Abby Cohen is grumpy and she has reason to be. As the only Jew on her small town’s tourism board, she’s been 3.75 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin
Abby Cohen is grumpy and she has reason to be. As the only Jew on her small town’s tourism board, she’s been tasked with throwing a Hanukkah festival… in a few weeks, after Hanukkah, and maybe can it really be all about Christmas with some blue thrown in? Abby can’t say no, but she’s not about to let a Hanukkah festival become a Christmas festival in disguise so she turns to the only other Jew in the area for help: her most irritating customer, Seth Abrams. Seth is all-too-happy to help, but he needs something in return: a Nice Jewish Girl to bring home to his family for the holidays. Abby agrees to the bargain but of course, fake dating becomes something much more real as the two spend Hanukkah together in New York City.
Love You a Latke is an entertaining romance with a grumpy heroine, a sunshiny hero, and some lovely Hanukkah spirit. Abby is closed-off with walls that are miles high, covered in spikes…you get the picture. She grew up in an emotionally abusive household and hasn’t been able to open up as a result. When she left home, she also left the Jewish community and she feels the loss keenly. Going home with Seth brings that all back: the traditions, the sense of belonging, the history, and the joy. It was lovely to watch Abby get that part of herself back, to feel rooted in her community again. Seth is a sunshiny hero who has a problem with confrontation. I liked Seth, but I felt like we could have gone deeper into his character – I wanted a bit more from him. I absolutely adored his group of friends and how they absorbed Abby into their circle. As for the romance, it’s a foregone conclusion that Seth and Abby are going to fall in love. But while I absolutely enjoyed them together I did want a touch more to really take this book to the next level.
Amanda Elliot really brings the Hanukkah spirit to Love You a Latke and it’s one of my favorite things about this story. The Jewish representation is solid there were many things that delighted me throughout the story. It definitely made me want to brave the cold and celebrate Hanukkah in New York City.
There are a lot of things to enjoy about Love You a Latke. Abby’s journey is the heart of the book and it’s a road I liked travelling with her. Her romance with Seth may not have been as spectacular as I wanted, but it was still solid and Elliot didn’t inject any false drama to the story to detract from the happily ever after. All in all, this is a great read for anyone wanting a Hanukkah romance.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
After an antisemitic attack in her neighborhood, ceramicist Faye Kaplan is shaken. Having found her connection to her faitReviewed for Wit and Sin
After an antisemitic attack in her neighborhood, ceramicist Faye Kaplan is shaken. Having found her connection to her faith through magic, Faye is a practicing Jewitch. On a drunken night after the attack, Faye crafts a golem to protect her…one that happens to have all the qualities of her dream man inscribed on it. The next day, she accidentally runs into a guy with her bike. The man hits his head and awakens in the hospital with no memory. What’s a girl to do but take him home and help him recover? Greg turns out to be a great houseguest; he’s protective, funny, intelligent, kind, enjoys Scrabble…all the things Faye inscribed on her golem. Could it be coincidence or is magic at play?
Magical Meet Cute is a mix of fluffy magical romcom and serious, realistic trauma. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but Jean Meltzer balances things fairly well, though for me – someone who actually enjoys fluff more as a rule – the heavier topics were more interesting.
Faye is a trauma survivor. She came from an abusive household and though she’s caring and loving, she has high walls to protect herself. She lives with a disability that is a constant reminder of what she survived, and the disability rep is well done. With the rise in antisemitism her trauma response is triggered, and Meltzer handles this heavy topic very well. I really connected with this part of the story, of the small and large ways antisemitism affects people. It’s not something you see in romances and generally not something covered in-depth and I really appreciated the time and care Meltzer took with this topic.
Magical Meet Cute is also a romcom with a quirky dog, nosy friends, and hijinks. For the most part the blend of the heavier and lighter moments work, though I will say that the book isn’t quite as light as the cover and blurb make it out to be. I enjoyed the mystery of whether Greg was a man or a golem, but I do wish it had been resolved a bit earlier to give the romance more time to breathe and develop. The rom of the romcom could have used a bit more work because the chemistry wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. Greg was a wonderful hero, protective and caring to the max. Faye was an interesting heroine, complex and skilled both as a ceramicist and Jewitch. But she also has a few traditional romcom heroine quirks to her that didn’t always work for me.
