The cover certainly didn’t present any clues, and neither did the book’s description – although you might well pick them up from the name “Eliza Bloom” and mention of the list of rules – but this book did present me with a bit of dilemma on what constitutes a spoiler. So I’ll (slightly reluctantly) gloss over the reason why Eliza’s always needed to wear a long blue skirt on Thursdays, and simply say that I did find the cultural context for this story a fascinating introduction to a lifestyle and upbringing I knew lamentably little about.

Eliza’s dramatic choice – leaving behind the familiar and entering “the Real World” – did initially seem to be exchanging one set of rules for another, and it raised a whole raft of issues for me around when love might become a tad confused with control. But I think I read the “re-education” situation entirely wrongly, and really did like the changed perception over the years of “the book” and its meaning and purpose. The whole process of trying the new, unfamiliar and previously forbidden – and sometimes the downright frightening and unacceptable – was really well handled, although I did sometimes wonder why the lion’s share of change and trying new things fell only to Eliza.

I will admit to failing to understand Eliza’s overpowering urge to return to her past – I could understand the pull of family and the familiar, but not why she felt the need to put her new life at such risk by doing so much more than simply “going home”. And while I’m admitting things, I’ll also confess that I didn’t entirely take to the younger Eliza – her choices made me a little uncomfortable, and rather than brave and daring I found her rather selfish and self-centred. But I did very much like the way the story unfolded – and I particular enjoyed the way the story was structured and moved between 1999/2000 and the characters’ lives in the present day.

The characters and their interactions were wonderful – the visits to Zaida at the nursing home filled with intrigue and deception, Eliza’s relationship with her sisters and friend Deborah, the steadfast support of brother Dov, and so much more. I also liked the portrayal of Eliza’s father – always the bully, anger growing with his daughter’s defection, then visibly crumbling with the erosion of his power and control. The emotional content is particularly strong too – and I found Alex’s unexpected fragility particularly touching and realistically handled. And there was a nice circle within the plot – while Eliza chose one path, her daughter Leah begins to choose the opposite, and I thought that was particularly well done.

Balancing the drama in the earlier storyline, there’s considerable drama in the present too. The relationship between Eliza and her daughter is in stark contrast to her own family relationships – and if I didn’t entirely take to the young Eliza I most certainly didn’t like her spiky and foul mouthed daughter, although I thought the way she swung between vulnerable small child and all-knowing adult was really well done, and she was unquestionably a very realistic teen.

But enough about the story and characters – I loved the themes too. There’s that whole area of making decisions and choices, with the expectation that the new and different will be somehow better – only to find that what you really want might just be something you already had. There are questions too around love, honesty and loyalty, and the meaning of family – and the fact that you sometimes need to find yourself before you can think about making such life-changing choices.

I always think it’s a really good indication that you’ve enjoyed a book when you have strong feelings about its characters – it’s an acknowledgement that you’ve entered the world they occupy, that they’re entirely real to you even when you might not always agree with their actions, decisions or behaviour. And this certainly is such a book – although to get the full impact, I would suggest that you try to avoid the reviews that mention the story’s context and experience it for yourself. Highly recommended.

The path of religion and love can find many bumps in the road and this book beautifully highlights the joys and losses one can face when following your heart. Beth Miller creates a heartwarming story that envelopes you into the world of Eliza Bloom and allows you to quietly observe her trials and tribulations to be with the one she loves.

Judaism is not just a religion but a way of life and with that comes many responsibilities which to the outside eye may seem strict and restricting. Eliza has to make the hardest decision of her life and this book portrays the importance of love, family and the bond that ties the two together. This is a moving piece that will open your eyes and your heart. I loved taking this journey with Eliza and feel enlightened and privileged for the experience.

