I had read both of Lynda Cohen Loigman’s previous two books, The Wartime Sisters and The Two Family House, and enjoyed both of them very much. When I saw that she had written a new book, The Matchmaker’s Gift, I was so excited to read it. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by both Eva Kaminsky and Gabba Zackman. The Matchmaker’s Gift alternated between telling Sara Glickman’s story which started back in 1910 when she and her family traveled from Kalarush to Libava and boarded a ship headed for New York and her granddaughter’s Abby’s story that took place in 1994. Sara was just ten years old when her family sailed for New York but her gift as a matchmaker was established on that voyage. She and her family resided on the Lower East Side where she was scorned and harassed by the pious and religious matchmaker men for the matches she made. Although, Sara never accepted payment for any of the matches she made, she was forced to defend her actions in a court headed by Rabbinical judges. At the conclusion of her trial. Sara won. She was indeed a “Shadchangeh”or a female matchmaker. Abby, Sara’s oldest granddaughter, was a driven and successful divorce attorney who was unaware of the gift she possessed until her beloved grandmother passed away at the age of 94 and left Abby some of her journals. These two extraordinary women possessed the unique talents of recognizing the obvious signs, at least by them, of soulmates. Both had to fight to be recognized and accepted. Both women, grandmother and granddaughter, found it easier to find soulmates for strangers and acquaintances than finding their own soulmates. Could Abby have actually inherited her grandmother’s unique talent? How would she put this gift to use? Would this discovery ease the pain of losing her beloved grandmother?

I truly enjoyed reading/listening to The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman. Her talent as an extraordinary storyteller shone throughout this book. I was captivated from the very beginning until the satisfying ending. It was hard to put this one down. I loved the characters and how strong and determined both Sara and Abby were. The descriptions of the Lower East Side of New York brought back special memories for me when I went there with my own family as a young girl. The Matchmaker’s Gift was a heartwarming and endearing novel. I loved how the past and present were woven together flawlessly. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC of the audiobook of The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An uplifting and delightful read that won my heart over!! Seriously this was so much better than I would have thought and the audiobook was narrated perfectly!

Told in a dual narrative/ timeline format this story alternates between Sara’s perspective in 1910 and her grandaughter Abby’s POV in 1994 and explores the world of Jewish matchmaking. I equally loved both female protagonists and their individual journeys, which is rare as I typically favor one storyline over another. If historical fickfon is not for you, I’d still give this a try as it’s way more a story about love, familial bonds and finding connections than anything history.

Read if you like:
-Matchmaking stories
-Jewish representation and history
-Female figures who pave their own path
-NYC setting
-Grandmother/ granddaughter bonds

This one comes out 9/20!!!

I so enjoyed this audiobook. A sweet story about a Jewish woman’s gift as a matchmaker and her granddaughter’s gift too. The narration is done very well.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio, #LyndaCohenLoigman, #EvaKaminsky and #GabraZackman for the advance audio version for my honest review.

This book was absolutely adorable! We start following Sarah Glikman in the early 1900s as she discovers her gift of match matching. Then the story cuts to the 90s where we learn about Sarah's granddaughter Abby who also has the gift of matchmaking. This story has the perfect mix of whimsy and Jewish culture. I listened to this audiobook so quickly! It was such a heartwarming book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me listen to an advanced copy of the audiobook!

What a truly lovely story that connected two women, a grandmother, Sara, and her granddaughter, Abby. It is not only a relationship that is loving and sweet, but these two ladies share a special git, that of being matchmaker's.

Sara, herself suffers because in her era, only devout older men were given the job of matchmaking, and while Sara hid her talent, she eventually decides because of family needs, to become a matchmaker. Sara is so very successful and writes of her matches in journals that after her death, Abby finds.

Abby herself, is a divorce attorney with a boss who is full of herself and overbearing. Abby has the gift, the same as Sara, but she keeps on pushing it back, until she starts to recognize that this gift was special, one that could and does help the clients she sees, enraging her boss. Can she fight the feeling that her career can be managed with her knowledge of the couples who come before her.

