*2.5 stars*

When I requested this book to review, I was pumped to find a Passover romance, and one with a deaf main character at that. It was both exciting and refreshing, and I couldn't wait to dive in. Of course, this year, my big at-home Passover seder with my extended family is completely cancelled (if you are reading this from the future, Covid- 19 sucks and ruins everything), so this book gave me big twangs of nostalgia and regret. While I was wistful reading some scenes and happy about how the author crafted parts of the story, other aspects of the book made me want to bang my head against the wall.

First of all, I love how the author handled the MC being deaf (as the author is hard of hearing herself, it's no wonder she did such a great job with it). I love romance books with interesting main characters, and I loved the challenge of an MC with communication barriers. I also loved the level of "Jewishness" of the story. As someone who is Jewish but, uh, a lazy practitioner, I enjoyed the culturally Jewish aspects of the story. I liked how both MCs were Jewish and related to the rituals, but weren't fanatical about the details of the holiday. Personally, that's how I practice, and so it was fun to read about as well. I also loved how the author didn't make the story out to be a Hebrew School lesson. It was mildly didactic, but mostly just something that both Jews and non-Jews could relate to and understand.

However, though the author did those aspects of the story very well, the romance was sorely lacking. I hate the "silly misunderstanding" plot device, and the author used it here and used it hard. So much could have been resolved with some simple texting. It wasn't necessary to have characters storming out on one another and not explaining things when everything was SO simple to explain. It was frustrating to no end how these two didn't communicate. You'd think that the language barrier would be the biggest issue but it was their own stupidity that did them in!

I also just didn't see why these guys liked each other all that much. I didn't get the whole "I like to fix women with issues" thing the male MC kept saying, and I didn't see how one weekend together with lots of awkwardness could possibly lead to love. Really missed the chemistry and the romance. I wish I had felt the love, since I loved that this was a Passover romance with a character with a disability, but it just wasn't there.

A decent read in many ways, but missed the mark as a romance for me. I look forward to more of these types of books from this author in the future.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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Matzah Ball was, hands down, one of my most highly anticipated contemporary romance releases in a very long time. I am currently trying to pick up some ASL and seeing that the main character is Jewish (I mean the book title literally screams “Passover food!”) made me super intrigued about the story. It’s diversity on a whole new level!

The book follows Gaby Fineberg, a woman who comes from a big Jewish family and who recently broke up with her boyfriend. Passover is just around the corner and since big families can get super nosy, she decides to ask out Levi Miller — a guy she just met at the gym — to pose as her fake boyfriend over the holidays so she can avoid awkward questions. With nothing seemingly connecting them — not even verbal language — the following days are destined to be one whirlwind of chaos and misunderstandings.

It was really easy to fall for the two main characters, Gaby and Levi. The book is told in dual POV, allowing each of them to have their own unique voices. Whereas Gaby was exactly the quirky, somewhat insecure but yet super fun character that I expected her to be, Levi was a whole different level. Seeing him being the professional disciplined deaf man with his own personal issues who eventually loosens up, you could feel the chemistry right between the two of them. I loved the easiness between them, seeing them fall for each other, as well as the way small gestures suddenly played a much bigger role in their lives since “standard” talking is not possible. Picking up these small hints and overcoming the challenges in communication was such a delicate feature of this book.
Now let’s talk about the big bear in the room: What initially drew me to this book was my curiosity to see how the author would translate non-verbal communication into dialogues in the book. In the end, it was really well executed! This book gave me a lot of insight on not only the everyday life challenges of deaf people, but also on how the deaf/hard of hearing community rolls. Their scenes were always really fun, and seeing their culture being integrated so well into the story was such a surprise twist. Before picking up the book I was afraid to have awkward feelings towards reading about a deaf character but none of this was to be true! Instead we learn a lot about life from their perspectives, e.g. how typing on phones are crucial for communicating with the outside world or seeing ASL beginners struggle with ASL. It was really cool how the author left some hints here and there on how to sign certain words too!
In addition, we also learn a lot about Jewish culture in modern America — something I have never seen being played out in a book before, so that was really interesting! With Gaby’s weirdly adorable family, it was no wonder this book left me charmed.

The only flaw I saw with this book was that the story takes place in a relatively short amount of time so the backgrounds of the caracters were not necessarily fully explored. I would have loved to see Gaby and Levi’s relationship being played out more, but given the story’s background, it definitely made up for it. Ultimately, Matzah Ball was a super light contemporary read that you will read in one sitting. Definitely recommend!

