The Matchmaker’s Gift is a fascinating and beautifully told story. Told in dual timelines, it is the story of Sara Glikman, a Jewish Shadchan, or matchmaker, in the early 1900’s through 1950’s, and her divorce attorney grand-daughter, Abby, whose story is set in 1994 and told shortly after Sara’s death.
When Sara dies, Abby finds her old journals and realizes as she’s reading how Sara is able to make marriage matches, that Abby may have the same gift. But for Abby, keeping people together will put her job in jeopardy.
I really enjoyed Sara’s story. I loved learning of the matchmaker’s of New York in the early 1900’s. I enjoyed learning of the Jewish tradition of matchmaking, and the qualifications to be a matchmaker at that time. I especially loved the scenes of Sara standing her ground with the men in the synagogue, and the women at that time standing united with her.
Abby’s story was enjoyable as well, but I felt like the stories involving Abby were a little contrived. Something about everyone in her cases either partner swapping, or Abby meddling in their lives to assist them with staying together just didn’t sit well with me. I also thought that Abby should have been stronger with her boss, Diane, to truly parallel the storyline with Sara and her strength of character.

Overall, though, I did really like this book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, Jewish fiction, dual timelines. Ms. Loigman’s story reminded me of another favorite author, Phaedra Patrick, whose stories I have read and loved and recommend frequently.
Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the advanced e-copy of #thematchmakersgift

This is truly a beautiful story, it is the perfect mesh of historical fiction with a little magical realism and a lovely romance. The author has given us such a descriptive atmosphere from the characters to the setting. This multigenerational story will take you on a wonderful heartwarming journey.

The story of Abby, a divorce attorney, and her grandmother Sara, a traditional Jewish matchmaker, is told in dual timelines. In the early 1900s we learn about Sara and her family in a poor, predominantly Jewish, neighborhood in New York. Sara has a special gift of matchmaking for couples at a time when not only her age but her gender would not be taken seriously. In the present Abby is struggling with the loss of her grandmother when she is given her journals that tell the stories of matches made long ago.

Lynda Cohen Loigman earned my admiration and appreciation with her book The Two-Family House. I also enjoyed The Wartime Sisters. I was so excited when I received an advance reader's copy of The Matchmaker's Gift.

This is a dual point of view story told from two different time lines. The early 1900's is Sara Glickman's story. She is a young Jewish girl who arrives in American with her family. She is only ten years old when she finds a romantic match for her older sister. Not long after the two wed and start a family. Is this special talent a gift or a curse? Sara continues to quietly make matches despite the anger from the devout, tradition-following older men who felt their livelihoods were in jeopardy. She is careful not to publicly make these matches but has the paths cross of the individuals and they have no idea that Sara had any hand in it.

1994, New York City, Sara's granddaughter, Abby, is a divorce attorney who was scarred by her parent's divorce and how her mother was treated in the divorce. Sara passes away and Abby of course is devastated with the loss of her beloved grandmother. Abby receives a box that Sara left with her with notebooks. After further investigation, Abby discovers that the notebooks contain the details of Sara's matchmaking through the past decades.

Abby, suddenly starts to realize that several of her clients from her law firm, should not either be getting married or getting divorced. And I will leave the reader to find out what happens.

Loigman has written a lovely heartwarming book that is woven with magical realism. It was great to see Jewish representation in the main characters and many of the supporting characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advance copies in exchange for my honest thoughts. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

All I can say is AMAZING! Wow I was completely not expecting this but I absolutely loved every single word. I highly recommend going into this blindly and trust me you won’t be able to put it down.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I was initially recommended Lynda Cohen Loigman’s work when she was the guest host one month for the Pink Carnation Readalong, so I jumped at the chance to review an early copy of her next book, The Matchmaker’s Gift. And given how one-note the portrayals of Jewish people within historical fiction (and in fiction in general) are, either being reduced to antisemitic caricatures or to victims being saved within largely gentile-centered World War II narratives, it’s refreshing to have one where Jewish culture and identity are centered in a more nuanced way.

This is a multigenerational narrative, and I like how the two complement each other. One follows Sara’s maturation, growing up in the first half of the 20th century, with a gift for matchmaking. She contradicts common and expected images of a matchmaker, as many at the time were older men, and there’s also the common image of the older, married woman matchmaker; Sara defies both stereotypes by being young and unmarried.

