an adorable story with jean's signature jewish joy! i think this one was really fun -- i had a blast reading and i just love jean's stories

I love how much I learned of the Jewish culture when reading this book. Not only doe the story represent Jewish tradition, but it also focuses on chronic pain and the difficulties experiences while living with it. Kissing Kosher was the frst book I had read by this author and I am sure to pick up another by her.

This book was exactly what I needed. A delightful read that had some great invisible illness representation.

Jean Meltzer could get me to read anything. Every time I read the description of one of her seasonal romances I think it sounds a little silly. It often IS a little silly, but I have an amazing time reading them every time. I think Avital is one of the more interesting heroines I've read this year! I hope we get another seasonal romcom this year!

As always, Jean Meltzer's chronic illness + Jewish rep is UNPARALLELED. I loved this exploration of Jewish love and chronic pelvic pain.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I was hoping to. I loved the atmosphere of the bakery and the baking scenes, plus the fact that the employees were like an extended family. What was lacking for me was that the plot dragged at times, which made me lose interest. But the romance was cute and I was rooting for the main couple the whole time.

So I ended up DNFing this one, I was about 50% into the book and I couldn’t connect with the characters or the storyline. I really did enjoy the representation of Jewish culture and representation for chronic illness and pain

I have adored every single one of Jean Meltzer’s books. An OWN-Voices jewish representation is something that is only now becoming more popular.

Meltzer also writes about chronic illness with realness and grace because she lives it every day.

There was so much information about Judaism that I learned while reading this.

I also found the insight to medical marijuana something more people need to read about since there is such a stigma.

I am totally in LOVE with this book! A well-written, beautiful story that put me through a deliciously emotional angsty ringer, made my heart race and flutter and had me swooning like crazy!

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. The author did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer is a standalone contemporary romance novel. Kissing Kosher is set in the Jewish community and showcases a lot of Jewish traditions along with having a main character dealing with a chronic illness and pain but infuses a lovely romance among the heavier topic involved.

For Avital Cohen life is now just about getting through every day in her family bakery all while dealing with chronic pain. Avital was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis and deals with pain constantly with little help from her doctor. The bakery wasn’t Avital’s dream but here she is doing her best to help with the long lines of customers enjoying her families Jewish baked goods.

With the bakery at it’s busiest Avital is looking to hire more help when in walks Ethan Rosenberg. Ethan is actually the grandson of the man who was Avital’s family’s biggest competition and has been sent by his grandfather to spy on the bakery. With a few white lies in his application Ethan gets the job where he can’t help but be curious about the bakery’s feisty manager in Avital.

Kissing Kosher is the first book I’ve read by author Jean Meltzer and it won’t be the last either. It’s my understanding that the author always has characters dealing with real problems in her stories and I appreciated the chance to read of a condition I was unfamiliar with and really get a unique story with that premise. I also enjoyed learning more about the Jewish community and traditions that I wasn’t familiar with myself. Even with the heavier topic involved the story had lighthearted humor which also kept the pages turning for me. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was adorable! I loved this. I loved the baking. I loved the swoonworthy romance. I loved the grandpa. I will read more from this author.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It has such a strong premise! Two bakers from feuding rival baking families that goes back to their grandparents! And one infiltrates the bakery of the other to learn/steal a secret recipe!

And that’s how it starts… but the plot falls apart as quickly as the attempt at subterfuge. As soon as it became apparent that the two will be working together, all the tension leaves the book and the rest just sort of… happens. I found myself just reading to get the book finished and not because I was necessarily invested in the story.

In addition to all that, there was an extended bit that felt really preachy about medical marijuana? I understand why it was there, to an extent, but it was so gratuitous that it completely halted the narrative.

Jean Meltzer is now three-for-three with delightful and poignant Jewish rom-coms. This one deals a lot with chronic pain and she takes it in directions I wasn't even expecting. And even though Ethan is way too young for me, he is swoon-worthy in so many ways. The icing on the cake, so to speak, is all the delicious descriptions of baked goods. It made me miss going to Zadie's Bakery in NJ.

The plot made me think of the movie Hanukkah on Rye in some ways. However, it was way different overall and there were some aspects that were really eye-opening when it comes to chronic pain and how to manage it. Even though I don't share Avital's experiences, thankfully, Jean made her situation feel so relatable. I really liked all the side characters working at Best Babka, especially Tootles. They all had interesting backstories though. (I'd actually love for Jean to write a story about Chaya and find a way to help unchain her from her ex-husband in that novel.)

My main concern was that there was too much time spent on discussing intimacy. Maybe because I know so much about family purity already, it felt like it went on too long. However, I did learn some new things from it, as well. I also felt like the rivalry between the grandfathers seemed unclear at times.

Funny coincidence: It's mentioned that Avital smells like cherry blossoms a lot of the time. I've been using a body wash from Bath and Body Works that smells like cherry blossoms, which I put in my shower prior to reading this novel.

Overall, this was a wonderful story. I even got teary-eyed a few times. It will be published in late August, just in time for High Holiday reading! (However, if you are not Jewish or Jewish and not observant, you will learn a lot of things about customs and rituals while enjoying the ride, so it's definitely worth checking out.) Just don't read it during Yom Kippur or all the food descriptions will make things that much more difficult.

Jean Meltzer's 'Kissing Kosher' is an absolute delight! Her ability to weave the intricacies of romance and cultural nuances into a heartwarming tale is truly commendable. What sets this book apart is Meltzer's gift for effortlessly drawing readers into the story, making it accessible and enjoyable for all. The charming characters and their journey through love and tradition are beautifully portrayed, creating a captivating narrative that lingers in your heart long after the final page. 'Kissing Kosher' is a must-read for anyone seeking a delightful, heartwarming romance with a touch of cultural richness.

I enjoyed this! I really liked the Matzah Ball so I was excited to read this one! I loved the first half of the book. I loved the chronic illness rep and all the talk of the Jewish religion. I learned a lot. Then it kinda took a turn and there was way too much weed talk for me. I got very uninterested for a bit but then it picked back up at the end!

I’m sad I didn’t rate this better as I was loving it but it got to be too much and it distracted from the story!

Jean Meltzer did it again with another amazing, swoon-worthy book. Her writing gets better with every book she publishes. I found myself in so much of Avital and really needed this book when I read it.

The start to this book is a bit rough and uncomfortable. I couldn't help but wonder why I was reading it. But, the characters started to grow on me. And, by the ending I craved a happy ending for them.

I love love love Jean Meltzer and was worried that Kissing Kosher couldn't live up to last year's The Matzah Ball. Boy, was I wrong! This book has it all: feuding grandpas, rival babka bakeries, a handsome undercover grandson (Ethan Lippman), and a granddaughter (Avital Cohen) who needs a break.

Ethan is there to steal the Cohen family babka recipe, but finds himself loving more than just the baked goods. Avital feels it, too, but her chronic pelvic pain means only essential tasks get done— there's no room (and maybe even no physical possibility) for love.

Jean Meltzer writes about chronic pain so compassionately, and I loved every second of this realistic romance!