In Magical Meet Cute, we follow Faye who is a self-proclaimed Jewitch woman living in Woodstock, NY. Faye previously worked in law, but then decided upon opening up her own small ceramic store that also serves as her home (upstairs) after being left (quite literally) in another country by her fiancé right before their wedding. It's safe to say Faye is not totally over this and she also seems to hold on to some other traumatic events from her past. Along with this, she and her little community becomes a target of antisemitic attacks. So, what's a Jewitch woman to do? Get drunk and frolic in her rose garden under the moonlight after creating a clay figure she intends to become a golem to help bring justice and protection from these anti-Jewish attacks, of course!

Greg-golem comes into Faye's life and kind of turns it upside down! He really was just so perfect?? Come on, he READ basically the entirety of her bookshelves INCLUDING the romance and was so good to her and her weird hairless rat-dog, Halel.

This book was fun but also delves into serious issues, like domestic abuse, mental health, Jewish hate, among other things. It was a cute, quirky romance and I enjoyed reading it except for the parts where I really wanted an anvil to drop on the bad dude(s).

Omg I loved this so much.
Talk about a slow burn: the romance between our two main characters felt real and understandable. And they way that the two of them understood each other in a realistic way, becoming friends first and seeing them fall for each other *chefs kiss*
The characters themselves were very well developed, the fmc, Faye, is Jewish and I appreciate that representation because not a lot of romance novels have that. And the side characters were all lively and interesting! Loved each of them so much!
Now the writing was descriptive and consistent, which kept the story fresh, and honestly making it hard to put the book down. And the cover is adorable! Can’t wait to pick up a copy in August!

Enough of all the right things and going to be amazing for fall! I am a fan of this author and this story features her trademark mix of depth and levity. It was great to see the careful handling of generational scars. The imbuing of magic was a fun and intriguing. I appreciated that she took her time with pacing the love story, which led to it's believability. I'd pitch it as Ali Hazelwood meets Erin Sterling

Please read reviews before reading. I feel like the cover and back of book are misleading. I thought I was getting a story of how a woman thought she magically created man to be her plaything when a man with amnesia enters her life. Hilarity and spice ensue. Maybe I was wrong for taking it that way, but that isn’t this book. Yes, it’s part of it, but you also have antisemitism, Jewitch practices, abuse, post traumatic stress, lots of hard Kosher salami, and no spice. There are a lot of things in this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more without the magically creating a man aspect. At the end, I don’t think it was needed.

Thank you Harlequin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Jean, and I found it quite fun! I really enjoyed the FMC and the LI, the voice and the pacing didn’t drag. Definitely recommend for a quick, fun read!

It took me a month to finish this book when I've been known to finish books in a day or two. I kept falling asleep while reading because I was so bored reading it. The title doesn't match the book (hitting someone with your bike is not a "magical meet cute"), the story was slightly boring, the writing was clunky, I caught quite a few editing errors, and the characters' actions were nonsensical. I still don't understand what a "Jewitch" is and what kind of magic they do; it sure didn't seem like this book contained any actual magic. I was hoping for a good story and romance, but this book contained neither for me. I wouldn't recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to read.

Magical Meet Cute was a sweet, feel good palate cleanser. I was all in on Graye’s relationship and was rooting for them the whole time, There were quite a few typos that will hopefully be sorted by the publication date. Overall, the story was sweet and quirky as well as informative about Jewish culture.

Faye is a ceramicist who happens to be a practicing Jewitch (which I had not heard this term before reading this book and found the concept extremely interesting and need to read more in the future) who happens to hit Greg on her bike after performing a magical spell to create a golem to protect her town. Greg, a completely normal guy, loses his memory as a result of the accident. Faye feeling guilty takes care of him and brings him into her home to try and help him during this time of memory loss. I enjoyed the silly interactions that occur as a result of Greg attempting to get his memory of normal things back while Faye is just wildly throwing any and all options at making him better at him.
Faye, while capable of believing she created a golem, is not capable of believing that she deserves love and that her art is beautiful for the mistakes that result as a result of her handicap. Greg and Faye both come into this relationship broken and come out having learned more about themselves.
I enjoyed this book and the narrative of fighting the antisemitism occurring in Faye's town. I enjoy reading Jean Meltzer's novels as they give the perspective from a Jewish woman and how these extreme hate groups can cause large impacts.