Both the cover and the blurb were cute, and bonus, the story featured a non-Christian holiday; how could I pass this up?

The book mostly lived up to it's blurb; it was cute, sweet, and lovely. I loved Gaby and Levi together; they made a great couple, though communication was a problem. Levi kept secrets from Gaby, lied to her, and made her feel foolish. One of Levi's secrets was that he was Jewish, the same as Gaby. But he wasn't clear about that and Gaby didn't realize he was Jewish. Why didn't he say something when he realized her mistake? It was stupid and could have been cleared simply. They had one other communication issue and that was Gaby's lack of ASL knowledge. Gaby and Levi communicate via cellphones while she learns ASL, which I thought was a clever technique. Levi, who teaches ASL at a college, also teaches Gaby, and she is an enthusiastic learner. She makes mistakes but accepts correction gracefully. Brown did a fantastic job showing Levi interacting with his hearing family and his deaf friends. Levi's deafness affects his life of course, but it wasn't his defining feature. It was a part of who he was just as Gaby's hearing was a part of her.

Another good feature was that while neither of their families is perfect, neither are they dreadful. They're decent families, trying their best, and making mistakes. The way they worked through their issues with their families was adult and realistic. Levi had some difficulties concerning his x-fiancée Monica and honesty with his family, but he eventually does the right thing. I will say, I thought Levi was spineless when it came to Monica. His behavior felt less like respect for her and total wimpiness on his part.

Brown did a good job showing us traditions and familial togetherness. Holidays can be stressful, it's why Gaby invited Levi to be her fake date, but we also see the joy and fun. Levi, attending Seder at Gaby's family home, sees differences in how they conduct the ceremony and Seder traditions from how his family does them. They're not wrong, just different, and he respects that. I also enjoyed seeing and learning more about Passover and Seders.

Some things I didn't enjoy - Levi had a savior complex, both Leo and Gaby needed to be more assertive, and the ending was rushed and a bit abrupt. Still, "Matzah Ball Surprise" was an easy, enjoyable read.

I loved this book!

My review was printed at All About Romance on March 15, 2020. The link is here: https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/matzah-ball-surprise-by-laura-brown/

I also posted my review on my own Goodreads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3232468579?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1

DNF @ 14% — I really really wanted to love this book, what with its double whammy of diversity. I rarely find religious diversity books, so I was super excited!

But. *sigh* I had a hard time getting sucked into this one. The writing was okay, but I wasn’t connecting with Gaby (or her friend), or Levi, and seeing the obvious set up for miscommunication, I just didn’t have the heart to keep going when I knew it was likely going to annoy me. Plus, right now, I need some happy reads, so I think I’m giving up early.

I was also a bit incredulous that a deaf man wouldn’t be able to read lips AT ALL. Maybe I’m totally mistaken, but it just seems really unlikely in this day and age. I should ask a hearing impaired friend her opinion, but I’m already dibs out, so oh well.

Basically, it’s me, not the book. I mean, I doubt I would have flat out loved it, but I bet it would have been a solid 3 stars when all was said and done.

This was more of a 3.5 star read for me, but not good enough to be a 4 star rating. I really liked the premise of this story, being especially excited for a deaf hero, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I had some issues with both characters to start off with. Levi drove me absolutely nuts because he was so spineless when it came to Monica the ex-fiancée. I hated that entire situation, and it really drug an otherwise great character down for me. However, on the other hand, I honestly could not believe that Gaby would automatically ask Levi out to her parent's house, without knowing a stitch about him! It just didn't work for me, and it really dragged the plot down for me, which I was already struggling to engage with.

All things considered, it was a quick read, and mildly interesting as well, but it just didn't work for this reader.

This book was completely adorable and I couldn't put it down. I love a book with characters who overcome their disabilities and this is the first book that I have read where the hero was deaf. I felt like I was getting a glimpse into a culture I was unfamiliar with and it reminded me the best part about reading. I also loved that the setting centered around Passover, which is my favorite holiday. I could not have been more excited to see the accurate representation of Jewish culture in modern America depicted in this book. I found myself finger spelling along with the story as Levi taught Gabby new words.

The plot of this book is that Gabby needs a date for Passover, so her mom won't set her up with one or nag at her for being single. She asks the hot guy at her gym, turns out he's deaf, but after she helps him out of a pickle, he agrees to be her fake date. Expected fake date hilarity ensues, as does an interesting take of what it is like for someone with hearing impairments to be at a party or social gathering on the outside looking in.

