I’ll happily read Jean Meltzer’s romances anytime. Avital (Avi) Cohen co-owns with her twin brother a kosher bakery called Best Babka in Brooklyn. It isn’t her dream but a necessity as it gives her a job she can do while trying to manage her chronic pelvic pain. She hires Ethan who she thinks is a baker. In reality Ethan is the grandson of her family’s rival. Their grandfather’s were partners once before they split each accusing the other of misdeeds. Ethan’s grandfather wants him to steal the signature recipe so they can mass produce it for their company.

Ethan is adorable character and he finds he really likes Avi. They spend time talking while working and he takes a load off her shoulders. Her chronic pain is a huge part of the story and it leads to one of the best showings of the use of medicinal marijuana I’ve seen in a fictional book. I like that Ethan’s secret is shared with Avi before they become intimate (off the page) so I don’t feel she is being deceived. As always Meltzer shows realistic Judaism and makes it very much a part of the story. She explains some Jewish elements and uses words that can be recognized in context of the story. I loved the ending.

I loved the look this book gave to not only the Jewish community but also into the chronic pain community. Learning about some of the Kosher rules that are followed in the bakery and how some things came to be was interesting and added a touch I enjoyed. Not only that but the glimpse into Avi’s chronic pain struggle and her trying to figure out what her life will be going forward.

Now to the romance part of it. Josh wanting to learn all about how to take care of her was by far my favorite part. They had sweet moments simply discovering who the other person was on all levels which I thought was so sweet.

I also loved the community at Best Babka. It was truly portrayed as a bakery family, while it was inconveniently built with its people it was family none the less.

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer is a delightful, entertaining read with some nice surprises; grabbing you and transporting you to the Best Babka bakery in Brooklyn. Avital co-owns a kosher bakery in Brooklyn with her twin brother Josh. She has a health condition which keeps her in almost constant pain, and gave up her dream of being a photographer when she needed more flexible hours. She advertises for help, and a really handsome applicant, Ethan, comes in for an interview. He claims to have gone to culinary school, but his true motive is to obtain the bakery's secret recipe for pumpkin spice babka. His grumpy, elderly grandfather had a falling out with the bakery's founder many years ago; claiming the recipe was stolen from him. Josh worries that Avital will find out, especially as their attraction rises. Hopefully these two can stop the feuding between their families that has gone on for so long. This is a cute bakery romance; I just wish it included recipes. Daring, poignant, brutally honest, and romantic as well as deliciously divine; I highly recommend Kissing Kosher to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I enjoy reading Jean Meltzer's romances (The Matzah Ball and
Mr. Perfect on Paper) because I've learned so much about Jewish customs and traditions, and her newest novel, Kissing Kosher, adds another layer of learning.

Avital manages her family's popular Brooklyn Jewish bakery, Best Babka. Her twin brother is the creative baker, and Avital runs the business end of things. Avital also lives with a chronic illness called Interstitial Cystitis, which causes her disabling pelvic pain that makes everyday living difficult. Doctors haven't been very helpful, they are unable or unwilling to give her pain medication, and nothing else seems to work.

Business has been good at Best Babka, so Avital decides to hire a new person to join their tight-knit crew.
Ethan Rosenberg applies to work there, and Avital hires him unaware that Ethan has an agenda. He has been sent there to steal the recipe for the famous Pumpkin Spice Babka Bread.

Ethan's grandfather Moishe and Avital's grandfather used to be business partners until a serious falling-out resulted in a breakup of the partnership and friendship. The men became sworn enemies, trading insults and expensive lawsuits over the years.

Of course, Ethan is attracted to Avital which complicates matters. The more time he spends at the bakery and with Avital, the less he wants to do his grandfather's bidding, but there are family complications that he can't ignore.

I loved learning all about the bakery business, I found it fascinating. It made me want to search out the closest Jewish bakery near me to try their delicious treats.

