An Unorthodox Match by Naomi Ragen

It has been a while since I have read anything by Naomi Ragen and I had forgotten how strong of a writer she is. I love  her descriptions of life in an Orthodox Jewish home. She shows both the good and the bad of society. She creates strong females who are truly the heart of the home. I loved her descriptions of the food , so much that I can almost smell the scents of the community. She also recreates the sounds and accents of the people. Her writing style reminds me of Chaim Potok but with a focus on the females rather than the men. I enjoyed the plot and the fact that it involved several generations dealing with each other and the changes that inevitably happen. This is a must read book. So grab a pot of tea and a plate of Rugalach and settle in for a great read.
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.com with no expectations. All thoughts are my own

From Amazon:

An Unorthodox Match is a powerful and moving novel of faith, love, and acceptance, from author Naomi Ragen, the international bestselling author of The Devil in Jerusalem.

California girl Lola has her life all set up: business degree, handsome fiancé, fast track career, when suddenly, without warning, everything tragically implodes. After years fruitlessly searching for love, marriage, and children, she decides to take the radical step of seeking spirituality and meaning far outside the parameters of modern life in the insular, ultraorthodox enclave of Boro Park, Brooklyn. There, fate brings her to the dysfunctional home of newly-widowed Jacob, a devout Torah scholar, whose life is also in turmoil, and whose small children are aching for the kindness of a womanly touch.

While her mother direly predicts she is ruining her life, enslaving herself to a community that is a misogynistic religious cult, Lola’s heart tells her something far more complicated. But it is the shocking and unexpected messages of her new community itself which will finally force her into a deeper understanding of the real choices she now faces and which will ultimately decide her fate.

About the author:

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Biography

Naomi Ragen is the author of many novels, including several international bestsellers, and her weekly email columns on life in the Middle East are read by thousands of subscribers worldwide. An American, she has lived in Jerusalem for the past forty years and was voted one of the three most popular authors in Israel..