Sue's Bookshelf

December 2023

By Sue Littauer

What better way is there to escape the random demands on our time during December than to sneak away and settle in with a delightful rom-com novel? Look no further than the three novels by Jean Meltzer: “The Matzah Ball,” “Mr. Perfect on Paper,” and “Kissing Kosher.”

Jean Meltzer has the unique distinction of being the world’s only Emmy Award-winning, chronically ill and disabled, rabbinical school drop-out. Yet, it is this extraordinary background, coupled with a firm belief in holding onto your joy and seeking out happy endings, that forms the basis of her diverse work.

“The Matzah Ball” is about Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt, a young woman who has secrets. She lives with a chronic illness, is the daughter of a rabbi, and loves Christmas. She is a prolific, beloved author of Christmas books, which she writes under a pen name. When her publisher asks her to write a Chanukah book, her escapades and secrets begin to unfold. Often hilarious, filled with Jewish humor and love of family, “The Matzah Ball” is romantic and heartfelt.

“Mr. Perfect on Paper” is equally heartfelt, romantic, and 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 her beloved bubbe shares Dara’s checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on national television, charming news anchor Chris Steadfast proposes they turn Dara’s search into must-see TV. You guessed it — Chris is not Jewish, but otherwise checks off everything on Dara’s list.

Jean Meltzer’s third book is “Kissing Kosher.” It’s a modern Jewish take on the Romeo and Juliet (perhaps closer to the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s) love story filled with faith, family, and fabulous desserts. A chronic debilitating illness, the search for a recipe for pumpkin spice babka, and the love and respect for family sum up the direction of this novel. “Readers will devour this one-of-a-kind novel, covering everything from relationships, intimacy, and sex, to family dys function and intergenerational trauma. Jean writes romance the way your Bubbe bakes challah — with devotion, delight, and loads of love.” — Lynda Cohen Loigman, bestselling author of “The Matchmaker’s Gift” and “The Two-Family House.”

A fourth suggestion is perhaps my favorite of them all. “Unorthodox Love: A Novel” by new author Heidi Shertok is a cleverly written, beautiful love story that’s hard to put down. It is very Jewish and teaches in a very natural way about many of the laws and rituals of Orthodox Judaism. It’s funny and fast-paced and is about family loyalty above all else. It’s the story of 29-year-old Penina, a smart-mouthed, infertile orthodox woman searching for a husband, and her boss Sam Kleinfeld, a rude, hunky, sexy secular Jew. This is a love story that you won’t soon forget.

All of these books can be described as follows: “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."

All are available as e-books and can be checked out from the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library at the Center of Jewish Education at Shalom Park. Visit www. jewishcharlotte.org. Enjoy!!!