I read this in a few sittings, and when I wasn’t reading, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What I loved about this was that regardless of everything Glass was facing at the time, I always felt hope glimmering in the distance. Her words connected with me deeply, and I was rooting for her throughout. I was constantly in awe of, and inspired by how brave Glass was while in the midst of everything, and how brave she continues to be now, by revealing herself and sharing her story with a wider audience.

What was beautiful and unexpected was the ways in which Glass discusses her family, even in the aftermath of all she has endured. While writing of her relationships with her sisters, parents, and most of all, her children, it comes across that her love for them is mighty. Kissing Girls on Shabbat is a blend of faith, family, mental health, and eventually, acceptance. It is an impressive, courageous and all-consuming memoir.

might i say, Kissing Girls on Shabbat changed my life.

this piece was emotional, gritty, and most of all traumatic. yet the plot, strung together in non-sequential anecdotes, offered a narrative that i—and any other reader—could relate to, regardless of religion, sexuality, or gender.

Dr. Glass’ memoir spans from early childhood to present day, recounting the generational trauma she experience and her struggles as a questioning queer woman in a Hasidic Jewish community. although i myself have not experienced anything near the level of pain and abuse she describes throughout the book, the clever and authentic writing enabled my empathy for her situations. during her tragic highs and lows, the raw emotion reached me through the pages.

countless times throughout this book had me gasping, laughing, and crying, and the range of feelings it evoked made it feel all the more relatable. Dr. Glass’ humour and wit brought a sense of ease to an otherwise traumatic book. comparatively to other memoirs, the snippets of Malka’s resilience through humour, love, and authenticity balanced the darkness and made for a beautifully crafted piece.

quite honestly, i have almost nothing bad to say about this book. i learned so much and felt so much. i hope everyone who sees this book and thinks it looks interesting gives it a try because it really will change your outlook on life.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this memoir.

Wow, this memoir is amazing. I devoured it in two days. Sara's story is compelling and engaging. I felt so much sadness and agony for her and I loved to be able to witness her journey as she "figured herself out". It's beautiful to witness that she was able to actually be true to herself. I loved the way she stayed so strong for her kids and always wanted to do right by them.

Her journey through various relationships and marriages was also interesting to read about and the emotions were so vivid.

I also truly enjoyed to read so deeply about the Orthodox Jewish community - something that I have not done much of before. I will definitely be recommending this memoir to people that enjoy this genre because it ticks off so many boxes for me.

Kissing Girls on Shabbat was my last book of #arcmarch and it was one I really had a hard time putting down!

Author @drsaraglass bravely shares a deep and difficult look into the world of Hasidic and Ultra-Orthodox Jews and the traumas that can go along with this very strict and at times quite isolating lifestyle. Sara participates in an arranged marriage in her late teen years despite questioning her sexuality and experimenting secretly with a female lover. Determined to follow the Orthodox Jewish laws and stay true to her religion, Sara quickly learns to ignore her own desires and listen to her new husband and their Rabbis. When Sara becomes pregnant her already fractured relationship with her husband becomes even more difficult to navigate. Overtime she realizes that she needs to get a divorce, something that is very difficult to do in her religious community. With the constant threat of losing custody of her children and being excommunicated from her family and community, Sara struggles to hide her true identity, while also coping with mental health challenges and life as a very young, single mother, and full-time student in an extremely restrictive and isolating community.

Incredibly well written, and filled with descriptive language and background information for those not from this community, Kissing Girls on Shabbat sheds light on a variety of very difficult situations Ultra-Orthodox Jewish women can and do face on a daily basis. By opening up and sharing her story, readers can better understand this way of life, and service providers may better understand how to support women in situations similar to her own. It was also a really risky decision to write this tell-all kind of book and expose the secrets of a very reclusive community, and I think that in itself makes this such a powerful story. I would highly recommend this book!

Thanks so much to @netgalley and the publisher @simonschusterca for giving me the chance to read and review this incredible book!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada, Dr. Sara Glass, and Netgalley for my ARC copy of this memoir.

<I> Kissing Girls on Shabbat: A Memoir </I> discusses the complexities and trauma that can be involved in rigid conformity and trying to mould oneself to be what others expect. In her journey of self-acceptance, Dr Glass goes through the motions expected of her in her ultra-orthodox community; coming to the realization that the world she was living in would not be conducive to her being able to live as her true self. Through marriage, death, estrangement, and custody battles, Dr Glass comes to learn just because she learnt one way of living growing up, does not mean she has to stay within the confines of that way of life. While still holding her religion close to her, she learns that it should not dictate her life and should instead live peacefully with her as she is.

I would recommend this memoir to anyone struggling with their identity and religious conformity.

Kissing Girls on Shabbat was an amazingly written and powerful memoir. Dr. Sara Glass is an incredibly resilient woman, experiencing so much control imposed on her from her ultra-conservative Orthodox Jewish community and the pain that came with trying to conform. Her journey to self-acceptance and being able to live her life as her true self was not easy. I admire her dedication and her love for her children who she worked hard to protect as she went through her own struggles with divorce, near estrangement from family, assault, unexpected loss and the pressures religious conformity. She keeps her children safe, fights to retain custody and moves toward freedom and embracing her queer identity. She is also able to build her practice as psychologist through it all. Dr. Glass thank you for sharing your story.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC!