In THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT, matchmaking is as much a curse as a blessing; our two heroines definitely do not spend time wishing they could become ‘matchmakers.’ Rather, they find themselves bestowed with a gift, almost a second sight, wherein they see connections between people in love. In this regard, they work against the popular stereotype of the matchmaker as someone who ingratiates themselves into the community and searches for matches, as much to earn a living as to make a match. Author Lynda Cohen Loigman has written an engrossing dual timeline story about a grandmother/granddaughter, both able to detect matches despite their own misgivings about true love, and both struggle to overcome obstacles as they come to terms with their skills. This is a book that is difficult to put down and once finished, impossible to forget. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The perfect read for someone who is in mood for a make-believe story with strong, developed characters and a unique use of the two-time period novel. Sara's gift of matchmaking is challenged by the male counterparts who lack her gift and believe she is threatening their earning potential. As a result, she is a trail blazer for women rights for her generation. Abby relies on her grandmother as a role model as well as her lyrical words of advice.. Diane's personality as the boss from hell surpasses most other attempts. Enjoy the many unlikely but successful matches during both time periods as you meet a host of characters, the young and the old, the rich and the poor who were all matched by the gift of light.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the advance copy to review.

This book followed two different storylines. The first being Sara’s story which started in the early 1900’s and then Sara’s granddaughter Abby which is set in the present. Sara possesses a unique ability to see threads of light between two individuals when they are a perfect match for one another and starts to discreetly ensure that those two people cross paths where they inevitably fall in love and get married. After Sara passes away in old age, her granddaughter Abby discovers her journals that she kept of all her matches. Abby starts to follow some leads (and threads!) of her own and discovers some interesting things about herself.

The premise of this book really intrigued me and I was excited to get started on this book. However, I had a really hard time getting into this one. I actually put it down and picked it back up about 2 weeks later and it felt like such a challenge to get through it. I’m not sure what it was but I was not invested in the storyline or the characters and at times I found the plot to be very dull and slow-moving.

I was more interested in Sara’s storyline than Abby’s and found that the book focused a lot on Sara’s earliest matches when she was still working out and discovering her abilities and less so on some of her later matches which to me were more interesting. I felt like the beginning of the novel was super developed and detailed and as I got closer to the end of the book, things were glossed over and rushed. I feel had this been split into a duology with one book focused solely on Sara and the other focused on Abby, I would have gotten the details I wanted about some of Sara’s matches towards the end of her life. I also found it interesting that so little time was spent talking about Sara’s own match and her family. Considering this is her business, I wanted to hear more about her own love story.

Overall, this book felt unfinished to me and despite having a hard time getting into the story, I wanted to know more!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book by an author I hadn’t read before. I loved the idea of someone having a gift of matchmaking and liked how it tied a grandmothers story to her granddaughter’s story. I learned a lot about the culture of the characters in the book and felt the struggled the main character faced as a woman were very on point. I always like a rounded out ending and this book did not disappoint !

This is just a lovely read! Yes, predictable, yes, a bit corny, but you can't help but come away with a warm feeling in your heart.
The historical details are engaging and Jewish readers will appreciate getting to know some of their own history and culture. The author's research is thorough and detailed. The characters are all fully on display and it is easy to picture them in your mind as you read. The story will stay with you. Perfect reading for turbulent times.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It really hit the spot for me!

A wonderful and heart-warming read about the connection between a grandmother and her granddaughter, and the power of love. Learning about the history of Jewish matchmakers was a fascinating aspect to this book, and the character development was well thought-out. A highly recommended read!

Lynda Cohen Loigman has quickly become one of my very favorite authors! And this new book did not disappoint. I loved the dual timeline stories equally, which isn’t always the case for me. Highly recommend preordering this one! And I hope Lynda will hurry and write another! 💜

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC.

It took me a little while to get into this one. But once it hooked me in, I was completely taken with it.

The Matchmaker’s Gift follows the story of Sara and her granddaughter Abby. They both have a special gift of seeing the connection between soulmates.

Sara’s story is based in the early 1900’s, making matches in New York from the age of 10. It isn’t an easy journey, and there are many obstacles she has to overcome, but she is a strong woman who doesn’t take no for an answer.

Abby is her granddaughter, living in New York in the 1990s. Her story is a bit more modern, being a divorce attorney but finding that it isn’t really the job she is meant to do.

I loved how these stories intertwined, showing history repeating itself with Abby. The connection she had with her grandmother was especially touching.

