This Passover is starting to feel like the ten plagues might be coming back to haunt them before the weekend is over…one hilarious misstep after the next.
Gaby Fineberg just wants to get through Passover Seder without her “well meaning” family playing matchmaker. She needs a date, just for one simple meal—that includes singing, the history of her forefathers, and not one bit of yeast. The hot … of yeast. The hot guy at her gym would be perfect. He probably hates bread, anyway, with a body like that. But when she finally works up the nerve to ask him…he doesn’t hear a word she said.
Levi Miller is deaf and happily single. Initially, he doesn’t know why this beautiful woman is talking to him, but it’s clear she needs help—and suddenly so does he. In a very complicated situation, Levi finds a simple solution. Gaby will pretend to be his new girlfriend to bail him out, and he’ll return the favor. But he didn’t bargain for a family dinner quite like this one…
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Delightful slice-of-life romance!
As I eagerly look forward to Passover with my adult hearing-impaired children, I knew I wanted to read this one based on the premise alone. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with either the holiday or the disability; this book is beautifully written to cover all the basics and focuses on the universal themes of family, love, and communication.
Gaby wants to avoid the usual questions and matchmaking from her family over Passover, so she bravely asks the gorgeous guy from her gym to accompany her as her fake date. Levi has his own reasons for avoiding his family during the holiday, so he readily agrees. Thus the stage is set for these two to work out their communication issues as Levi teaches Gaby sign language and to address their undeniable chemistry that seems to have no language barrier at all.
From the delightfully outspoken Aunt Faith to Gaby’s protective sister, Isabelle, and all the other extended family and friends on both sides, this story is filled with memorable characters who are proof that a relationship almost always involves the whole family, especially families as close-knit as the Finebergs and the Millers.
I loved every bit of this story, and appreciated the understated authenticity throughout. Levi and Gaby prove that love needs no words, and that hearts can communicate in a language of their own. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I know very little about Jewish festivals nor the trials of being profoundly deaf, so this was an unusual and interesting read. When communication is difficult there is always the likelihood of a a budding new relationship going haywire, throw in a secret where one of them is “sort of” engaged and an explosive denouement was guaranteed. Now Levi has to work hard to regain Gaby’s trust and win her back.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I read the acknowledgment from the author and couldn’t believe this is her first time writing romantic comedy because this book was incredibly funny, not only that but like naturally funny. It wasn’t too contrived or over the top just realistic. Like I could be sitting at the family table with Gaby and Levi. I love when I am able to connect with a story like that. While this is kind of an instant love romance it’s not like how they usually are where things move too quickly. This is a story of two people who are very suited for each other and how their relationship began.
All in all this is a cute, fun, romantic comedy with some great characters with a lot depth and it’s original in that unlike a happily ever after you get most of the time this is like a happy beginning.
I did receive a free advanced readers copy of this book courtesy of InkSlinger Pr and Laura Brown and of course Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review and all my thought in the above review are very much my own.
I am delighted by this book! It is different, has a great sense of humor and it is a great romantic story about an improbable couple.
Gabby needs a date for the Passover weekend to bring home to her mother. She is in an impossible situation where her mother adored her douchebag ex-boyfriend and needs a buffer. Levi is in an impossible situation as well, he has a fake fiance who cannot let him go and a now a fake girlfriend who is getting into his heart as the weekend progress. Above all, he is deaf and has to find creative ways for communicating to Gabby and her family. This story also includes a crazy dog and a frozen turkey! You can imagine the fun!
But I also cried with Gabby and Levi and cherish every moment of this great book.
I loved it!!
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was so cute and so fun and just so sweet and lovely. Gaby and Levi have the absolute hottest chemistry, which is not easy to achieve in a book that is so, well loving. I adored both of their arcs and the way they worked through their issues with their families (I really appreciated that they both loved their families and their families loved them, but didn’t always know how to communicate right or wanted to push things that were well-meaning but not needed, i.e., that their families weren’t the “bad guys,” they were imperfect but caring, and not caricatures).
The Jewish representation was spot-on and comforting, at least for me. And there were so many feels. This was a couple you WANTED to be together so badly which made their HEA so absolutely special. I am so, so, so, happy I got to read this!
**I received a copy of Matzah Ball Surprise from Entangled Publishing and Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinion is my own and not solicited in any way.**
Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown was definitely a pleasant surprise for me and I loved it. Ms. Brown is a new author to me and I love how she wrote the texts back and forth for both Gaby and Levi plus I’m going to be checking out her other books.
Gaby Fineberg needs a date for her mother’s Passover dinner as her current boyfriend off just ending their relationship. So even a fake one will do because when her mom is in a match making mood watch out. So when she decides to ask the hot man at her gym little does she know he’s deaf but so when Levi Miller suggests using a text messages on their phones she’s all in. But Levi has a secret of his own and hopefully Gaby will never know his ex-girlfriend still has his ring. Can two people take a fake dinner weekend where the turkey is gobbled by the dog and somehow Levi and Gaby find out that this date could turn into something forever.
So be prepared to giggle and fall in love with the Fineberg and Miller families as they meet during Passover where you’ll fall in love with everyone including Benji the dog.