I think this was a good story that had an okay development of the romance. I do wish that some parts didn’t drag on so much and I feel like the lying didn’t have the consequences I wanted it to

I'm not crying. Jean has a way of getting to the heart of you. Avital Cohen's chronic pain is heartbreaking, and her journey through that process with the doctors and pain meds is hard to hear about. Ethan is in an abusive relationship with his crazy grandfather.
He will steal the receipt from his grandfather's competitors - he doesn't want to do it. Still, he has to keep his brother and sister safe
. Did he expect to gain life experience, friends, and especially a relationship with Avital Cohen? Nope, but it was all worth it.
I felt for these characters, and I wanted the best for them. The families and the drama were all very heartbreaking, so the ending was super sweet and much-needed

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I LOVE the fact that the female lead lives with a chronic pain condition! While there were some parts that were a bit unrealistic for those living with such conditions (such as a speedy diagnosis and being able to get in quickly to see specialists), it was great to have a book shed some light on chronic pain/illness. Characters are well-crafted and relatable with their flaws and family drama. It also seemed a bit unlikely that the male lead would become a star baker so quickly, but these points aside, I couldn't wait to see what happened next!

Possible TW's: Meltzer tackles some difficult, and timely, topics such as medical marijuana, interstitial cystitis, chronic pelvic pain, fibroids, medical gaslighting, sexual dysfunction, emotionally abusive parents, and loss of a parent.

After hearing the author speak at ALA, there was no way I was missing this one- I'd enjoyed her previous books but knowing more about her background and connection to this story made it extra special. It feels like not just a great romance, but a love letter to her Jewish faith and to the chronic pain community. The exploration of intimacy beyond intercourse is not something I've heard talked about in romance novels before, and I think this is not just a great read but an important one as well.

This book tried to do a lot all at once and that made it a lot to take in. Maybe a little storyline/conflict editing!

A sweet romance with Jewish themes makes this book unique. I liked it but did feel that each main character was carrying a bit too much trauma.

There were moments I truly loved about this, but it didn't give me quite as much joy as Meltzer's second novel and felt like it dragged a bit longer than anticipated. I will always appreciate such a thoroughly Jewish novel though, and this one has perfectly delightful moments that are best read with some challah (and maybe some weed). Great representation, fun moments, but a bit long for me.

Kissing Kosher is a soup of a book. It’s a tasty broth with lots of yummy ingredients but a bit more simmering might have resulted in a more robust product.

Avital Cohen needs help. A lot of help. Her family bakery Best Babka in Brooklyn is understaffed, her dreams of being a world-class photographer are slowly dying with each rejection letter and her love life is sadly DoA. The cherry on top is that she suffers from debilitating chronic pelvic pain caused by her interstitial cystitis. Enter Ethan Rosenberg-Lippmann. With his culinary credentials, he’s way overqualified for the position at the bakery, and his charm – coupled with his outstanding good looks – makes him even more overqualified for the position of a future lover. The fact that he’s even interviewing at Best Babka is surprising – but he is easily the best of all the candidates Avital has spoken to. She hires him against her better judgment because really, a man that talented shouldn’t want to work on the bottom rung of a small kosher bakery.

He doesn’t. Long ago, the Lippmann and Cohen families were partners that started a confectionery business together but the Cohen patriarch drove the Lippmanns out, an act that started a decades-long feud. Ethan has faked a resumé, complete with a litany of culinary schools and fancy restaurants he never attended or worked at, all so he can get into Best Babka and steal their famous pumpkin spice babka recipe.

Not so surprisingly, given this is a romance, Ethan quickly discovers that he loves the charm of working at the small eatery. He’s also pretty wild about his boss, who is beautiful, kind, and smart. There are all sorts of hurdles to any possible romance, though. For one, Ethan is lying to Avital. For another, she blows hot and cold – interested one minute and then shoving him away the next.

Avital doesn’t mean to blow hot and cold but she’s in a difficult position. Her interstitial cystitis is flaring so badly that she’s in constant pain, and her disease means there is almost no chance of having sex – even the mildest tingling of desire can set her vaginal area into agonizing cramps. With feuding families, major dishonesty, chronic illness, and a failure to communicate keeping them apart, can Avital and Ethan actually reach an HEA?

