Kissing Girls on Shabbat is an important story for anyone questioning their religion, survivors of sexual trauma and emotional abuse, or LGBTQ folks (and those who love them). The author shares so much of herself in service to others that might benefit from her story. It's admirable to be so vulnerable when there were and continue to be real-world consequences for sharing her story. It was an honor to read before it's published.

The author has a wonderful writing style and voice, but I was frustrated by the line breaks, especially during pivotal moments in the story. It slowed the momentum. There were so many big themes to explore, and I don't know if they all got their due diligence. There were gaps or unresolved story lines, especially with the author's family. I imagine it was challenging to explain her relationships with her family without sharing their stories without their consents. I think some storylines could have been dropped to make more space for others.

What a standout memoir! I was intrigued by the blurb, but within the first twenty pages I realized this memoir was going to be much better than I could have hoped.
Glass has a very easy to read writing style that draws one in while also proving adequate substance behind the style. Glass's upbringing in an Orthodox Jewish community is something I knew nothing about, and I felt Glass did a good job of providing context without slipping into a boring background information voice. Reading this at 27, it's flat out bizarre thinking about the way her life changed at just 19. I also found it interesting how many decisions were made by rabbis regarding marriage, divorce, and really everything in their day to day life.
I was relieved when her financial situation was addressed mid book, as that was something I found to be a bit puzzling and caused disconnection for me.
A really great read that I would highly recommend!

I was intrigued by this book from the moment I saw the title. While it wasn't as exciting as I would have liked, it was indeed a fascinating exploration of a religion I am not familiar with. This author was very brave in telling her story, which made for a thought-provoking and educational book.

A look into the Hasidic & Orthodox communities in New York from the inside, outskirts and outside. This memoir is moving and heartbreaking at times but shows the perseverance of the author and highlights the struggles of following a set of strict rules.

Arranged marriages, mikvah, young motherhood, keeping kosher, wigs, the whole 9 yards.

Over two marriages, the author tries to convince herself she is straight. She cannot be gay and keep her kids, so she tries everything to stay married. I don't want to give too much away but this book touches many subjects, and I'm so proud of the author for her determination and for writing this book.

Highly recommend!

TW: depression, bipolar disorder, suicide, rape

I enjoyed this honest and true account of an Orthodox woman struggling to find her way and her own identity. While it’s filled with many trigger warnings (rape, suicide) I think this book deserves to be read and I hope some people feel inspired to move on from difficulties even when it’s hard.

Brave and beautiful, it is a haunting story that left me thinking about Glass and their lives. I'm grateful to have read her memoir. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

WOW! I had to keep reminding myself that this book wasn't a work of fiction, but a memoir. It kept me engaged and wanting to read on the entire way through. The Orthodox Jewish culture was completely new to me, so it was so interesting, and I appreciated the explanations she included in the book to keep the reading following along. I was cheering for her and her kids the entire way through. The through lesson was to be authentic to who you are, and I think there are times when we all struggle with this. So while the culture may be way out of our experiences we can relate to the broader issues portrayed in her story. I will for sure recommend to any of my friends who love a good memoir!

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!

An amazing and heartbreaking book about an ultra Hasidic woman who is gay, but much marry and have children as is expected of her. This book actually kept me up at night just thinking about all the shit poor Sara had to go through to finally live her true life. I definitely recommend reading this.

Glass has a way with words and knows how to keep your attention. This one was hard to put down. It shows the side of Orthodox Judaism that not everyone knows about. I am glad that Glass is able to find herself through her experiences.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Just finished this memoir after starting it yesterday, and I think this will be one of my favorite books of 2024. It’s difficult to criticize or rank memoirs due to the nature of passing judgement on how people choose to present the story of their life. I can say, however, that this one definitely kept my interest and I was able to relate to and empathize with the author on many levels, despite my limited knowledge of her cultural experience of growing up in a Hasidic community. Dr. Glass had a unique experience with her struggle between orthodox societal pressures and her own sexuality and ability to live authentically, but the closeted desires are relatable to so many queer people who have struggled with being true to themselves.

Thank you Dr. Glass for sharing your experiences with the world. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I started reading this late in the evening and ended up staying up until I finished. It is hard to put it down. I've read quite a few books about Orthodox Jews breaking free and I found this one so well written and so honest. Yet, it is hard not to be amazed by her experiences and all that she was shielded from in her education and upbringing. It's hard to believe she was living in the same world as I am. I am also struck by the importance of the Rabbi and the whole Rabbi-shopping experience to get an answer that one can live with. It's an excellent read and I hope it somehow falls into the hands of a young girl who struggles with what Sara Glass struggled with.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this read. It is fascinating.

This was such harrowing, honest memoir. It was a fascinating look into one woman’s evolving beliefs, community, family, and journey towards autonomy. It was a heavy read, often times suspenseful and sorrowful. It was written and paced in such a way that it sometimes read like fiction, entirely engrossing and full of twists. Overall, this was a very vulnerable and open memoir centered around queerness, community, and self-acceptance.

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. Glass's sense of narrative flow and emotional honesty is just SO GOOD, GOSH.

Moving and ultimately heartbreaking memoir of a woman born into a strict Hasidic sect and, knowing she cannot abide by the rules and laws and must leave, lives a double life in the attempt to retain custody of her children. One sees the suffocation of women in that world, and their lack of voice and self-determination.

This woman has 2 children through a loveless marriage, divorces the man, then dates several questionable people. She also realizes, through her exploration of the world beyond Hasidism, that she is gay and must hide it from her family and community.

She goes to college and acquires a degree in social work, becoming a therapist, but is still locked into the ultra-Orthodox world which competes for her desire to immerse herself in the secular world.. The family is very tight knit, but should one of the members falter, they are shunned.

Written with heart and compassion, this is a deeply moving account of one woman's attempt to be free.

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the eARC.