I wish we got more time with Levi and Gabby as a couple, I definitely feel like there is more to their story and I would 100% be down for a story of them learning to make their relationship work long term, Maybe Rosh Hashonah Rendezvous.... just an idea.

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review

Woman needs a boyfriend finds a "hottie" he happens to be deaf and both are Jewish and need dates for holiday meals with family.





************I received an ARC for my honest opinion.******************

3.5 stars

A fun story with the fake dating trope!

I have read many books set during the holidays, often Christmas, but never one during Passover. It was fun to learn a bit about the traditions as I read.

Gaby needs someone to go with her to Passover at her mother's house. She doesn't want to be bothered over a recent break up. When she spots Levi at the gym he seems perfect for the job even though they've never met. Surprisingly, he agrees to help and their friendship and more grow from there. There are some communication challenges as Levi is deaf and Gaby does not speak ASL.

I liked both Gaby and Levi. Gaby felt a bit more three dimensional to me, but I think that is because the story centers around her and her family relationships for the most part. The story is told in dual POV, and as the author is hard of hearing I liked getting to see things from Levi's perspective.

Always a joy to read an Entangled Publishing book and this book was a breath of fresh air! There are a lot of fake boyfriend trope books out there in romancelandia right now but this one had a bit of a new spin on it and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I fell in love with the storyline! A well-written, well-developed book that you will not be disappointed in. Also a bit of a romcom so if that's your jam, pick this one up today! For the full audio review, see https://wickedcoolflight.net!

3.5 Stars
This was a new author for me, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Overall, the book had a good plot and adorable characters but there were scenes that I thought didn’t transition smoothly. I had to reread parts to figure out what was going on. I loved the characters and the “fake date” was a great storyline. The author was able to get across the difficulties people with hearing disabilities face in the daily world. It certainly made me more aware of the obstacles they must overcome and the strength of character they have. I would have liked to have a more detailed ending, maybe giving us a glance at the couple’s future. It was a fun book to read with lots of humor.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Needing to slip into bits of just plain ole romance especially lately this came to my attention. This is the first time coming across this author also so bonus day. Another score as I read this one is the humor that is laced through out which seems to be a trend for me lately. Gaby and Levi take us through their tale with it also having the Passover as the starter. Levi though will give her more than a hello among what else was asked once he figures out she is addressing him it unfolds to be more than expected. Helping each other out will seem to be the situation but the fun in that is seeing how things like that really turn out. They usually spiral into something of their own with us being the winners in the spinning. The ending is the sweet surprise with it being a delight to have read.

I was beyond excited when I saw that there was a romance coming out that incorporated Passover as a main theme in the book. In fact, I may have squealed and shot off a rambling email saying that I NEEDED the book right now! LOL.
Passover is my favorite holiday ever. It incorporates all my loves: tradition, history, memory, community, family, story, and song. And now I finally get to read a book that takes place at the Passover seder in my favorite genre — romance! Thank you so much, Laura Brown, for this gem of a romcom. I truly hope to see more books like this from you in the future!
Matzah Ball Surprise is a fun and flirty read. This romcom hits all those great spots… wit, laugh out loud moments, and believable characters that you could see sitting down and sharing a meal with.
Gaby needs a date to her family's seder (ceremonial meal to celebrate the start of Passover) in order to get them off her back. So she decides to ask the hunk that she has been ogling while she works out. She gathers up the courage to ask him to be her fake date (what a fun trope!), but… he doesn't hear her. Levi, it turns out, is deaf. Let the fun and shenanigans ensue as this unlikely pair try to fool Gaby's family for the holiday.
I loved how Laura Brown seamlessly integrated both Levi being deaf and the Jewish holiday into the story. Neither seemed like just a prop or setting... both were integral to the story itself. I could just imagine how easy it would be to feel like an outsider at a seder when conversation and songs flow around the table the entire time. I appreciated how this experience with his fake date's family made him appreciate his own family that much more. I think it is so natural for us as humans to focus on what isn't right, what could be better, that we sometimes don't appreciate how good we have it.
The characters in this book were great. I loved how their imperfections made them so much more realistic. From our main couple to the family and friends they were surrounded by. These were characters you could imagine bumping into in your own life. And can we talk chemistry? Gaby and Levi had it in spades! I couldn't wait for them to rip off each other's clothes and realize how good they truly were together.
I found Matzah Ball Surprise to be a delightful read. One that I can see myself re-reading next year just in time for Passover! I am hoping (begging) that we can see some of the side characters get their own story (I would love to see books with Meyer, Monica & Izzy!)

