The Matzah Ball

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

The Matzah Ball is an adult romance novel by Jean Meltzer. It follows Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt, a Jewish author of Christmas romances with ME, who gets forced by her publisher to write a Hannukah romance.[1][2]

The Matzah Ball
Author Jean Meltzer
Country United States
Language English
Subject ME/CFS, chronic illness and dating
Genre Romance
Publisher Mira Books
Publication date
September 28, 2021
Pages 416
ISBN 9780778311584
Website https://jeanmeltzer.com/books/the-matzah-ball/


Background[edit | edit source]

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she's hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness, ME/CFS, has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah's not magical. It's not merry. It's not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel's determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven't seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

Reception[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Bousquet, Lynn (September 27, 2021). "New novel features main character with ME/CFS! Spotlight on author Jean Meltzer, person with ME". Open Medicine Foundation. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  2. Meltzer, Jean. "The Matzah Ball". jeanmeltzer.com. Retrieved August 26, 2022.