An enemies-to-lovers romance, The Matzah Ball revolves around Rachel and Jacob.
Something went down at Jewish summer camp when they were kids, and they haven't spoken since.

Fast forward to their adult lives....

Rachel still lives in NYC and has a secret love for all things Christmas, so much so that she is a best-selling Christmas romance novelist writing under a pen name. And her publishers would like her to write a JEWISH holiday romance this year.

Jacob had moved to Paris with his mother after her diagnosis of a terminal illness. Jacob goes on to become a super successful party planner, when he decides to throw the biggest Jewish Hanukkah party in New York- The Matzah Ball.

When Jacob and Rachel cross paths, their history comes to the forefront. Rachel needs a ticket to the exclusive ball, and Jacob is drawn to Rachel in ways he can't describe.

I enjoyed reading this and having exposure to a Jewish romance- not something you see often! I also loved seeing a main character who has a chronic illness and hope other readers feel seen and represented in this work.

Thank you to Netgalley/ the publisher for the copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely love that this book focused on Hanukkah. I do not think there are enough books with that topic. I also could relate to the chronic disease struggles the main character had. It was refreshing to read a book where the character hasn't had an easy life and struggles.

Received an ARC for an honest review.

Well this was adorable. I don't think I've read a Hanukkah romance before and this was a great one to get me started. I was completely invested in their relationship, especially since it was a second chance at love (I don't care if the first chance was when they were 12 lol). I felt for Rachel and I understood where Jacob was coming from. I like they they each had people they could rely on and I'd be lying if I said I didn't find myself crying in the middle there. Very cute and festive.

I was excited to read this one as there really aren’t any Jewish romcom books out there.

It is a cute story of first love between Jacob and Rachel that started many years ago when they were campers at Camp Ahava (Ahava means love in Hebrew - so cute) . Things didn't turn out well for Jacob or Rachel at summer camp as they both walked away from the situation feeling betrayed and heartbroken. In particular, Rachel came away feeling humiliated and played while Jacob recalls being abandoned and stood up. Nineteen years have passed since camp and Jacob owns a Event Planning Company that is well known for creating incredible events worldwide that have huge Social Media follows that have been financial successes.

Jacobs has decided he wants to challenge himself and run a big Jewish Event in New York for Hanukkah. It's a bit out of his wheelhouse but knows if he can have Rabbi Goldblatt and his wife Dr. Rubenstein come out and light the Chanukiah as the event that it will help draw crowds. Jacob reaches out to Rabbi Goldblatt and is invited to spend Shabbat at their home.

Rachel is getting ready to write a new book that is expected to be a Hanukkah romcom story. She has always written books about Christmas because she found it so much easier to talk about the magic of Christmas. Her publisher wants her to stop writing about Christmas and start writing about Hanukkah. She decides to go to her parents for Shabbat weekend to see if she can get a ticket to the event she is hoping by attending the Matzah Ball Max she'll be able to be inspired to write.

I really liked the plot for the book and enjoyed all the warm fuzzy jewishness. The characters in the story were hard to connect with except for Bubbie Toby. The romance love/hate between Jacob and Rachel felt silly at times.

I am glad this book was written and hope there will be more writers and publishers that are open to some more Jewish romcoms or contemporary books. Hopefully Jean’s next book will have a little more of a development and connection with the characters.

I confess that I took this book out of curiosity to read something set in Jewish traditions. Accustomed to Christian novels and those without a specific religion, I also wanted to live this new experience and... OMG I fell in love.

Rachel and Jacob have a very unresolved story in the past when they were teenagers and went on camp together and had remarkable experiences. Now in the present, Jacob reappears in the life of sweet, kind and resolute Rachel and has no idea he's going to turn their world upside down.

Together they will need to organize a gala and this rapprochement will bring out past hurts and new feelings that both will need to discover whether they want to live or not.

I thought the story was super cute, I fell in love with the author's writing and became her fan... I want to read everything about her.

