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witandsin's review
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Reviewed for Wit and Sin
B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake is a sweet romance with fantastic Jewish representation. Stacey Agdern has a wonderful way of depicting Judaism in her books, from the religious standpoint, the cultural standpoint, education, mitzvot, and the sense of community. I loved Ash and Judith’s passion and learning over the course of the book and this is where Agdern’s writing shines.
I struggled heavily with rating B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake because the representation was so well done and highlighting Jewish athletes (hockey players in particular) made my heart sing. I also really loved Judith and Ash studying for their B’Nai Mitzvot and how their lessons enhanced the story. That being said, the heart of the story is the romance between Judith and Ash and this is where I didn’t feel the spark. I’ve adored past romances of Agdern’s but Ash and Judith just didn’t have the chemistry I wanted. The main obstacle in the romance is the fact that Ash set back Judith’s sister’s career as a sports agent years ago. Judith, loyal and loving sister that she is, doesn’t want to forgive Ash and definitely does not want to share her Bat Mitzvah date with him. But as she gets to know him, she starts falling for the man and is torn between her feelings for him and her loyalty to her sister. I had a really hard time with this because the push-pull felt inauthentic and forced. The love story came across as stilted and the drama made it easy to put the book down. It’s a disappointment because outside the main storyline there was so much to enjoy about this book. At the end of the day, the romance just wasn’t my cup of tea. That being said, the Jewish representation was great and I’ve enjoyed other books of Agdern’s so I’ll definitely be looking forward to the rest of the Last Girls Standing series.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake is a sweet romance with fantastic Jewish representation. Stacey Agdern has a wonderful way of depicting Judaism in her books, from the religious standpoint, the cultural standpoint, education, mitzvot, and the sense of community. I loved Ash and Judith’s passion and learning over the course of the book and this is where Agdern’s writing shines.
I struggled heavily with rating B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake because the representation was so well done and highlighting Jewish athletes (hockey players in particular) made my heart sing. I also really loved Judith and Ash studying for their B’Nai Mitzvot and how their lessons enhanced the story. That being said, the heart of the story is the romance between Judith and Ash and this is where I didn’t feel the spark. I’ve adored past romances of Agdern’s but Ash and Judith just didn’t have the chemistry I wanted. The main obstacle in the romance is the fact that Ash set back Judith’s sister’s career as a sports agent years ago. Judith, loyal and loving sister that she is, doesn’t want to forgive Ash and definitely does not want to share her Bat Mitzvah date with him. But as she gets to know him, she starts falling for the man and is torn between her feelings for him and her loyalty to her sister. I had a really hard time with this because the push-pull felt inauthentic and forced. The love story came across as stilted and the drama made it easy to put the book down. It’s a disappointment because outside the main storyline there was so much to enjoy about this book. At the end of the day, the romance just wasn’t my cup of tea. That being said, the Jewish representation was great and I’ve enjoyed other books of Agdern’s so I’ll definitely be looking forward to the rest of the Last Girls Standing series.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
courtsbooknook's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Let me start off by saying I loved how Jewish this book was. All the main characters were Jewish, there was talk of Jewish traditions and the book had a lot of Hebrew and Yiddish mixed in. I also loved that it was a hockey romance in part. It was a charming book and I really enjoyed the themes of family, forgiveness, and being proud of your Jewish identity. It was heartfelt and sweet and I liked the reading journey. I received an ARC to read and review courtesy of Stacey.
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