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Match Me If You Can
For five years Ashira Wernick has thrown herself into the company her mother built, continuing her work as a matchmaker in the Orthodox Jewish community. But when a small (read: huge) faux pas lands her in hot water with one of the most powerful families in Brooklyn, Ashira's future starts to look a little shaky.
Now, her only hope of saving her mother's legacy is to make the match of the century and she has just the person in mind: New York City's most eligible (and eternally single) bachelor, Caleb Kahn. Her older brother's best friend, and the man she is determined to keep her distance from.
As each match goes from bad to worse, with Caleb seemingly intent on sabotaging every date she sets up, Ashira will need to take a more hands-on approach if she is going to repair her damaged reputation. She just never figured that her heart would be on the line too...
Now, her only hope of saving her mother's legacy is to make the match of the century and she has just the person in mind: New York City's most eligible (and eternally single) bachelor, Caleb Kahn. Her older brother's best friend, and the man she is determined to keep her distance from.
As each match goes from bad to worse, with Caleb seemingly intent on sabotaging every date she sets up, Ashira will need to take a more hands-on approach if she is going to repair her damaged reputation. She just never figured that her heart would be on the line too...
Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2025
21 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Shertok
3 books111 followersHeidi Shertok is an Orthodox Jewish woman, wife to a stud muffin engineer, and mother of three. When she isn't writing, she can be found walking her eight pound attack dog, admiring other people's gardens, or hiking in high heels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 20, 2025
After enjoying Unorthodox Love a couple years ago (reviewed here), I was excited to read Match Me If You Can. Heidi Shertok is now two for two with charming Jewish rom-coms and I already can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Match Me had a nice mix of humor with heartbreak and the chemistry was off the charts! Ashira was put through the wringer between her past pain and grief and having someone deliberately trying to ruin her business, yet she tried to maintain a positive and hopeful outlook.
Caleb was definitely swoonworthy. Their banter was great and had me grinning often and laughing out loud. I also loved her elderly neighbor Bernice. She was really funny! Ashira and Caleb also had a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. There was a lot of Jewish joy throughout the novel, which I appreciated. I always enjoy seeing a Shabbat meal or a holiday ritual in a novel.
What I really liked was that Heidi featured some LGBTQ+ characters, such as Ashira's brother (whom I just realized was also in Unorthodox Love) and one of her close friends. The inclusion was really nice to see in a Modern Orthodox story.
I had one concern that I addressed with Heidi early on, which is the breaking of shomer negiah (when men and women aren't supposed to touch until they get married). What I learned from her was that plenty of Orthodox Jews have broken shomer negiah before getting married. Obviously it's not something that is publicized. I grew up Reform and lived with my husband for two years prior to getting married, so it clearly doesn't bother me now that I'm more observant. However, I did want to give other observant readers a heads up. I appreciate that Heidi tried to show Orthodox Judaism in a different light because there are people who judge unfairly, even in other sects of Judaism. (Like with the "hole through the sheet" assumption.)
Overall, another really enjoyable story to add to your TBR when it releases later this month. You don't have to be Orthodox to read it and you may even learn something new.
(Trigger warnings below.)
Zevi: Max Rhyser (returning from the previous book)
Originally posted at Chick Lit Central.
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TW: Death of mother, parental abandonment, loss of finances
October 30, 2025
This is a Jewish romantic comedy set in New York. The main character Ashira is Zevi from Unorthodox Love’s sister.
The book is female POV only. Ashira (28) is a Jewish matchmaker. She has commitment issues. And abandonment issues (her father abandoned the family when she was a child).
Caleb (33) is her brother’s best friend. He is the CEO of his own security firm.
Ashira’s mother died 5 years earlier. Her grief and missing her mother is a big part of the story. Her and her mom started the matchmaking business together. When something happens to tarnish Ashira’s reputation, she needs to do everything that she can to save the matchmaking business. She decides that setting up Caleb (the most eligible Jewish bachelor) is the best way to accomplish this.
This book deals with serious issues. But it’s also very funny. Her neighbor Bernice is the best!
This book is very Jewish and I love that so much. I also love how the author specifically showcases Orthodox Judaism.
This is an interracial love story. It is very slow burn. It is a friends to lovers, brother’s best friend romance. I love Ashira and Caleb so much. The witty banter is so fun. And her setting him up on dates adds another level of hilarity.
This is a charming, fun and funny Jewish rom-com.
Thank you Embla Books and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
The book is female POV only. Ashira (28) is a Jewish matchmaker. She has commitment issues. And abandonment issues (her father abandoned the family when she was a child).
Caleb (33) is her brother’s best friend. He is the CEO of his own security firm.
Ashira’s mother died 5 years earlier. Her grief and missing her mother is a big part of the story. Her and her mom started the matchmaking business together. When something happens to tarnish Ashira’s reputation, she needs to do everything that she can to save the matchmaking business. She decides that setting up Caleb (the most eligible Jewish bachelor) is the best way to accomplish this.
This book deals with serious issues. But it’s also very funny. Her neighbor Bernice is the best!
This book is very Jewish and I love that so much. I also love how the author specifically showcases Orthodox Judaism.
This is an interracial love story. It is very slow burn. It is a friends to lovers, brother’s best friend romance. I love Ashira and Caleb so much. The witty banter is so fun. And her setting him up on dates adds another level of hilarity.
This is a charming, fun and funny Jewish rom-com.
