The most important part of this review, for me, is laying down how much I loved how frank and direct the author's treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder was. She created a character living with a real, live mental health disorder and didn't try to make it too cute or too trendy or anything other than a part of the character's personality that wasn't necessary something that needed to be "fixed" for a HEA. Same with the baggage/issues surrounding our hero. Things like anxiety, fear, depression and grief all live within our lives and the author crafted such a beautiful love story that didn't necessarily exclude these real-life experiences and it was just a giant breath of fresh air.

Avoiding spoilers of any kind, I just think Jean Meltzer wrote a gem of a love story that was so unique and deep with new life experiences and norms outside of mainstream romance that I was floored. And impressed.

I love this book and the Jewish representation! “the Matzah Ball” is one of my favorite holiday reads and I think Meltzer has written a great follow up.

Jean Meltzer's Matzah Ball was one of my favorite holiday reads. So when I learned about her new book Mr. Perfect on Paper, I just knew I had to read it. It did not disappoint! It had lovable characters, a hilarious plotline, and so much more. On top of the heartwarming romance, the book dealt with topics like anxiety, grief, and interfaith relationships. I enjoyed learning more about the Jewish culture through this book as well! This book will make you laugh, cry, and feel all the butterflies! Everyone, you NEED to read this book! You will not be disappointed!

ARC kindly provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an honest review.

Dara Rabinowitz is a third generation matchmaker who is the creator and CEO of the popular dating app J-Mate. She is someone who knows exactly what she is looking for in a potential husband. At least she thinks she does. Obviously, he must be Jewish.

Dara and her grandmother, Miriam, meet Chris Steadfast (the anchor on Good News New York) as they appear on the show to talk about the matchmaking business. When Miriam goes off script and reads off Dara’s list of ten characteristics of Mr. Perfect, the segment goes viral and GNNY’s ratings skyrocket.

Dara agrees to let Chris profile her as she goes on dates in search of the ideal Jewish husband. What happens when she meets someone who checks off all the criteria? Is Mr. Perfect on Paper really the true answer to her quest? Might there be someone else doesn’t meet any of the criteria and therefore has been overlooked? This hilarious rom com was so much fun to read.



*****


In my advance reader’s copy, the “f”s are followed by spaces throughout the text, i.e. floor is f loor.

I loved everything about this book, and Jean is definitely one of my new favorite authors! After reading the sneak peek at the end of The Matzah Ball, I knew I'd have to read this one. It did not disappoint. Dara's faith is an integral part of her life and the story, as is her GAD. I really like that the author incorporates these 'hidden illnesses' into her stories, as people who don't live with them (or near someone with them) have a difficult time understanding the nuances of these illnesses. So, as a counselor, I like to see her show the real-world aspects of them, and hope she continues to do so in future books. This is a heartwarming love story of an unlikely couple and their journey to find each other. There are many laugh out loud (and cringeworthy) moments, and you'll want to read it in one long weekend! (Also, I'm gonna Bogart the phrase ChallahBack Girls for my own girlfriend tribe. :) )

I recently read Meltzer's first book, The Matzah Ball, and was eager to read this one. It has everything--a heroine whose religious faith is an integral part of her, who is a successful businesswoman (a matchmaker, of course!), and who has an anxiety disorder. She is looking for Mr. Perfect on Paper, but when she finds him it turns out that he may be perfect for someone else, but not for her. Her growing awareness of this is coupled with her growing awareness that she is falling in love with a man who is just the opposite of the one she thought she'd marry. He's gentile, a widower with a child, and is finding that his own career is stalling. As the story unfolds, there is laughter, tears, and the seemingly unbridgeable divide of their backgrounds.. Although the story leaves him learning more about Judaism and contemplating conversion, he has not made the decision by the end of the story. And that's one thing I really liked about this book--the 'happily ever after' is not neatly wrapped up in an engagement or marriage, but consists of the couple taking things slowly while they learn more about each other and try to figure out how they might best be together.

This book is terrific for everyone. A great read, with lots of humor, pathos, and a dose of reality, too!

#mrperfectonpaper #netgalley

I really wanted to like this book, but it just couldn’t grab me like I wanted it to.

Having thoroughly enjoyed The Matzah Ball, I was excited to receive an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher.

This is a fun and heartwarming story about Dara's strong religious beliefs and her "accidental" search for the perfect man on paper. I really enjoyed about how each of her "dates" corresponded with a different jewish holiday and explained the meaning behind each holiday.

Each of the characters in the book were entertaining and lovable, especially Bubbe Miriam and the ChallahBack Girls. This book brings the the forefront real life issues, like interfaith relationships, grief, and anxiety, that impact so many people. It was enjoyable to read about the growing respect and feelings between Dara and Chris. This book brought up all different emotions - laughter, sadness, anxiety.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy. I look forward to Jean Meltzer next book!!