The second storyline follows Abby, Sara’s granddaughter. I immediately loved the irony that Abby was kind of jaded about love and had become a divorce attorney, seemingly bucking family tradition. However, through guidance from her now-elderly grandmother, through journals left to Abby when Sara passes on, Abby becomes aware of the truth of both her grandmother’s gift and the fact that she has also inherited it.

I really loved diving into the different instances of love, both from Sara’s perspective directly and through Abby’s as she explores the journals, and even meets descendants of people who were products of Sara’s matchmaking. And I love the way Sara’s matches provided hope even in the midst of hardship, such as among Holocaust survivors.

This is such a sweet, heartwarming read, and that’s not something you can say about a lot of historical fiction. However, with messages of love, hope, and faith, it’s a standout within the genre, and perfect for the historical fiction reader looking for something different.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I was thrilled when Cindy from the Thoughts of a Page Podcast selected this book for her Patreon group to read early as I had already had my eye on it. I’ve read both of Lynda Cohen Loigman’s previous books and really enjoyed them, but I have to say, this might be her best yet, and definitely her most delightful one – and once you read it, you will definitely understand.

This book grabbed me from the get-go and never once let up. It’s told using a dual-narrative and I was equally invested in both timelines, loving both main characters and their individual journeys. The modern-day timeline is Abby’s story, a young divorce attorney who finds herself reevaluating her life choices after the death of her grandmother. The historical timeline is Sara’s story, starting with her and her family emigrating to New York in 1910 where she first discovers her gift for matchmaking.

I loved how both stories unfold, with each woman coming into their own. We see them face issues in all areas of their lives – with their families, in their workplace, in their love life – and yet they find ways to navigate through. Along the way, we get insight into the Jewish culture and see a side of NYC that I have never seen, which I absolutely loved. I definitely want to visit some of the places mentioned in this book!

And of course, the highlight of the story was the matchmaking and how that was woven into the story. Sara’s gift and her ability to use it was fascinating. It definitely contrasts well with the traditional Jewish matchmaking customs of the time.

I loved every minute of this book. This is historical fiction that will make you smile, and it’s not too often that you can say that! It’s a feel-good, delightful read that I highly recommend!

I cannot say enough good things about this book! I was already a fan of the author's, but THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT is my new favorite and will definitely be one of my favorite books of 2022. The writing flowed so well, and the dual POV/timeline story was riveting from beginning to end with both timelines being equally entertaining (which is rare). I loved the matchmaker premise and the slight speculative/magical element. I highly recommend this book to lovers of commercial fiction, romance, women's fiction, and historical fiction.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

I truly enjoyed this story. I cared about each character, and felt their emotions with them. This is a light-hearted story that made me happy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a dual timeline story that is set in New York City. It’s about a grandmother and granddaughter and their skills at matchmaking.

1910: Sara Glikman found out she was a matchmaker when she was ten years old and found a match for her older sister. She soon learns that in New York City, the matchmakers are all older men, and they don’t want any competition from a young girl. In fact, they forbid her to practice matchmaking, so for years, Sara practiced in secret, matching couples and making love matches.

1994: Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, is a successful divorce attorney in New York City, and when her beloved grandmother dies, Abby inherits boxes of journals documenting all of Sara’s matchmaking. Abby finds more questions than answers in the boxes and now she must decide if she’s fated for more than helping others dissolve love matches.

This is one of those dual timeline books where I enjoyed both timelines equally. I was fascinated with Sara, and how she used her matchmaking gift, but I was equally fascinated with Abby as she struggles to figure out what she really wants to do in life. I especially enjoyed learning about the Jewish matchmaking traditions in the early 20th century. And the setting was vividly described, both early 20th century New York and modern day New York. But I especially enjoyed learning more about the Jewish culture and traditions of the early time period.

I also loved the relationship between Abby and her grandmother, and it’s clear that they are two of a kind. Both are fighters and have compassion for others. I loved how Abby changed her opinion of love throughout the course of the book, and how comments and conversations with her grandmother came back to her at critical moments in her journey.