Thank you Embla Books and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
September 28, 2025
Match Me If You Can is absolutely hilarious. I laughed out loud more than once. The characters are full of personality, and I especially loved the MMC and the way he kept teasing the FMC while she tried to set him up on dates.
The book also features main characters who are Orthodox Jewish. If, like me, you’re not very familiar with Jewish customs or Hebrew phrases, you might find yourself googling a few terms along the way. Most of them aren’t explained in-text, which makes sense for authenticity, but it’s worth noting.
My only real complaint is how back-and-forth the FMC’s character felt at times. Once she decides to get help, therapy seems to fix everything within a month, which didn’t feel super realistic. Still, the humor, warmth, and chaotic matchmaking plot more than made up for it. It’s a genuinely fun, fast-paced rom-com with heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.
The book also features main characters who are Orthodox Jewish. If, like me, you’re not very familiar with Jewish customs or Hebrew phrases, you might find yourself googling a few terms along the way. Most of them aren’t explained in-text, which makes sense for authenticity, but it’s worth noting.
My only real complaint is how back-and-forth the FMC’s character felt at times. Once she decides to get help, therapy seems to fix everything within a month, which didn’t feel super realistic. Still, the humor, warmth, and chaotic matchmaking plot more than made up for it. It’s a genuinely fun, fast-paced rom-com with heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.
October 18, 2025
Heidi Shertok is easily being added to my auto-read author list because I absolutely loved Match Me if You Can. I enjoyed Heidi's book Unorthodox Love, but I was all in on the story between Ashira, an Orthodox Jewish matchmaker, trying to save her business by finding a match for her childhood friend and one-time crush, Caleb.
There is so much representation in this book with the Orthodox Jewish community and the Ethiopian Jewish community, something I don't believe I've read about in a book before, so I loved learning more about it. If you are unfamiliar with either of these communities, Heidi did a great job introducing them and educating on and discussing customs that are special to them.
Ashira felt extremely relatable. I was sympathizing with her as she was trying to find any way to hold on to the matchmaking business she started with her mother, to keep her legacy alive after her passing, and hysterically laughing at the shenanigans she was putting herself through for Caleb's dates. Caleb clearly cares for Ashira, even if she didn't want to see it at first after his way of disappearing from her life years ago, and I liked that he didn't push her to see his feelings, instead allowing her to come to terms with how things were changing for them on her own timeline. They had the best banter, as well as with the secondary characters who were great additions to the story.
Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Match Me if You Can is a book I will be recommending to everyone!
There is so much representation in this book with the Orthodox Jewish community and the Ethiopian Jewish community, something I don't believe I've read about in a book before, so I loved learning more about it. If you are unfamiliar with either of these communities, Heidi did a great job introducing them and educating on and discussing customs that are special to them.
Ashira felt extremely relatable. I was sympathizing with her as she was trying to find any way to hold on to the matchmaking business she started with her mother, to keep her legacy alive after her passing, and hysterically laughing at the shenanigans she was putting herself through for Caleb's dates. Caleb clearly cares for Ashira, even if she didn't want to see it at first after his way of disappearing from her life years ago, and I liked that he didn't push her to see his feelings, instead allowing her to come to terms with how things were changing for them on her own timeline. They had the best banter, as well as with the secondary characters who were great additions to the story.
Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Match Me if You Can is a book I will be recommending to everyone!
October 30, 2025
This was delightful and a lot of fun. Ashira is a matchmaker trying to protect the business she started with her late mom. A mishap leads to her business needing to be saved and that save comes in the form of Caleb, her childhood friend and her brother’s best friend. She decides to find him his perfect match and one thing leads to another.
Ashira and Caleb’s relationship is a super slow burn but it never really feels that way. The side characters were also a lot of fun and I hope Heidi has books planned for Ashira’s 2 best friends. Ashira and Caleb are Orthodox but also very modern Jews. As someone who is a conservative Jew, I enjoyed learning about their culture and thought this was written in a way that’s fully accessible to anyone reading the book. The epilogue was perfect. Great mental health rep as well.
Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
Ashira and Caleb’s relationship is a super slow burn but it never really feels that way. The side characters were also a lot of fun and I hope Heidi has books planned for Ashira’s 2 best friends. Ashira and Caleb are Orthodox but also very modern Jews. As someone who is a conservative Jew, I enjoyed learning about their culture and thought this was written in a way that’s fully accessible to anyone reading the book. The epilogue was perfect. Great mental health rep as well.
Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
November 6, 2025
Heidi Shertok is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Match Me If You Can is an amazing follow-up to Unorthodox Love, this time featuring Zevi’s sister, Ashira, who works as a matchmaker in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Heidi Shertok delivers a laugh-out-loud, charming, and deeply heartfelt romantic comedy, a story that expertly balances sparkling banter with genuine emotional depth. The premise is perfect: Ashira must successfully match the eternally single bachelor, Caleb Kahn, who also happens to be her brother’s best friend. The resulting friends-to-lovers slow burn is full of undeniable, sizzling chemistry.
If you love a vibrant, authentic Brooklyn setting, this one is for you. I love that this book is more than just Jewish representation, it's full-on Jewish joy. This was definitely the book I needed at the time I needed it. A quote that really stood out to me captures the resilience and pride woven throughout the story: “After 3,350 years of slavery, forced conversions, persecutions, exiles, pogroms, and genocide, we’re still here. Still keeping our traditions alive, still proud of our heritage. It’s the chutzpah in us.”
Sizzling chemistry and laugh-out-loud moments guaranteed. I highly recommend this book.
