The Matzah Ball: A Novel

by Jean Meltzer

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

We are continually impressed and delighted by the way rom-coms are not afraid to present a diversity of voices. So, it’s no surprise to us that we now have a Hanukkah rom-com! Jean Meltzer shows us the magic of the holiday. No spoilers here, but who wants to place a bet as to how many nights it takes our enemies-to-friends plot to light up?

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK SELECTED BY * POPSUGAR * BUSTLE * BUZZFEED * BOOKPAGE * GOODREADS MEMBERS

"The Matzah Ball had me laughing out loud...an all-around terrific read."—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Oy! to the world

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.

"A luminous celebration of all types of love, threaded with the message that everyone is worthy of it.”—Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780778311584
Publisher:	MIRA Books
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	72,041
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch and has earned numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. She spent five years in rabbinical school before her chronic illness forced her to withdraw, and her father told her she should write a book—just not a Jewish one because no one reads those. Kissing Kosher is her third novel.

Editorial Reviews

07/05/2021

Meltzer debuts with a charming holiday romance. Rabbi’s daughter Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has a secret: she loves Christmas. So much so that she’s built a career writing Christmas romance novels and made-for-TV movies under a pen name. Her success allows her to work from home, vital for a person living with chronic fatigue syndrome. But Rachel’s thrown when her editors decide her next series should be Hanukkah-focused, a holiday she considers minor and not very magical. Seeking inspiration, she agrees to volunteer at a high-end Hanukkah soiree being thrown by her old sleepaway camp boyfriend, Jacob Greenberg. Jacob’s just as attracted to Rachel as he was back in camp days, but wary of her potentially breaking his heart again. Refreshingly, Rachel’s illness is not one of the barriers to their happy ending; instead, the pair weather the typical misunderstandings of a contemporary rom-com. Rachel is a fully formed character whose illness has shaped her choices, but doesn’t define all of who she is. Meanwhile, Jacob’s bubbe, who serves rugalach for every occasion, and Rachel’s best friend, Mickey, are scene-stealers—and deserve happily ever afters of their own. This heartfelt rom-com should be unwrapped by people of all faiths this holiday season. Agent: Carolyn Forde, Transatlantic Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"The Matzah Ball had me laughing out loud. It’s witty, funny and an all-around terrific read."—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author


“A love letter to Judaism and an utterly charming romance. With two irresistible leads, a scene-stealing bubbe, and plenty of holiday magic, The Matzah Ball is a luminous celebration of all types of love, threaded with the message that everyone is worthy of it.”—Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk

“Funny, bright, and lovingly crafted! The Matzah Ball healed a piece of me I didn’t know was hurting.”—Rosie Danan, author of The Intimacy Experiment

“A trendsetter in holiday romances.”—BookPage

"Delightful."—PopSugar

“I devoured this book like a batch of Jacob's Bubbe's Rugalach. It is the perfect blend of funny and magical but also tender and thoughtful. It lit me up like a menorah.”—Jenny Bayliss, author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas


"A warm, heartfelt ode to self-acceptance, honesty, and tight-knit Jewish communities, The Matzah Ball gently—and rightfully—insists we don’t need to be perfect or 'normal' to deserve and find love. The story was a true pleasure to read."—Olivia Dade, author of Spoiler Alert

“Heartwarming, romantic, and funny. The Matzah Ball is simply a joy to read.”—Sarah Morgenthaler, author of The Tourist Attraction

“A sparkling holiday romance told with both honesty and heart.”—Kirkus


"Heartwarming and hilarious, The Matzah Ball is a fantastic, festive, fresh take on a holiday happily ever after.”—Karen Schaler, Emmy Award-winning writer

"A funny, fresh holiday read to tickle your funny bone and warm your heart."—Sheila Roberts, New York Times bestselling author

"A laugh-out-loud treat. Written in bright, witty prose and with a heroine to root for, it's a light holiday concoction that delivers a deeper message about love and acceptance at the same time. The perfect addition to your holiday reading!"—Anita Hughes, author of Christmas in Vermont

“Grab a jelly doughnut and get ready for a holiday rom com unlike any other! The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer brings the fun while also delivering an important message about being true to yourself. A refreshing and delightful read."—Brenda Janowitz, author of The Grace Kelly Dress

"What do you get when you cross the holiday of Hanukkah with a summer camp feud on steroids and a slow-burn romance? You’ll have to read this heartwarming novel to find out!"—Yaffa S. Santos, author of A Taste of Sage


“A charming holiday romance… This heartfelt rom-com should be unwrapped by people of all faiths this holiday season.”—Publishers Weekly


“Meltzer's enemies-to-lovers debut romance hits all the high points… A fun read and a good addition to holiday romance collections.”—Library Journal


"Fans of second-chance and holiday romances will find much to enjoy in this welcome variation on the holiday theme."—Booklist

From the Publisher

09/01/2021

DEBUT Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is Jewish and the successful author of an impressive number of Christmas-themed romance novels, some of which have been turned into movies. Rachel also suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis, more commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a frequently misunderstood and often mischaracterized condition. While working on the Hanukkah romance her editor wants, Rachel is stymied by writer's block. She's desperate for inspiration and decides to find it at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music festival hosted by her summer camp rival and first love Jacob Greenberg. Meltzer's enemies-to-lovers debut romance hits all the high points often found in holiday romances—the love who got away, misunderstandings from past and present, humorous and heartfelt interactions that draw the couple back together, as well as interfering but well-meaning family members. The story also incorporates Jewish traditions in a way that will be accessible to many readers, and it does the same for ME/CFS. While some events are predictable, getting to the HEA is an enjoyable journey. VERDICT A fun read and a good addition to holiday romance collections.—Courtney Pentland, Omaha, NE

Library Journal

2021-06-29
A holiday romance author desperate to find inspiration for her next book reluctantly reaches out to her former summer camp nemesis.

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is Jewish, but she's keeping a secret from her whole family: She's obsessed with Christmas, and not just in terms of wanting to collect every Santa figurine in existence. She's been writing Christmas romance novels under a pen name, creating worlds where happy endings are possible. But when her publisher says it's time for a change—and they want a Hanukkah romance instead—Rachel panics, then finds herself leaning on the last person she ever expected to ask for help. Jacob Greenberg, Rachel's childhood crush and No. 1 enemy from Jewish summer camp, may have broken her heart all those years ago, but his company is hosting the biggest social event of the holiday season, and Rachel's certain she can find the inspiration she needs for her next book at the Matzah Ball. Volunteering to assist in the week leading up to the event is a way of securing herself a ticket, but she's not anticipating how seeing Jacob again will remind her of all her old feelings, especially when she's also shoving down the truth of her chronic fatigue syndrome so she can work hard to save her writing contract. Meltzer's debut romance is a reminder of the genre's ability to tell a wide variety of stories from different perspectives—it presents Rachel's lived experience with religion and chronic illness while being wrapped in the most comforting of familiar tropes. Every subject is handled with care, from the main characters' Judaism to the heroine's chronic (and often seemingly invisible) illness, and the end result is a very satisfying addition to the holiday romance subgenre that will be enjoyed at any time of year.

A sparkling holiday romance told with both honesty and heart.

Kirkus Reviews