I highly recommend The Matchmakers Gift to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The MatchMakers Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman was a touching story about following your heart and using your gifts and legacy to help others. It follows two different women at different times who have a gift for seeing love matches. Sarah is an orthodox Jew in the 1900s who has to fight the social norm to be able to prove that she's gifted as a matchmaker. Her granddaughter Abby has a timeline in the 1990s and is a divorce lawyer. Quite the opposite of a love match but a gifted woman all the same who sees past the hurt and frustration of her clients to find what their hearts really desire. This book is such a feel-good book and even when there's tension in the storylines you can see the characters moving forward towards a satisfying conclusion. I learned a lot about Jewish history and matchmaking and I was reminded of how gifts can be generational and should be respected and cultivated. This was a great story so if you're looking for a feel-good uplifting tale definitely check it out.

I was totally surprised to learn at the end, where the acknowledgments were made, that there were in fact Matchmakers in Jewish communities throughout the years, and that they were paid for this service, bringing couples together for marriage, recognizing love through a special gift that the couple may not even know yet. Several research references are made to this by the author.

This fictional story is based on two of them, one in the past, and one in more modern times, 1994. Abby (in 1994) is mourning the loss of her grandmother Sara, a 90-something elderly lady who claims she made hundreds of "matches" through the years, of couples meant to be together for life. She had a gift of how to recognize them. She thinks Abby may have the same gift, and leaves her volumes of notebooks she has kept and left for Abby to refer to and learn from.

Abby is a divorce lawyer, working for a demanding senior officer in their divorce firm and her intuitive nature doesn't always agree with her boss's who is more concerned with the financial aspect of a contract than whether it's right or wrong.

I found the topic interesting but it didn't captivate me. The character development was limited. It was a pleasant enough read, but nothing unput-downable for me. I was provided a review copy prior to publication for my own unbiased opinions. Release date 9/20/2022
#NetGalley #St Martins Press #The Matchmakers Gift

| About |

Is finding true love a calling or a curse?

Even as a child in 1910, Sara Glikman knows her gift: she is a maker of matches and a seeker of soulmates. But among the pushcart-crowded streets of New York’s Lower East Side, Sara’s vocation is dominated by devout older men—men who see a talented female matchmaker as a dangerous threat to their traditions and livelihood. After making matches in secret for more than a decade, Sara must fight to take her rightful place among her peers, and to demand the recognition she deserves.

Two generations later, Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, is a successful Manhattan divorce attorney, representing the city’s wealthiest clients. When her beloved Grandma Sara dies, Abby inherits her collection of handwritten journals recording the details of Sara’s matches. But among the faded volumes, Abby finds more questions than answers. Why did Abby’s grandmother leave this library to her and what did she hope Abby would discover within its pages? Why does the work Abby once found so compelling suddenly feel inconsequential and flawed? Is Abby willing to sacrifice the career she’s worked so hard for in order to keep her grandmother’s mysterious promise to a stranger? And is there really such a thing as love at first sight?

| Thoughts |

Interestingly the inspiration for this book came from Jewish history of matchmaking. Loved the time periods and the authenticity of the story. Instantly loved the two main protagonists. They each eventually came Into their own and made for a heartwarming story. It was thought provoking and funny at the same time. Lots of little tidbits of wisdom on love and life.

A heartwarming, enchanting and pitch-perfect tale full of character, wit and wisdom that reveals the secret of fulfillment. What is the secret? Could it be that generosity and compassion are the true key to finding a way to true happiness and achieving your destiny?

Set in New York during dual time periods (the 1920’s and the 1990’s) it tells the story of two women Sara and Abby (grandmother and grand-daughter) who share an unusual gift……..connecting soulmates. Sara is dedicated to her calling…..Abby is more dedicated to her career as a divorce attorney.

So get comfy on the couch and allow THE MATCHMAKER”S GIFT to take you on a magical journey with these two women as they fulfill their individual destinies.

The Matchmaker's Gift is a gift to all readers. Using two widely separated time periods, Lynda Cohen Loigman elevates what could have been a run-of-the-mill book into one that sings. The storylines are compelling and she draws her characters with care. I'm impressed with the amount of research she did for this novel and am happy yo say that it paid off. I could not put it down. Recommended highly.

