The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen follows Sarah as she makes her way through 1920s New York and discovers her talent as a matchmaker. This book has dual timelines, so we also follow Sarah’s granddaughter a lawyer in 1990s New York City who also has her grandmother's gift of matchmaking.

What first drew me in about this book was the description. I love dual timelines and the fact that it shows us grandmother and granddaughter, each in their own timelines, struggling through similar things decades apart felt really profound to me.

The book actually begins in 1910 and tells us the story of Sara Glikman and her family as they migrate to New York. While on the ship, Sara discovers that she has the gift of matchmaking: described as being able to see love/soul connections between two people.

The second timeline introduces us to Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, a divorce lawyer (how ironic when she has the matchmaking gift!). When her grandmother passes away, Abby discovers journals that allow her to understand her grandmother better and she is able to come to a sort of peace with her own gifts.

This is a fantastic and heartwarming story of love that spans generations. Yes, there is romance and matchmaking, but the real love story? That is the one between Sara and her granddaughter.

This book was well written and kept me reading page after page. It also has a dash of magical realism which I LOVE! I also found it very interesting to learn about matchmaking within the Jewish culture. I did not know anything about this so I’m grateful to the author for introducing me to this. Sometimes it can be confusing for some readers when the story skips between timelines but that will not be a problem for any reader. It was very clear when and where we were at any given time.

This was just the refreshing, light-hearted read I needed. I highly recommend it!
The expected publication for The Matchmaker’s Gift is September 20th 2022 by St. Martin's Press

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Arc of this book. This review is entirely my own.

This was a magical historical fiction, feel good book.
Written in a dual timeline of the early 1900’s and early 1990’s, we have the stories of both Sara and her granddaughter Abby.
If you’re in the mood for a pick me, you can’t help but smile and feel happier after reading this, so I highly recommend picking this up.
For me, I found it a bit slow moving which made it a longer read for me but it was good.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC eBook in exchange for my honest review.

When I read a teaser for this ARC, I knew I had to read it! Sara, a Jewish matchmaker. Dual timelines including Sara’s granddaughter. Women standing up against male harassment. The Hebrew and Yiddish words & phrases. I enjoyed learning more about New York and Jewish immigrants in the early 1900’s. It was delightful! I’m grateful for Cindy @thoughtsfromapage for giving me early access to this upcoming release!

I absolutely adored The Matchmaker's Gift! It was a refreshing story unlike anything I've read before. The dual timelines of Sarah and Abby were both so intriguing. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to each woman on their journeys to find themselves and what they wanted in life. I loved learning more about matchmakers and the Jewish culture. I highly recommend this book!

This was a delight. I love books that have a story line/characters from two different time periods. I loved learning more about life on the Lower East Side of NYC. It was light hearted and entertaining.

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman swept me off my feet with the perfect amount of familial love, friendship, romance, and characters that I wanted to befriend in real life. The pacing in this dual timeline narrative was spot on and I equally enjoyed both the historical and current day storylines.

Sara and Abby have a special bond as granddaughter and grandmother and it was further cemented by their mystical skills of matchmaking. Usually, I find journals or photos hidden or left behind to be a crutch to further the storyline but not in this case. Here the journals left behind just strengthened the case that Abby is better at putting people together rather than taking them apart.

Imagery of the Lower East Side during Sara’s youth was well described and the push and pull of Abby’s job as a divorce attorney was felt by the reader.

The cover of this book was not only beautiful, but it was wonderfully fresh and should appeal to readers who appreciate good cover art. Extra bonus that the story between the pages lived up to the cover!

Overall, this was a mesmerizing story about love that both the cynics and romantics will adore. Definitely the full package – heart, easy humor and good people.

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman was such a delight to read! I could not put it down once I started it, which is just the best (right?!). 🤍

The story is told in dual timelines, and I was equally drawn into both, which is not often the case with this kind of structure. The modern-day timeline shares the story of Abby, a young divorce attorney, reevaluating her life in the wake of the death of her grandmother, Sara. The historical timeline tells Sara’s story after emigrating to New York in 1910 and discovering her gift for matchmaking (to the consternation of the traditional male matchmakers). Both stories unfold as the women come into their own, facing ups and downs in their families, their communities, their careers, and their love lives. What made this novel stand out was the touch of magical realism and the insights into both traditional and modern Jewish culture in NYC. It all came together beautifully in this heartfelt, enjoyable read.

This novel releases September 20, but I was given an advance copy as part of the @thoughtsfromapage Patreon community (we get to chat with @lloigman this upcoming Monday!). 🎉

Have you ever heard of a matchmaker?

Sara Glickman had a gift of matchmaking that she had to keep secret so the elders wouldn't complain she was stealing their business of matching up couples.

Sara would see a beam of light travel from a man to a woman or vice versa, and she knew they were made for each other.

Her first matchmaking was on the boat from Europe to New York for her sister.

She made many matches, and unfortunately the one she made for herself was heartbreaking because she found out the man she loved had sparks leading to another woman.

We follow Sara and her granddaughter, Abby, throughout the book.

