Meltzer comes through again with a funny and sweet take on the experiences of a woman navigating disability and love - I so appreciate Meltzer's commitment to representing disability while indulging us in the romance we expect when reaching for a book like this. I worry that non-Jews won't connect with this book and will have a hard time understanding Dara's predicament. Further, I fear giving my patrons (many of whom are not Jewish) a perspective on interfaith relationships from the POV of an extremely mainstream and hurtful take in the religious Jewish community that interfaith relationships are the downfall of the Jewish religion and the culture. I'm Jewish and I know that it is not true, and frankly many Jews like myself are dismayed by this perspective in the community.
I don't see the book resonating with my patrons, but I can see this book being successful with patrons from the Jewish community.

Mr. Perfect on Paper is what I would call a “rom-com.” There were some laugh out loud spots in this story. If you just look at this book as romantic fiction is it very entertaining but if you look at it from the jewish perspective it just doesn’t run true. If someone is that religious it is not very probable that they are going to fall for someone not jewish. There are just too many obstacles. However, the book as “chick lit” is a fun read even though you know how this story is going to turn out. One can readily identify with the characters; Chris, the handsome TV anchor and Dara, the workaholic CEO. They each have their own issues which is a large part of the story. Bubbe is a larger than life character and is easily pictured; everyone knows someone like her! Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

Dating app CEO Dara is looking for the perfect Jewish husband. Broadcaster Chris checks none of her boxes. So why can't they resist each other?

This is a delightful, emotional rom com with tons of chemistry and heartwarming side characters.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I absolutely LOVED The Matzah Ball - growing up Jewish the story just resonated so strongly with me ( I mean it was a perfect Hanukkah book!). I knew after MB that I'd absolutely read anything that Jean Meltzer would write! So when I saw Mr Perfect on Paper was coming...I had to read it! and its actually my favorite over MB.

Main character Dare Rabinowitz, the CEO of a. Jewish dating app, comes form a long line of matchmakers. She's made a ton of matches but in her personal life...she's not found "Mr Perfect" - maybe do to her LONG list of non-negotiables? Cue the perfect romcom music...as Christ - a non-Jew and a single dad, meets Dara and the SPARKs are going off. Can she get away from that long list of Must Haves?

Love the idea of an interfaith marriage (since my husband is Catholic)... I cannot recommend this one enough!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital arc

This is such a fun romance to read and educational, too, as I learned a lot about Jewish culture by reading this book. Dara Rabinowitz, the protagonist, is a reclusive CEO of J-Mate, a matchmaking service for Jewish people. With generations of matchmakers in her past, Dara is the first to use algorithms and modern tech to set up a successful online presence. When she and her beloved grandmother are interviewed on a morning news show, Dara is humiliated that her beloved Bubbe presents to the viewers her list of what her perfect mate would be like. Chris Steadfast, a widower and single father is quickly attracted to Dara. But he is suffering from poor ratings and about to lose his job until he comes up with the brilliant idea of building shows around Dara and her quest for her perfect match. This book was laugh out loud funny, especially when Bubbe was around or when Dara was giving herself talks about what should and should not be happening in her life. The interaction between the main characters was entertaining and so realistic! I loved the characterization that was believable as well as relatable. Chris’s dilemma about his job was heart-touching and Dara’s loneliness was understandable since she has an anxiety disorder that kept her from seeking a mate. I enjoyed finding out the cultural differences as Chris discovered them and waited impatiently for Dara to realize that she had already met her perfect match, even if he wasn’t Jewish. That part, of course, was predictable, but what fun it was to get there with Dara! This is the first book that I have read by this author and it was so engaging that I did not want it to end!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Thanks to #partner @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the digital ARC of Jean Meltzer’s Mr. Perfect on Paper. The book is out today!

Dara Rabinowitz is a third-generation Jewish matchmaker . . . who hasn’t made a match for herself. She’s used her family’s expertise to create a wildly successful Jewish dating app and teams up with her grandmother to go on a morning show with the aim of promoting the newest update of the app.

The host of the morning show just so happens to be Dara’s non-Jewish crush, Chris Steadfast. Chris is desperate to grab attention for the show, which is in danger of being canceled. So, when Dara’s grandmother embarrassed her completely by sharing Dara’s list of “must haves” in a man, Chris sees an opportunity: his show will focus on the attempt to find the perfect man for Dara. But is her perfect man really the man she’s envisioned?

