Meltzer covers a lot of ground in this timely, well-researched book about love and romance, Jewish identity, and community. In response to heightened anti-Semitism in her community, lawyer turned potter Faye gets drunk and creates a golem in her backyard one night. The next day, a handsome stranger with amnesia enters her life when Faye hits him with her bicycle. Feeling responsible, she takes on helping Greg, resulting in some funny and charming moments as he tries to re-integrate into society. Although he moves into her tiny space, she remains boundaried, creating a delicious slow burn. He champions Faye’s desire to stamp out anti-Semitism. When Faye happens to see Greg shirtless, she notices he has a scar in the same place as the golem she created… is Greg a man, or a product of her own creation?

Magical Meet Cute is fresh, unique, quirky and wonderful, from Faye’s incontinent dog Hillel, to a speed dating event in a Sukkah (which is an excellent device for Faye to explain her backstory!) to using the liminal space of a mikveh for life transitions, to the seriousness lens through Jewitch magic is respectfully and authentically presented. Hebrew and Yiddish are sprinkled throughout, and whimsy is beautifully balanced with serious issues.

This witchy romance with a Jewish worldview will appeal to fans of supernatural stories; and it’s a great seasonal read for Sukkot, which falls a bit before Halloween this year.

I received a free, advance reader’s review copy of #MagicalMeetCute via #NetGalley, courtesy of #Harlequin.
I will be publishing this on HLBB during Sukkot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, I will say that it was much heavier than I was anticipating. So please bare that in mind if themes around antisemitism and threats/attacks against the Jewish community may be difficult for you to read. It made for an interesting bit of mystery to the story to accompany the romance plot, just hard to read knowing that its not far from real life. As for the romance, I loved the witchy aspect and really enjoyed learning more about "Jewitch" lore.

This started off so well and I just adored the premise. Unfortunately though the weirdness of the plot didn't mesh well with the other more serious aspects of the story.
I really wish I had enjoyed it more. It was one I was truly looking forward to.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Magical Meet Cute is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and a dash of mystical folklore. The story of Faye Kaplan, a former lawyer turned potter, immediately captures your heart with her relatability and charm. Her shift from a high-powered career to a quieter life in Woodstock, NY, feels authentic and sets the stage for her hilarious and heartfelt magical mishap. The novel beautifully balances a whimsical romance with deeper themes, touching on identity, community, and the idea of protection—whether through magic or love. Faye’s journey toward love and self-discovery is heartwarming, with enough magical chaos to keep you smiling throughout.

For readers who love a sweet, magical romance with a unique premise and plenty of laughs, Magical Meet Cute is a perfect escape into a world where love might just be a little enchanted.

I normally love Jean Meltzer's books, but this one did not hit the same! I liked the main character, but there were moments where she had no social awareness and took things very personally. The FMC's trauma explained some of why that happened, but it felt over the top at times. This was a slow burn, but it didn't have a ton of tension along the way. Some moments felt very one sided with a little personal pining, but it didn't add much per say. It was still a good book, but I would recommend her other books over this one.

I love Jean Meltzer, her books always have me cackling and this was no different! I love reading Greg and Faye’s love story. I loved the amnesia aspect but feel like something more could have been done to find out Greg’s personal information. But I loved the drunk doll making, the sassy old neighbors, and the witchy aspects so much!

The chemistry between Faye and Greg is off the charts, and the plot is packed with laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt scenes. Jean Meltzer did an amazing job balancing fun with important conversations about Jewish culture and serious issues.

I was totally hooked from start to finish and felt like every character was someone I could be friends with. I’m so glad I gave this author another chance!

I loved the representation in this book and how informative this book is. The main characters were so enjoyable.

Magical Meet Cute was… cute. I loved the setting of Woodstock, NY, although I’ve never actually been. (But after seeing the movie Woodstock, and then googling it, it just looks like the cutest town ever.) I also loved the little magical elements in this, and loved learning about Jewitches, a term I’d never heard before. The romance was sweet and wholesome, as well. Add in a bit of mystery, and dealing with some heavy topics in a lighter way, and the book ensured that I would finish it. While I never felt overly attached to it, or any of the characters, I still enjoyed reading it. And if you like romances and any of the above topics, I think you’ll enjoy it, too!

3.5 rounded up

Magical Meet Cute- Jean Meltzer
Narrated by Dara Rosenberg

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧

This was such a cute romcom with a lot of current event relevance to the real world like Covid and antisemitism and targeting the Jewish community. I’m not Jewish, so I didn’t know some of the intricacies and details that are associated with the Jewish background of the book. I did enjoy getting to learn some of the folklore and history. I also loved getting these little bits of self help as the character reads self-help books.