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has a secret career as a bestselling Christmas novel author. She has to keep it a secret because her father is the well-known Rabbi Goldblatt. Rachel also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which she also keeps a secret because people often think that’s not a real condition. When her publisher decides they want a more diverse, Hanukkah themed story, she has to find inspiration. Jacob Greenberg was Rachel’s boyfriend at camp when they were twelve-years-old, until he broke her heart and humiliated her in front of everyone. Jacob returns to New York to put on the event of the season: The Matzah Ball. Rachel has to find a way to get a ticket to the Matzah Ball to find the inspiration she needs to save her secret writing career.

This was such a fun holiday rom com. I don’t think I’ve ever read a Hanukkah themed rom com, but I loved learning about these traditions. One important theme of the story was shame. Rachel was ashamed of her success as a Christmas novelist because she was Jewish. Christmas brought her joy, and it isn’t shameful to enjoy certain holidays, whether they are part of your religion or not.

Rachel was also ashamed of her illness because of how other people perceive it. Her condition is invisible, which always makes it more difficult for others to believe when they can’t see it for themselves. It’s important to remember that there are invisible diseases and conditions, so people shouldn’t be judged for their symptoms even if they aren’t visible.

The Matzah Ball was a wonderful holiday rom com!

Thank you HCC Frenzy for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Matzah Ball
Author: Jean Meltzer

Ch: 41 plus epilogue

Pg: 395

Genre: Rom Com

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Mira



The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer was one of those books I didn't know what I wanted or needed till I read it. Though I've long since wanted a Hanukkah rom com for a while. But I didn't know what I wanted in it. But When I saw The Matzah Ball by Jean Melter and read the synopsis. Rachel Rubinstein-Goldblatt is Jewish and the daughter of a Rabbi, but she loves Christmas and secretly writes Christmas rom coms. But what I loved most about this book was the fact that the heroine Rachel has a chronic health condition and while I don't have the same chronic condition as Rachel it's nice to see a heroine in a rom com with a chronic condition. Mickey is her best friend and he's been there for her the majority of her life and at times seems to be the only one who understands her. While Jacob Greenburg is her childhood nemesis and let's face it first love. And another thing that I loved about this one is there is no love triangle.



I finished this one in two days and while I didn't want it to end, I was excited to find out what happened. I'm not going to lie I would love for this one to be made into a holiday rom com movie Hallmark take note. Just a word of warning there is language but otherwise it’s a clean rom com.




I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

If you’re looking for a holiday romance that showcases a holiday other than Christmas, but still has some Christmas nods in there…this one is definitely for you. If you’re looking for a romance that showcases a chronic illness and the realities of living with one, this one is also for you!⁣⁣
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Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is the daughter of a rabbi with a secret she believes is shameful - she loves Christmas. When she comes face to face with a man she knew when they were 12 years old at Jewish summer camp, Jacob, sparks fly- but not in a good way. Misunderstandings surround the two as they join forces to throw a massive Matzah Ball. They each have their own memories of what happened at summer camp and their own understandings of where it went wrong and they must find a way to put those things behind them to throw this party.⁣⁣
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I really enjoyed many aspects of this book - from all of the Jewish traditions to lovely characters like Jacob’s bubbe and Rachel’s best friend Mickey, it had so many fun elements. I’ve seen some comments about comparisons to “coming out” as an LGBTQIA person to Rachel “coming out” as a Christmas lover that people did not appreciate so I would keep that in mind. But I thought the chronic illness representation was well done and loved learning more about Jewish traditions. Be sure to read own voices reviews who can speak to this much better than I can!⁣⁣
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It was a fun read but I will say the 🧀 at the end was massively over the top but this had a lot of comedy elements so I would take it with a grain of salt. Comedy cheese galore!

I recently read THE MATZAH BALL and I’m sorry, but I think I hated it.

ok ok ‘hate’ is probably too strong of a word, but I really didn’t like it. I found it extremely repetitive, like the author kept recycling phrases throughout the book and it was annoying.

