This was a sweet love story, split between 18-year-old Betty set in 1951 and 84-year-old Boop in modern time. Young Betty lives with her Jewish grandparents at their South Haven resort, where she dreams of being crowned a beauty queen, going to college in NY, and having a successful career as a fashion magazine editor. But life throws her a curveball when she meets and falls in love with the handsome Abe, who could only be more perfect (and acceptable to her family) if he was Jewish.
Boop is living in her late grandparents’ home, having one last visit with her best friends from her childhood before she moves across the country to live with her son now that her husband Marv died a few years back. But when the three women get together, along with Boop’s granddaughter, secrets are revealed and nothing goes as planned.
I really enjoyed this book, although it helped that I understood the Yiddish terms, already knew what is required to be considered born Jewish, and am familiar with that part of Michigan (and Skokie, which is also talked about a lot.) It might lose a bit of the magic familiarity if you don’t have some sort of background like this, but I think the story still works regardless.
There isn’t much true depth to any of the characters — I really wanted someone to fight against the stereotypes, and I was so sure something else was going to be revealed about Georgia — but it was still a nice story to get to spend some time with.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.