The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer: Book Review

The Matzah Ball is the story of a Jewish Christmas romance writer with a chronic illness whose publisher wants her to write a Hanukkah romance. I enjoyed it!

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From The Publisher:

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

My Thoughts:

After reading the author’s 2022 book Mr. Perfect on Paper I knew I had to read The Matzah Ball this holiday season. It was a fun, enlightening read and one that I’m recommending to anyone who enjoys romantic comedies.

I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Hanukkah and the festivities surrounding it. I applaud the author for writing a character with a chronic illness. In this book, our protagonist Rachel has chronic fatigue syndrome which is an illness not often spoken about in books or films. I felt a learned a little bit more about this illness from reading this book.

Rachel is a bestselling Christmas romance author who keeps this a secret from her parents. She’s directed by her publisher to write a Hanukkah romance this year. Needing some inspiration, she eyes a coveted ticket to the Matzah Ball. The tickets are sold out, and the only way she can get a ticket is to volunteer for a week to help her summer camp nemesis, Jacob.

I enjoyed the romance that slowly develops between Rachel and Jacob and the shenanigans that transpire along the way. Rachel knows how much her illness would affect a romantic relationship and is reluctant to dream about this being permanent. But the magic of Hanukkah and the support of friends and family make anything possible.

I listened to the audiobook version of The Matzah Ball which was narrated by Dara Rosenberg. I thoroughly enjoyed her performance which was full of enthusiasm and expression. I highly recommend the audiobook version of the book to those that enjoy this format.

What I Liked:

• The author’s choice of a protagonist with a chronic illness
• The use of humour throughout
• The love of friends and family that surrounded these characters

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to my local library for purchasing this audiobook.

My Other Reviews of Books by Jean Meltzer:

Mr. Perfect On Paper