Of course they can, because this is a magic-wand romance where the author enchantingly resolves major issues with minor fixes. In other words, this novel is a strange amalgamation of serious problems – Avital’s disease and how she can’t get help from traditional medicine, Ethan’s abusive grandfather and how Ethan has been forced to circumnavigate ethical behavior because of him, major lies between the hero and heroine, a girl with brain damage being held hostage for Ethan’s compliance – and plentiful humor. Avital’s disorder requires constant aeration of her nether regions and Ethan hilariously sees a full moon when they trip over each other. Ethan becomes besties with a knitting-obsessed ex-con who makes them caps saying “little buddy” and “big buddy”. There’s a pot-smoking rabbi and a brother who is endlessly high but offers excellent life advice. Almost all the secondary characters are eccentric sweethearts – quirky but with lots of charm.

The same can be said of the leads. Avital is a warm, wonderful person from a loving family who treats her employees with oodles of kindness. She is capable of running a successful business while ill, but of course does so in an unconventional manner. Best Babka is all about giving people second chances, and many of the employees have unique backstories. This might also explain why, once she learns that Ethan had been bullied into lying to her, she is all forgiveness and anxious to help him.

Ethan is more confusing. His grandfather was/is hateful, constantly berating him and threatening to hurt Ethan’s brother and sister if Ethan doesn’t jump to his every command. However, Ethan himself is all sunshine – a kind, gentle, caring person, and I simply couldn’t understand how that happened. I would have expected him to need more grit just to survive or to be like his brother and disappear in a fog of cannabis and rebellion. Instead, he is a perfect beta hero, happy to enslave himself to Avital’s every need and want. Avital describes him as her “her rock, her guide, her knight in shining armor”. He’s too wonderful to be real but in many ways that suits the plot. The story is as close to a fantasy as you can get without actually using magic.

A strong positive is that the author clearly knows this. Inconsistency is talked about not just in terms of faith (which in this novel is very inconsistent) but in terms of humanity. People don’t always make sense nor does life, and that’s all part of the adventure. I think the fact that this is a woman’s fiction/romance hybrid also contributes to the story’s disparity; the women’s fiction portion focuses on discussing serious issues but the romance has it delivering a light-hearted love story.

Regarding the faith in the novel: the author is Jewish both culturally and religiously. I, therefore didn’t mark down for the inconsistencies or anything I might have found odd regarding this subject (such as the pot-growing rabbi) in the text. Metzger is a lot more qualified to know what is and isn’t representative of her people and culture than this reviewer.

Whether you enjoy Kissing Kosher or not will depend on how well you are able to suspend disbelief and how good you are at juxtaposing zany humor with information dumps on chronic illness and non-traditional approaches to pain management. There’s a bit less sex but I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys authors like Susan Elizabeth Phillps, Rachel Gibson, Alexis Daria, and Tessa Bailey and who doesn’t mind the lower heat level.

4.5/5⭐️
After reading ‘The Matzah Ball’ and loving it to reading ‘Mr Perfect on Paper’ and deciding it wasn’t for me, I wasn’t sure where I was going to stand with this book.

this book was incredible. it had me tearing up at the dinner table and laughing out loud on the couch at midnight. i felt so many amazing feelings while reading this book. my favourite Jean Meltzer book for sure!

you have avital cohen, manager of ‘Best Babka’, who has chronic pelvic pain and struggles to make it through the day. you have ethan lippman, living with a different type of hurt, the type that comes from a loved one. ethan’s grandfather sends him on an undercover mission to obtain ‘best babka’s’ famous pumpkin spice babka recipe. the anxiety i felt reading this book knowing his secret and being fully aware that avital had no idea!!! unmatched.

their relationship was so wholesome and it was so evident to me how much Ethan cared for Avital in the way that he TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO BAKE FOODS THAT WERE SAFE FOR HER TO EAT?! Are you kidding me?? as a celiac girlie myself that is a dream of mine. to be loved that much that you don’t have to worry about not being able to eat anything at your partners house because they know your allergy like the back of their hand?? Ethan is above the bare minimum. i need somebody like him!

this book was so so good! I love the Jewish representation in all of Jean Meltzer’s books!! I’m gonna need her next one asap please!

Thank you to netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an e-arc!


"You think we're so different," she said, finally. "But we're not. We're both living in chronic pain. Were both just...trying to figure out how to live alongside the things that have hurt us. And maybe we've both made mistakes in the process. I certainly have. But you're not a bad person. You're good and kind, and just in case no one has ever said it to you before, you didn't deserve all the bad things that happened to you."

