I love Jean Meltzer! I love the representation her books contain and I enjoy learning about the Jewish faith and traditions. This book was very sweet and addresses so many things you often don’t see in a romcom—chronic illness, grief, trauma—unless it’s one written by Jean Meltzer!

A modern day Romeo & Juliet with a happy ending...woven with Jewish culture throughout. Meltzer's books do an amazing job of bringing some very difficult issues, including both medical and life experiences, to life in a way that is respectful to those who suffer with them and yet not overwhelming for the reader. The writing is both serious and witty, setting a perfect pace for an adventure. I will have to add this one to my shelf when it comes out in print! The supporting cast here was also full of great characters...my favorite being, of course, Tootles.

Fun and engaging rom com, with likable characters and slightly contrived plot, but who minds that when the meet cute, fight cute, get back together cute works so well? Notable for Jewish representation and for representation of disability and recommended to fans of light hearted HEA romances.

Kissing Kosher: A Novel by Jean Meltzer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s official. I’m a Jean Meltzer book addict. I just finished Mr. Perfect on Paper when I saw an opportunity to read an advanced copy of Kissing Kosher on NetGalley. I gobbled this book up in 24 hours. What did I love about it? The yiddishkeit is what really draws me to Jean Meltzer’s books, starting with The Matzah Ball. I love seeing elements of Judaism threaded throughout the text. Jean has a knack for explaining Jewish traditions, rituals, and even language without it seeming forced or hearing the author’s “voice”. Then there’s the romcom aspect. Funny, romantic, but with real world issues. In this case, (tw) verbal abuse, chronic disease, and pain management. The only bad thing is now I will probably have to wait what will seem like a lifetime for Jean’s fourth book!

This is a special edition of Your Next Jewish Read. Kissing Kosher: A Novel by Jean Meltzer (Author of Mr. Perfect on Paper) will be available on August 29, 2023.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for this book and I absolutely love it. This is my first book hangover in a long time!

A romance between dueling families, with generations of wealth and sorrow. I love this book because it also portrays life with chronic illness and how that affects every facet of one's life. Childhood trauma is another topic tackled, along with taking care of a special needs adult and responsible and helpful marijuana use. "Kissing Kosher" is also fully Jewish, and learning more about these traditions in a contemporary setting was really informative. I also really enjoyed the foray into normalizing marijuana use, in same context of having an alcoholic drink.

While this book does delve deep into some serious/triggering issues, I truly thought it was handled beautifully and respectfully.

I highly recommend reading this book when it's available to the public on August 29th!

I recently read "Kissing Kosher" by Jean Meltzer, and it had me laughing out loud from beginning to end. A sweet, spicy, romantic story full of misadventures.