Such interesting and timely subject matter. I think we all know or know of someone who has been tossed from their family for some reason be it religion or just who they are or at least have heard of it happening. It was and yet it wasn’t. Possibly it was because it hit close to home and brought back memories of a friend planning her wedding alone and no one in her family being there and walking her down the aisle or because the the 2 main characters were so flawed and immature. I cannot imagine for any reason, religion, belief that a parent would sit shiva for their child and consider them dead. She didn’t do anything other than fall in love and every parent should want what makes their child happy and be loved. To force a child into an arranged marriage when it is not one she or he wants is abuse. Her dad is a mean nasty unforgiving man and her mother has never had any power so goes along with him. So sad and shameful. Regardless of the religion this scenario happens more than it should. Once is more than too many times for a family to toss out their kids. There is no excuse for that. EVER.
The couple may be in love, but boy do they have problems. The wife is trying to navigate the “real world” with a husband who is so judgmental, unbending and at times unforgiving. He wants her to give up everything and has a list. He wants her to do everything he deems as normal NOW and gets more than a little pissy and obnoxious when she has a difficult time. Too much too soon for her and slowing it down is not his way and yet he does absolutely nothing help her gently assimilate. Throwing someone into the deep end of the pool does not usually end well! He wooed her, but once he got her it was all about him all of the time. She went from frying pan into the fire. She is so uncomfortable that she starts sneaking around, reconnecting with her brother and her Zaida and hiding it. It is a terrible choice and yet she doesn’t want crap from her husband. She should not have to sneak and yet I understand why she opts to do so. Secrets are so unhealthy and as they fester they can slowly and quietly destroy the foundation of any relationship. Their daughter is a spoiled rotten kid who has grownup not knowing the secrets, but knowing that there were plenty. No surprise she went behind her parents backs and came up with crazy conclusions. The cousins were like the main characters dad. Mean spirited and unlikable.
All of that said, it was a really interesting read that was well written and realistic. Not an easy read, but worth it. It is about an Orthodox woman and family, but could be interchanged with any deeply devout group. This offers a window into what can happen when you choose religion over love of family.

I don't know what I was expecting with 'The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom', but this wasn't it - and no I don't mean that in a bad way! I guess I just assumed that the storyline was going to be the slushy romantic kind, and it wasn't like that at all. In fact it couldn't have been more different.

I'm not a Jew, nor do I practice any type of religion, so reading a book where the main theme of the storyline was centred around a Jewish woman and her faith, was quite eye opening. It's not that I have ignored the faith over the years, it's just that I have never had the need to find out more about it in my own personal life. I had no idea how many rules there are for women regarding their love life, food choices, clothing choices, association with other faiths. I also had no idea just how much of a divide it could cause if someone were to go against their faith and choose a different path in their own life. I'm sure you know where I'm going with this - yes, Eliza Bloom was the rebel, the one who chose to start a new life after listening to her heart and not the opinions of her parents.

Brave? Yes, I thought she was. I mean, I can't judge someone who lives a different faith to me, nor can I comment in depth on something I don't fully understand due to not living that lifestyle myself. So yes, I thought she was brave as she put her life on the line with no guarantee of a happy outcome.

I actually really enjoyed following Eliza's journey as well as meeting some rather unsavoury and colourful characters along the way. It was clear to see that Eliza loved her family, but on the other side of the coin I could see why her loved ones were upset. Now, as for Alex, I'm sitting on the fence with that one I must admit.

'The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom' was such a life affirming, eye-opening and often humorous read which allowed me to see how different lives are lived. I thought that Beth Miller captured the essence of her characters wonderfully, and I loved how she was able to convey the Jewish faith in a way that people like me would be able to understand. This book is definitely an unexpected little gem.

A thought provoking story packed with culture, family, and choices.

This was a well told story about an Orthodox Jewish Woman struggling to find where she truly belongs. Eliza has lived her first 20 something years sheltered by the Orthodox Jewish religion, no television, no cell phones, strict rules about food and dress and ultimately an arranged marriage. I found this to be a terribly interesting and unique premise. I loved getting to know Eliza and I found the orthodox Jewish culture and customs fascinating. This is a complicated story with no easy answers, it was about life, choices, and how no matter how hard you try things can get very messy. Now if you are taking another look at the cover and the blurb and wondering if I am actually talking about this book, the answer is yes! This book in my opinion was done a disservice by the blurb and cover. Both the cover and blurb imply a fun fluffy lighthearted read that will make you “laugh out loud“. Now there are some humorous moments in the story but I found this to be a much more serious story than I anticipated based on blurb and cover. Additionally the books that the book was compared to were confusing, this is a good book that I don’t believe can really be compared to any previous book.

