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Book club questions for The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman explore the themes of love, family, tradition, the role of women in society, the power of secrets, and the interplay between destiny and choice.
This is a charming story about relationships and love and it’ll have you feeling all the good vibes inside.
The writing flows naturally and the back and forth between the present and the past is nicely done as well.
An easy to read novel, it will put a smile on your face. 🥰
What were your impressions of this novel? ✨
The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman
In this blog post, I have prepared thoughtfully crafted discussion questions for The Matchmaker’s Gift.
At the bottom of this post you will also find a free downloadable PDF version of the book club questions for your personal use, along with some additional suggestions for novels that share similar themes and narratives.
Let me know if you find these book club questions useful. I’m excited to hear your unique perspectives during your book club discussions!
Book Club Questions | Additional Recommendations | Printable List
About the Story
The Matchmaker’s Gift follow the story of Sara Glikman, a gifted matchmaker in the vibrant streets of New York’s Lower East Side in the 1900s.
Sara’s unique talent is her ability to bring soulmates together, but her unconventional role challenges the traditions of her community. Despite the odds, she secretly dedicates herself to matchmaking, yearning for recognition and acceptance among her peers.
Fast forward to the present day, where we meet Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, a thriving divorce attorney in Manhattan. Upon Sara’s passing, Abby inherits her grandmother’s treasure trove of handwritten journals chronicling her matchmaking endeavors.
As Abby dives into these journals, she is confronted with profound questions about her own life and her grandmother’s enigmatic intentions. The once-fulfilling career she cherished begins to lose its luster as she grapples with Sara’s legacy and an intriguing promise made to a stranger.
This novel explores the age-old question of whether love is a destiny or a dilemma. With humor, heart, and a dash of mystery, it unravels the power of love and the enduring connections that thread through generations. It’s a touching and delightful journey that will leave you pondering the bonds that define us.
About the Author
Lynda Cohen Loigman grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. She earned a B.A. in English and American Literature from Harvard College and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Her first book, “Two-Family House,” became a bestseller on USA Today and was nominated for the Goodreads 2016 Choice Awards in the Historical Fiction category.
Her second book, “The Wartime Sisters,” was chosen as a pick for the Woman’s World Book Club and recognized as one of the Best Books of 2019 by Real Simple Magazine. “The Matchmakers Gift” is her third novel.
Her novels often explore themes of family, relationships, and the impact of historical events on individual lives.
Book Club Questions for The Matchmaker’s Gift
Disclaimer: the following discussion questions contain spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven’t finished the book yet.
- “The Matchmaker’s Gift” alternates between Sara and Abby’s narratives. Did you feel a stronger connection to one character’s perspective? Why?
- Sara works as a matchmaker, while Abby is a divorce attorney. How do these contrasting careers shape the story and the development of the characters?
- Let’s discuss Abby’s father. How do you think he influenced Abby’s life choices and her views on love?
- The story explores the importance of family and intergenerational relationships. How did the relationship between Sara and Abby evolve throughout the book, and what did they learn from each other?
- Cultural and religious elements play a significant role in the story, particularly in the Jewish immigrant community. How did these cultural aspects enrich the narrative, and did they help you better understand the characters’ motivations and choices?
- The book combines elements of magical realism with a family saga. How did the inclusion of Sara’s matchmaking gift add depth and uniqueness to the story? Did you find it believable within the context of the narrative?
- On page 161, there’s the statement, “Love is not always a straight, shining line. Sometimes, love is a shady path, full of unpredictable turns.” How does this idea play out in the novel? Can you identify specific moments where love becomes complex?
- “The Matchmaker’s Gift” features several strong female characters who represent the two different time periods in the story. What qualities and strengths do these women exhibit, and how do they reflect the times and places depicted in the novel?
- Sara says on page 246, “If you can’t decide what you want to fight for, love is as good a cause as any.” Which character in the book do you believe fought the hardest for love?