Heidi Shertok delivers a laugh-out-loud, charming, and deeply heartfelt romantic comedy, a story that expertly balances sparkling banter with genuine emotional depth. The premise is perfect: Ashira must successfully match the eternally single bachelor, Caleb Kahn, who also happens to be her brother’s best friend. The resulting friends-to-lovers slow burn is full of undeniable, sizzling chemistry.
If you love a vibrant, authentic Brooklyn setting, this one is for you. I love that this book is more than just Jewish representation, it's full-on Jewish joy. This was definitely the book I needed at the time I needed it. A quote that really stood out to me captures the resilience and pride woven throughout the story: “After 3,350 years of slavery, forced conversions, persecutions, exiles, pogroms, and genocide, we’re still here. Still keeping our traditions alive, still proud of our heritage. It’s the chutzpah in us.”
Sizzling chemistry and laugh-out-loud moments guaranteed. I highly recommend this book.
October 9, 2025
I enjoyed Heidi's first book, and I liked this one even more. Ashira was so stubborn, but I really enjoyed her character development throughout the story. I loved the Orthodox Judaism rep along with the Ethiopian rep from Caleb. Heidi addressed a lot of heaviness, and I think she handled grief really well in this book. I loved all the matchmaking shenanigans, too. The romance was slower in this book, and I appreciated Ashira and Caleb's growth until they realized they wanted to be together. Since Orthodox customs don't allow touch until marriage, there needed to be other ways to showcase physical chemistry, and Heidi absolutely nailed that aspect. I loved all the side characters, too, and I'd love to read more books from other POVs. I liked this one a lot, and I'm so excited to see what Heidi does next!
October 4, 2025
ARC received via NetGalley.
It must be difficult for authors of romances set in the orthodox Jewish community because they have to show the chemistry between their couples without relying on physical contact. It's something this author achieved amazingly in Unorthodox Love, which was a Five Star Read and she does it again in Match Me If You Can.
Ashira is so funny and relatable. I could totally understand why she was determined to hold on to the matchmaking business she'd started with her mother before she passed away.
The author writes at the end that Rege-Jean Page was one of the inspirations for Caleb and that's exactly who I pictured as I was reading. I haven't read a lot of Jewish characters with non-European lineage before.
The chemistry between Ashira and Caleb sparks off the page from the very beginning. It's cute how Caleb constantly sabotages Ashira's attempts to matchmake him because he's in love with her.
I'm excited for what this author writes next.
It must be difficult for authors of romances set in the orthodox Jewish community because they have to show the chemistry between their couples without relying on physical contact. It's something this author achieved amazingly in Unorthodox Love, which was a Five Star Read and she does it again in Match Me If You Can.
Ashira is so funny and relatable. I could totally understand why she was determined to hold on to the matchmaking business she'd started with her mother before she passed away.
The author writes at the end that Rege-Jean Page was one of the inspirations for Caleb and that's exactly who I pictured as I was reading. I haven't read a lot of Jewish characters with non-European lineage before.
The chemistry between Ashira and Caleb sparks off the page from the very beginning. It's cute how Caleb constantly sabotages Ashira's attempts to matchmake him because he's in love with her.
I'm excited for what this author writes next.
October 9, 2025
An enjoyable romance set in the Orthodox Jewish community! I loved Heidi Shertok's Unorthodox Love, so I was really looking forward to this one too. While the main premise is a bit unbelievable and it was sometimes difficult to believe Ashira's motivations and decisions (and that she had no idea Caleb was in love with her for most of the book), I was mostly able to suspend my belief so I could enjoy Ashira and Caleb's journey. I'm so here for the Ethiopian Jewish representation. Plus, Caleb printing out his text messages with Ashira so he can read it on Shabbos? Swoon. 4 stars.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2025
Match Me If You Can is a friends-to-lovers romance, with an older brother’s best friend trope, set in the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York. Ashira is trying to continue her mother’s matchmaking legacy when she gets blacklisted by a powerful family and loses most of her matchmaking clients and contacts. Ashira has sworn off love and marriage for herself, so she focuses on the love stories of others.
Ashira’s comeback plan involves her childhood family friend, Caleb Kahn, (and brother’s best friend) who is now all grown up and very good-looking. He is also considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the community. Ashira and Caleb make a deal—she gets healthier and trains for a race with him, and Caleb will go out on several dates set up by Ashira. When Ashira fixes Caleb up on dates, they don’t go very well, which leaves readers wondering, is he hiding his true feelings from Ashira? And will Ashira open herself up to love and trusting Caleb again?
My Thoughts
I thought Ashira’s character development was well-done, in general. I think that readers in their 20s and 30s would resonate most with this book. To me, as a 40+ reader, a lot of Ashira’s obstacles felt a bit immature or not realistic, like how she was afraid to trust Caleb after he did something perfectly reasonable in her childhood. It is hard for me to read books where the main characters put all of their abandonment issues on someone else. However, this is somewhat common as an obstacle in a lot of contemporary romance novels.
I also felt like some of the dialogue and writing was a bit uneven or trying too hard to be funny (such as some of the interactions with her elderly neighbor). On the other hand, I really enjoyed some of the side characters, including Ashira’s friend who may be neurodivergent, and the funny dining scenes with family characters. Some of the scenes were really funny, too, like when they went to a speed-dating event. It was a bit of a slow read for me, but I am glad I picked it up again and finished the book.
