This is a sweet debut novel from an author who can and does teach us quite a lot about human nature.
Those summer camper readers will be nostalgic when they read about those experiences of first love at camp and the fun and angst that went along with it. The love-hate romance between the two main characters, Rachel and Jacob,. keeps you going, hoping for a successful ending.
Chronic illness, ME/CFS,which is often dismissed as made up in its severity, is discussed in depth in the book. The author, herself, has the illness so she is able to educate us first-hand about it. That's such an important aspect of the book.
The premise of Jews delighting in Christmas is so deftly defined, A fun read!

This is a Hallmark Christmas story wrapped up as a Jewish Hanukkah romance. Rachel romance novelist that writes Christmas romances. She is also Jewish and daughter of a prominent rabbi. Her last books sales haven't been as high and the publisher would like her to write something with her Jewish roots. Jacob comes to NYC to put on a giant extravaganza called the Matzah Ball Max. Jacob and Rachel haven't seen each other since they went to Jewish camp when they were twelve. Both felt the other broke their hearts. Rachel thinks attending the ball will inspire her to write her new book. Jacob isn't going to make it easy on her.

I'm not Jewish so I didn't understand every Hebrew word or know all the foods described. But I got enough to feel immersed with the characters in their culture. (Rachel is raised more observant that Jacob.) I appreciate learning more about ME/CFS and could relate Rachel's characters to others I know who have chronic illness.

I really love this book. All the misunderstandings and mistaken points of view. Jacob's bubbe and her story is a wonderful addition. I would like to have seen a few more conversations between the two MC's or some intimacy (kissing or more) to move it to a full five stars. But I would recommend this to anyone who would enjoy a clean and different holiday read. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty fantastic debut from the author. I really enjoyed the intimate perspective on issues such as Judaism and chronic illness, and the chemistry between Rachel and Jacob was terrific. It had all the trappings of a holiday romance as well, and although the pacing felt slightly uneven (so much happened toward the last 25% of the book!) it was so entertaining and included so many tropes I loved that I'll be looking for more from Meltzer in the future.

#TheMatzahBall #NetGalley

Lots of fun and so nice to have a Jewish rom-com. Inclusion of chronic illness was very well-done, readers will understand the difficulties of living with chronic illness and will cheer on Rachel as she fights to keep her life from being completely defined by ME/CFS. The nice Jewish girl who loves Christmas and writes best-selling romances about the holiday is a delightful set-up for the real Hanukkah romance. The characters were interesting and relatable in thoroughly Jewish ways. An enjoyable way to spend a hot summer afternoon.

I adore books with Jewish MCs. As a Jewish person, I find we are so underrepresented in books, especially romance books. This book was such a breath of fresh air and I loved it!

I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers relationship between Jacob and Rachel. They were so cute and I loved reading their growth.

I especially loved the fact that the book has so much Jewish info and felt it was great for people who might not know anything about Jewish life/culture/religion to learn more!

A terrific non-traditional holiday romance with all the makings of a Hallmark movie!

Rachel is a unique heroine: a closeted romance writer, a Christmas obsessed Jew from a prominent family in the faith, and a young women restricted by an invisible disability. Only one person knows all these things about her, her best friend Mickey. It is difficult on her to keep so many parts of her separate and hidden.

And in comes Jacob, the middle school camp nemesis turned millionaire party planner, throwing the world’s coolest Hanukkah party and making Rachel earn her ticket inside. Their reunion had so many highs and lows and the miscommunication abounded!

There is definitely something to be said about own voices stories. The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome piece was so educational and relatable. The story took a very misunderstood and nebulous disability and really helped you understand the intricacies of living with it. Additionally, I learned so many interesting facts about the Jewish faith, and the varying levels at which it’s practiced, and enjoyed the Hebrew words interspersed for additional culture.

Outside of the struggling romance, I really enjoyed Rachel’s time with with Jacob’s bubbe, Toby. The amount of food prepared and consumed in this story was staggering! But their discussion regarding strength and bravery totally had me tearing up!

The ending was a little too Insta-love for me. Yes, they had strong feelings for each other when they were twelve, but they hadn’t seen each other for almost twenty years. And, they spent the majority of the two weeks they were in the same city angry at or confused by each other. So while the big cathartic announcement at the end was awesome and very much needed to happen, I thought the love pronouncement was ahead of itself.

Overall though, a fun and unique story. Really enjoyed this one!

