You might expect a novel entitled The Matchmaker's Gift to be a sappy love story or a worse, a collection of sappy love stories, but although the book does indeed feature more than a couple of successful "matches," those are not its focus.

The Matchmaker's Gift is the endearing story of two women: Sara and her granddaughter, Abby. It is the tale of their lives, their families, their successes and failures, and yes, their gift of seeing "love connections," which both women discover is sometimes more of a curse than a gift. It's also an interesting look into the matchmaking culture of Orthodox Jews in the early 20th century, as well as a beautiful example of the special connection between a grandmother and her granddaughter.

This is an easy, entertaining read full of quirky characters and interesting tales.

If you love a little romance, a family saga and your grandmother, then you will love this book! A sweet combination of love story, family drama and finding yourself. A great book for those in their "Find yourself" era.

I originally chose the book based on the book's description and I’m so glad that I did.
Trying not to give any spoilers or too much content away, I absolutely found myself captivated by the inspiring love connection intertwined between decades. The story is told in dual timelines connecting the magic of matchmaking in the past to the current day. A combination of love and heartbreak as Abby searches for her true purpose in life.

I found the characters to be very well developed right from the start and they continued to develop as the book went on. I was captivated by the early love matches and kept listening to find out what happened as the story continued. Lynda did a great job creating courageous women and connecting them to complete the journey through time.

I listened to the Audiobook version of the book which is Narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Gabra Zackman. The Audiobook was flawlessly done. I found that the voices really matched the characters they were portraying and it was easy to distinguish between the characters. The pace of the narration was the perfect speed for me, it slowed in parts to really draw you in and connect with the story. I enjoyed the audiobook experience immensely.

Read it, you’ll be happy you did.
I’d like to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me an advanced reader copy of the book.

Heartwarming historical fiction with dual timelines. Magical realism, historical fiction, strong women, and love are some of the threads running through.

Abby inherits her grandmothers diaries. As she reads them she realizes that they are more than just diaries that they are stories of the matches she had made during her long life. Matches she started making at 10 years old. When match makers were only old men, not young or unmarried women. Of how she made matches without the people even knowing they were being matched. A very fun historical yet contemporary read.

What a simply divine novel! Two timelines, an amazing heritage and gift.

Sara is a matchmaker from the Industrial Revolution. She is despised by the traditional male matchmakers and operates much in secret, nonetheless carving out a place for herself .

Her granddaughter Abby is NOT a matchmaker….until she suddenly finds herself with new abilities that conflict with her modern life. Can she carve out a place for herself as well?

What a wonderful story! I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished reading, which rarely happens, but when it does, I just want to hug the book afterwards.

I loved the historical aspects to the story, and thought it was fascinating to learn about the culture in matchmaking, and what an important part of Jewish tradition it is.

THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT is a truly heartwarming story featuring a grandmother and granddaughter, from different eras, who defy expectations to realize their unique talent of seeing soulmates in the most unexpected places.

*many thanks to St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy for review

The Matchmaker's Gift is a wonderful historical fiction story with a dual timeline. Sara Glikman knew she had a gift from the time she matched her sister and her husband in 1910 when she was just a child. She just knows who are meant to be together, soul seekers. When her family moved to the US, things were not easy. When her father dies, leaving her mother and siblings to fend for themselves, she begins making matches, but doesn't take money as payment, but favors to help her family instead. She is constantly being harassed by official, male matchmakers (shadchanim), but she really has a gift and is finally able to practice it. Two generations later, Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, is a successful Manhattan divorce attorney, representing the city’s wealthiest clients. When her grandmother dies, Sarah inherits her journals and learns about her past and her calling. When it appears that Abby has inherited her grandmother's gift, it seems her job and calling are not compatible. Along the way both Sarah and Abby find love.