3.5 Stars!

​​​​​I love a good holiday romance and Matzah Ball Surprise is definitely a huge step in the right direction. The holiday is Passover and the celebration is replete with family, heavy food and unleavened bread. Passover is a major jewish holiday, and I am so glad new to me author Laura Brown put a ton of spiciness and originality into her book.

Gaby Fineberg needs a fake date for her family's Seder. Being single will only cause her grief from the matchmakers; her well-meaning mother and aunt. She meets Levi Miller at her gym, and they both agree to be each others fake dates. Levi is deaf, so there is an additional hurdle for them to navigate. Not to mention Levi's sort-of engagement to another woman. Gaby is pleasantly surprised when she realizes Levi is Jewish as well. Levi is fixer and wants to help Gaby overcome her insecurities. They fall into lust and love after only a few days together.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. All the Jewishness made me feel warm and happy. I even learned something new about the Seder, which I will share with my family. I really liked the beginning and end of the story. Unfortunately, the parts in-between fell a little flat. Gaby and Levi are a hot and sexy couple.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Entangled: Lovestruck!

Matzah Ball Surprise is a standalone Romance book about Gaby and Levi.

Since I read Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, I’ve always been fascinated by deaf people and sign language. I’ve never really read or watched anything about the deaf community and that book was really eye-opening for me. When I saw that Entangled: Lovestruck is going to publish a book about someone falling in love with a deaf person, I just had to request an arc! Matzah Ball Surprise was such a good book and I enjoyed reading about Gaby and Levi!

Gaby just had a breakup but she needs a date for her family event… Levi doesn’t want to spend his weekend with his family… And then they meet each other… Gaby and Levi are just meant to be together. They’re just so cute together and I love that Gaby is trying to learn ASL specially for Levi. I just couldn’t get enough of them together!

Matzah Ball Surprise was such an enjoyable Romance read and I loved reading about Gaby and Levi. Although this is a good book, the ending was a bit abrupt. I would’ve liked one or two chapters after the last chapter. But besides that, the book was really good! I cannot wait to read more books by Laura Brown.

I have never read anything from this author so I wasn't sure what to expect. The story was completely predictable and I felt that the author tended to repeat herself on certain topics a lot. I did like Izzy and Gaby and their relationship they seemed to have this unbreakable bond between them. Also really enjoyed the relationship between Faith and Anne. I did enjoy reading about Levi and Gaby and the way the stubbled through their situations. This book does contain sex and cussing. Over all there were some laughable moments, the book is a quick read.

Matzah Ball Surprise is a bright and fun romance that will make you smile. I admit I picked up this book simply because I’ve never read a romance set during Passover and I was thrilled to see one out there. I’m so glad I did, because Gaby and Levi are endearing characters and their love story is delightful.

I have been in Gaby’s place at Passover, so I totally sympathize with her wanting a fake boyfriend to play buffer against a well-meaning family. Gaby is a vibrant, colorful character who absolutely hates change (something I also sympathize with). She isn’t perfect, but she’s got a genuinely good heart and is on guard against being lied to because she’s been hurt before. Asking the hunky guy at her gym to be her fake date may have been a spontaneous act, but it was the best thing she could have done for herself. Levi is a sensitive, caring hero who will make you swoon. He’s a Deaf Studies teacher and is deaf himself, so he is patient and understanding while teaching Gaby how to communicate. Levi has his own family issues and an ex-fiancé who is making things complicated for him. Because he tries so hard to take care of everybody, Levi makes mistakes. But they’re mistakes that come from being too nice and giving a person, so you really can’t hold that against him. Gaby and Levi’s whirlwind romance is sweet and enjoyable, though there is some unwanted drama I could see coming due to the aforementioned ex-fiancé that I didn’t quite love. Still, they made Levi and Gaby made a wonderful couple and I liked their romance overall.