I also found it extremely unbelievable that these grown ass adults are stuck on some dumb sh*t that happened 18 YEARS AGO. come ON. I get this was supposed to be cute but it just wasn’t. them both being stuck in the past was more infuriating than anything. it got old quick. (and I’m sorry, but you weren’t in love at 12)

I liked two things: Toby- she really was the only good character. and learning about Hanukkah, and all the other Jewish traditions featured in the book.

(thank you to @netgalley & @harlequinbooks for the eARC)

I am late in reading this book, but what can I say? Tis the season!

This book was exactly what I was looking for. It was funny and sweet, with relatably human character. It just hit all the right spots for me and left me craving latkes.

Finished this book in a day! ‘The Matzah Ball’ by Jean Meltzer was such a fun read. It was super sweet, a little frustrating (the miscommunication trope drives me crazy and I wanted to shake both protagonists several times, lol), funny (there were a few incidents that had me cry-laughing), and adorably romantic. I liked that it was a holiday romance centered around Hanukkah, something I don’t think I’ve ever read before and that we absolutely need to see more of the future.

I also loved the chronic illness rep. I haven’t seen many protagonists with chronic illness, and Rachel’s journey with ME was written so honestly, with care and with hope. I read the author’s acknowledgments at the end of the book as well, and was really moved. I loved how Meltzer spoke so openly and honestly about her own experiences with chronic illness, and that this book gave her the opportunity to tell not only her story, but the story of many others who suffer from “invisible” chronic illnesses. It was just so real: from the way it’s not taken seriously, how it isn’t always well known by doctors, the stigma it can carry, even to the way living with a chronic illness can teach you strength you never knew you had—it was all just beautifully said, genuinely represented, and entirely relatable. I don’t have ME, but I do have a different chronic illness that is also often mischaracterized, leading to insufficient medical care and not enough research, so this story made me feel seen too.

If you’re looking to escape into an adorably fun holiday romance with a lot of heart, a little rawness, and a touch of magic, ‘The Matzah Ball’ is 100% for you. Don’t hesitate!

What a cute Hanukkah romance! Rachel is a good Jewish girl who is also secretly a famous Christmas romance novelist living with a chronic illness. She's always kept those disparate parts of herself separate, but now her publisher wants her to write a Hanukkah romance. Despite her love of Judaism, she's never felt the same magical escapism from writing about Jewish holidays as she has in writing Christmas romances. Fortunately her former camp crush / rival just happens to be hosting a huge Hanukkah ball in NYC which might just provide the inspiration she needs. Misunderstandings, banter, and a push-pull romance of epic proportions ensues. Jacob and Rachel are both annoyingly dense at times, but the cuteness wins out in the end.

There do not seem to be a lot of Jewish holiday fiction stories out there. This one, by a debut author, was a fun ride on what happens when a nice Jewish girl- who is secretly a famous Christmas book author/Christmas LOVER- has to flip everything she loves to write to produce a Jewish-themed book for her publishers. Enter The Matzah Ball and her camp nemesis/first love who is back in NYC and holds the key to her attending this allusive event. So much is packed into this book I could not put it down! This is a must-read, especially during the holidays.
Thank you, NetGalley and MIRA for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, which showcases the internal struggle of Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt. She's Jewish, and her dad is Rabbi Aaron Goldblatt—THE Rabbi Aaron Goldblatt—and Rachel has been keeping a pretty big secret from her family. They think she's a freelance editorial writer, but really she's a best-selling Christmas romance novelist!

So far she's been able to keep her secret, but her publisher is pushing her to write a Hanukkah novel, which threatens to bring everything she's built crashing down. She's struggling to find the spark of inspiration, so she signs up to help out and attend the Matzah Ball, even though it's being run by Jacob Greenberg, who she's despised ever since she was a kid.

On top of all that stress, Rachel suffers from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and has to manage her energy output or risk a major crash that will lay her out for days.