Abby thinks she is doing her dream job: working as a divorce attorney. It’s ironic, because her grandmother Sara was a secret matchmaker, setting up couples for almost her entire life. When Sara passes away, she leaves her journals to Abby. Heartbroken and confused, Abby begins reading the journals, trying to find out why Sara left these to her.

Told in alternating points of view, we see Sara’s journey as a matchmaker beginning as a young teen in the early 1900. She hides her gift from the elders in her church until she can’t anymore. Then we see Abby’s perspective, reading through the journals in the present. Slowly, Abby begins to question the career she worked so hard for and consider what her grandma believed in. This was such a sweet, feel good novel! Sara’s gift was magical and I enjoyed seeing her story unfold with Abby through her journals. I thought the author did a fabulous job tying their stories together and bringing a touch of magical realism to a family story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Linda Cohen Loigman and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! “The Matchmaker’s Gift” releases September 20th.

This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 🙂

This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last! I loved everything about the characters and the storytelling. This tale is told from two POV’s, Sara’s beginning in 1910 and Abby’s in 1994. Both of these strong & capable women have intriguing stories and I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the magical quality of the matchmakers and the historical component.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a feel good story full of magical realism.

A heartwarming story about a Sara, a Jewish matchmaker, who had to fight for her place among the traditionally male dominated profession. The big difference, Sara had the gift. She could actually visualize threads between two people which indicated their love match. While many of the "Shadchanteh" (traditional Jewish matchmakers) made matches based on family compatibility, Sara made matches based on love. As she was growing up in the early 1900's, marrying for love was not widely accepted, it was seen more as an arrangement between families that had the future possibility of becoming love.

When Sara was 10, she made her first match, for her sister. As she grew up, she became more in tune with her gift and her inability to deny her destiny, a move that angered the establishment. An unmarried female was not allowed to be a recognized matchmaker. The story follows her life as she grows up and learns to accept and use her gift. The dual timeline is shared with her granddaughter, Abby in the 1990's. Abby is a lawyer and her relationship with Sara was very close. In the later timeline, Sara has passed, and Abby must deal with her overwhelming grief and move on with her life. She discovers that her grandmother shared with another that Abby also has the gift for matchmaking. This is a revelation to Abby and she really doesn't believe it. The story follows her remembrances of moments with Sara, and the moments in her past that shaped her life. It also explores her career as a lawyer and the unwelcome integration of her job and her gift.

There was a lot to like about this story - the characters were easy to love and root for. The background into the Jewish traditions and expectations were so interesting and the story was easy to read. I think the letdown for me was that the book felt predictable and wrapped up a little too neat. But a lot of people enjoy that - so if you do, I definitely think you should pick this one up. I liked this book, I just didn't love it - but I think I will be in the minority on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy to read and review. Pub date: 9/20/22

This is such a tender and lovely story!

A beautiful dual timeline story of Sara in 1910’s and 1920’s growing up a Jewish girl in New York with a special gift of matchmaking. This is a sacred practice in her church and is done only by older men, but Sara has a magical gift. In mid 1990’s New York, her granddaughter Abby, a divorce lawyer of all things, is mourning her loss while realizing she may share her grandmother’s gift.

This book is tender, heartwarming, and clever. The characters are lovable and funny and real. Sara is such a full and rich character that anyone will want to reach in the page and hug. All the secondary characters enrich the story in a great way. I enjoyed the history and learning about the “shadchan”, or Jewish religious matchmakers. Learning the Yiddish words throughout the book was also fun.
Review to be shared to Instagram closer to publication day.

An interesting story with a dual timeline. Sarah,from 1910 to 1990’s and her granddaughter, Abby, from 1995 . Sarah is a Jewish woman who has spent her life as a matchmaker. Abby is a young divorce attorney . Both reside in New York.
Sarah’s story is very detailed with all the matches she makes. I loved the historical portion and looking up the Yiddish words sprinkled throughout her history.
Abby has a very close relationship with her grandmother. When changes occur in her life, Abby must concentrate on what is really important in her life
The start, really first half of the book was slow moving. Id recommend it on the Historical elements but it did take me a long time to read.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc opportunity