Author Jean Meltzer lives with a serious chronic condition and she gives the reader a true look at the challenges of that. Her descriptions are so visceral, the reader can almost feel Avital's pain.

As Ethan and Avital's relationship blossoms, it can only be a matter of time before Avital learns the truth about Ethan's identity. What will happen then?

Once again, Jean Meltzer has created interesting characters and put them in a sticky romantic situation. Kissing Kosher is a little deeper than her previous books, dealing with a serious medical condition that many people (including myself) know little about.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2023 Blog Tours.

This was a beautifully heartfelt and emotional heavy forbidden romance between two Observant Jews in Brooklyn, NYC who hail from two rival families and end up falling in love. Full of AMAZING disability rep (chronic pelvic pain/Interstitial cystitis), intergenerational trauma, grief, food and medicinal marijuana use.

Ethan was the absolute BEST book boyfriend and I was rooting for him and Avital to find a way to overcome their families' feud and figure out a way to be together. I learned so much about the Jewish religion, traditions and sex and found it all fascinating and utterly enthralling. This is Jean Meltzer at her very best and I couldn't get enough!! Great on audio narrated by Dara Rosenberg.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This is perfect for fans of books about reproductive disabilities/chronic pain and authors like Stacey Adgern, Rosie Danan or Uzma Jalaluddin.

Steam level: fade to black, mostly just kissing

Well Jean Meltzer can’t do any wrong in her writing for me. Kissing Kosher is another fantastic read. It is full of heart, hope and of course loss and hurt. I absolutely adore how she captures Jewish culture and makes the reader understand the importance of them. I can’t wait for her next book!!

This was a lovely rom com. It made me laugh and I really enjoyed our main characters, Ethan and Avitel. It was sassy and a little spicy. I was really glad to see some good disability rep in this book.

4.5 stars overall

This was such a delightful story and my first book by Jean Meltzer. It will not be my last. I love books set in bakeries and I really enjoyed learning about Jewish traditions that surround food. Although I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope I was so happy that the miscommunication wasn't between our two main love interests and instead revolved around their grandfathers. This book will certainly make you want to visit a Jewish bakery immediately for some delicious baked goods! Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book I’ve read by Jean Meltzer (the first being THE MATZAH BALL), and what can I say except I loved it *even more* than the first?! As with her other books, KISSING KOSHER is unapologetically Jewish and heavy on disability awareness. But the amazing thing is that she does all this without sacrificing any of the pieces that we love so much about rom-coms -- the romance, the comedy, the banter and flirting, the butterflies, the adorable male love interest (Ethan is an absolute dream). I don’t know how she achieves this balance so well, but I love it!

With THE MATZAH BALL I felt seen because I have fibromyalgia, which is in many ways similar to ME/CFS that the FMC has in that book. In KISSING KOSHER, our FMC, Avital, has interstitial cystitis. I so enjoyed and appreciated learning more about living with IC because a good friend of mine has it. I kept telling her, “You have to read this book, you’ll feel so seen!” This is why reading diverse books is so, so important! People who identify with the characters feel seen, and the rest of us learn so much. I didn’t just learn about IC, either, but about Judaism and their teachings on sex and intimacy (which just might blow your mind!). Honestly, if you haven’t yet read one of Jean’s books, what are you waiting for?

RATING: 5 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. Thanks to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the eARC!

Avital Cohen, granddaughter of Chayim Cohen, is the manager of her family’s kosher Brooklyn bakery, Best Babka, a role she has reluctantly assumed after being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, a painfully chronic condition that forced her to shelve her budding photography career and move home with her family. Ethan Rosenberg is the orphaned grandson of Moishe Lippmann, wealthy owner of a hugely successful commercial baked goods company, who has demanded that Ethan go undercover at Best Babka to steal the recipe for Chayim’s famous pumpkin spice babka in retaliation for how Chayim wronged him over many decades. It goes against Ethan’s moral code, but he feels he has no choice if he has any hope of gaining his grandfather’s approval and affection, an impossible task given that Moishe is pure evil as evidenced by the severe verbal abuse he has heaped on his grandsons in the 12 years since their parents’ death. When Avi and Ethan meet at his interview, there’s an instant attraction although neither of them recognizes it in the other. It doesn’t take long for Ethan to realize there’s no way he’ll be able to follow-through on the plan given his growing affection for Avi and every reason to believe there will be no future for them if, and when, the truth of his deception is revealed.