The plot seemed a little like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, except not. It was a cute story idea, executed well with a fantastic cast of characters. The author did a wonderful job of creating funny moments.

I really enjoyed this for many reasons. First of all, I loved the portrayal of a successful woman with anxiety. I am a mental health counselor and I can say that this book portrays it very well while also showing that someone can experience/have mental illness and not be confined to the bed like so many books/movies portray. I also liked learning more about Jewish culture.

Having read and loved Jean Meltzer’s debut novel The Matzah Ball, I knew right away I had to read her next book. Mr. Perfect On Paper immediately captured my interest – the premise immediately called to me: a romcom about a third-gen matchmaker in search of the perfect Jewish husband with a tv show spin? Yes, please! (Did I mention, the really adorable cover art – so cute, and I loved that they captured Dara’s curls!)

I loved all of the quirky, fun characters we met in this book. Dara and Chris, our leads, were both complex, flawed, and interesting characters with very real hopes, dreams, and wants. There was also a lovely cast of secondary characters (Bubbe Miriam, Eleanor, Katie, etc) that were interesting to see and helped to create a small-er town feel in this big city romance (with that quirky, meddling energy) – I especially loved Bubbe Miriam and wished I could have more of her in the book.
Once again, Ms. Meltzer delivers a wonderful romcom, that also deftly weaves in important real life issues that impact so many of us. I loved to see how she carefully balanced a fun, heartwarming romcom storyline with lots of moments to laugh and smile – while still addressing things like grief, loss, Generalized Anxiety Disorder representation, and interfaith relationships.

I was so happy to see such great representation on the page. It’s so important for everyone to be able to find books that they can see parts of themselves and their world represented in. It’s wonderful as a reader to be able to gain new insight and experiences – to expand our minds and lens. I was so impressed with the representation of GAD – it was handled in a really real way and openly acknowledged and talked about. I loved the interactions between our mains on the topic, and the understanding that was there – and the support and care! No spoilers, but I was really impressed by the thoughtful approach.

The exploration of interfaith relationship and getting to ‘see’ and hear things from Dara (a devout Jewish woman, who keeps a kosher home) and Chris’ perspectives was nice. Dara’s beliefs and background also lent itself to explaining more of Jewish culture, what it means to be Jewish, and the faith struggles many can find when searching for a partner.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Some highlights for me: the premise, the characters, the great representation of both a Jewish experience and a GAD one, the fun meet cutes, and Dara’s Bubbe. I wished: for more time with Bubbe Miriam and more dates (they were hilarious). I laughed, I cried, and I was charmed - it delivered what I hope to find in a romcom. I wanted that HEA for them, and I was so happy to get to see their story unfold. One I will read again and will recommend to friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mira Books / HTP Publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and offered freely.

I liked this better than The Matzah Ball, Meltzer's previous book. I liked both of the main characters a lot and thought that their romance was really cute.

I received this ARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing title through NetGalley's Catalog! Read this book, you will not be disappointed! I laughed, teared up a little bit, and got the warm fuzzy feelings while reading. This was a sweet funny romcom with real life issues sprinkled in. I loved how transparent Dara was with her mental disorder (GAD) throughout the book and how understanding and aware Chris was once he knew. .I think it’s an important topic that is discussed and reflected very well by the author. I don’t know much about Judaism and I really enjoyed learning and understanding the traditions and beliefs through this book. Really great read!!

If you're looking for a fun evening read, this is a great option! Thanks for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upon introduction to Dara, readers are immediately aware of her core Jewish, and family values and how essential they are to her. We are also given an easy introduction to her mental health, along with her mother's passing being mentioned. Dara is a driven woman who excels in the tech industry, and drew on her family's matchmaking cultural background to develop her successful dating app.

Christopher Steadfast is easily identified as a persona, and his backstory is endearing - a recently widowed, single father trying to do his best with the hand he has been dealt. It's a refreshing change of perspective, and it's easy to see why we're supposed to adore Christopher.

***SPOILER***

It's easy to see why Christopher immediately latched on to the idea of Dara dating as a segment to save his show, and his career. There are some pacing issues, particularly with the characters that we meet that Dara dates. It's obvious that Christopher is meant to be the endgame love interest. The dating show would have been a better use if they had landed Dr. Daniel earlier in the book to perpetuate a love triangle, and make it harder to know who to root for.

***END OF SPOILER***

Overall, a fun read and really funny.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Harlequin Trade Publishing and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Loved the first novel by Jean Meltzer, the second Mr. Perfect on Paper didn’t disappoint. Quirky characters, a delightful story, fun twists within. The author has a way of immersing you in the storyline where you feel like you know the characters, you can smell the surroundings, taste the food. Pick this one up for a book club read or just for fun.