A complicated tale with a dysfunctional Love story. I would certainly not classify this as a romance, the love story in this book is a mess. Both Eliza and Alex do some pretty questionable things. Eliza ran away with Alex on the day she was supposed to marry Nathan, see it is complicated. Alex is not an Orthodox Jew and he is eager to show Eliza the ways of the “real world“. Alex’s methods are sometimes a little interesting borderline creepy, and Eliza is not quite sure what she wants. The book jumps between present and past so when Eliza and Alex‘s teenage daughter finds a picture Tucktaway in a shoebox it leads to many questions.

This was an engaging heartwarming story. The characters weren’t always likable, and they don’t always make the best choices, but they are real. Life is messy and some choices are more difficult to make than others. This book really made me think what would I do in this situation? Also made me look back on some choices I have made in my own life. I truly enjoyed the story, and that ending was perfection, absolutely loved it!

<h1>🎵🎵🎵Song Running Through My Head</h1>

<i>Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
And you fall, and you crawl, and you break
And you take, what you get, and you turn it into
Honesty and promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
No, no, no
You come, over unannounced
Dressed up, like you're something else
Where you aren't where it's at you see
You're making me
Laugh out, when you strike your pose
Take off, all your preppy clothes
You know, you're not fooling anyone
When you become
Somebody else
'Round everyone else
You're watching your back
Like you can't relax
You're trying to be cool
You look like a fool to me
Tell me...</i>

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPBIwQyPWE

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

I requested this based on the comparisons to Eleanor Oliphant, which I loved, but this was nothing like that and I was pretty disappointed. I don’t like romance novels at all, but I can cope with the occasional love story, but this wasn’t even that, it’s about the relationship between two unpleasant dysfunctional people who think what they have is love.

Aliza Bloom has grown up in a strict orthodox Jewish family in North London, with an abusive father, doormat mother and six siblings. She’s always been a bit of a rebel, so when she runs away from her arranged marriage to a nice Jewish boy with the first good looking guy she meets, she believes she is finally free to live and love as she wants, but being estranged from her family is harder than she thinks, and soon the bonds of family and culture are calling her back. Fifteen years later, her teenage daughter has decided that she wants to be Jewish and her attempts to reconnect with the family open up old secrets which will once again threaten her marriage.

The reason Eleanor Oliphant was such a great book was that the protagonist had such a huge heart, and grew as a person to let others into her lonely life. Aliza/Eliza is not a nice character - she’s a selfish, cowardly lying bitch, and behaves no better at 39 than she did at 23. Neither is Alex an admirable hero or desirable husband: his behaviour from the start is controlling and driven by his own lust. While it is Eliza who chooses to run away, he’s the one who makes her try all sorts of things she’s deeply uncomfortable with - from bacon butties to period sex. To portray their relationship as based on love, when they married after two weeks so they can have legitimate sex, and then can’t be honest with each other, was to me quite disturbing. I didn’t find it funny at all and think the blurb is quite misleading.

I did find the bits about Jewish culture, food and rules interesting (I have one quarter Jewish ancestors but was brought up completely non-religious) and there were some good secondary characters like Dov the loyal brother, and Deborah the kindly friend, but overall this book was a disappointment. I also agree with other reviewers about the changed cover, the original heart one was at least interesting while the girl with the umbrella makes no sense.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom is published today.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and their story. It was funny, heartwarming and sad. Eliza's journey and her battles with her family and faith are well written. I was totally engrossed in this story and thought it was memorable.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This was such a wonderful book, and I actually finished it the same day I started it. The story follows Eliza (Aliza) Bloom, who grows up in an orthodox Jewish family. She meets and shortly after marries Alex, who introduces her to a world outside of what she knows. I loved following Eliza’s journey of self-discovery, and the novel was just so heart-warming.

