5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Magical Meet Cute
Author: Jean Meltzer
Romcom

Thank you so much Netfalley for this ARC! This was the perfect, cute read to kick off the beginning of spooky season! I love magical romcoms.. this one was also super unique because the main love interest is a friggin golem 😂. Faye used to have a legal practice but now is living life as a cozy potter in New York. When her tower is targeted by an anti-Semitic movement she summons a golem on accident to protect the town. This golem turns out to be a hot guy that has memory loss and she has to take in to her home. It was super cute and I loved the fact that there was a bit of a mystery side story going on at the same time. It was the perfect balance of spooky cute romcom with plot. I will definitely be checking out her other books. This just released on 8/27/24!

I dnf'd this book. The writing style just wasn't for me and the beginning, in media res, didn't play out very well. I don't feel comfortable giving a full review without getting farther into the book, but I just can't make it.

I love Jean Meltzer and this book was so beyond needed during the current climate for Jews around the world. I enjoyed the characters, the writing and the different sensitive themes that Jean touches upon throughout the book. I did feel that at 60% mark I was reading two separate books once we started wrapping things up. I still really enjoyed this book!

I have mixed feelings about this novel. While the writing style is great, the story didn't exactly convince me and I didn't particularly enjoy the characters. Would recommend it, but it just isn't my cup of tea.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

I love reading RomComs by Jean Meltzer. While featuring all the characteristics of romance, there is just a little extra sparkle when she writes. Maybe it's that we have a common type of humor and so I find myself giggling out loud when I read her books, I'm just not sure. This one definitely left me smiling! This is a fabulous book for all RomCom lovers!

Faye is a proud Jewitch, she was a fiancee and a lawyer but neither of those things were for her, so she now owns her own pottery story in upstate New York.

Just recently she has found her city, and outside her store to be littered with anti semitic flyers. She creates a golem out of clay and imbues him with all the characteristics she wants in a man. The next day she hits a man with her bike, he ends up in the hospital with amnesia, and she takes him in. only she is convinced he is the manifestation of her golem, and isn't a real person.

This book was so outrageous I could not get enough. The amnesia trope brought me back to my teenage fanfic days, and it could not make me any more happy. I felt the chemistry between the characters. It had a nice balance of fun, light heartedness, and serious topics. Right now we live in a time where topics are very hard and nuanced, and although I am not diminishing the struggles of the Jewish experience it is hard for me to fully sympathize with the struggles of the characters when the harm being done to other peoples is harrowing. Overall this was a really fun book.

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer is a fun, romantic story, infused with a touch of magic, 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 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.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #HarlequinTrade

Unfortunately I think the premise and the Jewish folklore/ Jewish experience of living in America wasn’t done justice.

I don’t know if it was just a narrator problem but that didn’t help. The narrator was VERY emotional for the whole 11 ish hours… but overall I was just bored. I wanted more from the golem aspect and less repetition of this lady’s hang ups…

I loved this authors other books so I’d give her another chance.

Thanks to netgalley and harlequin for an eARC

This is my third Jean Meltzer read and, yep, should have listened to my instincts after each of the previous first two and skipped this one.

I’ll keep this short to prevent myself from ranting but I found the FMC, Faye unbearable (her behavior somehow both unhinged and predictable), the treatment of antisemitism to be unhelpfully heavy-handed (and the reveal of the perpetrator to be entirely unsurprising), and the writing style… not to my taste. I didn’t mind the MMC, Greg, who is unfailingly kind and supportive, even in the face of behavior that, frankly, should have sent him running. Faye’s friend (frenemy?), Nelly – an irrepressible, naughty septuagenarian anti-antisemite crusader with a penchant for sneakily sweet gestures – to be one of the few characters I enjoyed.

I so badly want there to be good Jewish romances out there but so far they seem to be afflicted with the same chet as the attempts to do a Hallmark Hanukkah movie: they just kinda suck.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade/MIRA for a copy of this book in exchange for an 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 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.