This delightful story tells the readers about the age old custom practiced by devout Jews and some other cultures of matching a man and a woman. The story switches back and forth between Sara and Abby's struggles to be recognized as women who can and do achieve what life has given them.

It gave me a look into the practice of match making and with the stories that involved such skill made for an enjoyable read and one that provided the concept that for everyone there is a soulmate.

Thank you to Lynda Cohen Loigman, and Netgalley for a copy of this charming story.

Lovely warm hearted story. I loved hearing how Abby learned about her grandmother throughout the book. The narrator was perfect. Highly recommended.

Oh my gosh I loved this. I loved this so much. Definitely one of my top reads of the year and I could see me coming back to this one over and over again as a cozy comfort read.

I picked this one up because I thought it sounded cute, but it gave me a lot more than cute fluff. I loved the dual timelines between Abby and her grandma, Sara. I really enjoyed learning about matchmakers in the Jewish community and the community politics behind making matches. I especially loved the matchmaking itself and how both Abby and Sara saw a brief glow between two people meant to be together. It was just so sweet. And yet, the power wasn't just for matchmaking, as shown in the scene with Sara and Marlene.

I can't explain why exactly I loved this one so let's just say it gave me what I needed. I just loved this.

If I didn’t already think about and miss my grandmother every single day, this book would certainly remind me of my loss. My bubbie was a hugely important figure in my life and when she died just shy of her 90th birthday it was a devastating loss for me. Although she was not a matchmaker, she certainly passed on many of the Jewish grandmother lore, and I have frequently thought that I should make her stories into a book.

Lynda Cohen Loigman has done what I couldn’t. She has woven a magical tale around two generations of women in a family, including much of the tradition and customs experienced by Jewish immigrants in the 19th century. I loved the historical aspects, but also the contemporary conflicts faced by young women - no matter what century they are living in struggles to balance life, love, family, and personal beliefs still exist.

The undercurrent of romance, and magic, blend wonderfully but never overtake the main storyline - it’s not gooey, or sappy, or too far-fetched. The supporting characters are just that - support for the main story about Sarah and Abby. And yet, they add to the fullness of the story, and help create the full world of the novel.

I loved the voice narration. I’ve been frustrated lately with audiobook voice actors who create caricatures from the characters by going so over-the-top with their forced intonations and ridiculous accents. Eva Kaminsky and Gabra Zackman do a great job creating characters and clearly representing different people (some who perfectly fit stereotypes) while never quite crossing the line into cartoon or joke.

I enjoyed the story so much that it has inspired me to seek out other books by the author, and add her to my watch list for future publications.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Two fantastic storylines united by the ties of family. I loved this novel and am so very glad Lynda Cohen Loigman wrote it.

Sara Glikman is a child in the early part of the 1900s. She makes marriage matches in secret and the best part is the matches are ones of love. The problem is that matchmaking is dominated by a group of men and once they realize that Sara is making matches they wanted her stopped immediately.

Sara's granddaughter, Abby, is a divorce attorney driven to help others after the messy divorce of her parents. She is unaware of her grandmother's matchmaking other than the stories Sara told her here and there. After Sara passes away, Abby is left with her grandmother's journals. It is through these journals Abby learns more about her grandmother and all of the matchmaking she did.

As Abby learns more about her grandmother, her own views of love begin to change. She begins to see that perhaps love is real and two people can be happy if they marry for the right reasons.

This story was absolutely wonderful. I have loved Ms. Loigman's other books and was so excited to see she had published another story. What a treat this book was with two very touching stories that reminds the reader that love is real and special and that there is someone for everyone.

Eva Kaminsky and Gabra Zackman did a fabulous job with the audiobook. They helped the characters and storylines come alive for me. I will definitely be looking for other books done by them.

I voluntarily received an advanced listening copy of this book from Macmillan Audio. All views are simply my honest opinion.

“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.”

This book was a delight. I enjoyed the two timelines. I enjoyed learning about some real Jewish traditions. I enjoyed the thread of magic. It was all just enough, and not too much.

Even the cover is appealing.

