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 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. 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?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This is a delightful read that will make you want to break out the pumpkin spice latte and apple cider. I loved the chemistry in the romance. I thought this book was super swoonworthy and romantic. Reading this book was like getting a big hug.

I was granted access to this book because I am a member of the Harlequin influencer program.


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


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⭐️: 3

💛 slow burn
🧿 forced proximity
💛 magical realism
🧿 small town
💛 Jewish representation

I learned something about myself while reading this book, and it’s that I really enjoy the amnesia trope. This was also my first introduction to golems and I absolutely loved the jew-itch fun, I do however wish there were bit more magical realism.

Now as for the heavier topic of this book; antisemitism. As a Jewish woman myself, I thought the way this was a part of the greater plot was very well done. Anyone of any religion or background could learn from Faye’s story and especially the fear and uncertainty that many Jews find themselves faced with daily.

I will say, I am not sure a non-Jew would appreciate the Jewish and Yiddish references in this book, but I could certainly hear my mother’s voice many times while reading!


♥︎ Thank you NetGalley, HTP / The Hive and Jean Meltzer for the eARC of Magical Meet Cute.

The romance aspect of this book is really quite lovely. I loved the pairing of Faye and Greg, who bring out the best in each other even when he has amnesia. Which, admittedly, is not my favorite trope but it’s done so so well in this book. Faye is independent and well rounded, but she’s got some issues to work through (don’t we all??). and Greg is exactly the right combo of supportive and protective, understanding and curious, and I couldn’t wait to uncover his real identity. (I made a decent guess, but I wasn’t 100% right.)

But this book is so much more. The pervasive fear of experiencing anti-semitism is a running theme, as well as discussions of how to possibly live with it, stand up to it, fight it head on. The characters experience hate crimes perpetrated by anonymous white supremecist nazis, and those moments were anxiety inducing for me as a reader who isn’t Jewish. I could completely understand how some readers might need to avoid this topic, but I also think it was handled with care, with sincerity, and felt fraught with lived experiences and emotions. I think representation of this issue is important, and so is reading outside our own experiences because how else do we see past our own neighborhoods?

Overall, the serious parts of this book and the romantic moments were both so well done. I think people need to
read this book.

This was an interesting book. It was a lot deeper than I thought it was going to be. I will say I think the title is slightly misleading. It is a Meet Cute, but the book does deal with heavy themes. I did enjoy the book and would definitely read more of her work.

MMC is another 5⭐️ release from Jean and deals with mounting antisemitism in today’s world. Please do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this - let’s show publishing that there is a strong need for Jewish voices in fiction - plus, you’ll love it!

I enjoyed it and had fun even if it misses some world building. The characters are fleshed and I rooted for them.
Entertaining, cute
3.5 upped to 4
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Unfortunately the best that I can really offer with this book is that it was okay. This is another example of a book that I really wanted to enjoy and the premise sounded adorable but the overall story just fell flat for me. For me it's sort of felt like a romance novel with no Romance as I felt no real Chemistry Between Faye and Greg they just felt awkward and weird.

Lots To Love - With a WTF Or Two. First, my own "WTF" is the intense focus on anti-Semitism (meaning anti-Jew, specifically, even though Arabs are also Semitic, according to the actual genetic definition) throughout the text - but Meltzer actually uses that, eventually, to get into areas she's never really gone to in my experience reading most of her books. Thus, that actually turned into a good thing, as she was able to use it to further her growth as a storyteller.

And that actually gets into the lots to love here. Meltzer is unapologetic in seeking to make Jewish lives more "normal" to an outside audience, usually by taking quirky characters and showing them loving, laughing, making mistakes, learning from them... you know, doing the stuff we pretty well all do. But also including quite a bit of Jewish specific elements, here mostly focusing on magic and in particular the concept of the golem - which is more often, in my reading experience, used in science fiction to varying degrees. (Both Jeremy Robinson and Kent Holloway have used them quite effectively, among others.) Meltzer even provides some in-story exposition on the history of golems in Judaic philosophy, which was a particularly nice touch - especially given that a romcom audience is probably less familiar with the overall concept than the aforementioned scifi crowd.

Indeed, the golem of the story... well, he's used quite well, actually. Both for what he is believed to be and for what ultimately happens - though I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible here. I will note that it is the golem that plays the larger role in Meltzer's expansion of her storytelling abilities, mentioned above, but I think that may be as close as I can get here and remain spoiler free.