This is the story of a young Jewish woman, Eliza Bloom. Coming from a very strict Jewish family, Eliza was the shining example of what a good Jewish girl should be. Fast forward 15 years, and Eliza’s life is very different. She is married and has a teenage daughter, Leah. But when Leah finds a photo hidden in a shoebox, she begins to ask questions which may just bring Eliza’s life crashing down.

Whatever I expected this book to be like, it certainly wasn’t this! This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but by golly it won’t be my last! I’ve seen two different covers for this book, and whilst I would have read the book with either of the covers, the covers don’t really convey what this book is really about! I have to admit also, the blurb doesn’t really give much away so when I started this book I didn’t really know what to expect.

Eliza comes from a Jewish family in Hackney, East London. To someone who isn’t part of the Jewish faith, Eliza’s life must seem completely alien. Amongst other things, she wears long sleeved tops and long skirts, has a scarf to cover her hair, she can’t be alone with a man who isn’t part of her family and she has no idea of popular culture, never being allowed to watch TV or listen to music. The story is told from two times in Eliza’s life. Firstly in 2001 when she was a young woman who was on the verge of marrying a man whom her family had chosen, and then 15 years later when Eliza is married and has a teenage daughter of her own. The switches between timescales are done simply and without confusion, leaving me perfectly clear as to what part of Eliza’s life I was in.

Meeting the young Eliza was fascinating. I’ve heard of the Jewish faith, and learnt about it in Religious Education classes at school, but never realised how strict the faith was. Being set in East London, predominantly Hackney where Eliza lived as a child I’d forgotten that there was a large Jewish community in these areas. To Eliza the Jewish traditions which her family followed were the norm, but whilst I understood her faith and beliefs, I did find the storyline involving her father to be quite upsetting.

The storyline flips us back and forth through Eliza’s life. Whilst this isn’t mentioned in the blurb, I don’t really think this is a spoiler, Eliza falls in love with Alex, who isn’t Jewish. When she leaves to be with Alex, the transition into her secular life is so emotional and I really felt for her when she was trying to keep to her beliefs but also try to fit into Alex’s life. I also felt for Alex and you can feel how frustrating it must have been for him to try and understand and accommodate Eliza’s beliefs. My heart broke for the pair of them and left me on the verge of tears for most of the book.

When the story moves later in Eliza’s life, we find her daughter Leah has discovered a photograph which prompts her to ask questions about the family. The story cleverly moves between present and past to keep the reader in the loop as to what is happening and everything in the present day storyline is explained. There are some questions being asked by Leah, but whilst I could guess how the book was going to play out, it was a really interesting journey to get to the answers.

The characters within the storyline are all great, although I wouldn’t say they were all likeable as there were some I disliked from the start. It was certainly a real eye opener into the Jewish faith and how different the lives were for the devout Jewish community in this country. The storyline was wonderful and I found myself being hooked from the very first page with Eliza, Alex and Leah’s story. It wasn’t all doom and gloom though, I found myself enlightened by many parts and others bought a smile to my face. This was completely different to what I was expecting when I started this book, but I’m so pleased it was. Every now and then a book comes along which leaves you thinking about it for a long time after I finished it. This was one of those books! A mesmerising story which I would highly recommend.

Unfortunately not a huge fan of this one. I requested it because the cover was cute (the heart one, not the umbrella) and the synopsis sounded interesting. I kind of went into it expecting a romance and it is 100% not a romance. As a romance this is a 1 star book. Thinking it was a romance is my fault though, so I am giving it 2 stars based on it being more of a 'women's fiction/realistic fiction' kind of book. Maybe this is realistic in terms of marriages and relationships and I've certainly read worse in general fiction books, but they didn't turn me off quite like this one - maybe because I was expecting a love story and there are some things you just can't forgive in a romance book.. not that this is a romance book, so I really just need to get over that.

Moving on. This book was a bit of a struggle to get through at first. Slowly paced and frustrating characters. I didn't know what was happening and I didn't care as much as I wanted to. But it wasn't awful and I was thinking 3 stars. Then just before 50% you find out something and I was so turned off, so disgusted in this book, that I almost DNF'd it. Are you freaking kidding me? But I had to remind myself - this is not a romance, you can't judge it like one... also I was reading it for a challenge and it was too late to choose another book. But I never got over it, and every time it is brought up, I was annoyed all over again.