Abby is a divorce attorney in present day, and we meet Sara in 1918 as she does her magic.

Sara was an endearing character.

Abby was just as endearing and had reservations about being an attorney. Should she become a matchmaker like her grandmother?

Loved this book from the first page to the last with its marvelous research, lovable characters, and gorgeous cover.

If you need a sweet read with sweet characters, don't miss THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT.

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This book has a very original storyline, told in dual timelines. A story of gifts, family and true friendship. Really enjoyed it. #netgalley #thoughtsfromapage

This is such a feel good, well written book. I loved Sara and Abby's character. Reading the book would be the great way to spend an rainy afternoon. The plot was very well developed and so were each of the characters. I felt like they were my friends.

Their journey teaches and reminds us to reflect about our own values, integrity, and — once again: purpose!
What matters to us most!! This is a book that you will think about long after you read it.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free book.
I have enjoyed the author's previous books so I was looking forward to this one. It was much sweeter than her other books, which I didn't mind. The idea of a Jewish matchmaker, a female one at that, captured my attention. There is also a small magical element that comes with this, which I found to be completely lovely. I could've spent so much time with Sara in her timeline, which starts in 1910. Sara is a woman who knows what it means to fight for what she believes in and that is evident on every page. Abby, whose timeline is in 1994, was harder to connect with. I found it a bit slow. I understand why she was written the way she was, but I wanted to see her transformation earlier in the book. From 80% on, I was fully invested in her timeline also, and I wish I would've seen more of that Abby in the story. But I did like how her story evolved and how she grew. I think this is a story that I will come to appreciate more over time.
Also, I just want to ask, would you look at that stunning cover? If you read the book, you will come to appreciate all of the small details that are present here. I think it's a cover that will definitely grab a readers attention and make them curious about the book.

Thank you St Martin’s Press and the Thoughts From a Page podcast for a digital ARC through NetGalley.

The extent of my knowledge of matchmaker’s before reading this book was the character of Yenta in Fiddler on the Roof. But boy was Sara Glickman nothing like Yenta! The Matchmaker’s Gift taught me so much about Jewish culture in NYC in the 1910’s and I loved every minute. Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, was the POV for the 1994 timeline and her profession - divorce attorney- could not be farther from her grandmother’s line of work. But after Sara’s death, Abby’s grief brings her even closer to her grandmother in strange yet satisfying ways.

From the historical fiction aspects, to the multiple POVs and timelines, to the hints of magical realism, I loved this book from start to finish!

As Abigail examines her recently deceased grandmother’s journals, she discovers that her grandmother’s matchmaking career was more complex than she realized. Will her grandmother make one final match from beyond the grave—this time pairing Abigail with a new path toward a more fulfilling life?

This is a solidly enjoyable book with winsome (if a tad bit cliched) characters. The conflict and plot keep the reader engaged, though perhaps not gripped. This lack of strong conflict is balanced by the pacing: it’s easy to finish this book in one or two sittings. There’s a slight element of magic in the novel, but it plays a relatively minor role in the plot so should not impede the satisfaction of most fans of realism. If you’re looking for a light, pleasant read, this may fill the bill.

I loved THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT by Lynda Cohen Loigman. Many threads weave together in this enchanting story. Relationships take center stage in this dual time line novel with related protagonists. In 1910 Sara, a young immigrant girl discovers her talent for making love matches. In 1994 her granddaughter, Abby, discovers she shares her grandmother’s unique gift. This is not your average romance novel but a complex satisfying story rich in fascinating details. A woman’s struggling to compete in a man’s world, being true to oneself while honoring tradition, and finding happiness after heartbreak are themes that surface again and again as Sara and Abby try to help others across several decades. The New York City setting and the Jewish proverbs sprinkled throughout the story add to the charm of THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Publish date - 9/20/2022. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Thoughts From a Page for the advanced e-copy of this book.

Lynda Cohen Loigman does a wonderful job of bringing the characters of The Matchmaker's Gift to life. In 1910, Sara Gilkman becomes aware of her gift as a matchmaker at the age of 10! This is mainly a male vocation, and she is met with resistance and threats in the New York Jewish community. Fast forward two generations to her granddaughter, Abby, who discovers that she might also have this gift. The trouble is - she is a divorce attorney. Abby struggles to reconcile whether the business side of her (making money when couples part ways) will win over her desire to help soulmates find each other. The story is told in alternating times and voices from each of these women, and you learn of their struggles of what to do with what they know. There are unexpected twists and endearing characters that will find their way into your hearts!

I highly recommend this delightful book!

CONTENT WARNING: death, grief, death of a parent

Even in more recent history, matchmakers played a vital role in Jewish society. And while I’ve heard about this, I didn’t know a whole lot about it. But I was still drawn to this book thanks to some of the amazing Jewish instagram accounts that I follow. And I was absolutely not let down by this story.

It can be really hard to hold my attention when I read a book in dual timelines. What I tend to find is that one timeline is much more interesting than the other, and I rush through one POV trying to get back to the other. But this book completely bypasses that trap, creating two timelines that are equally enchanting—both Sara as a young woman in the early part of the 20th century and her granddaughter Abby in the later part of the century are both POVs that caught my attention and had me reading avidly to find out what happens to both of them. I was fully invested in both stories, despite how different they were initially.