Like Meltzer’s debut novel, The Matzah Ball, Mr. Perfect on Paper shows off the author’s touch with characters. Dara lives with generalized anxiety disorder, and the way that’s woven into the plot works beautifully to show how Dara works to cope with different situations. Her commitment to her Judaism is also such an important part of the novel that was a big strength for me.

I didn’t find the chemistry between Dara and Chris quite as believable or compelling as I would have hoped based on The Matzah Ball, but I liked their individual storylines, which alternate between their points of view, and watching Dara’s dates with potential matches is hilarious.

Overall, this is a sweet, unique romance novel that I enjoyed from beginning to end, even if the central relationship wasn’t the strongest component.

A third generation Jewish matchmaker she may be
But Dara Rabinowitz's own match she has yet to see.
She's an app developer, she made J-mate
But so far she's avoided meeting her own romantic fate!

An appearance on a TV good news show
Certainly didn't work out as she's hoped it would go.
For her bubbe (grandmother) shared Dara's ideal date
Her life changes - it must be fate!

Dara has debilitating social anxiety and so
Always wants to control just how things will go.
However, the show's host Chris Steadfast has an idea
To find her a mate and enhance his career!

So the search for her Perfect on Paper match
Becomes on his show a regular patch.
However, things rarely go smoothly, there are surprises galore,
And twists, new options and much to explore.

Through it all Chris helps Dara to find
Different ways to steady her mind.
With him there she seems more able to chill
Although he's not Jewish, the attraction is there still.

I really enjoyed the insight into Judaism, too,
That's shared the whole story through.
I incidentally learnt so much as it went along
About beliefs and what it means to belong.

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I so enjoyed this book! Typically, I am not a fan of single parent romances, but Chris and Dara were such a cute, interfaith couple. Dara was the CEO of a dating app and she and her grandmother go on Chris's morning show where her grandmother reads the list of the perfect Jewish husband Dara had.

I love a forced proximity, and while this wasn't the only one bed trope the couple did have to work closely together while Dara did her segments on the morning show that Chris hosts.

Dara Rabinowitz created an ultra successful Jewish dating app, but she has yet to find a man that meet the requirements on her personal list. The premise of Jean Meltzer's Mr. Perfect on Paper sounds simple but becomes complicated when Dara falls for Chris, a non-Jewish man. Dara has generalized anxiety disorder which means Dara feels most comfortable when she can control situations. Spontaneous is not in her vocabulary. Surprisingly Dara agrees to become part of a dating segment on Chris's morning TV show. She does this to help his ratings, promote her business and hopefully meet the man of her dreams. Chris finds the perfect men for Dara to date, but does he wish he could be the man of Dara's dreams? This story is just as funny and heartwarming as Meltzer's debut novel, The Maztzah Ball. Mr Perfect on Paper proves Meltzer has perfected her writing style.

I do love a good romcom and this did not disappoint! The title grabbed me immediately, so I had to check it out!

Dara is the successful CEO of J-Mate, which is a popular Jewish dating app. A third-generation Jewish matchmaker, Dara is traditional in her faith and ideals. She is very transparent about her anxiety disorder, a trait that I truly appreciated being displayed. She loves spending time with her bubbe Miriam, and the two of them are invited to a midday news program to talk about their matchmaking history and the app. This news program is a favorite of Dara's, so she is starstruck by the lead anchor, Christopher Steadfast. In a surprising twist on the live broadcast, Miriam shares Dara's checklist for the "Perfect Jewish Husband" with viewers. Christopher has a great idea to turn this interest story into something so much bigger. Ignoring his attraction to Dara, Chris is determined to not only help Dara find her husband, but increase the ratings on his midday program. Their adventures are a ton of fun with many laugh out loud moments throughout the book. It was a great read!

4 out of 5 stars! Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for an advanced e-arc for honest review.

Dara Rabinowitz, matchmaker and CEO of a popular Jewish dating app, has a very specific list of traits her future husband must possess. She didn’t, however, expect that list to be read aloud on live tv with news anchor Chris Steadfast. When Chris decides to turn her search for love into an ongoing news segment, Dara reluctantly agrees.