Overall, I enjoyed learning more about the Orthodox Jewish community and traditions around dating and marriage. I also liked learning more about the concept of basherts, which are like soulmates, and how a person could have more than one potential soulmate over the course of their lives.
If you enjoy matchmaking stories, friends-to-lovers romance, and TV shows like Nobody Wants This, then you will enjoy Match Me If You Can.
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Match Me If You Can will be released in the United States on Oct 30, 2025.
Ashira’s comeback plan involves her childhood family friend, Caleb Kahn, (and brother’s best friend) who is now all grown up and very good-looking. He is also considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the community. Ashira and Caleb make a deal—she gets healthier and trains for a race with him, and Caleb will go out on several dates set up by Ashira. When Ashira fixes Caleb up on dates, they don’t go very well, which leaves readers wondering, is he hiding his true feelings from Ashira? And will Ashira open herself up to love and trusting Caleb again?
My Thoughts
I thought Ashira’s character development was well-done, in general. I think that readers in their 20s and 30s would resonate most with this book. To me, as a 40+ reader, a lot of Ashira’s obstacles felt a bit immature or not realistic, like how she was afraid to trust Caleb after he did something perfectly reasonable in her childhood. It is hard for me to read books where the main characters put all of their abandonment issues on someone else. However, this is somewhat common as an obstacle in a lot of contemporary romance novels.
I also felt like some of the dialogue and writing was a bit uneven or trying too hard to be funny (such as some of the interactions with her elderly neighbor). On the other hand, I really enjoyed some of the side characters, including Ashira’s friend who may be neurodivergent, and the funny dining scenes with family characters. Some of the scenes were really funny, too, like when they went to a speed-dating event. It was a bit of a slow read for me, but I am glad I picked it up again and finished the book.
Overall, I enjoyed learning more about the Orthodox Jewish community and traditions around dating and marriage. I also liked learning more about the concept of basherts, which are like soulmates, and how a person could have more than one potential soulmate over the course of their lives.
If you enjoy matchmaking stories, friends-to-lovers romance, and TV shows like Nobody Wants This, then you will enjoy Match Me If You Can.
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Match Me If You Can will be released in the United States on Oct 30, 2025.
October 20, 2025
Match Me if You Can is the second Heidi Shertok novel I have read, and once again she explores the complexities of Orthodox Jewish relationships. While I appreciated the storytelling, I found the portrayal of ultra-Orthodox norms somewhat blurred. In that community, boundaries around physical contact, modesty, and sexual discourse aren’t flexible choices—they’re deeply ingrained values. That said, the narrative was engaging, and I genuinely enjoyed the story despite those inconsistencies.
Ashira’s mother was a matchmaker, and Ashira has followed in her footsteps. But loss has shaped her life in painful ways. After her mother’s death and her father’s mysterious disappearance, Ashira vowed never to fall in love, convinced that anyone she cares for will eventually leave. Her childhood crush, Caleb—her brother’s best friend—only reinforced that belief when he joined the army without a word. Now, years later, Caleb returns, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. But Ashira is determined to guard her heart. When a careless comment about a client sparks a vendetta from the client’s mother, Ashira’s business teeters on the brink of collapse. Desperate to salvage her reputation, she tries to set Caleb up with the perfect match—only to discover his heart may already be spoken for.
Heidi Shertok delivers a heartfelt and layered story that explores love, identity, and the tension between tradition and personal desire. While some cultural boundaries feel stretched, the emotional journey remains compelling. Ashira’s struggle to protect her heart while navigating professional fallout and romantic temptation makes for an engaging read. It’s a story that balances humour, heartbreak, and hope—leaving you rooting for love, even when it’s complicated.
Ashira’s mother was a matchmaker, and Ashira has followed in her footsteps. But loss has shaped her life in painful ways. After her mother’s death and her father’s mysterious disappearance, Ashira vowed never to fall in love, convinced that anyone she cares for will eventually leave. Her childhood crush, Caleb—her brother’s best friend—only reinforced that belief when he joined the army without a word. Now, years later, Caleb returns, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. But Ashira is determined to guard her heart. When a careless comment about a client sparks a vendetta from the client’s mother, Ashira’s business teeters on the brink of collapse. Desperate to salvage her reputation, she tries to set Caleb up with the perfect match—only to discover his heart may already be spoken for.
Heidi Shertok delivers a heartfelt and layered story that explores love, identity, and the tension between tradition and personal desire. While some cultural boundaries feel stretched, the emotional journey remains compelling. Ashira’s struggle to protect her heart while navigating professional fallout and romantic temptation makes for an engaging read. It’s a story that balances humour, heartbreak, and hope—leaving you rooting for love, even when it’s complicated.
October 28, 2025
Match Me If You Can, by Heidi Shertok, is a thoroughly enjoyable romance that made me both laugh and tear up. Set within the confines of an Orthodox Jewish community, the author demonstrates the variety of individual adherence to Orthodox tradition as well as the diversity of that community. The main characters are funny, endearing and more complex as the plot unfolds. It has been awhile since I enjoyed a book this much, or read the last page knowing I will miss these characters. One plot point seemed unresolved... but why shouldn't novels mirror real life? This is not a book for young readers as there are a few very well written, but very explicit scenes. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. It was a pleasure.
