Magical Meet Cute

Pure Magic

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer is a whimsical blend of romance, magic, and cultural heritage. As my first experience with Meltzer’s storytelling, I found myself so engrossed that I finished the book in a single day—a true testament to its engaging narrative.

The story follows Faye Kaplan, a former lawyer who trades her high-powered career for a peaceful life in Woodstock, only to have that tranquility disrupted by antisemitic incidents. After an unexpected encounter with a stranger who seems to mirror her idealized vision of a partner, Faye embarks on a journey of self-discovery and love.

Meltzer weaves Jewish culture and history into the narrative, adding depth to the romance while educating readers. Faye’s journey of self-discovery, paired with Greg’s mysterious background, keeps the story intriguing. Their relationship is heartfelt, though at times the chemistry between them feels a bit understated.

The book tackles themes of love, identity, and resilience, addressing the impact of antisemitism and promoting inclusivity by featuring characters with disabilities. This thoughtful representation adds meaningful layers to the story, fostering empathy and awareness.

While the magical elements and cultural richness are standout features, the plot has some inconsistencies, and the romantic connection could have been more dynamic. However, Magical Meet Cute remains a charming read that blends enchantment with real-world issues, offering valuable insights into embracing one’s heritage. For readers who enjoy heartwarming tales with cultural depth and meaningful representation, this novel is a delightful addition to their bookshelf.

Lots To Love - With a WTF Or Two. First, my own "WTF" is the intense focus on anti-Semitism (meaning anti-Jew, specifically, even though Arabs are also Semitic, according to the actual genetic definition) throughout the text - but Meltzer actually uses that, eventually, to get into areas she's never really gone to in my experience reading most of her books. Thus, that actually turned into a good thing, as she was able to use it to further her growth as a storyteller.

And that actually gets into the lots to love here. Meltzer is unapologetic in seeking to make Jewish lives more "normal" to an outside audience, usually by taking quirky characters and showing them loving, laughing, making mistakes, learning from them... you know, doing the stuff we pretty well all do. But also including quite a bit of Jewish specific elements, here mostly focusing on magic and in particular the concept of the golem - which is more often, in my reading experience, used in science fiction to varying degrees. (Both Jeremy Robinson and Kent Holloway have used them quite effectively, among others.) Meltzer even provides some in-story exposition on the history of golems in Judaic philosophy, which was a particularly nice touch - especially given that a romcom audience is probably less familiar with the overall concept than the aforementioned scifi crowd.

Indeed, the golem of the story... well, he's used quite well, actually. Both for what he is believed to be and for what ultimately happens - though I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible here. I will note that it is the golem that plays the larger role in Meltzer's expansion of her storytelling abilities, mentioned above, but I think that may be as close as I can get here and remain spoiler free.

Ultimately a fun book, perhaps a touch heavier than some would prefer in a romcom, but still fulfilling all known requirements of a romcom. Very much recommended.