I can’t get enough of these Jewish romances lately! As someone who is Jewish, but more on the reform side and married to a non-Jew, I found this to be such an interesting look at the reasons Jews want to marry other Jews. I also love the way the book centered around the Jewish high holidays.

What I liked:
-blind dates
-an open and honest look at Generalized Anxiety Disorder
-a single dad with a hilarious daughter
-old Jewish ladies who call themselves the ChallahBack girls
-Jewish jokes
-opposites attract

What I wanted more of:
-the ChallahBack girls! I needed way way more of them

So, if you love a Jewish romance with mishaps, old ladies, and a few more serious topics sprinkled in, look no further!

This is a touching and funny novel. Dara founded and runs a successful dating app, continuing her family tradition of matchmaking. But she has not really pursued any matches of her own. When Dara and her grandmother are featured on national morning television show that just happens to be hosted by one of Dara's favorite television personalities, Chris Steadfast, things do not go as Dara expects -- her grandmother surprises everyone by sharing a checklist Dara wrote as a joke of the criteria for the perfect Jewish husband. The segment goes viral, and the show convincing Dara to do a series of segments focused on her search for the perfect husbands, all hosted by Chris. As Dara and Chris spend more and more time together, they both feel a growing connection even though Chris does not meet any of the items on Dara's checklist -- and Dara is forced to consider whether there is something more than being "perfect on paper."

This was a delightful and often laugh-at-loud story. The characters, from Dara and Chris, to Dara's grandmother and Chris's daughter, to Dara's co-workers and Chris's neighbors, are fun, funny, and well-drawn. And the story is one that keeps you fully engaged.

Highly recommended!

Although slightly over the top in all aspects, I enjoyed this. The characters felt real even though the situations in which they found themselves bordered on ridiculous (hey, I guess that's reality television) and it was fun to follow their story. And loving the Jewish representation which is not common.

Oh, why, hello Jean Meltzer.

I fell head over heels for The Matzah Ball last winter and had to pick this one up too! And it was adorable.

Meltzer writes such lovely stories that really give readers a taste, no an experience, into Jewish culture, which we do not get enough of today. Her characters are endearing and wonderful. I really identified with Dara and her struggled with GAD. The entire story paced out such a strong story. And the romance...it was just sweet.

Thank you HTQ Books for the advanced copy.

With this book, Jean Meltzer has sealed a spot on my must-read list. I loved her first novel, The Matzoh Ball, and this follow up was just as strong.

Dara is a third-generation matchmaker, taking the legacy her grandmother started digital with J-mate, the successful Jewish dating app. While she's devoted to her career, she is unlucky in her own love life - until her bubbe conspires to reveal her qualifications for a perfect man on daytime television. When the video goes viral, Chris, the host of the show, convinces Dara to let him televise the hunt for her perfect (Jewish, natch) husband. Along the way, sparks fly between Chris and Dara - but he's not Jewish. Can they overcome their differences?

There are some heavy topics here - caring for aging family members and feeling the pressure to live up to their expectations; balancing career and personal life; navigating religious beliefs in the dating world; and perhaps most striking, Dara's generalized anxiety disorder and how it affects her. As someone who continues to struggle with GAD, I was struck by the authenticity in the portrayal of how anxiety can feel, and how different individuals find ways to cope and manage their GAD.

This is a slow burn, but the sparks fly off the page between Dara and Chris. As Dara goes on a string of dates centered around the Jewish high holidays, they fail in spectacular fashion, with some laugh out loud moments. Chris is always there to help put the pieces back together and support Dara through the aftermath. When it looks like she may have found her perfect suitor, I was so disappointed - but he's not Chris! - and I couldn't wait to see how the author brought about Dara's happily ever after.

Absolutely no complaints - this is a gem of a book and possibly even stronger than Meltzer's debut novel.

I really enjoyed this heartfelt and humorous closed door, dual POV, interfaith romance between Dara, the founder of a Jewish dating app and Chris, a single Dad and morning show host. Dara's life gets blown up when she goes on Chris's show with her almost 90 year old grandmother, only to have a list of what her 'perfect' guy looks like aired on live tv.