November 16, 2025
Oh how I love this book so so much!! this speaks to my soul on a level I didn't know was possible. For most, when you reach a certain age in orthodox Judaism, marriage is assumed. But what about for those who do not get married or do not want to be married, they are looked down upon or forgotten. This books speaks for all of us who are deserving of love and have not had the luck of finding their basheret whether by choice or circumstance. The love story speaks on yearning of the heart and soul that many can relate to. man oh man is Heidi Shertok able to capture the feeling and frustration of Shomer Negia. she also provides a great look into the diversity of Judaism. to keep this short... Match Me If You Can is a great read!
November 17, 2025
Swoon. The characters (excluding Sissel) were hilarious and loveable. I honestly just loved everything about this book, and I absolutely devoured it. My only critique is if it was made a touch longer, Shertok could have built out the split between Caleb and Ashira and gave more life to Caleb's near engagement, as well as more insight into Ashira's evolution. Even without that, though, it's still a 5-star read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2025
Advanced Book Review! Thank you @emblabooks & @netgalley for sending me this book for review. Opinions are my own.
Match Me If You Can by Heidi Shertok is delightful. Heidi’s writing is fun, whitty, and charming, and you can’t help but cheer for the characters every step of the way.
Ashira Wernick has been running her mother’s matchmaking business in the Orthodox Jewish community for five years. When a huge faux pax puts her career at risk, her only hope is to make the ultimate match: New York City’s most eligible bachelor, Caleb Kahn – her brother’s best friend. But Ashira soon realizes her heart might be in danger too.
While I am not Orthodox, I love how she writes about the Orthodox Jewish community in a way I haven’t seen before. Her characters are fully realized, more than just their orthodoxy, and sometimes they even break the rules (I was honestly shocked at some points!). She also writes wonderful diversity into the story, including racial, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent representation.
Match Me If You Can by Heidi Shertok is delightful. Heidi’s writing is fun, whitty, and charming, and you can’t help but cheer for the characters every step of the way.
Ashira Wernick has been running her mother’s matchmaking business in the Orthodox Jewish community for five years. When a huge faux pax puts her career at risk, her only hope is to make the ultimate match: New York City’s most eligible bachelor, Caleb Kahn – her brother’s best friend. But Ashira soon realizes her heart might be in danger too.
While I am not Orthodox, I love how she writes about the Orthodox Jewish community in a way I haven’t seen before. Her characters are fully realized, more than just their orthodoxy, and sometimes they even break the rules (I was honestly shocked at some points!). She also writes wonderful diversity into the story, including racial, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent representation.
October 15, 2025
Match Me If You Can is easily one of my favorite romance reads of the year! A joy from cover to cover, I wasn't ready for it to end. You will swoon, you will laugh (quite often, honestly), you will love this love story!
Ashira, a matchmaker with commitment issues, needs to marry off NYC's most eligible bachelor to save her business. But Caleb turns out to be a rather difficult client, he can't have the one woman he wants to marry. Heidi Shertok has crafted a story that is fun, hilarious and romantic while featuring Orthodox Jewish characters that are not caricatures or stereotypes but rather real, relatable and DIVERSE. From main to side characters, the entire cast is incredible. I could live in this world and get a story about each of them!
The romance hits. Fans of friends-to-lovers will love it. It's a slow burn at its finest; the tension is palpable, the chemistry is hot and the payoff is worth the wait!
I hope Heidi Shertok writes more romance novels. I also loved her debut, Unorthodox Love. I just find her storytelling to be the perfect blend of humor and heart. There was one scene in Match Me If You Can that I thought was so funny that I read it out loud to my husband. Now he wants to read the rest of the book!
Obviously, I highly recommend Match Me If You Can. It will be out on 10/30. Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
Ashira, a matchmaker with commitment issues, needs to marry off NYC's most eligible bachelor to save her business. But Caleb turns out to be a rather difficult client, he can't have the one woman he wants to marry. Heidi Shertok has crafted a story that is fun, hilarious and romantic while featuring Orthodox Jewish characters that are not caricatures or stereotypes but rather real, relatable and DIVERSE. From main to side characters, the entire cast is incredible. I could live in this world and get a story about each of them!
The romance hits. Fans of friends-to-lovers will love it. It's a slow burn at its finest; the tension is palpable, the chemistry is hot and the payoff is worth the wait!
I hope Heidi Shertok writes more romance novels. I also loved her debut, Unorthodox Love. I just find her storytelling to be the perfect blend of humor and heart. There was one scene in Match Me If You Can that I thought was so funny that I read it out loud to my husband. Now he wants to read the rest of the book!
Obviously, I highly recommend Match Me If You Can. It will be out on 10/30. Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 10, 2025
A quirky matchmaker determined to help others find love suddenly faces her own romantic challenge when she meets her perfect (and perfectly infuriating) match.
This was my fisrt time reading a book by Heidi Shertok and her humor shines throughout: sharp, endearing, and emotionally aware. The characters are layered and loveably flawed, the dialogue brisk and witty. The emotional payoff lands sweet and strong, and the tone was funny, hopeful, and full of heart.
Laugh-out-loud funny and emotionally rewarding, Match Me If You Can is an utterly charming romcom with brains and heart.
Thanks for the copy, NetGalley!
This was my fisrt time reading a book by Heidi Shertok and her humor shines throughout: sharp, endearing, and emotionally aware. The characters are layered and loveably flawed, the dialogue brisk and witty. The emotional payoff lands sweet and strong, and the tone was funny, hopeful, and full of heart.
Laugh-out-loud funny and emotionally rewarding, Match Me If You Can is an utterly charming romcom with brains and heart.
Thanks for the copy, NetGalley!
November 2, 2025
english:
Playing matchmaker is easy. Not falling in love, that's the trick.
