviews here. 

5) I read three books this week. The first is a super suspense thriller, All Her Little Secrets, a debut novel by Wanda M. Morris. When lawyer Ellice Littlejohn walks into her boss's office early one morning and finds him dead from a gunshot wound, she runs away to her office and tells no one. Why? Ellice, the only Black lawyer at Houghton Transportation Corporation, was having an affair with her now-dead white boss. She finds herself caught in a dangerous tangled web that includes her younger brother, along with the CFO of Houghton who clearly dislikes Ellice, the female head of HR, and the CEO who appears to be suffering from dementia. It's a twisty novel that combines the movie Get Out with the legal thrillers of John Grisham. It's a real page-turner.   

Now that Mariah Carey has declared it's time for Christmas, I read two holiday-themed books. Jean Meltzer's The Matzah Ball serves up a Hanukkah story. Rachel, the daughter of an esteemed rabbi, has a secret- she is also Margot Cross, the bestselling author of twenty popular Christmas romances. When her publisher tells her they want a Hanukkah-themed book this year, Rachel must get herself invited to the Matzah Ball, an NYC event that is organized by a man who broke her heart as young teen at summer camp. It's a delightful holiday story, full of heart and humor, and I so enjoyed learning about Jewish foods and traditions. My full review posts on November 21st. 

The second holiday-themed book is Susan Mallery's The Christmas Wedding Guest. The story takes place in the town of Wishing Tree, near Seattle. This town is all about Christmas, with Christmas-themed stores and restaurants surrounding a town square called The Wreath. Sisters Dena and Reggie's parents are renewing their wedding vows at a huge traditional wedding they didn't have when they eloped 35 years ago. Dena is a schoolteacher who also owns the town B&B, and is pregnant having decided to become a single mom when love has eluded her. Reggie left town last year after her boyfriend proposed to her on the Friday after Thanksgiving, hosted a huge engagement party on Saturday, and then dumped Reggie on Sunday. When Reggie's high school boyfriend returns to town with his young son, and rock star Micah is a guest at Dena's B&B, sparks fly and the road to true love is rocky indeed. It's the first book in a new series, and no one gets readers more invested in these charming towns and the people living there better than Susan Mallery. My full review posts November 22nd. 

Stay safe and healthy all.