This is the fourth of Jean Meltzer's books I've read, and once again, it did not disappoint! Faye is a Jewitch who owns Magic Mud Pottery in Woodstock, New York. The town gets vandalized with Antisemitic posters. Faye creates a golem out of clay, and then burries it in her backyard. The next day, she hits a man while riding her bike, who upon visiting him in the hospital, has no idea who he is, but freakishly resembles the golem Faye created out of clay. Upon learning Greg has no idea who he is, instead of taking him to a shelter, Faye lets him move in with her. This story is super cute as it encompasses Faye and Greg's friendship, along with Faye's other friends, trying to figure out who he is. The book was wonderful for current times, as it discusses Antisemitism, and Jews, as well as non Jews coming together to help the Jewish community in Woodstock. I absolutely loved this novel, and can't wait to read Jean's upcoming release next year!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*2.5
This was not what I expected.
Faye is a very interesting character with a lot of depth, but she was also very repetitive in her thinking and constantly talking herself down, which became a bit much after the third identical self-doubt internal monologue.
Greg is a golden retriever. I can’t say that I dislike him in any way. At least, not his personality.
I find the premise of the story far fetched. I am all into the amnesia theme; however, forgetting how to make eggs and talk and other everyday stuff sees far-fetched. Maybe this is a legit issue for people who bump their head, but it isn’t written in a believable way. Also, inviting someone into your home when people are blatantly hating your existence is such a dumb move. It made the story more entertaining for sure, but that was nuts on Faye’s part. I would also like to say that their interactions in the early stages are really odd; Faye is being a caregiver to a grown man she doesn’t know…weird.
Her heritage/cutlure/religion was a really enlightening aspect of this story. There was A LOT going on here, and I found myself both intrigued and confused on the Jewitch concept.
I do appreciate the side characters in this story. They bring in enough to be relevant and round out the main character, but really nothing more. I did like Nelly the most. For being an overdone spunky old woman trope, I really like her character and the violence she feels toward the villains. On that note, I think the villainous character (iykyk) was a little bit of a stretch and kinda sucky. To avoid spoilers I am not going to go into further detail on that.
Anyway, this was not my favorite, but I am probably still gonna read more of her books. I love the Jewish representation in rom coms and will forever be a fan!

I tried, over the course of a couple of days, to love this book. The cover, the blurb, all of it spoke to me. But I just couldn’t get through it. Unfortunately, I was bored. I kept reading, hoping it would get better. I made it to about 15% and finally gave up.

This was a pretty good book. It’s my first book I’ve read by the author. It was good the title was a bit misleading but overall it was good

I have enjoyed reading books by this author and this is another fun read for me. I read this book quickly and will continue to read more by this author.

This book was a slog. The writing was so bad. It was heavy handed, repetitive, and boring. I loved the idea of a Jewish MC but every time the author used the term “jewitch,” I cringed. The idea of someone being a super observant Jew and a practicing witch and regularly using the term Goddess could not reconcile themselves in my head. The myth of the Golem is always fun but this might be the worst way I’ve ever seen it used in a book. I’m not sure how this book got published.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the story.

2 ⭐️. The premise sounds lovely -- a witch living in Woodstock NY (one of my favorite towns!) falls in love with a mystery man who enters town. However, the execution was poor and extremely lackluster. The amount of times the characters commented on genitalia (completely out of nowhere!) gave me such an ick. I also HATED the amount of times a cop showed up to "save the day". Very very disappointed in this read.

TY to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my fourth Jean Meltzer book, so it’s safe to say that I’m a fan, and Magical Meet Cute is a spellbinding romance you’ll want to add to your fall TBR.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the Jewitch elements in it. I found myself wanting to pick this back up after I set it down… which, in my opinion, is the true test, on whether I am enjoying a book.

This reminded me a bit of Practical Magic (always a bonus), but it didn’t have quite as many magical elements in it as I was expecting.

I figured out the biggest “twist” in here pretty early on, but I’m ok with it. I think it worked well in the story. However there was one part of the story that didn’t make sense in the beginning, and it was very hard to overlook it without any additional explanations.

Suggested snack pairing: kosher hard salami - plain, or with rye bread and mustard.

Triggers: child abuse, terminal illness, mental illness, death, antisemitism, police brutality, PTSD

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc of this book

My review is posted on my Instagram @bedtimesandbooks

This was another great book by Jean Meltzer. I really enjoy her books because they're always a beautiful love story with such a great historical lesson on Jewish history. I really enjoyed how this book touched on the anti-Semitic attacks that were happening in her city, it humanized them in a way. It also showed Jewish folklore which a lot of people aren't privy too.

