A wonderful story of a woman, Sara, who has special instincts (powers) as a matchmaker. The story alternates from Sara’s perspective to that of her grand daughter, Abby, many years later (1990s). We hear the perspective of Sara who early in her life has to navigate her special gift, to later when she matches those around her. Meanwhile Abby’s life is shattered when her parents divorce. She’s is traumatized by how terribly her father behaves and how little her mother can do. With that she herself becomes a divorce lawyer hoping to help women in similar situations. She ends up working for a shrew of a woman. Sadly Sara dies (an old grandmother) and Abby is suddenly thrust into reading Sara’s old journals and she herself feeling some of her grandmothers gift. The story unfolds with Abby struggling to find herself and what she wants while channeling her inner Sara.
I thought this was a sweet book and as a Jewish mom I appreciated the pieces of my culture weaved throughout. Overall I think I’d recommend this to those that like sweet stories with a little touch of magic.

An enjoyable & interesting book. A little history and a bit of magic. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Told in dual timelines 2 generations apart in NYC. In 1910 10 year old Sara and her family come over to start a new life in NYC by boat. During the trip she experiences her matchmaking gift and sets her sister up with her future husband. After arriving in America she begins making matches in secret as to not anger the men who matchmake as their livelihood. After a decade Sara is done hiding in the shadows, and begins making matches in the open and fulfilling her purpose. In 1994 Sara's granddaughter Abby seems to have inherited her gift, and after Sara sadly passes away and leaves Abby her journals of her matching, Abby is forced to confront what new chapter lies ahead for her.

I truly did not know that I would adore this book as much as I did. The Jewish culture held within these pages was fascinating to learn about. The struggle of being a woman in a male dominated world even 80 years apart was very powerful. The family relationships, and having your grandmother be your best friend was heart warming. There was not one part of this I did not love. I could not put it down and I did not want it to end.

Did I just accidentally read a rom-com? Well I loved it! The Matchmaker's Gift has great characters, I loved Sara and Abby. Set in two timelines, Abby's grandmother Sara becomes a matchmaker at the age of 10 and the story follows her journey throughout her career and the challenges she faced in an industry that was usually performed by men. Abby, in present day, seems to have some of her grandmother's talent which is messing up her career as a divorce attorney. This book was light and fun, just what I needed!
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy, comes out Sept 20, 2022.

The Matchmaker’s Gift is just like the cover, lovely. The story is told in two timelines. The grandmother, Sara in the early 1900’s and Abby, her granddaughter in the 90’s. Both of them have a magical ability for matchmaking. Sara as a young girl new to the United States and Abby who is of all things, a divorce attorney.

There is a nice touch of magical realism throughout a well told story that is uplifting and hopeful. This was such an enjoyable story and I’d recommend it to anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this gem. This is my unbiased review.

The Matchmaker’s Gift is a beautifully written, magical story set in New York City. It is told in alternating dual timelines, following Sara, beginning in 1910, and her granddaughter, Abby, beginning in 1994. The premise centres around the Jewish custom of matchmaking, which the author was inspired by through real newspaper articles and research. I absolutely loved the Jewish representation in this novel, and learning about traditions and what life must have been like in NYC during the early 1900’s and in the ‘90s. The author deftly weaves the fascinating story of Sara and Abby together, and as Abby learns more about her grandmother and her history after her passing, Abby begins to question her own life happiness and career choice as a high powered divorce lawyer. Has Abby inherited her grandmother’s gift of bringing true loves together? Will Abby ever find her own true love?

This novel with its stunning cover is a wonderful work of literary fiction, and is immensely enjoyable.

Thank you to the Thoughts From A Page Patreon (Cindy Burnett) and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful, beautifully written, heartwarming, historical fiction story set in New York City. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for approving my early access. I will be highly recommending this book to both of my book clubs!

We are introduced to 3 generations of the Glikman family in pre, post war, and 1990's New York City, It's historical fiction and blends the tales of real world matchmakers with some magical realism as we learn the history of Sara's journey into matchmaking to support her family and hone her gift. Growing up poor in the lower east side in the 20's and 30's, Sara realizes that she has an intuitive gift to see couples who should be together. Oftentimes they are married or engaged to other people, or deemed 'not marriage material' by the traditional male matchmakers that have dominated this neighborhood. This part was fascinating. How Sara steps up for herself and goes against the traditional men that control this process has many implications in today's struggles we all face. In the acknowledgements, the author lists out all her sources for Jewish matchmaking, many of which will make for some interesting future reading.

Upon Sara's death, she leaves all her journals to her granddaughter, Abby, detailing all her matches, as well as some very touching stories of helping refugees after the Holocaust. This woman had a fascinating life! In an ironic twist, Abby is a divorce lawyer, and soon starts to realize that she may have inherited Sara's unique gift. The drama and outcome this creates is a feel good story of reevaluation, and fighting for love, not against it. I think a 2nd book could be written on where Abby goes from here with her gift and career. A touching, beautiful story that will reaffirm your faith in love and humanity!