Kissing Kosher is an amazing romance full of family rivalry, enemies to lovers angst and romance, drama, behind the scenes bakery and food references, and humorous moments. One thing that I absolutely loved is that the main female character has a disability that causes her great pain and difficulty on a daily basis. Despite the odds, she is the general manager of a very popular bakery. She is brave and honest, openly sharing about her disability and advocating for her medical care and fair treatment. Along comes Ethan, a boy who is sent by his curmudgeonly grandfather to steal a recipe from his long-time enemy rival family. When Ethan sees the "enemy" his grandfather talks about, he realizes that he is not going to get out of this situation by making his grandfather happy, because the more time he spends around her, he can't help but be amazed by Avital's strength, kindness, courage, and beauty. What a great romantic comedy with a fun ending!

This is the second Jean Meltzer book I’ve read. And while she writes a good romance, with diverse and interesting characters, I just don’t think she’s for me. The style just doesn’t click. I would, however, still highly recommend this because I know it would work for so many others.

Jean Meltzer is an author who writes romance with Jewish characters that blend family, life and chronic illness. In Kissing Kosher, Avital is dealing with chronic pelvic pain (caused by interstitial cystitis) while trying to run her family’s bakery. She and her brother are partners in the business, but it is not Avital's dream. They are so busy that they have to hire help, and in walks Ethan Lippman/Rosenberg. He claims he has a lot of baking experience, but he is really been sent by his grandfather, Moishe Lippman to steal their prize recipe for pumpkin spice babka. The Lippmans and the Cohens have been fighting for years, but which story is correct dealing with the cause for the feud. As Ethan and Avital work together, they find that they begin to have feelings for one another and share their secrets. Avital wants to be a photographer, but her pain limits what she can do. Ethan has a dysfunctional family that he is dealing with as well as a sister with an acquired brain injury. They are keeping secrets from various people that will blow up any relationship they want to pursue. Can they make this Romeo/Juliette relationship work?

I really liked both Avital and Ethan. They were both dealing with things that most people don't understand. Avital's pain and how it affected her life was well explained and embedded into the story. Some reviewers felt there was too much discussion of her health issues and intimacy, but that is an important side effect of her illness. She didn't want to run a bakery, but didn't have the energy to pursue her dream of being a photographer. Ethan lost his parents in a plane crash when he was young and he and his brother went to live with his unhappy, nasty grandfather. His sister survived the crash, but had an acquired brain injury and was living in an expensive care home. His grandfather blackmailed him into doing his bidding and also verbally abused him so much, that he has little self-esteem. I loved watching their relationship grow. I don't want to spoil this story, so I will just say that I learned a bit about the Jewish Culture as well as Chronic Pelvic Pain. The story also contains information about medicinal marijuana which I had looked into when my husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I learned a bit more about its purpose and delivery. I enjoyed this story of family, friendship, community, as well as seeing how Avital and Ethan became more self-assured and positive in their lives. I recommend this romance to anyone who enjoys reading about different cultures and conditions.

This book was actually both informational and entertaining. I like the love interests. I like the bakery setting for the story. I also like the Romeo and Juliet trope for the love story.

I’ll happily read Jean Meltzer’s romances anytime. Avital (Avi) Cohen co-owns with her twin brother a kosher bakery called Best Babka in Brooklyn. It isn’t her dream but a necessity as it gives her a job she can do while trying to manage her chronic pelvic pain. She hires Ethan who she thinks is a baker. In reality Ethan is the grandson of her family’s rival. Their grandfather’s were partners once before they split each accusing the other of misdeeds. Ethan’s grandfather wants him to steal the signature recipe so they can mass produce it for their company.

Ethan is adorable character and he finds he really likes Avi. They spend time talking while working and he takes a load off her shoulders. Her chronic pain is a huge part of the story and it leads to one of the best showings of the use of medicinal marijuana I’ve seen in a fictional book. I like that Ethan’s secret is shared with Avi before they become intimate (off the page) so I don’t feel she is being deceived. As always Meltzer shows realistic Judaism and makes it very much a part of the story. She explains some Jewish elements and uses words that can be recognized in context of the story. I loved the ending.

I loved the look this book gave to not only the Jewish community but also into the chronic pain community. Learning about some of the Kosher rules that are followed in the bakery and how some things came to be was interesting and added a touch I enjoyed. Not only that but the glimpse into Avi’s chronic pain struggle and her trying to figure out what her life will be going forward.

