I am totally in LOVE with this book! A well-written, beautiful story that put me through a deliciously emotional angsty ringer, made my heart race and flutter and had me swooning like crazy!

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. The author did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer is a standalone contemporary romance novel. Kissing Kosher is set in the Jewish community and showcases a lot of Jewish traditions along with having a main character dealing with a chronic illness and pain but infuses a lovely romance among the heavier topic involved.

For Avital Cohen life is now just about getting through every day in her family bakery all while dealing with chronic pain. Avital was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis and deals with pain constantly with little help from her doctor. The bakery wasn’t Avital’s dream but here she is doing her best to help with the long lines of customers enjoying her families Jewish baked goods.

With the bakery at it’s busiest Avital is looking to hire more help when in walks Ethan Rosenberg. Ethan is actually the grandson of the man who was Avital’s family’s biggest competition and has been sent by his grandfather to spy on the bakery. With a few white lies in his application Ethan gets the job where he can’t help but be curious about the bakery’s feisty manager in Avital.

Kissing Kosher is the first book I’ve read by author Jean Meltzer and it won’t be the last either. It’s my understanding that the author always has characters dealing with real problems in her stories and I appreciated the chance to read of a condition I was unfamiliar with and really get a unique story with that premise. I also enjoyed learning more about the Jewish community and traditions that I wasn’t familiar with myself. Even with the heavier topic involved the story had lighthearted humor which also kept the pages turning for me. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was adorable! I loved this. I loved the baking. I loved the swoonworthy romance. I loved the grandpa. I will read more from this author.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It has such a strong premise! Two bakers from feuding rival baking families that goes back to their grandparents! And one infiltrates the bakery of the other to learn/steal a secret recipe!

And that’s how it starts… but the plot falls apart as quickly as the attempt at subterfuge. As soon as it became apparent that the two will be working together, all the tension leaves the book and the rest just sort of… happens. I found myself just reading to get the book finished and not because I was necessarily invested in the story.

In addition to all that, there was an extended bit that felt really preachy about medical marijuana? I understand why it was there, to an extent, but it was so gratuitous that it completely halted the narrative.

Jean Meltzer is now three-for-three with delightful and poignant Jewish rom-coms. This one deals a lot with chronic pain and she takes it in directions I wasn't even expecting. And even though Ethan is way too young for me, he is swoon-worthy in so many ways. The icing on the cake, so to speak, is all the delicious descriptions of baked goods. It made me miss going to Zadie's Bakery in NJ.

The plot made me think of the movie Hanukkah on Rye in some ways. However, it was way different overall and there were some aspects that were really eye-opening when it comes to chronic pain and how to manage it. Even though I don't share Avital's experiences, thankfully, Jean made her situation feel so relatable. I really liked all the side characters working at Best Babka, especially Tootles. They all had interesting backstories though. (I'd actually love for Jean to write a story about Chaya and find a way to help unchain her from her ex-husband in that novel.)

My main concern was that there was too much time spent on discussing intimacy. Maybe because I know so much about family purity already, it felt like it went on too long. However, I did learn some new things from it, as well. I also felt like the rivalry between the grandfathers seemed unclear at times.

Funny coincidence: It's mentioned that Avital smells like cherry blossoms a lot of the time. I've been using a body wash from Bath and Body Works that smells like cherry blossoms, which I put in my shower prior to reading this novel.

Overall, this was a wonderful story. I even got teary-eyed a few times. It will be published in late August, just in time for High Holiday reading! (However, if you are not Jewish or Jewish and not observant, you will learn a lot of things about customs and rituals while enjoying the ride, so it's definitely worth checking out.) Just don't read it during Yom Kippur or all the food descriptions will make things that much more difficult.

Jean Meltzer's 'Kissing Kosher' is an absolute delight! Her ability to weave the intricacies of romance and cultural nuances into a heartwarming tale is truly commendable. What sets this book apart is Meltzer's gift for effortlessly drawing readers into the story, making it accessible and enjoyable for all. The charming characters and their journey through love and tradition are beautifully portrayed, creating a captivating narrative that lingers in your heart long after the final page. 'Kissing Kosher' is a must-read for anyone seeking a delightful, heartwarming romance with a touch of cultural richness.

I enjoyed this! I really liked the Matzah Ball so I was excited to read this one! I loved the first half of the book. I loved the chronic illness rep and all the talk of the Jewish religion. I learned a lot. Then it kinda took a turn and there was way too much weed talk for me. I got very uninterested for a bit but then it picked back up at the end!