Sometimes I take a break from reading my usual genres and enjoy a good historical fiction. Having fallen in love with two previous novels by Lynda Cohen Loigman I assumed The Matchmaker's Gift was a sure bet and I was right.

Told on two timelines, 1910 when a young Sara Gilkman discovers her gift, and the 1990s after her death when we meet her granddaughter Abby who is mourning her loss.

Abby has become a divorce lawyer after having watched her mother go through a messy divorce in which her father basically dumped the entire family, leaving them to struggle to meet basic needs while he flourished in his new footloose and fancy-free life.


Sara never backed down and grew into a strong woman who "sees what she sees and knows what she knows" and never let anyone change that.

After Sara's passing, Abby inherits her journals and seemingly her gift of seeing which couples will make a perfect love match. Will she ever find her own soul mate?

I feel like I learned quite a bit about Jewish tradition from this novel. It was such a heartwarming story that this surely must be what is meant when someone says to expect the feel-good hit of the year. Loigman creates the kind of characters that make me wish I was part of their family. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction/women's fiction and anyone who just wants something lighthearted, high-spirited, and fun to read.

4 stars. Highly enjoyable dual timeline!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me take a peek at an early copy. My views are my own.

A beautiful historical fiction read about Jewish matchmaking! I always will pick up books with realistic Jewish people/culture. I really enjoyed the dual narrative between the matchmaker grandma and her granddaughter who is a divorce lawyer. It was a fast paced book, but a thoughtful read. I’m impressed with how the author really did her research, I particularly enjoyed reading about Jewish Americans in NYC during early 1900’s. Overall, it was very sweet, magical and fun read! I truly loved this book so much that it’s one of my favorites that I’ve read this year. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Hitch meets The Devil Wears Prada! Such a sweet story of the Jewish tradition of matchmaking. Sara's family moves from Russia to NYC in the early 1900's and she makes her first match at age 10 for her sister. Her gift allows her to see what a true love match should be between two people. The story goes back and forth in time between Sara and her granddaughter Abby, who is a divorce attorney in NYC. Abby works for a demanding attorney who makes her hours long and her stress level very high. But she wants this job to represent people like her mother who was not well represented when she divorced Abby's father. The stories from Sara's matchmaking overlaps with her stories she shares with her Abby. A sweet and interesting story which was enhanced by the author's note at the end of the book. My thanks to Cindy Burnett at Thoughts from a Page and Net Galley for this e-book. I am looking forward to Cindy's interview with author Lynda Cohen Loigman.

I love a good feisty grandma, and the one featured in THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT, is no exception! I loved (and flew through) this dual-timeline saga of Abby, a divorce lawyer in the 90s, and her grandmother, Sara, a matchmaker in 1910s New York City. As Abby uncovers journals left for her by Sara, she discovers there is more to her grandmother’s work than she could have imagined. The strong historical detail in this novel, highlighting the life of Jewish immigrants in NY, is both fascinating and compelling. I particularly enjoyed the alternating chapter structure that perfectly juxtaposed Abby’s work vs Sara’s work. Abby is such a fantastic heroine in her own right—I loved spending time with her and her fast-paced lawyer life just as much as I enjoyed the historical aspect. This was an all around delightful read from beginning to end, with vibrant female characters, & perfect for those of us who are a little obsessed with love.

The Matchmaker’s Gift was the perfect book to read snuggled up in bed while recuperating from covid. It took my mind off not feeling well and I escaped into the life of matchmaker, Sara Glikman, and her granddaughter Abby. This was a magical, feel good read filled with love, good deeds, and Jewish customs. Lynda Cohen Loigman thank you for this most delightful, enchanting read. NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press thank you for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved, loved, loved this story. it is written in a dual timeline. very interesting characters.. my first book by this author, will definitely read others.

This book was absolutely charming! The characters were lovingly crafted, and I really felt for Sara and Abby as they navigated their respective landscapes. The magical realism works splendidly, and I loved the ways that each woman came into her powers.

I'm a sucker for a dual timeline, and I enjoyed that approach in this book, as well. My primary note on the book was that the timelines ran a bit TOO parallel at times. I would like to have seen the details teased out in a more nuanced manner.

The same goes for Abby's matchmaking endeavors. It was just a little too easy at times. I would have appreciated a more robust secondary cast of characters so that the pairing could feel a bit more organic.

That being said... I blazed through this book and found myself eager to get back to it. None of the previous observations hampered my enjoyment in any significant way.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending me an ARC of this book to read and review. Wow. This book was brilliant. I loved how the story was told from multiple perspectives and timelines. Both Sara and Abby were independent and special in their own ways and it was great to see how they were similar over the years. I truly thought the story was magnificent and I loved the Jewish heart and soul I felt come to life throughout the entire thing. I was captivated by Loigman's storytelling and how immersed I was in all of the events that eventually unfolded. Like the title, this book was truly a gift. Both women were brave and I felt the power of community through what they had accomplished. I loved the feminism and the idea that women could do what the men do and they could do it better. The love stories from each match were riveting and I enjoyed the role that religion played. Overall this story was light, full of love both familial and romantically, and I genuinely loved this book so much.