Now to the romance part of it. Josh wanting to learn all about how to take care of her was by far my favorite part. They had sweet moments simply discovering who the other person was on all levels which I thought was so sweet.

I also loved the community at Best Babka. It was truly portrayed as a bakery family, while it was inconveniently built with its people it was family none the less.

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer is a delightful, entertaining read with some nice surprises; grabbing you and transporting you to the Best Babka bakery in Brooklyn. Avital co-owns a kosher bakery in Brooklyn with her twin brother Josh. She has a health condition which keeps her in almost constant pain, and gave up her dream of being a photographer when she needed more flexible hours. She advertises for help, and a really handsome applicant, Ethan, comes in for an interview. He claims to have gone to culinary school, but his true motive is to obtain the bakery's secret recipe for pumpkin spice babka. His grumpy, elderly grandfather had a falling out with the bakery's founder many years ago; claiming the recipe was stolen from him. Josh worries that Avital will find out, especially as their attraction rises. Hopefully these two can stop the feuding between their families that has gone on for so long. This is a cute bakery romance; I just wish it included recipes. Daring, poignant, brutally honest, and romantic as well as deliciously divine; I highly recommend Kissing Kosher to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I enjoy reading Jean Meltzer's romances (The Matzah Ball and
Mr. Perfect on Paper) because I've learned so much about Jewish customs and traditions, and her newest novel, Kissing Kosher, adds another layer of learning.

Avital manages her family's popular Brooklyn Jewish bakery, Best Babka. Her twin brother is the creative baker, and Avital runs the business end of things. Avital also lives with a chronic illness called Interstitial Cystitis, which causes her disabling pelvic pain that makes everyday living difficult. Doctors haven't been very helpful, they are unable or unwilling to give her pain medication, and nothing else seems to work.

Business has been good at Best Babka, so Avital decides to hire a new person to join their tight-knit crew.
Ethan Rosenberg applies to work there, and Avital hires him unaware that Ethan has an agenda. He has been sent there to steal the recipe for the famous Pumpkin Spice Babka Bread.

Ethan's grandfather Moishe and Avital's grandfather used to be business partners until a serious falling-out resulted in a breakup of the partnership and friendship. The men became sworn enemies, trading insults and expensive lawsuits over the years.

Of course, Ethan is attracted to Avital which complicates matters. The more time he spends at the bakery and with Avital, the less he wants to do his grandfather's bidding, but there are family complications that he can't ignore.

I loved learning all about the bakery business, I found it fascinating. It made me want to search out the closest Jewish bakery near me to try their delicious treats.

Author Jean Meltzer lives with a serious chronic condition and she gives the reader a true look at the challenges of that. Her descriptions are so visceral, the reader can almost feel Avital's pain.

As Ethan and Avital's relationship blossoms, it can only be a matter of time before Avital learns the truth about Ethan's identity. What will happen then?

Once again, Jean Meltzer has created interesting characters and put them in a sticky romantic situation. Kissing Kosher is a little deeper than her previous books, dealing with a serious medical condition that many people (including myself) know little about.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2023 Blog Tours.

This was a beautifully heartfelt and emotional heavy forbidden romance between two Observant Jews in Brooklyn, NYC who hail from two rival families and end up falling in love. Full of AMAZING disability rep (chronic pelvic pain/Interstitial cystitis), intergenerational trauma, grief, food and medicinal marijuana use.

Ethan was the absolute BEST book boyfriend and I was rooting for him and Avital to find a way to overcome their families' feud and figure out a way to be together. I learned so much about the Jewish religion, traditions and sex and found it all fascinating and utterly enthralling. This is Jean Meltzer at her very best and I couldn't get enough!! Great on audio narrated by Dara Rosenberg.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This is perfect for fans of books about reproductive disabilities/chronic pain and authors like Stacey Adgern, Rosie Danan or Uzma Jalaluddin.

Steam level: fade to black, mostly just kissing

Well Jean Meltzer can’t do any wrong in her writing for me. Kissing Kosher is another fantastic read. It is full of heart, hope and of course loss and hurt. I absolutely adore how she captures Jewish culture and makes the reader understand the importance of them. I can’t wait for her next book!!

This was a lovely rom com. It made me laugh and I really enjoyed our main characters, Ethan and Avitel. It was sassy and a little spicy. I was really glad to see some good disability rep in this book.