When I saw that Jean Meltzer, author of The Matzah Ball and Mr. Perfect on Paper wrote a new novel, Kissing Kosher, I immediately put it on request at the library. I requested the audiobook which meant that I didn't read the acknowledgement of Renee's Reading Club, the group on Facebook. I still might try to get a print or ebook copy to check that out.
Like her first two novels, this one would make a great Hallmark movie. By now you should know how much I love me a Hallmark movie! It's also a bit of a Romeo and Juliet story.
Avital and Ethan are the grandchildren of men in a longstanding feud regarding a recipe for babka. Yes, babka. Pumpkin spice babka at that. Really? People eat pumpkin spice babka all year? And these men developed a pumpkin spice recipe for babka years ago? I i had to suspend belief in order to get past that little detail. But besides that...
The grandparents developed a delicious babka years ago. After a fight, Avital's grandparents went on to build up their small local Brooklyn bakery, Best Babka, which was famous for its pumpkin spice babka. Ethan's grandparents went into commercial production of kosher baked goods. Their most popular item was a pumpkin spice donut. Ethan's grandfather has had enough. He wants the babka recipe. He forces Ethan to commit corporate espionage by getting hired at Best Babka to steal the recipe. His grandfather has been forcing him into doing things most of his life so this is no different. He doesn't have much control over his own life.
Avital had gone to art school and left Brooklyn to become a professional photographer in California when she gets diagnosed with a chronic illness and is forced to come home where she has family that can help her manage her life. She feels like she doesn't have much control over her life either.
The novel delves into the family feud, Avital's chronic illness, and how Ethan helps her come to terms with living with a chronic illness. It also takes place in Brooklyn. It's got some yiddish words thrown in. I can see myself in some of the Jewish parts of the story. And who doesn't love babka?
Kissing Kosher was a sweet, pleasant, tasty, romantic read.
No comments:
Post a Comment