She made the magical realism but made it in a way that it was too far off that it couldn't be reality at the same time. It also had a great disability representation, and mental heal representation as well.

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review, as always, all words are my own.

I did not finish the book. I read about two chapters, and couldn't keep going. As a religious Jewish person, it was just not a good fit for me.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just could not connect with the characters. I felt like the writing and the dialogue fell flat 😔

Such a fun cozy little romance with some mystery dashed in!
Covers some important topics while still making me laugh along the way. Overall an enjoyable quick read!

I've read all the books by this author and this was definitely the most wild lol. It actually reminds me of two separate hallmark movies combined. If you are intrigued by which two message me cause I don't know the exact names....

I didn't expect this to be dual POV, but was pleasantly surprised. I loved seeing inside Greg's head. With such a weird set up with his amnesia it was definitely unexpected. And can we talk about book boyfriend alert? Cause GREG WAS EVERYTHING. I loved how into Faye he was. Honestly the mutual pining was so so good.

This wasn't just the typical romance. It had a mystery/thriller aspect that was a pretty big part of the plot. It made it a little different and fun.

It did have some heavy topics that had to do with antisemitism. So read the TW.

This one is out in late August! Check it out then!

4/5

In this original and interesting story, that includes humor, mystery, wit, and sexual tension, but without the spice (I'd categorize this as a romantic "clean read"), Jean Meltzer has melded multiple subplots into one story almost seamlessly. She was able to combine serious social and mental health issues with witty one-liners and fantastical ideas that had me both laughing out loud and feeling sorrowful empathy. Faye is an adorably complex character that encapsulates the best of us, trying to overcome trauma and low self-esteem. And though Greg is an amnesiac who may or may not be a golem created by Faye herself, he plays such a stable companion to Faye's chaos. He fits perfectly into her life and is a type of "hype-person" for her, especially when she needs hype the most.

I'd also like to praise Meltzer's character Nelly, a hyper grandmother-type who surprises readers with her sharp tongue and maniacal fervor for catching the anti-semites plaguing the small community of Woodstock, NY. She perfectly complements and supports Faye's character, and offers comic relief in a sometimes heavy topic within this novel. She easily became a favorite character.

There is a small plot hole that I hope is addressed at the time of print, and that's Shulamit and Miranda's pregnancy. There is no mention of a baby in the Epilogue. The proposal at the end is sweet and very progressive, but I'm not sure I love how it was written.

Overall this is a fun novel that I enjoyed getting lost in. It reminds me of Lucy Score's Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door, so if you liked that series, you'd probably enjoy this novel as well.

I have read all of Jean Meltzer's other books and truly enjoyed them. This book was unique, very different than the other ones, and ultimately good. I think the marketing may be off, though. Her books previously were romance; this was barely and the title is misleading. This book felt much heavier than I expected, exploring as a center topic anti-semitism and actual attacks and violence and language around that. It also explores childhood trauma and its effects on adult relationships. The romance was slight and not actually magical, so I think the title and marketing should be changed to target the correct audience. That said, I appreciate the perspectives in the book and confronting anti-semitism head on, and enjoyed the setting and characters as well, including the side characters. I will continue to read all of Jean Meltzer's books. She could use a better editor, though.

I truly enjoyed this cute magical love story and the cultural representation but unfortunately I had to DNF.

Although, this book just wasn’t for me. HOWEVER, it is definitely worth looking into, even though it wasn’t my thing… it may be YOURS!

When Faye's town is covered in Anti Semetic posters, she drunkenly decides to make a golem to protect her. When she accidentally crashes her bike into Greg, she wonders if her golem has come to life.
It's a quick read with lots of Jewish representation. It's educational, heartwarming, and definitely more than just your typical rom com.
I feel like this book is coming out at the perfect time with everything going on in the world. I love everything that Jean Meltzer writes and was so excited to get this ARC. I really enjoyed it and am already looking forward to her next book.
Thank you to Jean Meltzer, Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA, and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This novel publishes on August 27, 2024,

I had not suspected that an excellent way to learn about Jewish culture would be through a sweet romance novel. Turns out it is! Magical Meet Cute is educational and funny and heartwarming.

I recommend it if you’re a fan of “Jewitch” practices, accidentally suggestive pottery, quirky FMCs, droolworthy MMCs who READ, found family, and senior citizens with tasers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review!

Did not finish this book, while others I’m sure will enjoy this and the reading style and experience it just wasn’t for me.

The story is basically about unexpected magic that intertwine the lives of its characters in different ways. While I’m a fantasy reader, this felt too fantastical and unrealistic for me. I felt very disconnected from the characters and plot points, I found myself not interested and just bored.