A review by mommasaystoread
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
3.0
I'll admit that I know very little about Hanukkah, and I really only have a rudimentary understanding of the Jewish faith. With that in mind, I honestly can't critique the accuracy of those details in the story. I will say that I didn't have to completely understand the culture and faith of these people to find a couple of lines to be over the top and unnecessary. As for the romance, The Matzah Ball falls under holiday romances, and as far as that goes, Rachel and Jacob are in for an enemies-to-lovers romance with a side of second chance romance thrown in, and I'm a sucker for both tropes.
I liked both characters, and many parts of the story were amusing and entertaining. Jacob and Rachel can certainly hold a grudge because they've been holding onto hard feelings for years - like 18 of them. I was surprised by how young they were when those hard feelings started. I mean, most of us have gotten past "romances" that happened when we were 12. Anyway, it was a little out there but still a cute backstory.
I really liked the way Rachel's chronic illness was handled. I don't share the same illness, but I do have a chronic nerve disorder, one of those many things people can't see and don't understand, so I could relate to Rachel on that level.
All things considered, this one may be a stretch of my suspension of disbelief, but it is fiction, so some leeway can be given for that. It turned out to be an amusing romance with some witty banter and engaging characters.
I liked both characters, and many parts of the story were amusing and entertaining. Jacob and Rachel can certainly hold a grudge because they've been holding onto hard feelings for years - like 18 of them. I was surprised by how young they were when those hard feelings started. I mean, most of us have gotten past "romances" that happened when we were 12. Anyway, it was a little out there but still a cute backstory.
I really liked the way Rachel's chronic illness was handled. I don't share the same illness, but I do have a chronic nerve disorder, one of those many things people can't see and don't understand, so I could relate to Rachel on that level.
All things considered, this one may be a stretch of my suspension of disbelief, but it is fiction, so some leeway can be given for that. It turned out to be an amusing romance with some witty banter and engaging characters.