What makes Matzah Ball Surprise stand out are two things author Laura Brown weaves into the story incredibly well: (1) Passover and (2) two strangers – one hearing and one deaf – learning to communicate. It’s clear on both topics Ms. Brown knows what she’s talking about and the story is the richer for it. Both protagonists are Jewish, which I loved (it’s surprisingly rare to find this) and Ms. Brown does a fantastic job of showing Passover traditions, adding layers by portraying not only characters who keep Passover but those who are more lax. There are a number of things that felt incredibly real to me, but you absolutely do not have to be Jewish to enjoy this story. As for Levi and Gaby learning to communicate, this was incredibly well done. Gaby doesn’t pick up ASL overnight and it’s eye-opening for her how many things hearing people take for granted or do and are unaware that it excludes deaf people. Levi has grown up with a family who easily communicates with him and he has plenty of deaf friends. I appreciated his patience and instructiveness and found it added a lot to the story. There is a richness and a depth to this otherwise fluffy story that comes from injecting realness into the fantasy. All in all, Matzah Ball Surprise is a fun contemporary romance that – unlike matzah itself – is thoroughly enjoyable.

Levi’s backstory needed a bit more work for me. For most of the book, this remains a mystery not only to Gaby but also to the reader. Why does he have this past relationship hanging over him if it’s actually finished, why can’t he tell his family, and what is it? I did like that he holds off on telling Gaby (because we all know this conflict has to be there) because he wants to do the honorable thing by his used-to-be-fiancee and get that wrapped up before he feels free to explain. And yes, he’s just about to do that when the truth is revealed to Gaby thus upending her feelings and setting up the Final Conflict.

The resolution is a little fast for me. Levi and Gaby have know each other for a week and their communication has been spotty though Gaby has tried to learn some ASL signs and how to finger spell words. I believe that they feel something for each other but I’m not sure I’m ready for “I Love You” just yet though bonus points for leaving the relationship at a HFN stage. There’s also an aspect to Levi as someone who tries to find what will “fix” other people that I didn’t entirely get.

But what does work wonderfully for me are the two aspects of the book which are #ownvoices. Being Jewish and going to the family Seder at Passover are integral to the plot and to who Gaby and Levi are. Practicing Jews should know that there are times when both of them (and some friends) give into yeast yearning and that restraining themselves to things that are Kosher for Passover is broken. This is woven into their characterization though. I enjoyed seeing Gaby’s family together, celebrating the holiday and to learn more about it, myself. The supporting but also at times exasperating relationship between Gaby and her sister Izzy is great, too.

Reading Levi’s POV sections also helped me realize how challenging it is for deaf and hard-of-hearing people to interact with “hearies” even if those hearing people make an effort to include them. There is no ableism here as Levi is never shown as wanting or needing to change the way he communicates with the world (hearing devices were worse than useless for him as a child and he firmly explains how lip reading only works about 20% of the time so he doesn’t bother). The poker game with his deaf friends is fun to read and they view his relationship with “the hearing chick” from his POV. I’d love to see a book for Levi’s friend Meyer who slyly urges Levi to teach Gaby all the dirty ASL signs.

At times the writing was a bit choppy and a less rushed ending and more explanation of Levi’s family issues would have been nice but I loved seeing the diversity included in this book and that it’s #ownvoices. I hope we’ll see more from these characters. B-

This was a fun adorable read. Gaby and Levi are like two pieces of a puzzle and complete one another. The face that he is her fake date for Passover (probably one of the most stressful Jewish holidays) held special charm for me add in the fact that he is deaf and you could have a recipe for disaster. From the antics with Benji the dog to new traditions to learn, I was entranced. Levi is swoony, Gaby is multi-dimensional. Loved it!

Matzah Ball Surprise is a sweet and charming novel about a fake relationship developing into something more. Gaby and Levi have amazing chemistry and engage in genuine conversations.

Gaby has just ended a relationship and needs to find a date for The Passover. Her family is always pressuring her to find 'the one' and if she shows up without a date she won't hear the end of it. When she works up the courage to talk to the hot guy at the gym, he doesn't say a word. Levi is actually deaf so he couldn't hear her. After Gaby gets her point across Levi agrees because he is single and thinks they can help each other.

No feelings involved just a fake relationship. It never goes as planned. lol. When they start getting to know each other, they begin to like each other for real.

I really liked the story and liked that the author gave us a hero who was deaf. It reminds most that just because you have an impairment doesn't mean you are less of as a person. Levi has amazing qualities that make him so easy to love.

I give Matzah Ball Surprise 4 stars. The chemistry, humor, and witty banter shined throughout the story. A good romance with a few surprises along the way. Makes for a good and quick read.