There’s so much to unpack in this novel and a slew of triggers readers need to be aware of, including trauma, death, grief, chronic pain, suicidal ideation, and traumatic brain injury. There is intense focus on Avi’s condition and the way the medical establishment dismisses patients either by minimizing their pain, not investing sufficient money for research into finding a cure or failing to offer ways to alleviate their suffering. As a result, many end up taking their own lives because they can’t see a future free from the pain. At one point, Avi even talks about how chronic pain can steal your life, and people acting like you’re still the same person you were before your diagnosis is a form of ableism.

Although not mentioned in the story, I think it’s worth drawing comparisons to what’s happening today. In the wake of Covid, there are millions of patients suffering with Long Covid who are being villainized for masking and demanding precautions in healthcare settings, being denied coverage, minimizing their suffering or dismissing their problems as anxiety, and finding that there are very few doctors who even understand their conditions. As Avi says, “The worst part of chronic pain had never actually been the disease…it was the lack of hope.” Millions of sufferers (an ever-growing number) are facing systemic ableism that smacks of eugenics and are dying, either from their illness or by their own hands.

As Ethan learns of the challenges Avi’s illness presents, he is compelled to help her find solutions. So, he approaches his pothead brother Randy for answers, which leads the couple to visit a dispensary and learn from the Rabbi Jason, the unconventional owner, all about the benefits of medical cannabis and the elevated role women and intimacy in the Jewish faith. It’s a deep, but illuminating, journey for Meltzer’s readers.

As much as Avi is dealing with physical pain, the emotional pain and guilt Ethan suffer is also a focus and the thing that ultimately binds them together. As an excuse for Moishe’s intense cruelty towards his grandsons (which is referred to it as “bad behavior”), Meltzer gives this explanation: “the by-product of transgenerational trauma. Expulsion. Pogroms. The Holocaust. In every generation, some villain rose up, seeking to destroy them. And sometimes, the parents came home – and collapsing under all those generations of bloodshed, antisemitism, and disrupted family units – traumatized their children, too. It was the dirty little secret of the Jewish world. Abuse.” In her author notes, Meltzer even mentions the growing anti-Semitism today.

Although Meltzer’s Kissing Kosher is, at its heart, a romance between star-crossed lovers, it goes well beyond a simple love story by tackling everything from chronic pain to transgenerational trauma, the role of intimacy in Jewish relationships, medical cannabis, the mysteries of the Jewish faith, unimaginable grief, and even verbal abuse and neglect. At times, it’s difficult to read, but it’s ultimately about hope and joy, managing physical and psychological pain, and finding support from chosen family.

One final note? A better title would have been “What the Heart Kneads” (which becomes obvious near the end of the story).

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from MIRA through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Kissing Kosher pulls you in from the very first line, and it's not what you think. We meet Avital and learn about her chronic pelvis pain which results in her not wearing underwear. She's trying to manage her family kosher bakery while trying to live through her pain. She needs help in the bakery so she hires the very cute Ethan. Unfortunately for Avital, Ethan is not who he says he is. He's really undercover trying to steal her families recipes for his grandpas and their years long feud. Avital and Ethan decide to move past their families drama and work together as friends but sparks fly. They must figure out how to manage their relationship while Avital manages her Chronic pain and their families are at war. This was a very sweet read full of great representation. It was nice to read about Pelvic Pain as it's not something gets talked about a lot. Ethan was charming and I loved how he stepped up to take care of his family and Avital. Super cute!

Avital Cohen’s life is falling apart. She’s dealing with chronic pain as well as managing her family’s bakery, Best Babka. It’s a demanding job and she agrees to hire some extra help.