I struggle with rating Magical Meet Cute because I was so-so on the romance. However, the parts of the book that work really work. The Jewish, Jewitch, and disability representation are solid and the examination of antisemitic attacks through the eyes of the victims really meant something to me. There’s emotional honesty in these plotlines that really stand out and make me recommend this story.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
Matzah Ball Surprise is a bright and fun romance that will make you smile. I admit I picked up this book simply becausReviewed for Wit and Sin
Matzah Ball Surprise is a bright and fun romance that will make you smile. I admit I picked up this book simply because I’ve never read a romance set during Passover and I was thrilled to see one out there. I’m so glad I did, because Gaby and Levi are endearing characters and their love story is delightful.
I have been in Gaby’s place at Passover, so I totally sympathize with her wanting a fake boyfriend to play buffer against a well-meaning family. Gaby is a vibrant, colorful character who absolutely hates change (something I also sympathize with). She isn’t perfect, but she’s got a genuinely good heart and is on guard against being lied to because she’s been hurt before. Asking the hunky guy at her gym to be her fake date may have been a spontaneous act, but it was the best thing she could have done for herself. Levi is a sensitive, caring hero who will make you swoon. He’s a Deaf Studies teacher and is deaf himself, so he is patient and understanding while teaching Gaby how to communicate. Levi has his own family issues and an ex-fiancé who is making things complicated for him. Because he tries so hard to take care of everybody, Levi makes mistakes. But they’re mistakes that come from being too nice and giving a person, so you really can’t hold that against him. Gaby and Levi’s whirlwind romance is sweet and enjoyable, though there is some unwanted drama I could see coming due to the aforementioned ex-fiancé that I didn’t quite love. Still, they made Levi and Gaby made a wonderful couple and I liked their romance overall.
What makes Matzah Ball Surprise stand out are two things author Laura Brown weaves into the story incredibly well: (1) Passover and (2) two strangers – one hearing and one deaf – learning to communicate. It’s clear on both topics Ms. Brown knows what she’s talking about and the story is the richer for it. Both protagonists are Jewish, which I loved (it’s surprisingly rare to find this) and Ms. Brown does a fantastic job of showing Passover traditions, adding layers by portraying not only characters who keep Passover but those who are more lax. There are a number of things that felt incredibly real to me, but you absolutely do not have to be Jewish to enjoy this story. As for Levi and Gaby learning to communicate, this was incredibly well done. Gaby doesn’t pick up ASL overnight and it’s eye-opening for her how many things hearing people take for granted or do and are unaware that it excludes deaf people. Levi has grown up with a family who easily communicates with him and he has plenty of deaf friends. I appreciated his patience and instructiveness and found it added a lot to the story. There is a richness and a depth to this otherwise fluffy story that comes from injecting realness into the fantasy. All in all, Matzah Ball Surprise is a fun contemporary romance that – unlike matzah itself – is thoroughly enjoyable.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Matzah Ball Surprise is a bright and fun romance that will make you smile. I admit I picked up this book simply because I’ve never read a romance set during Passover and I was thrilled to see one out there. I’m so glad I did, because Gaby and Levi are endearing characters and their love story is delightful.