Looking for a way to save his dying show, Christ proposes to help Dara find her perfect Jewish match by finding and filming her going on a series of dates. While she agrees, partly to appease her ailing grandmother dying from brain cancer, Dara's generalized anxiety disorder makes it really hard for her to handle being thrown in unexpected situations where she has little control.

In turns sweet and laugh out loud funny, I devoured this book, rooting for Dara and Chris to give in to their undeniable attraction and find a way to make a relationship work despite their differences. Highly recommended for fans of Weather girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon or Meant to be mine by Hannah Orenstein. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cute and enjoyable romcom. Enjoyed the ChallahBack gals and the relationship between Dara and her Bubbe. Also enjoyed the grand gesture at the end. I just was left wondering if the Jewish representation wasn't slightly heavy handed in places.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer is a wonderful story about a lonely matchmaker, who is the CEO of a huge matchmaking service for the Jewish community. I enjoyed this book very much.

Dara Rabinowitz is the CEO, and creator of J-Mate, a very successful Jewish dating service. She comes from a long line of Jewish matchmakers, but she’s different as she uses science, algorithms, and technology for her matches, instead of instinct, as her grandmother, Miriam, always used.

She goes on a mid-morning news show called Good News New York that highlights good news. The host, Chris Steadfast, recently transferred from a hard news show in Virginia. He’s a single dad, and not Jewish. His producer invited Dara and her beloved bubbe, Miriam, to discuss generations of matchmakers as part of the good news program.

During the show, Dara is embarrassed when her bubbe shares her checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on air. She made that list years ago, and it was never supposed to be public. Chris is charmed by Dara and Miriam and proposes they do an on-air segment to search for Dara’s Perfect Jewish Husband. Knowing it would help her business as well as Chris’s ratings, Dara reluctantly agrees. Will Dara find The Perfect Jewish Husband? Or is Dara’s perfect match right in front of her the whole time?

This was fun and very enjoyable. I liked all the information on Jewish holidays and Jewish culture. I always learn so much from a Jean Meltzer book! Yet I never felt bombarded by the information as she sprinkles it throughout the book, without a big info dump. I enjoyed Dara’s dedication to her religion and culture and admired her reluctance to compromise.

The romance was a slow burn romance and I couldn’t figure out how they would be able to resolve their differences. That’s my favorite kind of romance when I can’t figure out how they will eventually get together. Chris is an absolute sweetheart, and such a wonderful dad to his 11-year-old daughter, Lacey. He is patient with Dara and understands her anxiety issues as well.

I recommend Mr. Perfect on Paper to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dara is a third generation Jewish matchmaker but she hasn't helped herself. Now, though, her bubbe Miriam takes things in her own hands when the two of them are on a live tv segment meant to promote Dara's already popular dating app- she shows the world the napkin on which Dara wrote the requirements for her perfect man. Well, Chris, the anchor man, doesn't meet the criteria, most notably because he isn't Jewish, but he feels something, the first time he's felt something since the tragic death of his wife, the mother of his daughter Lacey. These two (and Lacey) find themselves on a journey as Dara agrees to live dates on Chris's show and then when she meets-wait for it- Mr. Perfect. This is fun and it's made even better by the inclusion of Dara's mental health challenge. She's got generalized anxiety disorder and a list of things to help her cope. And you might learn something about Jewish holidays (I did). It's a fun read with good characters (don't miss Dara's sister and her four kids) and a plot that zips along. You know what's going to happen but wait for it because there'a a twist of sorts that made me smile. I very much enjoyed the Matzoh Ball and liked this a lot as well. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Meltzer's a great storyteller and this is a delightful read.

“I don’t know, but I feel like if someone makes you want to eat ice cream, you should probably keep them around.”

Mr. Perfect on Paper was just so sweet. I had to look up quite a few Hebrew and Yiddish words, but I appreciate the opportunity to learn while devouring romance.

Also, this is the most accurate depiction of living and dating with generalized anxiety and panic disorder I’ve ever read.

Thank you @jeanmeltzer, @_mira_books_ and @netgalley for the eARC. Mr. Perfect on Paper comes out August 9th!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
🕍🗽🍕👠🚨/5
-🌶/5 (not a problem at all, just a heads up it’s sweet and romantic, not spicy)

#bookstagram #bibliophile #readromance #bubbeknowsbest