Ultimately a fun book, perhaps a touch heavier than some would prefer in a romcom, but still fulfilling all known requirements of a romcom. Very much recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin, and Jean Meltzer's team for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer really took me by surprise in the best way. I went in expecting a light-hearted rom-com, but this book turned out to be so much more, tackling serious issues and personal trauma with depth and care. Faye Kaplan is such an interesting character, who blends her faith with magic to navigate a world full of challenges. I found her journey both unique and compelling.

The romance between Faye and Greg, who might just be a golem she accidentally brought to life, adds a whimsical yet touching element to the story. While the beginning was a bit slow for me, the story picks up as Faye's journey of self-discovery unfolds. I also appreciated how the author weaves Jewish culture and folklore into the narrative, giving the book a rich and meaningful backdrop. Overall, "Magical Meet Cute" is a charming and thought provoking read that left me both entertained and moved. I’d give it 4 stars.

This is my second Meltzer book and I do plan to read her other 2. I love the Jewish world of her books and particularly liked learning about Golem. However, this is a Rom comic that strays into very serious territory, which readers expecting a lighthearted romance will be surprised by.
Faye Kaplan had a childhood ruled by a mentally ill mother and a father who did not protect her. As you can imagine, this seriously affected her, but it was not until her fiance dumped her rather spectacularly, that she reassessed her life and moved to Woodstock, NY.
She became a Jewitch and opened a pottery store.
On the day the city is inundated with antisemitic flyers, she gets drunk and makes a pottery golem which she buries in her garden.
The next day she hits a man with her bike, and when he wakes in the hospital he has amnesia. Since she feels responsible, she takes him home until he can regain his memory.
This is where the romance and the seriousness take off.
Greg the Golem is a wonderful character and I fell for him just as Faye does. The villain is working in plain sight, and I recognized him immediately. The cast of characters are quirky and lovable, especially her ugly dog Hillel. Hard Kosher salami also plays a role in more ways then just food.
The antisemitism is quite a heavy topic and the conversations that occur are quite upsetting because the beliefs some of the characters have are sadly prevalent today. As a Jew, this book was sometimes difficult for me to read but I hope non Jews will read this empathize, and reject the hatred.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. I am 2 days late reviewing because I had to set the book aside for a day to allow my feelings to calm down. The happy endings come after both Faye and Greg realize they need therapy to overcome childhood traumas to be able to make a commitment.
So trigger warnings for antisemitism , child abuse, and abandonment issues.

I really wanted to love this book, especially with how fascinating the premise was. The idea of the main character Faye being a Jewitch, a witch who practices rituals based in Judaism, was novel to me but the execution of the book left much to be desired.

From the beginning, it's easy to figure out which character is going to end up being the head of the Paper Boys, the anti-Semitic group that is organising hate crimes in Faye's town. That took the suspense out of the story and made it quite boring to read.

The romance in the book was also lacklustre and didn't really keep my attention. After a while, Faye's dilemma over having created a man from a clay doll felt repetitive and prevented the relationship from developing in an interesting way. It was only at the end of the story that I actually started to feel invested in the romance, but by that point, the story was ending.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin, and Jean Meltzer's team for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Three out of five stars.

As a little Jewish girl who went to a Jewish day school, I remember reading a folktale about the golem. I was certainly fascinated by the idea of a creature essentially summoned to protect Jews from anti-semitism. Never did I imagine that I would read a romance novel that heavily featured that folklore. I really wanted to like Magical Meet Cute, but I couldn’t get into the story or the characters.

In a world facing a lot of anti-Semitism, it is important to have stories that address the rise of hateful rhetoric against Jews. Faye not only deals with disturbing flyers blaming Jews for COVID-19 and many other problems, but there is also a rock thrown through her store window. While these topics are important to discuss, the scenes where the Paper Boys actually appear don’t feel realistic. The anti-Semitites are all very caricaturish. They don’t read like real people.

Greg starts the book unable to form sentences after his accident due to amnesia. Faye patiently works with him to get his words back. He very quickly not only regains speech, but he is suddenly able to convey complex and abstract thought. It felt jarring to me that it happened so quickly. I understand for the sake of the story, Greg had to be able to speak again quickly, but the shift didn’t feel earned and seems too abrupt.