I enjoyed the historic aspect of this novel, with matchmaking being an important part of Jewish life. There were dowries, shadchanim hired and contracts entered. These marriages usually lasted, but not necessarily for love. The rules and expectations of this profession were also very interesting. The idea of a matchmaker finding soulmates is lovely and I wish it were true. There was a bit of magical realism there. We also learn about some of the Jewish customs and traditions and how they are practised today. I loved both Abby's and Sarah's characters. They were both caring women, who wanted to see others happy, sometimes at the detriment of themselves. This is a story of family, relationships, love and romance. My review does not do this story justice, I recommend you pick this one up and read it for yourself. The audiobook was narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Gabra Zackman. They do a wonderful job with the voices, emotions and expression in this book. It definitely added to my enjoyment of the story.

The Matchmaker's Gift was a heartwarming story of a grandmother and granddaughter and their keen talent of matchmaking. The story is told throughout multiple periods in time yet about a community who is resisting their extraordinary ability to make love matches between two people. I absolutely loved this books and have been recommending to anyone who loves a little magical realism.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review The Matchmaker's Gift.

Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
Published: 09/20/22
Narrators: Eva Kaminsky; Gabra Zackman
Genre: Historical Fiction

Don't judge me. I cannot tell you if "The End" was said or "We hope you enjoyed this .... " I was crying. In an instant, I was chuckling and doing a little -- really, you didn't have to write that, to -- oh yes, crying. I didn't know my body could make tears that fast.

I enjoyed the entire book. There are dual timelines, which are not my favorite. The thought made it difficult for me to pick up the book. (A NetGalley commitment is why it couldn't sit.) At no point was I confused or annoyed with the pace. The breaks were on point. I believe I was 50% into the story when it occurred to me I was audibly reading well-written dual timelines and loving the story.

The title holds the clue and/or key to the book. I'm not spoiling. I want to commend the author and yell from the rooftops, there is no profanity.

There are sad moments, I had empathy for two kids being told over ice cream in public, their family dynamic was changing. (Not all males stand in restrooms.) They both handled this pivotal moment in their lives differently. As a reference, I am a Sara. There are touching moments between a grandmother and granddaughter.

I find this to be a smart fiction book. Maybe I loved it because I agreed with the dialogue and situation handlings. I will never look at salt the same. And, this was a highlighted moment: "Never underestimate the power of a quality undergarment, a well-fitted brassiere is a wise woman's armor. ". I will never be the same --- weeeee.

The narration was done so well, I didn't realize there were two narrators until I sat down to write this. They worked well for me.

I absolutely would gift this. I'm reminded being in a nursing home, this book could be a refreshing way to spend time. A gift to a young reader moving to clean adult books.

The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman has been one of the best reads I have read this fall. This dual POV novel follows Sara in 1910 and her granddaughter, Abby in modern times.

I loved the narration for this book and felt that Eva Kaminsky and Gabra Zackman did a fantastic job. I could not stop listening and was so into the story.

The story is a sweet tale of granddaughter/grandmother and their extraordinary gift of being able to set people up in long lasting relationships. We follow the two women through their own lives and the struggles and joys that this gift brings them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for this copy in exchange for an honest review. I cannot stop recommending this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy of The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman Narrated by Eva Kaminsky; Gabra Zackman in exchange for an honest review. It published September 20, 2022.
First off, the narration was very well-done, and I would listen to basically any books read by them!
This was such a fun, sweet book that turned out to be quite informative, too! I did not know anything about matchmaking previously, and I was impressed at how much I learned on top of enjoying the story. I love the way this was weaved between granddaughter and daughter, and I thought the overall story was just so sweet!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this fantastic audio! This story goes back and forth between the past where we eat Sara, a matchmaker and and the present with her granddaughter Abby. A delightful tale about love and soulmates, and the people who bring them together. I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, endearing tale.

First, thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to listen to this new title. I absolutely enjoyed it. So well written with great characters and a storyline I quickly became invested in. I loved the matchmaker's gift that allowed her to see a true connection between couples. This was one of those books that grabs you from the start and made me never want to stop listening. The narrator does a great job. I would highly recommend this to friends.

