A great start to the fall reading season. This was a story of healing family and generational trauma, the found family that puts you back together, and a splash of romance. And it was great to see elements of magic across cultures. Jean Meltzer is a must read.

I felt like there was a lot going on that felt like too many plot lines in this book. I really wasn’t interested until 30% in, do it was a little struggle. The story revolves around woman who is drunk one night and uses witchcraft to summon a golem, and then a mysterious man shows up the next day with all the traits she asks for.

I loved the history and magical elements of the story. I didn't like the miscommunication and the romance was lacking for me. I just struggled with connecting to the characters. I think that it is important to learn about other cultures and other religions, and I found those parts of this story to be meaningful as well.

Magic is in the air… so is the romance real?

🪴 Book Synopsis: In the wake of an antisemitic attack in her usually calm, sleepy neighborhood, fueled by wine and fear, Faye creates a golem doll. She thinks nothing of it, and in fact barely remembers it, until she disastrously meets Greg, who just might be her dream guy and golem come to life.

🚲 My Take: This was a fun book with silly moments and a lovable cast of characters. Jewish folklore intertwines with a magical romcom storyline giving this tale witchy vibes. This book is not necessarily a light read though as this is more political than anything I’ve previously read by this author and major themes of the book include overcoming past trauma and antisemitism.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to @_mira_books_ and #NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I honestly could not finish this book. It was a bit drawn out in my opinion and very repetitive on the jewish/Hebrew information. I have no issues at all with religion in books but this one just seemed to be repeating the same information. It definitely wasn't for me.

I really liked this book as I've enjoyed others by this author. It handled some heavy topics and I thought the author did that with grace. The idea was original and I liked that it tied in the magical history of her ethnicity.

Jean Meltzer is a favorite of mine for a reason! Magical Meet Cute is her newest book and it does not disappoint! I loved the Jewish rep and how she woven magical elements throughout the story. She is just a great. writer.

Overall the story was ok for me. It was pretty predictable but if you are looking for a quirky read this is for you.

Jean Seltzer always manages to write a heart warming novel with lots of laughs.

I really loved Faye and she had a lot of personality. The romance was cute and there were many laugh out loud moments.

The story always moved fast and every time I put the book down I could;dnt wait to pick it up again. I love romances that are fast moving and keep the tension and spark between the characters. The romance felt real and I loved how everything worked out in the end. Very fun and witty writing!

This was a really fun and entertaining read! I do feel like a bit of it went over my head, as I read a few author interviews and articles on this book, and it was full of Jewish mysticism that I'm unfamiliar with. I do love reading about diverse cultures, backgrounds and living experiences - and I love that this book really spoke to the Jewish experience. Despite this, the author's writing style was engaging for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Magical Meet Cute was a cute read that did a great job of balancing sweet topics with some heavier, more emotional topics. I loved our MCs, Faye and Greg were so cute and I always loved a cinnamon roll MMC! I loved the blend of this book being realistic while also touching on that element we all look for in a romantic comedy. I also don’t read many books that have Jewish representation so that was amazing to see!

I definitely recommend this one, especially if you’re a fan of romance!

This is such a fun premise for a romance! I loved the Jewish POV (and the way it addressed current-day antisemitism) and Jewish mysticism is such a unique entry point for a romance (bring on more golems!). The romance was the spoonful of sugar to make the medicine about antisemitism go down and Metlzer balanced the two perfectly.

Thanks to Harlequin for the copy to review.

Meltzer continues to grow as an author as she tackles some pretty heavy themes in her novel.
Both Faye and Greg have personal issues to wade through which they do throughout the book while also exploring their connection to each other.
My favorite character was Nelly because she was the engine and engineer of so many things that occurred.
It’s a timely book and readers will enjoy the mysticism and the rapport between the characters.
Faye also has good aim when it comes to Greg and vehicles!

I am the biggest Jean Meltzer fan but this book jumped to the top of my faves list. I love me a creature romcom and this book had everything I crave. I loved the Judaism but I mainly loved the “is he or isn’t he” aspects! If you’ve read Jean’s other books, you will also get a couple Easter eggs which was so much fun!