I was so excited to get this arc. However, my excitement stopped there. I liked the premise of the book, but found the story to drag out unnecessarily and I was losing interest fast. While it had many cute love sentiments it was just a cheesy rom com to me and just wasn’t for me.

I really loved this magical, complex, and beautiful novel. This isn't just a love story about a woman and her perfect man - it's really a love story about two people finding their community and learning to love themselves. The theme of the novel is centered on healing as much as, if not more than, love and I appreciated how much thought and care the author put into allowing the characters to go through their mental and physical health journeys. I learned a lot from this book about my own culture and history and really related to a lot of the advice the character was given throughout the novel. And I really loved the way that all of the characters were very relatably messy. I think there could have been a couple less excerpts from other books and that the book itself could have had slightly faster pacing at the beginning, but other than that I have very few critiques. I would just advise readers to take the content warnings seriously, as the book is very much centered on trauma. Overall, though, I would recommend this to many readers - particularly Jews who need a little magic in their lives.

Reading this book felt like coming home. I feel seen and heard on a level that I haven't experienced before. Faye's story of lost love reminds me so much of my life that it's honestly a little scary. The only difference, though, is that I don't have a giant man with amnesia staying with me. I really hope that this book sees the success it deserves. This story should easily become a contemporary romance staple in any reader's library.

Wow I’m just gobsmacked by this funny and scary set of circumstances the MCs find themselves in, as well as the deft hand of the author navigating the rocky coastline of bad plot devices which befall so many other writers. Jean Meltzer has crafted a love story that honors the legacy of a race of survivors who have endured literal hell on earth at many points in history, both recent and ancient, yet have persevered and flourished. Despite the ripped from the headlines awful threats and attacks leveled at the female protagonist and her circle of friends and neighbors, there is much humor and great joy to be found in this book.
Perhaps the greatest love story contained therein is that of Faye, who finds love and acceptance of and for herself. Greg is an ideal man for anyone but especially Faye. The pair, as well as Faye’s delightful found family have so many lessons for each other, with love and loyalty shot throughout.
I devoured this novel in an eighteen hour period between sleep and obligations, and my dark circles this morning were a small price to pay for having been gifted this advance reader copy from the author and netgalley. I’m pleased to share my honest review.

Another sweet and engaging read with magical elements from Jean Meltzer, blending Jewish folklore with self-explanatory inspirational elements.

I wish there were more magical elements throughout the story, but I still appreciate the author's approach in taking readers on a historical journey through Semitic history and addressing the attacks against it, intertwined with the characters' traumatic yet self-healing experiences.

The story centers around Faye Kaplan, once a successful lawyer in New York, happily engaged, but now the owner of a pottery shop in Woodstock, leading a different and peaceful life after breaking off an engagement with the wrong guy at the last minute. The only thing disrupting her fresh lifestyle is the antisemitic attacks in her new small town, manifested through hateful flyers scattered around random places.

One night, after drinking too much wine, Faye creates a list for her dream guy and molds all those attributes into a clay man she names Greg, formed by her own hands. The very next day, still reeling from her drinking stupor, she accidentally collides with a man while riding her bicycle, only to discover that this gorgeous redheaded man is also named Greg and has no memory of his past. Could she have given life to a gnome and literally manifested her dream man into reality?

Greg possesses all the qualities Faye desires in a man. Could she finally find love in a magical way she never imagined before?