I have been in Gaby’s place at Passover, so I totally sympathize with her wanting a fake boyfriend to play buffer against a well-meaning family. Gaby is a vibrant, colorful character who absolutely hates change (something I also sympathize with). She isn’t perfect, but she’s got a genuinely good heart and is on guard against being lied to because she’s been hurt before. Asking the hunky guy at her gym to be her fake date may have been a spontaneous act, but it was the best thing she could have done for herself. Levi is a sensitive, caring hero who will make you swoon. He’s a Deaf Studies teacher and is deaf himself, so he is patient and understanding while teaching Gaby how to communicate. Levi has his own family issues and an ex-fiancé who is making things complicated for him. Because he tries so hard to take care of everybody, Levi makes mistakes. But they’re mistakes that come from being too nice and giving a person, so you really can’t hold that against him. Gaby and Levi’s whirlwind romance is sweet and enjoyable, though there is some unwanted drama I could see coming due to the aforementioned ex-fiancé that I didn’t quite love. Still, they made Levi and Gaby made a wonderful couple and I liked their romance overall.
What makes Matzah Ball Surprise stand out are two things author Laura Brown weaves into the story incredibly well: (1) Passover and (2) two strangers – one hearing and one deaf – learning to communicate. It’s clear on both topics Ms. Brown knows what she’s talking about and the story is the richer for it. Both protagonists are Jewish, which I loved (it’s surprisingly rare to find this) and Ms. Brown does a fantastic job of showing Passover traditions, adding layers by portraying not only characters who keep Passover but those who are more lax. There are a number of things that felt incredibly real to me, but you absolutely do not have to be Jewish to enjoy this story. As for Levi and Gaby learning to communicate, this was incredibly well done. Gaby doesn’t pick up ASL overnight and it’s eye-opening for her how many things hearing people take for granted or do and are unaware that it excludes deaf people. Levi has grown up with a family who easily communicates with him and he has plenty of deaf friends. I appreciated his patience and instructiveness and found it added a lot to the story. There is a richness and a depth to this otherwise fluffy story that comes from injecting realness into the fantasy. All in all, Matzah Ball Surprise is a fun contemporary romance that – unlike matzah itself – is thoroughly enjoyable.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
The Goldie Standard is an intense, often bittersweet read. Author Simi Monheit’s debut novel follows grand3.5 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin
The Goldie Standard is an intense, often bittersweet read. Author Simi Monheit’s debut novel follows grandmother Goldie Mandell throughout her life in a mix of present-day scenes and flashbacks while also featuring Goldie’s granddaughter, Maxie, who finds herself at a crossroads of her own.
The description of the book doesn’t truly capture what the story is like. Yes, Goldie is determined to find her granddaughter a Jewish doctor to marry and yes, Maxie ends up falling for artist/driver/adjunct professor T-Jam Bin Naumann instead. But it’s not a romcom or even a comedic novel like I expected. Rather Goldie is switching back and forth between past and present. She was a child in Nazi Germany and we see what happened to her there, her escape, and her immigration to America. We follow her marriage, children, love and loss woven throughout, and now as a somewhat crotchety grandmother in an assisted living facility. Goldie isn’t the sweet and endearing type, but she is interesting. Maxie, in turn, is a modern Jewish girl getting her Ph.D. and one who doesn’t always understand her grandmother. The two learn about each other over the course of the book and both grow in ways they probably didn’t expect.
The Goldie Standard wasn’t an easy read for me and some of what was touched on reminded me of my relatives. It also isn’t generally the kind of story I read for fun. I didn’t love the characters exactly, but I found them honest and realistic. Goldie in particular was a layered, complex character. I wished for some more of that for Maxie and the supporting cast. I’m glad I read The Goldie Standard. It’s not my usual fare but Monheit did draw me in and delivered a strong, emotionally charged tale.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
Passover gives a second chance to former high school sweethearts in Matzah Ball Blues. In the year since his brother’sReviewed for Wit and Sin
Passover gives a second chance to former high school sweethearts in Matzah Ball Blues. In the year since his brother’s death, entertainment lawyer Jared Leiman hasn’t quite come to grips with the loss or being a father to his toddler niece. Taking a break from the high pressure and long hours of his job, he returns home to visit his parents for Passover and runs into – literally – his ex-girlfriend Caroline Weiss.