Jewish potter, Faye, finds herself in a predicament after seeing she her community targeted in antisemitism threats on fliers strewn arose the neighborhood. She takes to her pottery where she performs old Jewish magic and creates a potential golem. She adds all the traits she would want in a man into the magic. The next day she runs into the most gorgeous man, Greg, in a biking accident and the man loses his memory. She takes him home from the hospital in an effort to try and find out who he is and where he belongs. As they get to know each other, he starts ticking off all the boxes that she put into her golem spell. The longer that goes by where no one is looking for Greg and he is still not recovering his memory, Faye really starts questioning if she created a golem.

There are things I liked and didn’t like about this narration. I think Dara did a great job doing the female narration, but even though it is in third person, I would have liked to see a male vocal for the male part. I did really like the broken speech in Greg’s inner monologue as he’s relearning how to talk and trying to remember his life.

Thanks to Netgalley for this arc. This was such a cute story. I loved the characters and it was also my first time reading anything by this author. I would rate this a 4.5 and I would highly recommend reading this book.

A delightful blend of romance and fantasy, where Faye Kaplan’s whimsical creation of a golem protector leads to unexpected love.

The novel skillfully balances humor and serious themes, addressing antisemitism while delivering a heartwarming story. 

Meltzer’s engaging writing and unique characters make this book a charming and thought-provoking read.

Overall, I would recommend.

I found this story to be a charming blend of romance and self-discovery. While I enjoyed it overall, I had a hard time getting into the love story in the book. Miscommunication and lackluster chemistry made the romance part of the story my least favorite part.

I really enjoyed the characters and the setting. To me, the standout aspect of the story was how it depicted Jewish characters and their experiences with antisemitism. The author did an excellent job handling this contemporary issue, offering readers—regardless of their own backgrounds—a compelling and empathetic look into how each character is affected and copes with these challenges.

Thanks to NetGalley and Jean Meltzer for the advanced copy!

This was such a funny and fun book. There were definitely real life serious issues talked any. But I enjoyed the magic and folklore and the confusion that happened after said magic took place. I have read a few books with golems. I liked how the historical significance and origin of the tales were discussed as well.
I definitely was getting sus of the person that ended up being the bad guy. There were a lot of twists and a few people were looking like the guilty party. I love to guess and it’s fun when it ends up being a different character.
That group of despicables sound familiar and like all the scary rhetoric out there.
The romance between Faye and Greg was slow burn and he had amnesia and thought he was a golem so it was also hesitant. We didn’t know who he was but I def twist when he gets his memory back.

This book was a lot more serious and deeper than I was expecting. It was a little tough to get into at the start, but that might be more due to my unfamiliarity with the Jewish culture. That being said, I did learn a lot from this book about Jewish beliefs and magic. There were a couple of twists throughout, with some being a bit easier to foresee than others, but I really enjoyed the ending. It was a happy ending but one that the characters had to work for, making it feel more realistic.

I was really looking forward to this book but I couldn’t get into the characters. Due to that it felt like the book dragged out at times

This book was a sweet cotton candy read and I enjoyed it. I'm not a huge romance reader but do enjoy a sweet one every now and then. The cover screams fall cover vibes me which made me want to read it. Loved the story and writing, would recommend it to all readers romance genre or not this is a great little book.

I can't believe I'm writing this but this was a DNF for me. I love Jean Meltzer's books and I was counting down the days until I could read this one but the magical realism was not for me. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next and I might pick this one back up and try to finish it at some point but I just could not get into this book.

This was my first book by Jean Meltzer and I throughly enjoyed it. It kind of reminded me of the hallmark movies I really enjoy watching. While I love Rom coms there were so parts of the book did not capture my attention.

Pure Magic

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer is a whimsical blend of romance, magic, and cultural heritage. As my first experience with Meltzer’s storytelling, I found myself so engrossed that I finished the book in a single day—a true testament to its engaging narrative.

The story follows Faye Kaplan, a former lawyer from New York City who trades her high-powered career for a peaceful life in Woodstock as a pottery shop owner. This tranquility is disrupted by a series of antisemitic incidents in her town. One evening, after a bit too much wine, Faye crafts a clay figure of her ideal man, whimsically naming him Greg. The next day, she crashes into a redheaded stranger with no memory of his past, and to her surprise, he looks just like the man she sculpted.

Meltzer weaves Jewish culture and history into the narrative, adding depth to the romance while educating readers. Faye’s journey of self-discovery, paired with Greg’s mysterious background, keeps the story intriguing. Their relationship is heartfelt, though at times the chemistry between them feels a bit understated.

The book tackle’s themes of love, identity, and resilience, addressing the impact of antisemitism and promoting inclusivity by featuring characters with disabilities. This thoughtful representation adds meaningful layers to the story, fostering empathy and awareness.

While the magical elements and cultural richness are standout features, the plot has some inconsistencies, and the romantic connection between Faye and Greg could have been more dynamic. However, Magical Meet Cute remains a charming read that blends enchantment with real-world issues, offering valuable insights into embracing one’s heritage. For readers who enjoy heartwarming tales with cultural depth and meaningful representation, this novel is a delightful addition to their bookshelf.