- Consider the statement on page 231, “Tradition should never be used as an excuse to keep people from reaching their potential.” In what ways does tradition hinder the characters in the story, and in what ways does it benefit them?
- The story explores the idea of inherited gifts and talents, with both Sara and Abby having unique abilities. How do you think these abilities shaped their lives and the choices they made?
- Sara’s matchmaking gift is seen as a threat to the male-dominated profession of matchmaking in her community. How does this aspect of the story shed light on gender roles and expectations during that time? Are there any parallels in today’s society?
- The book touches on themes of love, destiny, and choice. Can you identify moments in the story where characters faced choices that significantly impacted their romantic lives? How did they handle these choices?
- In your opinion, what is the most significant lesson or gift that Sara leaves Abby, both in her lifetime and through Abby’s reading of her journals?
- Throughout the novel, there’s a sense of nostalgia and a connection to the past. How does the author use historical details and settings to create a vivid sense of time and place? Did this enhance your reading experience?
- Abby’s career as a divorce attorney seems to conflict with her grandmother’s gift for matchmaking. How does her journey throughout the novel reflect the idea of following one’s true calling versus societal expectations?
- One of the central questions in the book is whether love is a blessing or a curse. How do different characters’ experiences with love in the story shape their perspectives on this question?
- Sara and Abby both go through significant personal growth and transformation. What were the pivotal moments in their journeys that led to their self-discovery and finding their true paths?
- The novel explores whether the ability to find true love is a blessing or a curse. How did you initially perceive Sara and Abby’s gift of matchmaking? Did your perspective change as you read the book? Can you point out moments when matchmaking felt like a gift and when it seemed like a curse?
- How did the ending of the book affect your emotions? What do you envision for Abby’s future? Do you think she will continue making matches, and do you believe she will find love for herself?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman!
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book:
The Night of Many Endings by Melissa Payne
From Melissa Payne, bestselling author of Memories in the Drift, comes an emotionally rich, feel-good novel about hope, second chances, and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.
Orphaned at a young age and witness to her brother’s decline into addiction, Nora Martinez has every excuse to question the fairness of life. Instead, the openhearted librarian in the small Colorado community of Silver Ridge sees only promise.
She holds on to the hope that she’ll be reunited with her missing brother and does what she can at the town library. It’s her home away from home, but it’s also a sanctuary for others who, like her brother, could use a second chance.
There’s Marlene, an elderly loner who believes that, apart from her husband, there’s little good left in the world; Jasmine, a troubled teen; Lewis, a homeless man with lost hope and one last wish; and Vlado, the security guard who loves a good book and, from afar, Nora.
As a winter storm buries Silver Ridge, this collection of lonely hearts takes shelter in the library. They’ll discover more about each other, and themselves, than they ever knew―and Nora will be forced to question her brother’s disappearance in ways she never could have imagined. No matter how stranded in life they feel, this fateful night could be the new beginning they didn’t think was possible.
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.
Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.
When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.
The Starfish Sisters by Barbara O’Neal
From the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids comes an emotional novel about two women facing the betrayals, heartbreaks, and refuge of true friendship.
Phoebe and Suze used to be closer than sisters. Growing up in a quiet and wildly beautiful coastal town in Oregon, they shared everything. Until the secrets they couldn’t share threatened their bond and complicated their lives.
Now, decades later, Suze, a famous actress desperate for safe haven following a brutal attack, is back in town. Phoebe, a successful illustrator and fabric designer, has discovered keeping a secret means she can’t let anyone get close, aside from her beloved granddaughter, Jasmine. As Jasmine’s move to London looms, Phoebe doesn’t know how to face the return of her old friend and all that’s still unsaid between them. Can the two women who’ve never confronted their past do it now when the choice is between healing and survival?
Heartfelt and layered, The Starfish Sisters is a moving story about the complicated nature of female friendship, the joys and heartbreaks of life, and the resiliency and power that women possess.
Printable PDF
Feel free to distribute these discussion questions to your book club members before your meeting. Simply click the link below to download and print the PDF file.
Happy reading! ❤️