Jared and Caroline broke up when he went to college and she stayed home to care for her terminally ill mother. Jared broke her heart all those years ago, but he was a kid afraid of responsibility. Now he’s a man coming terms with loss and caring for others. I liked watching Jared grow over the course of the story, to take care with others and recognize that the life he’s living no longer suits him or his niece. Coming home brings it all back to him and his feelings toward Caroline come rushing back. Caroline is finally free of responsibility and she wants to live her life, to experience the things she put on hold. Jared should be the opposite of what she wants now, but old feelings come rushing back quickly. Their romance was both a slow burn and a surprisingly fast trip into feelings. I felt like them falling back in love was heavily built on a foundation we didn’t see and it didn’t always feel earned.
A secondary plot involving potential fraud at Caroline’s work adds some intrigue to the story but overall this was a slower paced book. I liked the romance well enough and I enjoyed seeing Caroline actively work to grow her career, but it felt like something was just missing from Matzah Ball Blues to keep me entertained. The conflict may have worked better in a shorter format where there wasn’t as much repetition.
One thing I really enjoy about the Holidays, Heart and Chutzpah series is author Jennifer Wilck’s excellent Jewish representation. Passover traditions in particular are highlighted in this book and Wilck does a great job of bringing them to life. While I was so-so on the story overall, Wilck’s care and attention to Jewish traditions engaged me and definitely made me want to read more of her work.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
A new year brings a second chance at love for two former sweethearts in Home for the Challah Days. Jennifer Wilck brinReviewed for Wit and Sin
A new year brings a second chance at love for two former sweethearts in Home for the Challah Days. Jennifer Wilck brings excellent Jewish representation – religion, culture, and community – to her first Holidays, Heart and Chutzpah book.
Sarah left her hometown for DC and she’s rarely looked back. She has a successful job, a boyfriend with political ambitions, and she has turned herself into someone fit, successful, and independent. But in a Hallmark-level twist, she’s back home for the High Holy Days and returning to her small hometown brings her in contact with the boy she left behind. Aaron runs his family’s deli and even though he and Sarah broke up ten years ago, the feelings they had for each other never died. Of course, layering over that is a measure of bitterness for how things ended. Will Sarah choose her high-power life in DC and the perfect-on-paper boyfriend who wants to marry her? Or will she choose her hometown and the man she never quite got over?
I had mixed feelings about Home for the Challah Days. I liked Sarah and it was interesting to see her find herself and start to question how she let herself be molded into someone who didn’t entirely fit her. She had friends as well as Aaron that she disappeared from when she went to DC and I would have loved to see more of her reconnecting with them. Aaron, I struggled with. He’s hotheaded and angry and it bugged me how he kept comparing the Sarah he knew with the Sarah who is there now, as if one was better than the other rather than different. I never fully warmed up to Aaron and it made me hard to root for the romance. The love story leans heavily on the foundation built in the past and Wilck did a fair job of showing us said foundation. However, there was something missing for me – a romance, a spark, something of that nature – that made the romance fall a bit flat.
Home for the Challah Days is more than just the love story, however. It’s about community and Judaism and this is where Wilck’s writing shines. Aaron and Sarah are both really invested in their community and Wilck weaves this throughout the story perfectly. Even in a town as friendly as theirs, there’s still antisemitism and harsh realities of hatred to face. There’s also hope, allyship, friends, and family to counter the dark. It’s a dose of reality in an otherwise television special love story that grounds the story. So even though I had mixed feelings about Aaron and Sarah’s story, there was enough that I did really like about the book that I’m looking forward to the next Holidays, Heart and Chutzpah tale.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake is a sweet romance with fantastic Jewish representation. Stacey Agdern has a wonderful way of deReviewed for Wit and Sin
B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake is a sweet romance with fantastic Jewish representation. Stacey Agdern has a wonderful way of depicting Judaism in her books, from the religious standpoint, the cultural standpoint, education, mitzvot, and the sense of community. I loved Ash and Judith’s passion and learning over the course of the book and this is where Agdern’s writing shines.
