The matzah ball /

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"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

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

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

Publishers Weekly Review

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.)

Booklist Review

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt, the rabbi's daughter, not only writes Christmas-themed romance novels under a pen name, she also has a whole room dedicated to the forbidden holiday. Seeking diversity, Rachel's publisher asks her to write a Hanukkah-themed romance. For inspiration, Rachel decides to attend the sold-out Hanukkah event of the year, the Matzah Ball, only to discover that it's hosted by Jacob Greenberg, her summer-camp love turned enemy. Jacob has never forgotten that Rachel stood him up for the end-of-camp dance. While he moved to France, Rachel was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, which she has refused to allow to get in her way. Will their summer-camp romance blossom again? In her first novel, Meltzer makes sure that, despite some misunderstandings and hurt feelings, Rachel and Jacob do find their bashert (soulmate) in the glow of the Hanukkah candles. Fans of second-chance and holiday romances will find much to enjoy in this welcome variation on the holiday theme.

Kirkus Book Review

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. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.