In comes Ethan Lippmann. The Lippmans and Cohens have been enemies for years. At his domineering grandfather’s orders, Ethan gets hired at Best Babka without revealing who his true identity is. His assignment is to steal the Cohen’s secret babka recipe.

It doesn’t take long for Ethan to become more interested in Avital than any secret recipe. Unfortunately, there’s no way anything can come out of this relationship which is based on lies. However, Ethan can’t stop thinking about Avital.

This book is an emotional roller-coaster. My heart went out to both Ethan and Avital - two tortured souls trying to deal with the tough obstacles life has thrown in their path. It’s a realistic look at disability and family dynamics. It felt like a huge slice of life.

I’ve read two other books by this author, but this is by far my favorite. It tugs on the heartstrings and makes you truly care about Ethan and Avital. The author, also, mixes in some Jewish history and traditions. This book hooked from page one. I look forward to reading more books by this author.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

"Kissing Kosher" by Jean Meltzer is a delightful Romance novel that sweeps readers off their feet. The book expertly explores the complexities of love and relationships, offering a heartwarming and relatable story. Jean Meltzer's engaging writing style and well-developed characters make this novel a page-turner, perfect for those who enjoy a blend of passion, humor, and emotional depth. "Kissing Kosher" is a charming read that captures the essence of romance in a way that leaves a lasting impression on its readers.

Meltzer really brings awareness to sufferers of interstitial cystitis. I felt so bad for Avital with her chronic pain and litany of medicine and routines she had to endure, with very little relief.
I never really cared for Ethan. His entry into the bakery was to steal the family recipe and although he proved to be decent, I was unable to get past the damage he caused.
I also didn’t like Moishe, although sorry in the end, he was unlikable for most of the book.
The ending was positive.

4.5/ 5 stars

Wow. I really enjoyed this book. This book is a romance set in a Kosher bakery. It's full of Jewish rep and chronic illness rep. I loved it!

Twenty four year old Avital Cohen helps run her family's Jewish bakery in Brooklyn NY. She deals with chronic pelvic pain. And honestly it was completely heartbreaking to read this, especially because this is based on the author's real life.

I adore Jewish rep. And this book is full of it. All of the main characters are Jewish. And I just loved everything about the Kosher bakery.

The other POV is Ethan Rosenberg Lippmann (24). The book alternates between the male and female POVs. I really enjoyed the dynamics in his family. And wow his grandfather was too much!

Overall, this was a wonderful romance full of Jewish rep and chronic illness rep. I truly loved it!

Fun, Informative Without Being Preachy - But *IS* Focused On Advocacy As Much As Romance. This is one of those books that works its advocacy into its story in a compelling way that doesn't come across as preachy at all - but *can* feel like a bit of a "Sponsored By" kind of a tale. The issues it discusses, including both chronic pain and medical (and even recreational) marijuana use are very real, and in these areas the book is quite informative indeed - hell, I openly admit I learned quite a bit more about marijuana from reading this book than I ever had in 40+ yrs prior.

But that gets to a bit of a heart of the dilemma - I can now tell you as much about the intricacies of how marijuana actually works as I can about the specifics of this ostensibly enemies to lovers romance tale. I can tell you as much about how chronic pain can completely take over a person's life as I can about the actual character who has it and her budding relationship throughout this tale. Indeed, the actual "conflict" here is largely over just about 50% into the tale, with another blowup a bit later. But it is this section in between in particular where the book is at the height of its paid promotional ad feeling, without ever naming specific real world organizations. (This feeling isn't helped by the fact that several of these elements come back to bear in the wildly extended epilogue - a short (ish) stinger on the end of the story, this epilogue is not. Indeed, it reads and feels more like just another final chapter rather than a true epilogue.)