If you’re looking for a sweet historical fiction where love overcomes all kinds of hardships, then this is the one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

’The past is never dead. It's not even past.’
-- William Faulkner Requiem For a Nun

A generational story shared in two timelines, begins in 1910, on a ship bound for New York with Sara and her family, along with other families. Sara is ten years old on this voyage, with her eighteen-year-old sister, Hindel and her three brothers and parents. Hindel is sobbing, bereft over leaving their village, as well as the young man she had to leave behind. Their mother whispers to Sara to find her father, and bring back his handkerchief before Hindel’s clothes are ruined from her tears. Sara can’t find her father among the group of men, but notices a man standing apart from the others, polishing his glasses with a handkerchief, and approaches him and asks if she could borrow his handkerchief for her sister, and he agrees to take it to her sister. Leading him over to her sister since his eyesight is poor even with his glasses, she notices a beam of light connecting her sister to this man. Just three months later, at her sister’s wedding, her mother shares the story with everyone of Sara making her first ‘match.’

As the years pass, Sara begins to see this ‘beam of light’ between others, and find ways to introduce these people, although as a female - and a young one at that - it was considered by most as a calling for men only, Sara remembers telling the rabbi at her sister’s wedding how her sister met her new husband, and he shares his thoughts on this gift she was given. A matchmaker.

In the second timeline set in the mid 1990’s, the story focuses on Abby, Sara’s grand-daughter. Abby is a divorce attorney, working at a law firm when news hits about a famous divorce case in the works. Her grandmother calls her to talk about a pending divorce case which Abby is working on, and is everywhere in the news. Her grandmother tells her to stop working on this case so hard, that this couple will end up staying together. The office is also where Abby is when her mother calls to share the news of her grandmother’s passing. Abby and her grandmother Sara were very close, and the news is crushing for her.

This is a story of grief balanced by love, of old traditions giving way to new ones, as well as stories of love, and the gifts bestowed upon some to see love in others that they haven’t yet found by themselves.

There is a bit of ‘everything’ in this story, but in a way that feels both natural and filled with wonder. It’s part historical fiction, and part contemporary fiction. Mystical yet grounded in reality. Humourous and cynical, yet also poignant. Overall, enchantingly delightful.


Pub Date: 20 Sep 2022

Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press

I loved this book! What a beautiful and engaging story that transcends time. I didn't really know too much about matchmaking in the Jewish culture (other than Mrs. Maisel) and loved how the story was told through past and present. After her grandmother's death, Abby must sort through her grandmother's journals and take a good look at herself and the path she is on as a divorce attorney. Delightful, thoughtful, and heartwarming - I highly recommend this book!! Thank you!

The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a charming story interweaving two generations, grandmother Sara and granddaughter Abby who are very close to one another. They also share a special gift of matchmaking. Sara’s story begins in 1910 and gives much insight into the Jewish tradition of matchmaking which was solely a male profession at the time. Sara challenges this notion. Sara's story takes place in the lower east side of New York City and I enjoyed learning about this time frame, customs, and Yiddish language. After Sara’s death, in 1994, Abby inherits her grandmother’s journals and also slowly discovers her own abilities in matchmaking which alters her career path and her understanding of love. This is a sweet, heart-warming story for a fun, light read.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion during a review. All thoughts are my own!


This was SUCH A SWEET STORY. I loved it. I was skeptical at first since historical fiction and I- while I can admit it’s a beautiful genre- do not mesh well. I typically leave feeling down, saddened by something “too real” or too close for comfort. Add in the fact the character had a passing of a favorite relative during a time when the pandemic has taken much from me - I was fairly cautious. But this wasn’t what I expected. I read somewhere that this was going to be a great “book club book” and I agree- I am so excited to discuss this one day with a group when it’s out on the market. The alternating pov/timeline is easily read and mapped out well, the characters are so fun and I thought the history was a different pace from what I’m experienced with. I loved it and I’m excited for more from this author for sure. Well done!

You are going to love this book! And maybe by the end you will believe in soulmates. It’s a beautiful storyline bouncing through the timelines of a grandmother and granddaughter. A story of love and in the belief of soulmates as well as a peek into beautiful cultural traditions. It’s been hard to put down! Highly recommend you pick it up when it releases in September. You will not regret it.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.