In this sparkling rom-com, a clever matchmaker encounters her toughest case yet: a notoriously unmarriageable bachelor who happens to be part of her immediate family. What begins as a last-ditch effort to save her career quickly turns into an emotional tightrope walk between duty, pride, and butterflies in her stomach. With plenty of Jewish wit, cultural depth, and a touch of chutzpah, the story explores the delicate balance between tradition and self-determination and how the perfect match is sometimes closer than you think.
german:
Verkuppeln ist leicht. Sich nicht zu verlieben, das ist die Kunst.
In dieser spritzigen Romcom trifft eine clevere Heiratsvermittlerin auf ihren bislang härtesten Fall: einen notorisch unvermittelbaren Junggesellen, der ausgerechnet zum engsten Familienkreis gehört. Was als letzter Rettungsversuch für ihre Karriere beginnt, wird schnell zu einem emotionalen Drahtseilakt zwischen Pflicht, Stolz und Herzklopfen. Mit viel jüdischem Witz, kultureller Tiefe und einem Hauch Chuzpe erzählt die Geschichte von der Gratwanderung zwischen Tradition und Selbstbestimmung und davon, dass das perfekte Match manchmal näher ist, als man denkt.
Playing matchmaker is easy. Not falling in love, that's the trick.
In this sparkling rom-com, a clever matchmaker encounters her toughest case yet: a notoriously unmarriageable bachelor who happens to be part of her immediate family. What begins as a last-ditch effort to save her career quickly turns into an emotional tightrope walk between duty, pride, and butterflies in her stomach. With plenty of Jewish wit, cultural depth, and a touch of chutzpah, the story explores the delicate balance between tradition and self-determination and how the perfect match is sometimes closer than you think.
german:
Verkuppeln ist leicht. Sich nicht zu verlieben, das ist die Kunst.
In dieser spritzigen Romcom trifft eine clevere Heiratsvermittlerin auf ihren bislang härtesten Fall: einen notorisch unvermittelbaren Junggesellen, der ausgerechnet zum engsten Familienkreis gehört. Was als letzter Rettungsversuch für ihre Karriere beginnt, wird schnell zu einem emotionalen Drahtseilakt zwischen Pflicht, Stolz und Herzklopfen. Mit viel jüdischem Witz, kultureller Tiefe und einem Hauch Chuzpe erzählt die Geschichte von der Gratwanderung zwischen Tradition und Selbstbestimmung und davon, dass das perfekte Match manchmal näher ist, als man denkt.
November 9, 2025
I absolutely loved Unorthodox Love and was so excited to read this and it did NOT disappoint! I love how Shertok always utilizes such nuance in depicting and portraying Judaism. It’s always so refreshing to see representation in the books and especially in romance since it’s so rare. I can’t wait to see what she does next!
October 27, 2025
I like the trope of romances involving matchmakers - whether they are interfering aunties, a nosy neighbor, or in this case the matchmaker being the main character. This is the author Heidi Shertok’s second book, but there is no sophomore slump here. Like her debut, it takes place in the Orthodox Jewish world but I enjoyed this one more. It felt more realistic to me, with main character Ashira desperate to save her deceased mother’s matchmaking business. Enter her older brother’s best friend, childhood crush, and super eligible bachelor Caleb who agrees to let her set him up. The issues that kept Caleb and Ashira’s apart throughout the book felt realistic and relatable, even if the ending was a bit rushed. Thank you to Embla Books for the advanced e-copy, and it's out on Thursday, October 30.
November 8, 2025
Seen from the point of view of the FMC, an Jewish orthodox matchmaker who is in complete denial of her own beshert, I just wanted to give her a big hug and say it will all work out. She feels cursed because her father abandoned her and she nursed her mother for 7 years before she died, so she is afraid to love.
Enter Caleb Kahn, the son of an Ethiopian Jew and a white Jewish father who was her childhood nemesis, and her brother's best friend. She also felt abandoned by him when he joined the army and was gone for 15 years.
When her matchmaking business which she took over when her mother died is sabotaged in an interesting way, it falls on Caleb to help her by agreeing to be matched.
At times humorous, at times heartbreaking,
it also is a view into the orthodox world that we don't usually see. There are characters from her previous book, and I hope future books with some of the characters from this book. All in all a very satisfying read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.
Enter Caleb Kahn, the son of an Ethiopian Jew and a white Jewish father who was her childhood nemesis, and her brother's best friend. She also felt abandoned by him when he joined the army and was gone for 15 years.
When her matchmaking business which she took over when her mother died is sabotaged in an interesting way, it falls on Caleb to help her by agreeing to be matched.
At times humorous, at times heartbreaking,
it also is a view into the orthodox world that we don't usually see. There are characters from her previous book, and I hope future books with some of the characters from this book. All in all a very satisfying read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.
November 7, 2025
A heartwarming Jewish romance
Caleb is Ashira's older brother's best friend. Ashira is an Orthodox Jew and matchmaker at a crossroad in her life. After a comedy of errors Ashira finds herself and the losing end of gossip and word of mouth. This causes her to do a bit of soul searching. Caleb is steady, honest, and patient to find the love of his life.
Caleb is Ashira's older brother's best friend. Ashira is an Orthodox Jew and matchmaker at a crossroad in her life. After a comedy of errors Ashira finds herself and the losing end of gossip and word of mouth. This causes her to do a bit of soul searching. Caleb is steady, honest, and patient to find the love of his life.