Overall, there is nothing technically wrong here, so no star deduction. And the tale itself, outside of the advocacy, really is sweet and charming and most everything anyone really wants in a romance with a few comedic moments. But the advocacy, while never actually preachy, is still such a prevalent force here that it does in fact take away from the ultimate feel of the romance. Still, quite entertaining and truly informative. Very much recommended.

Avital Cohen has a lot on her plate. She manages her family's kosher bakery and struggles with the symptoms and crises of a chronic condition that affects her health, sense of identity, and sexuality. She can hardly encompass the idea of making room for romance, but when handsome, friendly, helpful Ethan Rosenberg starts working at the bakery, Avital is hopelessly distracted and attracted. Ethan is just as smitten, but they have a few things standing in their way: the demands of the business, navigating intimacy around the boundaries of Avital's illness, and oh yeah, Ethan's also a corporate spy on a secret mission to steal Avital's signature recipe.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the way it leans into representation of Jewish faith and culture in a way that gives meaning and texture to the characters' lives and values. Judaism shows up in every aspect of the characters' experience, sometimes in unexpected and illuminating ways. Avital's journey as a person living with a chronic illness feels honest and lived-in, and the support Ethan gives her is #goals for any relationship.

Some of the writing feels superficial however, with relationships and deep emotional conflicts too easily addressed and resolved. There's a tremendously valuable medicinal cannabis storyline, but it's undermined in its ascending curve by dismissive judgments that create conflict (sort of) but feel honestly outdated, and its descending curve is cheapened with cartoonish hijinks.

In the end I was glad these characters overcame their obstacles and found their happily ever after, but I wished for more emotional grounding along the way.

Many thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the eARC.

Let me preface this with I think I didn't enjoy this one very much because I wasn't the target audience. There is Jewish rep and chronic illness rep.

The book was mostly focused on Avi and her IC/chronic illness and the pain caused by it. I like that there is a rep for this here, but it felt a little too focused on this. I've read chronic illness books before and while it was a prominent part of the plot or discussed in length in the book, there were also focuses on the romance and other plot points to make it feel like there was more to the story than pain and suffering. I say this not to take away from the vulnerability the author portrayed in writing about this or the very real disease and pain associated.

On a similar note, the whole book kinda felt like an ad for medicinal marijuana...I don't feel a need to elaborate on this.

Lastly, the rivalry (if it can even be called that) lasted all of two seconds before his identity was revealed. I would have liked more tension, more conflict before things eased up. The book started so strong that I was confident things were being set up for a good plot, but it fizzled out pretty quick with the early revelation.

Overall, it's a no from me.

Kissing Kosher was such a fun book! It's probably my favorite of Jean Meltzer's books!

When I started reading I wasn't so sure since it has a little bit of a Romeo/Juliet with 2 feuding families. Ethan is secretly sent to Avital's family bakery to spy and steal back the pumpkin spice babka recipe. Of course, as he starts working he finds he's getting closer to Avital and what does that mean...

The way this book looks at chronic pain and shares so much about Jewish customs was enlightening. I learned so much reading and loved the depth of these characters. I really liked how the reveal that he was the enemy was handled and this was such a fun book to read!

Thanks to the publisher an advanced copy of Kissing Kosher! It comes out Tuesday August 29th and you should read it!

4 1/2 glowing stars.

I've read every book from this author, and if I'm not mistaken, she just keeps getting better!

This is the story of Avi and Ethan, they come from feuding kosher bakery families and should not even be talking to each other, let alone, ahem, schtupping? Ha. Avi has a chronic illness that sometimes presents as debilitating, and has come home to run the family bakery because she needs the flexibility her disease requires.

Ethan has been brought up with money, excellent schooling, every single task and chore taken care of for him, but very little love. His grandfather raised him and is grieving the loss of family members and friends who were like family. To appease his grandfather he gets hired at Avi's bakery to steal their most famous recipe.

This was beautifully written, you could feel the chemistry on the pages, and honestly? I didn't want it to end. Also, I learned SO much about medical marijuana, marijuana in general, and found that to be a fascinating addition to this story.