I struggled heavily with rating B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake because the representation was so well done and highlighting Jewish athletes (hockey players in particular) made my heart sing. I also really loved Judith and Ash studying for their B’Nai Mitzvot and how their lessons enhanced the story. That being said, the heart of the story is the romance between Judith and Ash and this is where I didn’t feel the spark. I’ve adored past romances of Agdern’s but Ash and Judith just didn’t have the chemistry I wanted. The main obstacle in the romance is the fact that Ash set back Judith’s sister’s career as a sports agent years ago. Judith, loyal and loving sister that she is, doesn’t want to forgive Ash and definitely does not want to share her Bat Mitzvah date with him. But as she gets to know him, she starts falling for the man and is torn between her feelings for him and her loyalty to her sister. I had a really hard time with this because the push-pull felt inauthentic and forced. The love story came across as stilted and the drama made it easy to put the book down. It’s a disappointment because outside the main storyline there was so much to enjoy about this book. At the end of the day, the romance just wasn’t my cup of tea. That being said, the Jewish representation was great and I’ve enjoyed other books of Agdern’s so I’ll definitely be looking forward to the rest of the Last Girls Standing series.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
A terrible one-night stand is an unexpected end to a meet-cute and an even more unexpected start to a romance4.25 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin
A terrible one-night stand is an unexpected end to a meet-cute and an even more unexpected start to a romance, but it does make things interesting in Business or Pleasure. Rachel Lynn Solomon’s newest is a sex-positive romance that isn’t afraid of honesty and open communication. I really enjoyed Finn and Chandler’s love story; it was sensual, fun, and the fact that it was such a healthy romance made it stand out.
Chandler is a ghostwriter whose life is kind of at a standstill. She doesn’t expect the shakeup she didn’t know she needed to come from her terrible one-night stand turning out to be a C-list actor from a college werewolf show needing a ghostwriter for his new memoir. Finn may have been bad in bed, but the deal he’s offering is too good to pass up. And when Chandler reveals to him that their night together wasn’t exactly mind-blowing, Finn is embarrassed but doesn’t get his masculinity in a twist over it. Instead, he’s an eager pupil, ready to learn the art of satisfaction. Between trips to conventions, drafting the book, and lessons in the bedroom, Chandler and Finn lower their guard and open up to one another. Their relationship developed organically over the course of the book and I really liked that. Chandler and Finn are complex, well-drawn characters with realistic thoughts, fears, and foibles. I really enjoyed seeing them come out of their shells and embrace their potential. Solomon manages to blend sex education, mental health discussions, career anxiety, and more into the story, intertwining it with our protagonists’ growth and the romance.
Business or Pleasure is sexy and engaging, which characters who face their fears and are open and vulnerable with each other. Solomon has delivered a romance with depth and isn’t afraid to let things get messy. I finished Chandler and Finn’s book a well-satisfied (no pun intended) reader and I’m very much looking forward Solomon’s next book.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
Season of Love is a heartwarming story of love, loss, and the family you make. Helena Greer’s debut novel manages to gReviewed for Wit and Sin
Season of Love is a heartwarming story of love, loss, and the family you make. Helena Greer’s debut novel manages to give off a good amount of holiday sparkle while having its characters deal with grief.
After the death of her great-aunt, Miriam Blum returns to Carrigan’s (her aunt’s Jewish-run Christmas tree farm) to sit shiva and come to terms with her loss. It’s been ten years since she left Carrigan’s and though her beloved cousin now runs the place, there’s also a new face: Noelle Northwood, the farm’s manager who clearly doesn’t want her there. Noelle can’t understand why Miriam would ever have turned her back on Carrigan’s, nor why she cut herself off from her aunt and cousin. Carrigan’s is Noelle’s home and some fancy artist flying in to reopen old wounds for her beloved made family is not something she wants to put up with. But Miriam isn’t at all what she expected and her reasons for staying away come from a place of trauma. When the will is read and Miriam is named one of the new owners of Carrigan’s, she and Noelle have to find a way to work together.