September 20, 2025
A onor del vero dovrei dare 3 stelle per una serie di motivi, fra cui il fatto che c'è stato un passaggio di 3 pagine Kindle in cui c'erano così tanti termini in yiddish, non comuni e senza manco un glossario che li spiegassero, che ho dovuto schippare per non demoralizzarmi. Ma questo è anche il bello di questo libro, scritto da un'autrice che è ebrea ortodossa...
... e quindi giustamente e doverosamente ambienta il suo libro in una comunità ortodossa! Dove la giovane protagonista, orfana (mamma per malattia e papà per abbandono) e matchmaker, parte da - con flashback - avere una cotta per il miglior amico del fratello, per poi odiarlo quando se ne va all'improvviso per servire nell'esercito, per poi vederselo tornare (ovviamente CEO supermasculo), chiarire, assoldarlo come cliente e poi far partire il clou slow burn fra di loro.
Menzioni speciali:
Cose belle:
- mi è piaciuta molto come hanno gestito il friends to lovers. Il fatto che ci siano delle intermission nella loro amicizia rende plausibile e ben fatto il build up.
- ma quindi è lecito per le ebree ortodosse limonare duro e bombare fuori dal matrimonio senza manco essere ufficialmente fidanzate? Non pensavo (ma penso sia lecito perché entrambi dichiarono 30 secondi prima di volersi come marito e moglie). Nota che è la scena non è molto grafica, sensuale senza essere volgare o iperdescrittiva.
- entrambi hanno un background ben elaborato, e di conseguenza dei caratteri ben definiti.
- la centralità del concetto di comunità è molto saporitamente caratterizzato, con un sacco di personaggi di contorno invischiati gli uni con gli altri, come se fossero una sorta di famiglia espansa.
- banter e humor molto carino, ho riso ad alta voce diverse volte (soprattutto nella scena che porta alla temporanea rovina dell'azienda, con una telefonata con risposte da parte di lui troppo sincere).
Cose meh:
- un po' troppo tira e molla, will they won't they. A momenti pareva di vedere La Tata con la protagonista nei panni di Mr Sheffield.
- lei è davvero un po' molto torda. Scusabile forse con la sua totale inesperienza in campo sentimentale, ma il fatto che lui provasse un affetto speciale per lei era intuibile già dalla di lui password del telefono (sta scena mi è piaciuta molto, soprattutto la dissimulazione di lui). Seguono back and forth di mi vuole - no mi sbagliavo - o sì mi vuole, e anche quando lui le dice esplicitamente che la vuole, lei per suo background traumatizzato si fa comunque paranoie che portano a un third act break.... che però le serve per ragionare e fare psicoterapia.
- bene che lei si sblocca andando in psicoterapia, ma dubito che pochi mesi le possano rivoluzionare più di 20 anni di vita in cui si è continuata a sabotare da sola. Serviva un time lapse più lungo. Oppure che sì lo bombasse e dicesse che lo ama ma senza parlare di matrimonio (ma quindi, vd sopra, sarebbe stato un closed doors)
- lei illibata che alla prima fornicazione viene due volte? Ehmmm.
Comunque sia, una bella esperienza e un libro divertente ed emozionante che rileggerei molto volentieri. Magari dopo un corso intensivo di parole yiddish valide per i romance?
***
Wow! I got the arc! :) Looking forward to reading this!
... e quindi giustamente e doverosamente ambienta il suo libro in una comunità ortodossa! Dove la giovane protagonista, orfana (mamma per malattia e papà per abbandono) e matchmaker, parte da - con flashback - avere una cotta per il miglior amico del fratello, per poi odiarlo quando se ne va all'improvviso per servire nell'esercito, per poi vederselo tornare (ovviamente CEO supermasculo), chiarire, assoldarlo come cliente e poi far partire il clou slow burn fra di loro.
Menzioni speciali:
Cose belle:
- mi è piaciuta molto come hanno gestito il friends to lovers. Il fatto che ci siano delle intermission nella loro amicizia rende plausibile e ben fatto il build up.
- ma quindi è lecito per le ebree ortodosse limonare duro e bombare fuori dal matrimonio senza manco essere ufficialmente fidanzate? Non pensavo (ma penso sia lecito perché entrambi dichiarono 30 secondi prima di volersi come marito e moglie). Nota che è la scena non è molto grafica, sensuale senza essere volgare o iperdescrittiva.
- entrambi hanno un background ben elaborato, e di conseguenza dei caratteri ben definiti.
- la centralità del concetto di comunità è molto saporitamente caratterizzato, con un sacco di personaggi di contorno invischiati gli uni con gli altri, come se fossero una sorta di famiglia espansa.
- banter e humor molto carino, ho riso ad alta voce diverse volte (soprattutto nella scena che porta alla temporanea rovina dell'azienda, con una telefonata con risposte da parte di lui troppo sincere).
Cose meh:
- un po' troppo tira e molla, will they won't they. A momenti pareva di vedere La Tata con la protagonista nei panni di Mr Sheffield.
- lei è davvero un po' molto torda. Scusabile forse con la sua totale inesperienza in campo sentimentale, ma il fatto che lui provasse un affetto speciale per lei era intuibile già dalla di lui password del telefono (sta scena mi è piaciuta molto, soprattutto la dissimulazione di lui). Seguono back and forth di mi vuole - no mi sbagliavo - o sì mi vuole, e anche quando lui le dice esplicitamente che la vuole, lei per suo background traumatizzato si fa comunque paranoie che portano a un third act break.... che però le serve per ragionare e fare psicoterapia.