Aliza/Eliza is so freaking unlikable. She is so selfish. I could not handle all of her lying. Alex was okay at times, but insecure and selfish as well. They obviously got married way too quickly, which had to happen because of Nathan and all that, but she wasn't ready for all the real world stuff and he was a bit mean about pushing her into things and not caring about her 'laws'. that being said, Eliza pissed me off by not compromising, you *left* your world and married Alex, you don't get to keep all of your laws. You just don't. I feel like both of them had an idea of their spouse and when that spouse didn't perform perfectly, they took it out on each other.


So the thing that happens at 50% paired with the characters and the way they treat each other made me not enjoy this book. I'm giving it 2 stars, because again, thinking it was a romance was my fault, but they are a generous 2 stars.

Like always, when I dislike a book, I hate feeling that way. I am no writer and kudos to the author for writing a book! I am sure it is not easy and it's especially hard to get negative reviews. but there is no such thing as a book for everyone and we can't like every book we read. i truly hope this book finds its way into the hands of readers who will enjoy it.

What a wonderfully uplifting story. I found myself totally immersed in the story and loved every moment. It's chock full of love and quite a lot of laughter.

The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom is a story of identity, love, choice and family. Eliza (or Aliza) Bloom runs away from her religious Jewish life to marry Alex, a non-Jewish man. Years later, her teenage daughter unlocks family secrets to reveal that moving on (and leaving the past behind) wasn't so straightforward after all. Eliza breaks the taboos and traditions of her religion to try new foods and new experiences, determined to please her new husband (who wants to introduce her to the 'wonders' of the 'real world'). This provides a good introduction to Orthodox Judaism (especially the more religious communities) for those who know little about it. It isn't always easy reading though, as Eliza struggles with her new identity and is torn between her old life (love for Judaism and her family, especially her grandfather, Zaida) and her new life (love for Alex and the excitement he provides). Some of her 'new experiences' did make me cringe, having been brought up with many of the Jewish traditions myself. This is an easy read, with a well-rounded mix of laughs, sensitivity and sadness. The book also raises interesting questions though, such as 'Is the grass always greener?' and 'Is it wise to make spur-of-the-moment life-changing decisions without knowing the full facts?'

A heartwarming and beautiful book, The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom by Beth Miller is the story of Aliza, a young woman brought up in the orthodox Jewish faith in London, who falls in love with a non Jewish man, Alex. Defying her family and her faith to be with him would be difficult enough, but to compound the problem she is engaged to Nathan , a devout man chosen for her by her parents, with her agreement. Despite her doubts she agrees to go ahead with the wedding, but on the morning of her big day she realises that she must listen to her heart and be with the man she truly loves. Leaving her family and faith behind she flees with Alex , but adjusting to life in a secular world proves more challenging than she ever expected. As Alex helps her to broaden her horizons she begins to build a new life for herself, and for a very long time she succeeds but eventually parts of her old life come creeping back, and Eliza as she is now known , finds herself torn between her two worlds once more, risking the loss of her husband and the family they have built together.
There are moments in this book that will have you chuckling ,and moments that may have you wiping away a tear, moments that will make you want to shake Eliza in frustration and moments that will make you want to give her a reassuring hug, but through it all Eliza is uniquely and completely herself, a memorable character that is easy to relate to and root for.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book was quite an eye opener for me. I know that different religions have different rules, but I never realized how strict they could be. Well, maybe it’s not really true what I say, because they are strict to us but for them it’s only natural. For them it’s how it’s supposed to be, no questions asked. But there are rebels everywhere who don’t want to take everything for granted.

So we meet Aliza and when Alex come onto the scene he seems like the perfect escape route. Aliza can leave her old life behind and takes a step into ‘the real world’. Alex is very keen on showing her everything he loves and convincing her to try it as well. But which one is the real girl? Eliza or Aliza?

