The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a lovely blend of contemporary women’s fiction and historical fiction with a smidge of magical realism.
What’s The Matchmaker’s Gift about?
The Matchmaker’s Gift introduces us to Sara, who immigrates to NYC in the early 1900s and uses her matchmaking gift to support her family. However, Sara’s attempts to help couples find happiness brings trouble to those she loves most. This is partly because she’s a woman doing a “man’s job,” and partly because her method of pairing people is a little more magical than most.
In another timeline, we meet Sara’s granddaughter, present-day Abby. Abby’s an overworked divorce lawyer in Manhattan trying to process the death of her beloved grandmother. Even though she suspects she’s inherited Sara’s unusual insight into romance, she doesn’t do much to help her or anyone else’s love life along.
What I liked about The Matchmaker’s Gift
Author Loigman writes great historical fiction. The Matchmaker’s Gift pays lots of attention to historical, religious, and cultural details of Jewish New York in the 1910 and 1920s. I enjoyed learning about all the Jewish customs and beliefs that Sara’s timeline wove into the story.
Despite growing up listening the song “Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match” from Fiddler on the Roof, I didn’t know that matchmakers were actually A Thing. Like, that it was a profession for some people. I also didn’t know that, in early 20th century Jewish communities, women weren’t allowed to be matchmakers; it was a man’s world. Sara’s fight to openly use her gift to unite soulmates is as much about women’s rights as it is about love.
What I didn’t like about The Matchmaker’s Gift
The Matchmaker’s Gift started off a little slowly for me. Although the narrative flip-flops between Abby and Sara’s timelines, there’s a lot more going on with Sara than with Abby at first. I had trouble connecting with Abby, so it was Sara’s richly detailed and complex story that kept me going back to the novel for awhile.
Should you read The Matchmaker’s Gift?
Although it took me a bit to get into the novel, I suggest reading The Matchmaker’s Gift. Once Abby’s storyline kicked it up a notch around page 160, I ended up racing through the rest of the book. Both Sara and Abby offer unique insights into love, romance, and what’s worth fighting for.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for The Matchmaker’s Gift?
Check back in for the book-inspired recipe: Potato and Onion Knish.
