Happy Aloha Friday! I'm happy to be today's stop on the TLC Book Tour for Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer
Publisher's Blurb:
From the author of The Matzah Ball comes a pitch-perfect romcom following a third-generation Jewish matchmaker who unwittingly finds her own search for love thrust into the spotlight…
The perfect Jewish husband should be:
- A doctor or lawyer (preferably a doctor)
- Baggage-free (no previous marriages, no children)
- And of course—he must be Jewish
As the creator and CEO of the popular Jewish dating app J-Mate, matchmaker Dara Rabinowitz knows the formula for lasting love—at least, for everyone else. When it comes to her own love life, she’s been idling indefinitely. Until her beloved bubbe shares Dara’s checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on national television and charming news anchor Chris Steadfast proposes they turn Dara’s search into must-see TV.
As a non-Jewish single dad, Chris doesn’t check any of Dara’s boxes. But her hunt for Mr. Perfect is the ratings boost his show desperately needs. If only Chris could ignore his own pesky attraction to Dara—a task much easier said than done when Dara starts questioning if “perfect on paper” can compete with how hard she’s falling for Chris…
Publisher: MIRA; Original Edition (August 9, 2022)
Paperback: 416 pages
My Review:
OK, confession time. I had a really long and busy work week and I only made it through about half of Mr. Perfect on Paper as every time I sat down to read after work, I promptly fell asleep. Not the fault of the book at all; it's a cute and engaging romance. This book is fun with a likable main character. Dara Rabinowitz, is a successful matchmaker and entrepreneur, the creator and CEO of a successful Jewish dating app, but also a bit of a mess with extreme anxiety issues. Her sister and her best friend, her beloved bubble, (grandmother) think she needs to find a husband. Dara's bubbie shares the list of "The Perfect Jewish Husband" she put together with her sister after a night of drinking on a television talk show which causes a bit of a sensation. The show's host, Chris Steadfast, thinks that profiling Dara and leading the search to find her a perfect Jewish husband is what will save his morning show from cancelation and she reluctantly agrees, hoping it will boost the sales of her app. Sparks begin to fly between Chris, a non-Jewish widower with a young daughter and Dara but he definitely isn't perfect on paper.
It's a romance so I am pretty sure we all know where this book is heading but the journey to get there is. entertaining. I'm going to finish the book this weekend and I'll write the rest of my review then and update this post. Until then, I'll leave you with a couple favorite Jewish recipes below.
8/14 Update: I just finished the book and really enjoyed it! It's a rom-com but I also felt like I learned a lot about Jewish history and culture from it. Dara was a great relatable main character who I was rooting for. It's a little predictable but gave me many of the feels. I thought I had listened to the author's first book The Matzah Ball, last December but I mistook it for another Jewish rom-com, so I will be looking for it and adding it to my TBR.
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Author Notes: Jean Meltzer is a nice Jewish girl with a not-so-secret love of Christmas. After a childhood steeped in Jewish tradition, kosher food, loving bubbes, and awkward Jewish summer camp romances, she found her way to NYU Tisch, where she studied dramatic writing and earned numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. She spent five years in rabbinical school, finally discovering the magic of Hanukkah for herself, before her chronic illness forced her to withdraw, and her father told her that she should write a book—just not a Jewish one because no one reads those. The Matzah Ball was her first novel. It combines all of the things she loves: warm and supportive families, tight-knit Jewish communities, Ashkenazi baked goods, big and swoony endings, Jewish shtick and humor, Judaism… and, of course, Christmas.
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Food Inspiration:
There is definitely food in Mr. Perfect on Paper, lots of mentions of traditional Jewish dishes as well as other food. Here are two recipes I have made and enjoyed in the past that I think suit the vibe of the book.
Ruth Reichl's Matzoh Brei: If you have never made or tried matzoh brei, I highly recommend this simple dish of matzos and eggs.
Note: A review copy of "Mr. Perfect on Paper" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and learn what other reviewers thought about the book below.
Matzoh brie and potato latkes- two of my favorites from childhood. I'm glad to have the vegan potato latke recipe to try - thanks
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