Noelle is big, butch, and loyal to her loved ones. She’s a recovering alcoholic who has put dating on hold while she tries to protect all that she holds dear. Carrigan’s is in danger of going under and that has to be her top priority, not some gorgeous artist who is a flight risk. Miriam grew up with an abusive father who nearly broke her. She separated herself from her past and has built a life in Charleston that is safe. She doesn’t want to deal with her trauma, but her aunt’s death has forced her to come to terms with the past. Miriam is bright, talented, and smart. She’s determined to save Carrigan’s and that means she has to go toe-to-toe sometimes with her cousin, Hannah, and Noelle. Miriam and Noelle both have lessons to learn and it was great seeing them come into their own. Noelle is slow to trust and wary of being hurt. Miriam has to come into her own and stop hiding from the parts of her that need to heal.
The romance between Miriam and Noelle is often fun and flirty. The attraction is delightful and their interactions when they’re flirting are charming. There is a lot of push-pull for reasons I’ll leave readers to find out. Greer made every bump in the road worth it, however, for a happily ever after that is sweet.
There’s a lot to love about Season of Love. It made me smile that a Jewish family ran a Christmas tree farm and I loved that Greer authentically incorporated Judaism into this story. The supporting cast is also well worth talking about. Everyone at Carrigan’s is interesting and well-drawn, endearing and flawed at the same time. The only downside of this story is that it does move rather slowly, especially the first half of it. The pacing did make it easy for me to put this book down but aside from that I really enjoyed Miriam and Noelle’s story. The ending of Season of Love is warm and satisfying and I’m very much looking forward to Hannah and Blue’s book.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
Forever, Plus One is a heartwarming best friends-to-lovers romance that tugged on my heartstrings. Wendy Warren’s secReviewed for Wit and Sin
Forever, Plus One is a heartwarming best friends-to-lovers romance that tugged on my heartstrings. Wendy Warren’s second venture into Holliday, Oregon is an engaging romance filled with characters who are easy to adore.
Nikki Choi was just dumped six weeks before her wedding. Nikki is smart, loving, and beautiful but her relationship with her ex played into her insecurities and she’s now trying to claim herself again. She’s coming up on her thirty-seventh birthday and has serious anxiety about finding love and starting a family in a way that feels deeply relatable. Evan Northrup, the older brother of her ex-fiancé, has been her best friend for years and offers to save her from the awkwardness of the upcoming summer of weddings she’s attending by pretending to be her boyfriend. Evan is a single father whose son is the center of his world. He’s a loving dad and a great best friend, but he has issues about commitment after the way his marriage ended and the parade of stepmothers he’s had all his life.
Friends-to-lovers, single parents with sweet children, and commitment phobia are all common in romances, but Warren makes everything feel fresh in this story thanks to her wonderful characters. Nikki is adopted and even growing up with a family who loves her unconditionally it doesn’t mean she hasn’t struggled in the past. And even being a high school guidance counselor with a degree in Psychology doesn’t protect her from having body image issues; issues that her fitness fanatic ex fed into. And Evan has deep-seated insecurities about his own ability to have a relationship that he has to confront. Warren doesn’t make it easy on them, but the way things worked out made every bump in the road worth it. Nikki and Evan are simply meant to be, no matter that they’ve hidden it from themselves for years.
Forever, Plus One is the second book in the Holliday, Oregon series but it can easily be read as a standalone. I adored revisiting Eden and Gideon (of Moonlight, Menorahs and Mistletoe) and thoroughly enjoyed my time in Holliday. And it would be remiss of me to discuss this book without mentioning Nikki’s family. I absolutely loved the Choi family and they helped make the world of this story come alive. Not to mention Noah, Evan’s son, is so sweet with Nikki and I adored their relationship. The surprising emotional hits for me in this book were scenes Nikki and Evan had with their parents. Those brought tears to my eyes and really rounded out the book well.
Forever, Plus One was a true joy to read. The characters came alive, the romance was a satisfying slow burn built on a healthy foundation, and the happily ever after made me smile. I cannot wait to revisit Nikki and Evan again!
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
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