I also really struggled getting into the love story. Faye spends much of the book convinced that Greg might be a golem that she created. It felt very Pygmalion. The power dynamic between them made me feel uncomfortable. Faye does recognize this and stops anything from happening between them initially, but it still didn’t feel right.

The best character in the book is definitely Nelly, an older woman who is Faye’s neighbor. She is determined to take down the Paper Boys and will go to great lengths to make that happen. She even has what’s described as a “war room” in her house dedicated to that cause. I would read a book dedicated to Nelly’s story any day.

I love Jewish representation, especially in romance novels, but I found myself having a difficult time with Magical Meet Cute.

Author Jean Meltzer's ultimate message is to bring Jewish Joy. To show that there are books out there about being Jewish that aren't strictly about the Holocaust/WWII. Magical Meet Cute is such a love letter to being proud to be Jewish, even in times when it's hard to.

This story pairs old and new, Jewish folklore and the very real rise in antisemitism. I love the way Melzter tells her stories, without avoiding or overly explaining terms central to many of our Jewish upbringings. I love that this story is current and it feels familiar in a way a lot of other books- and books about Judaism- don't. Meltzer chooses to tackle topics that other authors don't typically touch and I have to applaud her for that. Her heroines are quirky and imperfect, like many of her readers. I just really appreciate this book, and I hope other readers- Jewish and non-Jewish alike- can appreciate it too.

Magical Meet Cute is a Jewish contemporary romance with some magical realism elements.

I love how much Jewish rep the author’s books contain. As a Jewish reader her books make me so happy. I went into this book blind. And honestly I was completely unprepared for the fact that this was not just some cute fun rom-com. The book deals with important and timely issues. And I could not be prouder that the author tackled these subjects.

Faye Kaplan owns Magic Mud Pottery in Woodstock, New York. Faye has a disability. When she was a teenager her mother hurt her hand. This abuse is now such a big part of who she is.

Faye is a Jewitch (which I had never heard of before). She is a ceramicist who created a clay creature (a golem). The next day she hits a man with her bike. Is he a golem (the clay creature come to life) or a real man with amnesia?

I do love magical realism. However I was definitely hoping that this part of the story would go a certain way. Greg is a huge man with the kindest gentlest soul. I just loved seeing him absorb information.

I absolutely loved her best friend Miranda and Miranda’s wife Cantor Shulamit. And Faye’s octogenarian store neighbor Nelly was such a fun spitfire.

This book was heavier than I expected. A big focus of the story has to do with anti-semitism. And there is a mystery surrounding who is involved with the anti-semetic violence.

Overall this book blew me away. The Jewish rep was amazing. The disability rep was amazing. The serious issues were handled in such a beautiful way. And the whole golem vs real man fiasco gave some much needed levity to the book. This book is a wonderful read!

Jean Meltzer knocks it out of the park time and again. This is not only filled with a lovely romance built on deep connection, but a thoughtful look at the role of trauma (generational and personal), and stark, impactful looks at the current experience of being Jewish in America and the rise of hatred and violence toward the Jewish population. I recommend all of Meltzer's books, but this is high on where to start.