I received an advance reader copy of this story from NetGalley and MIRA and these are my honest opinions.

A great Hanukkah story, however, the editing needs some help which made the book hard to read. EVERY F L in the story was separated, no matter where the F L was located in the word.

Rachel and Jacob are looking for the besheret or soul mate. Rachel, a rabbi's daughter, met Jacob as seventh graders at Camp Ahava. Ahava, which translated into English, means love, which is kind of ironic. Love can be found in many ways in this book. Both Rachel and Jacob show love for their families in many ways and their families show love for them in traditional Jewish ways. They also have a great support system, both in their Camp Ahava family as well as the many friends that they interact with.

I was excited to read a romantic story that featured a Jewish couple and a Jewish holiday. If the FL editing was not in the book, I would have rated this a perfect 5 stars.

I liked this one but did not love it! I thought it was a very interesting premise (a Jewish book author who loves Christmas and is tasked to write a Hanukkah-themed novel) and really wanted to read more about this aspect of the main character's life. I felt the book was very heavy on dialogue surrounding the romance which I think some people would love! For me, I personally wanted to read more about the career-aspect.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and their development. It did drag in parts but the payoff was worth it. I was excited to see a holiday romcom that was not just about Christmas. I was excited to read a Jewish romcom.

As much as I wanted to like this it truly dragged at times. Yes, you have a chronic illness. We get it. So do I. It doesn’t define me but it’s defining this character and it’s all you talk about on a bulk on the pages. Please. Don’t. Do. That. It’s dismissive of who she really is as a person. Until that changes I can’t review this objectively.

A satisfying romance about former summer campers coming together years later. Lots of nostalgic summer camp nods during a mostly winter holiday themed book.

This is an amazing romance with good chronic illness & Jewish representation.

Childhood rivalry, feuds, and big reputations run wild through this story but oh my the author did it so well. I absolutely adored Jacob and Rachel's relationship, they are the perfect match for each other. Jacob is so good about her CFS and does everything to accomadate her once he realizes about it without making her feel pitied. Honestly, all of the characters in this book are just amazing. Rachel's relationship with her mom really reminded me of my own so that was super cute too.

It did annoy me that the book was centered around Christmas, because at the end of the day Judaism also has beautiful colorful fun holidays and the whole 'jewish woman obsessed with christmas' trope is getting a little old. I was hoping that by the end of the book Rachel would realize it was all an attempt at assimilation or internalized hatred. But, with that said, I did still enjoy the romance and jewish culture shown throughout.

I liked it and I would recommend it.

*Just not suitable for high school library, thus the opinions above.*

I thoroughly enjoyed the Matzah Ball. It was pure escapism at a time when I really needed it, truly. I enjoyed learning about the Jewish faith and, more so even, Jewish culture. I also just loved that it was set in Manhattan at the holidays, which is always wonderful to imagine and want to be a part of.

However, I’m not sure I ever truly bought the idea that, having been at camp as 12 year olds together, they would still be in love so fast and furious. Also, why can’t people ever just be average looking in these books? It frustrates me.

Gah! It was a mistake to start this just before bed because I just could not stop reading! But it was worth the late night; this is so darn cute! It was like an adorable Hallmark holiday movie and I had all the feels; I laughed, I cried, and everything in between. Also, the author included some great info in ME and lots of cultural info for me to learn more about Judaism.

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is the daughter of a famous rabbi and a successful doctor. To the outside world, she's the perfect daughter and everything a young, single Jewish woman should be. But she has a massive secret.

Rachel is obsessed with Christmas. The decorations, the music, the Hallmark movies. But it's not just that she loves Christmas. Her family thinks she's some kind of freelance writer, but she's actually the bestselling author of more than 20 Christmas romance novels and 4 made-for-tv holiday movies.

When Rachel's contract with her publisher is up, she expects to be contracted for more Christmas romances. But this year, her publisher wants a Hanukkah romance instead. This is the last thing she wants to write about! Rachel feels that Hanukkah lacks the magic and romance of Christmas. But then she hears about the Matzah Ball Max, a music festival set to take place on the final night of Hanukkah. Maybe this could be the inspiration she needs? Tickets are sold out. But luckily, she has a chance to finagle a ticket out of the organizer, Jacob Greenberg, who is spending Shabbat with her parents in order to secure her father's attendance at the ball.

Slight problem. Jacob Greenberg is the very same Jacob Greenberg who was her 7th grade summer camp archenemy and Rachel still holds a grudge about a certain kiss....

