The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman: Book Review

The Matchmaker’s Gift is the most recent release by Lynda Cohen Loigman. Released on September 20 by St. Martin’s Press, The Matchmaker’s Gift examines one woman’s abilities to match a couple for love over other factors and her granddaughter learning that love isn’t all bad. Sara realizes she has a gift when she was only ten years old. Two generations later, can she show Abby that true love does exist?

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Matchmaker’s Gift. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Even as a child in 1910, Sara Glikman knew her gift: she is a maker of matches and a seeker of soulmates. But among the pushcart-crowded streets of New York’s Lower East Side, Sara’s vocation is dominated by devout older men—men who see a talented female matchmaker as a dangerous threat to their traditions and livelihood. After making matches in secret for over a decade, Sara must fight to take her rightful place among her peers and demand the recognition she deserves.

Two generations later, Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, is a successful Manhattan divorce attorney, representing the city’s wealthiest clients. When her beloved Grandma Sara dies, Abby inherits her collection of handwritten journals recording the details of Sara’s matches. But among the faded volumes, Abby finds more questions than answers. Why did Abby’s grandmother leave this library to her, and what did she hope Abby would discover within its pages? Why does the work Abby once found so compelling suddenly feel inconsequential and flawed? Is Abby willing to sacrifice the career she’s worked so hard for to keep her grandmother’s mysterious promise to a stranger? And is there really such a thing as love at first sight? 

Positives

Sara is a joyful character who you spend time with through the journals she left to Abby. But also in her timeline of the story. Abby is someone who has only seen the bad side of love and relationships. Both women grow and develop throughout the book.

While there is quite a bit of Yiddish and Hebrew sprinkled throughout the book, it is still easy to understand what is being said. Of course, it helps that Lynda Cohen Loigman translated the more complex sayings.

Negatives

The only negative I honestly have is a few relationships’ believability. I don’t want to spoil things, but there is at least one relationship I have trouble seeing as being a love match and successful. But I could be wrong, as there isn’t a lot of detail after the match is made.

My Opinions

The Matchmaker’s Gift is a cup of hot chocolate by a crackling fire under a throw blanket kind of cozy. It may seem cheesy, but this book will melt the coldest of hearts and make you happy.

Sara is the kind of grandmother we all want. She’s loving and attentive, wants to share her past with you, and when all else fails, she’ll bake you some yummy treats! Amy is a bit of a hard nut to crack because she hated how her mother was treated when her father filed for divorce. But she knows what she wants and works hard to get it.

This is a dual timeline story, switching between Sara’s narrative starting in 1910 and Abby’s in 1994. But it is easy to know whose narrative you are getting as each chapter is labeled with a year (or year range in a few instances) and the narrator’s name. I say narrator, but the story is told in the third person.

I will admit one thing here-I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this book when I received my copy from NetGalley. Why? Because the cover gives off such fantastical vibes. And I have been in a weird place with my reading lately. But I am glad that I went for it and read this book. Why? Because it is a beautiful reminder of life and love!

If you enjoy reading Jenny Colgan’s The Bookshop on the Corner, then you will enjoy reading The Matchmaker’s Gift. Just be prepared for a warm cozy feeling while you snuggle down to read this wonderful treasure!

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.