The only thing I didn’t love, was that Jessica didn’t benefit from Sara’s gift. I love a good Redemption Story and was disappointed that she didn’t get stabbed with Cupid’s Arrow.

7.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this charming ARC.

From a young age, Sara knew she had the gift of matchmaking. A single woman matchmaking was frowned upon, so Sara matched in secret for years before finally having to fight for her place. Now Sara has passed and left behind her granddaughter Abby. Abby is a divorce attorney and worked with the incredibly wealthy. When she starts to see things in some of her clients, Abby can’t help but do some matchmaking of her own. It doesn’t exactly work well with her current career though…

This was such a heartwarming novel that pairs best with snuggling up on the couch with a cozy blanket and cup of tea (or glass of wine depending on the hour!) I loved that it jumped between two different time periods and showed how matchmaking was viewed in 1910 and current day. It just made me so happy every time Sara or Abby connected people and they were a successful match. I also really enjoyed the back story of Abby’s childhood and her parents divorce. I flew through this book and thoroughly enjoyed it! Now Abby, where ya at? I could use your help!

Two women, related by blood, separated by time, have callings that pull them in very different directions. In early twentieth century New York, Sara Glikman is a matchmaker whose talents in finding soulmates is superior to all others. But at a time when only men were allowed to hold such positions, Sara has had to make her matches secretly. Years later, her granddaughter, Abby is a divorce attorney for New York’s wealthiest residents. When Sara, her grandmother dies, she leaves Abby all her journals, detailing her life as a matchmaker. Abby is forced to wonder why her grandmother would leave her, a divorce attorney, with matchmaking journals, could it be that Sara knows something that Abby, herself is just beginning to realize? A lovely story of strong, courageous women

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman
Narrated by Eva Kaminsky; Gabra Zackman
Pub Date: 20 Sept 2022
4/5 Stars

The Matchmaker’s Gift is the beautiful story of two young women with a magical gift. It is told in dual timelines about Abby, in the 1990’s and her grandmother, Sara, in the early 1900’s. Sara sees a magical light that connects people to each other. When she sees this sign, she knows they will be a perfect love match. Abby is a modern young woman in the 1990’s who is mourning her beloved grandmother. She was always amused by her grandmother’s stories of the matches she made but never really believed. Until she started experiencing strange signs of having her own matchmaking abilities. She tries to ignore the signs but finally gives in only to find her own road to happiness and fulfillment.

This audiobook was interesting and so entertaining. The narration by Eva Kaminsky and Gabra Zackman was wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Uniquely sweet but not saccharine, THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT is a heartwarming read that explores the Jewish tradition of matchmaking.

Told in dual timelines, the story follows two women with the unconventional gift of helping people find their soulmates. Sara is a single woman in 1910 facing resistance from men in her community who typically serve as matchmakers. Sara’s granddaughter Abby discovers she shares her grandmother’s gift despite her career as a divorce attorney. Although the women can identify true love matches in others they can’t seem to find love for themselves.

This was a light read in which I also learned more about Jewish culture and the centuries-old tradition of matchmaking. I found it fascinating that the story was inspired by an old New York Times article featuring a local Jewish matchmaker.

I enjoyed the two narrators and appreciated how the voices made the characters distinct. Pick up this hopeful little novel for a spark of light in your reading.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: September 20, 2022

Thank you to Macmillan audio, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication

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. I listened to this and didn’t love the voice of Abby’s boss but otherwise found the audio interesting and it held my attention. Overall I think I’d recommend this to those that like sweet stories with a little touch of magic.

The Matchmaker’s Gift has all the right ingredients for an enthralling read—history, humor, romance, mystery, and a dash of magic! (cue matchmaker song from Fidler on the Roof). If you have a fondness for the special relationships between a grandmother and her granddaughter, then this is exactly the type of book to warm your heart. Growing up Jewish this book really touched me and I didn't want it to end. This book brims with optimism, a cast of colorful characters, and two smart heroines who dare to forge their own brave paths in life. I was completely charmed by this clever dual-timeline novel!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC