Mr Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer: Book Review

Mr Perfect on Paper is a highly entertaining romantic comedy where a successful businesswoman suddenly finds herself publicly immersed in a search for her perfect mate. I loved it!

[book-info]

From The Publisher:

From the author of The Matzah Ball comes a pitch-perfect rom-com following a third-generation Jewish matchmaker who unwittingly finds her own search for love thrust into the spotlight….

The perfect Jewish husband should be:

A doctor or lawyer (preferably a doctor)
Baggage-free (no previous marriages, no children)
And of course—he must be Jewish

As the creator and CEO of the popular Jewish dating app J-Mate, matchmaker Dara Rabinowitz knows the formula for lasting love—at least, for everyone else. When it comes to her own love life, she’s been idling indefinitely. Until her beloved bubbe shares Dara’s checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on national television and charming news anchor Chris Steadfast proposes they turn Dara’s search into must-see TV.

As a non-Jewish single dad, Chris doesn’t check any of Dara’s boxes. But her hunt for Mr. Perfect is the ratings boost his show desperately needs. If only Chris could ignore his own pesky attraction to Dara—a task much easier said than done when Dara starts questioning if “perfect on paper” can compete with how hard she’s falling for Chris….

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Jean Meltzer and it certainly won’t be my last! The characters are highly likeable, well-developed and interesting. I enjoyed all the references to Jewish culture and learned a little along the way.

Dara comes from a long line of matchmakers. Her dating app, J Mate, is a successful way for Jewish singles to connect. She’s sacrificed a lot for her success, including reaching her mid-thirties without a mate of her own. Her nearly 90-year-old bubbe decides she needs to act to find Dara her own match.

When Dara and her bubbe appear on national TV to share J-Mate’s success, the news anchor Chris gets more than he’s bargained for. Bubbe share Dara’s list of what she’s looking for in a husband. Dara is embarrassed and can only imagine the harm this type of exposure will cause the TV station and her business. Chris is as surprised as Dara to learn of the broadcast’s success. Soon the two are working together to find Dara her perfect match.

As Dara and Chris work together they soon become friends. Dara learns that Chris is a single father after losing his wife two years before. The relationship that Dara develops with both Chris and his daughter is charming.

When Dara is introduced to a man who checks off all the boxes on her Mr Perfect on Paper list, her mind tells her that she’s finally found her perfect mate. But Chris is playing heavy on her heart and she becomes confused.

There are some very funny moments in this book, especially surrounding bubbe. The description of bubbe’s ninetieth birthday gala was memorable.

I listened to the audiobook version of Mr Perfect on Paper which was narrated by Dara Rosenberg. Her performance was enthusiastic, articulate and genuine. I would not hesitate to recommend the audiobook version of this book to those that enjoy this format.

I recommend Mr Perfect on Paper to those readers who enjoy Women’s Fiction or Romance.

What I Liked:

• The well-developed and likeable characters
• The elements of humour throughout
• The book is written in OwnVoices

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed: