That Jewish Thing by Amber Crewe - #BookReview

 Heavesdon Manor in Hertfordshire is one of those grey-stone country houses that wouldn't look out of place in an expensive Jane Austen adaptation. From looking at Google Maps, it's about equidistant between North West London and Essex, and therefore optimally inconvenient for both sides of the family.

I was almost disappointed when Mum and Dad said I could stay at theirs afterwards. Living in grimy East London has its perks, one of the best ones being a perfect 'get out of family events scot-free' card. But I knew I couldn't miss this. Not the longed-for-fairy-tale wedding of my first cousin Abigail Galinski.

***

Tamsyn Rutman is at yet another wedding, for yet another cousin. She wouldn't mind - the food's pretty good, the location is fabulous and there's a moderately famous singer crooning away - but what is a Jewish wedding if not the perfect opportunity for the bride to do a bit of matchmaking on behalf of her single, workaholic cousin? Tamsyn's not at the table with her parents and her family, she's sitting next to Ari Marshall.

Ari is everything Tamsyn doesn't want for herself, and everything her family want for her. Stubbornly determined not to fall into the trap of someone else's happily ever after, Tamsyn decides to focus on work, and while interviewing London's hottest new chef, finds herself being swept off her feet . . . by someone her family definitely wouldn't approve of.

But somehow, Ari and Tamsyn keep crossing paths, and she's about to find out that in love, and in life, it's not always easy to run away from who you really are...

***

I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was fun to read this lighthearted contemporary romance which we follow through the eyes of the main character, Tamsyn.

As the title suggests, Tamsyn is a Jewish woman whose mother is constantly arranging for her to 'accidentally' encounter suitable Jewish men. The story begins with her being sat with one such man at a table during her cousin's wedding reception, and from here we witness her rebellion at the confines which she considers her culture places her.

I found the story to be a little predictable but in a positive way. I enjoyed the comfort of this scenario. I was not expecting any big surprises. There was more a sense of accompanying Tamsyn on her journey of self-discovery, even if the reader probably foresees her destination long before the character does.

I have read many books which have a Jewish connection, and whilst this is a fun read, it does not shy away from the acts that have happened to Jews in the past. Centuries of persecution and antisemitism have left their mark, and this contextualises the novel and the attitudes of the characters.

However, the author has accomplished this with a light and sensitive hand and, it by no means dominates the book. I think anyone who enjoys entertaining women's fiction will enjoy this book.

ISBN: 978 1529366921

Publisher: Coronet

No. of Pages: 320 (paperback)

About the Author:

Amber Crewe is the alter-ego of Nicole Burstein, who lives in North London with her family and multiple bichon frises. In the past, Nicole has worked as a gallery attendant at the Natural History Museum, a bookseller for Waterstones, and used to present the traffic and travel news on various radio stations including LBC and local BBC Radio. Her current day job is in Customer Support for a financial technology company. She completed her Creative Writing Masters with Birkbeck College in 2011 and has been trying to make the writing career happen ever since. 

In her spare time, Nicole is a keen embroiderer and consumer of pop culture (in other words, she does cross-stitch whilst binge watching series on Netflix). She has a total of three Blue Peter badges, has an unending appetite for sourdough bread, and has never seen any Die Hard films. When the world gets too much, she watches YouTube videos of rollercoasters to relax.

(bio info courtesy of Hatchette Publishing)