In Jean Meltzer’s Magical Meet Cute, magic, Jewish folklore, and love come together to create a fun, but serious story of Jewish life.
Faye Kapla used to have a successful legal practice. But after the fiancé broke up with her, she moved to Woodstock and started a ceramics business. Because of her trauma, she has no desire to date though her friends try to pull her in. Her life starts to change when anti-Semitic fliers paper the town. Faye’s picture, and information are on the flyer as well as other Jewish businesses. Faye, a Jewitch, gets drunk and dabbles in Jewish folklore. She creates a golem for protection—just a little clay figure that she buried in her backyard. She does believe in this kind of magic, but it was time for a Hail Mary. The next day she runs into a gorgeous and well-built stranger with her bike. He has no memory of who is. Where is he from, and what happened to him? Faye decides to take him home feeling guilty for running him over. Faye finds herself attracted to him but in a world where she constantly in danger is there is no time for love.
I almost didn’t get into this book. The beginning was rough, and I didn’t care for Faye. She was whining about giving up her best years and her best birth years but she’s only 31! And somehow, at that age, she had her own successful law practice that she quit two years ago to move to Woodstock. This is fantasy at its best. This lament that woman is only good in their twenties pissed me off especially after she did something so fantastical with her job. But things change when the fliers come. You start to worry about Faye and want to help protect her. Meltzer then begins looking into Faye’s past and deep trauma. You become excited that she has someone who will protect her as people start throwing bricks through her window. The only other thing I didn’t like was that the author kept using “disable finger.” I had no problem with the character having it, (actually, I was excited) it’s that the same words were repeated over and over without using any synonyms.
Even though the above is true, the story becomes something more than just mere romance. There are other issues that the characters must deal with. The idea of who one is, how to overcome trauma, and what to do in the face of dangerous adversity are all included. Faye and the homunculus Grep face each other in different ways. I loved watching Greg coming into himself and watching Faye come into her indemnity (the irony of it is great). The book is timely as there is such a big anti-Jewish sentiment right now. (This is not political. Both innocent American Palestinians and Jews are being terrorized.) People need to understand what it’s like to feel that terror. The reader truly understands how much it hurts.
Magical Meet Cute starts off at a low point but quickly builds up to an interesting story with deep meanings.

Magical Meet Cute was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. It's not often Jews are featured as the main character in books that aren't focused upon our trauma. I loved the idea of a Jewitch. Felt like the spiritual side of Kabbalah was front and center and I am not quite sure where the fiction started or ended. My knowledge about that is pretty tiny. I did thoroughly appreciate that Faye wasn't devout and showed another side of Judaism.

The story revolves around some pretty heavy topics, so be aware of the content warnings. The story's highlight was the side characters for me. The friends and found family that Faye surrounded herself with were fantastic. I went in thinking it would be a contemporary romance that deals with some bigger issues but would have a lovely swoon worthy romance at the center. The book swung more towards general fiction with many subplots leaning into a suspense element. The writing was still beautiful, I just needed to adjust my expectations.

CW: antisemitism, white nationalists, parental abuse, mental health, self esteem, death of parents

✨𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨✨

📖: Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️{4}
🫑{0.5}

While this was indeed a cute romance, I feel like the primary focus was on the other portion of the plot regarding Faye embracing her Jewitch self and navigating the challenges that the horrible anti-Semitic group that begins terrorizing her town. As soon as they leave their hate flyers on her street, Faye gets very wine-drunk and proceeds to create a golem. She is then very hungover and runs into a man (Greg) the next morning on her bike causing him to have horrible amnesia. He appears the day after the golem creation and as she learns more about him she realizes he has quite a bit in common with the golem she created.. and is he too perfect??? And who is behind the anti-Semitic group?

While it took me awhile to get fully invested in this one I ended up thoroughly enjoying it! The sassy old lady, Nelly, was my absolute favorite character. Faye’s character growth was also phenomenal and I loved her journey to accepting herself. Learning more about the Jewish culture was also wonderful! Still boggles the mind that people can be so hateful because I know stuff like the hate crimes in this book happen in real life too and it breaks my heart.

𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮:
✨plus size FMC
✨Jewitch magic
✨a mystery man/golem
✨Jewish joy
✨found family
✨slow burn

𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵?”

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳.”

“𝘈𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭…𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺.”

“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘧 𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘦—𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵, 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵—𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.”

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝙹𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚣𝚎𝚛, 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙽𝚎𝚝𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝙰𝚁𝙲. 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗.

One-word review: eye-opening
Emojis: 🫨🤔😳
Rating: 3.5 🌟s

My Top-Five-style Review:

5. I loved the strong community elements in the story. The characters look out for each other, and that comes through loud and clear.

4. The romance lacked real steam or chemistry, which was a bit of a disappointment since I really liked both main characters.

3. The Golem's history, facts, and shared beliefs, completely fascinated me, as did the concept of a Jewitch. The fun paranormal aspects lightened up what was really quite a dark story.

2. I loved how Meltzer handled Faye’s disability with great empathy. It’s always important to me that any disability, whether, physical or mental, be handled very sensitively and with the respect it deserves, and Meltzer did just that in this story.

1. Magical Meet Cute looks like it will be a light, fluffy romcom, but it’s anything but. It’s an eye-opening look at antisemitism in the U.S. I loved how the culture and history are so artfully laid out for the reader in the story's context.