There’s a lot of cultural education gleaned from his book. I had no idea of the connection between the Japanese and Jewish jewellers. The story was just not all that good.

I tried with this story, I really did. And I hate to DNF an advanced reader copy, but I was struggling so much that I had to stop at the 50% mark. This book is about 40-year-old Abe Goldstein, a single Orthodox Jew and NYC diamond broker facing a spiraling economic decline in post-Covid New York, who relocates to Hawaii where the market is much less competitive. There he buys an already-existing diamond business; the owner's daughter is Kiyoko, a certified gemologist with whom he falls in love. Spoiler alert, neither family approves. And that's about where I quit reading.

Let me start with what I liked about the story:
• I liked Abe's and Kiyoko's acceptance and celebration of one another's cultural differences.
• The focus on history and culture was a nice inclusion. The history of the Japanese wedding industry in Hawaii was interesting, and as a non-Jew the information about Orthodox Jewish traditions was helpful. It's clear the author has a keen interest in history, and that showed especially in the sections talking about the WWII and its aftermath.

What I didn't like:
• Let me start with saying this book is marketed as "humor/satire" but it wasn't all that humorous, more that it was amusing in some parts. Based on the description I was expecting a more laugh-out-loud type book than what this was.
• I think there was a bit too much going on here, the story didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. The snippets of history and the cultural significance of actions in the book made it seem like historical fiction/literature, but then there was the romance aspect with Abe and Kiyoko, as well as interpersonal struggles from both sets of parents' narrow points of view that made it seem like it was going to be an angst-y family story. The story felt scattered and so it wasn't very cohesive reading for me.
• And this is the one that made me finally stop reading: the continued over-the-top ethnic characterizations made it a struggle to continue. There was a lot of ethnic stereotyping and intolerance and it was unexpected, although I get that it was intended as a (possibly humorous/satirical?) plot point. There are some very blatant stereotypes included and that was too much for me to keep going.

So, to sum up, this wasn't the book for me. It was obvious that there was a lot of effort made to accurately reflect the culture and history of the two families, which I enjoyed and appreciated. But using racial stereotyping as a plot device or point of humor in a book about intermarriage feels cheap and it honestly wasn't necessary. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an Ebook ARC of this story, this is my objective review.

Oy... what to say here?! The first reviewer basically said it was a hot mess. I agree. But he went on to give it five stars. I will not be as kind.

First of all, as a Jewish woman who married a Japanese man, of course this book will interest me. You don't get that many novels on biracial marriages of this sort. But the author.... oh lordy... had gone on to insult practically every ethnic group on the planet and reinforced some very painful tropes. It's filled with humor on the level of dad jokes. It's poorly written. But is it a story? Well, admittedly it is. A predictable love story with some interesting side stories and history. I kind of wish the author had used what he knows to write a historical account of the grandparents' stories rather than using a corny love story as a vehicle. And, ouch. You had to offend everyone?

Yet, it somehow holds together and a reader could be asking themself 'do I hate this or love it?' So, if the topic interests you and you don't mind a very non-PC book, you could try it. But I didn't tell you that you must!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. The author might want to go hide on a desert island when it comes out....

This is going to sound strange but Terry Chodosh’s debut novel Shaloha Gems is a bit of a mess. It feels like it’s all over the place, suffering a massive identity crisis, or perhaps genre crisis would be a better way to put it. Part romance, part cultural exploration, part historical study, and even part humorous criminal adventure. This is all to say I’m not exactly sure who to say is the target audience. And yet despite all that I have to say I couldn’t put this one down. Had I not started it so late in the evening I’ve finished it in a single sitting, but I quickly finished it the next morning. So what’s it about? It’s about Abe Goldstein, a New York jeweler who has had enough of the city and wants out. Turns out he has the opportunity to relocate to Hawaii. It’s also about Abe, devoted Jewish man, falling for an Okinawan woman and the clashes of the two vastly different families, especially when Abe’s mother tries to interfere with Abe’s relationship. It’s also about Abe having to deal with some shady criminals looking to put him out of business. It’s also about WW II, liberating the concentration camps and the lasting effects people can have on other people’s lives. Now do you see why I said it was kind of all over the place. And yet I loved these characters and despite that I thought some of the numerous storylines could have been developed further than they were, I enjoyed this one from start to finish. Is this a 5 star book? Well if I had to judge it strictly from a technical standpoint, I’d say no, probably not. But from a pure enjoyment standpoint, it most definitely was and I’ll be looking forward to checking out Mr. Chodosh’s next book. I’d like to thank Acorn Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Shaloha Gems.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3GNXMMG1R9KN5/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv