Tzipporah Berger is thirty-seven and single, which is practically unheard of in the Orthodox Jewish community she now calls home. Her increasing religiosity and need for kink may have broken up her first marriage, but she’s decided it’s time to try again. And the rabbi’s wife has just the man in mind.
Elan Klein is the neighborhood butcher whose intimidating size and gruff manner hint at a … hint at a deliciously forceful personality. But BDSM isn’t exactly something you discuss during an Orthodox courtship. Will a marriage to Elan solidify her place in the community that she loves and provide the domination and pain Tzipporah craves or will she forever have to rely on flights of fancy to satisfy her needs?
more
This was the first book of Tamsen Parker’s I read, and wow, is it hot! It’s also kinky and set in an Orthodox Jewish community, with a very intense relationship between the main characters and a fascinating and sexy exploration of how religious and rules and ritual coincide with BDSM.
Fascinating look at an Orthodox Jewish romance
I purchased this book because I was specifically looking for romances set within the very close-knit Orthodox Jewish community, and I was not disappointed. The author clearly did her homework and brought these characters and their community to life despite the brevity of the story.
Tzipporah and Elan are “matched” by well-meaning, insightful leaders of their community, and despite their obvious differences, they are surprisingly perfect for each other. Though it does take quite a journey for them to discover their compatibility on all levels.
Elan is swoon-worthy enough to make a nun want to convert! He’s quiet, introspective, and studious, yet he has an amazing sense of control, a generous heart, and a passionate approach to meeting his wife’s needs. If you like a dom who knows exactly what his sub needs, Elan is your new book boyfriend.
The conflicts they weathered were complex yet easily overcome with love. His investigation into her life outside their community was exactly what they needed, revealing all their hidden layers and bringing their marriage to the heartwarming union they both dreamed of.
Though the story is told entirely from Tzipporah’s POV, Elan’s dialogue gives us great insight into his heart so the story doesn’t feel one-sided at all. This is a quiet story with a contemplative pace which fit the setting perfectly. I enjoyed the peek into the distinct lifestyle, the steam was off-the-charts hot, and the HEA was sweet and satisfying.
This was a free download in a newsletter. I usually don’t, but this one piqued my interest. I was intrigued. I am so glad I decided to take the time. This is a lovely story. The characters are wonderful. I highly recommend reading it.
Okay, so I have now read this novella twice in one weekend. That’s now much I loved it. There was so much packed into it that was just perfect. First, from a romance/erotica standpoint, I adored Elan and Tzipporah, the was they complimented each other and fit with each other whether it made sense on the surface or not. The sex was amazing. Just incredible in any way. It was somehow both hot and meaningful each time. It just felt flawlessly real and glorious.
Their relationship’s arc also felt just prefect, watching the development of the traditional marriage they entered into grow from attraction&mutual life visions, to real, actual love, in which they each gave the other what they needed to feel loved and supported was just beautiful.
One of my favorite things about this book was the representation. Full disclosure, I’m Jewish and fairly observant, but not Orthodox. However, this felt right for everything I know about those communities. What made me even happier was that neither character was treated as an exception, more like just a possibility for their community.
So often, more observant Jewish communities are treated in literature as universally narrow-minded and rigid, but the one that was drawn was full. There were side characters who were difficult and ones who were kind, but there was a range. Moreover, I was pleased that while Elan’s family was portrayed as not being the most accepting it wasn’t only towards baal t’shuvahs, as they had been difficult with his first wife. They were literally just difficult people.
Even better, Tzipporah’s secular parents weren’t portrayed as the height of tolerance. So often, literature holds up this odd wedge where secular Jews are the “good, tolerant, ones” and the observant are the “villains,” pitting us against each other, whether intentionally or not and the fact it wasn’t done here made me so happy . As I said, none of us are perfect and all one things.
I also loved that in the end they were both working towards making things work with their families instead of cutting them off. So often in books, it’s either all or nothing, perfect relationships or “found family only,” when real life is so much more gray. I loved that Elan and Tzipporah’s HEA involved making the imperfect work for them, as a team, with no shame in the imperfection. It felt true. I recommend this a million times over.