The author gives us the chance to follow Aliza. She lets us into her life where she is figuring out where she belongs. But does she have to choose or is there something like the golden mean? She goes back and forth and and past mixes with present. When a secret is revealed, it’s one more thing that adds to the pile of issues.

A story that shows that love between family and friends does not die when one person does something devastating and terribly wrong in the eyes of others. There might be a crack in the bond but it will never break completely. 4 stars.

Thank you, Beth Miller, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I wanted to love this book. I really really did. but I had a hard time believing the love between Aliza and Alex. Do I believe they were in love? No, I believe they were in lust and at points I did not like Alex at all and to be honest I didn't like Aliza (Or Eliza as she became in an attempt to get her use to Western Culture and not the orthodox ways she was used to). I just had a hard time buying this as a love story

The comparisons to Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Britt-Marie was Here truly missed the mark on this one. This would not have been on my radar were it not for these comparisons and I found myself disappointed.

I received the Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom by Beth Miller as an ARC from NetGalley. I love this book! It was such a heartwarming story about true love. Eliza Bloom is a Jewish girl who is expected to marry Nathan in an arranged marriage but this she meets Alex. She decided to go for true love and hopes that she can still be a part of her family. This book will keep you enthralled throughout, I highly recommend it,

The Two Hearts Of Eliza Bloom is a different kind of read for me but one that I enjoyed and read in a day!
Eliza is 23 and lives at home with her Jewish family, following traditional beliefs with the rest of her brothers and sisters. She has turned down quite a few men for marriage and her parents are getting frustrated but then Nathan is brought forward and this she decides is the man she will marry, but a chance meeting with Alex has her doubting everything and on the day of her marriage to Nathan she runs away with Alex. Her family disown her but Alex is showing her so much in the big world that she can now do that her times for missing them are few until she hears her grandfather is in a care home and visits him and tries to get back within her family.
The book bounces between the years of meeting Alex and the non marriage to Nathan to current time when her daughter finds Eliza’s memory box and deduces that Alex isn’t her dad.
This was an interesting read that took Eliza on a big journey and it was fun to go with her and see her cultures and beliefs be overturned for Alex.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

At the start of this book we learn that Eliza Bloom left Nathan on the day of their wedding and ran off to marry Alex. It’s 16 years later - we know Eliza and Alex are still married but are dealing with some challenges. From there, the story alternates back and forth between present day and when they first met.

This book brought up some interesting questions - about how to make big decisions when you have limited knowledge, when to tell “little lies” to protect someone you love and what to do as they spiral and how to know if you’re making the right choices.

I frequently found myself very frustrated by choices that Eliza made - hurting others in her life repeatedly. I kept wanting to jump in and stop her - or yell at her to make a better choice! Unfortunately - this wasn’t a choose your own adventure story so I was along for the adventure as it happened. I am happy with where the book ultimately ended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 Stars

The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom by Beth Miller is a book that I find difficult to review. At first, I admit that I was drawn in by the synopsis and the adorable cover. As the book progresses, it becomes evident that there are some problematic elements to the story that are hard to overlook.

At first glance, The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom does appear to be a book that is going to be charming and bring out all the feels. The comparison to one of my favourite reads, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine had me super excited to give this book a try. Unfortunately, the two books are not similar at all. Where Honeyman’s Eleanor is quirky and adorable, Miller’s Aliza is annoying and frustrating.

❀ LOTS OF DRAMA

Eliza breaks free from her life as an Orthodox Jew because she falls in love with a man from “the real world.” Her actions become aggravating to read, as she weaves a web of lies that she hides from her husband, friend, and family. It is hard to empathize with this character because she seems to create so much unnecessary drama.

❀ TRIGGER WARNINGS

It is not easy to review some aspects of this book without giving away the plot. However, there are quite a few triggers warnings to point out, including physical and emotional abuse. While these issues are ones that appear in quite a few contemporary novels, they are handled poorly in this particular book.

While, on the surface The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom seems to be a feel-good contemporary, it falls short. The main character is annoying and the story does not deal with issues of abuse appropriately. Unfortunately, it didn’t charm me as much as I had hoped.