I’m sad I didn’t rate this better as I was loving it but it got to be too much and it distracted from the story!

Jean Meltzer did it again with another amazing, swoon-worthy book. Her writing gets better with every book she publishes. I found myself in so much of Avital and really needed this book when I read it.

The start to this book is a bit rough and uncomfortable. I couldn't help but wonder why I was reading it. But, the characters started to grow on me. And, by the ending I craved a happy ending for them.

I love love love Jean Meltzer and was worried that Kissing Kosher couldn't live up to last year's The Matzah Ball. Boy, was I wrong! This book has it all: feuding grandpas, rival babka bakeries, a handsome undercover grandson (Ethan Lippman), and a granddaughter (Avital Cohen) who needs a break.

Ethan is there to steal the Cohen family babka recipe, but finds himself loving more than just the baked goods. Avital feels it, too, but her chronic pelvic pain means only essential tasks get done— there's no room (and maybe even no physical possibility) for love.

Jean Meltzer writes about chronic pain so compassionately, and I loved every second of this realistic romance!

Kissing kosher was a great romance. I have loved every book by this author so far. It’s an easy romance to read in one sitting with a good plot.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I always love reading an authentically Jewish book. Yiddish words thrown in and customs explained. I also find it fascinating to learn about chronic pain and the turmoil people suffer through silently. All that being said, I enjoyed the plot and the overall story, but at times it felt almost too explanatory and that took away from the story.

I loved this book so much. Avi and Ethan actually act like adults and Ethan is a sweetie! The whole shop acts like one silly, fun and hard working family. I couldnt put it down, I read it in under 24hrs! More Jean Meltzer please! Also this book should come with pastries.

The cover makes you think this is going to be a fluffy romcom and it’s not quite that. While I liked it, I didn’t love it. I wasn’t a huge fan of Ethan. I liked Avi and felt for her and her chronic illness.

I was not excited by this book at first- it started out a little slow to me, and I couldn't believe the massive amounts of drama each character was dealing with. Both have major serious issues- things that are never going to be fixed by love alone. But by the end? I was bawling. I was all in. Love may not be capable of healing physical issues or true family trauma- but two broken people can help each other, love each other, and make a difference for each other. This went places I was not expecting (including a place I will not spoil, but was not expecting to find a Rabbi). It covered some deeply Jewish ideas in a way that I think is well-explained without over-explaining, a neat trick. There were passages that resonated deeply with me. Not bad for a romance novel! Four stars, with a bump up to five because it's all about babka and baking is my love language.

This book is amazing. It can be really hard to find a romance novel that has good disability representation. The romance is adorable, the plot is amazing.

This month the #LiteraryLovelies read Kissing Kosher and it was Chelsey’s pick. This is an adorable Romeo and Juliet style romcom with rivaling bakery families.

Avital Cohen works in her family bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn for two reasons; one is familial duty, but the second reason is she has chronic pain and this allows her to take breaks and rest as needed. But the job is high stress trying to run the bakery with her twin brother, Josh. They decide to hire more help and in walks Ethan, a man with a (made up) resume looking like the perfect candidate. What Avi doesn’t know is that he’s from a rival baking family, and their grandfathers HATE each other. Ethan is going undercover to steal the Cohen’s famous pumpkin spice babka recipe.

But it’s easier said than done, and as Ethan works at Best Babka, the more he likes it. He’s had a rough life with his parents dying young and forced to live with his mean grandfather. But he’s also lived a privileged, wealthy life and never needed to work hard. He went to good schools but it isn’t enough for his grandfather, Moishe.

Avi and Ethan get closer while working together and she finally confides in her condition to Ethan. He’s more than understanding and does anything he can to help her feel better. He’s no longer interested in stealing the recipe- can the two families actually get along?

This was an adorable story. It was fascinating to see what poor Avital had to go through with her pain management. She really suffered and couldn’t live her own life the way she wanted. She had to give up many of her dreams just to survive. Ethan really showed her there’s more to life. Ethan also figured out what to do with his life. After seeing what Avi went though, he knew he wanted to help others. I also liked the explanation of a lot of Jewish customs and traditions. I really learned a lot from this novel.

Thank you @_mira_books @htpbooks and @jeanmeltzer for my gifted book.