Utterly charming with a mix of historical, humor, romance, mystery, and a little stardust of magic!

Lynda Cohen Loigman returns following The Two-Family House and The Wartime Sisters (loved both) with her latest THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT — a family saga of two generations of women with the family gift for matching soulmates.

1910: Sara Glikman is the grandmother who was a "shadchanteh," a Jewish matchmaker on the Lower East Side in NYC in the early 20th century. She was ten years old when she made her first match.

1994: Her granddaughter, Abby, is a divorce attorney in Manhattan. She is pretty cynical when it comes to all things love. Her mom and dad separated and divorced when she was young (her dad with younger girlfriends), and she decided to become a divorce attorney after her mom got the raw end of the divorce.

It is 1994, and Sara, the grandmother, has passed peacefully in her sleep. She misses her so much. Fourteen years earlier, her Grandma Sara abandoned her retirement in Florida to help Abby's mother raise her two daughters. Even at 94, she still lived on her own. She led a good life and was a wise woman. Her husband died at age sixty of congestive heart failure.

Sara's boss Diane is pretty cutthroat, and they have high-end, famous, wealthy clients at the firm they represent.

After her grandmother's death, she inherits her matchmaking journals. They are quite intriguing, and Abby had no clue of how detailed and invested her grandmother was in her matchmaking business. So much history. Who would have known?

The more she reads and pours through Sara's handwritten journals, she wonders why they were left to her. What is it her grandmother wants her to know?

Is Abby willing to sacrifice the career she has worked so hard to keep her grandmother's promise to a stranger?

Soon, Abby realizes she may have inherited the matching gift too. She is excited about the possibilities. She must rethink her life when her job is on the line for stepping outside the boundaries.

Sara had trusted Abby to find them and piece together the stories. Somewhere in this remarkable collection were the lessons Sara wanted Abby to remember.

"One day, my brilliant skeptic, I'll be gone, and all of my stories will belong to you. When the time comes, try to remember what I taught you. Who knows? Maybe you'll make a few love matches of your own." — Grandmother Sara

Wow! I loved Sara's Chapter Openings.

Meticulously researched (as always), Loigman dives deep into the history of matchmaking and Jewish cultures. What a fun and fascinating story. I always learn something when I read one of her books.

Not only were there thousands of Jewish matchmakers (1910) in New York, but the majority of them were men. She mentioned when she created the character Sara, she wanted to make sure she was unmarried in a business dominated by older men. LOVED THE AUTHOR'S NOTE and the Epilogue (1995).

With the dual timeline, the author knows her way around being a young lawyer in New York during Abby's timeline. I enjoyed the sprinkling of Yiddish throughout and the interesting NYT articles which inspired THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT.

Lynda's books have a strong sense of family and the importance of things we can learn from our prior generations if we only listen.

If you love well-written magical tales with a bit of history where the past meets the present with two strong women finding their place in the world, this book is for YOU!

A special thank you to #StMartinsPress and #Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #CoverCrush #SMPInfluencers

PS. Check out my #AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Lynda (2019) THE WARTIME SISTERS, where we go behind the scenes of the book and the author.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Sep 20, 2022

I flew through The Matchmaker's Gift in a couple of days. Sara and Abby's stories were so fresh and compelling, even though they were set about 50+ years apart in NYC, that I couldn't wait to read how they turned out. That's my favorite type of reading experience. Both women are "gifted" with the ability to help others find their mates, and each faces cultural and social obstacles when she applies her gift. I like to think that their gift was a divine one. The author's resolution of major heartaches for Sara and Abby took me by surprise but had me cheering! As a former history major I was especially hooked by the unique scenes from Sara's early life in NYC, and it made me wish to revisit the Tenement Museum. I highly recommend this book!

What a delight this story is! Thank you so much St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advance copy.

Sara and Abby are a grandmother/granddaughter possessing some rather inexplicable gifts. You see each of their stories develop alternating then and now. I was hooked from the first chapter!

“You have been blessed with eyes that can see the light of soulmates reaching for each other.”

The Jewish tradition of matchmaking is the subject of this well crafted novel beginning in 1910 with young Sara Glikman who has immigrated to the U.S. She struggles to find her way, provide for her family and stay true to her heritage. Fast forward to 1994 as Sara’s granddaughter Abby, who after reading her grandmother’s journals, begins to understand the power of the message she tried to share with her. From Lower East Side tenements, to swanky A-list parties, Ms. Loigman sets the stage with skill and her portrayal of New York City enriches the narrative.

This dual timeline novel, historical fiction with just enough magic layered in, was a reader’s delight for me! There is truly something exceptional happening, when an author guides you to learn without the feeling that you’ve read <insert historically accurate fact> and instead just threads information through a fun plot with engaging characters.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Currently Reading Podcast for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Will share on my social platforms closer to publication date.