I enjoyed the creative plotline and well-developed, realistic characterization. My only issue lies in some plot holes and the lack of chemistry between characters. However, despite this, the book provided insightful information about Judaism, and I easily connected with Faye's journey of self-growth and exploration of new life opportunities. Therefore, I'm rounding up my rating from 3.5 stars to 4, finding the right guy in the most unexpected circumstances.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Mira for providing me with a digital review copy of this heartwarming romance in exchange for my honest opinions.

Big thanks to Jean and netgalley for the arc. This book took me a while to get into because of the fantasy/magical elements but once I got hooked, I couldn’t put it down. Greg and Faye’s relationship was magnetizing and the whole golem storytelling piece was unique. Nelly was hilarious and made me want to know her. It felt so brave to write about antisemitism during such a difficult time for the Jewish people so I was grateful to the author for tackling the subject. Docked a star as the previous traumas integrated and spell casting all felt like a bit too much going on.

Faye is a Jewitch who, after a bit of a quarter-life crisis, moves to a small town to open a pottery shop. In the midst of an act of anti-Semitism in her neighborhood, she (after drinking some wine) makes a small clay man known as a golem in jewish folklore and does a spell to bring him to life. Within 24 hours, she hits a man named Greg (with a lot of similarities to the clay figure she made) while driving and he wakes up in the hospital with no knowledge of his past. As they navigate the outcome, they connect in their pursuit of the identities of those behind the continuing anti-semitic attacks. They struggle with their connection since Greg still can’t remember his past and Faye is wondering if he is a clay figure brought to life.
I really enjoyed this book! It was so different and interesting. The plot was more complicated than your average romcom, but it certainly kept me engaged. I honestly didn’t know what direction the plot was going to go at certain points. Faye is definitely a little crazy and the plot is certainly WILD at some points, but it was entertaining!

This was my first Jean Meltzer book and let me just say I’m HOOKED. I loved everything about this book. I dont see a lot of Jewish main characters in stories so I thought this was so unique. And then our main character is also a witch so that makes it even better! This book was so unique and fun. I really enjoyed Faye and Greg as main characters and even our fun side characters. I also loved the little twist about Greg’s back story. I can’t wait to read more from Meltzer and I can’t recommend this enough!

Magical Meet Cute is a jewish rom-com that follows the protagonist Faye, who just to be engaged and also used to have a legal practice in New York and now works in her pottery in Woodstock. The only thing missing for her is the perfect guy. And when she creates a golem protector adding all the details for an ideal man, she finds herself wondering if this guy named Greg, who turns up the next day, if he is really real or if she summoned a golem.

I think i went into this book with the wrong expectations. I liked the protagonist and the generational trauma awareness was done very well, but i think i missed some magical aspects. I thought there were some plot holes that bothered me and since the storyline also takes place in times of covid, i didn’t find myself ‚escaping‘ reality into a fluffy rom-com but rather being thrown back into isolation.

Thanks you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you're a reader who relishes contemporary romance stories infused with a touch of magic, Magical Meet Cute deserves a spot on your reading list. Written by the talented Jean Meltzer, this novel weaves together well-drawn characters, a unique premise, and a cozy setting. Whether you're a fan of romance, intrigued by Jewish folklore, or simply seeking an uplifting read, Magical Meet Cute promises a delightful escape into a world where everyday moments hold hidden enchantment.

I was excited to read this novel, but I feel like the description wasn’t accurate leading to an overall feeling of disappointment. I was expecting more magic and whimsy, but there were several surprisingly dark subjects addressed. I also thought the dialogue at time was forced and awkward. All that being said, there were some cute moments that left me desiring more. I did appreciate the information about Judaism because I feel like I learned a lot reading a romantic novel. However, that’s not really what I’m seeking when choosing this genre. Would not purchase this, but I’m still thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC. I have read other Jean Meltzer books and they can be hit or miss for me. I enjoyed this on. It was fun mix of romance and Jewish mysticism and the anti semitism story line felt very timely. The “thriller” felt a little forced but I really enjoyed the characters.