This book is about Sara and her granddaughter Abby. Every other chapter alternatives POV with most of Sara's chapters taking place in the early 1900s. Sara has a gift where she can see a love match between two people. She starts making matches but is threatened and bullied by the local shadchanim, Jewish Matchmakers. Her story is wonderful and has great resolution.

Abby's chapters take place in 1994. She is a divorce attorney for high profile people. Sara believes Abby has the same Matchmaker's Gift and helps lead her to her calling even after she passes away.

It was so nice to read a book set in the Jewish community without it really being about the Jewish community. I loved how all the stories lines resolved and there was wonderful overlap between characters!

First, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own. Told through a dual timeline, this story looks at matchmaking skills of Sara and her granddaughter, Abbey. Sara’s story begins in 1910 and gives much insight into the Jewish tradition of matchmaking. Sara is not the typical matchmaker and her story is so interesting. After Sara’s death, in 1994, Abbey inherits her grandmother’s journals. Abbey works as a divorce attorney…so different than her grandmother. And therein lies the problem. Abbey finds herself having to chose between her career and her ability to make matches. I enjoyed reading the book and give it a solid 4 star read.

The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen

5 out of 5
Historical Fiction 320 pages
No Spoilers Review

I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try something new with this title. It's my first title by Lynda Cohen, and her first two books were really well received so I decided why not read it?

The book did not disappoint.

I felt that there were two very strong stories being told, and I found myself cheering the two main characters on as they overcame the obstacles put in their paths. By the time I was done reading, I found myself actually feeling proud of them for their accomplishments.

Things I liked:
How the narrative switched back and forth between the two stories. I felt this was really well done and the switches were very well executed/timed.
The main characters - the talent, the spirit and the perseverance!
The historical and jewish culture aspects.
The pace was perfect. I could have read the entire book in one sitting if time permitted.
The way I felt after finishing the book. This story will stay long with me and might even be a reread in the future!

Things I didn’t like:
I try to identify at least one thing I didn't like in each book, but I just don't have anything negative to say about this one.

This was a terrific read, and one that I'll remember and cherish for years. I highly recommend this book - it won't disappoint you!

Absolutely loved this book! My fave of 2022 so far. Loigman weaves a story that needs to read, rich characters that reveal deep cultural history and immerse the reader into a world they want to be a part of. A bit mystical, an engaging historical, and at its heart a love story.

This was a light, fun read. I enjoyed the dual timeline, the peppering of Yiddish, the immigrant story, feminist themes and Sara was an interesting, compelling character. I wished the relationship between Sara and her husband and child would have been fleshed out more. I get that those were not the main stories but they were glossed over so quickly that it left a big hole in the book for me. Even though I enjoyed the magical aspects of the book, there were other moments meant to be realistic which were just not believable. A quick read and enjoyable as a romantic comedy. 3.5

The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman is the story of Sara, a young Jewish girl, who on immigrating to the US in the early 1900s, makes her first match between a young man and woman who go on to marry happily. She continues to make matches quietly, arranging for people to meet without them knowing she's doing it because the male matchmakers of the time feel that she is stealing their livelihood. She fights for her beliefs in her abilities and makes matches for most of her life. Her story is juxtaposed with that of her granddaughter, Abby who also has that ability in spite of the fact she is a divorce lawyer and is helping people to tear apart their unions. With Sara's death, Abby must take a look at her life and decide what it is she actually wants, to create or destroy happiness.

Thank you to the author, St. Martins Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This novel drew me in from the start and kept me going until I turned the last page. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Matchmaker’s Gift is an ambitious historical/women’s fiction novel. It follows the life of a Jewish matchmaker and her granddaughter, includes dual timelines, multiple perspectives, elements of magic, and more. It touches on themes from feminism to poverty to racism and domestic violence.

Central to the novel is the tension between modernism and traditions, immigrants and assimilation, and willingness (or inability) to change. Though it was slow in the beginning and dialogue-heavy in sections, the layers of tension and relationships between characters kept me engaged..: finishing the novel in about 24 hours.

One of the things I loved most about this novel is it’s inclusion of all types of love. It wasn’t just romantic, it also included parental, sibling, community, friendship, and a little bit of existentialism. The grandmother repeatedly says, “If you can’t decide what you want to fight for, love is as good a cause as any.”

While some might consider it a light read, for others I think there might be some triggers that make it a bit heavier (mention- not description- of domestic abuse, heartbreak, death, divorce, etc.)

Overall I enjoyed this read. Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and publisher for this electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.