I LOVED this book! Jean Meltzer is an autobuy author for me and I squealed when I saw she wrote a romance book with a little bit of fantasy in it!

This book handled heavy topics with a careful hand and tugged at my heart. This book provided so much Jewish Joy that is very much needed within the Jewish Community right now. Beliving in yourself is a prominate topic throughout this book!

I went into this book expecting something much more paranormal than I got. The book blurb led me to believe that this book was going to be a full-on Jewish-themed paranormal romance. There is a hint of the supernatural but I would argue this book falls into the realm of mysticism rather than the paranormal but I can’t really get into why I feel like that without spoilers. But that disconnect was enough in my mind to knock what would have otherwise been a 5-star book down to 4 stars.

Faye is such a complex and broken heroine. She’s Jewish, and a witch, and I learned a lot about Jewitch practices and beliefs from this book. Faye's history with her art and her abusive mother is heartbreaking, and watching her heal over the course of the book is very satisfying. Faye and Greg have a very Jane Foster and Thor in Thor relationship, at the beginning, she hits him with a bike, and at the end, she hits him with a car, neither time on purpose. Watching Greg try to figure out who he was before the bike accident took his memory is part exciting and part heartbreaking especially as he tries to reconcile the mystery of himself with his burgeoning feelings for Faye.

Faye of course partially believes that he might be her golem come to life so she spends a lot of the novel struggling with her own feelings. Especially as Greg takes on more of a protector and saviour role in the face of increased antisemitic activities and attacks in Woodstock. That plot intertwined with the romance makes his book a mixture of romcom and romantic suspense, especially as the stakes get taken higher with a firebombing and a threat on a character's life in the mix.

10/10 for the use of improvised weaponry at the end of the novel when Faye uses the hard Jewish salami in a fight, that's some Jason Bourne-level nonsense. But the fact that hard Jewish salami seemed to be the only thing she ever ate during the course of the book other than the Jewish wine from her failed wedding makes me want to tell her to eat a salad.

Overall, the book was interesting, poignant and moving with lots of funny sprinkled throughout because life can't be 100% serious.

Magical Meet Cute is not only a beautiful romance novel but it also contains such depth in speaking about antisemitism. It’s a story that will truly touch your heart and soul. The world is such a crazy place right now, especially for the Jewish community. I so enjoyed this book!

3.75 stars

Read just in time for Sukkot! This book is a fast paced, beautiful read *for those who identify as Jewish or truly love Jewish stories*. I would not, personally, hand this book to someone I was trying to encourage to read diversely. It tackles the topic of antisemitism and the fear we have all been facing. The reader is faced with the prospect of changing an antisemites mind. This is quite unrealistic but I found this book to be a Jewish daydream- magic, your own power, finding a voice, healing from generational trauma, changing the minds of those who hate you, a symbiotic relationship with the police, finding your dream man. I genuinely enjoyed the story! But then, I love everything Jean writes. This book is both fantasy and reality blended. She took the plot in unexpected directions with a satisfying ending.

I really enjoy Jean Meltzer books. Great characters and relatable stories. Magical Meet Cute was exciting and new in terms of direction. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written and engaging, a good book

After Faye's engagement ended and she sold her legal practice, Faye has been enjoying her new life as the owner of Magic Mud Pottery in Woodstock, New York. When a hate group fills her neighborhood with anti-Semitic flyers, Faye accidently creates a golem protector out of clay to comfort her. When Faye hits a stranger with her bike the next morning and finds that he has no memory of who he is, Faye starts to believe that meeting this stranger might not be a coincidence after all.

There were several aspects of this book I enjoyed and felt that the author did a great job bringing up the difficult topic of antisemitism and how it can affect a community. However, the pacing seemed to drag in certain areas and caused me to be disengaged. I did enjoy the concept of this book and many of the characters. I would be interested in reading other work by this author in the future.

Magical Meet Cute is out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to review Magical Meet Cute. All thoughts and opinions are my own.