The more time she spends helping with the Matzah Ball and around Jacob the more she's drawn to both Hanukkah and Jacob. Could he be the love she wasn't looking for?

I thought the portrayal of Rachel's different sides, passions and conflicting emotions was realistic. Most of us aren't solidly one thing or another, and sometimes our loves conflict. In addition to loving the main characters I also really liked all the supporting characters and thought they were really well written.

If The Matzah Ball isn't made into a movie for next year's holiday season, someone missed a major opportunity. The Matzah Ball is a hilarious romantic comedy mixed in with some touching family moments. I loved every moment of it and would highly recommend to any reader.

My favorite book of the holiday season so far is the Matzah Ball! I absolutely loved this story revolving around a woman, Rachel, who is very Jewish, but secretly loves Christmas. She actually loves it so much that she is a Christmas romance book author and she has even written made for tv Christmas movies. However, she does all of this under a pen name, Margot Cross.

Her publisher asks her to to write a Hanukkah romance novel and Rachel is worried because Hanukkah doesn’t have the magic of Christmas. Rachel grew up with her very religious family. Her father is a very prominent figure in Judaic law and so Rachel has to keep her Christmas obsession under wraps. Rachel hears that there is going to be a Hanukkah music festival called the Matzah Ball Max and she knows she needs to go to this event for inspiration. Only her former camp boyfriend is the only person who can get her in!

During all of this, Rachel is also dealing with a severe medical issue- she had chronic fatigue syndrome. It’s more than just being tired; it’s a bone tired weariness that makes it hard to get out of bed. She refuses to let people know about this, so she does her best to hide it.

I work with many Jewish people and I’ve learned a lot about the culture after 10 years. But I learned so much more with this book. I really loved the very genuine description of Rachel’s medical diagnosis and her feelings over the “insulting” name of her syndrome. Rachel and Jacob have amazing chemistry and I was rooting for them the whole time. I also have to mention her loyal and devoted bestie, Mickey. He was the only person who knew about her condition and her Christmas obsession. Rachel also lives very close to me on the Upper West Side!

Rachel is the daughter of a well-known rabbi who writes Christmas romances. Mickey is her best friend. Jakob is a party planner. Jakob is planning The Matzah Ball, the ultimate Hanukkah party in New York. Rachel has been tasked with writing a Hanukkah romance novel. She needs to a ticket to the ball, but has to volunteer for Jakob in order to get in. This is complicated because she’ll be forced to work closely with him, confusing her feelings (that go back to when they were 12) and risking her health, which only her parents and Mickey know about. The food described and eaten in this book will make you hungry. A lovely romance for the winter season.

The Matzah Ball was a such an interesting look into Judaism and Hanukkah. I love holiday romances so the plot of this one really intrigued me. There were definitely some lines that didn’t sit well with me, but I still appreciated getting to learn more about a religion and holiday I previously knew very little on. We need more diverse reads and having a Hanukkah romance was great to read about.

I didn’t mind the relationship between Rachel and Jacob, but it also wasn’t one that completely blew me away. I think I just expected more chemistry and tension between the two considering they were supposed to be “enemies”. I will say though, having chronic pain rep was great to see. I love that it’s becoming more and more common since so many people live through it every day.

Overall, it was enjoyable and great learning more about a different religion. I would have loved more from the romance but it wasn’t bad overall.

A slow burn romance with great Jewish and chronic illness representation. Enemies to lover's romance, a favourite of mine, however, the backstory of why Rachel and Jacob are enemies didn't quite work for me. This is a slow burn romance and it took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I quickly read through the second half of the book. The secret profession made me chuckle, and I enjoyed learning more about the Jewish culture. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Canada for my advance review copy.

I found The Matzah Ball to be a quick read, albeit a bit heavy on the drama and miscommunication. I particularly enjoyed the disability and Judaism rep this book had. However, after reading the concerns from other readers post-reading this book, I feel unable to leave much more of a review than this as the concerns raised were outside my experiences. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. I look forward to more books with Jewish main characters!