- bene che lei si sblocca andando in psicoterapia, ma dubito che pochi mesi le possano rivoluzionare più di 20 anni di vita in cui si è continuata a sabotare da sola. Serviva un time lapse più lungo. Oppure che sì lo bombasse e dicesse che lo ama ma senza parlare di matrimonio (ma quindi, vd sopra, sarebbe stato un closed doors)
- lei illibata che alla prima fornicazione viene due volte? Ehmmm.
Comunque sia, una bella esperienza e un libro divertente ed emozionante che rileggerei molto volentieri. Magari dopo un corso intensivo di parole yiddish valide per i romance?
***
Wow! I got the arc! :) Looking forward to reading this!
November 6, 2025
This is one of my top reads of the year. Heidi effortlessly weaves together zany humor and heartfelt emotion into a beautiful story that celebrates the Orthodox Jewish community. Ashira and Caleb have incredible chemistry and their slow burn love story had me on the edge of my seat waiting for them to FINALLY admit their love!
November 7, 2025
This book was so good! Laugh out loud funny and I didn’t want it to end! Highly recommend!
October 11, 2025
4.75
I LOVED “Match Me If You Can” by Heidi Shertok! I loved how this book was a modern retelling of Emma (by Jane Austen) featuring a quirky Jewish matchmaker (Ashira) and a Regé-Jean Page inspired male lead (Caleb)! The book kept me laughing and surprisingly at times blushing.
The one thing that bothered me throughout the novel was Caleb’s obsession with Ashira’s diet. That could have been toned down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
I LOVED “Match Me If You Can” by Heidi Shertok! I loved how this book was a modern retelling of Emma (by Jane Austen) featuring a quirky Jewish matchmaker (Ashira) and a Regé-Jean Page inspired male lead (Caleb)! The book kept me laughing and surprisingly at times blushing.
The one thing that bothered me throughout the novel was Caleb’s obsession with Ashira’s diet. That could have been toned down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
October 30, 2025
Wow! I absolutely love the rich character development in this story. I feel like I knew Caleb and Ashira and I was personally invested in their relationship. I also appreciate how the secondary characters were so vibrantly drawn.
I so wanted the connection to come to fruition from the very beginning but I appreciated the story and it made it all worthwhile in the end.
I highly recommend this book!
I so wanted the connection to come to fruition from the very beginning but I appreciated the story and it made it all worthwhile in the end.
I highly recommend this book!
October 28, 2025
“Match Me If You Can” by Heidi Shertok is one of the funniest romance books I’ve read this year.
I loved the plot, the banter, the situations, both main characters… I just couldn’t put it down.
This was my first Heidi Shertok book. And now, I can’t wait to lay my hands on “Unorthodox Love”, her first release.
What I loved the most about it was probably the fact that it takes place within the Jewish community.
This year, I’ve been looking for books that don’t follow the same old mainstream narrative and have been having a wonderful time.
It was a great experience to read this book before its publishing date and discover this author (and this story).
I loved the plot, the banter, the situations, both main characters… I just couldn’t put it down.
This was my first Heidi Shertok book. And now, I can’t wait to lay my hands on “Unorthodox Love”, her first release.
What I loved the most about it was probably the fact that it takes place within the Jewish community.
This year, I’ve been looking for books that don’t follow the same old mainstream narrative and have been having a wonderful time.
It was a great experience to read this book before its publishing date and discover this author (and this story).
September 29, 2025
Having read and enjoyed a previous book by this author, I was really looking forward to it.
Ashira is trying to keep her business of being a matchmaker going after the death of her beloved mother. Unfortunately a client and her mother want feedback from her date, with an incredibly eligible bachelor(Caleb) and insist that they do not divulge they are there. What follows is a roasting about mother and daughter date wise and subsequently the mother bad mouths and blackballs the matchmaker. The rest of the novel is the matchmaker will work and find a match for the most eligible bachelor in order to save her business. The bachelor is however completely and utterly in love with the matchmaker!
The story is fab and the comedy that Ms Shertok injects to the story is fabulous. I know a little of the Jewish faith however this story is also a beginners guide to Orthodox Judaism.
I laughed and cried as some parts were incredibly heart warming and was completely rooting for Ashira and Caleb from the start
Ashira is trying to keep her business of being a matchmaker going after the death of her beloved mother. Unfortunately a client and her mother want feedback from her date, with an incredibly eligible bachelor(Caleb) and insist that they do not divulge they are there. What follows is a roasting about mother and daughter date wise and subsequently the mother bad mouths and blackballs the matchmaker. The rest of the novel is the matchmaker will work and find a match for the most eligible bachelor in order to save her business. The bachelor is however completely and utterly in love with the matchmaker!
The story is fab and the comedy that Ms Shertok injects to the story is fabulous. I know a little of the Jewish faith however this story is also a beginners guide to Orthodox Judaism.
I laughed and cried as some parts were incredibly heart warming and was completely rooting for Ashira and Caleb from the start
October 5, 2025
A romantic comedy with big-screen potential! The cast of characters in Match Me if You Can jumped off the page and stole my heart. Ashira, with her quick wit and big heart, could easily become one of my best friends IRL, and if you’re looking for a new book boyfriend, look no further than Caleb Kahn, most eligible bachelor in New York. Sizzling sexual tension, situations that make you snort through your nose laughing, and swoon-worthy moments will steal your heart.
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