There is just so much to like here. A childhood rivalry. A big secret. In fact, TWO big secrets. SO MANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS. I also love that the main romantic lead has a disability (she suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis, aka chronic fatigue syndrome). ME/CFS is one of those "invisible" disabilities that people don't understand or don't think is "real", so it's so powerful that we see the daily life of our female romantic lead, how it dictates so many aspects of her life, and we understand that her disability does not define her or make her less worthy of love. And as a person who also grew up as a Christmas outsider, I found her obsession with Hallmark Christmas movies completely relatable.

I honestly tried to give this book a chance. But I am tired of the trope. I am tired of reading books about Ashkenazi Jewish women obsessed with Christmas. And supposedly Jewish holiday romances that only ever center Hanukkah, and even then only because it happens to land in proximity to Christmas on a calendar. How can it be that with such a rich, ancient and diverse culture, this is all we have to represent us? Unfortunately, this book fell into too many stereotypes and cliches, a representation that we have seen before and is honestly tired and hurtful.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had mixed feelings about this novel. On one hand I was intrigued by the heroine that although raised Jewish loved everything Christmas and did everything in her power to live a quality life despite her chronic illness. I liked that the author introduced many Jewish cultural scenes and allowed the heroine to appreciate her heritage despite her misgivings. Jacob's character brings the heroine both anguish and anticipation. She needs his help to continue a successful career as a romance author. He agrees to help her with the condition that she volunteer for the Matzah ball. There are several misunderstanding that follow that I felt took away from their budding romance. They each harbored feelings of resentment and attraction for each other and this contradiction made for many moments of tension and angry disputes.
I didn't find any of the scenes amusing but more emotional and uncomfortable. Overall, it is a unique story that has the potential to be an amazing romance but is so bogged down with so many layers that it was hard to find its sweet spot.

Is it too early for holiday romances? I hope not, because I need this mental seratonin treat, and The Matzah Ball by Jen Meltzer is just what the doctor ordered. It’s basically a Jewish Hallmark Christmas movie, but full of Hanukkah jokes, matzah ball costumes, Jewish parents, rekindled romance, misunderstandings, and joy and I was so here for it.

Rachel is kind of..famously Jewish. Her father is a big-time rabbi in Long Island, her mom’s a doctor, and she was raised on Jewish Day Schools and Jewish Summer Camp, including the camp where she had her first kiss with Jacob and was totally humiliated when everyone saw. Cut to like…19 years later. Rachel is a chronically ill romance novelist only…she writes Christmas romances. And no one knows. It’s like her big hidden secret, but when her editor suddenly wants a Hanukkah novel this year, she has to figure out how to get into the Hanukkah mood. Enter: The Matzah Ball Max–a huge party on the last night of Hanukkah. That’s rom-com worthy, right? Well…yes, but then there’s the event’s organizer: Jacob. Suddenly, they are back in each other’s lives, to varying degrees of excitement and resentment, and when Rachel has to volunteer at the event to get a ticket, Jacob and her quickly get off on the wrong foot. Keyword: Matzah ball costume. Can these former childhood sweethearts find the sweetness again, or will the stench of the past and the cloud of secrets keep them from their happily ever after?

Well…this is a romance novel, so you know they get that HEA, but it’s a fun ride to get there! Having the eight nights of Hanukkah as a conceit worked SUPER well for this. Love a good time constraint, and this made sense. Both characters–Jacob and Rachel–were enjoyable to see their POV. Plus, I got to learn a lot about ME/CFS, Rachel’s chronic illness, which the author also lives with. I also loved the Jewish elements of this–learning about new things, but didn’t feel like I “missed” anything not being Jewish myself. I’m sure I didn’t fully appreciate some of the Hebrew or traditions, but I was still able to enjoy the book fully!

A 5 star read for me, and I can’t wait to recommend this to people looking for more #ownvoices romances, holiday romances, and non-Christmas romances.

The Matzah Ball is on sale wherever books are sold September 28, 2021.

Loved the twist on a holiday romance with a Hanukkah theme. So appreciate the author bringing her vast knowledge and experience of both Judaism and ME to a book that was as informative as it was entertaining.

3.5

i feel (though i may be wrong, since i don’t have personal experience with either) that this book does a great job delving into both the jewish faith and cfs. the story is cute; i love both enemies-to-lovers AND revisiting childhood flames, especially those involving summer camp. however, i felt the ending was a bit rushed.

#netgalley