Sara is an immigrant to NYC, but she is drawn to matchmaking by a natural gift for it. However, she faces some challenges—matchmaking was generally a field limited to older, married, devout men, so there is a lot of pushback from the older matchmakers in the neighborhood who see her as stealing her business. She makes her first match at age 10, and while that can be viewed as a sign of her destiny, it can also be a strike against her, since who would want to take matchmaking advice from a kid? And in making matches, she also goes up against the rabbinical court. She’s also facing poverty, which makes basically everything else in life hard, especially since the pressure from the other matchmakers makes it hard for Sara to accept any money for doing what her heart is telling her to do. Finally, she can’t exactly explain how she makes her matches, which aren’t advantageous matches, but love matches, and this is where elements of magical realism come into play in the story.

Abby, Sara’s granddaughter, is a divorce attorney. She’s ambitious, driven, and successful, but some recent cases force her to question her motivations to do her job the way she is supposed to. And after the passing of her grandmother, she discovers that she was left all of the matchmaking journals that her grandmother had kept over the course of her life. I loved seeing Abby’s growth over the course of the story as she starts to see a different path open to her, just as she starts feeling trapped in her life. Her journey also corresponds to her grief, and as she works through it, she is guided by her memories of her grandmother as well, and her beliefs in what her grandmother would have wanted her to do.

While the stories seemed very different at first, I enjoyed seeing how they dovetailed with each other. Both of the women have character traits in common, and they are guided by their moral compasses, even when they’re told to do something different by the people around them and society at large. I loved watching them do what they felt was right, and see how their lives changed as a result.

The story is full of strong-willed women, who are full of heart. I loved reading about the Jewishness of the early 20th century, and how certain customs were practiced. The part about how tashlich was celebrated was so beautiful to me, since it’s a ritual that has always held so much meaning and it’s one of the memories that stands out to me from celebrating the High Holy Days as a child. It’s a really fast read, and it’s beautifully written. I especially loved how it incorporated more diversity into Sara’s later matchmaking efforts as she assimilated into a more diverse world, and it made me so happy to see her expanding her efforts to non-Jewish people, other races and ethnicities, and the queer community, because she was able to see that love is love, no matter who it is. This is the sweetest, most heartwarming story, and it reaffirmed my belief in love. As my father used to say, there’s a lid for every pot.

Loved the setting and the bumps between time periods. Really wonderful job situating the story in New York and I truly didn’t know where it was headed - and then I enjoyed the ride!

How do matchmakers actually work and make good and lasting matches?

We meet Sarah in 1910, NYC where she has a "gift" of helping young couples and spinster aged couples find love matches. During this time, most of the matchmakers were actually men--are you thinking of Fiddler on the Roof? Yes, men. The group of them were angry that Sarah, a young girl, would have audacity to match make and take food out of their children mouths by taking away their matchmaking opportunities. So she hides her matches, yet she continues to help young love find one another.

The authors note at the end points out some homework she did on matchmakers and she used some popular newspaper articles that she found in the early 1900's to incorporate into her story! This book has a great sense of place and time and need!

I gobbled up this book, it was very entertaining to read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance e-copy of this book.

In dual alternating timelines Loigman explores the role of the matchmaker in Jewish culture in a charming and engaging novel.

In the early 20th century on the Lower East Side of NYC, young Sara is struggling with her family to merely survive. She is not a matchmaker but is able to “see” a certain light that emanates around a man and a woman when love is present. Not realizing the traditions of a matchmaker, she embarks on a lifelong quest of bringing people together. Her road is rewarding but not easy.

In the 1990s. Sara’s granddaughter Abby seems stuck in a totally different paradigm. She is an up-and-coming lawyer in a high profile divorce firm. Her mission is separating couples or writing pre-nups for the inevitable break-up. Financially on the rise, but lacking emotional satisfaction, Abby is stressed.

When Sara dies, she leaves Abby her notebooks which chronicle her life, her struggles and her successes. Sara always said that Abby may have a certain talent/gift that her current job was not letting her use. Was it possible that these journals would be a key to that ability and a pathway for her to find meaning and happiness in her life?

Loigman’s touches of Yiddish, NYC contemporary life, the history of the Lower East Side and a small dose of magic realism is just the right mixture. This is an enjoyable and fun read. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this title.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a solid 4 star book. It is captivating, well written and fun. There are several story lines, but they are all interesting and they all work together. The book moves from the 1990’s back to the early 1900’s very seamlessly. The mystical “light” and Sarah’s very early realization of her “gift” are a little beyond my realm of belief, but the stories themselves are heart warming and well written. Matchmaking was a serious business, not a hobby and Sarah’s endeavors were not appreciated by the men who had always counted this profession as their own. Abby is an attorney in NY with no interest in matchmaking or mystical powers for doing so. Right??? Thank you for a book that took my mind off everything while I was reading.