Book Review - The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

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Title: The Matzah Ball

Author: Jean Meltzer

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Piatkus

Publication Date: 28th September 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

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.

From the moment I spotted this book on Netgalley I knew I needed to read it, and I had a very strong feeling I would love it. 

What I didn't reckon on was just how utterly fabulous it actually is, and how for the first time in absolutely ages I was able to just sit back and read the second half of a book in one sitting, without a slight thought of all the real world things I should be doing.  And even from the moment I had started the book,  it was on my mind when I wasn't reading. 

I am Jewish, I went to Hebrew school until about the age of 11 at weekends, and so I do have some knowledge of the religion and Hanukkah customs. But I'm not remotely religious and in fact I'm an absolute Christmas nut, so that along with sharing a name with Rachel, the main character, means I had something clearly in common with the book. 

But that may be where the similarities end as I certainly am not the daughter of a top Rabbi and doctor, nor did I ever do Camp America (which I believe would have mean that Rachel's recollections of her own Camp experiences would have resonated even more). 

And Rachel needs to keep the fact she is a bestselling Christmas novelist a secret from everyone, and she also tends to keep her chronic heath condition secret too. 

And then there is Jacob (took me until it was practically spelt out towards the end to realise the sheer genius of our two protagonists names), who had a difficult childhood and has returned to New York to put on a giant Matzah Ball - basically a Jewish music festival with a difference to celebrate the final night of Hanukah. 

Elements of Jacob's life resonated with me, as his mother and the small bits we learned about her, had the same medical condition as my dad, again making me feel this story a lot more closely than maybe others will. 

And what a Matzah Ball he is putting on, it sounds both like an amazing event but also something I perhaps would never want to go to, as I really would rather go to a giant Christmas party! But I loved how the two festival of lights were presented through the book, and Rachel's relationship with Christmas. 

There is so so much that I loved about this, the odd Hebrew and Yiddish words that were filtered in, which I always heard in my head with a thick accent, the description of Shabbat at a Rabbi's house was fascinating, and I hearing about Jacob and Rachel's past was great.  

This book contains a lot from chronic illness depicted sensitively, to journeys of personal development, a fabulous Jewish mother, and even better Bubbe (grandmother), and well a large large amount of food! 

I am struggling to believe that this appears to be a debut novel and I am already incredibly eager to find out what this author will write next.  This hit all the right boxes for me and more.  Just brilliant. 

Thank you to Piatkus and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.