The Matchmaker's Gift follows two timelines: Abby in the 1990s and her grandmother Sara as a child in the 1910s. Both women have a gift for matchmaking. They can see the glimmer of a connection between those who would make a true love match. Sara must keep her ability a secret because in the Jewish community the matchmakers are predominantly older men who are threatened by the idea of a skilled female matchmaker. Abby is struggling to keep her job as a successful divorce attorney and please her boss while her instincts that are telling her what would make their clients happiest, even if it's not what the clients are asking for. When Abby inherits her grandmother Sara's journals, she begins to see where her instincts come from.

This book was really interesting! I learned more about traditional matchmaking in the Jewish community and there's a little bit of magic involved, which I loved. I was really invested in both storylines and enjoyed seeing how things played out for both women. My only complaint was that we don't see any matches between LGBTQ+ couples, which could have easily been incorporated into Abby's story. It is mentioned that such matches are written in Sara's journal closer to the end of her life, but that's it. Still, this story does a great job of exploring the complexity of relationships and I'm glad I got to read it!

"Is finding true love a calling or a curse?" I listened to the audiobook, and it was very well done. Great story, great characters...gave me warm and fuzzy feelings! A dual timeline in which the stories of Abby and Sarah are weaved. This story has heart, great Jewish representation, and a bit of magical realism. The reader goes through ups and downs with these characters and you feel like you have known them all of your life!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

Sara’s family immigrates to New York when she is 10 years old. On the journey over, she discovers that she has a gift- the ability to match soulmates. As a female, her gift is not accepted by the older Jewish men in the community who are matchmakers.

Abby, Sara’s granddaughter, has heard stories about her grandmother’s gift, but only truly begins to understand it when reading through her grandmother’s journals after her grandmother has passed.

The stories of both women are told in alternating chapters. Each woman’s story is her own, yet they intertwine with each other as the story deepens.

I learned so much about Jewish history while listening to this novel! It made me really want to try some of the foods mentioned in the story too. I loved this book and the beautiful story that was told! I also liked the narrators and how they made the transitions between characters smooth. There were distinct voices for each character which made the story easy to follow.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an advanced audio copy of #TheMatchmaker’sGift by #LyndaCohenLoigman - 5 stars for story and 5 stars for the narration.

This book is heartwarming, enlightening and is like a warm hug. The grandmother leaves behind such wonderful advice that we can apply to ourselves. The book is about matchmaking and finding love. The grandmother has a gift which is passed down to her granddaughter. In reading the grandmothers journals, the granddaughter finds herself and her gift. Helping couples stay together and finding people their soulmates. It is a book to read for any occasion, especially when one needs some uplifting.

I listened to this audiobook, enjoying both the reader and the story. It tells about Sarah and her granddaughter Abby, who both had the gift of matchmaking. Even though Sarah had to fight for her place since it was a man’s job at the time, she eventually convinced the council of rabbis that she was qualified, even as a young unmarried woman. Her beloved granddaughter became a divorce lawyer but her gift called to her and she also made matches. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this audiobook.

At the turn of the century, 10-year-old Sara Glikman and her family are moving to a new world and while in route, Sara sees a golden twinkle connection between her sister and a man on the boat. She introduces them and soon the duo is wed. It’s the first but far from the last match she makes — despite the traditional role of matchmaker being run by old devout men (men who were set on stopping her from making matches!)

Eighty years and many matches later, Sara passes away and leaves her divorce lawyer granddaughter Abby with her notebooks full of records of her gift. Abby — used to the dissolution of relationships — starts seeing some of Sara’s intuition through her own eyes, much to the disappointment of her boss.

I just loved this dang book. I absolutely adored Sara’s matchmaker stories and how Abby’s life absolutely unfolds thanks to some journals left behind by her grandmother. It’s such a sweet novel I highly recommend to give you all the warm fuzzies! My friend bookclub is reading it and I could not have picked a more perfect book for them — I just know they will love it!

There were two audiobook narrators. I liked the one for Sara, but the one that voiced Abby had really loud breathing i could not stand.